Tag Archives: Made in Abyss

Summer 2022 Episode Reviews: Week Nine

September 4, 2022 Jack Scheibelein 1 Comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Advertisements

Welcome back, everyone, to another edition of our weekly seasonal review, where this week showed a lot of promise, but also some lows that were maybe a bit lower than last week. With that being said, let us get started.

The Devil is a Part-Timer S2 Ep. 8

Honestly, I was expecting a bit of a change of pace after the way the last episode ended, but it appears the series is still on a temporary job arc. Seeing as how McRonalds is still under repair, the boys accept an offer to work on Chiho’s family farm, accept that Emi and Suzuno have brought Alas Ramus and are ready to work with them.

This episode was…fine. I appreciate the attempt this season to seriously question the nature of Emi and Maou’s relationship, given the events that have already transpired. Sure, they have to take care of a kid, but that by no means negates what their relationship was previously. On top of that, Chiho still has to deal with the fact that they are both literally from another world and are always going to be at odds. Not particularly amazing, but not especially bad either.

RWBY: Ice Queendom Ep. 10

I usually try to be polite, but sometimes that is really hard because when I talked about lower low points, I definitely meant this show. Time is of the essence, and with the chances of rescuing Weiss becoming slimmer than ever, Blake resorts to a dangerous plan: infecting herself with the nightmare and using its power to fight negative Weiss.

Honestly, my complaints have not changed much from episode to episode, as the weakest and most obviously bad part of Ice Queendom continues to be the series’ animation. Some look incredibly well coordinated and movie-esk, while others look like the work of one animator who was given an hour’s notice. This is not to say that the results are the fault of any individual in a literal sense, but the inconsistency is notable because of how obvious it is.

Lycoris Recoil Ep. 10

Am I ready to admit this show is good yet? no, I think I will just wait and see how they wrap it up first. While Chisato is saying her goodbyes and coming to peace with herself, Takina is engaged on the mission to catch Majima, while herself looking for answers to where Yoshimatsu could be hiding.

Look, it is not like I am saying Lycoris Recoil is bad, far from it. However, where RWBY has a problem with inconsistent animation, this series has had some real ups and downs in its story. So much about the world just feels poorly explained or underutilized. To its credit, this episode did do some much-needed addressing of the show’s underlying philosophy, with Majima arguing with the head of the DA about why the organization should even exist. After all, it operates with seemingly no accountability to any other form of government. Idk, something worth thinking about in there.

Call of the Night Ep. 9

Things are certainly heating up this week, especially for what I would still consider the two best shows on this list. Though their relationship has been…strange up until this point, Kou decides to spend some time with Seri, noticing that she seems to be bothered by something. This turns out to be the case, as one of her stalkers shows up at their karaoke bar, and Kou has to stop her from killing him.

This was definitely not the episode I expected this week, especially after the reveal at the end of the last episode. Yet, It still managed to be emotionally engaging, just in a very different way. Seri, who exists as a vampire, has for a long time only been able to look at relationships with humans through the lens of romance, which for her has become tiring.

She is introduced just a few episodes earlier as a foil to Nazuna, and yet the two seem to have a lot more in common than what the series lets on. Giving the stalker dude a happy ending was maybe a little bit questionable, but it seems like even he had a similar problem to Seri, in that he was only able to view his relationship with her through romance. So, from that perspective, it at least makes sense.

Made in Abyss S2 Ep. 9

Have I mentioned that I like this arc a lot? While it certainly has its share of stomach-turning moments, even those have contributed to a world that feels even more its own now compared to just the first season. While Riko finishes learning about the secrets of the village from Vueko, Reg brings home one of Faputa’s limbs because…ok imma be honest I already forgot the reason. Regardless, a monster appears to protect the village, and Reg has to blast a hole in the wall to kill it, letting Faputa come inside.

That ending…sheesh. Granted, it was heavily implied over the last few episodes, but that does not make it any less exciting. Though, exciting feels like a weirdly inappropriate word what is at stake in this story. After all, the literal child of a living village is taking revenge on its inhabitants for abusing said mother in order to survive. It is heavy, but in a way that makes total sense given the events that have transpired. It is a conclusion I do not want to miss.

What are your thoughts on the shows this season? 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 supporting the blog 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!

Advertisements

Anime/Manga, Seasonal Reviews

Summer 2022 Episode Reviews: Week Eight

August 29, 2022 Jack Scheibelein 1 Comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Advertisements

Apologies again for the delay folks. Sometimes you just get tired, crack open a couple of drinks and then decide it is a bit too late to finish a post. It has certainly been a week for me, but it is also been a week for summer 2022. With that being said, let us get started.

RWBY: Ice Queendom Eps. 8-9

My opinion on RWBY has gone up and down quite a bit, but these last couple of episodes have been all around really good. The rest of the gang plus Jaune are still fighting, but once again fail to destroy the nightmare. Still trapped inside the dream, Ruby is forced to deal with her own nightmare while Blake and Yang are banished from inside the city to someplace much darker.

The scenes that involve Ruby’s dream within a dream are a real awakening into her character. They visualize her worst insecurities in a way that almost feels genuinely horrifying in a way that feels similar, but maybe slightly more hopeless than even “Congratulations, Shinji” did for Evangelion. Even more central, though, is Weiss’ internal struggle, which is also well done. Even in this dreamt-up city, there is a visible sense of collapse and decay which furthers episode to episode. Still a lot of potential, but I will wait to hand out any more praise.

