Fall 2021 – Week 7/8

Yeah, whoops!  The holiday week and my wife taking vacation days caused my scattered brain to lose track of days…  So, don’t want to lose the momentum which means really quick thoughts this week.

Hit the jump and let’s go!

The shows that I’m watching are in bold, shows my wife and I are watching together are in bold italics, strikethrough marks dropped shows and (*) marks shows that are watched but not regularly reviewed.

Blue Period

Episode 7

Once again, Yatora encounters a roadblock…  and Ooba-sensei‘s advice is even more impenetrable and opaque than before.  It’s…  philosophical?  Something is wrong with Yatora’s mental state or game?  Who knows?  Either what, Test Day arrives and what can Yatora do but what he’s been doing all along – mostly bulling his way through by sheer force of will.  He’s here, it’s inevitable, might as well have fun.

It’s Yuka’s reaction to the assignment “draw a self portrait” that’s most interesting.  They simply draw an ‘X’ across the paper – and walk out.  They have to know this isn’t an abstract assignment, and even if it was they’re a student.  Students can’t get away with that sh’t.

But the assignment strikes are the core of something they’ve hinted around but never really brought into the open – their self identity.  Damm.  Does anyone know if this is two cour?  As interesting as Yatora’s journey, this ‘x’ is glimpse of something on the horizon.  A glimpse of something that makes me go “Huh, let’s go check that out!”

(*) Let’s Make a Mug Too 2

Yakunara Mug Cup Mo: Niban Kama  (Let’s Make a Mug too: Second Kiln)

Lupin III: Part VI

Episode 7

With the holodeck two-parter behind us, we return to the main plot…  And I can’t say I’m surprised to find out that Lupin isn’t a killer.  I don’t know all that much about the franchise, but that seemed way the hell out of character.

The central mystery now is who is the killer?  An agent of Raven?  They’re certainly ruthless enough.  An enemy of Holmes’?  Not impossible either, we just don’t know enough about him to judge.

My Senpai is Annoying

Senpai ga Uzai Kouhai no Hanashi
Episode 8

Futuba and Takeda have settled into a nice chummy relationship, and it’s enjoyable to watch.

But the best part of the episode – Souta.  He finally gets it, and makes the decision to deliberately spend more time with Touko.  How many episodes has she been hinting?   They’re the couple to watch here.  I could watch an entire anime with just those two.  (But then I think my predisposition to shows that are on the quieter, slower side is well known.)

But lest I forget – it’s not just all about Souta.  Sakurai pretty obviously returns the sentiment.  Now if the two lovebirds would just confess.

SELECTION PROJECT

Yeah, they went there.  Akari’s heart is beating in Suzune’s chest.  This series was on thin ice to start with, and that’s all it took.

Dropped without a backwards glance.

Taisho Otome Fairy Tale

Taisho Otome Otogibanashi
Episodes 7-8

I am… not entirely certain what to think here.  Tamahiko’s character development is far from unearned.  But I also have this chilling feeling that there’s…  Well, not another shoe to drop, but a boot coming down from his father.  And Tamahiko hasn’t come far enough not be crushed by the oncoming boot.

The aquatope on white sand

Shiroi Suna no Aquatope
Episodes 20-21

Kukuru took a very adult approach to the problems besieging her – and a page out of Fuuka’s book.  She ran away.  This is where not fleshing out Fuuka’s story kind of hurts the show, as now there’s no foundation for comparison and/or contrast.

Not fleshing out Fuuka’s story, dropping the emphasis on magic and imagination, and the Okinawan fairy has vanished from the main action…  aquatope has, for me, become defined by the holes in it’s plot.  With less than a handful of episodes remaining, it’s going to have to work very hard to stick it’s landing.

Yuki Yuna Is a Hero: Great Mankai Chapter

Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru: Dai Mankai no Shou
Episode 8

And so the story of the first generation of heroes ends…  Not with a bang, but with a whimper.  It’s interesting that their sacrifice (in the form of a fire ceremony) stopped the attacks for 300 years.  Casts a new light on Togo’s attempted sacrifice and what interrupting it cost the world.

Episode 9

For the first time I’m confident of where we are on the main timeline – right after Episode 4 of the Hero Chapter.  But back then, that aired during the holiday week, so I didn’t say much about it.  Xenodude and his outstanding episode review to the rescue!

I should have gone back and watched the relevant parts of the Hero Chapter, but that didn’t occur to me until just now when there’s no time.  Ah well, something to add to the top of my never ending To Do list.  (Before next week!)

Meanwhile, back in the current time…  Man, Best Girl is pissed.  At the gods, at the Taisha, at Yuuki, at herself.  And her only reflex is to challenge the gods to single combat.  (The gods, understandably, decline the invitation.)   In many ways, she’s grown and grown up, but in others…  she’s still the adolescent she is in calendar years.

Of her interaction with Mebuki…  I dunno.  On one hand, it really does show how Karin now moves in a different world, and once again drives home how the Taisha keeps it’s minions in the dark…  On the other, “You’re a f’in hero, get your sh’t together and f’in act like one” is a well worn trope and hard to carry off in the best of circumstances.  The sparse storytelling style of the Great Mankai Chapter is not the best of circumstances.

Forgot to post this a couple of weeks ago…  a very astute and timely observation by Scott from Mechanical Anime Reviews:

Madoka Magica: What if Madoka used a loophole in the system to stop the Witch system from affecting magical girls?

Yuki Yuna: What if Yuki punched the problem so hard with the spirit of past magical girls behind her that the problem doesn't exist anymore?

(Both good btw)

— Scott in 4:3 😁🎺 (@MechAnimeReview) November 9, 2021

=========

That’s it for me this week!  Hope all the Americans among my followers enjoyed their Thanksgiving holiday.

Drop a comment and let’s chat about anime, holidays, whatever you want to talk about.

Over to you!