Well, it's time to put this thing to rest.
This will be my last post on A Series of Miracles. It's already been effectively dead for way too long, and there's no point in making any attempts to revive it.
I will still continue blogging at Beneath the Tangles, which I now consider my "main" blog. Pretty much anything I would have posted here would now be posted there, anyway.
Also, I now have a new personal blog, The 29th Star Defender. This is where random ramblings about anime, video games, and other stuff will go.
Otherwise, time to finally close this book. Feel free to browse the archives for my past posts, though!
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Snow White with the Red Hair, Ep. 13
Snow White with the Red Hair might not bill itself as a slice-of-life show, but in many ways I feel like that is exactly what it is.
Warning: spoilers for season 1 in the rest of this post.
Probably the one show I was most looking forward to this season, Snow White with the Red Hair was one of my favorite shows last year, and the second season continues right where it left off, not even resetting the episode numbers. Watching through the first season, one thing that struck me was just how much of a slice-of-life show this was. While there were certainly many moments of drama throughout, overall the show was presented as the depiction of Shirayuki, Zen, and their friends overcoming various smaller trials over time, and growing day by day because of them. Even the romance between Shirayuki and Zen, formally acknowledged by the two toward the end of the first season, felt less like the centerpiece of the show and more just another part of their lives together. Add on the fantasy world of Clarines providing an extra sense of a relaxing atmosphere, and the resulting show easily became a favorite of mine, and knowing it would continue this season gave me pretty much my lone spot of anticipation in a season distinctly lacking in early favorites.
If I had blogged this show earlier, I probably could have broken down all the various ways this show worked as a slice-of-life. Thankfully, this first episode of the second season provides plenty in this area to work with already. The episode starts with the very mundane task of the herbal department's regular cleaning--an activity that resides squarely in the realm of slice-of-life stories. It might not seem like much, but seeing Shirayuki worry about an enel plant that does not smell like it should already shows a lot about her character, something that slice-of-life can be really good at. Even beyond the main characters, we can get a glimpse of what our side characters are like. Watching Obi encouraging Ryuu to climb a tree, and then later give him a piggyback ride, is something kind of special, and not just because this show has not given us a whole lot of Ryuu, something I'm hoping this season will fix.
Of course, drama has always been part of this show, and it comes up here in two forms. First, we have Mikaya, the guy who held Shirayuki captive way back in episode 2, and a mysterious other guy who has some interest in Shirayuki, as well as a special ball in Tanbarun that Prince Izana orders Shirayuki to attend. The latter is of more immediate interest, as it highlights the continued tension between Izana and his younger brother and his relationship with Shirayuki. Here, again, though, we see how rather than slice-of-life and drama being opposed to each other, how the two can work together. The complex and evolving nature of Izana's relationship with Zen and Shirayuki is shown very well in these moments of conflict, and it just further exemplifies how this show allows its characters to grow naturally.
Zen, for his part, decides that the best way to handle the matter is to send Mitsuhide to accompany her, which should provide for some interesting interactions. The matter with the mysterious visitor may or may not play into this visit, but it should be interesting to see how both Shirayuki and Zen develop throughout the ordeal, as they have with ordeals in the past.
Warning: spoilers for season 1 in the rest of this post.
Probably the one show I was most looking forward to this season, Snow White with the Red Hair was one of my favorite shows last year, and the second season continues right where it left off, not even resetting the episode numbers. Watching through the first season, one thing that struck me was just how much of a slice-of-life show this was. While there were certainly many moments of drama throughout, overall the show was presented as the depiction of Shirayuki, Zen, and their friends overcoming various smaller trials over time, and growing day by day because of them. Even the romance between Shirayuki and Zen, formally acknowledged by the two toward the end of the first season, felt less like the centerpiece of the show and more just another part of their lives together. Add on the fantasy world of Clarines providing an extra sense of a relaxing atmosphere, and the resulting show easily became a favorite of mine, and knowing it would continue this season gave me pretty much my lone spot of anticipation in a season distinctly lacking in early favorites.
If I had blogged this show earlier, I probably could have broken down all the various ways this show worked as a slice-of-life. Thankfully, this first episode of the second season provides plenty in this area to work with already. The episode starts with the very mundane task of the herbal department's regular cleaning--an activity that resides squarely in the realm of slice-of-life stories. It might not seem like much, but seeing Shirayuki worry about an enel plant that does not smell like it should already shows a lot about her character, something that slice-of-life can be really good at. Even beyond the main characters, we can get a glimpse of what our side characters are like. Watching Obi encouraging Ryuu to climb a tree, and then later give him a piggyback ride, is something kind of special, and not just because this show has not given us a whole lot of Ryuu, something I'm hoping this season will fix.
Of course, drama has always been part of this show, and it comes up here in two forms. First, we have Mikaya, the guy who held Shirayuki captive way back in episode 2, and a mysterious other guy who has some interest in Shirayuki, as well as a special ball in Tanbarun that Prince Izana orders Shirayuki to attend. The latter is of more immediate interest, as it highlights the continued tension between Izana and his younger brother and his relationship with Shirayuki. Here, again, though, we see how rather than slice-of-life and drama being opposed to each other, how the two can work together. The complex and evolving nature of Izana's relationship with Zen and Shirayuki is shown very well in these moments of conflict, and it just further exemplifies how this show allows its characters to grow naturally.
Zen, for his part, decides that the best way to handle the matter is to send Mitsuhide to accompany her, which should provide for some interesting interactions. The matter with the mysterious visitor may or may not play into this visit, but it should be interesting to see how both Shirayuki and Zen develop throughout the ordeal, as they have with ordeals in the past.
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
First Slice: Rainbow Days Ep. 1
In some slice-of-life shows, just like in real life, good things come to those who wait. Hopefully.
