Tag Archives: Anime

Star Driver – Episode 7

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to return to the scene on the ground at Southern Cross Isle, where just moments ago, Sugata unleashed the power of the King’s Pillar. That’s right, it’s time for more Star Driver, and all the glorious action animation/confounding thematic investigation that implies. After five episodes of tentative worldbuilding hints and regular episodic battles, episode six offered a mid-season board flip of tremendous intensity, explaining Sugata’s true nature just before potentially killing him. Just like Wako, Sugata is tethered to this island by the nature of his inheritance – but unlike Wako, he is trapped not by his connection to the shrine gates, but due to the fundamental danger his power represents.

All of these mechanical revelations slot neatly into Star Driver’s ongoing thematic conflict. The shrine maiden conceit embodies a fundamentally conservative perspective on female sexuality and agency, framing women as caged birds whose “purity” must be protected at all costs. The male counterpart to this framing is men defined as insatiable sexual predators, creatures who simply cannot control their urges (thus necessitating the imprisonment of women and downplaying of feminine sexuality). Sugata being framed as “too dangerous to leave the island” completes the circuit of Southern Cross’ gender paradigm, with the threat he poses summed up by the phallic symbol of the King’s Pillar.

So yes, Sugata has waggled his metaphorical penis around and potentially destroyed the island, himself, or both. But it was for a good cause! Let’s see how he and our other thematically imprisoned heroes are faring as we return to Star Driver.

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Eureka Seven – Episode 16

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Hello, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d step back in on Eureka Seven, wherein Renton most recently drove a strange rift between himself and Eureka. After a trip to his uncle’s farm raised old feelings of inadequacy to the surface, Renton rallied back through his declaration that “I am who I am,” asserting his proud separation from his family’s expectations. Having thus embraced his true desires, Renton was able to pilot the Nirvash like never before, deftly dispatching his enemies and rescuing Eureka in one swoop.

Unfortunately, Eureka doesn’t seem to appreciate Renton’s transformation. Her response to his piloting was simply “that’s not like the Nirvash at all,” and since that flight, she has forbidden Renton from even approaching the mech. Fresh off a key emotional revelation, Renton must now figure out why his actions hurt Eureka so, and what exactly he can do about it.

And honestly, I feel for the guy. These last couple episodes have hammered heavily on the “difficulty of true mutual understanding” theme, a concept Eureka Seven has carried on from Evangelion – but crucially, Shinji’s quest for understanding generally centered on his relationship with other recognizably human characters. Misato, Asuka, and even Gendo possessed full and coherent human personalities – in contrast, Rei Ayanami was always more of a ghost, and was never fully understood by her companions. With her blue hair, minimal emotional responses, and supernatural origins, Eureka is clearly modeled on Rei, meaning Renton is being asked to achieve a connection not just between human beings, but likely between different species. Eureka’s actions aren’t just mysterious to insecure teenage boys, they’re mysterious to everyone – and if Eureka Seven plans on pursuing this thread of sincere connection, it will likely have to abandon some of Eureka’s impenetrable mystique.

In the meantime though, I’m guessing Renton will attempt a whole bunch of attention-grabbing antics that only serve to weird Eureka out. That sounds plenty fun to me, so let’s get right to it!

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Zoku Owarimonogatari – Episode 4

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I figured we’d check back in on Araragi’s progress in Zoku Owarimonogatari, wherein he most recently stumbled across an unexpectedly human Kiss-Shot. Aside from that, Zoku’s last episode was mostly consumed by Yotsugi wandering around and repeatedly mocking Araragi, i.e. your classic mid-arc Monogatari nonsense. Also, Nadeko did the Misato Big Gulp, so that was also some essential content right there.

As far as Zoku’s themes are concerned, the most impactful sequence of the episode was undoubtedly Sodachi’s reflection on the nature of mirrors. As she pointed out, mirrors are not perfectly reflective: they only reflect around eighty percent of the light they take in, meaning some portion of what they reflect is always lost in the balance. Beyond their literal meaning, her words can be interpreted in two ways that are both relevant to this story. First, in a “fantasy mechanics” sense, it is likely that this loss of essence is the reason all of mirror-world’s characters seem so diminished, only expressing one partial aspect of the original people they represent. And secondly, in a more philosophy-of-Monogatari sense, her words speak to the impossibility of fully knowing ourselves, as our impressions of our own identities will always be blurred and incomplete.

Nisio Isin is wise enough to understand that the clarion call of Monogatari – “you must come to know and love yourself, for only then can you truly connect with others” – is more of a hope or prayer than a truly achievable goal. It is what is most difficult and also what is most essential; in a world of chaos and disappointment, self-love is the only route to harmony or contentment. This path towards accepting the self has taken many forms over Monogatari’s various adventures, and in Zoku, this directive is further complicated through the admission that our “selves” are also variable, and impossible to draw fully into focus. But all that’s basically why I love Monogatari; it’s smart enough to understand that true self-actualization is likely impossible, yet optimistic enough to still hope for happiness for all its muddled-up heroes. Let’s get back to the action!