The Devil is a Part-Timer S2 Ep. 7

While I certainly understand and agree with some of the criticisms surrounding this show’s second season, there is still a good bit of fun to be had with The Devil is a Part-Timer, and this episode shows that its focus on narrative doesn’t have to be boring. Maou and friends fight off a demon army only to find out from its commander that Olba has been working with Hell, after which Maou and the others promptly send them back alongside birdman, but not before finding out their temporary boss is incredibly powerful. She then disappears in order to protect the ghosts which inhabit the beach, leaving everyone incredibly confused.

How does Amane have a sword made of Maou’s missing horn? Why is it suddenly canon that their landlord knows about Maou literally being the devil? IDK. Is it possible I am forgetting something incredibly important? Possibly. Again, a more narratively focused season is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean the show has to operate at a much faster pace if it wants to maintain any forward momentum.

Lycoris Recoil Ep. 9

I really wanted to say that this show was bad, or maybe even just “mid,” as the kids say. Much like Ice Queedom, though, it has enough good moments through all of its confusing sub-plots to warrant sticking around, even if its just to see how this weird mess unfolds. We get a pretty emotional episode, however, as an attack from an Alan Institute “nurse” leaves Chisato’s artificial heart unable to be recharged, meaning she only has two months left of her already likely short lifespan.

I could tell from episode one that, despite a strange setup, Chisato’s and Takina’s chemistry would go beyond a simple “cute girls doing cute things dynamic,” in part due to the nature of said story, but also because of their constant working together allows them to see things about each other even her teacher (father) might not. Takina’s attempt to put Chisato’s mind at ease before heading off to fight Majima shows growth both in her character and her relationship with Chisato.

Call of the Night Ep. 8

Speaking of good character dynamics…

Call of the Night is so damn fun. I know I have been saying some iteration of that for the past month and a half now, but it becomes no less true with each passing week. This episode is a bit more serious, however, as we get the revelations that Kou must become a vampire within the year or he will be unable to, and thus will likely be killed by the others. In light of this information, he turns to Akira, and the newly introduced Mahiru, another person that Kou decidedly considers his friend, but one who is revealed to also potentially be involved with a vampire.

This was a much more reflective episode, and rightly so given recent events. Still, rather than spiraling into a moody atmosphere, it takes the occasion to make fun of Kou’s middle school attempts at romance, which Nazuna initially rejects before ultimately deciding to save his ego. Also, I have no idea what is going to become of Kou and Mahiru’s relationship, but the show isn’t shy about poking fun at how obviously obsessed Kou is with his approval, so I guess we will see.

Made in Abyss Ep. 8

Every time I think this show can’t get more disturbing, it says “hold my beer” and horribly mutilates a child. In all seriousness though, the golden city arc has been one of the most endlessly fascinating pieces of media I have seen this year. We get the rest of the island’s origin story from the perspective of Vueko, who, even in the present, shows great concern for Irumyuui, with her only wish being that she remembers her. Importantly, we also find out that Faputa is Irumyuui’s last living daughter.

Wazukyan has become a complicated figure over the course of these last few episodes, and the characterization of him and the rest of the original crew has been genuinely fascinating. Vueko, while being largely shrouded in mystery up until this point, is equally so, though arguably a bit less morally reprehensible. At the end of the day, though, it perfectly encapsulates Made in Abyss: a story about adventure and finding hope even in the most brutal of environments.

How did you all feel about this weeks episodes? Let me know in the comments below.

As always, special thanks to Jenn for supporting us 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!

Advertisements

Anime/Manga, Seasonal Reviews

Summer 2022 Episode Reviews: Week Seven

August 21, 2022 Jack Scheibelein 1 Comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Advertisements

Made in Abyss S2 Ep. 7

To repeat what I said earlier this week on Twitter dot com:

Just finished episode seven of Made in Abyss. If I may, ehem…

WHAT THE FUCK?!
— often jack, but not always (@JScheibelein) August 17, 2022

This week’s episode gives us the payoff to the backstory which was established at the beginning of the season. The adventurers are indeed successful in securing their place in the Golden City only to be met with the harsh reality therein. Their water source is essentially poisoned, and fearless leader Wazukyan is forced to make some hard decisions.

Primarily the hard decision of eating dead babies, and potentially Irumyuui, but based on the wording of that last line it is not exactly clear. As far as effective payoff goes, this episode definitely delivered. I honestly am not sure why I expected it to be less dark considering 1. It is Made in Abyss, and 2. the show already implied it pretty heavily considering the state of the hollow village.

The show’s obsession with human fecal matter will never not be weird, but at least in this case it kind of makes sense. Nobody normally drinks poisoned water and has a good experience coming out of it. Still, the graphic nature of it is hard to get used to. A great episode to be sure, but maybe one you don’t watch while eating food.

Call of the Night Ep. 7

Up to this point, Call of the Night has largely been episodic, focusing on the budding relationship of Nazuna and Kou while occasionally introducing new characters. This episode shifts gears a bit, instead drawing attention to the vampire politics of this world as Kou gets abducted by a group of other vampires after meeting a strange new girl.

The opening for the series teases these characters in every episode, but it was never clear how or even when they would be introduced. In regards to these characters, there are two things this episode does pretty well. First, it gives them each distinct personality even though they only have a single 20 minutes between five new characters. Second, it does the former without trying to immediately info-dump the entirety of vampiric lore.

Far too many shows have fallen victim to the “tell don’t show” idea of storytelling, a tendency probably made worse by just how awful anime production can be. Even anime greats like Fate/Zero have made minor mistakes in that regard. Dropping a 14-year-old in the middle of a room full of vampire ladies and telling him he needs to convert or die is about as direct as you can get, so good on them for that.

