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Bai Yao Pu (Fairies Album) Season 3 Episodes 1-4. I found another really good Chinese Donghua on Crunchyroll, unfortunately only Seasons 3 and 4 are available, at least here in the US. The format and storytelling style reminds me very much of MushiShi, only with a little more action and bloodshed, lol. Like MushiShi, these are 1-2 episode long short-stories of supernatural mystery "cases" involving spirits who affect the lives of people near them, with a similar "woah, nice twist!" feeling at the end of each case. The MC is a girl who is known as a spirit doctor, and can interact with the spirits to help resolve the issues they are causing. Sounds a lot like MushiShi, does it not?

I decided to go ahead and just jump right into Season 3, and with reading Crunchyroll's synopsis I pretty much picked up on what was going on right away. I'm just having to source Seasons 1 & 2 elsewhere. If you are a fan of MushiShi, I would highly recommend checking this series out even starting with Season 3. Also, the female MC Tao Yao is very cute, too!

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Oh! And the OP/ED song for Season 3 is really awesome, too:

 
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Spent most of last week watching non-anime (I know, I feel so guilty). Namie Amuro farewell concerts (2 of the 3 in my box set so far), silent comedy and old British SF horror (Quatermass & The Pit).

Lady Georgie episodes 4-11: tragedy strikes almost as soon as we start the episode but life in colonial Australia goes on. Three years pass, and Georgie is starting to become the woman we see in the start and end credits. I will pass over all the inaccuracies about Australian history as no-one cares, but the action is starting to hot up. Crimes, posh painters, school, secrets, gold mining, Georgie finally getting her own room, it's all happening.
 
MASHLE: MAGIC & MUSCLES: The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc (Japanese audio) - Episodes 5-7
Shangri-La Frontier (Japanese audio) - Episode 19-20
 
Tsurune - Episodes 4-14 (Complete)

Really enjoyed this show, beautiful animation, and really liked the music and atmosphere. I had no idea what on Earth Kyudo was, but reckon I could be a good shot myself now!

Looking forward to starting the second season.
 
Armored Police Metal Jack - Episodes 9 - 12
There were some quite good episodes in this run.

Kaiju No. 8 - Episodes 2- 4

I'm finding this a very entertaining watch, it has quite a lot going on it.

Only Yesterday

Perfect Blue

I re-watched these for the next episode of the podcast.

kieran1 said:
Dr Slump & Arale-Chan episode-158
Kinnikuman episode-126
Rascal the Raccoon episode-49
Oishinbo (The Gourmet) episode-48
Akuma-Kun (1989) episode 10
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You collect the same fansubs that I do 😂

Titan said:
A Place Further Than the Universe - Episodes 1-4
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I really liked this show, not something I would have normally watched but I watched for a guest spot on a podcast some years ago and was actually quite taken with it.

HWR said:
Overman King Gainer episodes 1-8
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Be interesting to see what you think of this, I have the Bandai DVD boxset from back in the day and it was one of the few Tomino mecha shows that I didn't like (and kinda really didn't like) which has so far held be back from getting Discotek's blu-ray set of it.
 
I started watching Fairies Album Season 3 Episode 5 last night on my All-in-One PC I have setup on the dining room table, but some friends dropped by so I paused the video and turned off the monitor, planning to get back to it after my friends left. They stayed late and we were imbibing heavily, so I stumbled right to bed after they left, forgetting all about my PC. When I woke up this morning I heard a loud conversation coming from the dining room, and when I walked out there I discovered the conversation was coming from my PC. When I turned the monitor back on, I saw that it was playing Episode 6 of Season 4, so evidently it somehow un-paused itself in the middle of the night and I subconsciously watched (or at least listened to) 13 episodes in my sleep, lol.
 
