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Sword Art Online: Extra Edition

Seeing as it has been an age since I watched SAO, this acted as a very good refresher before I dive in to SAO 2. Forgot how much I enjoyed the world of SAO and the characters. Catch up was done well and the extra story at the end with the quest just made me want more. Looking forward to finally watching the second series from tomorrow!
 
Sweetness and Lightning / Amaama to Inazuma Episode 1.

It'd be easy to assume that this is just a pleasant and relaxing show about a father and daughter enjoying food together but I was pleased to discover that there's more to it than that (to be fair, it probably would have been fine for me anyway). There is a generally upbeat and pleasant atmosphere but it's also obvious that the characters are doing their best in the face of some difficult and none too happy realities.

I particularly liked the way the show presents things, rather than having any big obvious drama it just slowly builds a picture of the situation through a series of moments that add up to something greater. There aren't any big dramatic moments or scenes with characters announcing/explaining their feelings, we're mostly just shown what the characters are doing and left to work out how the characters feel by putting things together ourselves. The show uses body language, shot framing and other non-verbal techniques quite effectively to help convey the information we need. I wouldn't say the show is hugely subtle, it just seems to prefer revealing information in a more natural way that makes it feel that the characters are just getting on with their real lives while we watch.

I'd say that it's probably easier to get more out of the show by paying attention to the details, I have to admit that I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have to begin with. There's a moment where the child turns to her father and points out that they haven't eaten together in a while and I basically had much the same reaction as the father, thinking back and realising that, while they had been in the same place while eating, they hadn't actually been eating together. It almost felt like there was a deliberate element to that scene to encourage viewers to think about what's happening in future. I also found myself looking back at other scenes and considering extra details that I hadn't taken full account of at the time.

I really enjoyed this first episode. It feels like there are a lot of potential storylines that could be addressed but it also feels like the show might just decide to drop the deeper emotional stuff and stick to the cuteness. It should be interesting to see where the show goes in future episodes.

91 Days Episode 1.

I'm not sure that Sweetness and Lightning and 91 Days go together as a viewing experience but they do actually have some things in common. 91 Days also has a tendency to leave the feelings of it's characters unsaid rather than spelling everything out. They also both involve issues surrounding dead parents, although those issues are a bit different.

I quite enjoyed the first episode of 91 Days. It's a fairly straightforward revenge tale so far but it's presented in a stylish and effective way. I know people have been comparing the show to things like Baccano but for some reason it reminded me somewhat of Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu. There's a certain feeling of inevitability about where things will go but at the same time there's a lot of room for character development and possibly some surprises along the way.

New Game Episode 1.

I enjoyed this as well. It's basically a cute girls doing cute things show, except the characters are a bit older and are working at a games development company instead of being in a school club or whatever. I did like that they actually used the setting for some of the humour, that helped add something to the experience and made the show stand out a little more. At the moment, it's a pretty good show of it's type. I don't really expect anything more from the show going forward but I'll be happy enough if it stays about as good throughout.
 
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Food Wars s1 ep20-22

Closing in on the end of the first season; it seems like the episode format is basically now just people unveiling dishes, the judges being initially dismissive, tasting the dish, then going into wild ecstasies over it. Yet, I am utterly rapt. There is gar in every bite.
 
Sword Art Online: Episodes 1-5

Bought the Re: Hollow Fragment game yesterday so I thought now would be the time to finally start watching it, I made a YouTube video which has long disappeared about the Summer 2012 season and this was one of two shows I really wanted to check out, but just never did get round to starting it until now. So far I feel suitably entertained, I quite like it's cast or character, I like it's overall look and the way it plays about with it's (rather silly) concepts.
 
Over the past week:

Sweetness & Lightening: Episode 1 - If it wasn't for another show I've watching this season (as you'll see below) this would be my favorite first episode.
Food Wars, Second Plate: Episode 1&2 - Fantastic as expected.
Handa-Kun: Episode 1 - Hated the first half, was terribly disappointed. Picked up in the second half, more of that please.
Jojo Part 4: Episodes 14&15 - Like Food Wars, Fantastic as expected.
Orange: Episodes 1&2 - Glad I read the manga first, couldn't handle the drama else. They've nailed the character designs. Looking forward to people's reactions.
Love Live Sunshine: Episodes 1&2 - I haven't seen the first two seasons but I couldn't resist. I'm really liking the show, moves the first two seasons up on my watchlist. I'm still debating best girl.
This Art Club Has a Problem!: Episode 1 - Picked this up as I read the source is very much like Nozaki-Kun ..not seeing that yet, did get some chuckles out of me though.
Bananya: Episode 1 - Majestic.
New Game: Episode 1 - My third favorite first episode. Watched on a whim so was presently surprised.

& my favorite first episode?

Amanchu!

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Gorgeous to look at, cute, funny, relaxing, lovable characters & for those who're into it, I felt some serious Yuri undertones.

Cannot wait for the next episode.

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Peachy said:
Amanchu!

Gorgeous to look at, cute, funny, relaxing, lovable characters & for those who're into it, I felt some serious Yuri undertones. Cannot wait for the next episode.

Agreed, having fun with this one too so far. Hikari does look like a character from the Muppets though :D

Yesterday i've watched;
Uchuu Patrol Luluco eps. 1-6
IS: Infinite Stratos eps. 5-7
Arslan Senki (TV): Fuujin Ranbu ep. 2
Love Live! Sunshine ep. 2
Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu ep. 15
Tales of Zestiria the X ep. 1
 
Re:Zero - Episode 15 - Good grief.

Mob Psycho 100 - Episode 1 - I'm not sure if I liked this or not, I guess I enjoyed it enough to watch the next episode. From a visual standpoint I adore it, but I wasn't exactly impressed by the rest, although it's only the first episode to be fair.
 
Amanchu! Episode 1.

I'm curious as to where this show will go in the future. It seems mostly like a cheerful and pleasant atmosphere kind of show and it moves at a measured pace. At the same time, it does feel like there's potential for the characters to deal with some issues and possibly have more of an ongoing storyline rather than having the show be a more episodic and gradual slice of life. Teko's loneliness and possible feelings of abandonment are fairly well handled and there's potential to do more with that kind of thing in the future. The show does get into some "appreciation of your surroundings" and "have fun when you can" moments (and speeches) pretty quickly, so there's a decent chance that it'll mostly stick to that kind of thing but I think it'd be nice if they could find time for both aspects.

Peachy said:
Amanchu!

Gorgeous to look at, cute, funny, relaxing, lovable characters & for those who're into it, I felt some serious Yuri undertones.
Between the poses in the OP and a few other details (there's even an "almost kiss" kind of moment at one point), I'd probably say there's a bit more than just undertones of Yuri. To be fair, it probably won't develop into anything official just as the show will probably not be spending much time on anything too dramatic. I have to admit, I'd find it slightly disappointing if they don't develop a romantic relationship here because it feels like they've started with a pretty good foundation. I could very much see Pikari and Teko complimenting each other as partners and it might be nice to see their relationship quietly develop. I don't expect much to happen in that area but I'm hoping for a pleasant surprise.

I have to say that those character designs are certainly interesting. I quite like the standard/real versions of the characters, though the contrast between those and the more cartoony (or muppet like) versions feels a little extreme. Both versions work but it may take a while to get used to switching between the two. Then there are those school uniforms, those are also interesting.

Anyway, it was quite an enjoyable first episode and I'm looking forward to more.
 
Bleach-Episodes 230-232

Not sure what to make of this arc. Granted, I'm only 3 episodes in, but I'm not sure how great of a concept it is. Sure, the Zanpakutos coming to life is neat, but if none of the soul reapers have powers, I'm not sure how good the fights will be. I guess I'll have to wait and see.

Hidamari Sketch x 365 Specials-Episode 3 (Complete)

Girls Und Panzer-Episodes 1-4

Episode 1: Kind of an average first episode, although I imagine the show comes into its own more when the girls actually start using the tanks. Also, the dub isn't too great; I'll be switching to subbed for Episode 2 onwards.

Episode 2: A much more enjoyable episode, as I thought. The bit when one of the girls asked a question on a forum got a big laugh out of me; it was too accurate.

Episode 3: If you drove a tank down a street at 5am, I'm not sure "Good Luck" would be what people were shouting at you...

Episode 4: Considering I went into this expecting standard cute girl fare, I'm surprised how entertaining the tank battles are.

New Game-Episode 2

There needs to be more moe shows where all the characters get drunk.
 
Now that the football is done I can actually get on with watching some anime, yay! I may be a whole week behind on the new season but I'll catch up quick.

Amanchu ep 1. Cute and relaxing, with some pretty good early character development. Normally I don't like those types of comedic expressions being used for more than a few seconds in an anime, but in this series it feels right. I think this might be my first yuri series as well, or at least I can't remember watching another (unless you count Euphonium).

Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte-Cristo ep 13-24 (complete). This is one of those series that hooks you and compels you to marathon it. The story being great was always a given (being based on a classic novel and all), though the last few episodes were a bit hammy for my tastes. The animation style is unusual, but not in a bad way, and it fits quite well with the futuristic setting (I'm overlooking the very old CG). I started this back in May, can't believe it took me so long to finish it.

The Heroic Legend of Arslan: Dust Storm Dance s2 ep 1-2. Same as ever, though I seem to be getting confused over certain parts of the story (probably because it's been a year since the first season ended). The end of episode two is a real shame, Arslan was making good progress there and now it's probably all down the drain.


EDIT: And some more...

Orange ep 1-2. That was quite the emotional sledgehammer blow in ep 2. This decades Clannad? If so then I can't wait to see Orange After Story.

The Highschool Life of a Fudanshi ep 1. Well, I learned something new today.
 
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Binge watched the first seven episodes of SAO 2 yesterday. Really like the world of GGO. Although its ludicrous that Kirito is GOAT at this game, I can look past that. Death Gun is an interesting character too.
 
Sword Art Online: Episodes 6-7

Yu-Gi-Oh!: Episodes 86-89

The Joey vs. Marik?? Match! These episodes reminded me of back in High School when we would make our own copies of the Egyptian God Cards, We would have all been struck down by the power of the gods!
 
Bleach-Episodes 233-235

Ichigo seemingly teaming up with his Hollow self could certainly be interesting.

