Rewind: Natsume Yuujinchou

I'm amazed at how much my tastes changed just in the past few years. Once upon a time, I wouldn't watch anything that didn't promise action. I slowly expanded to other genres. Anime showed me that not all comedy was embarrassing, and romance could be fun. Still, as I browsed anime entries on Anime-Planet, there were a few descriptions I avoided, including "episodic" and "slow-paced." I was in love with long plots and fast paces. Surely anything else would be boring.

Nowadays, I'm open to anime that take their time. I savor peaceful scenes as much as battle scenes. I appreciate the portrayal of real feelings as much as fantasy. I know that slow-paced anime can be some of the richest on my list. I don't have to immerse myself in action-filled fantasy, and I'll even watch slice of life.

A youkai, Nyanko-sensei, and Natsume in the second episode.
This youkai, like many others, has come to Natsume in order to get his
name back, which his grandmother had taken from him. In the process,
they become friends.

This change may be partially due to maturity. As might be expected, I grew a lot between my sixteenth winter and my twentieth. But at some point, I had to step outside my box and watch something with that drab "slow-paced" label. The show that did it for me was Natsume Yuujinchou.

I'd noticed Natsume Yuujinchou, or Natsume's Book of Friends, pop up as I browsed Crunchyroll and Anime-Planet. It was popular. The "fantasy" tag interested me, but the "episodic" and "slow-paced" tags turned me off. Still, as I recounted two years ago, I eventually gave in, and I loved it. I followed the fourth season as it aired.

While each episode had its own conflict, there is overarching character development and plot to give it continuity. Natsume is a high school student who has been passed among relatives since his parents died when he was young. He's endured rejection and loneliness for years, largely because he can see youkai, and no one else can. He's been called a liar and troublemaker, he's lost friends, and no family keeps him for long.

At the beginning of the show, Natsume moves in with a distantly related couple that is different than the others, more gracious and genuinely caring. Trust and a sense of family develop throughout the four seasons (or series, if you prefer, since they weren't aired consecutively). He makes friends with his schoolmates, and if they notice anything strange, they don't desert him over it. He stops running away from the youkai, finds out why he can see them, and makes friends with many of them. He learns about others who are lonely, and he learns that people do care for him. He is still in a very unique situation, but he is not alone.

The themes of loneliness and friendship have been important to me for a long time. I went through a lonely phase in high school, and twists in my thinking convinced me that no one needed my friendship, at least no one in the vicinity. I did, at least, have my mom to talk to, and I wrestled through things with God, but I still felt isolated. I don't think the feeling was at its worst when I watched Natsume Yuujinchou, but I still wasn't in great shape at the time. It was soothing to watch Natsume become less lonely.

There were other things I enjoyed, of course. Shintoism plays a key role in the set, premise, and characters, so that is fascinating to watch. Nyanko-sensei, known to most youkai as Madara, is an amusing character, and impressive in his full youkai form. Further, it's always fun to build vocabulary, and, as you may have noticed, "youkai" now flows easily off my tongue or keyboard. [Come to think of it, I should probably put that in my glossary. My understanding is still limited, so I struggle to find an appropriate English word. Perhaps "spirits" will do for now. The Japanese word just holds so much more richness, as "youkai" has the proper connotations, and "spirits" has other, Westernized connotations.]

When I think of peaceful anime, Natsume Yuujinchou is often the second to come to mind, after My Neighbor Totoro. It's interesting to realize the prevalence of Shinto elements in both of them. I have not done enough research to say much more on the religion, but these anime remind me to appreciate the little things in life and nature. They help me to slow down, take deep breaths, and smile. My perspective is different than the one in these anime. When I watch the wind ruffle branches or birds hopping along the ground, I see beauty created by a loving and present Creator. Still, there's no denying that Natsume Yuujinchou and the other shows got something right, and it's a delight to take part in it.

Rewind: Guilty Crown

Guilty Crown entered its second season about two years ago. It's hard to believe it's already been so long. That season, I tried following 14 anime as they aired. I dropped a couple of them after a few episodes, but for the most part, I stuck with it. I haven't stuck with quite so large a load since then, but I've continued to watch airing shows. Before that, I almost exclusively watched completed anime, with a few exceptions. So Guilty Crown was part of a significant change in my viewing habits. 

I started watching Guilty Crown on the recommendation of Zeroe4 (of Beneath the Tangles and Zereo4.com), and I enjoyed it. For those of you who don't know, Guilty Crown is a sci-fi show set in a future where the Apocalypse Virus threatens people's lives so much, Japan is under military rule by a global organization. The main character is a high school boy, Ouma Shuu, who... you know what? I think I'll send you to Anime-Planet if you want the description. As much as I enjoyed it, I remember the second season best, especially around and after episodes 15 and 16. 

I remember that section not just because I wrote about it, but because it's the part that affected me the most. Shuu had the fate of a lot (hundreds?) of fellow teens in his hands. Because of his abilities, he'd been appointed leader of the group, which was trapped in part of the city without any adults. He had to agree to a system of rationing vaccines in the face of the deadly virus. His choices made him into a tyrant. It didn't make me hate him, but boy, it made me mad! 

From the 19th episode. I'm sorry to say I don't remember
the context for this screenshot. I might eventually re-watch
it and find out.

Shuu wrestled with serious ethical questions, which meant I had to wrestle a bit with them, too. Would I find another way to keep such a large collection of frightened teenagers alive and civil? If I did, it would be by the grace of God. Without Him, fear would certainly drive me to act in a manner similar to Shuu's. 

The drama in these episodes frustrated me. If it went on too long, I probably would have dropped it. I couldn't handle this kind of conflict in large doses. As it was, I knew that my frustration came from how much I cared about the characters and the story, so it was a good thing. I ended up rating the show five stars on my Anime-Planet list.

When Sword Art Online came out, people compared it to Guilty Crown, and not in a good way. Apparently, not everyone liked Guilty Crown as much as I did. I'm not sure what was considered wrong with it. I didn't pay close enough attention to Tweets and blog posts. So if you know why some people dislike the show (or, even better, if you're one of those people), I hope you'll enlighten me in a comment. 

