Tag Archives: anime blog

Initial Results: The Ichinose Family’s Deadly Sins

March 8, 2023 Jack Scheibelein 2 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

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(spoiler warning for all the available chapters)

Ever read something and just been…confused, horrified, excited, and gone through the entire emotional spectrum? Then, in the end, it turns out most people have not even read it much less heard about it? Well, that was not exactly the case for me since this series was shown to me by a friend of mine, but I had not seen anyone talking about it until I went out of my way to look it up.

The Ichinose Family’s Deadly Sins is by far one of the strangest series this side of English publications, and I say this while the series only has 15 chapters. The author, Taizan5, is most known for their 2021 series Takopi’s Original Sin which went semi-viral for its darker subject matter related to bullying, a lot of which seems to have transferred over into this series as well.

For those who are unaware, which is likely most people reading based on its general level of popularity, The Ichinose Family’s Deadly Sins follows a family of amnesiacs who has recently woken up in the hospital following some sort of accident. The group, unsure of the nature of their past relationships, tries to reconnect by discussing potential memories. However, it seems as though there are some darker secrets hidden behind the fog of the past.

Normally, I would just put the spoiler warning and call it a day, but if you’re at all interested in this series based on that description I highly recommend just catching up since it is still pretty early on and most of the chapters are pretty short. It is not unrealistic that medium-paced readers could catch up in about an hour or so, and probably a little over two-ish hours for those on the slower side like myself. So yeah, go do it.

If it was not clear enough already, this manga is crazy. The premise and more psychological/horror vibes to the story feel reminiscent of the early 2010’s Amnesia series that got popularized by a lot of Lets Players like Markiplier and PewdiePie. Although, without most of the gorier elements of those games, by which I mean all of them really, at least so far.

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Tsubasa, the second youngest of the family of six and a high schooler, serves as main vantage point from which the story unfolds. The story reveals very quickly that, despite having fairly positive attitudes about their situations overall (minus Shiori but we’ll get to her in a sec), it is obvious there are some darker secrets that are being hidden by the rest of the family.

Younger sister Shiori, for example, ends up getting messaged by an older man who is implied to have been messaging and hitting on her prior to the accident. She ends up trying to please this man only for Tsubasa to come in and get her out of it. All of this happens while Shiori is angered by Tsubasa’s seeming lack of urgency about their situation.

One of the things that really contributes to this often uncomfortable but nevertheless intriguing atmosphere is the contrast between the manga’s story and its character designs. Outside of being solidly written, the manga’s characters themselves are drawn in a way that feels very family friendly, with big, expressive faces that simultaneously look depressed as hell.

With respect to that sentiment, Taizan5 really knows how to draw his characters eyes. Tsubasa constantly has a look in said eyes that feel both full of hope and yet somehow constantly defeated. This is especially true in the opening chapters when dealing with his best friend turned bully and the rest of his classmates.

Despite being 15 chapters in, a not insubstantial amount, it feels like The Ichinose Family’s Deadly Sins has only gotten started. Between Kakeru being memory swapped out of existence by the new guy and his mom just straight getting CIA eliminated in the last chapter, the level of what the fuckery is only elevating.

As far as the actually quality of the series, I am a bit torn so far. On the one hand, the writing does feel pretty good. However, it does seem like there is a nonzero possibility that the manga keeps introducing plot points for shock value and then ends up with a lot more questions than answers by the end of it. Still, I am hopeful the series can stick the landing in the future.

Have you read The Ichinose Family’s Deadly Sins? What are your thoughts on the series? Let me know down in the comments.

If you are interested in reading more from me, check under blog to read my most recent stuff, or look below for some related posts. Also, if you would like to support Animated Observations, consider donating on Ko-fi or through paypal, or pledging on Patreon. You can even support by just liking and sharing this post.

As always, special thanks to Jenn for the support on Patreon.

