October 9th, 2014
Five Dandiest Episodes of Space Dandy
Space Dandy, which started this January, just wrapped up. The series had a split cour, but was clearly meant to be enjoyed as one series, as defined by the consistent OP. Twenty-six episodes strong, with possibly another series (or film) in the works, this seems like a prime opportunity to reflect on the best of what the series had to offer, with the five episodes that best exemplified what Dandy has to offer, especially for Watanabe fans, but hopefully it's a universal level of enjoyment.
Every episode of Space Dandy abounds with references to other works- both Watanabe's own (Cowboy Bebop), and others in the field of anime (Dragonball Z, Redline, Gundam), and even still, to live-action Hollywood films (The Shining) and other pop culture references (Michael Jackson). There's a lot to love. Here are the five that I think exemplify the series best:
5. Lovers are Trendy, Baby
In this episode, Dandy and Scarlet go on a series of dates on a planet known as a honeymoon getaway. Not because of Dandy's charm and debonair, but because Scarlet is trying to avoid her ex, Char- err, Dolph. There's plenty of solid comedy in the episode, but what really stands out is how easy to care about Dandy is once you spend some time with him. Scarlet gets to see a side of Dandy she doesn't when they're both working. He's caring and he tries hard to make his friends happy. Especially beautiful women that are his friends. And something strong grows between them, and like every Hollywood romance, they just barely miss out on what could have been something beautiful. It's an endearing, touching episode.
4. The Search for the Phantom Space Ramen, Baby
This episode is, in my opinion, the poster child for fun, referential, and transcending. In the search for an alien species who makes some "out-of-this-galaxy" ramen, we get to see a dozen references to anime like Fullmetal Alchemist, and we get the hilarity of Gel's men successfully tracking down Dandy and his team as Meow tweets every restaurant they visit. We get a hilarious backstory to an other-dimensional alien (who lit his girlfriend on fire) and Meow never gets to try the space ramen, possibly one of the saddest moments in the series. As the second episode in the series, it really set the stage for what was to come in a way the first episode couldn't. This was truly going to be whatever the fuck Watanabe wanted it to be. And I wouldn't want it any other way.
3. Never-ending Dandy, Baby
The series finale. Open with a shot of Vicious's bird. Spoilers ahead. Ironically, because this is the only episode in the series that references other episodes. Scarlet and Honey become Dandy's allies. We learn why Dandy and team can die, yet be there next episode. Gel is betrayed by his sidekick Bea, who's secretly working with the Jaicro Empire, but who turns on them as well. Admiral Perry is actually just a dude. Johnny returns, and this episode actually picks up right where episode 25 leaves off. Which is the only time that's happened in the whole series, either. And to top it all off, it turns out, the Narrator is the Chameleonian, and both of them are actually God, who wants to retire since the universe (and all parallel universes) are collapsing and he wants Dandy to take his place. But Dandy declines because he'd lose his physical body and be unable to grope breasts anymore. Go figure.
2. A World With no Sadness, Baby
Dandy is dead the whole episode, on a planet that represents purgatory. All sorts of bizarre, wonderful, Ghibli-esque shit comes and goes, and iirc, there's even some singing. It's a real roller coaster ride, and it's one of the strangest, nay, it's the strangest episode of Space Dandy out there. And at the end, Dandy gives up his chance at returning to life and settles down with the embodiment of the planet, because she's been waiting her whole life for him. It's romanticism at its finest, and possibly my personal favorite. That said, nothing could be first in a list of Dandy episodes besides;
1. The Lonely Pooch Planet, Baby
Landing on a planet that's effectively a garbage dump, Dandy finds a strange, previously extinct animal known as a dog. And he is instantly best friends with the dog. Meow gets attacked by black goo from the Bebop's fridge, which is a wonderfully self-referential moment since it's from the exact episode that Watanabe explained Space Dandy as prior to airing. This episode is, also, most importantly, the episode that confirms that Space Dandy and Cowboy Bebop take place in the same universe. There's just no topping that, as far as fan service goes. Thank you, based Watanabe. This is also the first episode to appeal to the audience with more than just humor. The first to bring in emotions and a more serious subject matter. And that set the stage for a lot of amazing episodes to come. See yah later, Space Cowboy.
Every episode of Space Dandy abounds with references to other works- both Watanabe's own (Cowboy Bebop), and others in the field of anime (Dragonball Z, Redline, Gundam), and even still, to live-action Hollywood films (The Shining) and other pop culture references (Michael Jackson). There's a lot to love. Here are the five that I think exemplify the series best:
5. Lovers are Trendy, Baby
In this episode, Dandy and Scarlet go on a series of dates on a planet known as a honeymoon getaway. Not because of Dandy's charm and debonair, but because Scarlet is trying to avoid her ex, Char- err, Dolph. There's plenty of solid comedy in the episode, but what really stands out is how easy to care about Dandy is once you spend some time with him. Scarlet gets to see a side of Dandy she doesn't when they're both working. He's caring and he tries hard to make his friends happy. Especially beautiful women that are his friends. And something strong grows between them, and like every Hollywood romance, they just barely miss out on what could have been something beautiful. It's an endearing, touching episode.
4. The Search for the Phantom Space Ramen, Baby
This episode is, in my opinion, the poster child for fun, referential, and transcending. In the search for an alien species who makes some "out-of-this-galaxy" ramen, we get to see a dozen references to anime like Fullmetal Alchemist, and we get the hilarity of Gel's men successfully tracking down Dandy and his team as Meow tweets every restaurant they visit. We get a hilarious backstory to an other-dimensional alien (who lit his girlfriend on fire) and Meow never gets to try the space ramen, possibly one of the saddest moments in the series. As the second episode in the series, it really set the stage for what was to come in a way the first episode couldn't. This was truly going to be whatever the fuck Watanabe wanted it to be. And I wouldn't want it any other way.
