Your anime viewing journal

Hidamari Sketch 365 (season 2)
Really great series and a notable increase in animation budget. A lot more fluid and dynamic. Also a lot more quick cuts playing with backgrounds and text screens (like monogatari) but soothing and gentle.

Clone Wars season 4
More great Clone Wars action.

Dragon Half
So silly but really fun.
 
WMD said:
Hidamari Sketch 365 (season 2)
Really great series and a notable increase in animation budget. A lot more fluid and dynamic. Also a lot more quick cuts playing with backgrounds and text screens (like monogatari) but soothing and gentle.
Click to expand...
Common misconception here but better animation doesn't necessarily mean a bigger budget. Better animation is more often the result of better management and getting the right people than throwing money at the studio (especially considering 1/4 studios are in debt). In terms of Hidamari Sketch the biggest difference I can see is a change of directors as Akiyuki Shimbou takes over from Ryouki Kamitsubo. Just wanted to clear that up since it's a pretty widespread belief.
 
Ghost in the Shell ARISE: Alternative Architecture eps 3 & 4 (AKA Ghost Pain)
Unreliable memories.

APPARE-RANMAN ep 3
A rival makes his entrance.
Seems there'll be more in the next episode, whenever it airs. Certainly feels like this'll be a 2 cour otherwise the actual race is going to be very short.

Listeners ep 4
School Dayz.

Wave, Listen to Me ep 4
Turtle time.
 
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Aldnoah.Zero episodes 1-3
Already a fantastic start. Loving the world so far and Hiroyuki Sawano's soundtrack had me headbanging during the fight scenes. Weird to see Gen Urobuchi writing a CGDCT series though

ScheduleSeries NameEpisodes WatchedTotal Episodes
MondaysMonogatari Series: Second Season028
TuesdaysClaymore226
WednesdaysWolf's Rain1126
ThursdaysMobile Suit Gundam842
FridaysAldnoah.Zero312
SaturdaysSound of the Sky012
SundaysWelcome to the NHK!024
 
APPARE-RANMAN! episode 3 Storehouse scramble.

Listeners episode 4 Amped up. I wasn’t overly enthused about this episode but it does look like they’re opening the world up a bit.

Sakura Wars The Animation episode 4 Runaway jealousy.

Wave, Listen to Me! episode 4 Slaps and smiles.

Accel World episodes 21-24 (Complete. I’m reviewing this one for the site, quite enjoyable though I liked the first half more than the second.) 3.5/5

Mr Canton and Lady Rose (AKA Miracles) (Film) Another 88Films Jackie Chan release and another fun romp with a likeable central character and hijinks abound. I always enjoy the credit sequences with the making of content.
 
Ghost in the Shell-SAC 2045 All that I can say about this is that it's total garbage-don't waste your time watching this junk! Ignore me here, I updated my opinion after watching more of it.
 
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Cat's Eye ep11-12

The show has gradually been drip feeding in the backstory of why the sisters are going around stealing things, but it feels like that's finally solidified now, with some more details on their art dealer father cropping up. I slightly wonder if Cat's Eye was ever intended to run in a shoujo magazine, rather than Shonen Jump. Not that I'm complaining, but it feels so far removed from what we would associate with the WSJ now that it's slightly hard to believe this is one of theirs.
 
Being furloughed has allowed me to catch up on some stuff I've been meaning to watch for a while now.

Mobile Suit Gundam Movie Trilogy (Blu-ray - Original Theatrical Soundtrack)

I love these movies, and this is the first chance I've had to watch Anime Ltd's original Blu-ray release of them. The third movie is a masterpiece imho.

Dirty Pair: Affair On Nolandia (Blu-ray)
Dirty Pair: Project Eden (Blu-ray)
Dirty Pair: Conspiracy Of Flight 005 (Blu-ray)

I own these on DVD but I've been desperate to see the Japanese Blu-ray releases. Flight 005 remains my favourite but Project Eden looks absolutely incredible in HD!

Outlanders

I haven't seen this in at least 15 years, still kinda pointless but still wonderfully adult and funny.

Science Ninja Team Gatchaman - Episodes 83 - 86 (Blu-ray)
 
Kakushigoto - Episode 4
More wholesome cuteness.

Wave, Listen to Me! - Episode 4
Can't wait for Minare's radio show to begin next week.

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! - Episode 4
Good start to the school part of the story.

Appare-Ranman! - Episode 3
Sad this one is going on hiatus, it always puts a smile on my face.

Sing "Yesterday" for Me - Episode 4
This episode definitely made it easier to understand Rou's character.
 
Ghost in the Shell ARISE: Alternative Architecture eps 5 & 6 (AKA Ghost Whispers)
Getting a band together was never so tough.

Arte ep 4
The oldest profession.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War s2 e3
Moon gazing and the end of the school year.

Villainess ep 4
Let the game begin.

Sing "Yesterday" for Me ep 4
Feels like all the pieces are on the table now we have a bit of an understanding of the characters and they've all interacted with each other. Let's see how the pieces fit together.

Ascendance of a Bookworm 2 ep 4
Reformation.

Yellow Submarine
Tripping Balls. Like Monty Python animates Beatles songs.
This appeared briefly on The Beatles YouTube channel.
 
Kakegarui season 1
Mad show. Great animation. Genuinely didnt know how it would play out which is the best thing to say about a gambling show.

Tiger King
Finally got to watch this. Insane. So crazy. Completely mental. Loved watching it.
 
Arte episode 4 Difficult lessons to learn in life and love.

Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 2 episode 18 A tragedy hidden behind closed doors.

Gal & Dino episode 4 Tail tied and Christmas time.

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes lead to Doom! episode 4 Changing outcomes.

Sing “YESTERDAY” For Me episode 4 Getting to know Rou.

A.D Police: To Protect and Serve episodes 1-12 (Complete. Better than I was expecting with some solid character moments and genuine intrigue as the story progressed.) 3.5/5
 
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Arte Episode 4 Harsh life lessons.

Ascendance of a Bookworm 2nd Season Episode 18 Making changes.

Is This a Zombie? Season 1 Episode 1-12 + OVA (Complete. A supernatural series with probably the most absurdly ridiculous story scenario's I've ever seen. With it's wide ranged cast of characters and hilarious comedy, this was a series that never failed to give me a good laugh throughout.) 3.5/5

Kaguya-Sama: Love is War 2nd Season Episode 15 Shinomiya was just to adorable this week.

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! Episode 4 Game changing.
 
Sword Art Online II - Episodes 2 to 17 (although spread over the last 24 hours). The Phantom Bullet arc felt to be a slower pace than the first series, but allowed more background into Sinon. The Calibur story-line was a relaxing mini-story.
 
Kaguya-Sama: Love is War S2 - Episode 3
Heartwarming to see the student council members spend some quality time together.

Bakemonogatari (Rewatch) - Episodes 1-3
I'm always stunned when I remember this first started airing in 2009. If you told me it was a currently airing series, I would definitely believe you. The Blu-Ray looks spectacular and its such a captivating story full of great characters. Can't wait to continue this rewatch!

Street Fighter II Movie (Rewatch)
Easily my favourite video game to anime adaptation (excluding visual novels).
 
My friend stopped over last night to drink heavily with me (Coronavirus be damned!), and once we were feeling no pain, I showed him the first 6 episodes of Interspecies Reviewers (uncensored, subtitled) - up on the 120"' projection screen in my theater, of course, so we were able to experience the most minute of details on a larger-than-life scale, lol... 😁 🤣

Also, earlier in the day, RahXephon Episode 1, for the Sumulwatch thread.
 
Babylon eps 9-12
Good is to continue, this ended so it is bad!
I think this got way too big for its boots in the way it escalated the scope of the story. Would have been much better as a tight psychological thriller if it just stuck to psycho seductress killing people and the detective trying to stop her and cut all the political and philosophising parts which just bogged it down. The moment that it went too ridiculous was the name checking of Southampton! Our laws in the UK just wouldn't allow that to happen, and probably in most of the other cities named, apart from the Japanese one which they made a point of saying was an experimental place.
I don't particularly like the art style either, there's quite a few shows that have it nowadays. I'm not sure what it is, it looks too digital and clean and bland, there's no character to it.
5/10

Ghost in the Shell ARISE: Alternative Architecture eps 7 & 8 (AKA Ghost Tears)
Another story that gets a little confusing, but is mostly cleared up by the end. It obviously leads back into the first 2 episodes which were originally released to be watched in, in universe chronological order. I assume it was moved because of what happens in PYROPHORIC CULT.

Shachibato! ep 4
Valuable discovery.

Gleipnir ep 4
The plot for the rest of the show is spelled out. Gotta collect them all.
 
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations episode 154 Cutesy filler before it goes on hold.

After the Rain episodes 1-12 (Complete. A difficult subject matter handled pretty well with likeable characters-except Kase-and stylistic choices that helped to emphasise aspects of the story and character development.) 4/5
 
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