Tag Archives: The promised Neverland

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!

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Anime/Manga, Episode Reactions

The Promised Neverland Season Two Episode One Reaction

January 10, 2021 Jack Scheibelein 2 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Just when I thought the series could not get any better, “The Promised Neverland” manages to up the stakes in an unmistakably original way. The show already had a definingly good first episode in its first season, but man did Cloverworks put in the effort again.

For those unacquainted with the show, “The Promised Neverland” follows a group of kids living it what at first appears to be a normal orphanage, but is revealed to be a human farm, operating to create food for the demons that rule the earth. After finding out this information, the three oldest kids, Emma, Norman, and Ray, attempt to make an escape, despite the obstacles that lay before them. Now, having done so, Emma and Ray must lead the kids to some form of safety while avoiding their demon pursuers.

The first episode of a series is, at least most of the time, going to be the main entry point of a series. Sure, you might watch a clip on Facebook or Twitter occasionally, but the first episode is what makes it to where one wants to get to the clip. As I alluded to before, the first season of “The Promised Neverland” had an amazing first episode, possibly one of the best of all time. This made me wonder just how the series would manage to follow it up.

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“By diving head first into the action,” is apparently how. Opening on a scene from the middle of the episode is not a particularly original way to start a series, but it does make a lot of sense for “The Promised Neverland.” Given how the first season ended, it would make sense that characters would still be in the midst of action, not just running away from their captors but from the forces of the unknown that are the outside world.

The significant increase in the amount of action scenes in the first episode might lead one to believe that the overall quality of the animation has gone down. Luckily, though, this is not the case at all. In fact, all of the elements that made the first episode of the last season so good are here as well. The animation has never looked better, with the expressive faces and character movement that made the best scenes of the last season stand out.

On top of that, the same type of beautifully arranged pieces that made the soundtrack scary as hell are present in the first episode, adding even more suspense to an already thrilling episode. As cliché as it sounds, it is legitimately difficult to find anything bad about the series thus far.

While it is pretty much impossible to speak to the exact quality of the series at its end, it is not that surprising to see its second season have such a strong start .

How do you folks feel about “The Promised Neverland” season two’s start? 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

5 Anime I am Looking Forward to Next Year

September 9, 2020 Jack Scheibelein 6 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Surprisingly, the never-ending hell-scape that is 2020 is, in fact, ending pretty soon. While I personally have very little hope that the U.S. will be recovering from COVID-19 anytime soon, there is still plenty to look forward to, and one of those things is anime. While my attention largely drifted away from seasonal shows in 2020, what has been revealed for next year has me as excited as ever to be an anime fan. With that being said, here are the five anime I am most looking forward to, as of right now.

Megalo Box 2

Ok, so maybe most of the series on this list are sequels, but hey, there’s very little chance of them being bad, right? Bad might not be the right word for “Megalo Box,” however. The original “Megalo Box” was not only one of the best anime of 2018, it arguably competes with the best of the last decade. Despite its more traditional sports narrative, it still feels like a powerful story of man willing to bet everything in order to succeed in the thing he loves. Not to mention, his rivalry with Yuri gives the series a serious “Rocky” vibe.

All of this is to say that the second season has a lot to live up to. With the first season already being a complete and fulfilling narrative, it feels unlikely that the second season will be able to match its profound impact.

Eden’s Zero

My falling out of love with “Fairytail” in past years has left me wondering about whether or not Hiro Mashima actually has what it takes to write anything of quality. While I did consider reading the manga for “Edens Zero” a while back when it first came out, I decided against it only because there was other stuff I wanted to get to first at the time. While, at the end of the day, I still do not expect much out of the series, I am hoping at the very least that it is entertaining.

The Promised Neverland 2

“The Promised Neverland” has become one of my favorite series of the last few years, and much like “Megalo Box,” it has an ingrained legacy to live up to. However, unlike “Megalo Box,” the second season of “The Promised Neverland” is a true continuation, and given where the series left off relative to the manga, it is likely to be an exciting second season. Studio CloverWorks did an amazing job with the first season, so now its time to see if they can replicate what made it so great.

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Dr. Stone: Stone Wars

“Dr. Stone” also left off on the beginning of a pretty important arc in its story, where Senku is preparing to go to war with Tsubasa after their ideological differences lead them to splitting up. While Senku is working to revive all of humanity, Tsubasa believes that it is the adults who have ruined society, and wishes to leave them in stone. Since it is likely that this ideological dispute will be at the center of the story, I am totally on board.

