My Opinions On The Latest Anime (spring 2014 edition)

The default opinion, amirite?!
The default opinion, amirite?!

What I’m currently watching: Haikyuu!!, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders. (As of June 26 2014)

According to the poll I put up some time ago, you readers want to see more of my impressions of the currently airing anime. Well, ask and ye shall receive! This is a sticky post, which will be updated whenever I finish or pick up a new anime. Here, you can whine about my terrible opinions and bully me into watching your favourite anime. You can look at my MAL to get an idea of what I’ve already watched and my rating system.

And without further ado, here is my rundown of what I’m currently watching in alphabetical order:

Haikyuu!!

My main criticism of Haikyuu!! is that it’s not homo enough. Let’s break down this criticism and understand what it really means. Contrary to popular belief, fujoshi don’t just ship any two random hot guys together (okay, maybe they do…) But what’s more important is that the characters need to have a certain “spark” about their interactions and that there are conflicting interests between them. This is often interpreted as homo, but it’s really just characterisation that is presented in a dramatically interesting way.

Haikyuu!! is so emotionally transparent that there’s no real weight behind the conflicts. The characters themselves are fairly likable, but their relationships don’t feel dynamic, since all the emotional developments are told to the viewer rather than shown. The humour is cute and charming (especially the ad break montages) but there’s nothing here that sticks, aside from perhaps the excellent key animation.

This isn’t to say Haikyuu!! isn’t worthwhile, but I’d only recommend it to sports anime fans. Susumu Mitsunaga did some great work directing this anime, which is surprising since his only other main directorial work was Cuticle Tantei Inaba, which wasn’t exactly a work of sparkling genius. Overall, Haikyuu!! is comfort food – something to tide you over until the next season of Free! comes out, I suppose. Wait, did I just call Free! a “sports anime”? Hahaha, funny joke…

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Best character: Nishinoya. I enjoy characters who have a boyish charm – plus, he’s a shortie!

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders

JOOOOOOOOOOOOJOOOOOOOOOOO!

Let me take this opportunity to remind you that the first season of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure was my fourth favourite anime from 2013. This second season has been a step down from the glory that is the first season, but it’s still my favourite anime overall that I’m watching right now, so take my complaints with a grain of salt!

I’m enjoying the exotic setting and the action scenes a lot, although none of Jotaro’s fights are particularly exciting. Unlike Joseph, who was always fighting by the skin of his teeth in Part Two, Jotaro never seems to be in any danger. The opponent will drive him into a corner and make all these dumb villainy speeches, and then Jotaro just looks bored and is all “yare yare da ze” and then pwns his opponent in less than a minute. His Stand doesn’t have any particularly cool abilities either, unless you count stretching its fingers as a cheap way of getting Jotaro out of trouble as a “cool ability”. The other characters have good fights, though.

Not much else to say about JoJo, really! I watch it for the adrenaline rush, not for the fun of dissecting later, so I’ve never written a proper blog post about it. I adore this series, though. Which reminds me… I need to catch up on reading the manga.

Old-Joseph-994x469

Best Character: Joseph. Even as an old man, he’s the best. Episode 12 was the best episode of the series so far. With Stardust Crusaders confirmed for 4-cour length, I have high hopes the epicness will continue to escalate.


 

If you have any opinions about the latest anime you want to share, feel free to share! I’m also open to recommendations for both old and new anime.

44 comments

  1. Aw your so harsh on Isshuukan Friends. The last two episodes 8/9 are dragging everything a bit much but before that the others were quite solid! The only contrivance I’ve really seen is when they dropped the new girl without any build up.

    I agree on Jojo S2 being weaker. Seems like the formula stopped to do much for me.

    Your missing out on the AOTS: Ping pong or maybe it’s not your kind of thing? And also Akuma no Riddle is a lot of fun despite being less crazy than I thought it would be.