Advertisements

RWBY: Ice Queendom Ep. 7

Another episode and…yeah the cracks are beginning to show with this one.

In all fairness, this was a pretty solid episode. Jaune now joins the rest of team RWBY and utilizes his previous nightmare infection to sneak around the castle base. On top of that, we see that Weiss, for all her attempts to act mature, is secretly desperate to enjoy life as if she were a kid again.

I have yet to make this connection, but the thing that really cliques for me about this arc in particular, and why I am still rooting for the series to do better, is because it reminds me a lot of Persona 5. Instead of dealing with the outside danger that is the other Grimm or the white fang, the group is forced to deal with the corrupted mind of one of society’s elite, who also happens to be their teammate.

It is genuinely fascinating, and for what it is, I enjoy it. It is a shame though that the animation is not quite there to consistently match it. Shaft has definitely done a lot better, including my literal favorite anime of all time. But, I am here for the ride now, so I will see where it goes, at least.

The Devil is a Part-Timer S2 Ep. 6

Lots of interesting development in this one, huh? The fog which was worrying our protagonists produces not one, not two, but three demons, one of whom is the former strategist for Maou. The gang begins questioning this new addition but is interrupted by their new job working at the beach. The end of the episode leaves us with a worrying Twist: that their new boss may just be another enemy.

As an individual episode, this was very solid. Not only do we get some good comedic moments between basically the whole cast while they are working at the restaurant, but it also does a lot for the forward momentum of the plot. While I have no idea what Camio’s introduction will mean for the rest of the show, I do hope it doe not turn into a simple mascot for the season, especially since the show already has one. Still, really solid, cannot complain.

Lycoris Recoil Ep. 8

Honestly, I could say a lot of what I just said for Devil is a Part-Timer Lycoris Recoil, as this was also a really solid episode. The whole of the still feels a bit incoherent, but this felt significantly more focused. For some reason, literally no one realized that their business was failing, and so Takina decides to step up as their financial advisor, to great success. The shop becomes a lot more popular as a result. Meanwhile, questions about Makima and the Alan Institute become much more complicated when he reveals that he too was helped by them.

This episode has basically everything you could want out of this show: Funny bits not built on weird sexual humor, touching moments between Takina and Chisato, solid animation, and action scenes that look incredibly badass. If every episode was as good as this one, I would feel a lot better about the series as is. Hopefully, next week’s episode can capitalize as well as this one did.

How are you feeling about the shows this week? Let me know down in the comments.

As always, shout out to Jenn for supporting us 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!

Advertisements

Anime/Manga, Seasonal Reviews

Summer 2022 Episode Reviews: Week Six

August 14, 2022 Jack Scheibelein 1 Comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Advertisements

It is time once again for our weekly seasonal highlights, talking about the good, the bad, and the mid. The season is about halfway over now, and I would be lying if I said my feelings were not mixed. All of the shows I am still covering have had their share of fantastic moments, but not without some strange ones as well.

Call of the Night Ep. 6

This show gets weirder and weirder every episode. But, like, weird in a good way…mostly. The majority of the episode involves Kou giving a massage to/interacting with one of Nazuna’s clients, a young woman whose unhealthy connection to her work is causing her severe stress. Later on, the two go late night swimming, only for Kou to get jealous when Nazuna gets approached by other guys.

This was not an episode I expected to be as powerful as it was. I’m not gonna say it is the most amazing thing ever or anything like that. However, the way it conflates the absurdity of working a job she clearly hates with the absurdity of Kou wanting to become a vampire, along with fully committing to the “flawed” logic of it all is genuinely a heartwarming moment.

Meanwhile, Kou’s jealousy later on in the episode seems to imply that his feelings for Nazuna are developing in a genuine manner. It is one thing to watch a traditional romance show, it is another entirely to watch someone develop those feelings for the first time, all while barely understanding himself, to begin with. The series really excels at these little moments of intimacy, and hope it will continue with them going forward.

Made in Abyss S2 Ep. 6

Made in Abyss also excels in its character moments, but also has the benefit of building an incredibly diverse and unique fantasy world that most writers only dream of being able to create. We get a bit more action in this episode, as well, as Riko’s rescue of Nanachi gets interrupted by a stranger creature who attacks the village. As such, Riko and Company are forced to devise a plan in seeming record time in order to save everyone.

This was another banger of an episode, which really should not be a surprise given the quality of the season thus far. We get to see yet another aspect of the hollow village, one that I honestly was not thinking about when it was being introduced. The monster, much like many of the other creatures in the series, has a unique design and explanation for its existence.

It is also interesting that, for an arc about a city in the abyss whose main draw is its enate beauty, it has largely been contained within a small, kind of depressing village. This is not a complaint, mind you, only an observation about where the series might be going from here.

RWBY: Ice Queendom Ep. 6

I know some of my fellow bloggers have started doing charts for their seasonal coverage as a way of tracking their feelings week to week. While I have not done that for this season, If I were to do it, Ice Queendom would probably be in the bottom half more often than not. It is enjoyable, do not get me wrong, but it only feels consistently ok as opposed to being amazing, and this episode is a good example of that.

The main appeal of this show, at least for me, has always been its great fight scenes. Despite that, the show has resorted to using some less than stellar 3D animation, even during scenes with minimal movement. On top of that, it does little to blend into the scenes even when the characters are not moving, and as a result, looks incredibly awkward.

The story of the episode, at least, is sufficiently interesting. The group executes their plan to save Weiss, only to barely make it out alive when negative Weiss comes and beats them. The frustration with Weiss’s inner thoughts clearly affects them all emotionally, long enough at least that they need a break in order to clear their heads and regroup.

