Tag Archives: Why It Works

Why It Works: The Brilliance of Mob Psycho 100’s Season Premiere

Posted on by

Today for Why It Works (well, yesterday technically, but I was too busy to actually link stuff then), I gush some more about Mob Psycho 100’s season premiere! The episode was friggin’ brilliant, so I was happy to extol its strengths in a longer format than the preview guide allows. I could probably just dedicated Why It Works to weekly Mob posts and be happy this season, but I’m sure I’ll mix it up – with Neverland and a variety of other hits on the service, I certainly won’t be lacking things to talk about. Anyway, here’s the piece!

The Brilliance of Mob Psycho 100’s Season Premiere

Why It Works: Anime to Inspire Your New Year’s Resolution!

Posted on by

Today on Why It Works I’ve got a pretty sentimental article that I’m actually quite proud of, where I run down some recent favorites of mine in the context of potential new year’s resolutions. I have absolutely no time to describe the whole thing though, as I’m still buried in preview week. I hope you enjoy the piece!

Anime to Inspire Your New Year’s Resolution!

Why It Works: A Kaleidoscope of Feeling: Light and Color in Tsurune

Posted on by

Today for Why It Works, I wrote a craft piece entirely focused on Tsurune’s dazzling use of color and composition in the illustration of its characters’ feelings. I feel like I initially took Tsurune’s tonal strengths for granted, but as the episodes have built up, its ability to consistently evoke a neat balance between its characters’ feelings and the overall tonal austerity of archery has only impressed me more and more. Tsurune is a quietly terrific show, and I’m always happy to talk about it.

A Kaleidoscope of Feeling: Light and Color in Tsurune

Why It Works: Anime Every JoJo Fan Should Watch

Posted on by

Today on Why It Works, I’ve got a pile of recommendations for lovers of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures. While I’d recommend any of these shows on their own merits, the first two in particular feel so precisely JoJo that I genuinely feel if you’re watching any of these three, you’d almost certainly be a fan of the others. Whatever your feelings on idols or puppets, Symphogear and Thunderbolt are JoJo As Fuck, and deserve your full attention.

Anime Every JoJo Fan Should Watch

Why It Works: Five Star Anime Directors of the Coming Season

Posted on by

Today on Why It Works, I was hard at work hyping up some of the most exciting shows of the winter season. Though every season has its all star directors and staff, I felt this coming season was particularly stocked with S-tier directors, and so decided to highlight these terrific artists specifically. And hey, any excuse to use One Punch Man in order to trick people into reading about Kemono Friends and Rakugo is a good one. Here’s the piece!

Five Star Directors of the Coming Season

Giant Robots and Absent Friends: The Split Identity of SSSS.Gridman

Posted on by

Today on Why It Works, I explored a topic that’s been intriguing me all season – Gridman’s pronounced divide between its two principle genre modes. Obviously giant robots shows care about their characters in general, but Gridman seems to be making a genuine point of splitting its drama into categories defined by unique styles of direction, animation, and storytelling. It’s a neat trick that seems to genuinely reflect the show’s themes, and something I was very happy to talk about. Here’s the piece!

Giant Robots and Absent Friends: The Split Identity of SSSS.Gridman

Why It Works: It’s Time to Catch Up on the Thrilling Mob Psycho 100!

Posted on by

Today on Why It Works, I’ve got a big ol’ pitch for Mob Psycho 100, the terrific spectacle that I’d personally place as the best action show of the last five years. I loved Mob Psycho while it was airing, and I’m very excited to return to it this winter season. It’s nice to have at least one show you’re basically certain is going to kick ass, and Mob Psycho feels as sure a bet as basically anything. Here’s the piece!

It’s Time to Catch Up on the Thrilling Mob Psycho 100!

Why It Works: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is Invading Your Home!

Posted on by

Yep, we’re back on the JoJo train. For this week’s Why It Works, I focused specifically on the show’s long history of home invasion narratives, and how well they work for its specific blend of action and horror. To be honest, you could probably write a supplementary article on how the show embraces “invasion” more generally, often through terrifying Stands like Rohan’s Heaven’s Door. But the language of home invasions specifically is baked deeply into JoJo’s DNA, so I was happy to focus on that for now!

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is Invading Your Home!

Why It Works: Don’t Sleep on Tsurune

Posted on by

Today on Crunchyroll, I ran through a brief formal breakdown of the vivid visual storytelling apparent all through Tsurune’s first several episodes. Part attempted sell and part close visual reading, I’m hoping this piece convinces at least a few wary souls to pick up Kyoto Animation’s latest production. The show’s been very satisfying so far, and given me plenty to chew on in both an aesthetic and character sense each week. I hope you enjoy the piece!

Don’t Sleep on Tsurune

Why It Works: The Solemn Beauty of SSSS.Gridman

Posted on by

Today on Why It Works, I wrote a general exploration of SSSS.Gridman’s phenomenal ability to convey the suffocating atmosphere of its strange world. From its vast and alienating exterior scenes to its carefully detailed interiors, Gridman is thrilling me every week with its visual design, and I was happy to gush about it. I hope you enjoy the piece!

The Solemn Beauty of SSSS.Gridman