Winter 2013 – Week 9 Anime Review

This week: thoughts on why the antagonists of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure are so brilliant, why the arrival of Juju has significantly improved Sasami-san@Ganbaranai, rationalizing that the Dark Faction in Senran Kagura is more kindhearted than the good guys, and the balanced use of success and failure in Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo.

Robotics;Notes – 15

It seems as though the spirited and cheerful Airi, the shining, sunny personality we knew and loved, is no longer with us in Robotics;Notes.  And though it seems like a cruel and heartless event to occur in the series, essentially the death of a character with her artificial intelligence being lost to digital nothingness, it does serve an ultimate purpose in the series from this point going forward.  That is to say, her character has fulfilled her duties and her intended purpose and now, is no longer necessary.

12 Days of Anime (2012) – Day 2 – Sengoku Collection Episode 18

Considering that I watch over 50 anime each year, ranging roughly between 12 to 26 episodes each, you’d figure it might be difficult for me to choose my favorite episode of the year when there’s nearly a thousand to choose from.  However, from the moment I finished episode 18 of the Sengoku Collection, I knew which one it would be this year.  No episode of any other anime comes even remotely close to the profoundness, merit and brilliance of this episode of Sengoku Collection.  It stands alone at the summit of anime excellence, an episode comprised of a spectacular art style, influential and engrossing characters, the haunting absence of music, and a simple, modest story shown to us through ingenious directing to tie it all together and create an inspiring, illustrious episode that has become one of my favorite episodes of all time.

Sakamichi no Apollon – 12 (Finale)

In an era where ambiguous and open-ended finales are the norm, an unspoken prayer for the chance of a fiscally-successful sequel in the unforeseen future, an anime receiving proper and satisfying closure has become an rare indulgence.  Conclusions such as these leave the audience with a sense of gratification and completeness, as we like to believe we just watched the tale of a beautiful story rather than 12 half-hour segments of some manga/light novel advertisement that cuts off at whatever rushed or broken point seemed to be the best in the pre-planning stages.  No, what Sakamichi no Apollon was able to do with its story, its characters, and its themes is truly refreshing and rewarding.  It’s a shame not every anime can end the way Apollon did.

Spring 2012 – Week 12 Anime Review

This week: though it wasn’t the finale I was hoping for, I am satisfied with the ending to Tasogare Otome x Amnesia, the tale of a hero in Tsuritama, questions about planning and waste in Lupin III: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna, and my biggest gripe with the Players in Zetman.

Winter 2012 – Week 6 Anime Review

This week: my thoughts on a possible ending to Future Diary, some possible fun with the mystery in Another, and a rather unexpected but welcome surprise with Rinne no Lagrange.

Shinryaku!? Ika Musume S2 – 12 (Finale)

The second season of Shinryaku!? Ika Musume retained the same charming, soothing, and above all amusing themes from the first season.  But unlike the first season which needed to build its world, mold its characters, and establish central themes, this anime had a foundation already completed and went from there, almost like a baton was passed from season one to season two for it to complete what was started.  And now that the second season has concluded, let’s evaluate how the continuation of Ika Musume performed.