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

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Anime/Manga, Initial Results

Initial Results: Komi Can’t Communicate

November 10, 2021 Jack Scheibelein 6 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

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Ok, so I already talked about Blue Period on Sunday, so I figured I might as well talk about the other seasonal series I have been watching: Komi Can’t Communicate. Another series that had a lot of manga hype and another series that I have been enjoying a lot for the most part. While, as of the writing of this post, there have only been about three episodes released, there is enough here to warrant talking about it. With that being said, let us get started.

Komi Can’t Communicate hilariously chronicles the unapproachable and yet incredibly loveable Komi, a girl whose social anxiety renders her unable to speak to people in person. Tadano has managed to find himself in the same school as Komi, although given his self-described “average” qualities, feels a bit out of place alongside his…unusual classmates. One day, he begins talking to Komi through a chalkboard, and the two ultimately become friends. Now, Tadano is on a mission to help Komi open up to others and make 100 friends.

Though it was not represented a ton in public discourse, and the comparison has yet to land, I have seen a few people putting this series next to the likes of Nagatoro, Uzaki, and others as “bait,” and while I can understand this comparison on a surface level, I do not necessarily agree. Whereas the main characters in those series feel designed and written to initiate outrage among certain groups, Komi does not really give me the same vibe. Rather than being an outward, almost obnoxiously energetic character, she feels very much like the opposite, subdued by her anxiety and overall reserved. This is not to say it would be impossible to write a “bait” character in that mold, only that the character of Komi and the story being told feels more genuine.

The show also is not as outwardly sexual as those series, at least not at Komi or Tadano’s expense. The most sexual character so far is probably Agari and at the very least it is out of a genuine attraction to Komi rather than just “lol fanservice.” Granted, this could change later on, but the sense I get overall from Komi Can’t Communicate is a desire to have a conversation about social anxiety through comedy. Whether the series will ultimately succeed in that goal has yet to be seen, but, at least for now, it is not doing a terrible job.

Tadano, on the other hand, is, well…ok. He’s not an outright horrible character, but currently, he feels much more like a lens through which to view Komi rather than a distinct character of his own. In many scenarios, he is relegated to the butt of some admittedly pretty funny jokes, but not much else. That is not to say he does not have potential, however. Clearly there is a storyline to be told between himself and Komi, and while his character design feels fairly bland, I would like to know the motivation behind that flower shape on his head.

Overall, while I am less excited about Komi Can’t Communicate than some other series I have been watching recently, there is still plenty of potential, and though I might not necessarily be able to convince people who have written it off as “bait,” I would still encourage everyone to give it a shot.

How do you all feel about Komi Can’t Communicate? Let me know in the comments below

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

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Anime/Manga, Initial Results

Initial Results: Blue Period

November 7, 2021 Jack Scheibelein 7 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

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Alright, so I have a confession to make: I do not really expect much out of seasonal anime anymore. Maybe it’s a combination of my reviewer mentality of trying to go into everything neutral mixed with my general unfamiliarity, but whenever I sit down to watch something currently airing, I just sort of expect to not be particularly compelled. Luckily, though, the hype surrounding Blue Period was not at all unwarranted, and despite the series only being five episodes in, I can say fairly confidently that I have enjoyed it thus far.

For those who also rarely follow manga hype, Blue Period tells the story of Yatora Yaguchi, a delinquent turned art student whose whole life is still ahead of him. Yaguchi has always been concerned with studying and getting good grades so that he can get into a good school and not have to worry his parents financially. As a byproduct, however, he never really found a passion of his own. That is until he sees art club member Mori’s painting and becomes inspired. Thus, he starts his journey of improving his art enough to get into the only school his family can theoretically afford: the Tokyo University of the Arts.

I generally try and avoid using relatability as the sole factor in judging whether or not a character is good because there are plenty of characters who I would consider good that do not necessarily meet that criteria (see Terror in Resonance). However, Yaguchi is a character that taps into something a lot more recent: a continued sense of unknowing. He wants to pursue his passions but is constantly doubting himself, and even when he does do good work, his mental state is not always healthy enough to agree.