Rewind: Another

There are two anime on my "all time fave" list right now (Attack on Titan might make it on there, but I'm giving it time to sit in my mind). I already told you about Gungrave. Now, let's go back to Winter 2012's dark gem: Another.

Another is a twelve-episode horror about an unfortunate ninth grade (third year) class. Every Monday, I turned off all the lights and sat down to watch the show on Crunchyroll. I loved the art, the plot, the suspense, and the feeling of shock. The show kept me guessing through the last episode - who was the extra person in Class 3-3? Who would die next?

This anime was fantastic, but bloody and somewhat disturbing. These kids were about fourteen years old, after all, and they were dying one by one. I didn't enjoy seeing these character suffer... even if I enjoyed the show overall. At least it ended on a decent note. It was still tragic, but beautiful.

Misaki Mei in episode 12. I love the backgrounds in
this show.

I won't go into much more detail here; I responded to it halfway through the season, and again after the ninth episode.

Instead, I want to take a moment to reflect on my viewing habits. Another isn't the type of show I'd watch around my grandma or my sweet roommate. Similarly, I watch Attack on Titan and Baccano! with the screen facing the wall. I'm not ashamed, necessarily, but there's no need to offend them with blood and violence.

Does it offend me? Or am I desensitizing myself? If so, is that bad? I blame last year's sociology class for putting these questions in my mind, but they're questions I need to ask. I'm more likely to ask them when I see language or sexual content in a show. I know that both of those can float around my mind more than I like, interfering with my perception of the world and, if I'm not careful, with my fellowship with God.

I rarely examine anime like Another with such a critical eye. It's true that I can handle more blood than I once could, but is it because of desensitization? If so, then only a little. No matter how often I see a fictional ninth grader die, a Titan rip apart a soldier, or a gang member killing another, it doesn't get better in my mind. And it doesn't affect how I view real-life horrors. Nor does it give me nightmares. I may, however, need to avoid such shows if I'm already feeling down. There's no need to reenforce long bouts of melancholy. I like to keep an eye on my mood, and the little black things can add up. It's a matter of balance.

New Prince of Tennis: Enjoyable but Disappointing

When New Prince of Tennis first started, I was disappointed, as I said in my mid-season post. Too many characters received notable screen time, each distracting from the other. I missed the Seigaku-focused plot lines from the first show. Characters' trademark tics and habits were overemphasized or, in some cases, underdone. And the plot? Not exactly enthralling.

Episode seven was probably the turning point for me. In that episode, we meet Coach Mifune. He’s a tough man’s man. You know the type: drinks sake from the gourd, chiseled face, beard, scars, can probably lift an elephant one handed (okay, that last one’s an exaggeration). He puts a bunch of our favorite middle school athletes, including Echizen, through a grueling, old-fashioned wilderness training regiment. 

I’m a sucker for training camps like that. Sure, they’re completely unrealistic. I mean, if Japan has anything in common with America, wilderness training under an alcoholic coach would be a major insurance liability. So a middle and high school training camp would never actually put their young charges in such a regiment. But I still find anime with tough training like that very enjoyable.

From that episode on, the series continued to redeem itself. Extreme training, noticeable improvement in character abilities, suspenseful matches: all these boosted my regard. 

And then, of course, we had the tenth episode, where Tezuka’s character development comes to its peak. We watched him support his team throughout the first series, even when he was in Germany for treatment. We saw him choose the team over himself again and again. As a result, I, as well as other fans and the Seigaku team, put him on a pedestal as an amazing tennis player and captain. So the tenth episode, “Goodbye Tezuka Kunimitsu,” presented a fitting next step to his character. Was I sad to see him go? Yes. Captain Tezuka is one of my favorite characters. But he needed to pass on the torch and pursue his own tennis career. The tenth episode finally let him do that.

This week’s episode, the thirteenth episode, continues to incorporate what I love about the show - tennis matches and a smug Echizen Ryoma. His group of middle schoolers have returned from their grueling time in the wilderness and are ready to roll!

They return with improved skills! And hurt... Ryoma's poor hat

I love seeing Echizen play, so I enjoyed this episode. However, a few things annoyed me during the first part of his match. I was a little irritated at the whole “the opponent has a huge opening on his right! Oh... wait” thing. That gets a little old. I, the audience, already know that the opponent is a the best player in Court 2. Obviously we’re about to find out that the huge opening isn’t an opening at all. 

[Edit: Oops. I devolve into ranting these next couple paragraphs. Guess I’ll leave it in anyway. *shrugs sheepishly*]

Oh, and then Echizen’s friends can’t figure out why his ball isn’t going to the left, and is forced toward the opponent’s sweet spot. Um... hello... are these really the same people who have raved over Tezuka’s “Tezuka Zone”? The opponent put a spin on the ball, duh. Seriously, even I know that, thanks to the first series.

GET SOME NEW TRICKS, people! Of course, this guy’s spin will be a little different than Tezuka’s, and he’ll have his own special name for it, but it’s the same idea.

Oh, good, the characters don’t all suffer from memory loss. Inui’s closed-eyed statistic friend knows about the spin, and Momo remembers Tezuka Zone. 

“He has no blind spots.” Yes he does. And our favorite first year will probably prove it to us. That’s what always happens when an opponent supposedly has no blind spots. 

Of course you will, Ochibi. We expect nothing less.

“Hey. You can stop hitting those [spin balls forcing the ball to go to the right] now...” Yes. Of course you will break through, Ochibi. I expect nothing less.

Thankfully, this match ends up with more than the same old tricks with the same old rhythm. It turns into a battle with eight balls, then nine, then ten! If Echizen gets even one ball through his opponent’s right side, he wins. Very fun to watch! Echizen worked his way up to hitting eight balls at a time a only day or two ago, so what he does in this match is great!

So, despite my ranting, the match turned out to be quite enjoyable. A bit short, but enjoyable. 

A Few Minutes Later:

Hey! Why does this episode’s end feel like the end of a series? There’s no way it’s over... but there’s no preview of the next episode... Some Google research turns up no reassurance. But I think they’re just putting the anime on hold for now. After all, there's more to the manga.

