Tag Archives: Soul Eater

The Best Anime for Halloween

November 19, 2021 Jack Scheibelein Leave a comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

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I am fashionably late on this front per usual, but for today’s column, I figure I would recommend some Halloween anime. I say Halloween and not horror because not all of these shows are necessarily intended to be scary, but certainly invoke that theme. Also, this was written and intended for a less anime-inclined audience, so those reading it here might have seen some or all of these already. With that being said, I hope you enjoy it.

Considering there is going to be a significantly lower number of people going out this Halloween night, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is safe to say many are going to be missing out on the traditional night of Halloween-themed fun.

Fret not, though, dear reader, as for those who want a bit scarier in their activities this month, I have a solution. While it has been discussed in depth in other places why animation is not the greatest medium for the horror genre, there is still plenty of great anime to fill the void in your schedule this month. With that being said, here are some great Halloween anime watches.

Another

If you have ever craved the sort of pseudo-scary, b movie horror feel but in anime form, well for one I congratulate you on your oddly specific taste in media, but also look no further, as I have just the show for you.

“Another” focuses on the Town of Yorima, which is haunted by the death of a young girl Misaki 20 years prior. 15-year-old Kouichi has just moved in. After settling in at school he notices another girl named Misaki, who everyone seemingly recognizes, but completely ignores.

Que every horror trope imaginable. In all seriousness though, the show is, at the very least, a lot of fun. Though it is certainly predictable at times in all the wrong ways, and certainly has its fair share of absolutely ridiculous scenes, there is a lot to love about it.

It is pretty obvious from the start that most of the animation budget was poured into the more gore-intensive scenes, and the story has a way of turning the pettiness of middle school drama into legitimately scary and violent conflict that ties the who thing together beautifully. While it certainly will not be on anyone’s horror top 10 list, it is certainly worth the watch.

The Promised Neverland

Since I am self-contractually obligated to mention this series as often as possible, here is my pitch.

“The Promised Neverland” focuses on the experience of a group of orphans who grow up under the care of a woman they simply refer to as momma. However, after the two eldest kids, Emma and Norman, venture towards the front of the house to say goodbye to a recently adopted Cindy, they discover a horrific truth.

While the show could certainly be considered scary at parts, it is admittedly much more psychological thriller than straight-up horror, as it mainly focuses on the three eldest kids, including the aforementioned Emma and Norman, as well as Ray, and their experience after learning the dark nature behind their existence in the orphanage.

While this might be a bit of an ambitious statement on my part, anyone who enjoys movies like “Hannibal Lector” will likely enjoy this series for a lot of the same reasons.

Higurashi: When They Cry (2006)

Ok, so now imagine “Another,” but a lot scarier.

“Higurashi” tells the story of a small, rural village named Hinamizawa. Keiichi has just moved there, and it doing so meets a group of girls. Despite them all being separate in age because the town is so small, they all have class together and get to know each other very well. However, Keiichi eventually discovers the secrets behind the town’s curse and the girls in question.

Fans of the gore elements of horror will certainly appreciate this one a lot, but those more interested in the psychological elements of storytelling should appreciate it as well. This is because “Higurashi” has a sort of groundhog day premise where the main plot of the show is repeated from the perspectives of various characters.

It makes the show feel that much scarier, because, despite ostensibly knowing what is going to happen during each story arc, the new perspective adds another layer of mystery.

The show is older, though, and it definitely shows in the animation, so for those who are not all that interested to begin with, it might put some off. However, if you are interested in watching the show with updated designs, a newer version of the series is being released this season, with some already promising first reactions.

Soul Eater

For those self-admitted posers who do not actually like scary stuff but really like the Halloween aesthetic, here is an action series that might just grab your interest.

“Soul Eater” has been around for over a decade now, and has grabbed the attention of thousands of fans from all over the world. It focuses on a group of high school-aged kids who work as Meisters, those who turn other high school-aged kids from regular weapons into Death Scythes, tools wielded by Lord Death.

While the first few episodes are a bit of a slog, as they are mainly just character introductions, after that, the series picks up a lot, with arc after arc of great action and world-building.

The show also has a ton of great music, not just within its openings and endings, but its soundtrack as well. It has a lot of genre variation, from punk rock to psychedelic and even some hip-hop thrown in for good measure.

This is the one series on this list that I would venture to say most have seen already, but for those who have not, I would highly encourage checking it out.

As depressing as this year has been, it is good to take time and find things worth enjoying. Whether that is anime or something entirely different, try and take a load off. However, for those who are looking for some Halloween-themed shows for this year, I hope some of these end up feeling satisfactory.

What anime would you recommend for Halloween? Let me know in the comments below.

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.