Log Horizon 3

Man, to think after so long its finally back… Log Horizon has been one of my favorite series since its release in 2013. While not being as highly regarded in the Isekai sub-genre as some other shows, its unique focus on the politics of running a society of people trapped in a video game, combined with its diverse cast of characters makes it a stimulating watch. Unfortunately, after the author got in trouble for Tax Evasion, the series got put on hold. But after getting out at the end of 2018, and continuing his work while under house arrest, he managed to continue the series. Now a new 12 episode 3rd season is coming and I am excited.

Honorable Mention: Beastars 2

This is only kind of a joke. While anyone who has read my final thoughts on the series knows that I do not like “Beastars,” its ending left me extremely confused about the direction of its story. Granted, the entire series left me confused about the direction of its story, but that is an argument for another post. If I hate watch anything next year, it will be this series without a doubt.

Thanks for reading! What shows are you most looking forward to for next year? 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, Satire

Anime Fan Protests COVID-19 Delays by Burning Collection

May 29, 2020 Jack Scheibelein 4 Comments

(Not Real)

After many announcements of delays in anime series due to COVID-19, many fans have taken to social media to voice their frustration, but one has taken it even further. Steven Smith took to Twitter, posting a picture of what he says is his burned anime collection.

Smith explains in his tweet that he is “tired of seeing everyone get so lazy because of COVID-19.” He then goes on to explain that his decision to burn his anime collection was inspired by what he called the “brilliant and well-informed Keurig protesters,” a reference to many who destroyed their Keurig coffee machines after the company pulled their advertising from Fox Host Sean Hannity in 2017.

After following up with Smith earlier this week, he elaborated on his decision. “I simply don’t want to support an industry that believes that sitting around doing nothing is ok. Using COVID-19 as an excuse to not go back to work is simply Immoral.”

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Smith’s now viral series of tweets supposedly came after learning that the staff behind the popular series “The Promised Neverland” decided to delay its second season until next year over safety concerns.

When asked to respond to this decision, Smith simply said that studio Cloverworks was “just being ridiculous. There is no reason they can’t release the show in October.”

Animated Observations also asked Smith about his current work and living situation. “Me? I’m doing just fine. I mean, I work from home anyway, but this whole COVID-19 thing has been way overblown. First they want me to stay inside, and now I can only leave without a mask? Its absurd. The government shouldn’t be telling me what to do.

After pointing out that many of the more severe restrictions placed in other countries helped to save lives, and that many thousands more people are likely to die because of the recent reopenings, Smith proceeded to call us “fake news” and then hung up the call.

He has since declined any further comment.

Thanks for reading everyone.

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 24

February 13, 2020 Jack Scheibelein Leave a comment

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

It is day 24 of second 30 Day Anime Challenge.

#24: Best Plot Twist

While I do not know if I could say this is the best plot twist overall, at least for me, “The Promised Neverland’s” plot twist hit like a ton of bricks. The way the show spends the entire first episode building, leaving little clues and foreshadowing sprinkled throughout makes it hit so much harder. In fact, writing this out now makes me want to finish writing that script I had for a video. Well, maybe at some point.

What do you all think is the best Plot Twist? 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!

Uncategorized

Top Three Favorite Anime Openings of 2019

December 14, 2019 Jack Scheibelein 3 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

The end of the year is fast approaching, and because of that, I thought it would be good to do a little bit more reflecting. Now, it is safe to say that overall it has been a great year for anime, but it has also been good amazing for anime openings. Time to talk about some of my favorite openings of 2019.

3. Promised Neverland – Touch Off by UVERworld

It did not take long after I started watching The Promised Neverland that its opening became one of my favorite parts about the show. This is not to say that the show is bad, it is actually phenomenal. However, the more energetic nature of the music, combined with the visuals that foreshadow the events to come, make it one of my personal favorites of the year.

2. Dr. Stone – Good Morning World! by BURNOUT SYNDROMES

Dr. Stone honestly has two very good OP’s, but for the purpose of this list I decided to go with the first one, because to me, Good Morning World not only looks more interesting visually, but musically has the same sort of fast paced, fun energy that is present in the series itself, at least for the first half anyway.