End Opinion:

Yes, New Prince of Tennis rose up from its rocky beginnings. However, it still left much to be desired. Matches that would have stretched over at least two episodes in the first series were shortened to fit into one episode or less. These thirteen episodes felt rushed. They contained too many characters, matches, etc., and too little time to extract their potential. 

Thus, despite the wilderness training and the many parts I enjoyed, New Prince of Tennis still disappointed. 

*Pictures are screen shots from New Prince of Tennis.

Umbrellas are Bad (and other thoughts on Another)

Warning: Spoilers ahead. Major spoiler if you haven’t seen the third episode, more spoilers for eighth and ninth episodes. There's also a rather bloody picture, which is sort of a spoiler itself. 

Misaki Mei

Umbrellas are bad. 

No, seriously. You know that incident with that girl in episode three of Another? If you don’t, then watch that episode before reading on. 

Still here? Okay...

Turns out, that sweet girl with glasses wasn’t the first from Class 3 to die due to an umbrella accident. A boy in Matsunaga’s class in the eighties made the mistake of using an umbrella on the mountain during a lightning storm. 

I’m beginning to think that rain jackets and hats may be preferable rain gear. You know, just to be safe. 

The ninth episode of Another had other things that struck me, too. Sakakibara-kun’s nightmare, for example. All his dead classmates and his suicidal teacher, covered in blood, blaming him... eek. If I were him, I’d spend the next morning watching Working!! and trying to think happy thoughts. 

Umbrellas are bad (nightmare scene)

I was pleased to note that the kid’s death in the ocean during the eighth episode did not deviate away from previous conclusions about the calamity. That is, the events leading to his death began in Yomiyama, even though he died away from the city, swimming at the beach. Phew. At least one thing remains stable in this mess.

Yeah, apparently, it’s a bad idea to go on a beach trip right after falling down the stairs. Especially if you have several signs of a bad concussion. And if you’re in class 3-3 at Yomiyama North? Dude, go to the hospital the moment you hit your head. In fact, go to the hospital if you so much as sneeze wrong or stub a toe. 

Anyway, that scene with Sakakibara, Misaki, and those two others listening to the recording had me on edge. I wanted to tell the young Matsunaga, “Just say the important part! Before something happens and they can’t finish listening to the tape!” I knew something would happen - maybe the tape would break, or the calamity wouldn’t let Matsunaga’s words stay recorded, or someone would come and stop them - and that the important information about how to stop the calamity would remain unheard. The suspense just about killed me. Well, not really, but it did assure that I paid close attention... of course, I always pay close attention when watching Another. 

When all’s said and done, episode nine of Another reclaimed the dark atmosphere that drew me in. It made up for last week’s episode, which had a little too much of a typical beach episode feel. Sure, they killed off a couple more people in the process (and replayed the deaths from Matsunaga’s class trip), which kind of made my heartstrings twinge.But that’s what I expect. I like that feeling when the ending theme plays and I stare at the screen, covering my mouth and processing what just happened.

Another might possibly be my favorite anime of this season. Sure, there are others that I really like, but Another has captured me in a different way than any anime I’ve seen before. 

And no, I’m not referring to the fact that I’ll never, ever look at umbrellas the same way again.

*Screenshots are from Another episodes 4 and 9.

Winter 2012 - Halfway Point Thoughts

Taichi says it's time for a mid-season nap

We're about halfway through the winter season. In the first couple weeks, I settled into following first 11, then 12, and finally 13 anime. I've tried 14 in total this season. I've dropped two of them and toyed with the idea of dropping another. Then there's another anime that I'm so embarrassed to admit to watching, I haven't even put it on my Anime-Planet watching list. I'd actually be following even more anime if they were legally available on Hulu, Crunchyroll, Niconico, or YouTube (which pretty much has what Hulu has). I wanted to watch Black Star Rock Shooter, but it looks like my favorite sites didn't get a deal on it, so I'll have to pass.

I've never followed so many anime at one time (my last record was a whopping four titles). So this post will serve two purposes: 1) tell whether I can remember all the main character's names [doubtful], and 2) give my impressions so far. Hopefully in a concise manner.

Let's start with the anime continuing from previous seasons/series, then the other popular ones, the one I dropped, and finally the one I really don't want to admit to watching, shall we?

1. Naruto Shippuden
Main character: Uzamaki Naruto.
Okay, so remembering that name was easy. I've been watching Naruto for two and a half years.

Anyway, I'm enjoying this season of Shippuden very much. The fillers are over, which I was a little excited about, as you probably noticed if you read this post. And by "a little excited," I mean as excited as the munchkins in Wizard of Oz when they were singing "Ding dong, the witch is dead."

Now that we've settled into the new arc, my excitement has toned down a bit. Killer Bee is an important figure in these episodes, and, well... he's not exactly my favorite character. Let's put it this way: what some people consider hilarious or fun characterization, I often consider downright obnoxious. Still, compared to Lee and Guy-sensei, he's placid, an ideal study partner, really. So I can't complain.

On the plot: I've really liked the contents of some of the episodes. For example, Naruto's evil, "true" self (whose eyes kind of reminded me of something in Bleach): Even though the village finally accepted Naruto, they didn't accept him for himself, but for what he did for them. So it makes sense that he wouldn't have purely positive feelings about the situation. Black-eyed Naruto made good points. I'd like to see him wrestle through the issue more, though. The villagers deeply hurt Naruto over a period of many years. The issue shouldn't be resolved just because he fought and hugged his other self. I hope the psychological impacts are brought up again in future episodes, even if it's just in another heart-to-heart with a villain, like he had with Pain.

The recent double-header (eps 248 and 249) was fantastic! I've always loved Fourth Hokage Minato - I mean come on, he's pretty dang cool. But these two episodes showed a bit more of his heart - both the "will of fire" that all good Hidden Leaf shinobi possess, and as a family man. He was so cute when he found out Kushina was pregnant, and then during the childbirth process... the midwife had to tell him that he was the Fourth Hokage, and he should act like it! Somehow, seeing Minato get as flustered as any new father made him even cooler.

The only real bone I had to pick with those two episodes was after the nine tailed fox demon impaled Minato and Kushina. First of all, he didn't move at all. Didn't struggle or even twitch. Now, I realize that half of him was just sealed away for all eternity, so of course he's a bit stunned. But I somehow doubt he's the type to stay still and let dying parents say their goodbyes to their newborn baby. Whom he's about to be sealed in.