3. Never-ending Dandy, Baby
The series finale. Open with a shot of Vicious's bird. Spoilers ahead. Ironically, because this is the only episode in the series that references other episodes. Scarlet and Honey become Dandy's allies. We learn why Dandy and team can die, yet be there next episode. Gel is betrayed by his sidekick Bea, who's secretly working with the Jaicro Empire, but who turns on them as well. Admiral Perry is actually just a dude. Johnny returns, and this episode actually picks up right where episode 25 leaves off. Which is the only time that's happened in the whole series, either. And to top it all off, it turns out, the Narrator is the Chameleonian, and both of them are actually God, who wants to retire since the universe (and all parallel universes) are collapsing and he wants Dandy to take his place. But Dandy declines because he'd lose his physical body and be unable to grope breasts anymore. Go figure.
2. A World With no Sadness, Baby
Dandy is dead the whole episode, on a planet that represents purgatory. All sorts of bizarre, wonderful, Ghibli-esque shit comes and goes, and iirc, there's even some singing. It's a real roller coaster ride, and it's one of the strangest, nay, it's the strangest episode of Space Dandy out there. And at the end, Dandy gives up his chance at returning to life and settles down with the embodiment of the planet, because she's been waiting her whole life for him. It's romanticism at its finest, and possibly my personal favorite. That said, nothing could be first in a list of Dandy episodes besides;
1. The Lonely Pooch Planet, Baby
Landing on a planet that's effectively a garbage dump, Dandy finds a strange, previously extinct animal known as a dog. And he is instantly best friends with the dog. Meow gets attacked by black goo from the Bebop's fridge, which is a wonderfully self-referential moment since it's from the exact episode that Watanabe explained Space Dandy as prior to airing. This episode is, also, most importantly, the episode that confirms that Space Dandy and Cowboy Bebop take place in the same universe. There's just no topping that, as far as fan service goes. Thank you, based Watanabe. This is also the first episode to appeal to the audience with more than just humor. The first to bring in emotions and a more serious subject matter. And that set the stage for a lot of amazing episodes to come. See yah later, Space Cowboy.
Posted by Doaj | Oct 9, 2014 1:40 AM | 3 comments
October 18th, 2013
Fall Season 2013: First Impressions (Part II)
-Walkure Romanze
The director of Welcome to the NHK, a master of fanservice, Yuusuke Yamamoto directs this peculiar anime about a school for knights. The episode off to a rocky start, with some very cliche and predictable characters. But it wasn't until the OP that I started getting worried. Lots of fanservice there. And though the episode was sprinkled with panty shots, it wasn't as bad the the OP made it seem. So far it's definitely old hat, but at least the jousting seems to make for an interesting twist. I'm hoping a strong directorial presence can help turn this around but I'm not going to hold my breath.
-BlazBlue: Alter Memory
The first episode was a mess. The plot was clearly supposed to come off as mysterious, and it seemed like most of it was inspired directly from video game features that, frankly, aren't meant to be part of video game adaptations or their storylines. Regardless of that, the story was all over the place, and there was little or no connection between scenes. It was seemingly all random. They definitely tried to fit too many characters in this first episode, and by the end of it, the only scene I'd enjoyed was the main character's interactions with this cat-like figure. At least they had a conversation. I was worried they were all robots. Really, if this doesn't get better, it might be the worst anime I'm watching this season. And that says a lot considering how bad Sekai Ichiban's second episode was.
-Galilei Donna
Man, did this not disappoint. While I hadn't been entirely sure what to expect, I came out of this with a sigh of relief. The kidnapping scenes were done surprisingly well, and the main characters weren't overpowered or particularly capable of handling themselves. I was worried we'd have a team of femme fatales, but they're actually all pretty well developed so far. Their parents are downright hilarious in their accurate depiction of both clingy parents and of a divorced couple. The villain is okay so far, but I see potential for improvement there. And I loved the airship fight; the giant goldfish was hilarious, cute, and successfully badass. Pretty decent OP too.
-Samurai Flamenco
I have two theories and what this is going to be. 1. A brilliantly written battle seinen with a funky and unique cast of characters. 2. A josei about the friendship between the two MCs. Whichever way it goes, I think it'll be excellent, to be honest. The first episode had some pretty funny scenes, some well written scenes, and overall it was good, though not quite as good as the other noitaminA show's premiere. I have high hopes yet though.
On that note, Ansatsu Kyoushitsu has had no news yet about a television premiere or dvd/blu-ray release. I'll keep tabs on it throughout the season, and when it finally does air, it'll be included in the first following blog post.
And unfortunately enough, the same has to go for Pupa, which has been mysteriously quiet. Hopefully it isn't delayed until Winter season. Rumors abound that it'll start in a couple weeks though. Fingers crossed.
The director of Welcome to the NHK, a master of fanservice, Yuusuke Yamamoto directs this peculiar anime about a school for knights. The episode off to a rocky start, with some very cliche and predictable characters. But it wasn't until the OP that I started getting worried. Lots of fanservice there. And though the episode was sprinkled with panty shots, it wasn't as bad the the OP made it seem. So far it's definitely old hat, but at least the jousting seems to make for an interesting twist. I'm hoping a strong directorial presence can help turn this around but I'm not going to hold my breath.
-BlazBlue: Alter Memory
The first episode was a mess. The plot was clearly supposed to come off as mysterious, and it seemed like most of it was inspired directly from video game features that, frankly, aren't meant to be part of video game adaptations or their storylines. Regardless of that, the story was all over the place, and there was little or no connection between scenes. It was seemingly all random. They definitely tried to fit too many characters in this first episode, and by the end of it, the only scene I'd enjoyed was the main character's interactions with this cat-like figure. At least they had a conversation. I was worried they were all robots. Really, if this doesn't get better, it might be the worst anime I'm watching this season. And that says a lot considering how bad Sekai Ichiban's second episode was.
-Galilei Donna
Man, did this not disappoint. While I hadn't been entirely sure what to expect, I came out of this with a sigh of relief. The kidnapping scenes were done surprisingly well, and the main characters weren't overpowered or particularly capable of handling themselves. I was worried we'd have a team of femme fatales, but they're actually all pretty well developed so far. Their parents are downright hilarious in their accurate depiction of both clingy parents and of a divorced couple. The villain is okay so far, but I see potential for improvement there. And I loved the airship fight; the giant goldfish was hilarious, cute, and successfully badass. Pretty decent OP too.
