by theoneaboutanime

First Impressions – Winter 2016

So, guys, it’s been awhile. … Well, not all that long, but it’s been too much time to feel comfortable about not writing. SO. Here we are with a brand new season of anime that’s sprouting like the Flowers of Evil, and I already feel overwhelmed by the amount of options: options of awesome content and absolute garbage–unsurprisingly, they’re about 50/50, if not more on the disappointing side.

HOWEVER.

There’s always the silver lining at the top of the atomic bomb’s mushroom! … (That’s how that saying goes, right?)

Anyway. The plan here is simply to list off all the anime I’ve watched up to this point for the new season, give my first impressions of the shows, and reveal to you which shows I’ll be covering with reviews.

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu:

Shouwa 1.png

Ya like stories, kid?

I have to say that this show absolutely shocked me. Well, more accurately stated, I was completely shocked that I enjoyed it so much. This kind of show, being all about the art of rakugo, the ancient Japanese art of storytelling, wouldn’t usually seem to be the most exciting thing in the world. For obvious reasons. However, I actually found myself laughing at the jokes the guy was making in his little performances and whatnot.

Anyway, the characters are absolutely captivating. The story is mainly just about a mafia guy who recently got out of prison and tracked down a famous rakugo storyteller to beg him to let him become his disciple. The kind of individuals that those two are, however, don’t necessarily mesh in the best way possible, which is exactly why I find it enjoyable to watch.

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is not a show for those who aren’t into anime. I repeat. THIS IS NOT FOR NEWBS. Unless, of course, they enjoy an adult-like storyline (not meaning sexual or nasty) with good character development and lifelike situations. The first episode itself is the length of two regular shows, so that in itself goes to show that this isn’t some little sit-down-watch-and-leave kind of deal. This is a journey where the viewers get to make a connection with the characters, watching a young man (and young woman) try his best to become a professional in the field of rakugo, along with the struggles of trying to make his storytelling his own. This is not some kids’ show. It’s meant for a select, mature audience who enjoys well-developed humor and difficult life situations.

Episode Rating: B+ – I wasn’t expecting a lot from this show, so what I saw outright surprised me. It taught me that even seemingly boring content can have some good to it if the viewer is just will to give it a go. This episode only got a B+, though, because it wasn’t perfect.

Dagashi Kashi:

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Well. This is… a show.

If you didn’t know, this show is ALL about candy shops. Well… sort of. This show revolves around the concept of a girl trying to buy out a guy’s confectionary shop (hence the Japanese word, kashi) that the owner is trying to have his manga-drawing son to take over. The thing is, the son has no desire to take over, but he is exceptional at selling candy and producing ideas for new types.

This show is a slice of life with eccentric characters, which is exactly why I was interested in it in the first place. I mean, just LOOK at that picture. She’s drooling just from imagining grilling a certain food item. She’s absolutely crazy about sweets and in-your-face about everything that pertains to them.

The animation, artwork, and character designs are all on point. Just by looking at the character’s eyes, you can typically tell what’s gonna go down with their personalities and situations. That is speaking toward a very broad generality, of course. All of the motions and actions of the characters fit what they look like extremely well. There was no waste of expense here for this show. Even the voice acting is on point. That’s not really all that surprising, though. A lot of shows seem to always get JUST the right person for the job when it comes to voice acting. I digress.

So, did I have a problem?

Yes. I did. Thanks for asking.

I had a huge problem with the nudity. I’ll just finish my rant below about that, though.

Until that time, I do want to also say that the storyline is going to be quite a fun procession to watch. The girl enters this rundown town to get this confectionary shop to work with her, but she decides that she will stay put there until she gets him to agree to her terms. This can only lead to hilarious and questionable situations that will make me wonder if I should have even continued watching in the first place.