100 Girlfriends eps 10-12 (dub) (complete)
This is really, really, really, really, really dumb. Started out quite funny, but deteriorated. Got to the 6th one in the end which undercut the drama or rather melodrama which was so over blown I wonder if it was supposed to be funny too when she decided she fancied the MC. I didn't really like any of them, nor hated any either. The most annoying one was a loli that was actually a buxom lady who stays small most of the time due to drugs! and had one of those vocalisation that's supposed to be cute, but aren't especially when dubbed!
The dub was OK generally though, but when the 2 loudest girls were arguing with each other I couldn't understand what they were saying meaning I would have needed subs, if I was that bothered that is.
Art and animation were good.
5/10
 
D1tchd1gger said:
100 Girlfriends eps 10-12 (dub) (complete)
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That's interesting, I've only come ever across purple raving about this one, which was why I added it to my watchlist despite not being something I would normally make time to watch. Maybe now it'll go down a few notches on my watch order heh.

And on the subject of harem romcoms:

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Quintessential Quintuplets

I have some time off so am trying desperately to dent my watchlists and so I finally got round to this one. Back when this was simulcasting, I was completely put off by the recurrent bombardment of the woefully put together crunchyroll adverts (before I had subscribed), assuming this would be a salacious, poorly-written, wish-fulfillment harem. The obvious love fans had for it indicated otherwise and so on my watchlist it went at a later time.

I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this, nothing like what my first assumption was at all. Tropey, cheesy and wish-fulfilling no doubt, but it I found it quite well written, with great humour, and almost all characters well developed and given agency. I had a constant smile watching this, alternately laughing & tearing up and didn't do much as binge but rather inhaled the two seasons and movie in a handful of days. The protagonist was funny and likeable and I really, really appreciated the sisterly bonds these girls demonstrated. Despite the inevitable "who will win/who do you ship" trope, I was left more with the feeling at the end that no one loses here and these loveable six idiots will always be together as family.

It had some of the usual shortcomings but as it is such an earnest feel-good show, those don't matter at all to me. Given the fanfare I had expected to like it, but I genuinely loved it and feel the need to go rewatch it immediately.



Been on a Kore-eda binge also recently so thought that off the back of sisterly bonds in QQ I should rewatch:

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Our Little Sister

When I watched this on its release I thought it was okay but nothing special, so have always wanted to watch it again to see if I may change my mind. I haven't, it's slow and is almost bereft of any conflict despite the characters having been put through the ringer by their family situations. But that's not to say I didn't like it. I personally may not find it that special but again the sisters' relationships, love and understanding of each other were also heartwarming. There were some beautiful scenes in the movie including the fireworks one on the poster, the cycle ride through the tunnel of cherry blossoms and the final scene on the beach as the credits roll. I wonder if I'm comparison, the manga that it's based on has more turmoil and strife, as would be expected in any familial relationship at some point.

And lastly whilst we are on Kore-eda:

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Monster

"Who is the monster?"

I almost missed this one, not realising it was on in the cinema until I just happened to see a poster whilst out. Managed to just about sneak in presumably one the last showings on the big screen and very pleased I did. This was excellent, a return to form after Broker which hadn't lived up to my expectations at least. I love movies that bring together different perspectives together to flesh out an event (the QQ movie misdirected the viewer to do this really well also!) and Monster does this with panache and empathy. Want to avoid spoiling this by saying much (if you're not already bored to sleep), but would highly recommend this one, especially to Kore-eda fans. It's like his more recent output, dealing with tougher subject matter but yet again with such gentleness that it's easy to forget it could easily be portrayed as the stuff of nightmares.
 
I recently (as in this week) finished 100 Girlfriends at last myself and I really liked it. I'm not a big fan of harem shows at all so the concept of this one sounded like the worst thing ever, but I liked its silliness, and its willingness to play with the genre and anime conventions (as well as the fourth wall). The characters were fine and I liked that there was genuine love there without any boring faffing around and minimal misunderstandings, compared to other 'romance' shows. But most importantly for me, everything that happened was consensual, happy and positive, the exact opposite of the uncomfortable dynamics in most of the competition. It's nice to see characters openly loving one another and really going for it with their hearts on their sleeve.

The storyline is completely bonkers at times though, I'll agree with that.

R
 
Rui said:
genuine love; everything that happened was consensual
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Was it really? The whole screw up with the soul mate contract thing just made it seem like the girls, at least, had no say. He was desperate and would have gone along with it even if he hadn't, also, seemingly had no choice, but to fall in love! That scene in the first episode was quite funny though, with the priest complaining about his lines from the manga being cut 🤣 but the plot line it set up was one of the things that put me off in the end.
I think maybe binging and the dub, as fine as it was, maybe also had an affect on my feelings for it.

And talking of Quints I think that got it spot on with the each taking a different amount of time to fall for the MC, it definitely felt more "natural". BTW Season 2 and the film were made by the same studio as 100 Girlfriends!
 
D1tchd1gger said:
Was it really? The whole screw up with the soul mate contract thing just made it seem like the girls, at least, had no say. He was desperate and would have gone along with it even if he hadn't, also, seemingly had no choice, but to fall in love! That scene in the first episode was quite funny though, with the priest complaining about his lines from the manga being cut 🤣 but the plot line it set up was one of the things that put me off in the end.
I think maybe binging and the dub, as fine as it was, maybe also had an affect on my feelings for it.
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I feel like they could have gone that way (and it would have felt really unpleasant) if either partner in the pairings ever seemed to feel obliged to go out with the other in order to avert disaster, but that plot point faded into the background so quickly and everyone genuinely seemed to want to pursue Rentarou that it didn't bother me; I just accepted it as a (completely stupid) plot excuse for why the hero was in that position. And it always felt like he was earnestly giving 100% to every one of them at all times. The lead's name effectively being the equivalent of 'Lovey McLoveface' made it all feel too lighthearted for me to worry about the path it didn't take. Minor dub and sub differences may be responsible for the different tone that we ended up getting from the show too, of course!

(I know QQ has several big fans here, I just couldn't get into it - the humour was different and even the concept felt too cynical coming so soon after Osomatsu-san! I didn't really like any of the girls too* whereas the girls in 100 Girlfriends are so wacky - admittedly the first two more than some of the others - that I I find them fun to watch.)

R

(* I'm sorry, AUKN QQ fanbase!)
 
Bartender: Glass of God episode 6 Have a cigar.

Date A Live V episode 5 Gold-clad threat.

KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3 episode 5 Second thoughts.

Mysterious Disappearances episode 5 Weary weather.

The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio episode 5 Collaboration.

Overman King Gainer episodes 23-26 (Complete. A very fun watch with a snowy setting that provided a more unique backdrop.) 4/5

Paprika (Film) Satoshi Kon was a visionary auteur who we lost far too soon, and this film is a great example of the impressive legacy he left behind. 4.5/5
 
Rui said:
I'm not a big fan of harem shows at all so the concept of this one sounded like the worst thing ever, but I liked its silliness, and its willingness to play with the genre and anime conventions (as well as the fourth wall).
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Yeah my initial reaction to harems is disinterest, even if my inner lecher gets excited but I definitely don't mind if the comedy is done well and the show is well reviewed.
Rui said:
(I know QQ has several big fans here, I just couldn't get into it - the humour was different and even the concept felt too cynical coming so soon after Osomatsu-san! I didn't really like any of the girls too* whereas the girls in 100 Girlfriends are so wacky - admittedly the first two more than some of the others - that I I find them fun to watch.)
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Have heard of but never actually watched Osomatsu-san - I didn't realise it was a harem?! I really like the humour in QQ, which I think in large part was down to Futaro, who was my favourite character ahead of any of the girls - his complete lack of interest in romance, laser focus and unashamed honesty in wanting to earn money to support his family was refreshing, as were all his almost asexual responses to tropey situations invariably resulting in him telling everyone off and to get back to work heheh. I can see the girls not being that likeable to everyone, they were certainly crafted to fulfil the usual tropes, but I thought they were quite well developed for my expectations and their familial bonds again I found refreshing as opposed to the usual rivalries in harems.
 
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