Lycoris Recoil Ep. 7

Speaking of shows toward the bottom of my theoretical list…

I wish I did not have to say that, and there was a point a few weeks ago where I might have even put this above Call of the Night for potential alone. However, Lycoris Recoil has done little outside of throwing ideas at the wall and seeing what sticks. In this episode, though, the focus does narrow a bit. Chisato and the gang find out that their teacher is going on a date, and naturally, they stock him out of curiosity, only to find out something major: that her donor is also her shop regular.

Despite this reveal, though, Yoshimatsu’s role in the story still feels ambiguous, which is both interesting but also concerning, as the series already has a major villain in the form of Majima. This means that his character could be significantly more complicated, or they would write him out of the story as unimportant. I did think his relationship with Chisato’s teacher was a bit weird, but it makes a lot more sense now, at least.

The Devil is a Part-Timer S2 Ep. 5

The best way I could describe this season of The Devil is a Part-Timer is unexpected, not just in terms of its plot structure, but in terms of which elements of the series I actually have enjoyed thus far. While the comedy has been mostly on point, as discussed in previous posts, the comedy seems to be taking a back seat. That is also the case in this episode, as repairs to the now destroyed apartment and renovations at work force Maou, Ashia, and Ureshihara into temporary jobs.

The more serious tone of this season, while definitely part of the unexpected, is certainly not unwelcome. If something like this had happened in season one it might be different, but because these characters are already well established, seeing them deal with the serious problem that is the battle between heaven and hell is fairly interesting. I am not saying it is the best the series has ever been, but it is refreshing if nothing else.

How are you feeling about this week’s episodes? Let me know down in the comments.

As always, special thanks to Jenn for supporting us 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!

Advertisements

Anime/Manga, Seasonal Reviews

Summer 2022 Episode Reviews Week Five

August 7, 2022 Jack Scheibelein 1 Comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Advertisements

If it was not clear from last week, Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer is now officially out of my rotation. It is just too consistently mediocre for me to continue caring, so I decided to drop it. Everything else I plan on finishing save for some insane dip in quality. With that being said, here are my thoughts.

Made in Abyss S2 Ep. 5

I have said before that this is not the direction I was expecting the series to go in, but I am glad it did. Something about this show’s current arc and exploring themes of humanity even in places that seem the most inhuman is genuinely very interesting. This week mostly focuses on the secrets of the hollow village.

Reg attempts to find it again after escaping from Faputa, only to be helped back by her Robot servant, where he alludes to the fact that there are more robots like himself and Reg. Meanwhile, Riko goes looking for both Reg and Nanachi, only to end up in a giant pit, eventually finding Vuelo trapped in a cave. As far as what is going to happen with Veulo’s character, I honestly have no idea, but that cliffhanger was certainly something. Made in Abyss just continues to be impressive.

Call of the Night Ep. 5

The vibes are good, man. While I certainly appreciate the idea of a lonely middle schooler and a vampire doing whatever, much like with Made in Abyss, I do appreciate the show’s effort to explore its themes a bit more in-depth. That is exactly what happens in this episode, as the two seemingly get more intimate after Nazuna takes a bath and has her hair down. This more conventionally attractive look causes Kou to re-evaluate his feelings.

Differentiating feelings of friendship and romance can be difficult, especially for someone who has not had to do so before. Yet, Kou also understands that he wants to be romantically involved with Nazuna in order to become a vampire. At least, he thinks he does. As Super Eyepatch Wolf commented in his last video, the series is a lot more about exploring those feelings, and I think that is where it is at its strongest, alongside those crazy nighttime vibes.

The Devil is a Part-Timer S2 Ep. 4

I know I said animation for a show like The Devil is a Part-Timer does not matter as much, but, idk. Something about this week felt a little off.

(I know taking frames out of context isn’t great for judging animation, but they linger on this for like 2-3 seconds and she just looks off).

On top of that, the first major fight scene happens in this episode, and…it kinda sucked. There was very little sense of impact or real danger when it came to the fighting. I guess I could chalk it up to not remembering the original all that well or the fact that Maou isn’t as involved in this fight, but it still bothers me.

Normally I would not harp as much on it, but it is kind of the only thing that happens in this episode. Maou tells a story of a traveler turned greedy king who is given his power by an angel which feels like a fairly obvious allegory for himself considering he is supposed to be the biblical Satan. Emi deals with the continued turmoil over whether she should kill Mao or not, even more after talking to Gabriel, who ultimately fails his mission to take back Alas Ramus. It is a fine episode, not amazing, but not awful.

RWBY: Ice Queendom Ep. 5

Ice Queendom definitely has some pacing issues, especially compared to the original. That much is certainly true. Still, I would be lying if I said some great animation and music did not at least make up for it a little. This episode has that in spades, with the rest of Team RWBY joining Ruby as they re-group in order to rescue Weiss from her nightmare.

This episode also had some surprisingly sophisticated character writing. Inside Weiss’s dream, we see Pyrrha performing a song while locked in a cage. The song focuses on looking in a mirror and regretting what she sees. This seems to parallel the story of Snow White, where the queen asks the mirror who the fairest of them all is, only to be shown Snow White instead of herself. However, this also works intertextually as well, because Weiss made it clear in the beginning just how much she admires Pyrrha. In that way, this part of her dream could be seen as desiring the reverse, where Pyrrha is instead the one pining to be more like Weiss.

Idk if this is ground that was covered in the original, but if it is, then studio Shaft did a damn good job remaking it. Overall, this was a fantastic episode.

