Winter 2013 – Week 5 Anime Review

This week: why I don’t consider Senran Kagura an ecchi anime anymore, wondering about the comedy in Zetsuen no Tempest, the diversity of karuta opponents in Chihayafuru 2 and remembering the forgotten Reiko in Shin Sekai Yori.

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.

Top 12 Anime and Top 12 Characters of 2012

The year of 2012 saw the debut and broadcasting of well over a hundred television anime and even more in the forms of movies and OVAs.  Over the past dozen months, I’ve spent countless hours watching these anime and documenting my thoughts, opinions and evaluations on each and every show.  Now with the year coming to a close, it’s time to summarize this year of anime with two simple lists: one on the top 12 characters of the year and the other on the top 12 favorite anime of the year.

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.

12 Days of Anime (2012) – Day 7 – Bye-bye in Rinne no Lagrange

Magi – 9

Remorse is an effective and influential theme in character development, one that can override preexisting ambitions and stunt aspirations, driving a character to immediately amend whatever wrongs they feel obligated to correct.  For Alibaba, the remorse that he feels when eyeing the fallen kingdom of Balbadd is truly powerful, especially after his brother, Kassim, manipulated it as a means to control Alibaba as leader of the Fog Troupe.

Autumn 2012 – Week 8 Anime Review

This week: anime-original characters in Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!, memories as a storytelling device in Shin Sekai Yori, the persistent use of humor in Medaka Box Abnormal, and a duplication of colors in K.