Further, I'm no expert, but should Minato and Kushina really have been alive and well enough to talk after being impaled by a gigantic claw? I mean, didn't that thing go through their lungs (and spine and other important organs)? And all the movies and TV shows I watch indicate that having a claw bigger than you shoved through your chest leads to instant death. But, like I said, I'm no expert. And Minato and Kushina were two of the most amazing ninja in the village. Maybe their concentrated amazingness was enough to get them through their last goodbyes. However it happened, I'm glad it did. Otherwise, we wouldn't have had that episode with Minato in the Pain arc, nor the recent episodes with Kushina this season, and Naruto wouldn't have met them. Or rather, he wouldn't have met their chakra remnants, but same deal.

Overall? This season of Naruto's been okay. Except for the more recent episodes - those surpassed okay, jumped over good, and landed somewhere between great and awesome. Closer to great.

2. Chihayafuru
Main character: Ayase Chihaya.

Okay, so I loved Chihayafuru last season. The characters were fun, the art was a little different and beautiful, and it had the same appeal that all sports anime tend to have - perseverance and game days. I still like it this season, but the novelty has worn off. I've dropped it from five stars to four stars, where my rating will stay unless I get good reason to change it.

It still has all the great things from last season, but that's it. We don't see much of Arata, whom I really like. The spirit in Chihaya's games is almost always the same, though there was some variation in last week's episode. It's usually predictable: determined start, losing and depressing beginning, take a card, and charge forward with positive thinking once more. Repeat.

Not much else to say on this show at the moment.

3. Hunter x Hunter (2011)
Main character: Gon
Other favorite character: Killua

If you call yourself a fan of mainstream shounen anime and you haven't watched Hunter x Hunter, then stop. Just stop reading, visit Cruchyroll, and click on the first episode. Seriously.

I watched the original Hunter x Hunter anime on a friend's recommendation two years ago, and I greatly enjoyed it. The new version is just as good as I remember. There was one recap episode (ugh). Other than that, pure goodness. There's adventure, action, creative scenarios, humor, and great characters.

I could spend several paragraphs on any one of the characters in Hunter x Hunter, but my favorites are definitely Gon and Killua. Gon has amazing senses, to the point where he could track another character over miles because of his cologne. But that's not what makes him so great. He's twelve years old and still very much a child. His wide-eyed innocence stands out among the tough guys and killers that make up the most of the other hunter contestants. His childlike stubbornness works where adult stubbornness would fail - as seen in the most recent episode, when he refused to accept how his fight with a blooded ninja was going. He wouldn't accept loss even with a blade pointed at his forehead, and he wouldn't accept a win unless he felt he earned it. The ninja finally knocked Gon out so he couldn't protest his win. The result? Admiration from the other characters and giggles from me. The combination of his childish traits with his tenacity and amazing skills make for a favorite character.

The other twelve year old in the show, Killua, also deserves recognition. He, too, can act rather wide-eyed and childish. Yet behind that is a cold hearted assassin will scary skills. Of the characters introduced thus far, he's in the top three that I wouldn't want to cross (the other two being Hisoka and the chattering guy with all the pins in him). He's also the coolest. He and Gon are great friends for each other, and I really enjoy episodes that have a lot of both of them.

4. Natsume Yuujinchou Shin
Main character: Natsume.

If you read this post, you know that Natsume Yuujinchou surprised me by becoming a new favorite. Nothing has changed since I wrote that post. I still love it for all the same reasons. I did find the image of Nyanko-sensei getting mad at a jar (with a shrunken Natsume inside it) very amusing. I mean, come on, a fat cat fighting with a jar? Can you imagine walking in on such a scene with no knowledge of youkai? That's the kind of scene people post on YouTube. The kind of video that gains millions of views because teenage girls love cats doing silly things.

5. The New Prince of Tennis
Main character: Echizen Ryoma, sort of. Focuses a lot on other characters, too.

So far, The Prince of Tennis II has disappointed me. I celebrated it at first - felt my inner fangirl come through. I was like, "Ooh, it's Tezuka!" "Oh, Kikumaru," "Hehe, Kaido. You never change," and "Love your outfit, Echizen. Did you get taller?" and finally, "Eeep! Ryoma-sama in glasses! If I were six years younger, I'd totally have a 2D crush on him!"

I never expected it to be sophisticated. All I wanted were the characters I love, a decent-ish plot, a few laughs, and some great tennis matches. Instead, I received an Inui who said "Chances of something: blank percent" every five seconds, a Kawamura that calmed down before they took the tennis racket from him, and a slew of characters from other teams ranging from "plain annoying" to "I really don't care about them."

I don't care about the plot, they give screen time to way too many characters, some characters either overdo or under-do what I expect of them, and the animation/art is a tiny bit different, a tiny bit shinier (which is expected, given how long it's been). So, why do I continue watching?

I still love the Seigaku team. I'm a fan, through and through. I'm not going to abandon them just because the plot or characterization has gone downhill. And who knows, maybe it will improve. Maybe. I did enjoy the most recent episode quite a bit, and will do a post on it tomorrow if time allows.

6. Guilty Crown
Main character: Ouma Shu (though some websites say Shuu, so...)

I didn't get a chance to watch today's episode yet, so this is going off of the show up to last week.

I started watching Guilty Crown near the beginning of this season. The first couple episodes were okay. I liked the animation, and Inori's song in the first episode was absolutely beautiful. By the time I caught up to the current season, I was hooked. The story grew very interesting, Shu seemed to be getting over his generally weak personality, and, of course, there was action (Hey, I'm an easy please. Give me weapons and a few good fights, and I'll stay glued to the screen for hours).

In the more recent episodes, I've wanted to shake Shu silly. Or un-silly. Maybe spray him with a water bottle and say, "bad Shu!" If you read my post last week, you know how hard it was for me to sit through Shu's tyranny. I had to pause repeatedly to type out my frustrations in a blog post, shake my fists at the air, and muffle the shrieks of anger that were fighting to come out.

Basically, the dramatic conflict in recent episodes has been good. So good, it's hard for me to handle.