Episode Rating: B- – Look, I was really, REALLY looking forward to this show. I had started reading the manga at one point, got a few pages into it, and dropped it because I was busy with something else. So, I got the gist of it and was super pumped to see it in action. Everything would have been fine and dandy IF ONLY SHE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN NEKKED. Like, why is it absolutely necessary to show a naked woman’s body in television? I don’t freaking care if it’s “just her butt,” it’s her privacy and no one else’s. In television with real actors, that is how I feel, and I often feel as though anime should abide by those same, wholesome standards because it already has a bad rep for being All. About. Porn. Which it’s not. I understand it was probably in the manga. I understand it was “just sticking to the original story.” But there is a difference between manga and anime, and they could have just as easily made the same scene with some kind of censorship AT LEAST. Tch. I’m done now.

ERASED (Boku Dake ga Inai Machi):

ERASED 1.png

My #1 for this season.

You know when you look at an anime’s promo cover and you just know that you’re going to love it even though you have no idea what it’s about? Well, that’s EXACTLY how I felt about this show when I first saw a picture of it.

Out of all the shows thus far, ERASED has been my favorite. The plot and storyline of this supernatural/suspense/I’MSTUCKINTHEPASTHALPPLZ is something that is WAY TOO COOL. The thing is, this show just SUCKS you in. I can very easily focus on the anime that I’m watching at almost any given time. I love anime so much that it’s easy for me to just lock in right away. However, there are times where I have to force myself to stay attentive. This wasn’t the case for ERASED. It made me WANT to continue watching, and even more than that, it wouldn’t let go.

As far as the plot goes, I’m quite looking forward to where this show will take us all. I’ve never seen a show with a concept like this before: the fact that the guy can briefly go back in time to stop death; the fact that the guy gets stuck in his childhood past (after hitting 29 years of age). If there is such a show, let me know. I’d love to see it. The characters in it are SO enjoyable to watch. I found myself telling other people to watch the show with me, and when they did, I kept nagging them about how good the voice acting was and how perfect the characters’ personalities were. They’re so normal–so very normal, but so intriguing at the same time.

While looking at the picture above of the show, I would also like to point out how on point the animation is. I am a big fan of the character design and they did a great job of making me feel like I was in some town with the setting design as well. Often times you just feel like you’re in some random city, but for some reason the art of the backgrounds made me feel a little… Comfortable. Even though I knew the show wasn’t going to head in that direction. It was a really cool.

Episode Rating: A+ – I gave it an A+ because I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this show. This is going to be my most absolute FAVORITE show of this season. No doubt. Hands down. 100%, yo. After I finished that first episode, I was like, “IS THAT IT?! NOOOOOOO!!!” It is SO worth the watch. It has blood and is very descriptive in showing a knife being plunged into someone’s body, but if that doesn’t bother you, GO. WATCH. IT. NOW. Totes mah goats, worth it.

Dimension W:

Dimension W 1.png

I saw this on the upcoming list and thought, “Meh.” Well, I was wrong.

I don’t know where to begin. Actually, let’s start with the story. If I’m not mistaken, the story takes place in somewhere around 2079, so pretty dumping far into the future, but not too far out of the foreseeable future. A single company provides power to the entire world for free (I could be wrong about that part), and apparently 1. there are these cells that are used to power stuff, and 2. there are illegal versions of these cells that the company doesn’t want to exist. So, with that said, the guy pictured above is kind of like a hitman for those cells.

So, I have no idea where this show is going to go. I suppose it’s going to end up like every other Shounen-type of show where there’s a bunch of random action until something randomly kind of converges. I like those kinds of shows just fine, but I think I prefer something that I can see the end goal of the show before it gets too far. For example, in The Perfect Insider we knew what the end goal was: to find out whodunit. So, again, for this show, I don’t see anything being incredibly drawing in regards to plot.

I will say that even though the plot may be a tad bit messy, the content of the first episode is quite appealing. The situations, the circumstances, the setting; I mean, I quite enjoyed getting to see how some people in that kind of society were operating personally. I love getting to see into the lives of characters, and learning about them and their pasts and experiences is always fulfilling for me.

