Plot Summary:Asakura Yoh is a shaman, a person who
communicates with ghosts. He enters the Shaman Fight, for whoever wins
the tournament gets to commune with the Great Spirit, God . . . that and
his fiance Anna wants to be the wife of the Shaman King. Helping him
are his friends Manta, Horo Horo, Ryu, and his samurai ghost partner,
Amidamaru.
Once every 500 years, there’s an event called the Shaman Fight, and whoever wins becomes the Shaman King and can use the most powerful spirits ever. Asakura Yoh comes to Tokyo to train and become the Shaman King. Accompanied by many friends, he defeats many enemies along and the way, and gets more friends.
Yoh is a young shaman, one who can see and communicate with spirits. Shaman’s also have another power,the ability to unify with spirits and use the spirit’s fighting skills. Yoh is training to become the Shaman King, strongest among all Shamans, a title won by winning the Grand Tournament that takes place every 500 years. Helping him are his best friend Morty, a short kid who can also see ghosts, Amidamaru, an old samurai and his spirit partner, and his fiance Ana, a spirit meduim and his trainer. However, another Shaman family is trying to keep Yoh out of the tournament. Along the way he meets a bunch of other misfit ghosts and wannabe Shamans.
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A surprise visit to Saori's home turns into a major surprise (for Kyousuke, at least) as this week's Oreimo begins. Cue flashbacks...
The national team final is upon us as we reach this fifteenth episode of Chihayafuru's second season - although to some extent, this instalment is all about those who aren't playing in the final.
For starters we have Kana who, having stepped aside to let Tsukuba play, reveals the true cause of this decision as it seems that she's been hiding a hand injury for a little while now to keep her place. Even after making this sacrifice, she spends the rest of the episode regretting her decision as the true enormity of the final, and perhaps more importantly the selection of reader, comes into view. Then again, at least she had a conscious choice in the matter unlike opponents Fujisaki's line-up, who see one of their stars switched out of the line-up in the final and replaced with a first year club member by their no-nonsense coach.
Indeed, Fujisaki are a very different beast to Mizusawa in all sorts of ways - brimming with personal confidence and self-assured mannerisms, but not really anything that you could call a "team" in any real sense, with all sorts of in-fighting and clashes between club members bubbling under the surface. Perhaps none of this will matter as the game begins however, with Mizusawa well-briefed by the ever-accurate and reliable Tsutomu, and some unexpected faces appearing to cheer them on...
Even without a single card flung across a room in anger, Chihayafuru still knows how to produce some compelling content - anyone with an interest in any sport will be able to relate to the abject disappointment of missing out on a final, and there was an enjoyable blend of comedy, character profiling and interactions between individuals throughout all the way through to Arata, who has arguably become a spare wheel too often within the show. Of course, this is but an appetiser for the main course, which we'll have to wait until next week to hungrily devour.
As A Certain Scientific Railgun S gets its teeth into its first
proper story arc after last week's introductory episode, we begin with a
flashback to Misaka's youth, and a promise made to doctors to allow
them to map the young Railgun's DNA in the same of advancing medical
science.
This incident from many year's previously is little more than a distant dream for our present-day Misaka however, as she has other things to contend with - Kuroko's advances for example. Indeed, it seems that even a shopping trip can't be a regular event for Mikoto, as she and Shirai come across a cash card left hidden in a small alleyway, something which has been happening with a strange regularity around Academy City to the point where it's become an urban legend that people are actively hunting for, not least Saten of course.
Any semblance of a normal day is really put to a halt for Misaka when she overhears some ruffians discussing the possibility that they've discovered the source of the person distributing the cash cards - something which they want to use to their advantage by pinching the lot, of course. Misaka is having none of this, and so tails them with a view towards bringing their nefarious plan to a halt while also finding the person responsible for hiding the cash cards - then again, it seems that the culprit has no problems in dealing with a bunch of unskilled thugs herself...
After that pretty rip-roaring anime original opening episode, we're now well and truly on the track of a "proper" story arc - I'll be the first to admit that some of its attempts to push the plot forward are a little clumsy (especially the heavy-handed hints about cloning - why not be more subtle about it rather than spoiling your own story for newcomers to the franchise?), but as a whole this was a pretty solid episode which again blended its elements well to make for a satisfying setup for what is to come overall. Of course, perhaps it's easier to say that as a reader of the original manga, so it would be interesting to see what those unfamiliar with the source material make of it.
Try as he might to play tennis (well, if you can count hitting a ball
against a wall "playing tennis") during gym class, it seems
that Hikigaya simply won't be left alone, which drags him into another
of those youthful "adventures" that he hates so much.
His problem comes courtesy of a friend of Yui's named Sai, a rather feminine looking tennis player and member of the school's tennis club who is looking to do whatever he can to improve. Although Hikigaya isn't particularly interested in helping out, once Sai puts his request to the Volunteers Club he effectively has no choice but to offer his assistance.