7. Another
Main character: Sakakibura. I think. *Checks* Almost. It's Sakakibara.

I love this show! Every Monday night, I go into my room, turn off all the lights, and click on the latest episode of Another. It has this dark, creepy atmosphere that simply requires you wait until night to fully enjoy it. There's blood. There's mystery. And if you watch it, I guarantee you'll never look at certain rain gear the same way again. I know I haven't.

Spoiler next paragraph.

Seriously, don't read the next paragraph. It gives information that really brings down the effect of the third episode. I found this info out before I watched, and it almost ruined it for me.

Spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler I recently walked up and down the stairs with an umbrella. Like any sensible fan of Another, I checked repeatedly to make sure the tip was dull. Images of a bloody death flashed through my mind, and my chest ached where I imagined the umbrella impaling me. Was anyone else similarly effected? Spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler

Okay, spoiler over. Come back and read after you've watched the third episode. Trust me, you'd majorly regret it if you read that information too early.

One of the first things I noticed about Another was the art and animation. The backgrounds are wonderfully done. Not a detail was spared, from the rust on the metal fences to shadows and textures on the concrete walls. Other aspects of the art, from the character designs to the dark color palette, enhanced the atmosphere as well.

Of course, it takes more than nice visuals to draw me in. The story is great. I enjoy trying to figure out exactly what is going on. I ask questions such as, "Is Mei a ghost?" "What exactly are the rules?" and more recently, "Is Sakakibara the dead student? He couldn't be, could he? Isn't it too obvious?"

I look forward to seeing where Another takes me next, and I recommend it to anyone who likes the suspense/mystery/horror genre of anime.

8. Area no Kishi
Main Character: Kakeru... yep. Aizawa Kakeru.

Eh, this show's been okay. The latest episode, episode seven, was my favorite by far. I was really caught up in the suspense of the game, and Kakeru's last move was amazing.

The first five episodes weren't quite so good. I'm a sports anime fan, not a drama fan. Drama is the reason I avoid live action sports movies like the plague. I mean, sure, Kakeru and his older brother interested me. And there was definitely some soccer. And, of course, the first few episodes were crucial to the story. Still, I spent those episodes waiting for more soccer to show up.

Now that we're finally getting to the fun part, I'm excited. I will say that the way Araki dropped 100 plus pounds in ten days was annoyingly unrealistic. Other than that, the most recent two episodes really drew me in. I can't wait for more!

9. Mouretsu Pirates
Main Character: I want to say Chiaki, but I think that's the black haired girl... Yeah, it is. Okay, the main character is Katou Marika.

I'm surprised how much I like this one. I came into it expecting just another overdone sci-fi space show, but it's proving me wrong. Mouretsu Pirates (aka Bodacious Space Pirates) goes into surprising detail about the ship and operations. I followed the electronic battle with fascination. Unlike most space ship battles I've seen, this one was less inexplicable blasting and more strategy. I hope to see more of how Marika's mind works in future episodes.

10. Recorder and Ransdell
Main Character: don't know their names and don't care enough to check

Each episode of this show is just three minutes long, including the short ending theme song. It's amusing at times, though I'm not a fan. Basically, Recorder and Ransdell peaks into the lives of two siblings: a high school girl who looks like an elementary student, and her sixth grade brother, who looks like an adult. That in itself it bizarre, but the boy even has a man's voice. I don't like that.

Like I said, not my favorite. But I can spare three minutes of my time each week to watch.

11. Brave 10
Main Character: Saizo

Ugh. I'm probably dropping this one. I still haven't watched the most recent episode. The main girl is a-n-n-o-y-i-n-g. She's super clingy to Saizo. She's all whiny about how it's all her fault that so many people are dead and hurt. Um, no. It's not her fault. It's that hair pin, the k... something that begins with a "k." If she wants to blame anyone, she can blame the priest who gave it to her to protect. Not herself.

I cringe every time that girl enters a scene. When she's kidnapped, I cling to the .0005% chance she won't be rescued and will stay out of the picture forever.

She's rescued, of course.

In the first episode, we hear that Saizo is some amazing swordsman/ninja person. Naturally, I expected something at least halfway to Kenshin level awesomeness. I didn't get it.

Yeah... I should probably drop this series.

12. Inu x Boku Secret Service
Main character: Ki... ki something. She looks kind of like Yamada from Working!!


I dropped this one after four episodes for just as many reasons:

1. I didn't care for the plot.

2. I didn't care about, or just plain disliked, the characters. I mean, come on, doggy-dude-SS-agent! Get a personality! No, I mean your own personality. Not the personality of a golden retriever.

As for the rest of you: Scroll Guy, you're cool. Cook, you're okay. Kid, I can count your lines on one hand, but you're my favorite. Everyone else can go die in a hole for all I care. And I mean that in the nicest way possible way. (Doggy Dude: "But it's not nice in any possible way!" Me: "It's a cushy hole. With a dog bone. And you can die of old age in there, so long as I don't have to see you again between now and then. Now shoo.")

The kid on the left is one of the 3 likable characters.

3. Fanservice. It annoyed me from the first episode on. If it was the only problem, I probably would have just rolled my eyes and moved on, since I've seen much worse. I still didn't like it.

4. Suggestive "humor." Example: the creepy female SS agent who makes perverted looks and comments at the other girls. And reads porn. It's clearly supposed to be funny, but I find pervert anime characters disgusting at worst and obnoxious at best, be they male, female, or little balls in a stuffed lion (yeah, I'm looking at you, Kon from Bleach).

13. Zero no Tsukaima F
Main Characters: Louise and Boy-from-Earth-whose-name-I-really-should-know

I watched the first couple series of this within my first year of watching anime, and I remember really enjoying it. Probably because I hadn't seen enough anime to expect better quality. Now, two years later, I expect better. The characters bothered me, and the fanservice was awful.

I dropped it after two episodes.

--
Okay, so I don't really want to admit to watching this next one. But, in the spirit of honesty, I will:

14. Listen to me, Girls, I'm Your Father! aka Papa no Iu Koto o Kikinasai!
Main Character: Segawa Yuuta and his neices, Sora, Miu, and Hina

I have a whole lot to say on this one, mostly complaints. I'll save the majority of those complaints in case I decide to do another post. For now, let's start with why I'm watching this borderline lolicon atrocity.