-Samurai Flamenco
I have two theories and what this is going to be. 1. A brilliantly written battle seinen with a funky and unique cast of characters. 2. A josei about the friendship between the two MCs. Whichever way it goes, I think it'll be excellent, to be honest. The first episode had some pretty funny scenes, some well written scenes, and overall it was good, though not quite as good as the other noitaminA show's premiere. I have high hopes yet though.
On that note, Ansatsu Kyoushitsu has had no news yet about a television premiere or dvd/blu-ray release. I'll keep tabs on it throughout the season, and when it finally does air, it'll be included in the first following blog post.
And unfortunately enough, the same has to go for Pupa, which has been mysteriously quiet. Hopefully it isn't delayed until Winter season. Rumors abound that it'll start in a couple weeks though. Fingers crossed.
Posted by Doaj | Oct 18, 2013 7:31 AM | 0 comments
October 9th, 2013
Top 25 Anime I Still Need to See
Anime Relations: Monster, Akira, Blood+, Gankutsuou, Grappler Baki (TV), Planetes, Versailles no Bara, Tonari no Totoro, Mugen no Ryvius, Princess Tutu, Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu, Top wo Nerae! Gunbuster, Ouritsu Uchuugun: Honneamise no Tsubasa, Touch, Saint Seiya, Master Keaton, Black Blood Brothers, Les Misérables: Shoujo Cosette, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Miyuki, Ashita no Joe, Ginga Tetsudou Monogatari: Eien e no Bunkiten, Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei, Kuroko no Basket, Sakamichi no Apollon
Though my completed count is creeping up there, I still feel like there are so many more classics and influential pieces I need to partake in. Most of the entries are series', but a few important movies have also been included. And because I have no interest in figuring out the specific order they take priority, I'll list them alphabetically:
Akira - A classic film that set a lot of standards and was revolutionary for its time. I've seen like, the first ten minutes, and it looks very promising. This is one I need to get around to and finish. Really, it should've been in the first 25 titles I watched.
Ashita no Joe - After watching Hajime no Ippo and falling in love with sports anime, I decided to look into what inspired it. Having always been a fan of boxing, a fan of older anime, and a fan of the legendary Osamu Dezaki, it's practically blasphemy that I haven't watched this yet. But it's mostly because it isn't fully available yet, and while I could watch the first 50+ episodes, I'm waiting until it's subbed and available. Also, the 70s were the best decade for anime. Just sayin'.
Baki the Grappler - Recommended to me roughly a decade ago by a close friend when I didn't watch much anime at all. Now that I've fully immersed myself, Baki has always been on my mind as something I need to watch "eventually." I think I've put it off long enough.
Black Blood Brothers - Another recommendation, from a different but good friend. The artwork looks good too, and it's a short series, so I really have no excuse for not having seen it yet. I haven't forgotten about it though.
Blood+ - An anime I started a few years ago with my wife, I remember it being decent. Our lives got busy though, and we forgot to ever get back to it. Recently having rewatched the first episode, I see things I didn't notice then. Fluid animation, potential character development and interaction, fast-paced plot. Also, this has a spectacular dub so far. I definitely need to pick this back up in the near future.
Galaxy Railways: Eternal Divergence - My favorite director, the master of hard scifi in anime, Leiji Matsumoto. He created what would become my favorite anime feature of all time with Galaxy Railways, and I spent a couple years trying to track down an English subbed version. Eventually I found it, and it's been sitting on my hard drive for eight months while I try to finish what I've already started and prioritize some recommendations before I resubmerge into this incredible universe. Also, I don't want it to be over, and once I watch it, that's it.
Gankutsuo - Watched the first two episodes a couple years ago on Netflix, then got rid of Netflix. Found it online and DL'd it recently. The art looked nice, but the plot hadn't drawn me in yet. Expecting great things though, with how universally recommended this has been.
Gunbuster - It's only six episodes, what am I doing typing when I could just watch it? Regardless, Gunbuster is something I want to watch because of its status as inducted in Critics & Connoisseurs. The name makes it sound like it would be violent, fanservice-y, and have a poor plot. But that isn't C&C's style, so I'm curious what got everybody's attention.
Gurren Lagann - As a strong opposer to mecha anime, I feel like I need to at least see the best before I talk shit about an entire genre. I'll watch this, might like it, probably won't. But either way, at least then I'll have some potency to my debates.
Infinite Ryvius - Recommended by the same fellow who told me about Black Blood Brothers, I intend to start this very soon (likely once I finish rewatching Captain Harlock, since I don't tend to like watching multiple space operas at once). "Lord of the Flies in Space" sounds cool to me.
Kids on the Slope - One of the only Shinichiro Watanabe directorial pieces I haven't seen. Being that the other is Macross Plus (and we already established my disdain for mecha) this one get's the priority there. I've also only heard incredible things about it. That helps.
Kuroko no Basket - Basketball is one of the least interesting sports out there, in my opinion, but it's hard to ignore all this hype. What more, an "acquiantance" has recommended it, and he tends to know what he's talking about. Maybe if I start KnB, he'll start HnI.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes - The highest rated OVA on MAL, possibly the most popular anime in my circle of friends and acquaintances, a space opera from the 80s. This has all the makings of perfection. However, it starts off pretty slow. I'll get around to it, and I enjoyed the first eight episodes, but slow and steady will win this race.
Les Miserables - Having only seen one of the World Masterpiece Theater shows, I figure the next one I watch should be something I'd consider reading. Which puts this right up there.
Master Keaton - I'm watching Naoki Urasawa's shos in order from longest to shortest, so once I'm done with Monster, Master Keaton will be up next. After having seen yawara, I've fallen in love with his character designs. Top percentile.
Miyuki - I couldn't help but wonder if this is any good when I was keeping track of L-E's releases. Even though they dropped it, and it's solely in Saizen's hands now, it's still definitely a project I'm keeping tabs on. Looking forward to it being fully available in English.
Monster - Considered one of the greatest anime ever made, I only recently watched the first few episodes. I can't wait to get further into this series, because I've seen Urasawa's storyline capabilities, and this is supposed to be at the height of it.
My Neighbor Totoro - Probably the Ghibli movie that's the most well received out of the ones I haven't seen yet. Miyazaki is a consistent, talented entity, and I look forward to when I do get around to this film.
Planetes - A well-received and highly praised scifi. Exactly the type of show that catches my high. I expect great things.
Princess Tutu - From what I hear, this show is all sorts of what. I have no idea what to expect, but if Critics and Connoisseurs will induct it, then it must be good. I'll be hesitantly looking forward to this.
Rose of Versailles - Another older anime title that has caught my attention. It's also very historically set and based, and I would certainly like to broaden my horizons of realistic historical anime pieces.
Saint Seiya - This looks a lot like a show I used to watch when I was younger. I haven't been able to find it, but I'm hoping this is it and halfway through I'll realize I've seen it before. Even the Help thread couldn't figure out what show I meant, but this might be it.
Tatami Galaxy - A recommendation from a friend, I don't remember any specifics but I remember thinking that I'd probably enjoy this immensely. As a science nerd, the name also catches my attention, though I'm pretty sure it isn't scifi (maybe it is?). Regardless, high on my to-do list.
Touch - A classic sports anime that I'm really looking forward to getting around to. I have the first season on stand-by. I'll probably watch this after Ace of Diamond finishes airing (so that I'm not watching two baseball anime simultaneously).
Wings of Honneamise - With a character voiced by Bryan Cranston, i'll assuredly be watching the dub of this. Also, it's pretty well received, so that gives me more to look forward to than Malcolm's dad flying planes or whatever this is about.
Akira - A classic film that set a lot of standards and was revolutionary for its time. I've seen like, the first ten minutes, and it looks very promising. This is one I need to get around to and finish. Really, it should've been in the first 25 titles I watched.
Ashita no Joe - After watching Hajime no Ippo and falling in love with sports anime, I decided to look into what inspired it. Having always been a fan of boxing, a fan of older anime, and a fan of the legendary Osamu Dezaki, it's practically blasphemy that I haven't watched this yet. But it's mostly because it isn't fully available yet, and while I could watch the first 50+ episodes, I'm waiting until it's subbed and available. Also, the 70s were the best decade for anime. Just sayin'.
Baki the Grappler - Recommended to me roughly a decade ago by a close friend when I didn't watch much anime at all. Now that I've fully immersed myself, Baki has always been on my mind as something I need to watch "eventually." I think I've put it off long enough.
Black Blood Brothers - Another recommendation, from a different but good friend. The artwork looks good too, and it's a short series, so I really have no excuse for not having seen it yet. I haven't forgotten about it though.
Blood+ - An anime I started a few years ago with my wife, I remember it being decent. Our lives got busy though, and we forgot to ever get back to it. Recently having rewatched the first episode, I see things I didn't notice then. Fluid animation, potential character development and interaction, fast-paced plot. Also, this has a spectacular dub so far. I definitely need to pick this back up in the near future.
Galaxy Railways: Eternal Divergence - My favorite director, the master of hard scifi in anime, Leiji Matsumoto. He created what would become my favorite anime feature of all time with Galaxy Railways, and I spent a couple years trying to track down an English subbed version. Eventually I found it, and it's been sitting on my hard drive for eight months while I try to finish what I've already started and prioritize some recommendations before I resubmerge into this incredible universe. Also, I don't want it to be over, and once I watch it, that's it.
Gankutsuo - Watched the first two episodes a couple years ago on Netflix, then got rid of Netflix. Found it online and DL'd it recently. The art looked nice, but the plot hadn't drawn me in yet. Expecting great things though, with how universally recommended this has been.
Gunbuster - It's only six episodes, what am I doing typing when I could just watch it? Regardless, Gunbuster is something I want to watch because of its status as inducted in Critics & Connoisseurs. The name makes it sound like it would be violent, fanservice-y, and have a poor plot. But that isn't C&C's style, so I'm curious what got everybody's attention.
Gurren Lagann - As a strong opposer to mecha anime, I feel like I need to at least see the best before I talk shit about an entire genre. I'll watch this, might like it, probably won't. But either way, at least then I'll have some potency to my debates.
Infinite Ryvius - Recommended by the same fellow who told me about Black Blood Brothers, I intend to start this very soon (likely once I finish rewatching Captain Harlock, since I don't tend to like watching multiple space operas at once). "Lord of the Flies in Space" sounds cool to me.
Kids on the Slope - One of the only Shinichiro Watanabe directorial pieces I haven't seen. Being that the other is Macross Plus (and we already established my disdain for mecha) this one get's the priority there. I've also only heard incredible things about it. That helps.
Kuroko no Basket - Basketball is one of the least interesting sports out there, in my opinion, but it's hard to ignore all this hype. What more, an "acquiantance" has recommended it, and he tends to know what he's talking about. Maybe if I start KnB, he'll start HnI.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes - The highest rated OVA on MAL, possibly the most popular anime in my circle of friends and acquaintances, a space opera from the 80s. This has all the makings of perfection. However, it starts off pretty slow. I'll get around to it, and I enjoyed the first eight episodes, but slow and steady will win this race.
Les Miserables - Having only seen one of the World Masterpiece Theater shows, I figure the next one I watch should be something I'd consider reading. Which puts this right up there.
Master Keaton - I'm watching Naoki Urasawa's shos in order from longest to shortest, so once I'm done with Monster, Master Keaton will be up next. After having seen yawara, I've fallen in love with his character designs. Top percentile.
Miyuki - I couldn't help but wonder if this is any good when I was keeping track of L-E's releases. Even though they dropped it, and it's solely in Saizen's hands now, it's still definitely a project I'm keeping tabs on. Looking forward to it being fully available in English.
Monster - Considered one of the greatest anime ever made, I only recently watched the first few episodes. I can't wait to get further into this series, because I've seen Urasawa's storyline capabilities, and this is supposed to be at the height of it.