Rainbow Days features 12-minute long episodes, but with the show confirmed for 2-cour, we will be getting about the same amount of content as a full-length, one-cour show. Which is good, because a show like this definitely wants a decent amount of time to work its magic. As a shoujo slice-of-life show, it works on a slightly different aesthetic than most slice-of-life, which is aimed at a male audience. It features at its core a group of four guys, and the interactions among the four definitely is a notable part, but there is also some romance involved, as the first episode revolves around the crush one guy, Natsuki, develops on a girl-and right after he was dumped by his previous girlfriend, too! (She was just passing out tissues for the karaoke place she works at.) I'm normally somewhat against rebound relationships, but it's a high school slice-of-life, and those sorts of emotions aren't exactly uncommon, so I can roll with it.
The girl in question, Anna, is very stoic and emotionless throughout the episode, so we don't know too much about her, though she does wear the muffler that Natsuki gave her during their first encounter. (Then again, maybe she just lacked a good muffler.) We do know that, for reasons, she frequently naps in the room of a teacher that happens to be one of the other guys's older brother, something that gives Natsuki some imaginative ideas on what sort of relationship the two have, and not to good effect for him. While I doubt there is anything really going on between the teacher and Anna, the episode nevertheless ends on an inconclusive note in that matter, though with perhaps the first step toward the two actually having some kind of meaningful connection.
Slice-of-life shows with a significant romance element come up from time to time, and like most romances, they have to be given some time to build up to be meaningful. This is especially true in a slice-of-life romance, where you often do not have the luxury of using forced drama to push a relationship forward, only the feeling that, day by day, the two of you are getting closer. (Although said build-up does not have to all happen before a romantic relationship starts, as last year's My Love Story showed quite well). As such, on the romance side, I'm definitely expecting a bit of a waiting game, to see just how things develop. Not only that, but the OP and ED suggest that each of the other guys will get their own girl to form a relationship with.
That said, just waiting for a relationship to build up is not that interesting, so there needs to be something in the here and now in the show to appeal to viewers in the meantime, and that takes the form of the interactions among the four main guys. The friendship between them can definitely be seen, in the form of how much crap they casually give each other. Obviously, they all care about each other, but what's a group of friends without some good old-fashioned ribbing? Though even here, things are set to get better later on, as right now the interactions are mainly the other three guys giving Natsuki a hard time over his crush; once other girls start interesting the other guys, expect the guys to give each other hard times in all directions. That's always good for a laugh.
This show definitely is letting things build up for now, but it's doing a fine job of it, and I'm looking forward to how things will develop in later episodes.
Rainbow Days features 12-minute long episodes, but with the show confirmed for 2-cour, we will be getting about the same amount of content as a full-length, one-cour show. Which is good, because a show like this definitely wants a decent amount of time to work its magic. As a shoujo slice-of-life show, it works on a slightly different aesthetic than most slice-of-life, which is aimed at a male audience. It features at its core a group of four guys, and the interactions among the four definitely is a notable part, but there is also some romance involved, as the first episode revolves around the crush one guy, Natsuki, develops on a girl-and right after he was dumped by his previous girlfriend, too! (She was just passing out tissues for the karaoke place she works at.) I'm normally somewhat against rebound relationships, but it's a high school slice-of-life, and those sorts of emotions aren't exactly uncommon, so I can roll with it.
The girl in question, Anna, is very stoic and emotionless throughout the episode, so we don't know too much about her, though she does wear the muffler that Natsuki gave her during their first encounter. (Then again, maybe she just lacked a good muffler.) We do know that, for reasons, she frequently naps in the room of a teacher that happens to be one of the other guys's older brother, something that gives Natsuki some imaginative ideas on what sort of relationship the two have, and not to good effect for him. While I doubt there is anything really going on between the teacher and Anna, the episode nevertheless ends on an inconclusive note in that matter, though with perhaps the first step toward the two actually having some kind of meaningful connection.
Slice-of-life shows with a significant romance element come up from time to time, and like most romances, they have to be given some time to build up to be meaningful. This is especially true in a slice-of-life romance, where you often do not have the luxury of using forced drama to push a relationship forward, only the feeling that, day by day, the two of you are getting closer. (Although said build-up does not have to all happen before a romantic relationship starts, as last year's My Love Story showed quite well). As such, on the romance side, I'm definitely expecting a bit of a waiting game, to see just how things develop. Not only that, but the OP and ED suggest that each of the other guys will get their own girl to form a relationship with.
That said, just waiting for a relationship to build up is not that interesting, so there needs to be something in the here and now in the show to appeal to viewers in the meantime, and that takes the form of the interactions among the four main guys. The friendship between them can definitely be seen, in the form of how much crap they casually give each other. Obviously, they all care about each other, but what's a group of friends without some good old-fashioned ribbing? Though even here, things are set to get better later on, as right now the interactions are mainly the other three guys giving Natsuki a hard time over his crush; once other girls start interesting the other guys, expect the guys to give each other hard times in all directions. That's always good for a laugh.
This show definitely is letting things build up for now, but it's doing a fine job of it, and I'm looking forward to how things will develop in later episodes.
First Slice: Haruchika: Haruta & Chika Ep. 1
Let's begin the coverage of this season's slice-of-life shows with a show that sounds like Sound! Euphonium mixed with Hyouka but feels more like Tari Tari.
I should start by saying that as far as slice-of-life goes, this season is kind of weird. Looking at only the previews, I could only find two shows at least 12 minutes per episode that were definitively full slice-of-life, and this was not one of them. Then again, it was pretty hard to make of what this show would actually be like from preview information. Would it focus more on the band part? Would it be more about solving gruesome murder mysteries? Or would the mysteries be of the more mundane sort like in Hyouka?
As it turns out, the "mystery" of the first episode, if you can even call it that, is so mundane it makes Hyouka seem like a thriller. All it is is a cipher in musical notes made in ominous-looking red paint (clearly, the school ran out of all the other colors). With some basic knowledge of musical notation, which the show outright gives you, the solution is, if not obvious, at least very simple. The solution to the "mystery" is that is was just a love letter made by a graduating student (who clearly needed a better choice of paint color).