The description on Crunchyroll intrigued me. The idea of a college student, Segawa Yuuta, taking care of his three nieces sounded like it had potential as fun entertainment. Sure, it didn't look as good as, say, Usagi Drop, but it was still worth a try... right?

Wrong. The first episode saw a bunch of college students out drinking, the introduction of Segawa's perverted sempai, and fanservice in the form of his well-endowned other sempai. All before the episode was half over.

Then we meet the nieces: Sora (age 14), Miu (10), and Hina (3). Except, as we find out, Sora and Miu aren't actually related to Segawa by blood, since they're his sister's stepdaughters. Further, Sora has a crush on him, which makes things awkward. If anything, and I mean anything romantic happens between Sora and Yuuta, I will drop this show like a hot potato, as I probably should have done five episodes ago. A relationship between them is not appropriate, even if they aren't related by blood.

Most of the fanservice in this show exploits fourteen year old Sora, which really bothers me. I know that other shows have fanservice with fourteen year old girls, but it feels even more wrong in this case. Sora's young age is more apparent, I guess. Of course, the tiny bits of fanservice with Miu just make me mad. It's like the creators were toying with the line. Ugh.

I could complain about so many other things (the unrealistic sleeping arrangement, for instance), but I'll stop for now.

So, why do I keep watching? Um... Uh... I guess the basic premise of a young man in college taking responsibility for three young girls still interests me. But my finger is always ready to click on the exit button and drop this show. It really does have too much fanservice for comfort. I don't recommend it.

Well, there we go. That's all the anime I'm following (or dropping) this season, and my opinions on them so far. Some are good, some not so good. What do you think of them?

Guilty Crown eps 15-16: Shu, the Idiot Tyrant

When I was little, my parents taught me to be careful with my language. "Stupid" was the "S word." And I suppose "Idiot" would have been the "I word," but that one wasn't a problem for me anyway. So I choose the words in the following sentence very carefully:

Shu is a royal idiot. 

Last Thursday, I visited Niconico on the family computer and happily clicked on episode fifteen of Guilty Crown. This anime had become a favorite of mine, even though it took a few episodes for the show to achieve excellence. So I anticipated such excellence when I started to watch the fifteenth episode, and I wasn't disappointed. Unfortunately, the degree of excellence to which they took the social conflict was nearly too much for me, and it promised to worsen. I avoid drama shows for a reason - I can't handle it! Give me guns, explosions, blood, edge-of-your seat fights - just don't make me watch people tear each other's hearts apart! Unless, of course, they're literally tearing apart their hearts. I can handle that.

Still, like I said, the episode was good. In fact, I determined to watch it a second time. Sure, I barely made it through the first time. Sure, it left me dreading the next episode. Sure, I wanted to shake Shu silly by the end. But it was still well done. Now, eight days later, I'm finally going to re-watch it. And then I'll hurry to view the sixteenth episode before I lose my nerve.

Warning: Major Spoilers Ahead. 

Okay, so at the very end of the fourteenth episode, Shu's friend, Samukama Yahiro, suggests a "Void ranking system." Shu, of course, would be at the top of the hierarchy. Everyone else would be ranked according to the strength of their Void. The higher the ranking, the more important the person. Which means priority access to the vaccine, priority protection, etc. 

Shu continues to think on Yahiro's proposal. On the one hand, it horrifies him. He knows that it's wrong to value one person less than another just because of their Void's strength. On the other hand, there are the practicalities to consider: they need a system to get things done more efficiently. 

"The important thing isn't how strong your Void is," Shu tells one girl at the beginning of episode fifteen, "It's how you work for other people. So keep up the good work!" Shu cares about people, and he seems to have the right idea when he reassures that girl. So we have nothing to worry about, right? Right?!

Shu also says, "I just don't think supervising everyone in a way that make them feel bad can possibly go well." So he rejects Yahiro's idea. Still, he knows that there are life-threatening problems to be addressed, and no other system has been proposed.

"It's not discrimination," Yahiro tells Shu regarding the ranking system, "It's distinction." Some of his other friends agree, but it smells a whole lot like discrimination to me. And, as Shu says, "If they feel like it's discrimination, then isn't it the same thing?" Don't give in, Shu! You can find another way!

Another of Shu's friends, the earnest Tamadate Souta, responds quite negatively when he hears about the idea: "Distinction my butt! It's plain old discrimination!" He makes no qualms about expressing his thoughts multiple times throughout the episode, and for good reason: Souta's Void is comparatively weak, and he would be considered Rank F, the lowest rank.

Souta and Shu letting out "howls" into the world in the spirit of friendship

Shu assures Sota that he won't use the void ranking system. But minutes later, he's informed that there aren't enough vaccines to go around, and that those with the stronger - more useful - voids should be prioritized. Shu is thrown into turmoil once again as his fellow students pressure him to make a decision. 

Shu learns about the vaccines and Souta's rank

When some of the students with weaker Voids, including Souta, discover papers outlining the ranking system in the student council room, they make a rash decision: They trick Shu into drawing out their Voids so they can "practice." Instead, they head off to get the vaccine, a very dangerous endeavor. They want to prove their worth despite being Rank F.

Shu rushes off to save them, along with a few of his other strong friends. Which brings me to another important element of episode 15: Menjou Hare. Hare is a very sweet, girl-next-door/childhood-friend type of character. She has a crush on Shu. He doesn't return her feelings. However, he still cares very much for her. How could he not? Even her Void is an extension of her caring personality: it's bandages. It can heal people and fix just about anything.

Anyway, things go wrong and they're attacked, as Shu expected. Thankfully, he and the others, including Hare, are there to help. Unfortunately, things still don't go well.

Souta, dear, enthusiastic Souta, sees a chance to escape: have Hare fix a car with her Void so they can pile in and retreat. His plan doesn't work. Instead, it brings her out into the open, makes her vulnerable, and hurts her badly. Shu runs just in time to save her, but is fatally injured in the process. In the touching scene that follows, we learn how much Hare believes in Shu, and what she's willing to sacrifice for him. 

Look closely at the bandage.

