It truly is the end of an era – at least for now. This is a bit of a historic moment for me as a blogger – I’ve never done a series review post on a show that’s run for anything like two years (though in fact it’s obviously also […] Read more
Anime
Tokyo Diaries – Pictures at an Exhibition (Anime Japan 2014)
Plus mecha… You may recall my reporting from last year’s Tokyo Anime Fair and Anime Contents Expo, the rival con that was established in protest over Ishihara and Bill 156. Well, Ishihara is gone (though now exuding his stink in national politics, trying to out-fascist Abe Shinzo) and while I […] Read more
Gin no Saji Second Season – 10
It’s just ridiculous how good this series is right now. I’m running out of superlatives to lavish on Gin no Saji after the latest episode. This three-episode run is, quite simply, about as good as any series telling this sort of story could possibly be – effectively note-perfect. I confess […] Read more
Hoozuki no Reitetsu – 11
Japanese Culture class is back in session… This is really the first time since very early in Hoozuki no Reitetsu’s run that I’ve felt a bit left out of the joke. The entire episode was pulled straight from Japanese legends and fairy tales (and just my luck, none of them […] Read more
Nagi no Asukara – 24
It’s a truth we see borne out over and over again in anime: endings are hard. I won’t lie – I’m of the mind that Nagi no Asukara is ending at the right time. The heart of the matter is this: the only element in the story that really rings […] Read more
Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha – 10 (End) and Series Review
As soon as Inari Konkon was announced as 10 episodes, I should have known Jerry Seinfeld’s “This is going to be a shame” would have fit perfectly. A few weeks back I compared Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha to a meal where the side dishes were excellent, but the main course […] Read more
Weekly Digest 3/19/14 – Witch Craft Works, Tonari no Seki-kun
Turns out Mt. Maeda is an active volcano… Witch Craft Works – 11 I guess the message of this episode is that the secret to magic power is in the shirt. Or something. Anyway… We’re still in full-on plot mode with Witch Craft Works, which clearly has a lot on […] Read more
Hunter X Hunter 2011 – 121
You know, this show is actually pretty good. Hunter X Hunter really is the gift that keeps on giving. There’s seemingly no end to the ways it can entertain and astound me. To those who complain that “Chimera Ant” is too paced too slowly I can only ask – why? […] Read more
Yowamushi Pedal – 23
At long last, the real racing has begun. Time to break out the sorting hat. When grand tour bike races start (and in high-school terms three days certainly qualifies as a grand your) everyone tends to fall into their specified roles. With two-week affairs like the Tour de France the […] Read more
Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta – 11
As confessions go, that was certainly emphatic. I think I’ve figured out why Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta often seems to work better as a series than it “deserves” to – why all the exasperating logic holes and sexism and overzealous foreshadowing can’t quite sink the dreadnought. Inside this deeply […] Read more