Honestly, the mystery was the least interesting part of the episode. Far more interesting are the characters and their interactions with each other. Chika is a pretty simple girl; she used to play volleyball but after getting tired of the practices, she decided to take up the flute after being inspired by watchingSound! Euphonium a high school band competition. In addition, she seems set on making her high school debut as your standard cute high school girl. However, she runs into her childhood friend Haruta for the first time in years, and the latter immediately proceeds to break that image by reminding her of how much of a tomboy she was as a kid. The banter between the two is fun and definitely gives you the sense that the two are close friends.
The "band" itself turns out to be more of a chamber ensemble with only a handful of students and their instruments, rather than a full band, which also helps distinguish this show from Euphonium. (Chika, for her part, is amusingly inept at playing the flute, which should be expected considering she is a complete beginner.) There's currently not too much to say about the other band members, as their characters aren't too developed yet, though we know that Chika definitely has a thing for the band director/advisor (clearly just your average high school crush, though). Hopefully, as the show adds a couple more members, it can also develop these other members to make them more interesting.
All this makes this show feel less like the Sound! Euphonium/Hyouka mashup I thought this would be and more like a previous classic P.A. Works slice-of-life show, Tari Tari. Both shows feature a startup music group and focus on the character stories within, and they even have the same director. Tari Tari was a very likable show although it did not blow me away, and I have a feeling HaruChika will be much like the same. At the very least, I am glad to have it bolster an otherwise fairly meager selection of slice-of-life shows this season.
I suppose, though, that it is time to address the elephant in the room: the revelation at the end that Haruta, the main male character, is also in love with the male band advisor/director. While there are some Christian anime viewers who will be bothered by this aspect, and who probably think that I should be bothered by it too, honestly, it is not really a big deal to me. I have already gone over why I think yuri shows can be good viewing for Christians, as well as having watched at least two full-on yuri shows, and while I have not really watched too many shows involving gay male characters, I think the arguments made in my yuri post apply to (non-hentai) yaoi as well. Not that I believe either Haruta's or Chika's crush will amount to anything; the whole aspect is probably just meant to capture the infatuation high schoolers can develop for their teachers, whatever their orientation may be. It's definitely amusing to have these opposite-gender childhood friends actually be love rivals, and helps make their relationship more interesting, even if it means this show probably won't be the next great childhood friend romance. But hey, it sure is nice not having to worry about whether the two of them will end up together or not, and just enjoy their friendship for what it is.
I should start by saying that as far as slice-of-life goes, this season is kind of weird. Looking at only the previews, I could only find two shows at least 12 minutes per episode that were definitively full slice-of-life, and this was not one of them. Then again, it was pretty hard to make of what this show would actually be like from preview information. Would it focus more on the band part? Would it be more about solving gruesome murder mysteries? Or would the mysteries be of the more mundane sort like in Hyouka?
As it turns out, the "mystery" of the first episode, if you can even call it that, is so mundane it makes Hyouka seem like a thriller. All it is is a cipher in musical notes made in ominous-looking red paint (clearly, the school ran out of all the other colors). With some basic knowledge of musical notation, which the show outright gives you, the solution is, if not obvious, at least very simple. The solution to the "mystery" is that is was just a love letter made by a graduating student (who clearly needed a better choice of paint color).
Honestly, the mystery was the least interesting part of the episode. Far more interesting are the characters and their interactions with each other. Chika is a pretty simple girl; she used to play volleyball but after getting tired of the practices, she decided to take up the flute after being inspired by watching
The "band" itself turns out to be more of a chamber ensemble with only a handful of students and their instruments, rather than a full band, which also helps distinguish this show from Euphonium. (Chika, for her part, is amusingly inept at playing the flute, which should be expected considering she is a complete beginner.) There's currently not too much to say about the other band members, as their characters aren't too developed yet, though we know that Chika definitely has a thing for the band director/advisor (clearly just your average high school crush, though). Hopefully, as the show adds a couple more members, it can also develop these other members to make them more interesting.
All this makes this show feel less like the Sound! Euphonium/Hyouka mashup I thought this would be and more like a previous classic P.A. Works slice-of-life show, Tari Tari. Both shows feature a startup music group and focus on the character stories within, and they even have the same director. Tari Tari was a very likable show although it did not blow me away, and I have a feeling HaruChika will be much like the same. At the very least, I am glad to have it bolster an otherwise fairly meager selection of slice-of-life shows this season.
I suppose, though, that it is time to address the elephant in the room: the revelation at the end that Haruta, the main male character, is also in love with the male band advisor/director. While there are some Christian anime viewers who will be bothered by this aspect, and who probably think that I should be bothered by it too, honestly, it is not really a big deal to me. I have already gone over why I think yuri shows can be good viewing for Christians, as well as having watched at least two full-on yuri shows, and while I have not really watched too many shows involving gay male characters, I think the arguments made in my yuri post apply to (non-hentai) yaoi as well. Not that I believe either Haruta's or Chika's crush will amount to anything; the whole aspect is probably just meant to capture the infatuation high schoolers can develop for their teachers, whatever their orientation may be. It's definitely amusing to have these opposite-gender childhood friends actually be love rivals, and helps make their relationship more interesting, even if it means this show probably won't be the next great childhood friend romance. But hey, it sure is nice not having to worry about whether the two of them will end up together or not, and just enjoy their friendship for what it is.
Monday, January 11, 2016
What is slice-of-life, and why do I love it?
"Slice-of-life" is perhaps one of the most ill-defined genres of anime out there. Many would say it is not even really a genre in the same sense that action, mystery, horror, romance, or even harem are genres. Indeed, there are many shows that I find are rather "slice-of-life", even though the genre tag is usually not attached to that show, and that, rather than being a "genre", I find various anime to have the "feel" of a slice-of-life anime.
