Summer 2012 – Week 5 Anime Review

Some major discussion points from the fifth week of anime: everyone’s curiosity in Hyouka, the fantasy realm side-story in Natsuyuki Rendezvous, and undoubtedly the best episode of anime for the entire year in Sengoku Collection.

Last Exile: Ginyoku no Fam – 7

Ah, the pirates have returned to continue their piracy.  Now’s about the best chance for me to ask a question that I’ve kept reserved since the first episode: how exactly does piracy work in this world?

Last Exile: Ginyoku no Fam – 3

While I applaud the efforts of the continuity and consistency of Last Exile Fam in regards to the original, especially considering eight years and a near collapse of Gonzo have occurred between the two series, there are some pieces of this anime that just don’t feel right.  None is more evident than the discrepancy among vanships, airships, and other aerial machines that are the trademarks of this franchise.  For such an established and central aspect to be so different between the two anime, it should be nothing short of a surprise.

Dantalian no Shoka – 9

I always like it when an art style drastically changes like this (and only for an episode, too).  For one thing, it’s amazing to watch an anime series through the eyes of another director/staff and see what they do with the material.  It also enchants you, catching you off-guard and grabbing your attention by providing the same anime but in a completely different and unfamiliar style.  And episodes like this also infuse a bit of vitality, a jolt of energy, or something lively into the series for doing something strange like this.  Not my favorite or best episode in the series but one of the more eye-opening, especially artistically, of the anime.

Steins;Gate – 16

Is going beyond 1% on the Divergence Meter and entering a new timeline truly solving the issues before us or is it simply an escape in order to avoid the problems caused by time travel?

Dantalian no Shoka – 1

There certainly is action and adventure in Dantalian no Shoka and, with those elements skillfully interweaved with this fantasy background in post-WWI England, the story comes together as a solid and original anime.  But after the events of the first episode, there’s still some mystery behind what the whole series will be about.  Will this anime have a strong central story that progresses over the course of the season or will we end up starting a different book each episode and experiencing new treasures and adventures each time?  Or will there be something else?

Dog Days – 13 (Finale)

I was close.  Just mixed up the timing of some of those events and I would’ve accurately predicted the finale of Dog Days.  That’s good news because I’m feeling lucky and I think I’ll throw out another prediction.  What the next season of Dog Days will be like.