Tag Archives: Tasogare

Weekly Musings – For the week ended May 21

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夕子さん / 軽部かる

This coming weekend, from Friday to Sunday, I will be attending Anime North, mostly just to go and see how an anime convention is like in North America (went to one in Hong Kong before). For anyone else going to Anime North, just hit me up on twitter to hang out. =P. That being said, since I’m at Anime North, I will most likely be missing shows from Friday to Sunday, meaning I have some catch up to do after the convention. You know what part of Anime North I’m looking for? It is to meet up with people that I have known through Twitter. Also since I don’t have anything really planned during Anime North, talk to me on Twitter or email =P.

Without further ado:

Fate/Zero – Episode 20 (14 points): You know what, since the very beginning of the second season, someone important dies in every episode, and this episode follows the trend by killing off Maiya, which is kind of a pity since we didn’t really get to know more the relationship between Maiya and Kiritsugu (that speech only seemed to surface that), so her death was less heart-breaking then, say, Natalia (so a bit of a let down). Aside from Maiya’s death, this episode was mostly all talk, with each surviving master, bar Kotomine, getting their own focus. We see the toll that the previous battle had on Iskander and how he not only had to hide his presence, as opposed to being constantly visible before, and ultimately used underhanded methods for battles, and not running to the battlefield with pride. Kariya’s sequence was even more cringe inducing, of how he was given Sakura’s magical energy obtained from the process that he was fighting the War to get Sakura out of. In short, we see both the desperate situation that each are in and their resolve to win and obtain the Holy Grail.

Space Brothers – Episode 7 (13 points): This episode is just the continuation of what was started last episode, with the idea of luck being tossed around again, but also we are given a bit more about Mutta’s quirks and ability. Yea, it is less fresh and less touching, but since it just progresses what was revealed last episode, I still enjoyed this episode quite a bit. I guess also because of the change in my personal life recently that I can relate more with the show. While I didn’t recently get fired as Mutta did, I have finished all my undergrad courses the past April but do not have a full time job lined up, and hence is currently undergoing job search. The tension of going through the interviews, the depression of knowing you did a bad job in the interview and knowing that you are likely to not go into second round. With all those happening recently, it is no wonder I was tearing up last week, because of how much encouragement that last week has shown.

Nazo no Kanojo  X – Episode 7 (11 points): You know what, this show has a great formula, and as long as they are able to follow it properly, and to make each episode different enough to make it not boring, I will continue to like this show. This week, we deal with Tsubaki’s sickness and Urabe’s possibility of joining a club. Within those two issues, we again see Tsubaki’s desire to want her all for himself, and Urabe’s happiness from knowing his desire. This shows the differences between male and female, of how male tends to think more physical, so our desires when we are in a relationship tends to be more physical, whereas females tends to be more emotional, and hence they tend to desire more the emotional aspects of their partner [citation needed]. This is shown through Tsubaki’s sadness from the idea of Urabe possibly not being there with him when he is walking home from school (physical presence), he hugging her when he is happy for what Urabe did/said (physical touch), and finally by Urabe putting Tsubaki’s nametag on her leg, showing ownership of her legs, and by extension, her body. As for Urabe, she was happy when  he supported her during the race, and from knowing that he would be sad if she joined track team, both showing how much Tsubaki cares for Urabe. When I put it that way, the relationship between Tsubaki and Urabe is nothing out of the ordinary, but really, for both of them, fresh new to this dating thing, every step is mysterious. Again follow The Untold Story of Altair & Vega’s for more in-depth write up.

Aside: You know what, I sometimes do find Oka to be annoying, espeically for her to intrude the relationship between Tsubaki and Urabe, but I guess she is important in helping their two in progressing their relationship. [Ok, I donno why I like it]

Tsuritama - Episode 6 (11 points): If we are to put arcs into this show, we must have gotten through Yuki’s arc this or last episode, since in this episode, Yuki, fully enjoying fishing, have stopped having any kind of panic from talking to people, showing the fruits of both his friendship with Haru and Natsuki and his new found hobby of fishing. With that arc done, this episode was more so a lead in to Haru’s arc, where Akira actually is finally a major part of the story (and not just being awesome and DUCK). To be honest, I am quite surprised at the gradual but unexpected development (the plot twist seems a bit…alien), and as always with this show, I will just go with the flow and see what this twist will lead us to. (I seriously need more fish puns)

Tasogare Otome x Amnesia – Episode 6 (10 points): After few mediocre episodes, we are given a more dark episode, yet the twist is that the scary part of the episode was not of any ghost’s doing, but initiated by a human’s hatred and then exploded because of humans’ fears. I have talked about it in Anime Power Rankings about the display of herd mentality in this episode, first used as the means of spreading of rumors, and then later of how it ended up being Yuuko being the scapegoat for relief for their own fears. Me, looking at this, is at least hoping that some of these people who cooperated the act of trying to sacrifice Yuuko as pure BS (aren’t we past the dark ages of doing human sacrifices and such), but it strikes to me on how often irrational stuff like these spreads like fire and we believe it without questioning it just because it is someone close to us that thinks it is correct. This episode reminds us of how terrifying humans ourselves can be….