So what do I consider "slice-of-life"? At its most basic, I consider an anime "slice-of-life" if I feel like I am living life alongside the story's characters when I am watching it. This is definitely not a binary distinction, where an anime is either "slice-of-life" or it is not, and I can definitely find some shows to be just a little "slice-of-life", not giving me the entire "living life with" experience that other shows might give but still enough for me to enjoy in that way.
This would be a good time to note some misconceptions about slice-of-life, at least from my perspective. Slice-of-life is not an absence of drama; in fact, drama can actually help a slice-of-life show, though it does run the risk of overrunning the show, making it feel like the entire show is dedicated to resolving a major conflict rather than spending time with the characters. Likewise, a show can be an adventure-focused show, revolving around a grand journey to a final destination, and still have a slice-of-life element to it if said adventure is portrayed through the smaller, day-to-day activities of those adventurers. ("Adventure" is used here in an abstract way and can also apply to, for example, a school club trying to solve a mystery or prepare for a band performance.) For these reasons and others, my definition of slice-of-life includes many shows that are not generally considered slice-of-life. However, as this is my blog, if it fits my definition, I can talk about it.
To further explain what I consider a slice-of-life show, I will look at why I love slice-of-life shows.
There are many reasons why slice-of-life shows can be appealing. It might be the comedy, the characters, the relaxing atmosphere that makes such shows a nice way to unwind after a hard day, or the fact that many such shows feature adorably cute girls doing adorably cute things. All of those might be reasons why I like a particular slice-of-life show (yes, including the cute girls; not going to deny that).
However, to look at why I love the slice-of-life genre as a whole, look no further than the title of this blog.
In Nichijou, one of my absolute favorite anime of all time, one character says that "everyday life is like a series of miracles." It is a quote that captures the spirit of this show very well, as the characters often turn ordinary events into ridiculous comedic scenarios: dropped food becomes an epic battle to save it before it hits the ground and encounters with deer become wrestling matches, while a genius scientist kid and her robot girl creation spend time living normal lives. It is a show about making the mundane fantastical and the fantastical mundane, and in doing so it brings out the miracles of everyday life.
And that is the biggest appeal of all slice-of-life to me. As fun as it can be to watch more adventurous shows featuring major plots that encompass the entire show, and to be warped into the fantasy of being part of such plots, for most of us, we do not live such adventurous lives. And even if we do consider our lives some kind of adventure, there is truth to the adage that it is not about the destination but the journey, and that, sometimes, what we learn from the most are not the big adventures themselves, but the small adventures that make up the day to day. And for those of us who live seemingly mundane lives, sometimes viewing each day as a small adventure, or a small miracle, can help us appreciate life more. Sure, slice-of-life works well as simple escapism, but more than just escaping from life, it is a celebration of life.
With that said, I hope to show some of the appeal of slice-of-life through the posts I make here, as well as look more into what makes particular slice-of-life shows work. That, or I will just ramble on about whatever I feel like with these shows. At any rate, expect the first posts about this current season's slice-of-life shows soon, as well as perhaps a look at last year's slice-of-life shows.
So what do I consider "slice-of-life"? At its most basic, I consider an anime "slice-of-life" if I feel like I am living life alongside the story's characters when I am watching it. This is definitely not a binary distinction, where an anime is either "slice-of-life" or it is not, and I can definitely find some shows to be just a little "slice-of-life", not giving me the entire "living life with" experience that other shows might give but still enough for me to enjoy in that way.
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| Random Non Non Biyori screencap, because Non Non Biyori is awesome. |
This would be a good time to note some misconceptions about slice-of-life, at least from my perspective. Slice-of-life is not an absence of drama; in fact, drama can actually help a slice-of-life show, though it does run the risk of overrunning the show, making it feel like the entire show is dedicated to resolving a major conflict rather than spending time with the characters. Likewise, a show can be an adventure-focused show, revolving around a grand journey to a final destination, and still have a slice-of-life element to it if said adventure is portrayed through the smaller, day-to-day activities of those adventurers. ("Adventure" is used here in an abstract way and can also apply to, for example, a school club trying to solve a mystery or prepare for a band performance.) For these reasons and others, my definition of slice-of-life includes many shows that are not generally considered slice-of-life. However, as this is my blog, if it fits my definition, I can talk about it.
To further explain what I consider a slice-of-life show, I will look at why I love slice-of-life shows.
There are many reasons why slice-of-life shows can be appealing. It might be the comedy, the characters, the relaxing atmosphere that makes such shows a nice way to unwind after a hard day, or the fact that many such shows feature adorably cute girls doing adorably cute things. All of those might be reasons why I like a particular slice-of-life show (yes, including the cute girls; not going to deny that).
However, to look at why I love the slice-of-life genre as a whole, look no further than the title of this blog.
In Nichijou, one of my absolute favorite anime of all time, one character says that "everyday life is like a series of miracles." It is a quote that captures the spirit of this show very well, as the characters often turn ordinary events into ridiculous comedic scenarios: dropped food becomes an epic battle to save it before it hits the ground and encounters with deer become wrestling matches, while a genius scientist kid and her robot girl creation spend time living normal lives. It is a show about making the mundane fantastical and the fantastical mundane, and in doing so it brings out the miracles of everyday life.
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| Totally a part of my ordinary life. |
And that is the biggest appeal of all slice-of-life to me. As fun as it can be to watch more adventurous shows featuring major plots that encompass the entire show, and to be warped into the fantasy of being part of such plots, for most of us, we do not live such adventurous lives. And even if we do consider our lives some kind of adventure, there is truth to the adage that it is not about the destination but the journey, and that, sometimes, what we learn from the most are not the big adventures themselves, but the small adventures that make up the day to day. And for those of us who live seemingly mundane lives, sometimes viewing each day as a small adventure, or a small miracle, can help us appreciate life more. Sure, slice-of-life works well as simple escapism, but more than just escaping from life, it is a celebration of life.
