For a sport that emphasizes pacing, it feels like they reeaaalllyyyy stretched this one out. Glory Line picks up where New Generation ended—about a quarter of the way through the Inter-High bike race—and ends maybe three quarters of the way through the Inter-High bike race.
It's not like they haven't done this kind of thing before, but at this point we don't need a 3 episode sprint when we already know the backstory of one of the two characters involved.
One advantage of having basically the same crew at the same studio is that the music has remained pretty much remained consistent throughout all four seasons.
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Jun 27, 2018
Violet Evergarden
(Anime)
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If Violet Evergarden were a Hollywood film, it’d be one of those movies gunning for the Academy Awards. Everything about Kyoto Animation’s light novel adaptation screams cinematic ambition.
Similar to what you’ll see in something Death Parade, much of the series follows an "episodic" format in which each episode pretty much has its own independent conflict introduction and resolution, but in one way or another it contributes to the development of a much larger story arc that spans the entirety of the series. There are a couple minor issues with the narrative itself. Like many dramas, there’s a certain coincidental convenience that occurs at key plot points. ... 
Jun 25, 2018
Uchuu Senkan Tiramisù
(Anime)
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Tiramisù begins as a rather aimless compilation of comedic skits that range from pretty damn hilarious to mildly chuckle-inducing; it ends pretty much the same way. The disappointing part is that somewhere in the middle they toyed around with introducing something reminiscent of an actual plot.I was genuinely interested to see what the show had to offer following the mid-season story developments. Unfortunately, the crew never quite figured out what to do with it.
Uchuu Senkan Tiramisù isn’t bad as is, provided you like the crude, dumb type of humor. For better or worse, it never lets itself get too serious. I just can’t shake the ... 
Jun 24, 2018
Grancrest Senki
(Anime)
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There were several writers involved in this production, and it feels like it. The narrative is all over the place to begin with, but the biggest issue, BY FAR, is how Grancrest Senki breaks its own neck with the speed at which it progresses through said plot; they seemingly skip across 2 or 3 season worth of possible content in just 24 episodes. The end result is a fantasy/adventure/romance series with all of the pieces, but none of the magical feel.
The animation ranges from really good to really bad, sometimes even within the same episode. The music and sound is acceptable. There are some moments ... 
Jun 22, 2018
There are at least two life lessons we can take away from Another:
Avoid moving to small, rural towns. Groupthink can be a dangerous, detrimental thing. From a narrative standpoint, there is definitely some curious plot development and questionable character decision-making, but you almost have to have a higher willing suspension of disbelief when you’re watching something of the supernatural or science-fiction variety. Bearing this in mind, I’m fairly confident in saying Higaki puts together a narrative that, while somewhat unreliable, successfully introduces conflict, escalates it, and concludes it. One of Another’s strongest features is its generally off-putting feel. It's a ... 
Jun 22, 2018
No Game No Life
(Anime)
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Imagine, if you will, a world in which two shut-in NEETs could save all of humanity by playing games. Take that premise, add some fantasty-esque elements like magic, possibly a little sister complex, and you’ve got No Game No Life’s take on the Isekai subgenre.
As expected of something produced under the banner of Madhouse, overall production quality is quite good. The soundtrack consists of a contemporary-sounding mix of electronica with some additional piano and percussion elements. The art style is very colorful, and the backgrounds and landscapes appear very dreamlike—fitting for the fantastical feel the crew was trying to create. The whole series feels pretty fun, ... 
Jun 22, 2018
Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii
(Anime)
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Similar to Net-juu no Susume, the show consists of a slightly older cast of characters; we follow the lives of small group of otaku in their mid to late 20’s. Wotakoi is unique, though, in that it begins where most other romantic dramadies typically end—with our protagonists actually in a relationship.
It’s apparent that there wasn’t too much of a budget to work with here, but they get along well enough via cost/time cutting measures like shot selections that don’t require a whole lot of actual animation. Wotakoi is not the prettiest or most comical show in the world, but it is endearing in its own way. ... 
May 15, 2018
Devilman: Crybaby
(Anime)
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The only way I can think to describe Devilman: Crybaby is as a more modern mix of Berserk and Claymore that’s kind of like Parasyte, but not really. If you’re an avid anime viewer, one of the first thing’s you’ll notice is that the show looks very different from your typical series of today; that’s by design.
The most outstanding feature of the series is by far its overall scene and sound composition. The original soundtrack is very good, even if a little redundant, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better blending of sound effects, music, and imagery in any series across any medium. Devilman: ... 
May 9, 2018
I decided to pick up Bougyakusareta Tamashii no Jukyou because it seemed like it would be a good change of pace from the stuff I was watching at the time. It was. It was dark. It was visceral. It was overall a bloody good time.
While the imagery itself is sometimes gruesome, the sound design is what really makes it cringeworthy. All of the squishing, all of the crunching, all of the screaming, it’s nicely concocted over top of an eerie-sounding ambiance. Ultimately, Bougyakusareta Tamashii no Jukyou isn’t a great series, but it delivers a type of horror we don’t often see in the west, and ... 
May 1, 2018
Death Parade
(Anime)
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I was initially concerned that the novelty of the “bar game decides the fate of your soul” premise would wear off sooner rather than later, but to my pleasant surprise, that wasn’t the case at all. In essence, what we get from Death Parade is one large story arc subtly playing out in the backdrop of several other short stories. Given the nature of this narrative format, many characters have “one-and-done” episodic appearances. Still, I found myself caring for many of them almost as much as I did the main cast.
As we can pretty much assume with Madhouse, the overall production value is excellent. The ... |
