Moyashimon Returns – 6

As with any massive social gathering where its members share some similar attributes, a herd mentality develops.  Such a phenomenon develops because certain actions, behaviors, and ideas cause other, more impressionable members, to be influenced into acting, behaving, or thinking in a certain way.  Provided that Sawaki, Yuuki, and Oikawa are freshmen entering into this bizarre college, their fresh and untainted perspective allows for an examination and critique into herd mentalities among these seemingly psychopathic young adults at a simple agricultural university.

Moyashimon Returns – 4

The results of intoxication are a diverse variety.  Every person responds to alcoholic beverages differently with the consequences ranging from a jovial drunken ruckus, to an impatient, irrational hot-head, to even a quiet, sedating stupor.  The portrayal of drunkenness in media recognizes these states but goes a step further and casts them through various lenses to illustrate it as either positive, negative, humorous, or however it wants us to interpret this inebriated behavior.  Given the content and characters in Moyashimon Returns, examples of intoxication have been used and reused time and time again for numerous purposes and with extensively different outcomes.  How do these states of drunkenness and their portrayals figure into the grand plan of Moyashimon Returns?

Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita – 3

The fairies of Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita are arguably the most distinguished and memorable component of the anime.  Without them, the anime would suffer significant damage to its supposedly-dystopian fantasy realm, remove all instances of this overwhelming magic, and shift attention from these adorable, smiling creatures to the army of cute, moe girls that seemingly overpopulate the Earth as well.  So considering their impact on the anime and how they influence every aspect, we hardly know anything about these miniature beings.  Perhaps now is an ideal time to sort out what we know, and what we’d like to know, as see what new information we can draw from this mishmash of knowledge.

Spring 2012 – Week 6 Anime Review

This week: a change of perspective in Mouretsu Pirates, a question about the transformation process in Zetman, an imperfection of Medaka in Medaka Box, and some concern over anatomy in Kore wa Zombie desu ka? OF THE DEAD.

Sakamichi no Apollon – 4

Consider the setting of Sakamichi no Apollon.  Even on its surface, it is distinctive compared to most of the other anime airing, residing in an unusual time period and in an uncommon location (Kyushu, rather than say Tokyo or its suburbs).  But that alone has a trivial effect on what makes this anime exceptional; the story and characters could feasibly be transplanted to any number of eras or localities in Japan and retain most, if not all, of its qualities.  No, the paramount characteristic of the setting that elevates Sakamichi no Apllon above the rest is not its unique time or place but rather how realistic the setting is portrayed and utilized.  This authenticity and accuracy of the real world bleeds throughout Sakamichi no Apollon and is responsible for how remarkable the setting of this anime is.

Sakamichi no Apollon – 1

Kaoru and Sentaro both have well-defined public images.  The fellow students of their school have created generalized profiles for both these young men, one being a wealthy and nerdy transfer student from “the city” and the other an unruly deviant who generates an aura of intimidation simply by being present (I’ll let you guess who’s who here).  But because everyone develops a profile for everyone around them, Kaoru and Sentaro both have individualized profiles of each other.  And they are wildly different than the images the school, and even society, have for our two main characters.

Last Exile: Ginyoku no Fam – 19

The patchwork military commonly referred to as the Allied Forces has a common goal among its diverse membership: to end Luscinia’s relentless onslaught and bring peace to the world.  That aim has been quite clear since the alliance began only a few episodes ago.  But what they share in a common objective, they all do not share the same vision on how to accomplish it.  The lack of faith and familiarity between factions, most visible between the surviving Glacies soldiers and the insensitive traitors of Ades, prevents the cohesion of a formidable and singular military that can match the Luscinia’s forces and achieve their goal.  The reason for the lack of companionship and trust between each side is that there is no unifying leader for this army.  Each faction (Ades, Glacies, Turan, and the sky pirates) follows their own and is a reason why this military will never be successful in its current state (or at least current state as of this episode).