    • I can understand why you support Isshuukan friends, but this series really deserves to be criticised to quite an extensive degree. Whilst at the outset it appeared to be a series of high calibre, the recent attempts to dramatise the series have been sub-par to say the least. I think Kaori’s memory loss was an effective device that enabled the characters to convene and form the foundations of the series. However, every time this device is dug back up, this anime loses some structural integrity. When an anime starts off as seemingly mediocre then I have no problems. It is when a show appears to be of a high standard, then sacrifices quality to for the sake of plot progression that I become disappointed.

      However, you’re probably right in suggesting Ping pong. Not just because I quite like this series, but because I think it’s slightly more profound than what can be taken at face value. I might be wrong, but I think froggykun’s analytical genius might be able to derive some interesting stuff from this show.

      And on a side note, I only recently discovered this blog and I really like your content! I know it’s not specifically anime-related, but I think it would be really interesting if you did a post of the Japanese language. Judging from your translation of “Henneko” you appear to be quite adept at the language since the translation flows well. I’d love to hear about how you learned Japanese and what are some of differences in syntax, language devices and other elements to English. If Japanese was your first language, then hearing about the struggles of English would be equally interesting! I understand that this might be a a time consuming post which wouldn’t be very popular, so feel free to completely overlook this request. And if you’ve already wrote something along these lines which I have yet to discover, then I apologise for this ramble. I look forward to your next post!

      • Thanks for the compliments, Abdul Mango, although “analytical genius” is a bit much :’)

        Ping Pong is a title I’ve been interested in picking up for some time, although I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of Yuasa’s directing style, so I might not have as many good things to say as other bloggers. It’s only lack of time that stopped me from picking it up sooner.

        As for my posts about the Japanese language, there’s this: https://fantasticmemes.wordpress.com/2013/08/08/how-does-the-anime-fandom-affect-how-you-learn-and-perceive-the-japanese-language/

        I haven’t written much about my own strategies in learning the language, so you’ve given me an interesting suggestion for a future post. An interesting thought I keep coming back to is this: to what degree does Japanese fluency influence your taste in anime? I can’t really “turn off” my Japanese knowledge when I watch anime, and I am much more tolerant of culture-specific elements than I used to be, but whether it really makes much of a difference is debatable.

  2. Steph is awesomeness personified. Sora and Shiro are irritating but we’re compelled to forgive them because they’re so OP.

    I’m still working my way through the first season of Mushishi but agree with your assessment on Ginko.

    Mahouka is…well, I didn’t get pass the fourth episode. Apparently that’s my tolerance limit for sibling incest and dry, longwinded explanations of the physics behind magic.

    I would call Free a sports anime…I mean, unless godly, physics-defying sports maneuvers (a la Prince of Tennis) are a requirement.

    • I thought Steph was more like “derpiness” personified than awesomeness. But I love her anyway haha.

      Take your time with Mushishi. It’s an anime that’s best taken in small doses. I find I have to be in the right mood before I watch, or else the content just doesn’t sink in the right way.

      As for Free! I would call it a K-on! with abs that just happens to have a bit of sports on the side, lol.

  3. I said this before on my blog, but that Watamote quote hasn’t been true for a long time now. The moe fad still exists, but it’s not really all that prevalent anymore. Like one or two new series at best, and maybe a couple of shorts?

    @jstorming If anything, Free is what happens when you’re too in love with a sport to the point that you forget to build everything else that makes a good sports story. Plus, in hindsight, swimming isn’t a very good medium to create personal drama from anyways. But god would it have been so much worse if it did that physics-defying shonen crap. Don’t get the appeal of that “let’s spend a lot of time trying to look cool and come up with sick moves” mindset.