I absolutely LOVE the character design. I mean, LOOK at that guy’s face! IT’S. SO. SHARP. The sharpness of the character design really gives to the edginess of the show. It’s symbolic in its simplest form, and I love it. And there’s no way I could forget the robot girl. SHE’S SO CUUUUUTE. But she’s also super deadly. But she’s also a girl. Sort of. It makes for an interesting mix when the main guy and robot girl are in the same room and creates humorous material (so much smacking, guys).

Episode Rating: A – Talk about a trip, though. This show blew me away. I mean, I could NOT believe what I had just watched. This show is going to be filled with so much excitement, I can already taste the blood. … I mean… What? AAAANYWAY. You guys should definitely go check it out. It’s my #2 for the new season, and I’m so ready for more.

Girls Beyond the Wasteland (Shoujo-tachi wa Kouya wo Mezasu):

Girls Beyond the Wasteland 1.png

Would you like to play a game?

Or would you rather make one? Well, the latter is the whole premise of this show, and so far, I like it quite a bit (a lot better than Saekano, which was fairly ecchi).

Just to start, the main characters are so likeable. I like them a lot. Like, a lot, a lot. The main female character is cute and mysterious as can be, which puts a pressure on the viewers to continue watching. Her objective, to have a fellow high school student who had recently written the script for a school play write the script for her game, was revealed at the end of the episode. Until that point she had stared at him intently from a distance and had also pretty much gone on a date with the boy to ensure his idea of a date was good (I personally believe it will probably be a romance simulator game–that makes the most sense why she would choose to go on a date with the boy to figure out what he’s made of). The main guy in question smoothly handled the situations that were thrown at him, and easily conquered all the expectations of the girl. I love characters like this guy, though, because he’s super relatable. Not because he’s a boss at dating chicks, but because there’s nothing special about him. For that reason alone do I find him so fun to watch. Totally worth seeing just for their interactions.

For whatever reason, this show is ONLY on Hulu. I’m not quite sure why, but it is a little frustrating simply because I can’t watch the show in 1080p. I probably could if I were subscribed to Hulu, but I don’t want to spend even more money just to watch a show in 1080p rather than 480p, ya know? So, that is a little frustrating, which is why the picture above will not do it justice when I say that the animation looks absolutely beautiful. It’s got really sharp artwork that just put other Shoujo shows to shame. Project No. 9, the animation studio that is developing this show, did an episode of Sword Art Online (this episode specifically), and did some of the animation (2nd key animation) for A Lull in the Sea (which is some of the most beautiful work on the anime market, in my humble opinion).

Episode Rating: A- – There were some moments in this episode that I felt a little bored. It wasn’t terrible by any means, but it didn’t just invite me into the world like other shows have this season. So, that’s the main reason why this scored lower than the rest. The plot just wasn’t as engaging as some other shows are, and if the plot isn’t incredibly in yo’ face, then you have a hard time getting drawn in by the anime spirits.

Ojisan and Marshmallow (Ojisan to Marshmallow):

Ojisan to Marshmallow 1.png

This short is dumping hilarious.

Guys, I have seen quite a few anime shorts in the past, but this show probably takes the cake. … I mean, marshmallow LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL (great joke, I know).

If you take any time out of your busy schedule to watch a short, it’s GOTTA BE THIS ONE. I did not expect it to be fun or anything; in fact, when I saw the first scene of the show I was quite concerned because of the title of the show. “Ojisan” usually means “uncle” in Japanese, so I was quickly under the impression that this was some twisted incest short. But nope. Not one bit. It’s just a fat guy who is loved incredibly deeply by some chick who is dying to have his baby. And he doesn’t realize it. It’s too perfect.