Girls Und Panzer-Episodes 5-8
 
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Kiznaiver - Episode 1 - 6 (out of 12) (First Impressions)
So I watched the first 6 episodes of Kiznaiver back to back and as always I find it appropriate to just jot down my initial thoughts while they’re still fresh. Sometimes those opinions change over the course of the series as well as after some good old fashioned thinking and reflecting and with another 6 episodes left it’s obvious that lots of revelations still await me. I’m at the midpoint now and as such I have no idea in regards to how this show is going to conclude (although I could put two and two together and come to a conclusion, I have a few ideas) and so keep in mind that these are in no way coherent or articulate thoughts but rather off the cuff and spontaneous. With that out of the way…
The first thing that caught my attention during the first few minutes of Kiznaiver is the visual aesthetic and general visuals. Visually Kiznaiver is an evolution of Studio Triggers work on both Kill la Kill and LWA and it’s both striking and appealing to the eyes. I will admit that during the simulcasts I had written off the visuals for this series whenever I had come across a screenshot however in motion it’s a fairly slick looking series, although a little rough here and there, to be expected with Triggers short turnaround I guess. Color plays a fairly decent role in the visual storytelling for Kiznaiver with reds and blues colliding with one another and both no doubt allegorical of certain themes and emotions. Backgrounds are detailed and painterly and each scene is populated with plenty of objects that build a sense of place but the artists do a great job of having those elements complement each scene rather than get in the way. Although there’s a sense of place, some scenes can come across as a little disorienting due to the way in which some scenes flow into the next. Blues and greens populate the outdoors with bright sunny skies and tonnes of foliage and white, simplistic buildings filling in the city skyline. A vast majority of the background elements are computer generated and although some do stand out such as the CGI cars, most of the ancillary elements don’t really get in the way due to the frame always doing a good job of keeping the focus on the characters.
Speaking of which, the character designs are pretty good overall. The character designs are striking and interesting, clean and very stylized from the body proportions down to their hairstyles. The characters are really expressive when it comes to their facial expressions, mannerisms and their body language to an extent that even the more muted characters wear their emotions on their sleeves, be it in their apathy or indifference. Nico is the more transformative character visually which matches her eccentric personality that is no doubt used as a front to hide her true feelings. Truth be told all of the characters exude a multitude of expressions and although subtly isn’t exactly this shows (nor Triggers) strong point some expressions are harder to read than other, or at least a little more nuanced and less accentuated although most are indeed cartoony and exaggerated.
The character interactions are the highlight of the series. The characters bounce off of one other and sometimes defy their very textbook character traits although some have yet to evolve further, but I have no doubt that they will in due time. The interactions are again textbook and simple but interesting maybe due to me inserting myself into the protagonists shoes and finding some reality there. Truth be told, I find that I can relate to each character to some degree which means that even if one character hasn't had as much screen-time as the other, each interaction feels like a net-gain, a piece to a larger puzzle. I'm interested in each character and want to know more about them and even if the fates of these characters is somewhat predictable I'm still a little interested in seeing how everything plays out.
Like color, the lighting and shadows are a means to tell the story and depict characters feelings and place in the world but most of it is in the background, foreshadowings of what’s to come. The visual effect used whenever one of the characters is hurt is both effective and cool. In short, Kiznaiver is a good looking show with lots of style and flair, something that’s telegraphed to the viewer from as early as the OP which is both super cool and easily one of the best parts of this show. That probably doesn’t sound like high praise for the actual show itself and that’s for a reason…
The thing is, the general plot is actually really fascinating and novel and the show sets up some great moments to utilize these gimmicks in ways that emphasize the emotional connections between the cast of characters however I feel that the show thus far has failed to truly capitalize on the situations that it places the characters in. It never truly goes far enough, as if the writers have to retort with comedy to not make the show too serious, as if they’re scared of pushing away the audience. Again, I’m only half way through. Although it’s intended to be endearing, breaking up the drama with tints of comedy it just removes tension for me. The show actually plays up the comedy quite a bit. I generally found the comedy itself to be pretty fun even if it is low brow; maybe I’d go as far as to say that the comedy is one of the highlights of the show thus far although some of it is downright bizarre in its placement and timing which effects the whole product.
The show really has an identity crisis. Shows can successfully juggle multiple genres but Kiznaiver has failed to do so thus far. The key themes resonate with me a lot, a protagonist who sees no worth in himself coupled with a group of individuals whom are bound and connected in ways that they don’t realize at first, playing on the idea that your actions affect others. On the nose, but nice. Of course coming to anime for therapeutic reasons is the last thing one should do and such complex issues are not going to solve themselves by watching an anime series, although some people may find solace in such activities. It’s also true however that this fact alone doesn’t and shouldn't stop subjects like this from affecting me and others on an emotional level which is why it upsets me further that this show hasn’t committed thus far. It’s a show that contains otherworldly elements and it’s not a very realistic series but that shouldn’t stop the characters and their interactions from being realistically depicted. I will admit that the characters do exude some more complex characteristics, characteristics that will culminate later but I guess what I mean to say is the show fails to manage the multiple temperaments that it has. Variety is the spice of life, it’d be dull if the show was…one note and so the comedy here is appreciated, apart from the fact that it isn’t balanced well or utilized in a nuanced manner. I’m only half way through so I have no idea how the second half plays out, and judging by the cliff-hanger at the end of episode 6 things may change but I get the impression that this series might have benefited from being a little longer but time will tell on that one, maybe it’s the perfect length. The music and general sound for the series so far has been pretty good and one of the positives along with the visuals and style although a few pieces felt a little out of place given the context of the scene.
Kiznaiver is a stylish show with a super interesting gimmick that has a tonne of potential that has been utilized in uninteresting ways thus far. It’s a character driven show and the creators take pride in that. The visual aesthetic plays a huge role in the series with patterns and analogical images being incorporated. It’s a show with good intentions and with good themes and messages, messages that may benefit that audience because although they’re not high level concepts they have the potential here to be delivered in interesting ways that may resonate with the audience, if it gives them the chance to do so.
 
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