    • What would you consider good and proper sports anime? I guess there’s a distinction between making a sports anime and an anime with sports in it. Team sports seem to lend themselves well to the sports anime genre, so I was intrigued that swimming, which is less of a “team sport” and more of an individual’s game. But even “quieter” less team based sports have storytelling potential. I’m a competitive archer and archery (even during team rounds when it’s supposed to be rowdy and all) is pretty subdued. Doesn’t mean that archery doesn’t have the potential for drama (you would not believe the drama queens and going-ons behind the scenes)–it’s just that you have to tell a different story.
      To each his own. I shall continue enjoying the physics-defying shonen crap in other shows though I’ll agree that it would have been out of place in Free.

      • I’m not big on them, but Ping Pong and Hikaru no Go I guess? An anime version of The Sandlot? Personally, I’d want more sports anime to be like Shaolin Soccer.

        • I find it amusing that you consider HnG a “sports anime” as it’s really more of a game tournament anime (but arguably the best one out there). Haven’t checked out Ping Pong yet but it seems to garner favorable reactions with most anibloggers.

          I love Shaolin Soccer…do you have a penchant for underdog, character growth through sports kind of tales? In that case, I can see why most sports anime (which typically emphasized overpowered, smart-alecky guys) wouldn’t appeal to you then.

  4. I’ve been enjoying No Game No Life, especially due to Sora: he’s very much a (stereo)typical NEET, but that just makes it all the more surprising when he comes out with his thought-out, perspective-laden monologues about the world’s harshness / game theory.

    Though I will say that the pacing is infuriatingly slow at times with how transparent the show is about ~1/3 of a given episode being build up to a Sora Spiel™. I love the destination, but the journey saps my energy at times.
    (And while I do enjoy the fan-service, it gets distracting at times.)

    • I think what you say about Sora is exactly why I dislike his portrayal. Not because it’s implausible (I mean, that’s the point, right?) but because I can’t help but feel it sends an unhealthy message. I feel like the so-called self-awareness and cleverness of the show is used to justify a lot of the iffy things that go on, such as objectifying women, glorifying escapism, and so on. Maybe it’s because the show portrays this worldview so accurately and so well that I can’t help but get that knee-jerk reaction to it.

      Thanks for your thoughts!

      • Your reply reminded me that I found Sora to bear a resemblance to Araragi… (and apparently the light novels do go more negative in portraying Sora as they go on).

        As for glorifying escapism, that’s akin to the question people raise about the “Matrix” movies – whether it’s okay to stay plugged in when the alternative is a crapsack world where they are unsuited to survival/happiness.

      • I personally get the feeling that the show is doing a good job with Sora – he thinks like an otaku, acts like an otaku, but most importantly, is self-deprecating like an otaku. I think this is the key point: compared to shows that just pander, NGNL occasionally takes a hit – it gives you the cute imouto shots but then it reminds you that really, Sora looks like an asshole from the outside. It has Sora as the otaku self-insert, but Steph as a series’ “Watson” who’s there to represent everyone else and say the reasonable thing everyone was thinking.
        Ultimately, this was born as cheap entertainment, so you can’t expect the depth of Welcome to the NHK from it. But I think that as a “NEET centered” show it knows how to satirize its own nature and its own public. Which is good (and occasionally passes through stuff that could be either unintentionally creepy or intentional cringe humour).

  5. You know, I would love to see Ginko smoking in bed. He’s actually cool enough to pull it off. For that matter, how great would it be to have an episode showing a typical day in the life of Ginko when he’s not travelling through mountains/forests or helping out hapless villagers? Even mushi-shi’s have to have some time off, right?

    Also, I took a peek at your MAL and realised that we have a way higher anime compatibility rating than I would have guessed.

    • I think there actually WAS an episode where Ginko smoked in bed, so I’m not making this up, haha! He’ll probably die of lung cancer before a mushi kills him.

  6. Pretty much echoed my own thoughts on One Week Friends’ latest episode. And on Mahouka (although I wasn’t dating Tatsuya, as I have a thing for redheads). And a bit on Haikyuu!!

    You should post more often. It’s nice to read something where I can just nod my head and agree, rather than having to tell someone how terribly wrong they are.