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Bodacious Space Pirates – Episode 20

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. How’s everyone doing today? For me, the mood is a little restrained due to the currently overcast weather, but that won’t matter soon, as there ain’t no clouds in SPACE! Wait, are there clouds in space? Don’t quote me on that, I don’t actually know anything about science or the natural world. Regardless, we are indeed piercing the firmament and jetting into the vast beyond, as we check out a fresh episode of Bodacious Space Pirates.

When last we left off, Marika had almost made a serious mess of things by misplacing her captain ring. In her attempts to carry the weight of both the Bentenmaru and the yacht club on her shoulders, Marika swiftly exhausted herself, leading to dangerously sloppy behavior. Fortunately, her reliable princesses were there to save her, returning her ring while rightfully demanding she let her companions share her burdens. Marika is clearly a powerful space warrior, but even she can’t handle all these responsibilities alone; fortunately, from the yacht club through the Bentenmaru crew through Serenity’s royals and beyond, she’s established a remarkable network of allies to stand beside her.

With inter-act responsibilities resolved, it’s presumably time to embark on Bodacious Space Pirates’ final adventure. I’m eager to see what shenanigans our heroes get up to, so let’s dispense with the preamble, and set out for the stars!

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Spy x Family – Episode 4

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Hey folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d take another look in on the Spy x Family, who recently celebrated their newfound unity with a group outing. After the first episode secured Loid a child and the second gained him a wife, episode three offered our first glimpse at their overall family dynamic, with the madness that is the Forger clan operating in full swing. Museums were visited, thieves were apprehended, and our trio began to resemble a functioning family, more or less.

That thief apprehension was Spy x Family’s most rewarding sequence so far, as all three of the Forgers got to show off their talents in pursuit of a common goal. But with so much deception baked into their relationships, I’m curious to see how often this story will allow them to be on the same page like that. What I’d most like to see is more tending to our cast’s fledgling points of connection – how Loid’s childhood makes him particularly sympathetic to Anya, how Yor’s sacrifices make Loid seem like a kindred spirit, etcetera. Close personal connections are generally built on vulnerability and honesty, and with Spy x Family’s premise almost necessarily forbidding such gestures, I’m extremely curious to see how it actually brings this trio closer. Let’s find out!

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Summer 2022 – Week 7 in Review

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. This week I’ve got an unusually timely selection of films for you all, having checked out some of the latest streaming releases alongside the usual grab bag of older films. I’ve also been slowly preparing myself to actually watch some currently-airing anime next season; stepping back from the grind has been lovely, but I imagine that Mob Psycho and Chainsaw Man will be appointment viewing, with Do It Yourself also looking to be a potentially impressive production. I’m not super excited by the Jujutsu Kaisen-style visual sheen of Chainsaw Man’s trailers, but even a Chainsaw Man that’s been homogenized into anime’s current “action prestige aesthetic” should still be a fun time. In the meanwhile, my housemate’s been powering through Naruto at a truly alarming pace, which hasn’t exactly been the revelatory experience of One Piece, but has at least introduced me to terrific highlights like the 3rd Hokage’s big fight, or Sakura’s faceoff with the Akatsuki. It’s feeling easier all the time to appreciate the distinctive strengths of specific animators, which is in turn helping me embrace a more holistic approach to anime analysis. But let’s set aside the sakuga grind for a moment, and explore a fresh selection of films. It’s time for the goddamn Week in Review!

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Anne of Green Gables – Episode 10

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Hello everyone, and welcome to Wrong Every Time. Today it seemed just about time to take a trip back to Green Gables, and see how our friend Anne is faring. Last episode served as a great triumph for Anne, as her first meeting with potential friend Diana turned out splendidly. Though Anne came on a little strong with her vow of undying friendship and all that, Diana turned out to be thoroughly charmed by Anne’s eccentricities, and the two enjoyed a peaceful afternoon among the hills and flowers. Diana can’t quite match Anne’s peculiarity of perspective, but she’s just as voracious of a reader, giving the two an easy point of connection in kindling a long and rewarding friendship.

Last episode also served as a temporary sendoff to Yoshiyuki Tomino, who’ll be rejoining us for episode twelve. In the meantime, this episode will be storyboarded by Shigeo Koshi, a Masterpiece Theater mainstay who also made significant contributions to Leiji Matsumoto’s Star Blazers. Koshi will be working from a Takahata script, and with no specific episode director attached, I’m guessing this episode will most directly evoke the soothing naturalism and poetic whimsy of Takahata’s oeuvre. That’s more than fine by me; every fresh episode of Anne raises my estimation of Takahata, and I’ve already had to install a second floor in my artist-appreciation warehouse to account for how highly I currently regard him. Let’s see what wonders await us as we return to Green Gables!

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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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