However, it is not just his particular situation and mindset that make him a good character. The series does a great job of reminding us of the clock that Yaguchi is on. Every day that goes by is another day closer to the entrance exams for TUA, and while Yaguchi seems to be making progress on his art, the looming pressure of the exams makes it hard for him to recognize that.

If the series were solely about Yaguchi, I would still think it a great show, but what has so far pushed it over the edge is just how much the series’ subplots are developed even with him as the primary focus. Yaguchi’s relationship with Mori, his extended rivalry/contempt of Takahashi, and his increasingly more complex relationship with Ryuuji, who we find out is a trans woman and is struggling to be accepted by those other than Yaguchi and the art club. Even his friends going from seeming delinquents to supportive and understanding of his art is a Legitimately powerful moment.

I do not want to say too much more, otherwise, I will have little to talk about when I eventually review the series. However, for those who were not aware or are currently on the fence about starting the series, Blue Period is worth at least a little of your time.

How are you all feeling about Blue Period? Let me know in the comments below.

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

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Anime/Manga, Opinion

Dealing with Mental Burnout

October 29, 2021 Jack Scheibelein Leave a comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

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As I get back into the swing of posting articles again, I decided it would be easier to also continue to post some of my old columns. Today’s column is one I wrote about a couple years ago and is still incredibly applicable to my life currently since I often find it hard to keep with my hobbies while also doing school. This is an article about burnout, both on how to avoid it and how to deal with it if it’s already happened. With that being said, here it is.

Most people have experienced burnout of some kind at some point in their life. It seems that the most common form of this is with a favorite food or drink. After consuming it a lot within a short time frame, the taste buds start to get bored of it, and eventually, it loses that special something that made it so good in the first place.

This also happens a lot with people’s hobbies. Given that hobbies are something people choose to do in their free time, it makes sense that they would want to spend a lot of time doing it. However, it can also reach a point where doing it too much leads us to falling out of favor with that hobby. For me, this has happened a couple of times with anime.

I would get into a routine of spending nearly all my time either watching anime, looking for new anime to watch, or talking about anime with people online, and while I did have a ton of fun, it got unhealthy. Eventually, I would just get tired of it, and watch nothing for a few months at least.

As of writing this article, this has happened about three times now. The first was near the end of freshman year, where I had spent most of my summer break bingeing different series, never really giving myself any time to recover. The second was during my junior year, where the stress of taking four AP classes and joining multiple clubs had my head rolling constantly.

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The third was more recently. I had been watching so much anime, and then I started thinking about why I was even doing so to begin with, to the point where I even questioned my passion for it. All of this is to say that, no matter what hobby a person has, they can always get burnt out. With that being said, here are a few helpful tips to avoid doing so.

First, it is important that a hobby not be the only thing a person does. While it might not immediately make sense to limit doing something a person likes, if it becomes their sole reason for living, then it can become unhealthy. Mixing in other hobbies into a person’s free time, or hanging out with friends one meets from that hobby can be great ways to avoid this.

Second, it is also important that a person not attach success or failure in that hobby to their self-worth. As someone who has played a lot of “Super Smash Bros” and competed against others in weekly tournaments, it can be pretty easy to get discouraged and feel bad when one does poorly. It helps to take those negative thoughts and turn them into goals if that’s applicable. If not, just take a break, whether that be a day or week, and then come back.

Burnout is something that almost everyone experiences, even in their own hobbies. We all get sick of doing stuff, especially when we do it too much. However, there are ways to avoid it, and by taking the proper steps now, it becomes much less likely later on.

What are your experiences with burnout, and how have you dealt with them? Let me know in the comments below.

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

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Anime/Manga, Opinion

Five Anime Characters Who Deserve Spinoffs

August 11, 2021 Jack Scheibelein 2 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

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Oftentimes anime, and stories in general, are defined by their main characters. “Harry Potter,” “Naruto,” anime aimed at kids such as “Yugioh” and “Pokemon,” as well as a ton of others. Some stories are just better suited to that orientation, which is totally fine. However, there are a lot of series which produce characters who are more interesting than the main character, and sometimes even just more interesting than the rest of the show. With that in mind, today, I thought I would take the opportunity to talk about some of these significantly more interesting characters, ones that could probably rock their own spinoff series. Without further adu, let us get into it.