One training montage scene later, conflict arises when a dispute breaks out over the right to use the tennis courts between Hikigaya and company and Yumiko and her boyfriend Hayato. There's only one way to solve this conflict and that is, of course, to have a tennis match to decide who's in the right - a match which sees Yui pick up an injury, leaving Yukino to step in and bring the group to the bring of saving the day before allowing Hikki to work his particular magic - not that it gets him any plaudits, mind you...
For a show that loves to poke fun at the generic romantic comedy and depictions of the wonders of youth, My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU sure is... well, incredibly generic. There were absolutely zero original ideas or even moments of interest in an episode that felt like a piece of IKEA furniture built by monkeys - there was no doubt as to what it was, but everything about it was ill-fitting, clumsily assembled and ultimately not really fit for purpose. It seems like there's really no way out for this series at this point - its cast is dull, and the bright possibilities of its premise and characters seem to have been entirely ignored, leaving us with perhaps the season's most mediocre series (that I've watched at least). Sometimes, mediocrity is even less enjoyable than watching something painfully bad, so rather than subjecting myself to more instalments of excruciating nothingness, this show is headed for the "dropped" pile.
Money troubles aside, things seem to be going pretty swimmingly for Maou
- not only is his job going well, but he's also been invited out by
co-worker Chiho Sasaki.
If only the same could be said for our hero of the piece Emi, who follows up her night sleeping on the floor of Maou's ramshackle apartment with a call from a mysterious individual who clearly knows who both she and Maou are, threatening to destroy them both as their homeworld no longer requires their services. In the wake of this, the last thing she needs is a call asking her to bail out Maou and Ashiya as the former's abandoned bike following the "shooting" incident the previous night comes back to revisit him.
Still, with this over and done with, at least Maou has a date to look forward to - a date which ties Chiho in surprisingly tightly with Maou and company's "visit" to the Earth, as it seems that she's been hearing things that relate directly to his current situation. While this threatens to be forgotten once Emi arrives to interrupt this date buy having a blazing row with Sasaki, they're soon jolted back to their very twisted reality as a major earthquake takes place...
Once again, I find myself really rather enjoying Hataraku Maou-sama in a lot of ways - some of its comedy moments are great, its primary cast consists of strong, fun characters (even Chiho is anything but a simpering love interest when push comes to shove), and the wider scenario of the series still offers up some fun moments. The real question at this juncture is whether that sense of entertainment can persist now that the series is beginning to enter some more serious territory - I seriously worry that the show will lose its charm with this introduction, although I sorely hope that I'm proved wrong by the series continuing to play to its strengths even with the introduction of an evil (or should that be another evil) force.
Having decided to sign up to this whole "saving the world" business
along with his friends, it's off to Osaka for Hibiki and company for
their first real mission as Summoners.
Here, they meet up with another pair of fellow newbies, Hinako and Keita - not that there's much time for introductions, as first one of them goes wandering off to do a little demon slaying in preference to searching for Professor Kanno, before Osaka's JP bureau comes under a concerted cyber-attack by an unknown entity.
With the organisation's firewall crumbling like a Cadbury's Flake and the magical barrier which protects the entire city reliant upon it, finding the source of this cyber-attack is the order of the day, and although early signs point to attacks coming in from across Japan some smart thinking by Hibiki soon tracks down the real source of the culprit, which just so happens to be close by. With Keita's life also in danger by this point, it's a race against time to save him and stop the cracker before Osaka's defences are laid bare, although sometimes even the best laid plans aren't enough to challenge fate...
Now that we're three episodes in, Devil Survivor 2 certainly seems to be a solid and confident video game to anime adaptation - it lacks the character of Persona 4 certainly, but this instalment shows the series' willingness to pull the rug from under the viewer rather than becoming overly repetitive, and the entire package is delivered swiftly and slickly, complete with a suitably nifty soundtrack to drive it along. It might not be shaping up as one of the spring's most talked about series, but that doesn't prevent Devil Survivor 2 from being an entertaining show in its own right so far.
A return to the mountains also means a return to normality for Izumiko and Sagara as this third episode of Red Data Girl begins, although of course the knowledge gleaned from that visit and Izumiko's unveiling as the "carrier" of Himegami.
Still, if nothing else the whole trip seems to have markedly improved the relationship between our protagonist as her protector, and all continues to be well for the return to school after that Tokyo excursion. At least, all is well until Wamiya enters the frame. Having been offered up a gift by Izumiko, brought by some of her friends, Wamiya seems to be far from thrilled by the fact that Izumiko made the trip to Tokyo - indeed, he's behaving decidedly oddly while also showing himself to have more than a passing grudge towards Miyuki.
Of course, we ultimately learn that Wamiya really isn't what he first seems, and after controlling some of his classmates to attack Sagar we get to see exactly what kind of powers he holds as he uses them to chase after both Sagara and Izumiko. One car chase later, this results in a showdown between Wamiya and, it turns out, his creator, who shows a surprising moment of strong-willed defiance to browbeat her pursuer. It seems that Izumiko has a steely side beneath her meek exterior, and she might just need it as we fast forward to the start of her life in Tokyo at Houjou Academy.