My Neighbor Totoro - Probably the Ghibli movie that's the most well received out of the ones I haven't seen yet. Miyazaki is a consistent, talented entity, and I look forward to when I do get around to this film.
Planetes - A well-received and highly praised scifi. Exactly the type of show that catches my high. I expect great things.
Princess Tutu - From what I hear, this show is all sorts of what. I have no idea what to expect, but if Critics and Connoisseurs will induct it, then it must be good. I'll be hesitantly looking forward to this.
Rose of Versailles - Another older anime title that has caught my attention. It's also very historically set and based, and I would certainly like to broaden my horizons of realistic historical anime pieces.
Saint Seiya - This looks a lot like a show I used to watch when I was younger. I haven't been able to find it, but I'm hoping this is it and halfway through I'll realize I've seen it before. Even the Help thread couldn't figure out what show I meant, but this might be it.
Tatami Galaxy - A recommendation from a friend, I don't remember any specifics but I remember thinking that I'd probably enjoy this immensely. As a science nerd, the name also catches my attention, though I'm pretty sure it isn't scifi (maybe it is?). Regardless, high on my to-do list.
Touch - A classic sports anime that I'm really looking forward to getting around to. I have the first season on stand-by. I'll probably watch this after Ace of Diamond finishes airing (so that I'm not watching two baseball anime simultaneously).
Wings of Honneamise - With a character voiced by Bryan Cranston, i'll assuredly be watching the dub of this. Also, it's pretty well received, so that gives me more to look forward to than Malcolm's dad flying planes or whatever this is about.
Posted by Doaj | Oct 9, 2013 4:36 PM | 0 comments
October 7th, 2013
Fall Season 2013: First Impressions (Part I)
Anime Relations: Sekai de Ichiban Tsuyoku Naritai!, Kill la Kill, Diamond no Ace, Hajime no Ippo: Rising, Miss Monochrome The Animation, Pokemon: The Origin
And so begins the fall season. Here are my titular first impressions of the six aired series I'll be watching this Autumn. Let's start off with a popular one, huh?
Kill la Kill
-The first episode has a unique art style, as was to be expected, and delivers quite well as far as animation is concerned. Many scenes had me appreciating the visual aesthetic. The plotline is pretty straightforward, but has just enough originality added to it not to feel stale, though without further development, it could still go that route. The action was decent. At times it was quite well done, and at other times it felt very cartoon-y and humorous, which was a feel I didn't care for. It felt like the director was afraid of letting it become too serious. Fanservice was also used to this end, oddly only in the second half of the episode.
The characterization of the supporting cast is a mixed bag so far. The established villains are either very generic, or very underdeveloped so far. For the first episode, this is pretty normal though. I'm sure that will be expanded on in the next five or six episodes, though. I did like the development of what look to be the protagonists' supporting cast though (a gang of little kids, and the MC's supposed "best friend"). Overall, it looks like it'll be getting a lot better in the coming episodes. Also, I liked how they're being taught about Nazi Germany when their school structure seems to greatly reflect a dictatorship. I'd give it a high 7/10.
Pokemon: the Origin
-It's hard to rate this fairly. Having grown up during the golden age of Pokemon, having been a fan since the very beginning, and seeing such a faithful adaptation to the original Red and Green games. I can't help but think it was amazing. Things I did notice were that sometimes Red's expression was really flat when it shouldn't have been, but overall, the animation was quite solid and consistent. The massive amount of references and even direct quotes from the games was astonishing, and they managed to still add enough content to make it feel refreshing and unique. I can't wait for the next three episodes to be subbed in English, because this is pure fanservice directly targeted toward my demographic, it seems.
My goodness, the Pokemon battles are fluid and well-crafted. It puts the other anime to shame in that respect. The pokemon are also much more accurately drawn and faithful to the size given by the games. Based off of this first episode alone, I'd give it an 8, which is a lot higher than I expected this to be. I could see myself even giving it a 9 if it goes well, and my fingers are crossed that this leads to a full two-cour series inspired by the games, or has a sequel, or something.
Miss Monochrome
-For being three minutes long, plus credits, that was surprisingly hilarious. At first I thought it was exactly what I was worried it was: moeshit. But it wasn't (okay, it kinda was)! Once something funny happened, it played off of that humor very well, and continued being hilarious until it ended. Also, VA was superb, as expected. 6/10 so far, and very promising.
Ace of Diamond
-To reiterate: sports kick. So I picked this up, despite not knowing much about it. Did some research though, and the manga is astonishingly well received. Firstly, Madhouse knows how to do animation. It's stellar. But it has some downsides. The comedy is flat and unoriginal, as is the main character. I don't know how many shows I've watched with the MC who stands up for what's right and doesn't stray from that personality type, and I've seen it done much better than it was here. For fuck's sake, he cries thirty seconds in. But the supporting characters in this episode were done pretty well, and it began to establish quite a large cast very quickly. As a team sports anime, I think being able to accomplish that suggests good things.
I didn't care for the transitions from the serious, well-animated scenes directly into flat comedy with chibi-esque faces. It seems like it should be able to do serious pretty well, and I'd prefer to see it 100% serious if the humor isn't going to get any better. I think how well the rest of his baseball team is characterized will be very telling about whether this anime will make a name for itself, and if it does well enough, the director might be able to pick up some other good projects, too. Overall, an optimistic 6/10 from me. I have a good feeling about it, even if I have some reservations.
Hajime no Ippo: Rising
-The series starts off with a flashback to the main character's youth, and shows us who his father is, and how the events surrounding his father led to who he is now. It was well written, well acted, and well animated. The second half of the episode brings is back to where New Challenger leaves off, with Ippo defending his title once again, with a foreshadowed challenger who claims to have an answer to Ippo's Sunday Punch.
Unfortunately, the second half feels pretty rushed. In the original series, we often saw 15-20 minutes between two episodes dedicated to background on his next opponent. Here though, we got maybe three or four minutes, and then the match starts, and then it jumps to the end of the fifth round. I feel like it moved a lot faster in the second half than it needed to. If the director wanted to move through this arc quickly, that's one thing, but it seems unnecessary to jump around at the expense of the pacing.