N (Pokemon: Black and White)

Is…this cheating?

Part of me was not sure whether to include a “Pokémon” character here because it feels like the games is the primary medium through which people enjoy the franchise. Still, many people grew up with and still currently enjoy the anime series, so it feels kind of fair.

N still feels like an anomaly as far as “Pokémon” characters go. After all, most character motivation in the anime series goes as far as being a good trainer or breeder and while it is true that the series is aimed at kids, that always came off as kind of lazy. N, however, is one of the sole exceptions. Much of his arc as a villain is him questioning the structure of “Pokémon” society, asking the tough questions like “Are Pokemon treated fairly?” and “Are they better off without humans?” I did not actually watch all of B&W, so I can only really attest to his arc in the original games, but he could easily carry a 12 episode cour set in the “Pokémon” Universe.

Hinata Miyake (A Place Further Than the Universe)

This one is a little less fair because all of the characters in “A Place Further Than the Universe” are actually good. However, of the four main girls, she feels the most interesting, even without having the most development. This is because what we do get of her background is really interesting. Homeschooled most of her life and graduated high school early, now doing college while working part time at a convenience store and just shows up wanting to go to Antarctica.

There are so many questions that surround her throughout the course of the series, and unfortunately, there are not that many answers. Now, maybe she does not carry a whole 12 episode series by herself, but I do think she is worth at least a couple of OVAs focused on her, with a bigger focus on her life as a kid.

Akari Kawamoto (March Comes in Like a Lion)

Speaking of super interesting characters who did not get as much development as they probably should have…

Do not get me wrong, “March” is still one of my favorite shows. However, for as interesting as Hina’s arc was in the second season, it felt like Akari was oftentimes neglected. As the primary maternal figure in the series who essentially had to take on that role at the drop of a hat, one might think that she would have a bit more focus than she does. Like, sure, she definitely has some spotlight episodes, but none that are primarily about her, aside from maybe one or two. This also is not to say that she is more interesting than Rei. But I do think a series which focused on her transformation from a daughter to a guardian figure would be incredibly interesting.

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Shun Aonuma (From the New World)

Re-watching this series recently made me realize just how much depth there is behind the story and characters, even if the production quality is not always there to support it. At the top of the candidates for most interesting from the series is Shun. Yeah, sure, part of that interest is generated from just how early he exits the series. However, his relationship with Saki and Satoru was genuinely one of the most interesting elements, and his home life is left a complete mystery. There is a ton here that could very easily fill up a mini-OVA series.

Arthur Boyle (Fire Force)

Ok, but like seriously, can he talk about him?

I said in my discussion of “Fire Force” that Arthur’s character is…confusing. Like, he’s perpetually stupid, was raised in a happy family until he was not, and thinks he is King Arthur because his parents pretended with him and now he just uses the persona as childhood trauma. Yet, he is relegated in the anime as a…joke character? To be honest, his entire existence just bewilders me so much. I would want to see a spinoff focusing on him for no other reason than clarification, because wtf?!

What characters would you like to see get their own spinoff? Let me know in the comments.

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

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Anime/Manga, Observation Deck

Final Thoughts: Gleipnir

January 3, 2021 Jack Scheibelein 2 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

That was…better than I expected.

I have talked a lot about how when going into most shows, I tend to have little or no expectations as to what the show’s contents will be so I can give it a fair evaluation, but inevitably there will be some anime that spark such an interest that it inevitably leads to excitement. For me, “Gleipnir” was one of those shows.

Though, I will say that for this show most of my expectations were generated solely based on the show’s aesthetic and a strange connection I made between it and old “Amnesia” lets-plays from Markiplier. Just…don’t ask. So, how did the show live up to my oddly inspired expectations? Actually, pretty well.

For once, I was not betrayed by hopes of what the show could offer, even if most others would probably disagree with me as to the elements worthy of merit. With that being said, without stalling much longer, lets get into it.