Natsuiro Kiseki – Episode 7 (8 points): Singing Singing Singing. The four main characters are voiced by Sphere, so an episode where the four girls sings must be a good episode. Also, this episode again shows how friendship is not always fun and games but sometimes arguments will happen just because of differences in personality.

Sakamichi no Apollon  - Episode 6 (8 points): While this is an improvement from the last episode, romance still takes a huge chunk of the show, with a bit of friendship issues discussed/implied in the latter half. I’m a fan of the latter one, but not the former one. Yes, the show is solid, just as I have said how Ano Natsu de Matteru is solid, but I just don’t like the whole icky feeling from romance. Well, at least Karou and Sentaro’s friendship is being shaken now (and the intrusion of rock and roll to the jazz community), so next episode should be pretty good.

Smile Precure – Episode 16 (8 points): First off, I was and still am not a big fan of Reika, maybe it is just because I have yet to know more of her. While this episode does focus on Reika, it still does not seem to reveal much of her, in particular, her conclusion to this episode felt lacking. To add to the insult, I might have known more about the other 4 girls from Reika’s chilling with them then Reika herself. I guess the Defrosting the Ice Queen trope is in another episode. O, I also lost to Yayoi, maybe that is why I’m finding this episode less enjoyable.

Others: Hyouka (6), Saki Achiga, Mouretsu (4), Zombie desu (3), Jormongand, Sankarea (2), Eureka AO (1)

Dropped: Accel World – Episode 7: No Accel World, you don’t use the word Memory Leak like that, it has a totally different meaning to me. And for the preview, no, I don’t want loli fanservice. In general, the show just feels too blend.

Weekly Musings – For the week ended April 29

Posted on by fnzna
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夫として、父親として、/ 椿屋

This season is my second season participating in Desu ex Machina‘s Anime Power Rankings, and it seems that I tend to have different tastes from most people. Seeing that I’m now a NEET and hence have more time to write about stuff, and viewing this as an opportunity to view more anime blogs, I have decided try to keep a “weekly musings”, talking about  the current season shows that I have watched and have ranked against each other. Since the ranking that I have made for the shows are mostly for APR, it will be based on the timetable that APR has given (ending in Saturday night, with some Sunday shows included). I will list the show in descending points, where each point is given to a show that I feel is superior to another show (for example, if I watched 12 shows this season, the max points that a show can have is 11). Without further ado:

Fate/Zero – Episode 17 (15 points): While less awesome than last episode, we were finally shown what is inevitable for anyone that went through Fate/Stay Night. In a sense, this episode was one that might relate to Fate/Stay Night more than any other episodes (Rin’s scene and the dagger Azoth). I particularly liked Reverse Thieves’ post on this episode.

Tasogare Otome x Amnesia – Episode 3 (14 points): As I have said in my post about Tasogare, I really liked the implicit social commentary about the idea of how people view others based on what they know of them already, no matter if those info are correct or not. I like stuff like this, so I’m just biased for this show. The fact that they were able to turn a generally boring (for me) genre, horror to make it more romantic and fun is also a plus. As suntzuanime did mentioned, there is an issue why Teiichi is seeing Yuuko the way he is seeing Yuuko, I figured that it would be something that is revealed at the very end, like a twist that was hinted back at the end of episode 1.

Sakamichi no Apollon  - Episode 3 (13 points): I tend to agree with Aftershok of Anime Instrumentality’s views about this episode: while I agree that the plot is really well done, a part of me want it to be more about jazz.

Moretsu Pirates – Episode 17 (12 points): I know, the last (including this episode) might not have been the best, with the Yacht Club messing around and such, but you know what, I liked seeing the Yacht Club learning and such. This episode was another episode of them being bold and doing stuff, yea, they might be way more clumsy then the normal crew, but it shows the difference in experience that is independent to character and talent, but how the latter two can help fast track the former. Ya, that yuri scene was still pretty lolwut.