Even three episodes in to Red Data Girl I still feel like I'm not entirely sure what to make of it - take many of its aspects in isolation, whether it's the show's characters or the broader setting and concept, and it all seems pretty interesting, but as a whole it somehow still struggles to be as compelling as it perhaps should be. For now it's doing just enough to hold my interest, and the skip forward in time at the end of this episode might help it, but rather like its main character it certainly needs to find a better sense of self if it wants to really impress.
There's little time to grieve for Eren and Mikasa as we enter this second episode of Attack on Titan, as the Titan's incursion into Shinganshina means that the top priority for all concerned is a mad race to safety.
It's a race that many won't win either - as the Titans run amok in the isolated Shinganshina gate district, there are only limited boats and little time to reach the safety of the city's inner gates. Even any attempts to slow or stop the Titans using cannons prove to be ineffective, with some of the larger creatures terrifying mankind proving to be simply too big and too fast to stop as they break through further gates and ensure that the death toll rises higher still.
Even for those that make good their escape, which includes Eren and company, there's a whole new world of problems and misery to be dealt with - the influx of surviving refugees within the higher, better fortified Wall Rose means that the already short food supply is stretched to breaking point, and with the blame for this largely foisted upon those very same refugees it is they who are effectively forced into slave labour; first being set to prepare land and forage for food, before being shipped out en masse to fight a fruitless war against the Titans in a foolish attempt to regain the territory within Wall Maria. Of course, the children at least are spared this, meaning that we can fast forward to the start of Eren, Mikasa and Armin into the military, with Eren in particular thirsty for vengeance against the Titans.
After a great start, this was another top notch episode of Attack on Titan, which did a great job of continuing to establish the scope of its world while balancing its depiction of the horror, the violence and the very human side of the crisis at hand masterfully. Thus, the scene is well and truly set for what is to come, and although you could argue that some potentially fascinating content in its own right has been raced through to reach this point, I'm very much hooked in to seeing what comes next in what is looking like a very strong show in a strong season.
Ledo now knows what planet he's on thanks to his little escape attempt at the end of Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet's first episode, but given the failure of that escape he's now left in an uncomfortable stand-off with the local populace.
Thankfully, the locals at least seem willing to engage in dialogue rather than simply trying to kill him, although they don't exactly seem to be too convinced by Ledo's story of his existence as a soldier fighting in a war against an alien race; nor, indeed, do they buy the idea that his mech is talking fluidly without anyone inside it. That aside, the big question on everyone's lips regards what they should actually do with these "guests", with the general consensus being that they're an unwanted and potentially dangerous distraction.
It's only Amy who seems to have any kind of affinity towards Ledo (despite the whole kidnapping thing in episode one), and it's her who actually goes to some lengths to befriend, talk to and actually understand Ledo's situation - while she soon feels comfortable enough to trust him, the same can't be said for those in higher positions within the water-borne fleet of which she's part. When some space pirates pay the fleet an unwelcome visit with a view towards plundering some of said fleet's more valuable recent finds, Ledo sees an opportunity to take out these enemies and endear himself to the natives... is he only going to succeed in making them even more afraid of him, however?
As an exercise in world-building, this was most certainly a really good episode of Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet - it's remained patience in its depiction of the language barrier between Ledo and the native humans where other shows would have given up or written around it, and the series' Waterworld-esque setting is sufficiently rich to hold plenty of potential in its own right. Add in the various other elements which are making up the series so far, and things are looking hugely promising - I just hope it goes down such promising routes rather than taking the more cliched path which is also clearly available to it.
It's recap episode time again this week (and next week too, incidentally) in Space Brothers
- this time around, our focus is upon the Moon, as through the lens of
Hibito's rehabilitation we look back over the incident on the moon which
nearly killed him.
While squeezing all of that drama into a single episode can't possibly hope to generate the same kind of horrifying tension as things went from bad to worse to the impossibly depressing, this episode does as good a job as you could hope and I did find myself being caught up once again in Hibito and Damien's plight all the way through to its uncomfortable to watch moments before help arrives. I have to need for these recap installments, but as a brief excuse to revisit some fantastic story-telling there are worse things that I could be doing.
I really hope that next week's recap episode the last however - I'm starting to feel a real hunger for some good new Space Brothers right now.
While you might typically expect Kirino's return to be met with nothing
but joy from best friend Ayase, it seems that she's once again having
some problems with some of the more extreme otaku proclivities
demonstrated by Kirino - thus, it's Kyousuke to the rescue once again!
More specifically, Ayase's problem is with Kirino's obsession with a new dating sim, which has seen her talking to her PS Vita (which is clearly nonsensical and unrealistic - there are no PS Vita games) and using her phone to send text messages to her virtual girlfriend. Doing a little digging at Ayase's behest, Kyousuke learns that the game is called Love Touch, and having seen a full demonstration of Kirino's obsession with it he soon understands Ayase's problem.