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The Bad Stuff

Ok, so lets just start with what I do think the show did badly. First things first, for as much as she seemingly does in the show, Clair is not really that interesting. Like, I get that she is there to create juxtaposition and tension, specifically between Shuuichi and Elena. However, outside of that purpose, and also for the occasional random fanservice, she barely has a personality other than being sarcastic and mean. Like, the most important thing she does is help Shuuichi get back his memories by asking him when the last time he saw his parents.

The other bad thing about the show that I think can be justified somewhat is its ending. The show left off on what I have heard referred to by many as a “read the manga” ending, which is exactly what it sounds like. This makes it a lot less enjoyable since there is no clear resolution and a main villain yet to be fought who was introduced only episode before the end of the series. Still, I do not think it is as big a deal, because from what has happened so far, it feels as though there is a clear ending in mind based on what has happened so far.

Now, to cover my ass a bit, I did make a very similar criticism against “Beastars” when I finished its first season a while ago. The reason I think that criticism is more valid against a show like “Beastars” as opposed to “Gleipnir” is that it feels as though “Gleipnir” has earned has put a bit more complexity into the exploration of its own themes whereas “Beastars” felt like it was using its themes as a sort of backdrop to help move along its poorly developed characters and plot.

The Good Stuff

Pretty much everything else to be honest. Yeah, I said it. The show’s pretty good. Not really sure why the show is rated so poorly. The concept alone is interesting enough, with the battle royale style format mixed with a mission from an alien race and the ability to change people’s forms at will.

The powers themselves have all of the appeal of the Nen system from Hunter X Hunter, with forms people take on being a manifestation of their own, although in some cases other people’s, desires. In particular, the powers of the group that Shuuichi and Clair end up joining are pretty cool, especially Isao, who has the ability to grow plants by simply touching them.

I try not to comment on music too much because it is not my field of expertise, but I will say that the indie horror game ambience created by much of the soundtrack was a serious boon to my enjoyment of the show. The sound effects too were enjoyable and not at all irritating to listen to, which is a lot more than I can say for other series.

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Conclusion

As part of my renewed focus on seasonal shows, I wanted to clear out a few that I had yet to finish, and I still have “Kaguya-sama” and a few others to go. However, I am glad that I finished this show, in particular, as it left me with a great sense of enjoyment. While it certainly is not perfect, and there are definitely a few more things I could highlight that need improvement, it was fun.

How do you all feel about “Gleipnir?” Let me know in the comments below.

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

Anime/Manga, Initial Results

First Impressions: Jujutsu Kaisen

November 29, 2020 Jack Scheibelein 1 Comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

For anyone reading me at this point, it shouldn’t be a surprise that I haven’t exactly been keeping up with what’s been trending in the anime community. Initially, I did this for own sanity, as keeping up with every show I wanted to watch in a give season eventually became a hassle. Still, I do miss the ability to talk about anime with other people, and it gets kind of boring when all I have seen are older shows. So, in the interest of keeping myself up to date, I thought it best to at least check out something from this season, and what better than the show everyone’s already talking about: Jujutsu Kaisen.

Its always really hard when talking about new shounen anime to refrain from comparisons to other shows, and since I am an unoriginal hack, I will ignore my better instincts and make a few comparisons right off the bat. Firstly, the main character, Yuji Itadori, reminds me a lot of “Black Clover” in just how generically positive he is about his situation. Like, within one episode, his grandpa dies and then his friends are taken hostage by demons.

I don’t mean to imply that every character needs to go on for half the series thinking about their dead friends and family, but his reaction leaned way to far into “yeah, whatever” territory for my liking.

Still, despite being the main character of the show, the little personality he has does not actually bother me all that much. In fact, the story in concept is fairly interesting, to say the least. After swallowing a special grade cursed item, Yuji must now serve as both a storage device and locator for the remaining fingers of Sakuna, an all powerful curse that existed during the golden age of Jujutsu.

In this way, it feels a lot like “Dororo,” in that Yuji is going on a mission to find what will eventually become part of himself. Though, I do like the distinction hear that Yuji is doing this because only he can, and that Sakuna serves as both a motivator and a deterrent in living out the rest of his life.