With that said, I hope to show some of the appeal of slice-of-life through the posts I make here, as well as look more into what makes particular slice-of-life shows work. That, or I will just ramble on about whatever I feel like with these shows. At any rate, expect the first posts about this current season's slice-of-life shows soon, as well as perhaps a look at last year's slice-of-life shows.
Sunday, January 10, 2016
A Series of Miracles: Changes for 2016
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| Does this picture have anything to do with this post or am I just posting a cute picture of the Chimame-tai? Read on to find out! |
This blog will now focus on anime of the slice-of-life genre. This is probably the biggest change here. While I will still watch anime across many genres, by and large my favorite anime genre is the slice-of-life genre, so that will be what this blog mainly looks at. I will soon write a post on what exactly I consider a slice-of-life show, so you have a better idea of what I will be focusing on in this blog (you'll find out that I interpret the "slice-of-life" genre fairly liberally).
Various past post series I have done on this blog will stop. Things like the "What I'm Watching", "Hall of Fame", "The Anime-zing Race", long "Best of" lists, and the like will all fall by the wayside. "Looking Back" will continue, but will obviously focus on slice-of-life shows (and will probably be renamed).
Expect crossposts from Beneath the Tangles. Pretty much all of my previous postings on faith-centric matters has moved there; however, I will cross-post my posts onto this blog. In the spirit of Crunchyroll's simulcasting schedule, cross-posts will always be made one week after the original post goes up on Beneath the Tangles. Posts about slice-of-life shows will be cross-posted in their entirety, while posts on other shows will be posted as a link and a description.
Beyond this, I will be posting on various things on the subject of slice-of-life shows, perhaps trying things like weekly coverage of particular shows. Here's to hopefully a more productive year of blogging here!
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
The Anime-zing Race (Summer 2015 Edition): Weeks 6-7
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| When you're really behind, it's time for a double-episode! |
- Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers
- Actually, I Am...
- Charlotte
- Classroom Crisis
- Ushio & Tora
- GATE
- Overlord
What surprises await our racers in this special double-episode? What show will be eliminated... next?
This next leg will focus mainly on episode 6.
Monday, August 24, 2015
The Anime-zing Race (Summer 2015 Edition): Week 5
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| Insert witty comment here. |
The rankings are:
- Actually, I Am...
- Classroom Crisis
- Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers
- Overlord
- Charlotte
- GATE
- Ushio & Tora
- Aoharu x Machinegun
This week, will Aoharu x Machinegun be able to clear a Speed Bump and avoid last place and elimination? All shows will be judged up through episode 5.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
The Anime-zing Race (Summer 2015 Edition): Week 4
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| Well, once more shows get eliminated, it'll be faster to catch up... |
The ranking is:
- Charlotte
- Ushio & Tora
- Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers
- Overlord
- Actually, I Am...
- Aoharu x Machinegun
- Classroom Crisis
- GATE
This week, no Detour or Roadblock either, just a race through episode 4. Which show will be eliminated... next?
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Summer 2015: What I'm Watching (The Anime-zing Race)
For the second half, let’s look at the shows still running in The Anime-zing Race. This part will cover the following shows:
Actually, I Am…
Aoharu x Machinegun
Charlotte
Classroom Crisis
GATE
Overlord
Rokka: Braves of Six Flowers
Ushio & Tora
Actually, I Am…
Aoharu x Machinegun
Charlotte
Classroom Crisis
GATE
Overlord
Rokka: Braves of Six Flowers
Ushio & Tora
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Summer 2015: What I'm Watching (Regular Viewing Slate)
It’s time for my seasonal rundown of all the shows I’m watching this season. This time around, I will split the entries into those shows which are set as part of my regular weekly viewing schedule, and those shows that are still competing as part of The Anime-zing Race series. As this entry focuses on my regular shows, expect lots of sequels, slice-of-life shows, and other shows that are ineligible for participation in the Race.
In addition to the shows below, I am continuing with three shows that started last season: Baby Steps Season 2, Food Wars - Shokugeki no Souma, and My love Story!!.
The shows that will be covered in this post are:
Castle Town Dandelion
Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei! Herz
Himouto! Umaru-chan
The iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls (2nd Half)
Non Non Biyori Repeat
Seiyu's Life!
Snow White with the Red Hair
Wagnaria!!3
Wakaba Girl/Miss Monochrome 2nd Season
Check out what I have to say about all these shows after the jump.
In addition to the shows below, I am continuing with three shows that started last season: Baby Steps Season 2, Food Wars - Shokugeki no Souma, and My love Story!!.
The shows that will be covered in this post are:
Castle Town Dandelion
Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei! Herz
Himouto! Umaru-chan
The iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls (2nd Half)
Non Non Biyori Repeat
Seiyu's Life!
Snow White with the Red Hair
Wagnaria!!3
Wakaba Girl/Miss Monochrome 2nd Season
Check out what I have to say about all these shows after the jump.
The Anime-zing Race (Summer 2015 Edition): Week 3
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| I've been lapped... |
The standings are:
- Charlotte
- Actually, I Am...
- Rokka: Braves of Six Flowers
- Ushio & Tora
- Overlord
- Aoharu x Machinegun
- Classroom Crisis
- Gatchaman Crowds
- GATE
This week, with no Detour or Roadblock, and a place in my seasonal What I’m Watching posts at stake, the remaining shows race straight through the three-episode marker. What show will be eliminated… next?
Saturday, July 25, 2015
The Anime-zing Race (Summer 2015 Edition): Week 2
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| In this race, the slow one seems to be the blogger... |
The current ranking is:
- Charlotte
- Actually, I Am
- Ushio & Tora
- Rampo Kitan: Game of Laplace
- Classroom Crisis
- Gatchaman Crowds
- Aoharu x Machinegun
- GATE
- Overlord
- Rokka: Braves of Six Flowers
This week, some shows reveal some very ugly sides to themselves… Which show will be eliminated next?
—
This week, the shows will participate in a Detour, where they will choose to be evaluated on one of two aspects. A show’s performance in a detour may affect its final standings in that leg of the race. The choice this week: Opening or Ending.