Thankfully, even Kirino knows that she's getting a little too into the game, and thus lends it to Kyousuke to look after her virtual girlfriend while she takes a break from it. The trouble is, Kyousuke himself is soon also hooked, although it does allow him to understand that even his sister's Love Touch obsession is at least indirectly related to her friendship with Ayase - something which he tries to demonstrate to her in a not entirely successful, but ultimately fruitful, way. Then again, maybe Ayase is taking some aspects of the game a little too seriously for her own good...
Although I'd love to say that this is the moment that Oreimo returns to form, something felt seriously "off" about this week's episode. Most notably, Kyousuke simply doesn't feel like the same character any more - to have the detached and slightly snarky elder brother we've come to know and love replaced with another drooling otaku dating sim addict both stretched credulity and broke one of the important aspects of the show, that being Kyousuke as the every-man surrounded by rabid otaku. That aside, on a more positive note there were still some funny moments here and there (including Ayase's hilarious final take on using Love Touch to impress Kirino), and little touches which perfectly capture the otaku condition (Kirino tilting her head trying to peek under a virtual girl's skirt was uncannily accurate), but I hope the series has more in its arsenal than simply that moving forward - if nothing else, it really needs to remember what made the first season so enjoyable, which it seems to be in danger of forgetting at the moment.
Arata might be missing the big semi-final that his Mizusawa-based
friends are taking part in, but that doesn't mean that he can't get to
at least hear about their progress thus far, as news reaches him that
they've successfully made it through to the semi-final of the national
team tournament.
Of course, our attention soon shifts back to that gripping ding-dong semi-final between Mizusawa and Akashi Girls school as it reaches its crucial final stage. After Akashi take first blood with Nishida suffering defeat, things are quickly leveled up in the match as Kana wins her game to make it one apiece. Once Taichi makes it 2-1 to Mizusawa, all eyes turn to Chihaya's game against Megumu as seemingly the natural climax of the match which everyone is now watching.
If you think this is where the game is going to end however, think again - after losing her most precious card to a surprising turn of speed from Megumu, the psychological balance arguably shifts away from Chihaya, while Megumu herself seems to have quickly built up some new techniques simply from playing against such a strong opponent. It's this new-found speed of taking cards which ultimately leads her to a win, and us to a gripping finale, with Tsutomu and his opponent left with one card each and a luck of the draw ending which Mizusawa's database wins with, all of things, a touch of superstition.
It's this second half of the episode which once again shows Chihayafuru at its most powerful - glimpsing into the teetering psychological tug of war between players, bringing high drama by engineering a few surprises and a tense finale to a match, and showing us the raw emotions in the aftermath of such a game. It's a heady blend of elements that work brilliantly at drawing in the viewer and leaving them on the edge of their seat, and it'll certainly interesting to see what spin the team tournament final will have given the strength of Mizusawa's opponents.
It's about time we returned to Academy City to catch up on the
adventures of Mikoto Misaka and friends - if you'd forgotten why it was
so important that we be treated to more of this particular manga
adaptation, then I'm pretty sure the first couple of minutes of this
opening episode of A Certain Scientific Railgun S should set you straight.
Once every 500 years, there’s an event called the Shaman Fight, and whoever wins becomes the Shaman King and can use the most powerful spirits ever. Asakura Yoh comes to Tokyo to train and become the Shaman King. Accompanied by many friends, he defeats many enemies along and the way, and gets more friends.
Yoh is a young shaman, one who can see and communicate with spirits. Shaman’s also have another power,the ability to unify with spirits and use the spirit’s fighting skills. Yoh is training to become the Shaman King, strongest among all Shamans, a title won by winning the Grand Tournament that takes place every 500 years. Helping him are his best friend Morty, a short kid who can also see ghosts, Amidamaru, an old samurai and his spirit partner, and his fiance Ana, a spirit meduim and his trainer. However, another Shaman family is trying to keep Yoh out of the tournament. Along the way he meets a bunch of other misfit ghosts and wannabe Shamans.
Anime Movies, AnimeFusing, Anime Comedy, Anime Horror, Anime Drama, Anime Hot Movies, Anime Action, Anime Advanture, Anime Demons, Animefushing.comANIMEFUSING - Anime Movies Online Best. Animefusing always new upadates New Movies Anime to bring to you the best animated film category along with the Action, Adventure, Drama, Comedy, Animation, Fantasy, Demons, Magic, Game, Kids ..... In particular website very user-friendly and minimize the annoying advertising while watching movies. Wish you fun movie.
Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai 2 - Episode 3
In essence, this episode is all about Saori Bajeena, or to use her real
name Saori Makishima. As the younger of two siblings, the young Saori
is a quiet and reserved girl without any specific friends or interests
and with a weak constitution that prevents her from really getting out
into the world. This is in stark contrast to the elder of the two
sisters, Kaori, and after a few years of pursuing outdoor activities
Kaori's interests have shifted, in turn taking her to a point where her
sister can get involved in her activities and circle of friends.