1. Carole and Tuesday – Kiss Me by Nai Br.XX and Celeina Ann

Carole and Tuesday was probably the best musical experience I have had all year with an anime, and no I do not just mean that because it was centered around music. It could have been very easily messed up or made haphazardly without any thought and come out terribly. Luckily, sitting at the helm of direction for the show was Shinichiro Watanabe, the man behind Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, two other series known for their great musical scores. Kiss Me takes everything that the is great about the show’s music and combines into one animated sequence, perfectly demonstrating just why the show it is attached to is so great.

What were some of your favorite openings this year? 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, Observation Deck

Final Thoughts: The Promised Neverland

April 2, 2019 Jack Scheibelein 8 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Well, its finally over. The Promised Neverland started with an explosive first episode and came full circle with a similarly unexpected ending. What started late last year as an interesting manga adaptation announcement ended up being one of the best shows of the season and an incredibly interesting experience. Here are some of my final thoughts.

Anime of the Year

I might be jumping the gun on this one just a bit, but The Promised Neverland definitely has the potential to win anime of the year. Devilman Crybaby won last year having come out in January, and The Promised Neverland has already set a pretty high bar for anime quality in the coming seasons.

Isabella, a Great Villain

Geoff from Mother’s Basement kind of already did a great video about this topic that articulated a lot of what makes the one known as Mama great, but I think they are worth reiterating here. One of the most important reasons is because of the justification behind a lot of Isabella’s actions. Isabella sees as herself as a caretaker, indeed something like a mother. Because of this, in her eyes, all of the actions she takes to stop the kids in their quest to escape is justified. Whether it be locking Ray in a room or breaking Emma’s leg, she does this all because she cares.

This creates a very twisted sense of empathy where, on the one hand, you understand in a way why she does the things that she does: because she genuinely believes that all of the kids will be better off, but on the other hand, she is still to blame for all of the horrible things that she does to them.

Norman

…Well, that was unfortunate.

Seriously, though, I am definitely holding out for a possible Norman comeback in season two. Of course, the reason being is that unlock sister Crone, we never actually see Norman die, only that he goes off into a side room. Any manga readers out there: No spoilers, please and thank you.

Ray: The Son of Isabella

The last episode reveal that Ray is actually Isabella’s son was well timed, if nothing else. It definitely served to humanize and put into perspective a lot of her actions, even if they definitely were not acceptable whatsoever. I can imagine this being a source of contention for Ray later on in the story, assuming it goes where I think its going to go.

How did you guys feel about season one of The Promised Neverland? Let me know in the comments below. Also, if you would like to support The Aniwriter or are just feeling generous, consider donating on ko-fi or by using one of the affiliate links below:

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

Blog Updates

Aniwriter Update #17: College Preparations

March 31, 2019 Jack Scheibelein 2 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Well, I forgot to post this when it was supposed to be posted, but to be fair, I haven’t had much going on, nor has there been a whole lot of interest on the The Aniwriter as of late. Still, I’ll go ahead and let you all know what has been going on.

Preparing for College

There has definitely been a not insignificant amount of work for getting into college, between filling out my FAFSA, setting up my account with the college, and registering for orientation so that I can even sign up for classes, but so far everything has been going relatively smoothly.

I’ve also had the pleasure of getting to talk about transferring colleges with a few co-workers who are also going to the same college. All of us are actually going to the same orientation together, so that should be pretty fun.

The Winter 2019 Anime Season

As with most seasons I tend not to bother with most of the shows and really try and focus on the shows that grab my attention. For Winter, there were three shows that have did just that: The Promised Neverland, Dororo, and Kaguya-Sama: Love is War. The Promised Neverland turned out to be as good as thought it was going to. Dororo, at least as much as I have seen of it, became a source of restored faith in studio MAPPA, proving they once again that they can make some great stuff. As for Kaguya-Sama, the show has been a pleasant surprise that I am excited to have started.

I plan on having some kind of post discussing each of these shows out hopefully fairly soon.

What things have you all been up to? Let me know in the comments below. If you would like to support The Aniwriter or are just feeling generous, consider donating on ko-fi or using one of the affiliate links down 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, Series, What Else Should You Watch

What Else Should You Watch: The Promised Neverland

March 6, 2019 Jack Scheibelein 3 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

Well, its been a while since I’ve done one of these, but since everyone seems to be really enjoying The Promised Neverland, I though I would help out by giving some alternate recommendations for when the show eventually ends.

