Panty: Being a bitch is about living freely. Nothing holds a bitch down - nothing can.
After my first viewing of Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt - which was during my high school years - my impression was: it looks like a show that I'd watch during a 1990's/early 2000's Cartoon Network Block but feels like a show I'd watch during late night block of Comedy Central or Adult Swim. Due to that impression, I tended to devalue everything about the show. Panty and Stocking were two simple minded characters interested in nothing but sex and sweets respectively. Garterbelt taken fused from the blaxploitation films
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of the 1970s and the head honcho of Charlie's Angels slathered with sexual fetishes that I'm not talking about. And Chuck the punching bag. I'm writing this review because I had to reassess my thoughts on this show after a second viewing. Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt comes off as style over substance but that style is grounded with a very simple but effective thematic foundation. Naysayers, I ask you, what are Panty and Stockings last names...Anarchy. Break anarchy into its root words - a(n): not, without / arch: first, to rule - and you get without rulers. Now what does that imply within context of the show. Doing what every the fuck you want without fear of the consequences from preconceived notions/symbols/figures of authority. This point cemented in my mind when a pair of antagonists ask (I'm paraphrasing) if they have any rules or codes of conduct they follow, Panty replies: "You idiot. 'Rules' exist to be broken" This quote sums up what this show strives for and successfully obtains.
The preconceived notion is that Panty, Stocking, and other recurring characters are one note characters that lack depth; I disagree for two reasons. The first reason, Panty and Stocking are static characters; meaning that they will have the same personality from start to finish. And outside of certain regressions and reconstructions, the duo you see is what you get and that's not a bad thing. Because their ideology of anarchy is the catalyst for other character's growth. The easiest example I have to back up this claim are the daemon sisters, Scanty and Kneesocks. When first introduced, they are the anarchy sister's polar opposites with their strict self-discipline, a code of conduct, and polite public personas. But after their first battle we start to see them absorb a bit from Panty and Stocking's ideology and set traps, frame, cheat, and generally ignore the rules they held in high standard, all in an attempt to achieve their goals. They fail of course but I thought it was interesting that the protagonists forced the antagonists to grow. You see smaller but similar developments in Brief, Chuck, and Gaterbelt around the time of the final episodes. If it wasn't for the Anarchy sisters the others wouldn't grow and the show would amount to what many people already criticize it for boring/pointless.
The second reason: we observe static personalities in extreme situations which allows us to see glimpses of hidden depths. After the routine the show has lulled us into we see Panty and Stocking, two badass angels who don't break a sweat when it comes to physical combat, fall into vulnerable positions that challenge them on a individual level and their place in the world. The particular challenge that Stocking faces deals with love and we see what she's willing to sacrifice in order to pursue it; which might surprise you since the show does portrayed her in a self-absorbed, selfish, hedonistic light. Panty goes through her own struggle and we even see a small glimpse of how she'd act if her personality did a complete 360. I argue that these struggles are connected with the anarchy theme stated earlier. These women do whatever they want no matter what the consequences will be and when pushed to the logical conclusion they can be very courageous as individuals and heroines. We see other recurring character go through their own smaller struggles at least once and those struggles wouldn't be as impactful if their development was in tandem with the story. What I'm trying to say is static personalities are just as good if they fit the story your trying to tell, and they fit for what this show is trying to do. Two bad ass angels breaking the rules and doing whatever they want.
Visually, the show is just as chaotic as the ideology the sisters represent. Along with the hard-line 2D visual style popular in many 90's cartoon network shows you'll get visual styles ripped straight from from other well known properties (South Park and Transformers for example), a realistic style, a chibi style, a fan service empathizing style, CGI, you understand my point. And this show is so energetic that multiple styles may be used during a episode. At times, it feels like all these shifts wouldn't make a cohesive package but the crazy part is that they fit with the thematic core; 'Rules are made to be broken.' Art style can shift if it fits the artistic vision. If this was a average anime I'm unsure it would fit but this isn't an average anime.
The music, man this music... I'd unironically recommend this music to friends; The music is that catchy. I want to dance every time I hear my favorite tracks. But the stipulation I put with this great music is that even the calmer tracks (Chocolat and Beverly Hills Cock Part 2 for example) are energetic and if you expect this show to have moments of peace to level out the excitement you will be disappointed. This show is not calm period.
Final Thoughts: To say this show is polarizing is an understatement. And the reason (I think) that is, is because some people have certain exceptions when viewing anime and this show will break those expectations. I think if view this show with the mindset of anarchy you'll come to appreciate it even if you don't think its a masterpiece.
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Mar 11, 2019
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
(Anime)
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Panty: Being a bitch is about living freely. Nothing holds a bitch down - nothing can.
After my first viewing of Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt - which was during my high school years - my impression was: it looks like a show that I'd watch during a 1990's/early 2000's Cartoon Network Block but feels like a show I'd watch during late night block of Comedy Central or Adult Swim. Due to that impression, I tended to devalue everything about the show. Panty and Stocking were two simple minded characters interested in nothing but sex and sweets respectively. Garterbelt taken fused from the blaxploitation films ... 
Jan 29, 2019
Boruto: Naruto the Movie
(Anime)
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After my first viewing, Boruto: Naruto the Movie struck me as a profound stand alone movie. It takes a glimpse of the effects of new technology on the ninja way and the various circumstances that can bind or break the connection between inter-generations of people. But the movie doesn't fully explore the technological theme on a societal level nor does it feel like Boruto earned his happy ending; this buildup is discarded for a thematically related antagonist that comes off as simplifying an once interesting idea. Why go through the trouble of this set up when you're just going to hand-wave it away with
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