However, rather than joining in with a love of the things that interest
Kaori (guns mostly, as it happens), she instead falls in with one of
Kaori's friends, a budding manga author named Kanata. In essence, it's
her who throws Saori headlong in the world of otaku-dom, only to leave
her devastated as Kaori goes off and gets married which in turn ensures
that the circle of friends around her slowly drifts apart. Ultimately
determined to one-up her sister, Saori seeks to make her own circle of
friends - cue the meeting which started this entire series.
Rather than offering up any particularly zany or comically rich
scenarios, this episode was really about filling in the gaps in Saori's
character, pure and simple - it's something that I can't fault the
series for doing as it certainly needed to be tackled, but it still
means that we're now three episodes in without succeeding in recapturing
much of that old Oreimo magic. It's a bit of a worry, in all
honesty - has the series simply lost its mojo, or does it have nothing
interesting left to do with its characters? I hope it's simply that
it's building up a head of steam slowly and that more interesting fare
is on the way, but my confidence in the series is waning after these
tepid beginnings.
Chihayafuru 2 - Episode 15
For starters we have Kana who, having stepped aside to let Tsukuba play, reveals the true cause of this decision as it seems that she's been hiding a hand injury for a little while now to keep her place. Even after making this sacrifice, she spends the rest of the episode regretting her decision as the true enormity of the final, and perhaps more importantly the selection of reader, comes into view. Then again, at least she had a conscious choice in the matter unlike opponents Fujisaki's line-up, who see one of their stars switched out of the line-up in the final and replaced with a first year club member by their no-nonsense coach.
Indeed, Fujisaki are a very different beast to Mizusawa in all sorts of ways - brimming with personal confidence and self-assured mannerisms, but not really anything that you could call a "team" in any real sense, with all sorts of in-fighting and clashes between club members bubbling under the surface. Perhaps none of this will matter as the game begins however, with Mizusawa well-briefed by the ever-accurate and reliable Tsutomu, and some unexpected faces appearing to cheer them on...
Even without a single card flung across a room in anger, Chihayafuru still knows how to produce some compelling content - anyone with an interest in any sport will be able to relate to the abject disappointment of missing out on a final, and there was an enjoyable blend of comedy, character profiling and interactions between individuals throughout all the way through to Arata, who has arguably become a spare wheel too often within the show. Of course, this is but an appetiser for the main course, which we'll have to wait until next week to hungrily devour.
A Certain Scientific Railgun S - Episode 2
This incident from many year's previously is little more than a distant dream for our present-day Misaka however, as she has other things to contend with - Kuroko's advances for example. Indeed, it seems that even a shopping trip can't be a regular event for Mikoto, as she and Shirai come across a cash card left hidden in a small alleyway, something which has been happening with a strange regularity around Academy City to the point where it's become an urban legend that people are actively hunting for, not least Saten of course.
Any semblance of a normal day is really put to a halt for Misaka when she overhears some ruffians discussing the possibility that they've discovered the source of the person distributing the cash cards - something which they want to use to their advantage by pinching the lot, of course. Misaka is having none of this, and so tails them with a view towards bringing their nefarious plan to a halt while also finding the person responsible for hiding the cash cards - then again, it seems that the culprit has no problems in dealing with a bunch of unskilled thugs herself...
After that pretty rip-roaring anime original opening episode, we're now well and truly on the track of a "proper" story arc - I'll be the first to admit that some of its attempts to push the plot forward are a little clumsy (especially the heavy-handed hints about cloning - why not be more subtle about it rather than spoiling your own story for newcomers to the franchise?), but as a whole this was a pretty solid episode which again blended its elements well to make for a satisfying setup for what is to come overall. Of course, perhaps it's easier to say that as a reader of the original manga, so it would be interesting to see what those unfamiliar with the source material make of it.
My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU - Episode 3 (Dropped)
His problem comes courtesy of a friend of Yui's named Sai, a rather feminine looking tennis player and member of the school's tennis club who is looking to do whatever he can to improve. Although Hikigaya isn't particularly interested in helping out, once Sai puts his request to the Volunteers Club he effectively has no choice but to offer his assistance.
One training montage scene later, conflict arises when a dispute breaks out over the right to use the tennis courts between Hikigaya and company and Yumiko and her boyfriend Hayato. There's only one way to solve this conflict and that is, of course, to have a tennis match to decide who's in the right - a match which sees Yui pick up an injury, leaving Yukino to step in and bring the group to the bring of saving the day before allowing Hikki to work his particular magic - not that it gets him any plaudits, mind you...
For a show that loves to poke fun at the generic romantic comedy and depictions of the wonders of youth, My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU sure is... well, incredibly generic. There were absolutely zero original ideas or even moments of interest in an episode that felt like a piece of IKEA furniture built by monkeys - there was no doubt as to what it was, but everything about it was ill-fitting, clumsily assembled and ultimately not really fit for purpose. It seems like there's really no way out for this series at this point - its cast is dull, and the bright possibilities of its premise and characters seem to have been entirely ignored, leaving us with perhaps the season's most mediocre series (that I've watched at least). Sometimes, mediocrity is even less enjoyable than watching something painfully bad, so rather than subjecting myself to more instalments of excruciating nothingness, this show is headed for the "dropped" pile.