Hyouka - Episode 1 (11 points): Hatters gonna hate, according to APR seems that the first episode of Hyouka was not well received. I liked it. I like Oreki’s personality, not because he is fabulous and such, but that I can relate to his personality to an extent, of just going through each day finding the easiest path to do anything, though the end of episode 1 might suggest that he might be slowly opening up to Chitanda,because he actually likes her or that he, from experience, knows that it is easier to go along than to try to go against them. Lastly, the animation is really good.

Space Brothers – Episode 4 (10 points): While still solid, it was still a pretty mundane episode.

Smile Precure – Episode 13 (10 points): Wow, this really should be higher…maybe I still don’t want to confess that I’m actually enjoying this show etc… This was a pretty fun episode, with seeing how Miyuki fails in so many different ways, and the other four girls trying to support her in their own ways. Krizzlybear of Baka Laureate did a good job in pointing out the different interesting parts of this episode.

Eureka Seven: AO - Episode 3 (9 points): To be honest, nothing really stands out much for me in this episode aside from the girls going on future nico nico douga, blogging and singing karaoke as Miku/Ranka (?).

For the rest of the shows: Tsuitama (8), Sankarea (7), Jormongand (6), Nazo no Kanojo (5),  Accel World (4), Zombie desu OTD (3), Upotte (2),  Medaka (1), Saki Achiga (0) since I’m just going to talk about the top floor(# shows/ 2) shows for the week

Horror Genre of Spring 2012

Posted on by fnzna
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I don’t like horror, I don’t like gore (I still haven’t watch Gyo), I don’t like how some of the characters are in horror genre shows, I also am not a big fan of the atmosphere found in horror genre. Hence, I usually won’t go out my way to watch anything that is categorized as horror, even if it is anime. For example, I dropped Another by the end of episode 2 because of the atmosphere, the characters being really boring (comeon, can’t someone at least smile once), and the overall creepy feel to the whole show. Even if Another was a good show I don’t think I will watch it, I just don’t like this kind of shows. Well, guess what, in a decision to force myself to watch more shows for the Spring 2012 season, I picked up two horror shows, which both are still interesting enough for me to continue after the third or fourth episode.

Sankarea

HNNNNNNGGGGGGGG (episode 4)

So Studio DEEN can make good shows apparently. When I was looking at the posters for upcoming shows for Spring 2012, I shortlisted Sankarea precisely because Sanka Rea looks like Saten Ruiko and nothing more, but was hesitant since it is by Studio DEEN and has ecchi listed as one of the genre. After people praising this show, I picked it up and was myself surprised what was in store for Sankarea. While this show does have a bit of supernatural and undead as a major part of the story, it seems to be merely used to talk about more heavy issues. The initial spark of the story, the Chihiro’s desire to resurrect his cat, touches on the issue of coping with the death of a family member. While for Sankarea, her situation heavily describes a broken family and a victim of sexual harassment by her dad. Aside from the heavy topics talked, I really liked the contrast between the male and female leads. We see that the Chihiro has a normal, uneventful but close family, while Sanka Rea has a rich but dysfunctional family (where there is no emotional closeness to each other excluding Rea’s dad to Rea). For Chihiro, while having an affinity for zombies, his act to resurrect his cat was not because of his desire to see an undead cat, but to return the natural days where the cat is a part of the family, and hence he longs for the past where the cat was still alive. For Sankarea, her death means the freedom from her father’s control and abuse, hence she long for death. This contrast between the background and the intensions of the two leads was well played. And man, the animation is pretty too.

It is a pity that episode 4 was pretty high in the fanservice department, please let this be an exception instead of the norm.

Tasogare Otome x Amnesia

When I listen Choir Jail, I'm reminded of Umineko ED and Ali Project (opening)

Now this plays straight to the whole feel of a horror show: a constantly dark animation, the characters as a part of the Paranormal Investigations Club, deals with ghost and horror stories. The only problem is that the ghost itself, who has amnesia, gets jealous, and interacts normally with the other characters, and hence livens up the whole mood of the show. Yes, the show does contain some Yuuko fanservice, but it is used in a way that a bit of importance to the plot (not that I don’t have an issue with that). Episode 1 was a good idea, to compare how someone who can’t see Yuuko would have seen the sequence (Momoe) and someone who could see Yuuko (Teiichi), but wasn’t too interesting. For episode 2 and 3 we were shown the idea of how Yuuko would manifest herself to the viewer according to how the viewer knows of her. Not only was this a good idea to see the relationships that the three character has to Yuuko, but I’m sure hidden somewhere would be some kind of social commentary on how we see others based on what we know of them already, even if what we know of them might not be true. Add that with the idea of how others and knowledge can shift your view of Yuuko (episode 3), Tasogare is an appealing show that I will continue to watch.