  7. I am officially calling Tatsuya the Ubermensch from here out. The young master shit in the latest episode was too much. If someone were to pull out a bible and find Tatsuya’s name in a book of prophecy I wouldn’t be surprised at this point. Tatsuya the lord and savior of Mahouka and Ubermensch of mankind. Sadly they are playing this show way too straight. If they just cheesed it up a bit Mahouka would be incredible. I kind of feel like I am watching Code Geass without the theatrics. Also yes, Erika is indeed the best character.

    As far as No Game No Life goes, Sora and Shiro are amazing! You are such a Steph… ;P

    • Now here’s a question for you: in a battle between Tatsuya the Ubermensch and Sora, who would win? Honest to Tet question. I’ve been arguing about it with my friends for weeks.

      • In a fight without rules? Apposing Tatsuya the Ubermensch seems foolish. In any kind of game with rules Sora has a chance. Regardless of who has the advantage all my support is behind Sora. Sora understands the human condition and loves humanity anyway. Tatsuya is some weird unfeeling Ubermensch Brobot. I’ve got to support the underdog in this one even if he is at put at a severe disadvantage.

        • I’ve been inclined to think that Sora would win in a battle of wits, if only because the author of No Game No Life seems to be a more intelligent person than whoever wrote Mahouka lol

          • That makes me wonder who is selling more light novels. I will be the first to say that you can’t accurately gauge an authors intent from their fiction, but I imagine the author of Mahouka as someone who is actually ultra cynical and laughing all the way to the bank.

            • That’s the good scenario. The bad one is that he actually believes that shit, he’s the Japanese Ayn Rand and that Mahouka shall become the new Atlas Shrugged (now with 100% more imouto wincest!).

              As for Tatsuya vs. Sora, I can’t help but root for Sora. Or rather, Sora and Shiro: Blank always play as one. Tatsuya may be a Gary Stu Ubermensch, but Blank has the Power of Loli. Never has the universe seen such a clash of titans.

  8. Hmm.. I’m neither a fujoshi or a sports anime fan but I’m really loving Haikyuu!! Though I’ll admit the energy’s starting to wear off on me a little bit.

    I’m sorry you’re not enjoying Isshukan Friends as much anymore. I’ve actually loved it the whole way, and I thought episodes 4 and 7 were especially excellent. But I think I’m also in the minority that doesn’t hate Hase, so my opinions are pretty terrible!

    I’m sad about NGNL, I dropped it after 4 episodes. I liked the visuals, the game theory and Steph (but not the way the show treats her) but I really, really hated Shiro and Sora. Couldn’t stand listening to him speak, I think you’ve hit the nail on the Tet with your ‘smug self-awareness’ assessment. Also, I find it waaaayy too talky. There was literally always someone talking and everyone seems to talk especially fast.

    Have you tried out either Brynhildr or Gaworare? Neither are perfect, but they’re both really fun. Brynhildr is hilarious and Gaworare’s probably my favorite LN adaptation this season.

    • I do dislike Hase, but I think it’s because he’s well-written and realistic. I get irritated at guys in real life who make friends with a girl because they think she’s good-looking, and then do all sorts of things seemingly for her sake but mostly for his own. That’s also what makes him an interesting character – he’s earnest and well-meaning in his selfishness.

      I’m not so interested in Gaworare because of my extremely high-class and snobbish taste in anime. I only like anime for deep reasons. (Translation: I don’t like the character designs. Not cute enough for me.)

      That said, I’ll try out the manga of Brynhidr today and if I like it, I’ll give the anime a shot! :D Thanks for the recommendations!

      • You’re very welcome :) Character design is a deep reason! Anime is a form of art, after all ;)

        A thing about Hase though, is that he literally has no idea how he could progress romantically with Kaori. He was actually pushing for the romance thing up until he found out about the memory thing. I had a much longer paragraph here but then I realised that all it did was point out why the things you say about him are completely true ;_;

        • Read a couple of chapters of Brynhildr. The MC has such a stick up his ass lmao. Don’t think I’ll be watching the anime of this one, but I can see the unintentional comedy appeal.