Opening: Shows doing this detour will have their opening sequence judged, primarily by the music, while also factoring in the animation and how well it goes with the music.
Charlotte (“Bravely You” by Lia): Lia, who sang some great openers for other Key-based shows like Air, Clannad, and Angel Beats, does it again with another fantastic opener. The music has some unique structuring to it, the vocals are great, and the animation features all sorts of fascinating effects and intriguing imagery that is likely teasing future events. Definitely one of the best OPs of the season.
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| Some of the imagery is just plain amusing and cute, though. |
Classroom Crisis (“Cobalt” by TrySail): Another very good OP, both musically and visually. Musically, the powerful vocals and energetic music make for a very engaging song. As for visuals, there are some really neat effects in this one, too, this time of a more playful, sci-fi style to fit the show. Another one of the season’s top OPs.
Gatchaman Crowds (“Crowds” by White Ash): The song has a neat vocal style, while the animation is definitely the highlight with all sorts of flashy, colorful effects, just like the show itself.
Rokka (“Cry for the Truth” by Mich): Because this show apparently has a different ED every episode, it is forced to put its OP for evaluation. Thankfully, this show’s OP is plenty strong musically, with some fantastic instrumentation to fit the fantasy world of the show.
Rampo Kitan (“Speed to Masatsu” by amazarashi): “Unnerving” is definitely the best way to describe this OP. The music and visuals both evoke a sense of unease, which definitely fits with the overall tone of the show.
Overlord: Eh, not much to say about this show’s OP (or ED). The song rocks out hard enough, I guess.
Ending: Basically the same thing as the Opening detour, but with show’s ending sequence instead. Keep in mind that most shows’ ending sequence animations are minimal compared to opening animations, so strong animation will stand out more.
GATE (“Prism Communicate” by Nao Touyama and Risa Taneda): Where on earth did this ED come from? The groovy electro-pop music, and especially those colorful, discotheque-like visuals, feel like they clash with the show… and yet, it works really well. Definitely one of my favorite EDs of the season.
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| When I joined the military, they never told me it'd be like this... |
Actually, I Am (“Hologram” by MINMI): …a bit of a fan of Japanese rapping. Not sure why, when American rap just makes me want to throw a brick at the speakers… probably because I can’t tell what they’re saying, because American rap lyrics are generally horrible. Anyway, this song puts the rapping to a more downbeat song, and it sounds chill and sweet and just right. Kind of like the show itself.
Ushio & Tora (“Hero” by Sonar Pocket): I love me some good synths, and this ED definitely provides. The visual style is also pretty interesting.
Aoharu x Machinegun (“Gunjou Survival” by Mikako Komatsu): Unfortunately, both the show’s OP and ED are rather average musically. The ED wins out thanks to some decent animation, particularly one close-up shot as Hotaru leaps out of her shoes.
---
With the Detour now over, it's time to see how the shows' actual episodes fare as they head toward the pit stop of the leg. The last show to check in... may be eliminated.
Charlotte and Actually, I Am continue to be the front-runners of the race. The former already starts going into emotional territory as we learn of what happened to Nao's brother, and the latter introduces a fun new girl in Nagisa with her own amusing secret. While I actually liked the latter's episode more, the former's strong performance in the detour means that Charlotte takes 1st place again, while Actually, I Am comes in second.
If Rokka: Braves of Six Flowers gave me some reservations with the first episode, the second episode certainly had none. A nice, slower-paced episode that explored the emotions of our two known Braves, it really helps color the fantasy world this show takes place in. As such, it takes 3rd place.
Ushio & Tora continues to be surprisingly good. It's mostly fun stuff, but there's some nice themes of looking out for people other than yourself. As such, it takes 4th place.
Overlord takes 5th place as Momonga shows how he gets along with his more human-like NPC companions. The highlight continues to be the contrast between what his sort of character ought to be like and what sort of guy he actually is.
Aoharu x Machinegun takes 6th place as it gets into more survival games with a new character, albeit not a particularly likable one. Still, the episode is still overall interesting enough. Classroom Crisis also introduces a rather annoying new character, but its strong Detour performance and the likability of the rest of the cast helps it take 7th place. In 8th place, Gatchaman Crowds is... well, it was entertaining enough, but there's not much else to say about it.
The two shows racing to avoid last place both have problems with the tones of their shows that make me hesitant with continuing them. For Rampo Kitan, the resolution to the first mystery got really disturbing. The whole idea of the "human chairs" was disturbing enough, but the stories behind them are just so mentally messed up that I find the show just trying to be disturbing for its own sake. As for GATE, I'm not sure which is worse: the portrayal of the fantasy kingdom as a horrible, imperialistic one willing to throw its own subjects to the slaughterhouse, or a scene showing the American government as being... a bit too interested in the resources of this fantasy world.
However, Detour performance is no small matter; GATE manages to survive another week thanks to its strong ending sequence, coming in 9th place.
And that means Rampo Kitan: Game of Laplace is the last show to arrive, and has been eliminated from the race. I don't mind some disturbing stuff in shows, but there's a difference between the unnerving stuff that can make a show fascinating, and stuff that is just plain wrong. I don't care how much you love someone; you just do not want to be made into a human chair by them. Especially if you're a middle-schooler.
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| The definition of love is "not what I feel for this show". |
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
The Anime-zing Race (Summer 2015 Edition): Week 1
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| New season, new race rules, same bad banner-making skills. |
Before we begin, though, there has been some changes to the race lineup. Castle Town Dandelion has ascended from the race, being way more like my preferred slice-of-life anime than I had expected, a look into what happens in Chaos Dragon has told me that I want nothing to do with that show, and Suzukinashi The Animation has not received a legal stream at the time of the race start, so those three are no longer part of the Race, and three shows need to take their place. Two of those shows will be Overlord and Sky Wizards Academy… but unfortunately, all of the remaining shows are either too ecchi (Shimoneta, Monster Musume, Prison School), too dark and gruesome (Gangsta), or are not streaming on CR or Funimation (God Eater). Or, they are sequels to shows I have not yet watched… so…
I am now allowing shows from past seasons to participate in the Race. There are two conditions, though, for bringing in a past show. First, I cannot have watched any episodes of the show already (not even one episode). Second, the show must be either: 1. A show for which a sequel season is debuting in the current season, or 2. A show which started in a previous season but is still airing new episodes. Shows that fall under 1 will take priority.