Hataraku Maou-sama! - Episode 3
If only the same could be said for our hero of the piece Emi, who follows up her night sleeping on the floor of Maou's ramshackle apartment with a call from a mysterious individual who clearly knows who both she and Maou are, threatening to destroy them both as their homeworld no longer requires their services. In the wake of this, the last thing she needs is a call asking her to bail out Maou and Ashiya as the former's abandoned bike following the "shooting" incident the previous night comes back to revisit him.
Still, with this over and done with, at least Maou has a date to look forward to - a date which ties Chiho in surprisingly tightly with Maou and company's "visit" to the Earth, as it seems that she's been hearing things that relate directly to his current situation. While this threatens to be forgotten once Emi arrives to interrupt this date buy having a blazing row with Sasaki, they're soon jolted back to their very twisted reality as a major earthquake takes place...
Once again, I find myself really rather enjoying Hataraku Maou-sama in a lot of ways - some of its comedy moments are great, its primary cast consists of strong, fun characters (even Chiho is anything but a simpering love interest when push comes to shove), and the wider scenario of the series still offers up some fun moments. The real question at this juncture is whether that sense of entertainment can persist now that the series is beginning to enter some more serious territory - I seriously worry that the show will lose its charm with this introduction, although I sorely hope that I'm proved wrong by the series continuing to play to its strengths even with the introduction of an evil (or should that be another evil) force.
Devil Survivor 2: The Animation - Episode 3
Here, they meet up with another pair of fellow newbies, Hinako and Keita - not that there's much time for introductions, as first one of them goes wandering off to do a little demon slaying in preference to searching for Professor Kanno, before Osaka's JP bureau comes under a concerted cyber-attack by an unknown entity.
With the organisation's firewall crumbling like a Cadbury's Flake and the magical barrier which protects the entire city reliant upon it, finding the source of this cyber-attack is the order of the day, and although early signs point to attacks coming in from across Japan some smart thinking by Hibiki soon tracks down the real source of the culprit, which just so happens to be close by. With Keita's life also in danger by this point, it's a race against time to save him and stop the cracker before Osaka's defences are laid bare, although sometimes even the best laid plans aren't enough to challenge fate...
Now that we're three episodes in, Devil Survivor 2 certainly seems to be a solid and confident video game to anime adaptation - it lacks the character of Persona 4 certainly, but this instalment shows the series' willingness to pull the rug from under the viewer rather than becoming overly repetitive, and the entire package is delivered swiftly and slickly, complete with a suitably nifty soundtrack to drive it along. It might not be shaping up as one of the spring's most talked about series, but that doesn't prevent Devil Survivor 2 from being an entertaining show in its own right so far.
Red Data Girl - Episode 3
Still, if nothing else the whole trip seems to have markedly improved the relationship between our protagonist as her protector, and all continues to be well for the return to school after that Tokyo excursion. At least, all is well until Wamiya enters the frame. Having been offered up a gift by Izumiko, brought by some of her friends, Wamiya seems to be far from thrilled by the fact that Izumiko made the trip to Tokyo - indeed, he's behaving decidedly oddly while also showing himself to have more than a passing grudge towards Miyuki.
Of course, we ultimately learn that Wamiya really isn't what he first seems, and after controlling some of his classmates to attack Sagar we get to see exactly what kind of powers he holds as he uses them to chase after both Sagara and Izumiko. One car chase later, this results in a showdown between Wamiya and, it turns out, his creator, who shows a surprising moment of strong-willed defiance to browbeat her pursuer. It seems that Izumiko has a steely side beneath her meek exterior, and she might just need it as we fast forward to the start of her life in Tokyo at Houjou Academy.
Even three episodes in to Red Data Girl I still feel like I'm not entirely sure what to make of it - take many of its aspects in isolation, whether it's the show's characters or the broader setting and concept, and it all seems pretty interesting, but as a whole it somehow still struggles to be as compelling as it perhaps should be. For now it's doing just enough to hold my interest, and the skip forward in time at the end of this episode might help it, but rather like its main character it certainly needs to find a better sense of self if it wants to really impress.
Flowers of Evil - Episode 2
With temptation laid before him, life is about to get very difficult for
Kasuga - after managing to initially resist that temptation, his
desires get the better of him before the pressure of having someone walk
in on him leads to him unthinkingly stealing the gym clothes of
classmate Saeki.
No sooner has he done this than Kasuga is wracked with guilt about his actions - feelings made worse when an announcement is made to the entire class (with a tearful Saeki standing at its head) that her gym uniform has gone missing. Unsure of what to do next, Kasuga is left in a near-constant state of panic when he isn't lamenting his actions, and things are about to get even worse...