          I agree with you about Hase. His number one motive isn’t necessarily “I WANT TO DATE KAORI”. He is really just a derpy kid with no bad intentions at heart. But he obviously still has some growing up to do ;)

      • I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing about Hase though, and that’s one of the interesting points the show was making before it started to lose its way and go off on this tangent that I’m afraid will crash us into a Love Triangle scenario with the new guy.

        I mean, he’s approaching her because he likes her looks, sure. But first, a person’s appearance is all we have to judge him/her from at the beginning, so getting interested or not in a person from his/her appearance is natural. Plus “appearance” doesn’t mean “beauty”: appearance is also the way one dresses, the choice of make up, the accessories, the mannerisms, the facial expressions; all those things that we pay so much attention knowingly or not because we want them exactly to do this job, projecting an external image of our personality. Every time I’ve seen a girl and thought “oh, I like her, I’d like to know her more!” it wasn’t because she was “hot”, it was because something amongst all these little details had struck me and formed a good first impression. And second, we do all kinds of things while thinking also to our own benefit, of course. Not everything can or should be sacrifice, and that’s all right. He wants to get in a relationship with her, but if they are happy together, wouldn’t that be a good thing for Kaori too? No one would ever get together with anyone if they simply thought that approaching someone with such intentions was “selfish”. I think it’s too cynical a way to see it: if I’m doing good because it makes me feel well with myself, for example, it’s not being selfish; it’s the least possible selfish reason I could be doing good for. Implying that pursuing what amounts to a simple sense of personal satisfaction and happiness is being selfish means that the only non-selfish actions would be the ones that not only do good to others, but actively harm us – which is a bit too much.

  9. Thanks to working on a long term novel project and some problems with my home internet, the only new anime that I watch is Gochiusa and Cardfight!! Vanguard Leigon Mate-hen. Both are enjoyable, but unless someone asking something specific I won’t recommend them.

    Since that you asked for recommendations, I think you should watch Yowamushi Pedal. Unlike most sports anime, it is more character centric and realistic (some aspects are are still over the top, though). Plus, the characters are somewhat equally developed with interesting backstories. Add in quirky humor and kickass moves, I considered it the anime of Fall 2013 season.

  10. hello frog-kun :-)

    as a rather avid fan of Haikyuu!!, i really want to know what you mean when you said that “Haikyuu!! is so emotionally transparent that there’s no real weight behind the conflicts.” you elaborate by saying that the relationships themselves don’t feel dynamic, since all the emotional developments are told to the viewer rather than shown. could you maybe provide an example? i’m biased towards Haikyuu!!, obviously, but i really want to know why you think Haikyuu!! isn’t really that great of an anime (though i agree that for me this might actually be an appetizer for Free! S2)

    btw have you seen all that kagehina everywhere in the anime and the manga ITS AMAZING and there is SO MUCH EYE CONTACT and that one time kageyama and hinata went to find asahi? hinata got intimidated and he IMMEDIATELY DUCKED BEHIND KAGEYAMA and kageyama MOVED IN FRONT TO SHIELD HIM??????? i am emotionally invested in those two dorky boys help mme

    • Well, let’s take the latest episode for my example. (Episode 9)

      In this episode, Asahi’s complex was revealed to the audience. This was done through a lengthy flashback. Immediately after this flashback, he changes and decides to become the ace again. So basically, from the way this episode was paced, we were told “This is Asahi’s problem” without really getting a sense of why and how he overcame that. We are then told, through the dialogue, that he changed because he was inspired by Hinata and Kageyama.

      The problem with this is that neither of these two characters had much interaction with Asahi beyond that one scene in the classroom (which was very cute by the way – I noticed Hinata hiding behind Kageyama too!). So we never got a deep sense of what was driving Asahi’s complex, since he seemed to overcome it so fast.