As such, based on those conditions, Gatchaman Crowds (Season 1) will be my final Race candidate. The full list of Race candidates are:
Actually, I Am
Aoharu x Machinegun
Charlotte
Classroom Crisis
Gatchaman Crowds (Season 1)
Gate
Overlord
Ranpo Kitan
Rokka: Braves of Six Flowers
Sky Wizards Academy
Ushio and Tora
While many of these shows already have two episodes up, this first leg will focus only on the first episode of each show. So, let the Race begin!
Friday, July 3, 2015
The Anime-zing Race: Changes and Plans for Summer 2015 Season
So I kind of gave up on the whole "The Anime-zing Race" project last season, mainly because the same couple of shows were always at the top or at the bottom, and one show dominated the season too much. I'll be doing it this Summer 2015 season, but there will be some changes...
1. Shows that I have pegged early on as likely favorites will not be eligible. The Race will instead determine which show will be the "breakout hit" of the season, surpassing my initial expectations to become one of my favorites.
2. Related to the above, if I watch a show's first episode and decide that the show is all too easily going to dominate the race, it will "ascend" from the race, and another show will take its place.
3. Sequels and continuing shows are not eligible.
4. Also not eligible are any adaptations for which I have read the original source material beyond about 2 episodes' worth. For this upcoming season, that mainly means that Gakkou Gurashi/School-Live! is ineligible, as I've read a good portion of the manga already.
5. I will be very hesitant to put any slice-of-life show among the race competitors. I judge such shows on very different standards and usually rely on them as relaxing diversions, so critically judging them for something like the Race is pretty hard. Such a show would have to be well below my average expectations for its genre for me to consider giving it a spot, and can easily "ascend" from the race after the first episode.
6. Only shows streaming on Crunchyroll or Funimation are eligible (I wouldn't be watching the show at all otherwise.)
7. Finally, there will only be 11 shows participating at the start of the race (just like in the actual The Amazing Race). Shows that "ascend" from the race or lose eligibility some other way will be replaced with a backup show. Plus, out of the 12 legs of the race, only 8 will be elimination legs, where the last place show will be eliminated; 3 pre-determined legs are non-elimination legs, with the last place show spared elimination; however, said last-place show must fulfill a certain additional requirement in the following episode or its final placement in the next leg will be two places below where it would have otherwise placed that week, which may be enough to eliminate the show.
I may introduce some other elements into the Race if I feel like it. For now, here's a look at the (potential) participants for this season's Race:
Actually, I Am (Jitsu wa Watashi wa): Honest boy discovers girl is actually a vampire, and must keep her secret, while other monster girls surround him. Since that other monster girl series is going to be too lewd for me, I'll have to make do with this one.
Aoharu x Machinegun: Because apparently, survival game anime is still a big enough thing. This one has more of a shoujo flavor to it.
Castle Town Dandelion: It's Big Brother but with magically-powered siblings (and audience voting).
Chaos Dragon: Fantasy RPG-esque anime ahoy!
Charlotte: A Key original work, like Angel Beats. Definitely could end up ascending in the first leg, but can't say for sure.
Classroom Crisis: A romantic comedy, but on a colonized Mars. Slight chance of ascension.
Gate: In which Japanese "soldiers" station themselves at a portal to a fantasy world, and one, who happens to be an otaku, gathers companions in said fantasy world and deal with inter-world relationships. (Outbreak Company all over again?)
Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace: A mystery/horror series on the NoitaminA block, based on the late Edogawa Ranpo's works.
Rokka no Yuusha: Six heroes will be called to conquer evil... so when seven appear, one must be an impostor, right? (Basically, The Mole in a fantasy world.)
Suzakinishi The Animation: Two seiyuu transfer into school to check it out. Not really sure what to make of it, so it's a slice-of-life that I'm allowing in the race's initial lineup; there's a slight chance of ascension.
Ushio to Tora: A priest's son and a youkai must team up to defeat a greater evil.
Backup candidates:
Overlord
Gangsta.
Kuusen Madoushi Kouhosei no Kyoukan
---
If you want to see what I thought of various Spring 2015 shows, check out some of my reviews over at Beneath the Tangles, and check the comments afterwards for my thoughts on all the shows I've finished/caught up with this season:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
1. Shows that I have pegged early on as likely favorites will not be eligible. The Race will instead determine which show will be the "breakout hit" of the season, surpassing my initial expectations to become one of my favorites.
2. Related to the above, if I watch a show's first episode and decide that the show is all too easily going to dominate the race, it will "ascend" from the race, and another show will take its place.
3. Sequels and continuing shows are not eligible.
4. Also not eligible are any adaptations for which I have read the original source material beyond about 2 episodes' worth. For this upcoming season, that mainly means that Gakkou Gurashi/School-Live! is ineligible, as I've read a good portion of the manga already.
5. I will be very hesitant to put any slice-of-life show among the race competitors. I judge such shows on very different standards and usually rely on them as relaxing diversions, so critically judging them for something like the Race is pretty hard. Such a show would have to be well below my average expectations for its genre for me to consider giving it a spot, and can easily "ascend" from the race after the first episode.