Don't get me wrong. It was a good episode. But it's good because of how good the first half was, with the flashback. The second half was a bit of a disappointment, and I hope the rushed pacing is gone when the second episode starts and we get to see some nice, classic Hajime no Ippo. Solid six to seven out of ten so far.
Sekai de Ichiban Tsuyoku Naritai!
-I knew going into this that it would have a lot of fanservice, but wow was I not prepared for all of that. My goodness, that was just shameful.
So far, the lead character is pretty typical. Stands up for what's right, defends her friends. She's a bit of a workaholic, but when you're job is being a diva, I guess that isn't a very big surprise. The supporting cast is very shallow and close-minded, and everybody thinks what they do is the hardest thing in the world and deserves the utmost respect. I'm sure eventually they'll all learn to respect one another.
The voice acting was decent, though the squeaking and yelping like a shrill, whiny dog got pretty obnoxious. I could see this going either way, still, though. And by either way, I mean it might end up good enough for a 5 or 6. But I could also see myself giving it a 2 or 3 if it doesn't manage to do anything better than this episode.
There's the first half of my fall season. I'll be back in a couple weeks with the second half reviews. To recap, that'll include Walkure Romanze, Galilei Donna, Samurai Flamenco, Ansatsu Kyoushitsu, BlazBlue: Alter Memory, and Pupa. Until then.
Kill la Kill
-The first episode has a unique art style, as was to be expected, and delivers quite well as far as animation is concerned. Many scenes had me appreciating the visual aesthetic. The plotline is pretty straightforward, but has just enough originality added to it not to feel stale, though without further development, it could still go that route. The action was decent. At times it was quite well done, and at other times it felt very cartoon-y and humorous, which was a feel I didn't care for. It felt like the director was afraid of letting it become too serious. Fanservice was also used to this end, oddly only in the second half of the episode.
The characterization of the supporting cast is a mixed bag so far. The established villains are either very generic, or very underdeveloped so far. For the first episode, this is pretty normal though. I'm sure that will be expanded on in the next five or six episodes, though. I did like the development of what look to be the protagonists' supporting cast though (a gang of little kids, and the MC's supposed "best friend"). Overall, it looks like it'll be getting a lot better in the coming episodes. Also, I liked how they're being taught about Nazi Germany when their school structure seems to greatly reflect a dictatorship. I'd give it a high 7/10.
Pokemon: the Origin
-It's hard to rate this fairly. Having grown up during the golden age of Pokemon, having been a fan since the very beginning, and seeing such a faithful adaptation to the original Red and Green games. I can't help but think it was amazing. Things I did notice were that sometimes Red's expression was really flat when it shouldn't have been, but overall, the animation was quite solid and consistent. The massive amount of references and even direct quotes from the games was astonishing, and they managed to still add enough content to make it feel refreshing and unique. I can't wait for the next three episodes to be subbed in English, because this is pure fanservice directly targeted toward my demographic, it seems.
My goodness, the Pokemon battles are fluid and well-crafted. It puts the other anime to shame in that respect. The pokemon are also much more accurately drawn and faithful to the size given by the games. Based off of this first episode alone, I'd give it an 8, which is a lot higher than I expected this to be. I could see myself even giving it a 9 if it goes well, and my fingers are crossed that this leads to a full two-cour series inspired by the games, or has a sequel, or something.
Miss Monochrome
-For being three minutes long, plus credits, that was surprisingly hilarious. At first I thought it was exactly what I was worried it was: moeshit. But it wasn't (okay, it kinda was)! Once something funny happened, it played off of that humor very well, and continued being hilarious until it ended. Also, VA was superb, as expected. 6/10 so far, and very promising.
Ace of Diamond
-To reiterate: sports kick. So I picked this up, despite not knowing much about it. Did some research though, and the manga is astonishingly well received. Firstly, Madhouse knows how to do animation. It's stellar. But it has some downsides. The comedy is flat and unoriginal, as is the main character. I don't know how many shows I've watched with the MC who stands up for what's right and doesn't stray from that personality type, and I've seen it done much better than it was here. For fuck's sake, he cries thirty seconds in. But the supporting characters in this episode were done pretty well, and it began to establish quite a large cast very quickly. As a team sports anime, I think being able to accomplish that suggests good things.
I didn't care for the transitions from the serious, well-animated scenes directly into flat comedy with chibi-esque faces. It seems like it should be able to do serious pretty well, and I'd prefer to see it 100% serious if the humor isn't going to get any better. I think how well the rest of his baseball team is characterized will be very telling about whether this anime will make a name for itself, and if it does well enough, the director might be able to pick up some other good projects, too. Overall, an optimistic 6/10 from me. I have a good feeling about it, even if I have some reservations.
Hajime no Ippo: Rising
-The series starts off with a flashback to the main character's youth, and shows us who his father is, and how the events surrounding his father led to who he is now. It was well written, well acted, and well animated. The second half of the episode brings is back to where New Challenger leaves off, with Ippo defending his title once again, with a foreshadowed challenger who claims to have an answer to Ippo's Sunday Punch.
Unfortunately, the second half feels pretty rushed. In the original series, we often saw 15-20 minutes between two episodes dedicated to background on his next opponent. Here though, we got maybe three or four minutes, and then the match starts, and then it jumps to the end of the fifth round. I feel like it moved a lot faster in the second half than it needed to. If the director wanted to move through this arc quickly, that's one thing, but it seems unnecessary to jump around at the expense of the pacing.
Don't get me wrong. It was a good episode. But it's good because of how good the first half was, with the flashback. The second half was a bit of a disappointment, and I hope the rushed pacing is gone when the second episode starts and we get to see some nice, classic Hajime no Ippo. Solid six to seven out of ten so far.
Sekai de Ichiban Tsuyoku Naritai!
-I knew going into this that it would have a lot of fanservice, but wow was I not prepared for all of that. My goodness, that was just shameful.
So far, the lead character is pretty typical. Stands up for what's right, defends her friends. She's a bit of a workaholic, but when you're job is being a diva, I guess that isn't a very big surprise. The supporting cast is very shallow and close-minded, and everybody thinks what they do is the hardest thing in the world and deserves the utmost respect. I'm sure eventually they'll all learn to respect one another.