She compares him to a storybook king, a king who lost out because of his kindness, because he cared so much for everyone. "You know what?" she says without speaking, as she extends her bandages to him, "I think you're going to be a great king."

But he doesn't hear her heart. He lays unconscious as she reaches out to heal him in faith that he'll treat everyone kindly and fairly. In the process, her Void is broken.  

And when he rouses to find her dead, her life poured out for him and others, he snaps. 

He forcefully takes Inori's void without any of the feelings of mutuality or care that were previously present. She protests; he doesn't care. It's wrong and terribly twisted, yet he uses her. He's cold and detached as he dispatches of the mecha around him.

Battle over, Souta apologizes profusely, saying it's his fault for telling Hare to fix the car. The old Shu would have responded with compassion. But the new Shu? "That's right. It's your fault Hare died," he says, in his new cold tone, "Because you took Hare out there for your own stupid vanity." 

Then he says he was too kind. He concludes, "We have to separate the good from the trash."

No, Shu! I exclaim, Think of what Hare would want! Don't do this! Don't turn against Souta! Don't turn into this monster! Please! Please! 

But he can't hear my protests. So I shake my head and move to the desktop computer, since Niconico doesn't work on my Mac. I prepare myself for the worst as I begin episode sixteen. This episode is entitled "Tyrant." Gulp.

At the beginning of the newest episode, we find two strong students taking vaccines from weaker students. I recognize one of them as being a bit of a bully in earlier episodes. "We're working on a new project," the stronger ones inform them, "If you swear allegiance to president Ouma..." (Ouma is Shu's surname).

A Funeral Parlor member, Arugo, walks in on the situation and stands up for her. He's naturally surprised to find out that Shu is the leader.

Oh my word, Ouma Shu has a secret service. A secret service, for heaven's sakes!

They drag the girl Arugo stood up for into the main building and use the Resonance Gauge to assess the power of her Void. Yahiro asks for the reading, then, to my increasing distaste, looks up and says, "This one might be a good find, Shu."

Shu walks down the stairs to grace them with his presence, an awfully detached look on his face. Arugo's shocked expression almost mirrors mine.  

And then - and here's where my eyes bulged and I slapped a hand to my mouth - Shu states, "I can't draw out her void like that. Make her look at me."

Then he does it. He just draws her void from her chest without a care. Such an invading, personal action - all done without any consideration whatsoever for the girl. That done, he says, "Congratulations. You're Rank A. I want you to work hard for this school." I hear a phantom of his former warmth in his tone. 

Arrogance permeates the new structure of things. I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. 

Eemph! Now they're clearing the way and sort of bowing as Shu and his entourage pass through the halls. 

Again, Arugo's expression mirrors mine. And, like me, he protests when he see the next thing: teens who are already showing symptoms of the Apocolypse Virus are working to salvage vaccines and such from an old ship. Apparently, Arugo shouldn't concern himself. After all, a smiling, perfectly healthy girl informs him, "If they do their work, they can get injections before they hit Stage II."

It gets worse. 

Man, I see why Zeroe4 warned me not to throw my computer or try to punch Shu. ARGH! I'll explain in a moment. For now, allow me to pause the episode, clench my fists very tightly, punch the air, and throw a general fit.

...

Still throwing a tantrum. 

...

If my family weren't trying to sleep, I'd be rather loud right now.

...

Okay, deep breaths. I think I'm ready now. Anyway, the oxygen tank for one of the divers, Tamadate Souta, is failing. I repeat, Tamadate Souta. Shu's friend. The very-eager Souta. The one who played such an important role in the last episode. The one who is Rank F. This tank is different from the kind you think of in connection to scuba divers; it's above ground, at the mercy of others, with a long tube connecting to Souta's suit.

Some of the others suggest using the medical oxygen tank they salvaged before. "Get that," they say. And then... and then... Shu interrupts in his strong leader voice. "Wait... His diving suit should have a small emergency tank, am I right? ... He has to figure it out for himself. So don't interfere."

Aaaand that's where I freaked out. 

Then he says, "We can't go around wasting resources on a Rank F."

Apparently I freaked out prematurely. There's so much more for me to throw a fit over! kl;;;;;;;djz fL'ORqwpru cpeiohdfg djkekhngghc!!!!!

Arugo ignores Shu's orders and goes to set up the oxygen tank. "You're just Shu, so don't order me around like some big-shot!" Well said, Arugo!

Then, agh! Then Shu comes forward with a big scythe Void to threaten Arugo. "Please listen to my orders," he says, "We're currently planning an escape form Tokyo. To do that, we need everyone to work together toward the goal. There are no exceptions."

Arugo says, "What about these guys, then? Why are you discriminating against them?"

"We're distinguishing," Shu clarifies. Hmph. It occurs to me that the English word distinguishing looks a lot like disgusting. 

"In these circumstances," Shu continues, "we can't treat everyone equally regardless of ability." He goes on to explain how he can't let the former president, Kuhouin Arisa, go with Arugo. Her Void is too useful, apparently. "Not to mention, there's no way we'll let one person escape on her own."

Oh-ho, and he goes even further! "Please swear obedience to me. Or else..."

Then Arugo says something that confirms that I'm going to "love" him on Anime-Planet. He tells Shu to do what he wants, because, "The way you are now, I'll happily die of the cancer before I obey you."

Shu's response? "Restrain him. Because I'm a big mean tyrant now and refuse to let my friends appeal to my better nature." Okay, so maybe he only actually said "Restrain him." The rest was implied.

When Ayase (the one in the wheelchair, if you're as bad with names as I am), hears that Arugo was imprisoned on Shu's orders, she confronts the tyrant president. Why? she asks. He answers that it's the response dictated by the rules, and "If I make an exception because he used to be one of my own, it sets a bad example."

Ayase tells him that she gets that he's hurting after Hare's death, but he's gone to far. And then Shu response with a rather scary attitude.

"Oh?" he basically says (I'm paraphrasing this time), "So you understand people's hearts, now?"

And then, and then Ayase earns a pink Anime-Planet heart, too. She slaps him. 

Unfortunately, the phrase "slap some sense into him" doesn't work here. Instead, Shu just says all cold-like that he's glad no one else was around. "If anyone had seen that, I would've had to punish you, Rank S or not." Bah!