I’m a big fan of the character designs in this short as well. The big guy is being relentlessly pursued by a rather thin, very cute-faced woman, so this contrast adds a lot to the dynamic of the show in regards to physical ability, how the audience perceives the characters (you WILL look at people differently based on their weight–it’s almost impossible not to), and to the silliness that is their relationship.

Episode Rating: A- – This was a fantastic short. I didn’t feel bored at all when watching it, and it felt like every moment was used to get the feel of the show across to the audience. It was really well done! I look forward to seeing the rest of the show. HOWEVER. The reason why this didn’t get an A+ is because I felt like the art could have been a little tighter. For example, look up above at the picture of the fat guy. Look at how the lines are drawn on his shirt. There’s a lot of messiness and not a lot of crispness that high-quality shows bear. It’s little stuff like that that keeps certain anime from being the absolute top in it category. Of course, this isn’t NEARLY as bad as Magical Somera-chan, so I really can’t complain too much.

So, here’s a list of the other shows that I watched but will not be reviewing:

As you can see, there are some of these shows with an asterisk by their names. That simply means that they are truly honorable mentions, quite worthy of being seen. Of all the honorable mentions, I would like to point out one show and one short in particular. Luck & Logic is most certainly one of my favorites from this list, as is Sekkou Boys. They both just made me sit back and enjoy the ride, even though the atmosphere of either show was COMPLETELY different. As for BBK/BRNK, I will say that I was impressed. That kind of animation style is difficult to achieve with continuously flowing animated movements. I look forward to seeing the rest of the show however, the storyline might end up being a little bland :/

I would also like to say that I also hope to cover Ajin, a horror anime that will be released about a week after the majority of the rest of the shows in the Winter 2016 season. Because it hasn’t been released at the time of writing, I will write a separate Episode 1 review for it. With that said, because of giving my impressions for the shows I will review thus far, I will start with Episode 2 reviews and continue from there.

To add on to what I’ve said thus far, I want to say something about the other shows that I have not listed in this article but have come out during this season of new anime; I won’t be reviewing things like Assassination Classroom Season 2 or Fairy Tail Zero or Snow White with the Red Hair Season 2 because of a few reasons: 1. I have not personally caught up in those shows, and 2. I’m not necessarily a big fan of reviewing shows that aren’t brand new material. For example, I reviewed (or tried to) OWARIMONOGATARI this last season, and it just felt awkward. For those who haven’t seen any of the Monogatari series, those articles don’t really make much sense. So, as a general rule, I try to avoid shows that are running consecutive seasons.

Lastly, as a general update we have changed our rating categories up a little bit so that we will no longer be treating Character Developments and Interactivity as separate entities. They will just be under the category of “Character Developments”

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ありがとうございます for reading and stay silly :3

~The One About Anime

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by theoneaboutanime

Subete ga F ni Naru (Everything Becomes F: The Perfect Insider) – Series Review

Preface: So, for those of you who do not know, we will be writing series reviews for the Fall 2015 lineup as we were unable to keep up with the episodic reviews during the season. Our apologies, however we will be doing episodic reviews yet again when the 2016 winter season begins :3 ~TOAA

Review:

  1. Plot/Content: As far as the plot goes, I must say that I didn’t find any holes in it. There are probably people who are quite a bit smarter than I am in dissecting shows, but I can assuredly say that after having a few days to let the show digest in my brain a little bit, all my questions seemed to have been thoroughly answered by the show. The main thing I got reminded of when wathing this show was certainly the idea that plot comes before everything and anything else. It will always come before animation, music, and even characters. The content of this show is what drove it to success and kept me interested throughout its entirety. I was always dying to see what would happen next (save, the first episode).
  2. Character Developments: These characters were not necessarily the most cheerful (ok, maybe Nishinosono was) individuals, but they were certainly entertaining enough to keep an eye on. The whole time I felt like I could sort of almost trust all of them, so when it was revealed how the murders occurred, I just kind of placed my hands on my head and let my jaw drop to the floor. The usual. The likeability of these characters was very… Confusing. There were times where I couldn’t stand some characters and other times where I was just kind of fine with whatever was occurring. However, the fact that the characters were not extremely the most joyous beings on Earth kind of made it nice to watch. It was as if, because of not getting too attached to them, I could more easily focus on the content of the show. It was really cool to get to experience and was very unlike anything else I have experienced in regards to anime. The outcome of the characters also ended up being something I enjoyed, as I am indeed a fan of romance and winning. Lots of winning.
  3. Interactivity: This was the most frustrating category in the show for me. It was the part where I just sat, stared, and asked myself, “Why even?” There were multiple occasions in the show that the characters were far too passive in regards to the murders that had taken place. For example, they all just went to bed at one point. Right after finding out that some people had been killed. AND THEY JUST ACTED NATURAL ABOUT THEM LIKE THEY WERE NO BIG DEAL. If that were real life, no 19 year-old girl would just be so okay with it. I understand she’s a genius and that she wants to see the situation through to the end, but the fact that she’s just a regular college student should point to some kind of regular humanity. I’m only pinpointing her for example’s sake, but I can assure you that it wasn’t just her. It was EVERYONE. It was very odd and made the show feel very inhuman. Even if there would have been just A LITTLE bit of scare or fright, I think it would have been a little better. That’s all we really needed. Thus, it was a turn-off, and ended up doing damage to the show.
  4. Use of Time: Admittedly, this show started off slow. Right when it actually kicked off, though, it was like speeding train that wasn’t stoppin’ for no one. It had a logical progression where you could follow along on an episode-by-episode basis. However, this show most certainly seemed to be one that is better watched with the show in mind. What I mean is that you probably shouldn’t watch this if you plan on only seeing an episode per month. You won’t retain information that will make the show all that more exciting. It requires you to think as you go along in the show–not to the extent where you will get tired of thinking about it, but definitely to the extent that you will be confused if you don’t pay attention. This show’s certainly more along the lines of intermediate-expert taste for anime watchers. Definitely not for beginners.
  5. Music: You know, this series had an array of good music in it. I was unexpectedly surprised about the use of cheery yet melancholy orchestral tracks playing in the background (like that of Twilight Town in KH2). It added something bright and hopeful to the show that just wasn’t there before. I was also extremely partial to the opening and closing themes. They were truly wonderful, and added to the complexity of the show really well (especially the guitar parts in the closing theme–deliciousness).
  6. Animation: There wasn’t anything incredible in regards to the animation in this show. It was just a really good standard for what can be done with 2-dimensional animation, just like almost any other show out on the market for watching today. We have a new standard for what we consider the line of good animation–not great but good. This show did not cross the further line into the makings of great animation, though. That would be saved for other shows like that of Beautiful Bones -Sakurako’s Investigation-. Now there was one thing in regards to this section that did make me quite a bit frustrated. There were parts in the show where they used 3-D. And it was terrible. It was super obvious that it was 3-dimensional, and it simply didn’t fit well with its surroundings in my opinion. It didn’t flow well, and that was a big no-no for me.
  7. Voice Acting: My, my. The voice actors for the main characters were FLAWLESS. I especially enjoyed Dr. Magata’s voice actress (Ibuki Kido–SHE’S ONLY 18 IRL!!!). She effortlessly seemed very calm and extremely dominating. Her voice made her sound like a predator waiting to take down her prey with a single swipe. Quite devious, but alluring all at the same time. I ended up liking Nishinosono as a character, so I easily ended up liking her voice as well (Atsumi Tanezaki). It fit her inexperienced, child-like, college-student vibe. It hits pretty close to home seeing how she happens to be my age at the time of my writing this, too. Lastly, Sohei’s voice (Yasuyuki Kase) was completely spot-on. I mean, his cool attitude was portrayed super well along with a tired, deep-ish voice that screamed of someone who was done with regular life due to its heavy, dull experiences. He’s not my favorite voice actor by any means, but I can certainly say that he was probably the best choice for the character of Sohei.
  8. Uniqueness: I’ve never seen any who-dun-it like this before. This show seems to be in a league of its own. I have seen other mystery anime, but this one easily shines brighter than anything else in the category of mystery/murder. With its massive amounts of jaw-dropping content, it will certainly be one of the most well put-together shows in my list of known shows, as well as being highly esteemed for incredible content. It may just seem like I’m recapping the content section right now, but seriously, the content made this show stand out from any other in its genre.