The voice acting was decent, though the squeaking and yelping like a shrill, whiny dog got pretty obnoxious. I could see this going either way, still, though. And by either way, I mean it might end up good enough for a 5 or 6. But I could also see myself giving it a 2 or 3 if it doesn't manage to do anything better than this episode.
There's the first half of my fall season. I'll be back in a couple weeks with the second half reviews. To recap, that'll include Walkure Romanze, Galilei Donna, Samurai Flamenco, Ansatsu Kyoushitsu, BlazBlue: Alter Memory, and Pupa. Until then.
Posted by Doaj | Oct 7, 2013 1:10 PM | 1 comments
September 28th, 2013
Fall season 2013: Introduction
Anime Relations: Sekai de Ichiban Tsuyoku Naritai!, Kill la Kill, Diamond no Ace, BlazBlue: Alter Memory, Walkure Romanze, Pupa, Samurai Flamenco, Galilei Donna, Hajime no Ippo: Rising, Ansatsu Kyoushitsu: Jump Festa 2013 Special, Miss Monochrome The Animation, Lupin III: Princess of the Breeze - Kakusareta Kuuchuu Toshi, Pokemon: The Origin
I intend to write a few blogs detailing my experience watching fall season anime. I have never before kept up on airing anime, so this will be new for me. I previously intended to watch only a couple of entries, but in the spirit of things, intend to branch out and try a few anime that frankly, I expect to suck.
I'll list the anime I intend to watch here. Note that I intend to review three times during airing; once after the first episode, once around episode 6-7, and once at the end of the season. I'll separate the anime into two posts, to avoid tl;dr. In that same purpose, without further ado:
Ace of Diamond - The manga has been met with critical success, and I've been on a big sports stint lately. To that effect, this seems like it'll go on to be one of the greats, alongside Touch, as far as baseball anime is concerned. I expect this to be good, and hope it'll be great. The director is pretty new to the chair, and I wish him the best of luck. Air date: October 6th/First grouping.
Ansatsu Kyoushitsu - It has such an absurd plot, that I can't help but be curious. I hope this is at least 45 minutes long, and I hope everything is as well colored and designed as the teacher looks to be. I'm also fond of scifi, and the season looks pretty barren as far as promising scifi goes. Expecting a 5-6, hoping for higher. Seeing as this is being premiered at a location, I don't know if it'll be available online immediately. I'm going to lump it into the second grouping, and hope it's out and subbed in time. Air date: October 6th/Secong grouping.
BlazBlue: Alter Memory - I really enjoy video games, and BlazBlue is one I've been meaning to play for years. An anime might be the most fitting way to familiarize myself with its universe, and the plot sounds like an anime version of Smokin' Aces, which is an incredible film. However, video game adaptations tend to suck, so I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high. Anticipating 3-5 range, but it could be a solid 8-9 if we're lucky. Air date: october 9th/Second grouping.
Galilei Donna - I'm a huge fan of the director, even though his work can be hit or miss. But typically, it looks like he knows what he's doing, and he's very good with action and female leads. Great choice for the show. If it can even compare to Kite as far as quality is concerned, then this is a shoe-in for 7 range. However, if this ends up like Mezzo DSA, then, unfortunately, we're looking at 2-4 range. The fact that it's a noiaminA show definitely makes me lean toward the former, though. Here's hoping. Air date: October 11th/Second grouping.
Hajime no Ippo: Rising - Hajime no Ippo is amazing. When this was announced, I hadn't seen any of it yet. But a friend had been recommending it to me for years, and I figured it'd be a convenient time to catch up. My wife and I proceeded to marathon all 102 episodes and two movies in less than two weeks. I am ready for Rising, dammit. Expecting 8-9 range. Wish it was longer than 25 episodes, but I'll take it. Air date: October 6th/First grouping.
Kill la Kill - Oh jeeze, can everybody shut up about Kill la Kill? I get it, you all loved FLCL. I didn't. That said, FLCL had strong directing, and it wasn't Hiroyuki Imaishi's fault that it sucked. Luckily, it looks like at worst it'll fall a bit flat and be 4-5 range. But at best? Hype aside, this could be a solid 7-9. But if it is, man are the fans going to be obnoxious. Air date: October 4th/First grouping.
Miss Monochrome - I'm sad this is shorts. I'm also sad that this is probably going to be moe. But I support that Yui Horie is so involved, and I think that gives it some potential to be interesting. At least it'll have good voice acting, amirite? Expecting 2-4. Maybe it'll end up 6-7 range. Air date: October 2nd/First grouping.
Pokemon: the Origin - Holy what. As a huge fan of the games, and being somewhat fond of the anime, this is a complete blindside. I hardly know what to expect, but I really hope we're getting some 40 minute episodes here. 4 episodes seems to short, but if it's well-received, maybe we'll get more. Please let this be good. Expecting a 5-6 range thing if they're 20 minute episodes. If 40? Might be 7 range? hard to gauge, really. Air date: October 2nd/First grouping.
Princess of the Breeze - This year's Lupin III special. I'm a little more excited for this one because it'll be followed up by Lupin III vs Detective Conan (which also means more people will watch this special by association) and if both are met well, we might get another new Lupin III series and I might be getting too excited. Expecting 7 range; looks light and fun, but like it won't get too serious. Air date: November/will be reviewed during the halfway blog.
Pupa - Well, this is probably going to be weird. Some horror/scifi about a little girl who turns into a monster, her older brother that is immortal and regularly is eaten by his sister to avoid her killing other people. What the what. I don't know what to expect. Probably 4-6 range, but could end up 7-8? Maybe? Air date: TBA/Second grouping.
Samurai Flamenco - Takahiro Omori's new project, and a two-cour noitaminA program. I anticipate this being the best show of the season (not counting Rising for sequel reasons) and it looks fucking cool. Maybe not the best reason to so eagerly anticipate this, but it is. Expecting 8 or higher. Air date: October 11th/Second Grouping.
