Anime

A Saekano Flat Review (Season 2)

1 Comment

Screenshot (1448).png

Coming away from the second season of Saekano -How to Raise a Boring Gilfriend-, I felt something that I haven’t legitimately felt in a long time. Amplified by the uncertainty of a season 3 (because I was honestly a little surprised we got a season 2), the end of Saekano Flat left me with a joyful emptiness, the kind where the only bitterness I feel comes from the desire I have to see more. I have been so utterly enthralled by what Tomoya and his team have accomplished, and now I’m even more excited for the future holds given the change that has occurred (trying not to spoil it). Continue reading →

Eromanga vs Saekano: Show, Not Tell

4 Comments

Screenshot (1436)

I know I said last time that I’d have another Persona feature to share before I go back to writing about anime, but I figured because this season is almost over, I should touch upon the things that I wanted to before they become no longer “currently airing”. Just know you haven’t heard the last from me in regards to Persona 5, a.k.a. the best game ever made with best girl ever made (Makoto).

Fictional shows about the process of creation have always been somewhat of a comfort food of mine. While usually not as educational as a full-on documentary, mocumentaries and slices of life with a focus on creative work life have always piqued a very special intrigue in me. I consider myself a creator after all (though not quite an accomplished one, yet), so it does feel valuable to me to see things like the struggles of creation/production, and also feels incredibly entertaining when seen through the lens of a more focused, idealistic perspective. Continue reading →

A Rough Start to a Sakura Quest

3 Comments

Screenshot (1406).png

Sakura Quest was easily my most anticipated show of this spring season due to it being done by P.A. Works and looking like the wonderful amalgamation of Hanasaku Iroha and Shirobako, by seemingly taking the countryside, city-girl-out-of-her-element setting and premise and mixing it with an adult work life perspective. In essence, that’s exactly what it turned out to be, and for the most part I’m fine with that. I’m able to enjoy the show week after week for what it is, but I wonder if that’s only because I’m invested in the premise. Because I think I already have an idea for what Sakura Quest is going for, the obvious flaws don’t affect me as much. That isn’t to say I’m ignoring them though, as I wouldn’t be writing this post if that were the case. Continue reading →

The Déjà vu and Differences Between Oreimo and Eromanga Sensei

4 Comments

Screenshot (1397)

I’m getting Oreimo vibes. It’s only a little though (though I think I’d rather prefer a lot), but there’s something about Eromanga Sensei that gives me a similar nostalgic feeling. That feeling is of Déjà vu, in a sense, because I’m noticing a pattern within myself when it comes to these two shows: I love side characters and hate the main. And it’s not because she’s so young, or the fact that she’s his sister, or any other taboo that confronts with an ideology of common societal norms that would prevent me from enjoying a fictional story. No, I just don’t like her because much like Kirino, she doesn’t deserve it. Continue reading →

Kizumonogatari Part 3 – Comedic Unnerving of Araragi Koyomi

1 Comment

Screenshot (1379).png

At this point, I’ve written two reviews on Kizumonogatari (part 1 & 2), and so I must say: I don’t feel like writing a third. It’s really just more of the same–because it’s the same movie­–cut up into three parts. That being said, there are some things I wish to touch upon. Specifically, the way the film portrays Araragi’s state of disarray.

*SPOILER ALERT*

THIS POST IS ABOUT A PIVOTAL SCENE IN THE FILM, I ADVISE YOU NOT TO READ THE REST OF THIS BLOG POST UNTIL YOU HAVE SEEN/READ THE FILM/BOOK. Continue reading →

Final Thoughts on Anime Winter 2017

Leave a comment

Scum’s Wish

Screenshot (1213).png

A very steamy show that handles things of the sexual variety with sensitivity and nonchalance, Scum’s Wish takes a much more serious approach to high school and the intimidating, confusing relationships that form within it. Diving into the depths of conscious vs subconscious decision, characters of the show struggle with the metaphorical demons inside them as they continue to strive for someone that they know they can’t have. Continue reading →

Thoughts on the Looks of Your Name

2 Comments

Screenshot (1361).png

Friday, April 7th, I went and saw Your Name (Kimi no Na Wa) in theaters. Going in, I didn’t know very much what to expect from the film, aside from what I’ve come to expect from any Makoto Shinkai film. I barely had read anything about the movie, watched no previews—let alone Reviews—, and for the most part I could tell by just the general Otaku population’s reaction that this was a movie I should probably go out and see. While Your Name did tick off most every box for a Shinkai film—revolves around a relationship, portrays relationship in a summary narrative style using montage, has gorgeous 3D rendered environments, and so on—there were still plenty of surprises to be had. So, to avoid those surprises, as well as to give myself more time to think about this film, I’ve decided to dedicate this post to speaking more about the visual aspects of Your Name, rather than delve into the delightfully clever narrative and the spoilers that stem from it. I definitely want to watch it again before I write any “official” review, but for now know that this film is worth watching (if for some reason you didn’t know already). Continue reading →

Why Masamune is a Fairly Unique Protagonist

1 Comment

Screenshot (1358).png

I honestly feel a little bad about how I judged this show from the start. The premise alone had me skeptical, thinking it had generic rom-com written all over it. While it indeed used its fair share of tropes, Masamune-kun’s Revenge managed to be surprisingly reserved and thoughtful with its plot and characters. The protagonist is pretty unique compared to what’s come before him in the industry/genre. He doesn’t hit that “handsome, oblivious, heart-of-gold” archetype at all, despite what he may look like at first glance. Continue reading →

Kobayashi and the Joy of Shamelessness

1 Comment

Screenshot (1344)

Last week I wrote about embarrassment comedy and how I think a lot of it has become annoyingly stagnant. In that piece, I mentioned Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, with the point being that even great shows can fall victim to the tired, old gag. I also noted, however, that it was one gripe in an otherwise fantastic anime. Most importantly, I claimed the show to have “delightfully shameless” characters, and so I think now is as good a time as any to elaborate on what I meant by that.

Continue reading →

Anime and the Embarrassment Cliché

5 Comments

Screenshot (606)

Alright, I’m just going to cut right to the chase on this one: I think I may be growing a bit tired of embarrassment humor. Embarrassment humor is the kind of comedy derived from the simple feeling of shame. These kinds of gags are something that you, assuming you’re even a casual anime viewer, have probably witnessed on more than one occasion. The typical scenario for this is a character making a foolhardy mistake. After they make said mistake, either a heavy amount of blush is applied to their now close-up chibi face or a frantic animation/editing style is utilized to emphasize their current psychological state. Continue reading →