Show Rating: A- – Let me tell you, guys. This show was astounding. I had some great expectations of it, but I certainly did not expect to emit the kind of reaction that I gave to the show. I wasn’t ready for what happened and for what was to become of the characters all throughout. It was a well-rounded mystery murder that had semi-likeable characters. The plot was absolutely captivating. It kept me on edge after episode two straight until the end. I was actually pretty sad it only had eleven episodes because I got so sucked into it. One of the most unexpected parts about this show, though, is that it has RE-WATCH VALUE!!! That is always a good thing to have, and I don’t really have to say that but still. If you can somehow maintain that, people will go and buy the blu-rays. Just bear that in mind if you ever go into animation 😛

Silly’s Rating: PG

Aired from October 8-December 17, 2015

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ありがとうございます for reading and stay silly :3

~The One About Anime

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by theoneaboutanime

Fushigi na Somera-chan (Magical Somera-chan) Episode 4 – “Here We Go! Matsushima the Popular”

Just in case you aren’t following us on social media, here is why we are, for a short time, suspending our plot summaries:

“I hate to keep cutting back on the value of the articles that we write, but at the moment we simply do not have the time to make those detailed plot summaries due to work and college. With that said, until we are able to get into a consistent schedule, ~C and I will not be doing any plot summaries. When we catch up, though, please expect it to be back and fully functional.”

~The One About Anime

Review:

  1. Plot/Content: Dumping, freaking menoussoue. Also, popularity. I love it all. The simple fact that they’re even continuing on with the menoussoue is just wonderful. Even though it’s only about 10-20 seconds of every episode, those super shorts are certainly my most treasured moments of the series. Not sure why, but they’re so ridiculous that I just love them so much. … Menoussoue are so cool. For the actual plot of the show, though, considering how this was about the new chick, Ai, I felt pretty meh about the show. It was a good plot and all, but I would have liked it to have been more about… Idk… SOMERACHANMAYBE?! It’s a little frustrating to have a show about a certain character and then you find that that show isn’t really focusing on that character like… AT ALL. I would really like to see that change in the near future, but I have a feeling–just this creeping feeling–that it won’t. So there.
  2. Character Developments: Obviously, this section was pretty sparse, and it will certainly remain as such throughout the entirety of the series. There’s just no way you can really develop characters well (especially four of them) in such a blasting, in-your-face way like the story is pushing them to act like. It’s pretty sad because it is one of the most important things that a show could have, so when it gets less attention, there are less memories made about the show (because, aside from the plot, character development will stick with viewers more than most things).
  3. Interactivity: This really drove a nail into the coffin for me. I was super pleased with how jealous Somera and Shizuku were. It gave an interesting dynamic to the “friendship” they decided to develop with the “new chick on the block.” It is as if they have Ai (Matsushima) around just to have another character on the show. Which, honestly, it doesn’t really feel like she’s a part of the show anyway, so it’s not that surprising that the other characters would feel the same wall or distance between them as well. It just sorta happens for the show’s sake, I guess.
  4. Use of Time: On a scale from “rare” to “well-done,” this 3 oz. piece of anime was “well-done” in regards to use of time. There wasn’t a moment where I thought to myself that the show was being wasteful. It moved quickly and efficiently, covering a full story in a short amount of time. They were very proactive in their short space of time, and it was actually some of the best that this show has put out yet. I look forward to seeing how they do later on in this category.