Whether it's true or not, after school the day following the incident Kasuga finds himself running into Nakamura, who wastes no time in telling him that she saw him steal the uniform, trying to use it as leverage for him to take her where she wants to go. Although that plan doesn't quite work out - Kasuga simply runs away screaming - it certainly lights a fire under our protagonist. The trouble is, doing the right thing and returning the clothes is easier in principle than in practice, and in failing to do so Nakamura's plan really begins to swing into action as she threatens to take away something precious to him - that something seemingly being Saeki.
So ends another deeply atmospheric episode of Flowers of Evil, which seems to be more than making up for the pitfalls of its visual techniques with superb sound design to bring menace or malice and a feeling of threat to every scene. It also does a surprisingly good job of fleshing out Kasuga as a character - yes, he's stupid in all sorts of ways, but his predicament still manages to eke out a slither of sympathy towards him as a viewer as things go from bad to worse. It might not look the best, but in terms of story-telling and its slow, careful build-up so far, I'm still eager to see more.
No sooner has he done this than Kasuga is wracked with guilt about his actions - feelings made worse when an announcement is made to the entire class (with a tearful Saeki standing at its head) that her gym uniform has gone missing. Unsure of what to do next, Kasuga is left in a near-constant state of panic when he isn't lamenting his actions, and things are about to get even worse...
Whether it's true or not, after school the day following the incident Kasuga finds himself running into Nakamura, who wastes no time in telling him that she saw him steal the uniform, trying to use it as leverage for him to take her where she wants to go. Although that plan doesn't quite work out - Kasuga simply runs away screaming - it certainly lights a fire under our protagonist. The trouble is, doing the right thing and returning the clothes is easier in principle than in practice, and in failing to do so Nakamura's plan really begins to swing into action as she threatens to take away something precious to him - that something seemingly being Saeki.
So ends another deeply atmospheric episode of Flowers of Evil, which seems to be more than making up for the pitfalls of its visual techniques with superb sound design to bring menace or malice and a feeling of threat to every scene. It also does a surprisingly good job of fleshing out Kasuga as a character - yes, he's stupid in all sorts of ways, but his predicament still manages to eke out a slither of sympathy towards him as a viewer as things go from bad to worse. It might not look the best, but in terms of story-telling and its slow, careful build-up so far, I'm still eager to see more.
Attack on Titan - Episode 2
It's a race that many won't win either - as the Titans run amok in the isolated Shinganshina gate district, there are only limited boats and little time to reach the safety of the city's inner gates. Even any attempts to slow or stop the Titans using cannons prove to be ineffective, with some of the larger creatures terrifying mankind proving to be simply too big and too fast to stop as they break through further gates and ensure that the death toll rises higher still.
Even for those that make good their escape, which includes Eren and company, there's a whole new world of problems and misery to be dealt with - the influx of surviving refugees within the higher, better fortified Wall Rose means that the already short food supply is stretched to breaking point, and with the blame for this largely foisted upon those very same refugees it is they who are effectively forced into slave labour; first being set to prepare land and forage for food, before being shipped out en masse to fight a fruitless war against the Titans in a foolish attempt to regain the territory within Wall Maria. Of course, the children at least are spared this, meaning that we can fast forward to the start of Eren, Mikasa and Armin into the military, with Eren in particular thirsty for vengeance against the Titans.
After a great start, this was another top notch episode of Attack on Titan, which did a great job of continuing to establish the scope of its world while balancing its depiction of the horror, the violence and the very human side of the crisis at hand masterfully. Thus, the scene is well and truly set for what is to come, and although you could argue that some potentially fascinating content in its own right has been raced through to reach this point, I'm very much hooked in to seeing what comes next in what is looking like a very strong show in a strong season.
Thankfully, the locals at least seem willing to engage in dialogue rather than simply trying to kill him, although they don't exactly seem to be too convinced by Ledo's story of his existence as a soldier fighting in a war against an alien race; nor, indeed, do they buy the idea that his mech is talking fluidly without anyone inside it. That aside, the big question on everyone's lips regards what they should actually do with these "guests", with the general consensus being that they're an unwanted and potentially dangerous distraction.
It's only Amy who seems to have any kind of affinity towards Ledo (despite the whole kidnapping thing in episode one), and it's her who actually goes to some lengths to befriend, talk to and actually understand Ledo's situation - while she soon feels comfortable enough to trust him, the same can't be said for those in higher positions within the water-borne fleet of which she's part. When some space pirates pay the fleet an unwelcome visit with a view towards plundering some of said fleet's more valuable recent finds, Ledo sees an opportunity to take out these enemies and endear himself to the natives... is he only going to succeed in making them even more afraid of him, however?
As an exercise in world-building, this was most certainly a really good episode of Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet - it's remained patience in its depiction of the language barrier between Ledo and the native humans where other shows would have given up or written around it, and the series' Waterworld-esque setting is sufficiently rich to hold plenty of potential in its own right. Add in the various other elements which are making up the series so far, and things are looking hugely promising - I just hope it goes down such promising routes rather than taking the more cliched path which is also clearly available to it.