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

Animated Observations Update #10: Just Vibin’ in Quarantine

April 30, 2020 Jack Scheibelein Leave a comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

By the time this comes out I will likely be done with everything college related for a while, which means I will be back to having lots of free time, and probably not using it well tbh. However, that also means I will be back on the blogging grind pretty consistently. Anyway, here is what has been going on.

Trying to be an Opinion Editor

So I applied for the position of Opinion Editor at The Daily Beacon. I figured I would have a pretty decent shot considering I literally have experience being an opinion editor, and worked in my high school newspaper for 4 years. Sadly, though, I did not get the position. It does make sense, considering there are probably people who have more leadership skills than me, and more experience in general. I will probably end up applying again next year, so here’s to hoping that goes well.

A Reminder that Soul Eater is Great

I recently got a chance to read something interesting Soul Eater related. LiteratureFuckBoi has a pretty interesting continuation for Soul Eater’s second season. While I am aware that Soul Eater’s original manga continues well past where the first season ends, I have also been of the opinion for a while now that anime adaptations do not have to follow the manga exactly, and that often times changes are necessary to make a good adaptation. I would definitely encourage giving this a read and giving him a follow as well.

What is with Solidly Liquid?

Since most of the blogging time that I have had recently has gone to talking about anime and gaming I have very much neglected my fiction and poetry writing. I do plan to remedy this soon, so stay tuned for more content on Solidly Liquid.

What have you all been up to? 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!

30 Day Anime Challenge Two, Challenges, Series

30 Day Anime Challenge Two: Day 18

February 7, 2020 Jack Scheibelein Leave a comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

It is day 18 of the second 30 Day Anime Challenge.

#18: Favorite Character Transformation Theme Song

Ok, so I guess the prompt meant literal transformation. Hmmm… Well, if I’m being honest, very few true transformation themes have ever actually resonated with me, but speaking of resonance, I think I would have to go with “Psychedelic Souljam” from “Soul Eater.” While it can be argued about whether or not Soul Resonance is a transformation, I think it still fits broadly in that category because both Maka and Soul power up tremendously.

On top of that, the song itself is really incredible. Just like its name implies, it starts out with a very psychedelic feeling, but then slowly begins to build pase, just like how Soul Resonance actually works. Overall, the song is really fun and representative of the show it comes from.

What is your favorite transformation song? 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

Top Three Most Anticipated Anime of Summer 2019

June 10, 2019 Jack Scheibelein 4 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

The summer anime season is already shaping up, and boy does it look promising. As of late, I have been less inclined to watch a bunch of different shows all at once and then drop them, so for this season I will be looking at my top three that I am looking forward to and will likely be watching. I don’t think any of these will be that surprising, but nonetheless, lets get started.

3. Dr. Stone

I had heard about the Dr. Stone manga from a couple of different Anitubers over the last couple of years, but since generally do not read all that much manga, I never paid it much mind. Fast forward to a couple of days ago when I started looking up stuff about it out of curiosity, and I can now say I am officially on board the hype train.

The story is set in a post-apocalypse, where Everyone has been turned to stone after a strange glowing light appeared in the sky. One day, Taiju. a Japanese high school student, awakens after thousands of years only to find everyone as statues. However, he soon discovers that his friend, Senku, has already been awake for a few months, and has vowed to reinvigorate the world using science.

One thing I am excited about right off the bat is the show’s aesthetic. The show’s setting in a Japan that has been taken over by nature looks incredible, and it reminds me a lot of videos where people go into the area surrounding the Chernobyl accident.

The other thing that has me really interested is the main character. Senku. I am interested to see how he uses science to not only survive, but to “reinvigorate” the world as it is. In doing this, I hope the show also gets into the lure of the world and how everyone became a statue, even if it take a couple of seasons to get there.

2. Vinland Saga

Never thought I would say, “Man, I am really excited to watch that new Viking anime,” and yet here I am. Similar to Dr. Stone, Vinland Saga is another manga that I heard a lot about but never bothered to look into much. However, somewhat differently from Dr. Stone, I am a bit more interested in Vinland Saga.

The show follows the Viking clan as they go through there daily lives. However, Thorfinn, one of the clans most powerful warriors and the son of the clans former leader, is ready to enact revenge on one of the clans other most powerful warriors for killing his father.

1. Fire Force

Fire force is indeed my most anticipated anime, but for a much different reason than the other two on this list. While it is probably true that Dr. Stone and Vinland Saga overall have a bit more hype, Fire Force has something, at least for me, they do not: expectation.

Created by the author of Soul Eater, Atsushi Ookubo, the show follows a Japan in which people have begun to spontaneously combust into creatures known as Infernals. In order to stop said creatures, special squadrons known as “Fire Force” were created. The Fire Force Company 8 is a specific division made up of those who have developed the ability to manipulate fire to do this spontaneous combustion.