      In more general terms, the overall conflicts in this anime are still very thin. What are the emotional stakes for these characters? If they lose, will they really suffer? Many sports series (like Slam Dunk, for instance) tell us that the characters are reaching for a specific goal, which is why defeat feels crushing for them. In Kuroko no Basuke, we are told very clearly from episode 1 that the goal is to defeat the Generation of Miracles. There are consequences to the matches. In comparison to this, Haikyuu!! feels aimless.

      And because the conflicts feel thin, we don’t get a strong sense of who the characters are and want they want. This is why I criticised the relationships for not being dynamic. Kagehina is definitely a very cute pairing, but the other relationships in this series aren’t nearly as well-defined. Kageyame and Hinata’s relationship also seemed to come to a standstill after their first time teaming up. They’ve pretty much already mastered their synchronisation, so I don’t feel much tension between them.

      Now, I’m not saying these are all necessarily flaws, per se. It could well be that the aim of the show is just to get the viewer to relax and not make them feel much tension during the matches. But either way, I don’t find myself caring whether or not the characters win their matches, and since this contradicts what I personally want out of sports anime, I don’t rate Haikyuu!! as highly as other sports anime I have enjoyed. I’m glad to hear that you enjoy it so much, though – it is a very cute show!

      • hello :-)

        thanks for taking the time to reply to my comment! i see your point of view now, and i do actually have to agree that Haikyuu!! as an anime isn’t as dynamic as others. I’ve never actually watched KnB, so i can’t make concrete claims here, but I read the first bit of the manga and it certainly is very clearly laid out from the get-go that the ultimate goal for Kuroko is to be Kagami’s “support”, so to speak, in defeating the Generation of Miracles. So yes, in comparison, Haikyuu!! as an anime does feel aimless.

        I’d like to argue my point on the manga, actually, because they develop the story a lot more as it progresses – the manga is currently at the beginning of a match at the interhigh prelims, and (for me) the motivations of everyone in the team have been fleshed out a lot more. It hasn’t been as obvious in the anime but the main goal is for the team to regain their former glory – they used to be a powerhouse a few years ago, but the standard dropped and they’re looking to get back on their feet (a lot of baby chick and adult crow jokes are made) Admittedly, it might not be as strong as say, KnB, but the things do get more intense. The relationships between the members strengthen and it seems shallow in the anime, but in the manga it really isn’t so!

        ((i am actually rereading the manga right now so i wont get shit wrong))

        more schools are introduced, cool people are introduced, dickbags are introduced, a lot more stuff happens and i really really hope the anime does the manga justice! (kagehina isn’t done developing either!1!!)

        But yes, the other relationships in the story definitely haven’t been as well-developed. I feel like there’s a lot to Nishinoya and Asahi that could have been shown (not told) and a lot more to Sugawara and Daichi than just being the “seniors”. Tanaka is there for comedy, but I feel like there’s not much else he’s there for. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi haven’t exactly been touched on either, buT tHEre’s more to them in the manga!!! mostly this is a waiting game. everything is a waiting game.

        Free! S2 is a waiting game.

  11. Y’know I’ve realised that sports anime is my favourite thing in the world. Okay, maybe in that bracket should include any kind of series with a central focus with a certain subject (eg cakes and cooking) but still. Sports. Yes please.

    I agree with you in saying that Haikyuu!! doesn’t have enough homo, and this is coming from a self proclaimed hardcore fujoushi. So far, I don’t ship anyone here, but I’m quite happy with that. Episode 9 I think gave a lot of emotional beating and I couldn’t help myself but to grab at my screen screaming ‘SUGAAAA’ but I digress, I’m totally a respectable, mature viewer of anime. Totally. I think Haikyuu!! would certainly stick a lot better when the other teams come in, because seriously nekoma. Nekoma though. (I had already caught up with the manga by the time like, the fifth episode came out or something. I just couldn’t wait okay.)