Lycoris Recoil Ep. 6

It seems we have reached the mid-point of the season. Except, it does not feel like it at all, at least not for this show. The more and more I watch Lycoris Recoil, the more I feel affirmed in my assessment that a lot of it is just wasted potential. This episode has Chisato and Makima meet after Makima teamed up with Kurumi’s hacker rival. Chisato gets targeted, much like the other Lyrcoris we saw. However, the others come to her rescue just in time.

There are a lot of good ideas in this series, and as much as I want to like it, it kind of just keeps piling stuff on. For example, we get an off-handed mention of a brother organization called the bell, which literally has not been mentioned up until this point, and was forgotten about immediately after. Unless they actually become relevant later on, this just feels like really lazy worldbuilding. The action was pretty solid, as the show has a good eye for martial arts and gunplay, but otherwise, it was just ok.

How did you feel about this week’s episodes? let me know in the comments below.

As always, special thanks to Jenn for being an amazing Patron.

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

Advertisements

Anime/Manga, Seasonal Reviews

Summer 2022 Episode Reviews: Week Four

August 1, 2022 Jack Scheibelein 1 Comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Advertisements

Last week was solid, and so is this one. However, there is one show that I simply have no desire to continue, as you will find out in a bit.

RWBY: Ice Queendom Ep. 4

One thing I have realized about this series is that it kind of suggests that the person watching should have already seen the original. Which, I guess makes sense. The anime never really marketed itself as a remake, after all. Still, I cannot help but feel a little annoyed when shows which are more or less telling the same story rely on the original for character development as opposed to doing the work themselves.

I say this because the show treats Ruby and Weiss’s relationship like the two have known each other for a while as opposed to 3 episodes. It makes sense in the context of their bickering, but there just is not enough history at this point to sell the dramatic impact of their fight. If this arc happened at the mid-point of the season it would make a lot more sense, but definitely not now.

Made in Abyss S2 Ep. 4

Something I love about Made in Abyss is that it is very much in the show not tell camp of storytelling. Rather than info-dumping a million pieces of relevant backstory, it lets the material speak for itself. This episode, in particular, is bridging the gap between the past and the present, both for the island itself and for Reg and Nanachi.

Faputa, who Reg meets at the end of the last episode, is implied to be both a figure in Reg’s past and also, through clever transitions, the native girl who accompanied the original adventurers on their journey. In Nanachi’s case, while shopping at the market with Majikaja, finds out that he knows of Mitty. The two trek through the Hollow village, and in the final frames of the episode Mitty sits underneath a giant guardian. This was a really cleverly planned-out episode and overall one of the highlights of the week.

Call of the Night Ep. 4

I am glad that Akira is sticking around, at least for a little bit longer. There is a lot of great character chemistry between the three of them, and this episode demonstrates that perfectly. The episode starts with Akira not being able to sleep, calling back to Kou in episode one, and so she decides to stay up, running in Kou and gets invited to hang out with him and Nazuna. The three hang out, play video games, and Nazuna kinda just jokes with them and makes them feel awkward.

Akira also spends time dealing with an internal conflict as well. Part of her wants Kou to come back to school so that she can escape her own loneliness, but part of her also recognizes that despite Nazuna literally being a vampire and Kou being a middle schooler, their relationship makes Kou happy. The visuals and music have also been incredible, so that helps too.

Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer Ep. 4

Ok yeah, I am done. I wanted to give this series an honest try considering how interesting the opening chapters of the manga were, but man has it just been a snooze fest, and this episode did not do any better.

We get a bit more backstory about Hangetsu which is, admittedly, well included in the episode alongside his growing affections for Hisame. However, that is pretty much the only compliment I can give it, as Yuuhi is somehow unlikeable in the worst way possible, even outside of the questionable relationship with Samidare. On top of that, the studio seems committed to “animating” this show with as few frames as possible. This show has some of the stiffest action scenes I have watched in a while.

If I were rating this right now this would get a 40/100 at best. Please do not bother watching this, and I have not uttered this sentence very many times, but just go read the manga.

Lycoris Recoil Ep. 5

Another solid but ultimately confusing episode from Lycoris Recoil this week. There are a lot of questions about the politics of this series that it could not be bothered to answer. For starters, Kurumi implies within the first minute of the episode that even the current president doesn’t know about the Lycoris, which has a lot of implications on its own, but also the private detectives seem to suggest that the DA has the ability to shut down even the public police force…huh?

The rest of the episode was ok. The lead duo takes on a client who is secretly being hunted by an assassin, only to find out that was not real and what they do not know is that the whole thing is connected to the Alan Institute as well. The show really just has me intrigued, not in a cool and methodical way, but more in a “watching a drunk guy stumble his way around the restaurant looking for the bathroom” kind of way.

The Devil is a Part-Timer S2 Ep. 3

A show that makes a lot more sense is The Devil is a Part-Timer. Well, as much sense as a show about Satan coming to the human realm and now also raising a plant baby can make, anyway. Maou and Emi are enjoying a day off, while also looking out for any potential danger that might come to pass. However, when they least expect it, Gabriel comes down to request Alas Ramus and the holy sword. But, he’s nice enough to give them a day to make their decision.

Definitely, a bit more plot-focused, but that is not much of a bad thing, as the main plot for the series has generally been pretty solid. On top of that, Alus Ramus and this mystery of the World Tree is still really fascinating. Also, Rika and Ashiya as a couple would be hilarious, change my mind.

What did you think of this week? Let me know down in the comments.

As always, a special shout out to our Patron Jenn for supporting the blog.

