This week I posted my Mid-season anime impressions. There’s only so much time I can spend on the currently airing shows without burning out about talking about currently airing shows, so I’m going to be succinct about every single entry this time.
Anime Power Ranking is no longer held, so here are the shows I’ve watched this past week and how I order them. Each link leads to my episodic write-up of the relevant show. In parenthesis the score relative to last week’s placement.
(Shows Covered – Gin no Saji (Silver Spoon 2nd Season, Nagi no Asukara, Sekai Seifuku (World Conquest Zvezda Plot), Nobunagun, Chuunibyou Ren, Kill la Kill, The Pilot’s Love Song, Log Horizon, ‘Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha’, Nisekoi, and Noragami)
1) Kill la Kill Episode 18 (+0)
3rd week in a row this show is #1. I really should catch up on Samurai Flamenco :P. We’ve had action, that once again actually felt things are moving. I’m pretty excited for what is to come, with the Elite Four and other supporting characters showing their worth. I really hope it’d actually happen :P
There are actually so many thematic threads in this episode, and not a single one of them reigning above the others – Satsuki’s “Wedding dress” trying to kill her; “not truly wearing” Junketsu which forces us to look again at episode 3 and all the talk of exposing oneself, since clothes are meant to cover you, and Satsuki and Ryuuko had done the opposite; Satsuki decrying her ideals again, the “revelation”… it was a very packed episode, and all of it felt meaningful. Great episode, even.
2) Chuunibyou 2nd season Ren Episode 6 (+8)
Yesssss. Romance! It’s sort of sad when we all smile and cheer when after 8 months together, and 6 episodes into the 2nd season, we get a kiss on the cheek. But it is what it is. Rikka is perfectly Rikka. The two spoilers are done with and we’re back to plot and progression. I just had fun.
3) Nagi no Asukara Episode 19 (-1)
This episode should be called Chisaki’s Choice. Interesting how Hikari, while trying to help Kaname, but also speaking about himself (“We don’t change!”) had led to Chisaki realizing she still likes him. Weird love shapes continue to blossom, no one is getting their feelings reciprocated, to levels that are getting extreme, but it was a good drama episode.
4) Log Horizon Episode 20 (+0)
This episode had dealt with an age-old concept in fantasy works – mages break the basic rules of the universe. Mages are rules-lawyers. Shiroe is being a rules-lawyering mage. There are some interesting questions of how things work and repercussions that I’d have liked answered, and they keep hammering at how Lenessia feels sorry for/worried about the crazy adventurers. Curious to see where they go from here.
5) Gin no Saji / Silver Spoon Episode 4 (New! – Still 2 episodes behind)
Yes, episode 4, I’m still a couple of episodes behind. This episode actually had nothing special in it, just more time spent with the characters, but they’re characters I enjoy spending time with.
6) Sekai Seifuku – Bouryaku no Zvezda / World Conquest – Zvezda’s Plot Episode 6 (-3)
This episode was a build-up to next one. Our first “To be continued”. During this episode I wondered “Where is this show going? Will it get there with its episodic content?” – and seems we might finally move from slowly advancing the world to a more plot-structured manner? Hard to tell with this show. We deal a bit with social pressure and being mean to others, but very subtly.
7) Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha Episode 6 (-2)
This episode had me going “Awwww!” – Characters make confessions, but not to their love interests but people around them, we see almost couples, and one-sided crushes, and just cute and nice stuff. This show doesn’t aim high, just at heart-level.
8) Nisekoi Episode 6 (+0)
It continues. I can tell each plot “twist” before it happens. This show doesn’t give me anything I didn’t expect. But it makes me smile, and it made me laugh a bit this episode. It’s comfort-food. It may not expand my horizons, but sometimes feeling warm and fuzzy is good, right? Baseball through a window to stop a confession, learning Chitoge also had someone make her a promise as a child, but then introducing someone else who made a promise 10 years ago, to mess things up and introduce uncertainty. All pre-plotted.
9) The Pilot’s Love Song / Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta Episode 7 (+0)
This episode had emotional moments, and they sort of worked. The action was sort of alright, but it was impersonal, and didn’t really drive us to know more or advance the plot/relations. We’re still in holding pattern to understanding the truth of the world and seeing proper drama/secrets. I guess they wanted the Mitty and Chiharu moment to stand above everything else, but it’s not enough – wasn’t built enough, and the show needs to up the pace.
10) Noragami Episode 7 (-4)
The info-dump hinted in last episode’s preview didn’t materialize, and at episode 7 we’re still building up conflict. So now we know Yato is endangering himself for Yukine’s sake, and Yukine is being a little child about all of it. It really feels as if this whole season is but manga commercial, or to a 2nd season, as only after this season will end will we achieve a stable situation and know all the major characters of the world. That’s a horrible setup. I’m putting this show on hold. Historically that’s terrible, but maybe I’ll finish it in Passover (April).
11) Nobunagun Episode 7 (+0)
We’ve had some actions, and re-used shots. It just felt tired, like the most tired shounen hero of the 80s trying to make a comeback (Hi Stalone!), and it wasn’t convincing. Needs more action, more joy in the action and direction, and more Nobunaga. Next week better impress me.
Missing: Still a bit behind on Samurai Flamenco and Gin no Saji, also one episode of Tokyo Ravens and Pupipo! behind. I blame school (I also watched some older shows this week, and played video games :P)
Summary:
Most of the episodes this week had been “good”. I enjoyed them, they were alright. Very little actually amazed me or stood out, though. This season remains quite weak. At this stage I expect shows to no longer be in “building the setting up” mode, unless we’re winding down from a major engagement, and yet more than a few still do. Noragami is alright, but it’s put on hold. It’s beautiful, it’s well-acted, but eh. Nobunagun continues to be tired, so next week is its last chance. I might still watch Noragami, dunno, it’s a sort of almost ok story, I guess.
Nothing remaining on the list is bad, but I want to be more excited about what I watch. I think Spring and Fall spoiled me – Gatchaman Crowds, TWGOK S3, Kyousougiga, Railgun S, Uchouten Kazoku, Genshiken Nidaime, Samumenco (need to catch up!), really sad with this season, also sad with the fact I’m not watching like 5 shows and using the rest of the time to blaze through my backlog :P
Great: Kill la Kill, Chuunibyou Ren.
Good: Nagi no Asukara, Log Horizon, Gin no Saji / Silver Spoon S2.
Above average to average: Sekai Seifuku, ‘Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha’, Nisekoi, Pilot’s Love Song.
Below average: Noragami (almost average, really), Nobunagun.
Elimination Results:
Noragami – It’s wasting its time, which also means it’s wasting mine. Its story doesn’t really have aspirations, it’s mostly popcorn, just eye-candy. I will catch up when my life eases up a bit or I’m randomly bored.
Past Casaulties – this is where we honour shows eliminated in past weeks: Week 1: Mahou Sensou (Magical Warfare), Nobunaga the Fool, Witch Craft Works. Week 2: Hamatora, D-Frag. Week 5: Buddy Complex. Week 6: Tonari no Seki-kun, Pupa, Space Dandy.
Geekorner-Geekulture. 