    No Game No Life. Man, that show is my guilty pleasure of this season (no correction, my guilty pleasure is La Corda and I’m sure I’m mainly somewhat watching that only because of old times and classical music.) The only thing that gets me through this show is the interesting thought pattern behind the ‘games’ and I certainly don’t appreciate the utter conventional CHEESE this show brings, what with all the perverted undertones and, well, I don’t know, a lot of it is just so TYPICAL IT MAKES ME ANGRY. I don’t know if you still remember my tastes, but atypical is my thing. I’m sure that’s the opposite with you though. Anyhow, I do appreciate the ‘real world is a shitty game why not stay here’ and to be honest, it’s a mindset I do sympathise with, and while I do imagine the consequences they leave behind in the real world (I still have those fic instincts for plot holes that just don’t go away) it’s an interesting stance. I just want to see if they decide to stick to it or not, or decide ultimately that they want to go back for some weird reason. (Another thing, I’ve always wondered about how they charge their gadgets… Then again my brother always tells me off for trying to pin logic with anime.) Yeah, I agree with the sibling’s arrogance too, I don’t know, I still can’t come to terms to actually ‘like’ them. I guess I’m not that sympathetic with NEETs, even if I am a shut in myself.

    Yowapeda. Watch it ruin your life. (whispers so watch it)

    I think I have to join your site to actually get senpai’s attention, I think. By the way, I will eventually get a banner done for you. It doesn’t agree with me.

    • HARRO, YUUKI~ It’s been a while!

      Pretty much agreed with all your opinions about Haikyuu!! and No Game No Life, although I haven’t read the Haikyuu!! manga so I can’t really comment on it.

      If Sora and Shiro weren’t so overpowered I might have more sympathy for them being NEETs, but as it is, their characters feel kind of insulting to actual shut-ins, imo.

      I WILL WATCH YOWAPEDA. Fujoshi sports is totally up my alley too (even though I lost interest in Kurobasu lol).

      And yes, if my banner pisses you off, by all means make a new one that doesn’t piss you off ;)

  12. I reread some of my comment and I just cringed so hard at my sucky grammar. That’s what happens when you write nothing but online all the time I guess.

    Yeah, it definitely does. It feels really uncomfortable, especially the backstory with Shiro and Sora? And their names anyway? I don’t know, it just irks me.

    YES YOWAPEDA. Recently I’ve got more time to spare with anime, what with my exams all finished at the end of May, so I marathoned it… Man, it’s great. I really hope you’ll enjoy it, some of the pacing’s a bit problematic but overall it’s continuously interesting with a good, diverse cast? It has all the tropes for a conventional sports anime but it works in its own way. And no random Dragon Ball inspired moves like in KnB either! Either way, yowapeda’s interesting and makes me think back to the golden age of PoT, even though the two are poles apart haha.

    Hehe, I will… Just give me an anime to work with already…

  13. It’s funny because I avoided Mahouka at first because of the incest part of it (I had enough of that last season so I thought this one would be just as awful). But when people started writing so much about it, I wanted in. And seriously, I have no idea what it’s actually about, understanding the magic mechanics is a hard task tbh. I was just sitting there thinking “is THIS what all the fuss is about?” so yeah I’m not that into it I guess. But it was amusing to read about your crush on Tatsuya :P I’m probably in that place where I think he’s pretty cool, but that’s probably just because of his seiyuu *w* I just don’t get this show that’s all but I’ve already seen like 7 episodes and I’m curious about the siblings’ past so it’s likely that I’ll keep watching from time to time.

    • Hoo boy, Mahouka. From what I can see, most bloggers were drawn to it by morbid curiosity – it’s not a well-made anime by any metric. I was hyped beforehand because I thought I’d get all the “SUCH ANIME” elements (like the incest) which I don’t take super seriously but find very entertaining.

      My heart has moved on from Tatsuya. I’ve had my eye on the Suzaku lookalike character for some time now. idk if you’ve seen that scene where he’s naked yet, but it was the best scene in the show.

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