Episode Rating: B+ – Even though this was one of the better episodes of this show thus far, I still need to be objective and rate it according to how good an anime can be. Any show that is dumped down into this short amount of time will almost never amount to an “A” status. There’s simply not enough time in the episode to develop characters and plot (if plot is even a thing in that show, which, for this show, it doesn’t really seem to be a very important factor). It was made to be short with a lot of shock factor, I understand, but it’s just not juicy enough to have your teeth sink into it over and over again (unless, of course, you’re just in one of those moods to blaze through something ridiculous–which I pretty much always am).

Aired on October 29, 2015

Silly’s Rating: PG

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ありがとうございます for reading and stay silly :3

~The One About Anime

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by theoneaboutanime

Comet Lucifer Episode 5: Souls Come Together

Just in case you aren’t following us on social media, here is why we are, for a short time, suspending our plot summaries:

“I hate to keep cutting back on the value of the articles that we write, but at the moment we simply do not have the time to make those detailed plot summaries due to work and college. With that said, until we are able to get into a consistent schedule, ~C and I will not be doing any plot summaries. When we catch up, though, please expect it to be back and fully functional.”

~The One About Anime

Review:

  1. Plot/Content: Can we talk about the new drama factor that was added into this episode?  That made this so much more enjoyable for me.  We have a serious damsel in distress situation, in which Felia is the captive and Sogo the aspiring victor to rescue her.  Not to mention his kick-butt companion Moura.  Although his attempt was good and well-intened, Sogo ended up the damsel, and Felia the unlikely heroine. Their unfortunate enemies didn’t hold a candle to their counterattack, despite out-gunning two unarmed kids and a worm.  The episode ended with a sense of completeness, which is ideal, but it didn’t exactly leave me craving more.
  2. Character Developments: The level of violence escalated, and the characters actually show that they have a sense of pain.  One thing I can’t stand is when a character in an anime takes punch after punch, despite the fact that they seem completely normal, only to be able to stand up right after, with no blood.  But Sogo had his tushie handed to him, and he laid there like a normal human being for a while.  And it was refreshing.  The mortality of Sogo’s character is blatant.  He isn’t powerful and could suffer injury.  However, Felia’s extraordinary display of power overshadows and compensates for his lack-thereof.  I am curious as to whether her use of power affects her aging process.  She went from little girl to well-developed lady in the time it took her to rescue Sogo.  If that is a constant thing then it would make sense why Moura keeps trying to keep her from using her powers.  Eventually, she would perish of old age.
  3. Interactivity:  Sogo and Felia have a new dynamic presented at the end of the episode: she’s no little girl anymore.  What I surmise this means is the potential for a non-awkward romantic relationship to develop between them.  The way Sogo looked at at her when he realized was that of surprise and delight.  Felia didn’t seem very shocked by her new “developments,” which leads me to believe she lost a little bit of her childishness.  I would have expected her to be wiggin’ out, but she was calm and unwavering…. like an adult.  I don’t even know if her current state is permanent, but I hope it is.  I would love to see Sogo and Felia’s relationship bloom into a power couple (get it? She has a lot of power ^_^)
  4. Use of Time:  I was impressed by how this episode utilized its time this go-around.  The progression was smooth, and it transitioned from scene to scene as flawlessly as an ice skater makes her way across the rink.  I will say there could have been room for some humor, but not every episode of every anime has to be funny.  In fact, sometimes comedy can ruin a show.

Episode Rating: A- – I doing this episode a solid by giving it an A- because it wowed me a little bit.  This show in general hasn’t been my favorite, mainly because I’m not into mecha; however, this one had me captivated and I loved it.

Aired on November 1, 2015

Level of adultiness:  PG

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~The One About Anime~C

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by theoneaboutanime

Asterisk War Episode 5: Lightning Blade Speed

Just in case you aren’t following us on social media, here is why we are, for a short time, suspending our plot summaries:

“I hate to keep cutting back on the value of the articles that we write, but at the moment we simply do not have the time to make those detailed plot summaries due to work and college. With that said, until we are able to get into a consistent schedule, ~C and I will not be doing any plot summaries. When we catch up, though, please expect it to be back and fully functional.”

~The One About Anime

Review:

  1. Plot/Content:  The Student Council presidents of the schools of Asterisk open the episode.  Among them is our beloved Claudia Ensfield, The Tease.  Their banter suggests that each school knows its place in the power rankings because subtle verbal exchanges from the most powerful members override the brutish physical threats of weaker members.  Claudia cleverly disguises last episode’s incident from the Council and proposes the situation with Allekant as an alliance to produce a new technology.  This is the fueling fire for this episode.   While Julis and Ayato practice their fighting skills in preparation for the Festas, a couple of Allekant’s weapons developers, Camilla Pareto and Ernesta Kuhn, stop by.  Naturally, the fact that they are both female worsens the harem problem for Ayato, causing Julis and Sasamiya to fight over his allegiance more.  For further training the next day, Ayato rushes to meet Julis, and on his way, he bumps into Kirino Toudo causing her to be at the receiving end of discipline from her uncle for her tardiness.  Ayato, being the little hero that he is, stops Kirino’s uncle from using any sort of violence to reprimand her. However, he and Kirino are forced into a duel under the condition that should Ayato win, the uncle will stop his physical punishments.  This posed a problem for Ayato because his stamina could only go against his school’s #1 rank, and now others would see his true abilities.
  2. Character Developments:  New characters always draw out underlying sides to pre-existing ones, and that has held true in this episode. Ernesta, the developer of the puppets Silas used, can be summed up as a cheeky lady.  In a quick breath, she dished out a threat and offered a kiss to Ayato, with no apologies.  That made Julis and Sasamiya’s claws come out.  Camilla, on the other hand, used her serious demeanor and absolute knowledge as a weapons specialist to belittle Sasamiya’s father and her weapon of choice.  Both of these characters have dominant personalities.  The creators of the show chose this episode wisely to introduce Kirino Toudo, a character so meek that she balances the outrageous Ernesta and no-time-for-bull Camilla.  But don’t let Kirino’s innocent manner fool you.  She’s ranked #1 in the school, and it’s a spot she’s earned.
  3. Interactivity:  Introduced to Ayato were two women, Ernesta and Camilla, while he was conveniently in the presence of two other women who have deeper connections with him. And the not-so-surprising mastermind behind the turbulent meeting is none other than Claudia, who is slowly becoming one of my favorite characters now.  The more I understand her twistedness, the funnier it becomes.  Her clever use of feminine charm and couth masks her underhanded blackmailing of Allekant, all while she maintained perfect composure.   Of course, Claudia’s purpose was to stir up emotions as she is undoubtedly entertained by the mess she’s created.  I’m slowly starting to enjoy Claudia’s sense of humor.
  4. Use of Time:  Very little nonsense left this episode feeling more direct and intentional in regards to the direction this show is progressing toward.  With that being said, I felt that this episode was a little rushed (This wasn’t my initial opinion, but it is now after watching it a third time) and some of the humor was sacrificed to make better use of its time.  I think that, while indeed this episode functioned very effectively concerning the storyline, I was disappointed because there was room for laughs, yet I remained bereft ha-ha’s.

Episode Rating:  -I’m giving this episode a B+.  It didn’t make me laugh or cry.  I felt that this was a bridge episode to connect others together and keep the story cohesive.  And that is certainly needed in anime, but I was wowed by anything.

Aired on October 31, 2015

Level of adultiness: PG-for mild sensual content and mild violence

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~The One About Anime~C

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