And, of course, the bad guys are pulling the strings behind the scenes. Oh, and it's revealed that jerkiness appears to run in Ouma Shu's family. 

Anyway, back to the school. 

There's a nice cozy scene with Shu talking to Inori. Apparently, he thinks that if he's not ruthless in the best manner he knows to get everyone out of Tokyo, then Hare will "have died for nothing." He acts all selfless - he's not doing this for himself, and certainly not for popularity. 

Then he says, "All I need is you, Inori. As long as you're here with me..." Some girls might find that romantic. I find it selfish and disgusting. 

A couple minutes go by without me needing to pause and throw a fit.

Arugo has escaped and is trying to get to Kuhouin Arisa. When Shu finds him, he calls, "You're a cornered rat. Give up and surrender."

They exchange words, and then they exchange blows. Arugo ends up on top. "What happened to you? We really liked that pale-faed weakling strugglin' for all he's got thing you had going, you know!" Once again, Arugo and I are the the same page. I liked that pale-faced struggling guy, too. He may have been weak, but at least he actively cared for others. 

"You try doing this then," Shu retorts. "If you think there's some other way to keep everyone safe in this situation, then please, tell me!" His words turn to shouts at the end. And it occurs to me that he is very young. So are those who have been advising him. Could we really expect him to do any better?

I almost think Arugo will break through to Shu... and then Yahiro walks in. He's not as soft as Shu, and he instructs Arugo to surrender. 

An accident happens during these proceedings. A girl's Void is destroyed, and she dies. Just like with Hare when her bandages Void was broken while she healed Shu. In the same crystalizing manner. Shu figures it out, though Yahiro, who knew it ever since Hare died, tries to deny it. 

Shu confronts Yahiro. "You lied to me. You told me a genomic weapon killed Hare. What now? A kingdom centered around Voids lives cheek by jowl with death!"

And Yahiro, who is quickly on his way to earning the "hate" heart on Anime-Planet, responds: "There's no going back  now. I knew you'd hesitate to use Voids if you found this out. But if our current system collapses, all of us will end up dead. We have to keep going. We'll keep the truth from everyone until until we begin our operation. Got it?"

Left to right: Yahiro, Arugo, Ouma Shu

 Arugo, still present, vehemently protests. "If you start a war like this, you have no idea how many will die!"

"Don't listen to him, he's crazy!" says Yahiro.

"Come on, open your eyes!"

"You're right..." Shu says. Who? Who's right? Come on, Shu, pick Arugo, please!

"Shu!" Arugo says happily. 

And then, and then...

Shu pulls out Arugo's Void. "If I break this, Arugo will die." Cue manic laughter.

No, really, cue the manic laughter. Shu laughs manically, and I'm about ready to shoot him to put him and everyone else out of their misery. 

The scene changes, leaving us in suspense. We see Kuhouin Arisa going through her drawers, murmuring that she has to tell everyone the truth (she'd been there when the Void broke and the girl died). And, and Inori... well, this screenshot kind of says it all:

Then the very last scene... Gai!

---

Anyway, I suppose the point of this post is that Ouma Shu has gone crazy. I miss the Shu that said, "The important thing isn't how strong your void is. It's how you work for other people. So keep up the good work!" 

Will he ever come back?

Natsume Yuujinchou - A Surprising New Favorite

I'm an excitement lover. I enjoy anime with plots that stretch for episodes, and even seasons, on end. I enjoy characters than make me laugh and suspense that has me on the edge of my seat. I enjoy fast paced anime that draws me in and keeps me there.

So when I first learned about the anime Natsume Yuujinchou, I disregarded it. Can you blame me? Sure, the synopses I read on Anime-Planet and Crunchyroll roused a little interest. But only a little. Everything else I saw suggested I shouldn't bother.

The Anime-Planet profile for Natsume Yuujinchou had the show tagged as "slow-paced" and "episodic" - two terms I've never associated with my favorite anime. The tags "drama, Shinto, and supernatural" didn't stand out to me, either. And the top recommendation for users who enjoyed Natsume? Mushishi. I haven't watched the Mushishi anime yet, but I did read two volumes of the manga. It wasn't bad, but I found it less than thrilling. After all, Mushishi is also slow-paced and episodic.

And if these weren't enough to push me away from Natsume Yuujinchou, the screenshots were. The art screamed tame. Sure, there were pictures of yokai (monsters/spirits/hard to explain in a parenthetical phrase) with designs strange and interesting to my Western eye. However, the colors were soft. The lines were soft. Nearly everything was soft!

I naturally came to the conclusion that Natsume Yuujinchou would bore me and was not worth my time.

Yet I continued noticing it pop up while I hung out on Crunchroll. And when the winter season began approaching, promising a new season of Natsume for its fans, the anime showed up in the earliest season previews.

Finally, a couple weeks ago, I clicked on the first episode of Natsume Yuujinchou. I almost quit after that first episode. But, if my two and a half years of anime watching have taught me anything, it's to watch at least two, preferably three or four episodes before giving up (unless it's offensive, of course). So I watched the second episode. And the third. Before I knew it, I'd finished the first season and started on the second.

I caught up on the old seasons of Natsume Yuujinchou just in time to follow the new season. And I love it.

Despite being episodic, Natsume Yuujinchou retains a pleasant continuity. As the anime stretches on, I see Natsume become more comfortable with his guardians, the Fujiwaras. I smile as he builds the first lasting friendships of his formerly lonely life. And I press my lips together when an unfriendly exorcist seems to suspect Natsume's secret.

I needn't have feared that this anime would bore me. In fact, every episode pulls me right on in. There are scenes that I wouldn't quite call "action" or "battles," but still constitute a type of violent conflict. Natsume Yuujinchou is peaceful, beautiful, and still entertaining. The things that repelled me - the tranquil art style and colors, the "slowpace" - are now part of what I love about the show.

I could go on, but I won't. If you come away with anything from this post, I hope it's this: don't disregard Natsume Yuujinchou until you've tried at least two episodes. It has provided me with a delightful change of pace from my usual anime, and I'd hate for anyone to miss out because of the same hesitancies I once harbored.

*Pictures are screenshots from Natsume Yuujinchou