Space Brothers - Episode 53
While squeezing all of that drama into a single episode can't possibly hope to generate the same kind of horrifying tension as things went from bad to worse to the impossibly depressing, this episode does as good a job as you could hope and I did find myself being caught up once again in Hibito and Damien's plight all the way through to its uncomfortable to watch moments before help arrives. I have to need for these recap installments, but as a brief excuse to revisit some fantastic story-telling there are worse things that I could be doing.
I really hope that next week's recap episode the last however - I'm starting to feel a real hunger for some good new Space Brothers right now.
Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai 2 - Episode 2
More specifically, Ayase's problem is with Kirino's obsession with a new dating sim, which has seen her talking to her PS Vita (which is clearly nonsensical and unrealistic - there are no PS Vita games) and using her phone to send text messages to her virtual girlfriend. Doing a little digging at Ayase's behest, Kyousuke learns that the game is called Love Touch, and having seen a full demonstration of Kirino's obsession with it he soon understands Ayase's problem.
Thankfully, even Kirino knows that she's getting a little too into the game, and thus lends it to Kyousuke to look after her virtual girlfriend while she takes a break from it. The trouble is, Kyousuke himself is soon also hooked, although it does allow him to understand that even his sister's Love Touch obsession is at least indirectly related to her friendship with Ayase - something which he tries to demonstrate to her in a not entirely successful, but ultimately fruitful, way. Then again, maybe Ayase is taking some aspects of the game a little too seriously for her own good...
Although I'd love to say that this is the moment that Oreimo returns to form, something felt seriously "off" about this week's episode. Most notably, Kyousuke simply doesn't feel like the same character any more - to have the detached and slightly snarky elder brother we've come to know and love replaced with another drooling otaku dating sim addict both stretched credulity and broke one of the important aspects of the show, that being Kyousuke as the every-man surrounded by rabid otaku. That aside, on a more positive note there were still some funny moments here and there (including Ayase's hilarious final take on using Love Touch to impress Kirino), and little touches which perfectly capture the otaku condition (Kirino tilting her head trying to peek under a virtual girl's skirt was uncannily accurate), but I hope the series has more in its arsenal than simply that moving forward - if nothing else, it really needs to remember what made the first season so enjoyable, which it seems to be in danger of forgetting at the moment.
Chihayafuru 2 - Episode 14
Of course, our attention soon shifts back to that gripping ding-dong semi-final between Mizusawa and Akashi Girls school as it reaches its crucial final stage. After Akashi take first blood with Nishida suffering defeat, things are quickly leveled up in the match as Kana wins her game to make it one apiece. Once Taichi makes it 2-1 to Mizusawa, all eyes turn to Chihaya's game against Megumu as seemingly the natural climax of the match which everyone is now watching.
If you think this is where the game is going to end however, think again - after losing her most precious card to a surprising turn of speed from Megumu, the psychological balance arguably shifts away from Chihaya, while Megumu herself seems to have quickly built up some new techniques simply from playing against such a strong opponent. It's this new-found speed of taking cards which ultimately leads her to a win, and us to a gripping finale, with Tsutomu and his opponent left with one card each and a luck of the draw ending which Mizusawa's database wins with, all of things, a touch of superstition.
It's this second half of the episode which once again shows Chihayafuru at its most powerful - glimpsing into the teetering psychological tug of war between players, bringing high drama by engineering a few surprises and a tense finale to a match, and showing us the raw emotions in the aftermath of such a game. It's a heady blend of elements that work brilliantly at drawing in the viewer and leaving them on the edge of their seat, and it'll certainly interesting to see what spin the team tournament final will have given the strength of Mizusawa's opponents.
A Certain Scientific Railgun S - Episode 1
After that fantastic reintroduction to our main quartet of characters
and how they typically go about their business, this opener spends a
little time introducing a character who will be important further down
the line - another of Tokiwadai's level 5 ESPers, the telepathic Misaki
Shokuhou.
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| "Hello, can I order a copy of A Certain Scientific Railgun on Blu-Ray please? What, it's DVD only? Ehhhhhh?!" |
Such thoughts aside, the mainstay of this episode sees the girls joining
Uiharu's friend Erii Haruue as she pays a visit to her hospitalised
friend Banri (remember them?) Of course, trouble is never too far away
wherever Misaka tends to wander, and before we know it another section
of the hospital is the subject of a breakout by another patient who also
happens to be some kind of radical. Once Haruue gets caught up in the
ensuing escape attempt, there are no prizes for guessing who comes to
her rescue.
So there we have it - a rip-roaring start to A Certain Scientific Railgun S that
hit basically all of the right notes - from the moment that pounding
electronic soundtrack kicked in during the opening scene it was like the
gate to all my fond memories of the first series came flooding back,
and from there it didn't take too long to fall in love with its cast all
over again as the episode effortlessly flitted from comedy to overblown
but still hugely enjoyable action and back again at will, exhibiting
exactly the blend of elements that we've come to know and love from this
series. Roll on episode two, and I simply can't wait until we hit some
of the original manga's meatier material.
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