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Speaking of good writing, the side characters in “Jujutsu Kaisen” are loads better than most of the recent shounen I have watched. While I have only seen three episode so far, the way the show has built up Gojo, Fushiguro and Kugisaki while still leaving a lot of their backstory left to be told is magnificently done. Props to Gege Akutami on the original story for doing such a great job.

Their is also a lot of be said about the fight scenes as well. Fluidity is something I, along with many other anime critics, talk about a lot, but it is always worth emphasizing. The Fluidity of an action scene can be the difference between something looking cool in theory but having terrible execution and looking cool and theory and having fantastic execution.

“Jujutsu Kaisen” is firmly on the later end of that comparison, as the sorcerers all look incredibly cool when they are fighting. Yuji, in particular, has lot of great moments where the detail on a punch or a kick is so incredibly thorough that it feels like I could actually find the exact frame when an attack connects without even trying.

As far as music goes, while I cannot say with a hundred percent certainty since I have not heard the whole thing, the soundtrack is shaping up to be pretty average. It feels pretty stereotypical to have a lot of hard rock and rap mixture as the basis for shounen soundtracks nowadays, and so far I have not heard much different. Still, I can’t deny that the show’s opening and ending are very fun to jam out to.

Overall, while I do think the series is already bogged down a bit by reliance on tropes, it certainly does not make the show bad, and the good more than makes up for any mediocrity.

How do you all feel about “Jujutsu Kaisen?” Let me know in the comments below (no manga spoilers please).

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

Anime/Manga, Episode Reactions

AnoHana Episode Four: A Truth Revealed

October 7, 2020 Jack Scheibelein Leave a comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

So, remember last time when I said I mostly do not remember the series? Yeah, this episode is the one that really stuck with me, Mostly for its big reveal, but also because of the moments that lead up to it. I talked last week about how AnoHana has a lot of smaller moments that make its bigger moments feel that much more powerful, and this episode is another prime example of that. With that being said, lets get into it.

Yukiatsu’s Spell of Doubt

As the crew search for the Menma, Jintan and Anjo reflect on the fact that Jintan liked, and seemingly still likes her. This causes Anjo, who also still seemingly has a crush on Jintan, to have some mixed feelings. After a little while the crew go back to the barbeque only to find Yukiatsu cooking food. He then uses the opportunity to say that the Menma he saw wishes the group would stop obsessing over her and just move on. Jintan, knowing this isn’t true, tries to convince the group otherwise, but just ends up leaving.

The most powerful thing about this scene is just how powerless Jintan is. He knows that he has no way to prove Menma’s existence, and so its still just his word versus Yukiatsu’s, despite Menma literally being right in front of them saying otherwise.

Tsurumi’s Redemption

Tsurumi up until this point has been rather cold, except for eventually making up with Anjo in the episode prior. She also seems like the most calm of the group even when confronted with the idea that Menma’s spirit might still be out there, haunting the group. However, it has also been evident that her suspicion of Yukiatsu has been growing with each episode, which is why it makes sense that she finally helps uncover his secret.

Using Jintan and the rest of the group as bait, Tsurumi manages to lore the supposed second Menma out of hiding by having everyone meet up at the hideout once again. After another night of waiting for Menma’s spirit to appear once again, they finally manage to find her running through the woods. After catching up with the supposed second Menma, they catch her only to find out

Yukiatsu’s Secret.

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Projection (Noun): the presentation or promotion of someone or something in a particular way, the unconscious transfer of one’s own desires or emotions to another person.

Humans do not really have a lot of tools to help ourselves through emotional and mental pain, so the tools people do have are used quite often.

It takes a lot of repressed pain and suffering to go out dressed as your dead friend pretending like your not affected by her passing at all. It was definitely weird to repeatedly see Menma’s clothes in Yukiatsu’s closet up until this point, but when it was revealed for the first time that he was dressing up as Menma himself, my mind nearly collapsed from sadness. Certainly people will cope in there own ways, but it became obvious after this episode that some people confuse healing with release.