6. Only shows streaming on Crunchyroll or Funimation are eligible (I wouldn't be watching the show at all otherwise.)
7. Finally, there will only be 11 shows participating at the start of the race (just like in the actual The Amazing Race). Shows that "ascend" from the race or lose eligibility some other way will be replaced with a backup show. Plus, out of the 12 legs of the race, only 8 will be elimination legs, where the last place show will be eliminated; 3 pre-determined legs are non-elimination legs, with the last place show spared elimination; however, said last-place show must fulfill a certain additional requirement in the following episode or its final placement in the next leg will be two places below where it would have otherwise placed that week, which may be enough to eliminate the show.
I may introduce some other elements into the Race if I feel like it. For now, here's a look at the (potential) participants for this season's Race:
Actually, I Am (Jitsu wa Watashi wa): Honest boy discovers girl is actually a vampire, and must keep her secret, while other monster girls surround him. Since that other monster girl series is going to be too lewd for me, I'll have to make do with this one.
Aoharu x Machinegun: Because apparently, survival game anime is still a big enough thing. This one has more of a shoujo flavor to it.
Castle Town Dandelion: It's Big Brother but with magically-powered siblings (and audience voting).
Chaos Dragon: Fantasy RPG-esque anime ahoy!
Charlotte: A Key original work, like Angel Beats. Definitely could end up ascending in the first leg, but can't say for sure.
Classroom Crisis: A romantic comedy, but on a colonized Mars. Slight chance of ascension.
Gate: In which Japanese "soldiers" station themselves at a portal to a fantasy world, and one, who happens to be an otaku, gathers companions in said fantasy world and deal with inter-world relationships. (Outbreak Company all over again?)
Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace: A mystery/horror series on the NoitaminA block, based on the late Edogawa Ranpo's works.
Rokka no Yuusha: Six heroes will be called to conquer evil... so when seven appear, one must be an impostor, right? (Basically, The Mole in a fantasy world.)
Suzakinishi The Animation: Two seiyuu transfer into school to check it out. Not really sure what to make of it, so it's a slice-of-life that I'm allowing in the race's initial lineup; there's a slight chance of ascension.
Ushio to Tora: A priest's son and a youkai must team up to defeat a greater evil.
Backup candidates:
Overlord
Gangsta.
Kuusen Madoushi Kouhosei no Kyoukan
---
If you want to see what I thought of various Spring 2015 shows, check out some of my reviews over at Beneath the Tangles, and check the comments afterwards for my thoughts on all the shows I've finished/caught up with this season:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
The Anime-zing Race: Spring 2015, Weeks 6-7
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| A double-episode for double the fun! |
The standings after Week 5 are:
- Sound! Euphonium
- My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU
- Hello! Kinmoza
- Baby Steps Season 2
- My Love Story
- The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan
- Show by Rock
- Re-kan
- Rin-ne
- Wish Upon the Pleiades
- Mikagura School Suite
- Food Wars - Shokugeki no Souma
Let's begin the next leg of the race!
Sunday, May 10, 2015
The Anime-zing Race: Spring 2015, Week 5
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| It's one thing to stay on my watchlist; it's another thing to stay in the race. |
- Sound! Euphonium
- My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU
- Hello! Kinmoza
- My Love Story
- Baby Steps Season 2
- The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan
- Show by Rock
- Wish Upon the Pleiades
- Re-kan
- Rin-ne
- Food Wars - Shokugeki no Souma
- Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches
- Mikagura School Suite
As a reminder, from now on, shows do not have to be dropped; they can simply be eliminated from the race, while I still watch the show outside of the race. That said, shows that are "out" will become lower-priority shows, which I am more likely to fall behind on.
This time around, Yamada-kun will be judged mainly on episode 4, while other shows will be judged on episode 5. So let's start the fifth leg of the race!
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Spring 2015: What I'm Watching (Part 2)
And here are the rest of the shows I’m following this season:
RIN-NE
Show by Rock!
Sound! Euphonium
The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan
Wish Upon the Pleiades
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches
Go past the jump for more details on each of these shows.
RIN-NE
Show by Rock!
Sound! Euphonium
The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan
Wish Upon the Pleiades
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches
Go past the jump for more details on each of these shows.
Monday, May 4, 2015
Spring 2015: What I'm Watching (Part 1)
If you've been following my "The Anime-zing Race" series of posts, you know what shows will be on here already. If this is your first time seeing one of these posts, this is my seasonal rundown of all the shows I'm watching, with some background information, whether the show is a sequel to anything you should watch first, what I think of them so far, and where the show is available for legal streaming.
Here are the shows covered in this first part. Later on, I'll add links such that clicking on each show will jump you straight to that show's entry, but for now I'd just like to get this out as soon as possible.
Baby Steps Season 2
Food Wars - Shokugeki no Souma
Hello! Kinmoza
Mikagura School Suite
My love Story!!
My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU TOO!
Re-Kan!
Here are the shows covered in this first part. Later on, I'll add links such that clicking on each show will jump you straight to that show's entry, but for now I'd just like to get this out as soon as possible.
Baby Steps Season 2
Food Wars - Shokugeki no Souma
Hello! Kinmoza
Mikagura School Suite
My love Story!!
My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU TOO!
Re-Kan!
Sunday, May 3, 2015
The Anime-zing Race: Spring 2015, Week 4
|
| It's do or drop time. |
The current standings are:
- Sound! Euphonium
- My Love Story
- Hello! Kinmoza
- My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU TOO
- Baby Steps Season 2
- The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan
- Re-kan
- Wish Upon the Pleiades
- Show by Rock
- Food Wars - Shokugeki no Souma
- Rin-ne
- Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches
- Mikagura School Suite
- Plastic Memories
This next leg of the race is a very important one, as it is the last leg when the eliminated show will be dropped; every show that makes it past this leg will officially appear on my seasonal "What I'm Watching" posts, and in future legs, shows can be eliminated without being dropped--they'll end up as low-priority viewing, so I might fall behind on them, but as long as they don't do anything particularly ragequit-worthy, I'll still plan to finish them. This leg will be judged primarily on every show's fourth episode, except for Yamada-kun, whose latest episode is its third. So let's see which shows can stay safe during this critical leg of the race...
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