Sekai de Ichiban Tsuyoku Naritai - Please don't judge me. I'm actually giving this a try because of the character designs. And because of that aforementioned sports kick I've been on. Probably won't be good, I acknowledge this, but just in case it is, I'll be watching it. Just probably not when my wife is home, because she would judge me. Expecting 3-5 range. Hoping for 5-6. Air date: October 6th/First Grouping.
Walkure Romanze - A late addition, once I heard it was directed by Yuusuke Yamamoto, I suddenly was much more interested. The harem tag makes me hesitant, but the director does have a good head on his shoulders, so this should be pretty decent, right? Then again, some of his other work has pretty mixed reviews. Expecting 4-6 range. Hoping it might pull out a 7. Air date: October 7th/Second pairing.
I'll list the anime I intend to watch here. Note that I intend to review three times during airing; once after the first episode, once around episode 6-7, and once at the end of the season. I'll separate the anime into two posts, to avoid tl;dr. In that same purpose, without further ado:
Ace of Diamond - The manga has been met with critical success, and I've been on a big sports stint lately. To that effect, this seems like it'll go on to be one of the greats, alongside Touch, as far as baseball anime is concerned. I expect this to be good, and hope it'll be great. The director is pretty new to the chair, and I wish him the best of luck. Air date: October 6th/First grouping.
Ansatsu Kyoushitsu - It has such an absurd plot, that I can't help but be curious. I hope this is at least 45 minutes long, and I hope everything is as well colored and designed as the teacher looks to be. I'm also fond of scifi, and the season looks pretty barren as far as promising scifi goes. Expecting a 5-6, hoping for higher. Seeing as this is being premiered at a location, I don't know if it'll be available online immediately. I'm going to lump it into the second grouping, and hope it's out and subbed in time. Air date: October 6th/Secong grouping.
BlazBlue: Alter Memory - I really enjoy video games, and BlazBlue is one I've been meaning to play for years. An anime might be the most fitting way to familiarize myself with its universe, and the plot sounds like an anime version of Smokin' Aces, which is an incredible film. However, video game adaptations tend to suck, so I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high. Anticipating 3-5 range, but it could be a solid 8-9 if we're lucky. Air date: october 9th/Second grouping.
Galilei Donna - I'm a huge fan of the director, even though his work can be hit or miss. But typically, it looks like he knows what he's doing, and he's very good with action and female leads. Great choice for the show. If it can even compare to Kite as far as quality is concerned, then this is a shoe-in for 7 range. However, if this ends up like Mezzo DSA, then, unfortunately, we're looking at 2-4 range. The fact that it's a noiaminA show definitely makes me lean toward the former, though. Here's hoping. Air date: October 11th/Second grouping.
Hajime no Ippo: Rising - Hajime no Ippo is amazing. When this was announced, I hadn't seen any of it yet. But a friend had been recommending it to me for years, and I figured it'd be a convenient time to catch up. My wife and I proceeded to marathon all 102 episodes and two movies in less than two weeks. I am ready for Rising, dammit. Expecting 8-9 range. Wish it was longer than 25 episodes, but I'll take it. Air date: October 6th/First grouping.
Kill la Kill - Oh jeeze, can everybody shut up about Kill la Kill? I get it, you all loved FLCL. I didn't. That said, FLCL had strong directing, and it wasn't Hiroyuki Imaishi's fault that it sucked. Luckily, it looks like at worst it'll fall a bit flat and be 4-5 range. But at best? Hype aside, this could be a solid 7-9. But if it is, man are the fans going to be obnoxious. Air date: October 4th/First grouping.
Miss Monochrome - I'm sad this is shorts. I'm also sad that this is probably going to be moe. But I support that Yui Horie is so involved, and I think that gives it some potential to be interesting. At least it'll have good voice acting, amirite? Expecting 2-4. Maybe it'll end up 6-7 range. Air date: October 2nd/First grouping.
Pokemon: the Origin - Holy what. As a huge fan of the games, and being somewhat fond of the anime, this is a complete blindside. I hardly know what to expect, but I really hope we're getting some 40 minute episodes here. 4 episodes seems to short, but if it's well-received, maybe we'll get more. Please let this be good. Expecting a 5-6 range thing if they're 20 minute episodes. If 40? Might be 7 range? hard to gauge, really. Air date: October 2nd/First grouping.
Princess of the Breeze - This year's Lupin III special. I'm a little more excited for this one because it'll be followed up by Lupin III vs Detective Conan (which also means more people will watch this special by association) and if both are met well, we might get another new Lupin III series and I might be getting too excited. Expecting 7 range; looks light and fun, but like it won't get too serious. Air date: November/will be reviewed during the halfway blog.
Pupa - Well, this is probably going to be weird. Some horror/scifi about a little girl who turns into a monster, her older brother that is immortal and regularly is eaten by his sister to avoid her killing other people. What the what. I don't know what to expect. Probably 4-6 range, but could end up 7-8? Maybe? Air date: TBA/Second grouping.
Samurai Flamenco - Takahiro Omori's new project, and a two-cour noitaminA program. I anticipate this being the best show of the season (not counting Rising for sequel reasons) and it looks fucking cool. Maybe not the best reason to so eagerly anticipate this, but it is. Expecting 8 or higher. Air date: October 11th/Second Grouping.
Sekai de Ichiban Tsuyoku Naritai - Please don't judge me. I'm actually giving this a try because of the character designs. And because of that aforementioned sports kick I've been on. Probably won't be good, I acknowledge this, but just in case it is, I'll be watching it. Just probably not when my wife is home, because she would judge me. Expecting 3-5 range. Hoping for 5-6. Air date: October 6th/First Grouping.
Walkure Romanze - A late addition, once I heard it was directed by Yuusuke Yamamoto, I suddenly was much more interested. The harem tag makes me hesitant, but the director does have a good head on his shoulders, so this should be pretty decent, right? Then again, some of his other work has pretty mixed reviews. Expecting 4-6 range. Hoping it might pull out a 7. Air date: October 7th/Second pairing.
Posted by Doaj | Sep 28, 2013 11:39 PM | 1 comments