Conclusion

Next episode brings the fallout of this discovery, with all of Yukiatsu’s stored away pain to the forefront. It becomes obvious in hindsight just how much projecting and repressing he was doing while the others were trying to confront the loss of their friend, and while it may be strange reveal, it certainly makes sense considering Yukiatsu’s character.

How do you all feel about episode four? Let me know in the comments below.

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

Anime/Manga, Opinion

My Shounen Anime Tier List for 2020

August 16, 2020 Jack Scheibelein 9 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Since I am about to inundated with school related stuff, I figured it would be fun to take a chill day and do something a little more simple. So, I decided to make a shounen anime tier list. This was originally going to be a lot bigger, but then all of my work got deleted after the internet went out at my house, so here is a much smaller version.

Just a clarification about how I make my tier lists: Just because a show is relatively low compared to another does not mean I think there is nothing good about that show, only that it has less good than other shows. Also, the shows are not ordered within each tier. If two shows are in the same tier, that means I probably have a very similar opinion about both, just maybe with different strengths and weaknesses .Going over all of these would probably make for a pretty drab post, so I’ll just highlight my reasoning on a few of them.

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Naruto and Bleach

While I do consider both of these two big three members to be fairly good shows, ultimately I don’t think they rise above the best of what shounen has to offer. They definitely has their moments, “Naruto” especially so, but shows like “FMA” and “The Promised Neverland” have much better highs and lows, even relative tho their episode count.

Dragon Ball

It should be noted that my rating for “Dragon Ball,” along with “Black Clover,” is based solely on the amount of the show that I have seen. For Dragon Ball, that would be up to the destruction of Namek and for Black Clover up to the initial exams, respectively.

Othewise, that’s my list.

Feel free to discuss down in the comments, civilly of course. Let me know what you think, and send me your own if you have a different opinion.

If you can’t, or just don’t feel like it, no worries. Thank you all for reading, and goodbye, for now, friends!

Anime/Manga, Initial Results

First Impressions: Fire Force

July 19, 2020 Jack Scheibelein 1 Comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

If you have been following this blog for a while, you all may remember that this is not actually going to be my first impressions of “Fire Force,” as I did do a reaction to the first episode a while back. However, seeing as how I was initially pretty lukewarm on the series when I first watched it, I wanted to try revisiting it, given that its second season is now airing. Despite not having much interest initially, I will say that upon re-watching the first few episodes, I am much more invested in the show than I was previously.

For those unaware, “Fire Force” tells the story of Shinra Kusakabe, a new recruit to the 8th division of Special Fire Force Company. The company’s mission is two fold: to defend against spontaneous human combustion, which creates beings called infernals, and to find out the reason behind why these beings began appearing at random. As for Shinra, not only does he want to become a hero, but aims to solve the mystery behind his mom and brother’s death 12 years ago.

The thing that initially turned me off from the series, aside from all of the people singing its praise and my irrational need to be skeptical of things other people enjoy, was actually Shinra himself. I felt like I could not really pin him as a character, but now that I have watched a little more, I can see that he is actually a mix of Okubo’s previous work, most immediately like a mix of Soul and Black Star from “Soul Eater”

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While it may not be immediately obvious given the studio’s relatively recent rise to prominence, David Production has done some amazing work, most notably with everyone’s favorite meme “Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure.” It seems as though the studio has indeed put the same level of love into “Fire Force,” as the quality of the animation is almost always on point. There are a few awkward moments, like near the end of the third episode where there were clearly some very liberal uses of still frames, but otherwise the show’s action scenes more than make up for it, at least so far.

The music is also a high point for the series. Not only are the opening and ending both great listens, but the rest of the soundtrack manages to bring at the best in the series, especially during action scenes.

Overall, my feelings of doubt in “Fire Force” were extremely misplaced. The series is fun and exciting, and sometimes that is all you really need to make a good series. While I honestly cannot say where it will go from here, I sure am excited for the journey.

What do you all think of “Fire Force?” Let me know in the comments.