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

Advertisements

Anime/Manga, Seasonal Reviews

Summer 2022 Episode Reviews: Week Three

July 24, 2022 Jack Scheibelein 2 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Advertisements

The summer coverage continues. I was initially pretty surprised at just how much of what I chose to cover this season actually turned out to be pretty good. The sequels were pretty much a “duh” in that regard, but even the originals this season are coming to play. This week was no different in that regard.

Made in Abyss S2 Ep. 3

Made in Abyss had another fantastic week. In this episode, the gang explores the village of the Hollows, but remains on guard against a potential attacker. They do discover the location of Riko’s white whistle but decided to leave it with a craftsman who is working to bring out its “full value,” still uncertain of who might have taken it.

This is by far one of my favorite episodes of the entire series thus far. The setting is masterfully drawn, and each of the hollows is unique enough that they stand out in a crowd, imbuing a real sense of individuals they were before they transformed. On top of that, the weird economic system which exists within the village creates an underground, black market vibe, but somehow both less dangerous and more unsettling. I do hope we get to spend a bit more time in this area, as there seems to be a serious bit of lore associated with it.

Call of the Night Ep. 3

Anyone else getting a bit of Fooly Cooly vibes after this episode?

I do not mean to say that they are going to be of similar quality, far from it. After Wonder Egg Priority, I am pretty much done with making large-scale predictions like that. Rather, it seems there are some immediate parallels between the way that the wild and crazy Nazuna and Haruka fixate on the main characters and attempt to bring them into their world, and how both Kou and Naota willingly go with them to escape some sort of emotional pain. A bit surface level, sure, but something that definitely stands out.

Aside from that comparison, the episode also sees the introduction of Ko’s friend Akira, who not only considers them to be friends but after meeting Nazuna, wants to bring him back to school. It seems the series wants to set up a sort of twilight-esk dynamic, only in this case Kou is choosing between his own humanity and vampirism. It’s a dynamic that I think certain can work as long as Kou ultimately remains the focus

The Devil is a Part-Timer S2 Ep. 2

The gang continues to grapple with the fact that…apparently they have a kid? I mean, not really. It is clear from the bit at the end that there is a bit of allegory being set up, as the series makes sure to remind you that Alas Ramus came out of an Apple. Anyone who knows literally anything about biblical stories should immediately have some bells going off in their head.

The dynamic is also just incredibly funny, though. The more serious plot elements of this season are intriguing, do not get me wrong. However, I am still mostly here for the comedy. This episode was a little lighter in that department, but the moments that were shown were still pretty hilarious.

Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer Ep. 3

Well, it is getting better, I think? Honestly, it would be harder to do worse by the series than that first episode which looked pretty horrendous until they bothered to fix it.

This episode was…ok. I am starting to have less and less hope for this adaptation, and given that I have not read beyond the end of this episode in the manga, it will be hard to tell how good of a job it is actually doing. From what I can tell, the fight between Yuuhi and the golem which shows up outside of the hospital is shortened to focus a little more on his internal struggle with his grandpa. Though, that was still somehow less compelling. The series overall still feels fairly stilted in its animation and action. As much as I hate to admit it, anything good that comes out of this adaptation is going to be carried solely by the manga.

Lycoris Recoil Eps. 3-4

Lycoris Recoil continues to both amaze and confuse me. On the one hand, episode three demonstrated very proficiently the series’ great capacity for character writing that is both interesting and compelling. Takina often comes across as cold and uncaring but also wears her heart on her sleeve when it comes to her desire to return to DA proper, although she may deal with some serious self-questioning in the next few episodes.

Chisato meanwhile comes across as aloof but is not only incredibly capable, but also understands what it means to live and work within the DA, and thus wants to do everything she can for Takina. Kind of a shame the series then spend an entire subplot in episode four on two teenage girls buying underwear. Like, are we really still doing this in 2022? Not to say the strong writing elsewhere is negated by this part, but it just feels like such an unnecessary and weird inclusion

How do you feel about this week’s episodes? Let me know in the comments. I am on the verge of dropping Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer at this point and just picking back up the manga in its place, but I will give it another episode or two to redeem itself. Meanwhile, RWBY will be back in our lineup next week, so stay tuned!

As always, special thanks to Jenn for supporting us 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!

Advertisements

Anime/Manga, Seasonal Reviews

Summer 2022 Episode Reviews: Week Two

July 17, 2022 Jack Scheibelein 1 Comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Advertisements

It is time once again to look at summer 2022’s offerings and see how they are doing this week. This time, there are a couple of new additions and some clarifications I need to add.

Lycoris Recoil Eps. 1-2

This was not a series I even realized existed this season, let alone planned on picking up. However, despite the fact that it flew a bit under the radar, there is certainly some potential here. The setup of undercover agents who work to stop danger before it arrives makes a lot of sense, especially since the introductory monologue seems to imply there is a lot more going on with this organization than meets the eye. On top of that, the dynamic being set up between the care-free Chisato and the straight-laced Takina seems like it could work really well, and has already presented some seeds of interpersonal conflict.

The one hold-off I have about this show is: why teenage girls? I spent a solid half an hour trying to come up with some thematic justifications for why they would be this young, and there were definitely some that seemed plausible. However, if their age is irrelevant thematically anyway, why not take the opportunity to focus on some adult characters? Maybe ones that have already dealt with some morally grey decisions as the result of orders from the DA. I kinda hope this series ends up being a bit more than just a cute girls show, cause there is a lot of here to like.

The Devil is a Part-Timer Season 2 Ep. 1

On the contrary, I have been eagerly awaiting the time that I get to talk about this series once again. The Devil is a Part-Timer is one of my all-time favorite comedy series, and the studios really did a disservice by letting this go without a sequel for so long. So, how did the first episode fair?

Pretty good, actually. There was, of course, plenty of high-quality humor abounds, with the primary focus of the episode being on Ushiora’s unwillingness to do anything for the house. Meanwhile, Maou has to deal with normal work BS, all the while a c*ckr*ach hides in their closet and terrorizes the apartment. The end-of-episode reveal did feel a bit out of left field but was still hilarious, and I am certainly excited to see where the rest of the season goes.

Advertisements

Call of the Night Ep. 2

I started talking about this show’s first episode by saying that I was pleasantly surprised, and overall, that is the best way I can speak about episode two as well. Much like Lycoris Recoil, Call of the Night already has a lot going on thematically that I think could really be utilized well given some good execution.

Between the two of them though, while Recoil arguably has a bit more going on plot-wise, Call of the Night just looks and sounds really damn good. The Jazz and hip-hop-infused soundtrack combined with a set of very minimalist backgrounds make the city and surrounding suburbs feel incredibly empty, but at the same time, also inviting. This is kind of the point of the show, I am aware, but it is worth pointing out because of how well it has been done so far.

Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer Ep. 2

Ask and you shall receive, I guess? The big quality issue as far as the video itself on Crunchyroll is concerned seems to have been fixed, which is nice. However, I cannot say that the series animation is all that compelling. The character designs are unique enough, but the action, despite only happening in short bursts, looks kinda…ok, but nothing special.

This episode does give lead us into one of the first major “arcs” if you wanna call it that, which is Yuuhi confronting his past and his abusive uncle. In that regard, it does a solid job at creating this feeling of a tortured mental state that he is going through. I honestly am not sure how long I plan to stick with this, but for now, it is still just ok.

Made in Abyss S2 Ep. 2

So, as it happens, I made a bit of an oopsie. Not only did I not bother watching the recap films, but I also was completely unaware that the third movie was entirely canon and necessary for understanding the plot, which is probably why the first episode last week came off as overly confusing.

Having now watched said film and the second episode, I can confidently say I am in fact, slightly less confused. All jokes aside, this was a fantastic episode as well. The scenery of the Golden City is gorgeous, as well as the continuously unique monster designs that populate the sixth layer. The question of the beings that stole Riko’s white whistle is also lingering in the air after that final scene. Overall, a great couple of opening episodes with a lot more to come, I am willing to bet.

RWBY: Ice Queendom is on a bit of a hiatus until episode four, but otherwise, weekly coverage will continue until I decide to drop something, which may or may not happen. What is your favorite weekly watch? Let me know down in the comments.

As always, special thanks to our awesome Patron Jenn for the support.

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

Advertisements

Anime/Manga, Seasonal Reviews

Summer 2022 Episode Reviews: Week One

July 10, 2022 Jack Scheibelein 4 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Advertisements

Now, I know what you all are thinking: Who are you and what are you doing with that title? Well, do not be scared, my observers, as this is me writing this post, and no your eyes are not lying. Normally, I tend to be a bit lighter when it comes to seasonal content. However, since there are a good amount of shows I want to watch this season, I figured it would be easier to cover them in a more familiar format. So, for the rest of this season at least, there will be a weekly post from me talking about all of the seasonals I will be watching. With that being said, let us get started.

Call of the Night Ep. 1

Call of the Night? More like call me pleasantly surprised because, well, I actually thought this was pretty decent. I mentioned last week that Kotoyama’s other major hit Dagashi Kashi was not exactly my cup of tea. However, his art style and character designs do feel a lot more fitting for this sort of horror aesthetic, even if the most terrifying thing about it is how immediately horny it is. Granted, that is not always a bad thing, but like, cmon, the main character is 14?

Aside from the weird sexual stuff, in a story whose main premise is using the night to escape the inability to sleep due to obligations and stress, middle school is not exactly the demographic of people I would have first suggested. Although Japan does have some pretty toxic culture around education and relationships, so I guess it can get a pass on that one. Overall, looking forward to seeing where this one goes.

Made in Abyss S2 Ep. 1

I would call this a pleasant surprise if were not already holding some pretty big expectations for it. Safe to say, though, that it delivered in spades. I will admit to being very confused for the first half of the episode since it was supposed to be a prequel of sorts, but then as soon as they landed on the island it became pretty clear what was happening.

One thing I was not expecting was just how heavy it was going to be right out of the gate. Again, it has been a while for me, and Made in Abyss is nothing if not a boundary pusher. The music was nothing short of phenomenal even in the first episode, as Kevin Pinker returned to do the second season’s soundtrack and has absolutely nailed it. I saw on Twitter him expressing his worry over its quality, and after hearing in the context of the show, that almost feels like a joke. While episode one may have been mostly introductory, it was without a doubt a great start.

Advertisements

RWBY: Ice Queendom Ep. 1-3

The show that was practically begging to be an anime finally got an anime. It is honestly not that surprising considering it got a manga back in 2018 and likely would have gotten an anime sooner if it were not for pandemic delays and other extenuating circumstances. However, it is here, and yeah the first three episodes were also solid.

Personally, 3D animation has never been my thing, and even though I enjoyed the original first season of RWBY which was made by Rooster Teeth, the 3D aspect was always my least favorite part. This adaptation does not have that flaw, and so my enjoyment has gone up exponentially. The action sequences thus far have been incredibly choreographed and animated, and something about the series’ color palette just rings more with this adaptation. They did skip the final fight near the docs which happens at the end of the first season, which feels like a bit of an odd choice considering the appeal of the show, but oh well.

One of the other things that always felt off about the original is the way earlier episodes really tried to imitate anime mannerisms. Of course, the 3D animation made it incredibly awkward, but then you also had the main characters themselves. The voice acting in the original catered to this a lot, and it felt overall worse for it. However, All of the main crew, Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang, feel a bit more…natural? in their new dub. I suppose it feels less out of place only because the VAs are speaking Japanese, but even then, the overall quality, at least from what I can tell, is substantially better. If the new series ever does get a dub, I would be curious to see if any of the original cast makes a re-appearance.

All of this is to say that RWBY: Ice Queendom has a lot of potential. Since I have not seen past season one of the original, it will be hard to judge it as an adaptation, but based on the subtitle and the increased focus on Weiss in these earlier episodes, I get the feeling this one will be moving in a new direction.

Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer Ep. 1

Coming off reading a bit of the manga earlier this year after the show had gotten an announcement, I was actually fairly excited to see how the show would come into its own. Safe to say that this season is 4/4 in terms of its opening episodes because Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer also did a solid job.

The comedic timing was there, and the animation was expressive enough to make the visual humor pop. Yuuhi is unlikable, but that is part of his personality, and as it will likely be shown in the next episode or two, there is a pretty big reason for that. The episode did a great job at hinting at what is to come with some of the musical moments, and Asahina looks about as threatening and psychotic as ever. Speaking of Asahina, one thing I am glad is missing is the random panty shots that littered the series’ opening chapters.

The only thing really worth complaining about thus far is the video quality. Idk if it is something on Crunchyroll’s end and it happened because I watched the episode more or less as soon as it came out, but my god does it not look great. Hoping that it is just a glitch and it will be gone by the next episode. If not, the show will become a lot harder to watch.

That, my friends, is our week one. The Devil is a Part-Timer apparently starts next week, and since the first few episodes of RWBY aired early, it will be a few weeks until a new one comes out. What are you looking forward to this season? Let me know down in the comments.

As Always, special thanks to Jenn for supporting the blog on Patreon

Advertisements

Anime/Manga, Opinion

What I’m (Probably) Watching for Summer 2022

July 3, 2022 Jack Scheibelein 2 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Advertisements

To be honest, it does not even feel like that much time has gone by, and yet the spring season is already done. This of course means, due to the natural progression of time, that summer is on the horizon. Unfortunately, since I do not have access to Disney+ at the moment, I was not able to start or catch up on Summertime Render, but that is how life goes sometimes.

Regardless, I will be using this post to talk about what I will most likely be watching for the summer of 2022. This season is honestly incredibly stacked and so some of these might be obvious, but there are some newer shows that have promise as well.

The Devil is a Part-Timer Season Two

Like last time, I will start with the sequels since there are a number of notable ones this season. The first of these is the sequel to the 2013 action-comedy The Devil is a Part-Timer. The show sort of has a special place in my heart for being one of the first seasonal anime I kept up with weekly. On top of that, however, the series is also just incredibly funny. Maou’s continual surprise at just how awful the real world is compared to literal hell on earth is quite funny. On top of that, his henchman are a great supporting cast that always manages to create some top-notch bits. It has frankly been far too long, but I am happy to see that it is back

Made in Abyss Season Two

Another series that has been kind of left behind, although not nearly as long, seeing Made in Abyss return in the same season has me incredibly excited. The finale of season one rightfully left a lot of non-manga readers in a ton of suspense, and I would be lying if I said it is not still there. It also brings me a little more hope to see that Kinema Citrus, the studio that handled the show’s first season is once again at the helm. There is always room for disappointment, but hopefully, that will not end up being the case.

Advertisements

Call of the Night

In truth, I do not have a whole lot to say about this series other than expressing my mild curiosity. The premise seems interesting enough, and the story seems like it could go in a lot of unique directions. The main reason it caught my eye, though, is the character designs. While I did end up dropping the series, Kotoyama’s previous work on Dagashi Kashi was memorable. Thus, I am hoping that this series manages to bring at least something interesting to the table.

RWBY: Ice Queendom

As of the writing of this post, the first few episodes of this series are actually already available on Crunchyroll, so those who are curious about this series as much as I am can go ahead and watch. Now, I am not going to sit here and pretend like I was ever the biggest fan of RWBY. I got through one and a half seasons of the original series, and tbh, I found it alright. It certainly felt like a web animation. However, I respect Monty Oum heavily as a creative, and the fact that his passion project is getting its own anime feels like a deserved sign of respect.

Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer

Funny story, I actually completely forgot this show was airing this season until a fellow blogger reminded me in their post. I probably would have remembered if I ever managed to finish that video I was working on about the manga, but alas, here we are. Ever since I finished its first volume, the anime release for this series is something I have been highly anticipating. It is a…strange series, to say the least.

There are definitely some elements that should probably be toned down for a more general audience, but a lot of the charm comes from what feels like a mid-2000s zaniness. Granted, that quality could more or less be summarized in “lol xd so random” terms, but I choose to believe there will be a bit more to it than that. Only time will tell.

The Tunnel to Summer, The Exit of Goodbyes

I think my next big project on this blog, whether it be in essay or video essay format, is going to be looking at the anime film landscape post Your Name, because from my general knowledge thus far, it seems like anime films in this era fall into two categories: tie ins/prequels/sequels to existing popular series (Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, etc) and films trying way too hard to be Your Name.

Based off of the plot description and promotional art that has circulated around this film, it definitely gives off the vibes of the latter category. Now, I do not mean to imply that this is necessarily a bad thing. There have been some solid films that fall in line with this category. My biggest hope for this film is that it lives up to the coolness and passion present in its title. Damn, that is such a cool name for a story.

What are you all watching this season? Let me know down in the comments below.