Soul Eater has a lot of fun and creative elements to it, so much show that I have watched the show a few times in full. As much as I generally try not to put to much stock into one show, I am hoping that Fire Force will be able to provide that same enjoyable story-line that is present in Soul Eater, which it seem like it definitely can.

I have always been a fan of Ookubo’s art style, so it being here in Fire Force is definitely a plus. However, I think the main thing giving me hope is actually how similar the show’s story-line is to Soul Eater. The show’s main character, Shinra, seems a lot like a mixture of Soul and Deku from My Hero Academia, not to mention that Company 8 looks somewhat comparable to Death Weapon Meister Academy. But, even aside from its similarities to Soul Eater, the show still looks like a fantastic series and that’s why I am excited about it.

What are you guys most looking forward to from the summer lineup? Let me know in the comments. Also, if you would like to support Animated Observations or are just feeling generous, consider donating on Ko-fi:

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

30 Day Anime Challenge, Anime/Manga

30 Day Anime Challenge – Day 27: The Coolest Scene for an Anime Character

May 25, 2018 Jack Scheibelein 5 Comments

Hello, Anifriends

For day 27 of the 30 Day Anime Challenge, I’ll be talking about the most badass scene for any anime character ever.

There are a lot of ways in which you could define what makes something badass/cool for a given character. For this category, however, I think part of what makes a scene cool for a given character is how it reflects there personality, while also highlighting other parts of them that make them cool.

Under that definition, the coolest scene from an anime character is by far the opening scene of Soul Eater with Maka and Soul.

Not only do Maka and Soul both look awesome in this scene, but a lot of the initial appeal of the show is set up in this opening. The show opens with Maka and Soul doing there work as students of the Death Weapon Meister Academy: hunting down humans who have turned evil, known as Kishins, and collecting their souls so that they can create a Death Scythe. A Death Scythe is created when a regular scythe consumes the souls of 99 Kishins and one witch.

Soul is able to show off how badass of a weapon he is when he transforms to fight the Kishin, and Maka is able to show off her skills as a meister while using Soul to fight. Both of them look absolutely incredible.

The scene also displays a lot of their personality as well. At the end of the fight with the Kishin, the two go from their completely serious Kishin hunting selves to the totally unserious goofballs that is present throughout a lot of the series. Definitely a 10/10 opening scene from any show.

Which do you think is a badass scene for a specific anime character? Let me know in the comments below. Also, if you want to support the Aniwriter through donations or are just feeling generous, consider buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi. Otherwise, thanks for reading and bye for now, Friendos!

Opinion

I Rewatched Soul Eater this Weekend, and it was Great.

October 30, 2017 Jack Scheibelein 3 Comments

In a desperate attempt to avoid spending any time doing work, I spent the majority of last weekend sitting around watching Soul Eater. I figured, “why not sit back with something nostalgic and fitting for Halloween?” So I did. I went to the Funimation Streaming service, put on Soul Eater, and sat back and relaxed. All and All, it has probably been one of the best Weekends in recent memory.

Just in case you haven’t had the chance to watch one of the better shonen series of the last decade, Soul Eater is a 51 episode series directed by Takuya Igarashi, who also directed Ouran High School Host Club, and focuses on Maka Albarn, a weapon meister, and Soul Eater, her weapon partner. In this world, evil manifests itself in the form of Kishins, demons that seek to eat human souls, and it’s up to the weapon meisters of the DWMA to stop these Kishins.

Watching this series for the third time now, and as someone who’s about to turn 18, as opposed to 13-year-old me, there was a bit that was different. The boob jokes weren’t as funny, and I only found Blackstar even more annoying than the last time, Especially with Brittany Karbowski portrayal, where her voice can get a little more high pitched than my ears can take anymore. It’s also a lot more apparent the third time around where they would try to save on the animation budget by stretching out jokes where the characters would stand still, with some of them getting close to 10 seconds. In a 20 minute episode, it looks incredibly cheap. Speaking of jokes, Death the Kid’s need for everything to be symmetrical is a lot less funny the third time around, especially in the middle of what are supposed to be series battles.

Despite all this, though, I genuinely enjoyed rewatching this piece of my middle school experience. Halloween is one of my favorite Holidays, and it feels good being able to watch an anime that is inspired by that imagery, with monsters and demons and, essentially, demon hunters, otherwise known as meisters.

There wasn’t really much to this post other than that. I just wanted to share all of my Halloween joy and share a good show with anyone who hasn’t seen it. Hope you all enjoy your Halloween as well. To anyone not celebrating Halloween, have a good 31st anyway.

Thanks for Reading!