Akame Ga Kill

Akame ga Kill is a show that’s become pretty famous for a number of reasons, but if you have yet to see it then do so. The show exists in a similar vein to The Promised Neverland, being a mix of horror and thriller elements, as well as having a lot of action thrown in just for good measure.

The story follows Tatsumi, a boy who’s mission to help his small, rural town leads him to join Night Raid, a group of assassins associated with the revolutionary army trying to take down the current government. During his quest he meets many interesting people, and finds those people carrying powerful weapons as well.

If your expecting this show to be some generic, happy go lucky shonen, then your going to be sorely mistaken. I often compare it to Game of Thrones, just for the sheer amount of death going on, but I’ll just let you guys find out how much for yourselves.

Terror in Resonance

If your looking something for something a bit more cerebral and are not as interesting in the horror/thriller elements, than I would highly recommend taking a look at Terror in Resonance.

The story revolves around two teens with the nicknames Nine and Twelve, who decide enacting their revenge on the world by blowing up large buildings. Meanwhile, a high school girl whose life has been miserable by those around her have a run in with the two. Things only get weirder from their.

Terror in Resonance is a show that got me thinking. A lot. It is a show that at its core asks the question “what does fairness even mean?” It takes the time to answer that question from the perspective of multiple characters, each trying to advance their own plans and do what they think is right, and at the end of it all, you might not know what is. But, if you don’t care about that stuff, at the very least you should watch it for how good the music is and how absolutely gorgeous the animation from studio MAPPA sounds.

What else would be good to watch? Let me know in the comments below. Also, if you would like to support The Aniwriter or are just feeling generous, consider donating on Ko-fi or using one of my affiliate links 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, Episode Reactions

The Promised Neverland Episode One Reaction

January 12, 2019 Jack Scheibelein 8 Comments

Welcome, weebs, to Animated Observations

I’m a bit late on starting these for this season, but a lot of my work ethic has been sorely diminished by my inability to get any sleep whatsoever.

Part of the reason that I personally talk about shows in this one episode format is that it is interesting to see how much effort a show puts into drawing an audience in. That is the most important aspect of a first episode, after all. However, I think I can safely say that after watching The Promised Neverland that this is by far one of the best first episodes I have ever seen, and I promise you I do not say that lightly.

For those who are not aware, The Promised Neverland is a story about The Grace Field House, an orphanage run by a woman who all the kids refer to as “momma.” Emma, Norman, and Ray are the smartest kids in their family of 38, and one day find out something they weren’t supposed to. As one of the orphans Cindy is leaving, Norman and Emma find out that the reason the kids are being held there is to feed Demons.

Part of the reason that I said this is one of the best first episodes I have ever seen is because it has a lot of really good set-up for the story to come. One example of this is the way it builds up a lot of dramatic tension in the span of just twenty minutes. A lot of the credit for that can be owed to the music. When the kids go near the gate that momma tells them to never go near, the music gets creepier, alluding to the fate that is revealed at the end of the first episode.

There is also a scene where the creepy music picks up again, but instead of the kids being near the wall, the shots focus on the numbers that are on their backs, as well as when the kids are taking some kind of test in a dimly lit room. Both of these allude to the fact that the demons that momma is selling the kids to are looking for a certain “quality” kid, and that eventually they want to come back for higher quality kids.

Another great part of the set-up of The Promised Neverland is the way the three main characters, Norman, Emma, and Ray, are established quickly and effectively. The best example of this is during their game of tag. After playing a game of tag in which Norman wins fairly easily, the main three take a break and discuss their strengths. Emma is established as the most athletic of the group, Norman is the most intellectual of the three, and Ray is given the title of the best tactician.

There is honestly so much to talk about in regards to the show’s first episode that I think I might even do another post entirely to just so I can give it more praise. However, if you take away one thing from this post, it’s that, even if the rest of The Promised Neverland ends up being mediocre or bad, you owe it to yourself to watch at least the first episode.

What do you guys think of the first episode of The Promised Neverland? How does it compare to the other first episodes of the season? Let me know in the comments below. If you guys want to support The Aniwriter, or are just feeling generous, consider donating on Ko-fi or using one of my affiliate links to buy stuff: