Seasonal Reviews: Summer 2015 Pt.4

This is the final regular installment of seasonal reviews for Summer 2015. It's been a weird season so far, and one that's had its mind in the gutter far more than any previous season we've covered so far. It's also the season where two of the best airing shows make plot points out of masochistic addiction and baking lady juice in cookies. So, uh, yeah. This has been an interesting season, to say the least.

Enjoy our latest updates, and we'll see you at the end of the season in a few weeks!


Dropped Shows

• Aoharu X Machinegun (David, four episodes)
• Bikini Warriors (David, four episodes)
• Danchigai (Stephanie, six episodes)
• GATE (Jonathan, three episodes)
• GANGSTA. (Jonathan, six episodes)
• Million Doll (Stephanie, two episodes)
• Sky Wizards Academy (Danni, three episodes)

Actually, I Am
Danni Kristen

So, do you remember how we left off with a giant explosion destroying the school and some of the surrounding area? We're just gonna sweep that under the rug now. No big deal. Happens all the time.

Following the events of the school totally not blowing up, Asahi is tricked into teaching Aizawa, Shiho, and Shiragami how to make curry. They had all attempted to make some in their Home Ec. class and apparently failed miserably. Aizawa takes the lead, making curry using a recipe she learned via manga. Somehow the curry ends up becoming chocolate cake. I really have no clue how she made that mistake. It just happens. She's throws it out the window in frustration where it lands on Akane, who becomes quite taken with its taste. The girls make another attempt at the curry, but it ends up being a sickening disaster. Meanwhile, Akane is threatening to destroy the entire world unless she gets another taste of Aizawa's cake (that's not a euphemism, by the way). She takes control of an asteroid and sets it on a course for Earth. The whole world starts panicking because they're all about to die. Akari tricks her into thinking she's going to get Aizawa to make more cake. Instead, she captures Akane and has her force-fed terrible food made by both Shiho and Shiragami. Akane ends up passing out from the terrible taste and the world is saved.

The next episode ends up being a bit less life-threatening, considering it really just consists of Shiragami learning to swim. Following his friend's advice, Asahi invites Shiragami to the pool for a day. Completely oblivious to the fact she's being asked on a date, Shiragami invites the others along as well. Admitting she actually doesn't know how to swim, the others volunteer to teach her. After both Shiho and Aizawa fail at the task, Asahi takes over. As the pool is closing, Shiragami secretly asks him to meet her at the school later that night. She takes him to a spot on the school property where they can sneak in and practice their swimming in the campus pool. Alone in the pool together, they share a heartwarming moment as Shiragami admits that her father taught her mother how to swim in the very same pool and that she's happy that Asahi befriended her.

Watching these episodes, it's pretty obvious that the staff underwent some production issues, especially regarding the cooking episode. The episode has little animated movement, employs multiple still-frame montages that last a little too long, and takes place primarily in one room of the school, likely in an effort to recycle backgrounds as much as possible. These problems don't appear in the pool episode, but the animation is a bit shoddy. Granted, the animation has never been great in Actually, I Am, but it's noticeably worse in these episodes than usual.

Overall, this installment's episodes of Actually, I Am were rather disappointing. I can hardly say I enjoyed the cooking episode at all. The swimming episode was better, but it was ultimately saved by putting a bit of an emphasis on the romantic tension growing between Asahi and Shiragami. The show is at its strongest when it leans on romance as much as it does comedy. I'd prefer to see the final few episodes focus on Shiragami and Asahi's relationship. Hopefully, the show will end with some kind of confession of love, but let's be real. This is a romcom anime. More than likely, it's going to end with their feelings left unconfessed for one another so that we'll all be frustrated by the lack of resolution and asking for a second season.

Weak Recommendation

Aquarion Logos
Joe Straatmann

It appears we're dipping into RahXephon territory here. Not so much the story, but those episodes Chiaki J. Konaka wrote where the narrative veers off into heavily introspective mode, the imagery becomes more somber and metaphorical, and there's a whole bunch of rumination on the nature of the characters. Aquarion Logos is much more simple-minded and covers the basic loyalties of Maia being pulled one way or the other as she's trapped in a shadow world, but that doesn't mean it's bad. After all, Konaka's RahXephon episodes are jarringly disjointed with the rest of the series and perhaps bring a little too much pretension, so going with simplicity here is probably the right call. I'm just happy I have something to talk about.

With its iffy action and its main character bereft of any sort of decent personality, the episodes centering on every other character can only be an improvement. Here we have Tsutomu's backstory on why he's such a ham as the little brother of a revered comedian. I wouldn't call it particularly good and for an episode about comedy, its ending punchline is an obvious dud, but at least I get Tsutomu now. Its idea has been used to greater effect elsewhere (a constant fault of Logos), but Maia running through the shadows of her own thoughts is a good way of focusing in on her struggles since she is a character who was mostly left to herself. If the rest of the series could use such stylistic choices to cover the shallowness of the characters, this thing might be okay. Alas, this is likely a one-off.

Before we go on seasonal break, I want to establish that I don't hate this series. It's merely watching a talented piano player do scales for a half-an-hour. It can be impressive, but eventually, you want some Rachmaninoff, the "Revolutionary Etude," or something other than the most rudimentary of works. They have a look and style down with clear goals in mind, but this series is such a lark that lack of ambition brings it down to goofy people doing goofy things. It would be all right if the goofy things were fun, but for the most part, it's not. I hear the opening by May'n with music by Yoko Kanno and I think of all the epic, amazing stuff in Macross Frontier despite its flaws. While it's probably unfair to compare Logos to a spare-no-expense return of one of Japan's most revered series, is it unfair to ask for something exciting besides concepts and ideas? The comedy is flat, the battles lack tension or imagination, and the characters have absolutely no flair or depth. It feels like a storyboard masquerading as a finished idea. Forget whether I hate it or not. What am I supposed to like here?

No Recommendation

Castle Town Dandelion
Stephanie Getchell

For once, we get a bit more of a plot to these rather episodic episodes and such! Neat! Anyways, the first episode gives more focus on the relationship between Shu and Sato, the girl who confessed her feelings for him early on in the series. The first half has Sato asking for some advice from Akane, having little confidence in herself to really tell Shu and others about her deep feelings. With a bit of a comedy, because the siblings are stuck in a Break Out where their powers going haywire, Sato makes a public confession to the people at a cafe that she's loves Shu and the promise they made to possibly start dating after the election is over. Something which was broadcast and that Shu saw later that same day. The second half tells the story of how King Soichiro met his future wife Satsuki while in high school, and seeing the normal life that she led. After telling this story to some of his kids, Shu makes the decision to respond to Sato's feelings, asking her to stay with him from here on out. Episode nine introduces us to Scarlet Bloom, a superhero alter ego of Akane's set up by Aoi as a way to help Akane gain some traction in the polls. While it is extremely obvious to everyone that Scarlet Bloom is Akane, it is kept hidden from Akane herself in order to keep her confidence from faltering. In the second half, Misaki decides to put in her own effort in her campaign for king while Aoi celebrates her eighteenth birthday with her closest friends.

I think what I enjoyed this week with Castle Town is that we get more character pieces as well as dig deeper into some previously seen story lines such as Shu and Sato's relationship and Aoi's difficulty with friends and her powers. It's a nice call back to those parts of the series and keeps from getting a little too episodic. What also was a pleasant surprise was the backstory between Soichiro and Satsuki, since they haven't had a lot of time on screen, and it also helped tie into Shu's story making it an added bonus! Sure the series has stuck to some rather formulaic troupes and stereotypical characters, but it can be little things like this that can really make me smile and get behind it! Clearly the focus was placed on Shu, Akane, and Aoi this week and it was done in both a wonderful and simple way; which I can commend the series on. It may have it's focus all over the place, but it knows when and where it needs to place it and it does so pretty well.

Time seems to be moving rather quickly for the series as episode eight has us in the fall and episode nine right before Christmas Eve. That means, we should reach the elections by the time the series ends in another three episodes. It's hard to say what kind of little stories or schemes will occur in order for the siblings to boost their ratings before the big day, but we know who the major contenders are as well as who would rather sit on the sidelines, unless something else happens that draws someone else into the ring. We know that Haruka isn't interested in being king, so could he be next like Shu this week? Who knows?! Castle Town, while simple and predictable at times, is one of the more under appreciated shows from the summer season and one that not many people seem to talk about. While I understand why that may be, I still think it's worth a little marathon once the simulcast is done, but we'll see if my statement stays true once we finish the series itself.

Solid Recommendation

Chaos Dragon: Sekiryuu Sen'eki
Joe Straatmann

The series that have their roots in gaming (In this case, table-top role-playing sessions) have the odd connection of breaking out some really good music this time around. In this case, a climactic battle gets accompanied by what I'll call "The Familiar Concerto for Piano." It's one of those pieces that's more there to show off how good it sounds than accompany the scene, but given the sequence is also the one dynamic, exciting battle we've had in the entire damn series, I'll take it. The rest is political power playing, world building, and melodrama trying to be actual drama. It's not so much bad as it could be so much better. Seriously, this is a show where brutal zombie murder cues the response, "Eh."

The plot happenings threaten to become a dull list, so let's boil down the essentials. Ibuki's sister is trying to ascend to the throne to become a D'Natia puppet. The Black Dragon of D'Natia is making the rounds, sending visions to people he thinks would help his goals (And sitting in a dark room, only moving his mouth for budgetary reasons). Nil Kamui's magic is starting to falter, making the country's fate more uncertain. Sweallow decides to help Ibuki because he wants to prevent the terrible childhood he had himself. The party is beginning to learn the real motivations for each individual in joining the expedition to find the Red Dragon. Lastly, an object that can kill the Red Dragon is revealed and being shifted around due to trust issues, likely becoming the MacGuffin for the last act of the series.

If the lack of passion in that last paragraph is any indication, it sounds like a lot happens, but none of it is particularly dramatic. Chaos Dragon is plagued with the problems of shifting role playing to other media in that everything has this elaborate definition and everything needs to be explained, but the way they have to explain everything consistently halts the narrative. It's like if Honneamise showed the pyramid-shaped spoon and then stopped the entire movie to explain that this is the traditional scoop of the royal family. This is what Chaos Dragon does during half of its running time. It somewhat needs to since the magic and the setup are more active parts of the story, but that doesn't mean they have to stop even in the middle of battle and tell what they're doing. Mixed with the need to make it overly clear what the "good" and "bad" characters are without any need for any kind of gray (Let's not have Ibuki's sister actually try to do what's right for the country by making compromises. Nope. She talks like she's absolutely bonkers most of the time, obviously making her a not good person), and this is a series that likes to stifle its momentum any time it gets it. I wouldn't call it the complete disaster its reputation has made it out to be, but its moments are islands separated by an ocean of exposition.

Weak Recommendation

Charlotte
Stephanie Getchell

Normally, I try very hard to avoid possible spoilers for a series I'm following so as to keep from ruining someone else's experience. However, because of the drastic change Charlotte has undergone this week I feel that a massive spoiler warning is in order. Therefore,

*SPOILER WARNING FOR EPISODES SEVEN AND EIGHT OF CHARLOTTE*

If you do not wish to be spoiled, I suggest jumping to the next series on this report. For those who are either watching this series or honestly don't care about being spoiled, then read on! You have been warned.

We start this week of Charlotte off in the hospital as Yuu awakens from what seems to be a coma after the incident at his sister's school. Remembering what he was doing, he asked about Ayumi, learning that she died in the fallen wreckage she had caused. This places Yuu into a poor mental state, causing him to slowly lose himself and his sanity bit by bit. He eats a poor diet of cup noodles, pizza, and dangos; watches TV in the dark; and starts to fight tough gangs like he's some hero in a video game (this after he played a shooter game at an arcade). Before he goes any further and takes, what seems to be, some kind of drug, Tomori steps in after observing him the entire time using her powers. She convinces him to give some of her home cooking a try and if he didn't like it in one bite then he didn't have to deal with her anymore. But after that one bite of a rice omelet, Yuu realizes that it was the same omelet that his sister would make and was his favorite food as a kid. Tomori reveals that she had found the old recipe book that Yuu's mother left for him and Ayumi, pointing out the very recipe that Ayumi, clearly, wanted to replicate for her older brother. With this, Tomori manages to convince Yuu to return to the student council after struggling to move past his sister's death. During his first day back in school and with the student council, Yuu slowly gets back into having a normal life (or as normal as you can get with teens and superpowers). Tomori tells the rest of the student council members that she has tickets to see her favorite band ZHIND in concert the next and wanted to invite one person to go with her, which, through silly process of elimination, turns out to be Yuu. But, on his way home from school, he happens to run into a blind woman looking for something to eat. She reveals herself to be Sala, the lead vocalist of ZHIND. On a whim, Yuu spends some time with her and speaks to her about a variety of things, including his sister's passing. Then he gets a rather interesting idea. Knowing full well that Tomori's older brother loved ZHIND, Yuu gets Tomori's permission to take Sala to the hospital in an attempt to wake him from his state. When the pair arrive at the hospital and visit Tomori's brother, Sala's song is able to snap him out of his tormented state and he is even able to recognize when she visits not long after Yuu and Sala's visit.

These episodes went to some rather dark places, more so than they have previously. Of course, the aftermath of Ayumi's death turned into a really low period in Yuu's life, and seeing the slow decline of his mentality was both captivating and scary at the same time. Then there's Sala's song for Tomori's older brother that was such a beautiful moment that almost made me start crying. Both episodes are wonderfully animated to match those moments and the moods that they were aiming for, making this the strongest I've seen the series go. As mentioned in previous reports, I love the fun and upbeat moments Charlotte has, however when it goes into the dramatic it does so really well with episodes seven and eight proving my point even further. Every single thing with these episodes just works so well and in line with the overall story and characters that it certainly shot this series up to my favorite out of my remaining seasonal coverage.

Characters are the other major strong point this week for both Yuu and Tomori. It's clear that they are influencing each other in a very positive way, though one is a bit more obvious than the other. Yes, having Tomori follow Yuu around and keeping out of his sight helped Yuu keep from falling into the point of no return, however what Yuu decides to do for Tomori after that by bringing Sala in certainly brought a bit more for Tomori since she does love her older brother. While we don't see much of an emotional expression for this part of the episode, it's rather clear how she feels about the while miracle. This isn't even a sudden thing either, as Yuu does have a little bits of influence on Tomori up until this point; it's just the help he gave for her brother is what really helps solidify it. While it may be hard to say where the rest of the series could go from this point on, I do hope we at least get to see that ZHIND gig that Yuu and Tomori are going to. Yes, I know episode nine is out already, but I don't have a premium subscription to Crunchyroll right now... It costs money, and I just started a new job too... Can you seriously blame me?

Strong Recommendation

Classroom Crisis
Jonathan Kaharl

We are now at shit getting real, everyone, and man oh man, the series is not holding back. A growing focus of the series has been on Nagisa's growth as a character, both in his growing enjoyment of his time with the class and his obsession with destroying the family that ruined his life. It's a very familiar character arc, since bloody everyone has been playing with it since Code Geass changed everything, and the series does it way better than it should probably have the right to. The voice cast is a major part of this (Yuma Uchida is just killing it as Nagisa), but the sheer presentation and fallout of the decisions made really sell it. With the election drawing near, Kaito is backing the union party's candidate to secure his funding necessary to finish their new engine and save the program. The other party's candidate is ultimately going to lose, but Nagisa has orders to prevent this by any means. His brother really should have specified this further, because this opens a loophole that allows him a chance to completely destroy his brother's career and aim for the CEO at top. However, the action will steal away A-TEC's big chance, meaning Nagisa has to betray his new adopted family to destroy the one who took apart his own.

Nagisa, of course, takes the devil's action, and all the fallout is handled perfectly. His political shenanigans are brilliant to the point you can hardly believe they're at all possible (imagine Mitt Romney suddenly becoming a Democrat a few months before the 2012 election), and they utterly destroy his dick of a brother in the most satisfying way. However, A-TEC reacts hurt, unable to believe Nagisa betrayed them, leading to a confrontation between Kaito and Nagisa that may be the series strongest moment. Kaito doesn't look at Nagisa as a villain, because he knows doing so would just be absolving Nagisa of all his guilt. Instead, he treats him like he's a disappointed father, lecturing him on his mistakes and poor decisions. Their verbal sparring is constant and stinging, but filled with a mixture of love and pain that becomes very hard to watch, especially when you realize that it's not Kaito who's at his lowest, but Nagisa. He even starts to cry while he gives an villain's speech with a fake evil smile, which leads to Kaito completely ripping him apart by telling him if he's going to be a villain, he should at least have conviction.

The big final bad is present, the little character relations are fleshed out and ready to spring across the coming conflict, Nagisa has reached his lowest point, and Kaito is now fully resolved to save his program by any means necessary and save Nagisa in the process by beating him at his own game. Classroom Crisis is going to end with one hell of a bang, and while some developments have been a bit too hamfisted and predictable, but the execution otherwise has been fantastic. I can't wait to see how this all wraps up.

Strong Recommendation

God Eater
Joe Straatmann

Time to edit our way out of danger! After the crisis from the last update, Lenka finds himself nearly gored in half and Alisa without her weapon. The solution to most things in this episode involve cutting around it. The previous episode ended with Lenka and Alisa falling off a tall height. We catch up with them on the ground pretty much in the same physical condition they were before they fell. Well, Lenka in a small pond for who knows how long as dirty water flows into his gaping wound. They're not in great shape, but the editing seems to imply Lenka can still carry an unconscious Alisa into an abandoned apartment building while he's at risk of his internal organs leaking out. When Alisa wakes up, she notices Lenka has a hole going through his abdomen the size of Alaska and bandages it up (Because if we're going to have a game adaptation, might as well use game logic that simple first aid will fix all internal injuries and infection). As an episode about survival, it completely defuses its own suspense by not ever really having it. A flashback to the death of Alisa's parents and the musical score are the only things keeping the anime afloat in this juncture. In fact, the music should be the thing credited with carrying everybody to safety. Fake Boom Boom Satellites, Go Shiina, and the mini-orchestra are heroes and should be honored as such!

Production delays have once again cut short what I have to watch and what I have to talk about. Honestly, I could see this episode being great. Lenka and Alisa building a relationship of respect through saving each other's lives and surviving a particularly dire situation are all good things. It just needs to hop the suspension of disbelief hurdle and the writer actually dealing with the obstacles that have been set out. I know the New Types are genetically superior to humans and can take a beating, but what we're expected to accept is just beyond ridiculous and distracts from the finer points. I never consider my time with God Eater a waste. It just has so many elements that could make a better series wasted on settling as a simple mediocre game adaptation.

Weak Recommendation

Himouto! Umaru-chan
Danni Kristen

That it is, Sylphyn. That it is...

While other shows I'm watching were busy with their pool episodes (Seriously. Both SCHOOL-LIVE and Actually, I Am had pool episodes this past week. Wakaba*Girl had one I wrote about in the previous installment), Himouto decided to deliver episodes covering Christmas, New Year's, and Valentine's Day. This is especially odd considering it had a summer break episode just a couple weeks ago. Regardless, the questionable pacing doesn't seem to have any negative effect on Himouto. In fact, it managed to deliver some solid episodes much better than the ones I covered in the previous installment.

While these episodes are largely free of any plot threads, there's a fair amount of character development that was somewhat lacking from Himouto before. There's a large Christmas segment that we actually end up seeing twice from two different perspectives. It first follows Taihei as he and Takeshi are kept late working on Christmas Eve by their former classmate/current boss Kanou. Later, we see the same segment from Kanou's perspective. She wakes up in her nice apartment, eats a meal by herself, and heads off to her job where she's distanced from her employees. The only time she interacts with any of them is when she stops by to apologize to Taihei and Takeshi for asking them to work late on Christmas Eve. As they briefly talk, she quietly reminisces about their days spent together as classmates. Taihei unexpectedly asks if she'd like to spent time with him and Takeshi after work. She's noticeably touched but rejects his offer, saying she has plans with family. This turns out to be a lie, however. Instead she heads straight home with a movie rental to watch by herself. It's a surprisingly melancholy segment for Himouto, but it manages to end happily with Taihei sending Kanou some much-appreciated holiday wishes.

Other touching segments in these episodes include Umaru attempting to connect more with her brother, discuss sibling relationships with Sylphyn, and look back fondly at how many friends she's made in the past year. These moments are scattered nicely among the more comedic bits, creating a welcome balance. These episodes focused less on Umaru being a whiny brat and more on her appreciating those around her, even if she still sometimes acts like a whiny brat. Himouto has hit its stride with these past couple episodes. Hopefully it can keep it going.

Strong Recommendation

Monster Musume: Everyday Life With Monster Girls
Jonathan Kaharl

SHE'S HERE! THE SECOND BEST GIRL AFTER SUU IS HERE! AND THE THIRD BEST OH MY GOD ZOMBINA!!!!!

*cough*

Okay, slowing down. This are by far my favorite episodes so far, mainly because we finally get MON introduced into the cast (with some really inspired casting that works better than I was expecting), but also because Suu and Rachnee get the main segments of the two episodes. Sakura Nakamura gets Rachnee down perfect, matching her seductive nature and playful cruelty. Her segment with Darling (I literally forgot that guy's name and I have Wikipedia open) is a fantastic introduction and makes a lot of good use with lighting, showing off her creative design and her far more developed personality compared to everyone else. Her segment in the following episode with Cerea is equally strong, showing off how much she can bounce off the cast and just outright distill a person's entire way of thinking from some light observation. Also, she likes tying everyone up in webbing bondage, and that's less arousing and more hilarious in how absurd it can be. Like, the creator of this series had to think out how you would apply BDSM style bondage to a half horse person. This is how he makes his living.

Suu also gets a very cute moment in the cold segment, as Darling gets sick and Smith refuses to let the other girls help comfort him because it may result in a mutating virus. So, everyone teaches Suu different ways to take care of Darling. Yes, this results in a LOT of slapstick, and a few inspired gags that work better here than they did in the manga, particularly Papi's idea. This is the moment where Suu really starts to form into a proper character, and her odd talents and inhuman nature end up making her even more human than most of the cast. Her ability to emphasize with people is her defining trait, and it's really put across well with her slow growth into understanding humans and ability to see sides of people no one else can with her mind reading powers. Also, she's the only person who can overpower Rachnee, and this is going to be important.

I think the only thing that could have been handled better was the MON segment. It's a very different style of story than the rest of the series, changing into an action thriller shortly, including gunfire and hostage crisis situations. There are jokes, but the anime plays some stuff a bit too straight and makes the segment suffer for it, especially the part where the orcs threaten to assault a hostage. It was a moment that didn't really work in the manga, but made worse here by how long it goes on comparatively. But the ending of the segment makes up for the most of it, as do Smith's scenes. I'm starting to dig Kobayashi's performance here, held back enough to make Smith's more absurd moments even odder, and it makes the sequences that aren't supposed to be especially funny weirdly amusing. The D arc is coming next, so I have strong hopes for this series sticking the landing and adapting the manga better than it has been. Fingers crossed!

Solid Recommendation

My Wife is the Student Council President
Joe Straatmann

The solution of the main love triangle isn't so much Hayato choosing either the student council president Ui or disciplinary committee head Rin, but rather Hayato making a date with reality. This is a guy whose lies about being a cross-dresser to cover up living with Ui leads to being completely dolled up in a hospital bed. Now he's pulling Ui's panties off in a back alley in some inane competition for affection (In a situation where there's no reason it can't wait until they get home). Are there any bells ringing in Hayato's walnut brain that maybe he should doing something to better these circumstances? The desperation is wafting off this entire work like body funk after an entire day at the gym, and this guy is that the core of its problems. He's not really being dislikable, yet he's so passive that he's actually worse than a protagonist who is actively reprehensible. Oh, he tries to get some form of honesty when he's cornered by Rin's tiny enforcer Sawatari with indisputable evidence, but then the character who behaves like a baby so much that the only reason she's in his apartment is she wet herself becomes attracted to Hayato and starts trying to ride him. Even the uncensored version is starting to get second thoughts as the makers think, "Maybe we shouldn't show Sawatari's breasts in the unnecessary show scene."

At one point, our self-insert character is looking upon the gifted panties from his two potential romantic interests and says, "Everyone still has the wrong idea about me." I'm just going to throw this out there, but perhaps the reason you're in this predicament is because YOU CAN'T HAVE ONE SINGLE DECENT CONVERSATION WITH ANYONE! YOU CAN'T TELL PEOPLE WHAT YOU WANT! YOU DON'T EVER TRY TO CLEAR UP MISUNDERSTANDINGS! YOU JUST STAND THERE AND LET YOUR FACE AND CROTCH GET STUFFED INTO WHATEVER INAPPROPRIATE SITUATION THE UNIVERSE DEEMS FIT! DON'T WHINE ABOUT EVERYONE GETTING THE WRONG IDEA ABOUT YOU WHEN THERE'S NO WAY FOR ANYONE TO GET THE RIGHT IDEA! ...That was a little visceral. I apologize. Regardless, it needed to be said. Obviously, this show is still the definition of lazy and you should completely steer clear of its slothy void.

No Recommendation

Overlord
Jonathan Kaharl

Oh my god the adventurer arc is just awful, and I dread the possibility of the book that's all about getting lizard people to hook up getting adapted later. Overlord keeps tripping over itself because its source material is from one of those fantasy writers who thinks that world building is paramount to most everything, along with some general light novel tropes involving every single person with a vagina wanting the main character's bone (BADUMTISTISBADUMBONGBOINGBADUM-*knocks over drumkit in drunken haze*). The adventurers just exist to stroke Momon's ego, which is plot important because he's trying to build a rep to better gather information and get jobs that actually pay significantly. But the way it's done is so, so self-insert focused, and the forest beast detour continues the stupidity with the introduction of an obnoxious and stupid monster hamster that even Momon agrees is an embarrassment. I was about ready to rant for a good while ...

...and then Clementine, the evil thief/assassin, came back. And holy shit.

Overlord has a pattern with each arc, I'm noticing. It starts with world building and quiet character moments, then ends with skeleton arms from hell, murder sprees, and Momon going full on god of evil. And those arc endings are just ...YES. YES. I NEED MORE. It's like someone listened to all of the death and fantasy metal ever made and turned it into visual splendor. Clementine is the best villain in this series so far by a long mile, slowly slaughtering the adventurers while kidnapping the pharmacist, and then having her partner turn them into zombies just to fuck with whoever finds the bodies. It's the single darkest act in the entire series so far, even keeping in mind how Momon used a goddamn hell skeleton to slaughter a troop of knights. Momon's reactions top everything in this episode speak volumes about what he's become without having to draw much attention to it. He still his bashful human moments, like realizing he overlooked very simple strategy when Nabe asked why he didn't go with a more effective plan, and he seems to also respect the dreams of the adventurers. At the same time, he's far more upset that his plans to spread his name were interrupted, and he forces the pharmacist's grandmother into a Faustian bargain to get his plan back on track and make it clear that HE is the person in charge here, nobody else. He connects to the living, but his own selfish desires take precedent. Also, you cross him, and he won't just beat you, he will utterly humiliate you, and he plans to do with Clementine by showing the vast difference in power between them by not fighting her seriously at all.

Overlord works when it's going all in on the dark fantasy aspect, throwing in elements of horror and human cruelty alongside Momon's evil antics and conflicting nature. There's depth and fun to be had in the worst, most wonderful ways, but damn if you don't have to get dragged to these moments in the dullest ways. I can forgive the first two episodes, which explored interesting ideas, but this current arc has been a miserable drag. Thankfully, it's going out with one HELL of a bang, and it may be the single best moment of this entire season. Yes, this includes the highlights of Prison School. Overlord is generic and boring at it's worst, but it's one of the most incredible things I've ever seen in its highs. It's filling a need nobody has been filling, and I demand more of it. And Shalltear better eat some people soon because she seriously needs more to do than get wet when Momon does anything. Seriously, did you see her monster face in the opening credits!? But those lows ....gah. I can't give this a strong recommendation, my brain won't allow it.

Solid Recommendation

Prison School
Jonathan Kaharl

The DTO plan continues these past two episodes, as the underground student council up their plans to expel the boys in some truly brilliant ways, setting themselves up for failure through psychological warfare and general skullduggery. At the same time, the relationships between the boys are growing stronger, even to the point where Gakuto destroys his precious figurine to save his friends from further jail time. It's a strong moment as he admits that the subject of the figure would never approve of him betraying his friends for any reason, a genuinely emotional and human scene that involves the vice president sitting her exposed butt on a tiny plastic horse. Because this is Prison School. More importantly, Shingo finally has found where he really wants to be, and as things look their darkest, the newly reforged friendships between the boys may just save them from expulsion.

And next episode I watch will have the infamous "IT'S. HER. FUCKING. NIPPLE." scene and that's pretty awesome.

I cannot stress enough how ridiculously good this series is. The plot is so perfectly constructed, even more so than other favorite series of mine like Monster. Every character is sympathetic in some way, even the villains of the piece, and all the little gags and gross out moments keep adding to brilliant payoffs down the line. Like, the vice president wearing clothing that was way too tight as punishment? That was plot important and planned. No really. There's just so many scenes like this, and the series tests the relationships of these characters so perfectly. They're all ridiculous, but they all have a very human core to their personality that makes them function. The president hates perverts, and there's background in how she's disgusted by her father that fuels this. The chairman tries to be a proper man his daughter can look up to, but he gives in to his vices too much and creates problems for others in the process. All the boys have been friends and re-establish their bonds through selfless acts, including taking a hit to save someone from throwing their life away. You know, with a wood stake up the bum. Even the object of Shingo's desire, Anzu, is surprisingly likable and relateable as we learn more of her own story and her role in the DTO.

Nobody is wasted space or a pointless addition, not even Chiyo's best friend. They all contribute to a larger, twisting narrative and have relateable motivations. They can be wrong and right at the same time, all capable of despicable acts and guilt or second thoughts over those acts. There's tension and shock in every episode, and it becomes almost addictive as it goes. Or, you can just be amazed by the open raunchiness of it all that you become astounded by how insanely hilarious this show is in finding new lows and just wallowing in it. This is still the best show of the season, bar none, and it's only getting better in my eyes.

Strong Recommendation

Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace
Stephanie Getchell

So, because of some programming issues in Japan, only one episode of Ranpo Kitan has been released. Along with that, I have actually learned, since the last report, that the series is only set for eleven episodes. How is this going to change my thoughts on the series right now and, possibly, by the end? That... is... a rather good question. And considering this week's episode takes cues from an untranslated short story from Edogawa's arsenal, it makes it even harder to say.

After previously explaining to Kobayashi and Hashiba about his connection to Twenty Faces, Akechi struggles to stop him by using the computer program he helped create in order to predict and end the crimes of the many irritations of Twenty Faces. Kobayashi and Hashiba decide to assist the young detective (although one is more enthusiastic than the other), which causes Kobayashi's school work and even his presence at school to suffer greatly to the disdain of Hashiba. After successfully completing the formula after a few days, Akechi receives a call from the next Twenty Faces, also known online as the Successor. Akechi quickly deters the situation and prevents the so called Successor from carrying out her plans (it's kinda spoilery as to who that person is, so I'll avoid that), but not before attention is called to another Twenty Faces not too far away. As Akechi runs to meet the man, Kobayashi is confronted by some mystery person that I can only make a guess as to who it is based on how the episode went. When Akechi meets Twenty Faces, it is revealed that he is the true original Twenty Faces who faked his death three years ago, and is ready to play once more against his old friend.

As stated before, this week's episode is adapted from an untranslated short story, making it a tiny bit more difficult to give context on; so I'll just skip that all together this time. Something I have said a few times now is that the clear plot line of this series since the third episode is Twenty Faces, which turns what could have been an episodic "mystery of the week" kind of show I was originally thinking this would be into a more plot heavy series. However, there have been episodes where this doesn't work all that well and have made things rather awkward in terms of the writing; yet there have been really good weeks that's I've gotten to watch including the Panorama Island episodes from two weeks ago in the third report. This week, the story and it's writing seems to be in the middle. While some plot elements were predictable and easy to read with some odd reveals, there were a few surprises in store for us. Obviously, one of which is the reveal of the original Twenty Faces at the episode's end, but there is another small moment earlier on in the episode between Kobayashi and Hashiba that caught my attention. Remember the beginning of the series how Kobayashi seems to see people in colored silhouettes unless they grab his attention? The opposite effect is used to show Kobayashi losing interest in Hashiba after being pestered about going to school. It's only for a few seconds, but it can potentially say a lot about where the plot could go as well as tell us more about Kobayashi himself, or, if nothing else, at least have us asking more questions.

Speaking of that small moment, I may as well point out that the animation during this episode is among the strongest I've seen from the series, yet! The use of color and imagery just blend so well together and bring in a lot more foreshadowing. Whether it's blood red or purple color schemes or the, further, use of golden butterflies and dominos, there is a lot going for this episode in the animation department and I was captivated by it every second. What saddens me now, aside from the inconsistency with the writing, is character development for Hashiba. It's something I've mentioned before, because it seems as though he is supposed the be the third main character and yet he has been sidelined for nearly the majority of the series. Aside from his background and his potential crush on Kobayashi, there hasn't been much to work with and it's rather saddening to me. At this stage of the game, and with only two episodes left, it's clear there won't be anything more for him unless that small moment between him and Kobayashi means anything as we reach the finale. Edogawa is rather good when it comes to twists and turns, so it's very possible, however it's very very clear that Akechi and Kobayashi are the two leads of this series and there is very good reason for it. From the beginning we know that the two are rather similar, and yet rather different in how they view the world around them. While one just doesn't seem to care unless it's something that interests him, the other views his world even further outside as exhibited during Panorama Island. While the two default to these characteristics, it's interesting to see the little bit of their growth pop in here and there.

Despite the writing and character problems I still have, this episode of Ranpo Kitan has captivated me in many ways. The writing issues may only be because of the lack of knowledge us in the west have about the unpublished Edogawa short story, but I really feel that knowing the context each episode brings in as it adapts these different stories is just a bonus for the viewer. From the start this wan't going to be a pure bred adaptation of Edogawa Rampo's stories, and if you're mad about that then you're missing the point (also you're wasting money trying to get all the stories that were adapted, especially the untranslated ones). What truly matters is that the series is true to Edogawa's style of writing and what he did in order to redefine the mystery genre in Japan. While I've, personally, never read an Edogawa novel, I've done enough research to understand that this series is doing his style justice. Sure, parts of the series suffer, but the over all look and feel of the series is what matters the most, and this episode has helped remind me of that. I'm excited to see what the finale has in store, and who will be the victor! Who do you think will win in the end? Akechi or Twenty Faces? All I can say is, may the best man win.

Strong Recommendation

Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers
David O'Neil

Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers is at its heart a mystery series, so the crux of the series is that the mystery stays interesting through all the twists an turns, and so far its done exactly that, and very well. There've been accusations, alliances, betrayals, and extended conversations on the variety of ways someone could or could not have gotten into a big sealed temple (a LOT of conversations about that) and it's all managed to hold my attention incredibly well, even if lately I've felt it may be becoming a little too clear what direction its going.

The thing is, every mystery story has the same endpoint: The reveal. One of the most important aspects of any good mystery is what the answer to that mystery eventually is. There are many different ways to approach this, and its still far too early to completely tell how they're going to approach it, but lately I feel as if I've been getting an idea in terms of where its heading  (without explicitly stating anything for the sake of possible spoilers), and if this is the case I may have some complaints towards the show for not being more tactful with how it handled the identity of the False Brave. This is all purely hypothetical mind you, for all I know the next episode could pull a total 180 and head in a totally different direction, but as of now I feel there's one direction it could go in that, if it did, could come off as somewhat underwhelming from a mystery perspective if it ends up being the case. With that said, even with the nature of the endgame coming into question, as I said before everything leading up to it has continued to be clever, well paced, and engaging around every turn. Chamot's had a lot more to do, revealing just how screwed up of a character she is, Adlet and Hans have a lot of interaction together making for some great moments, and the relationship between Flamie and Adlet has been expanded on in some intriguing directions. It has been and continues to be one of the best written shows of the season, filled with strong characters whose relationships constantly shift in fascinating ways, and I'm getting excited to see what it all culminates with.

Last time I paid special attention to the show's fluctuating visual issues, with studio Passione clearly having issues with polish, along with some questionable choices in how it used CG animation in certain situations. Things have been better the last few episodes, there's still some rough bits but its not too noticeable if you're not looking for it. In addition, some really good action scenes with dynamic fight choreography do a decent job drawing attention away from the continued use of iffy looking CG monsters in action scenes (the ones in the last few episodes are at least better than the fedora wearing crocodile). Rokka's great cast and constantly evolving mystery have stayed strong the past few episodes, but it may end up coming down to how it chooses to handle the final stretch, and where exactly this mystery goes. I for one am looking forward to finding out.

Solid Recommendation

SCHOOL-LIVE!
Danni Kristen

This week in SCHOOL-LIVE: Treasure Hunts! Pool Parties! Bioweapons! Zombified teachers plotting revenge! Wait, what? It turns out I was correct when I predicted that SCHOOL-LIVE was hitting its turning point. And, uh, it sure was...something...

The first episode for this installment opens up with a short sequence of one of the zombies crudely writing the names of our main characters in a notebook. The zombie also appears to have Megu-nee's ahoge. This is a simple coincidence I'm sure. The rest of the episode is focused on the key that was found among Megu-nee's possessions. Miki and Yuri spend the episode searching the staff room for anything it could unlock. Yuki joins in on their "treasure hunt" and manages to find a secret panel containing a safe (What normal high school staff room isn't complete without secret panels?). As it turns out, they're able to open the safe with Megu-nee's key. Among its contents they find a top-secret folder containing layouts of the school, its facilities, and how the staff should respond in case a bioweapon causes everyone on Earth to turn into zombies (A must-have for any normal, everyday high school). Suddenly it starts to make sense why the school is so conveniently self-sufficient. Wait, no, actually it doesn't make sense. How does that make sense? I'm very confused. The girls are puzzled by it as well, so they naturally decide to have a pool party the next day on the roof. After a fun-filled day complete with a touching moment between Taroumaru and Miki, the girls all go to sleep. Suddenly in the night something wakes Taroumaru. He slips out of his collar and runs through the school, suddenly happening upon a zombie that looks astonishingly like Megu-nee. He's probably okay though.

I'll admit, I've had my apprehensions about SCHOOL-LIVE from the start. While it was managing to be a refreshingly unique take on the zombie genre, I was always afraid it would veer into trope-filled territory. Luckily, that has not happened. However, it's caught me off guard with its recent episodes into territory that is really just kind of dumb. For one, the pool episode felt incredibly out of place within the narrative, especially after such a startlingly revelation. After finding out there's more to their school than really meets the eye, the girls say fuck it and decide to have a water gun fight. It's also filled with some fanservice shots that seem incredibly out of place in SCHOOL-LIVE. Now, I'm aware that an episode like this is common for moe, slice-of-life shows, so it makes sense that SCHOOL-LIVE would implement one. However, I believe an episode like it would have been better suited for earlier in the series. After all, its preceding episode revealed a crucial piece of info that is sure to lead to the final plot arc. The sudden shift from tension into moe fun felt haphazard and sloppy in a show that's always held such a great balance between the two.

Additionally, the show's sudden twist seems to be sending the show in a direction that is both unexpected and - in my opinion - stupid. It turns out those in charge of the high school were well aware the apocalypse could break out at any moment. This likely means a secret bioweapons development facility was in the area. Considering that there's an apparent "second basement" to the school, I wouldn't rule out the fact that the school itself might have been the facility. If this turns out to be the case, what's there to be gained from them finding the facility? It's not like they can suddenly construct a cure with the equipment. I fail to see how this can result in a satisfying climax. At best it'll end up being a weird filler event before the REAL final plot arc.

Solid Recommendation

Seiyu's Life
David O'Neil

Seiyu's Life has settled into a groove as a comedy slice of life anime very nicely, the show hasn't ceased being a sweet, goofy, and occasionally even insightful little ride about a couple of dorky voice actresses trying to make a name for themselves in the industry. Nearly nothing about it has really changed, which is fine if you already enjoyed its structure balancing over the top comedy, factoids on anime voice acting, and on occasion a bit of drama for good measure. It works, and even if it can feel a bit stagnant at times, I enjoy watching how things play out each week.

Last time I covered the series I noted that the visuals had taken a bit of a dip in the seventh episode. It was no Rokka, the episode was polished and looked perfectly fine, but in comparison to how the show had looked up until that point it was underwhelming. The eighth episode saw the return of the show's higher quality animation, a fairly elaborate dance sequence with tons of smear-heavy character animation, oodles of wacky faces, and plenty of movement. The ninth episode, while featuring some neat visual gags, was back to simpler stuff animation wise, not a ton of interesting movement to be seen. It's too bad to see the show fluctuating visually. Again, it never looks bad, but early on the show consistently put out some of the best cartoonish comedy animation of the season, maybe even better than Himouto, Dogakobo's show this season (a studio that's made a name for itself through great cartoonish comedy animation). So when I say the visuals have waned as of late, its less a harsh critique and more a sign of slight disappointment.

 After all, even if the lower concentration of energetic animation does make the show a bit weaker, it doesn't keep the show from being a whole lot of fun. The most recent episode for instance, took a fresh new turn by focusing almost entirely on the main character's manager, and showing everything a Seiyu's manager has to go through on a day to day basis. It was a great way to offer a new angle on the voice acting industry, the manager character is a lot of fun, and the episode had a really sweet ending. I would like to see more of the great animation that took the series to greater heights as a comedy series earlier on, but even without it Seiyu's Life is still a good that can always get a laugh out of me.

Solid Recommendation

SHIMONETA: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn’t Exist
Joe Straatmann

See, the episode is called "Do Androids Dream of Electric Masseurs?!" It's a reference to Philip K. Dick! This show IS smart! I kid I kid. I'll stop hammering on the idea that this show is actually good and not a guilty pleasure even though it totally is.  The latest episodes seems to be taking aim at inconsistent bureaucratic censorship within the chaste dystopian Japanese society. Tsukimigusa is a prefect enforcer sent in to restrict all the lewd activities within the school and to simultaneously take orders and protect Anna. The character is very unusual in that she/he (It's no real spoiler to reveal that Tsukimigusa is dressed up as a female but is actually male) has no clear symbolism for something, but it's very clear he is supposed to represent something. My best guess is he's a government worker who just punches in, does their job, and never questions why they do anything. He bans basketball because he's told the act can be interpreted as lewd, but he doesn't really know or care if it is. This opens up certain things like the hypocrisy of the government higher-ups as Anna has supreme command over him and anything he was going to call lewd but Anna approves of is "officially" not lewd. You get certain benefits when you're the one making the rules.

These episodes aren't as sharp as many of the previous antics. They seem to be waiting for the main event in which the evil Gathered Fabric takes the stage. Tsukimigusa isn't particularly amusing on his own with his robotic personality, and most of the rest of it is wacky misadventures involving plot devices like smelly underwear used to attract other pervert terrorists into a trap. Seemingly innocent but exceptionally manipulative Kosuri has also joined the ranks of SOX looking to win the appreciation of leader Ayame, but all of Ayame's compliments seem to be for main character Tanukichi, causing jealousy issues. The jokes are mainly the same without much evolution. Kosuri does get a great moment when she tries to use her charms on science club president Hyouka, but she usually falls within the predictable humor of a character with loli vibes being in truth a manipulative and perverted individual. She doesn't have the charged ingenuity and purpose some of the better aspects of the show have.

The good show is still good. The episodes are simply in mid-season holding patterns waiting for the real conflict to arrive. It seems the showdowns are just around the corner, so it's an acceptable delay in pacing. It'd be fantastic if it had kept up with the great streak it'd been on in the previous few episodes, but the comedy has more than enough laughs to stay entertaining and is sure as hell is better than everything in my assigned reviews. Perhaps better than everything else on my assignments combined.

Solid Recommendation

Snow White with the Red Hair
David O'Neil

The last few episodes of Snow White with the Red Hair have done a lot new for the series in terms of tone, not exactly huge steps forward, but at the least it went farther a bit quicker than I may have expected. There's still a lot of show left, after all, this is only the first of two cours, and I'm curious what exactly it plans to do and how far exactly it's planning to take its characters and drama, but as of now I'm happy with the pace its going and how it's handled the last few episodes.

The eighth episode is mostly about Prince Zen, flashing back to his youth and revealing some details as to how he became the person he is today. It marks the darkest the series has ever gotten, nothing too brutal happens, but some pretty bad stuff goes down which was surprising to see in a show that so far had been mostly laid back pleasantness. It tackles the transition to a major dark moment well, and feels believable and purposeful within the story the series had created thus far. I do think it was good to see that the series wasn't afraid of doing more than just fairly low stakes moments with its characters, there had been brief glimpses of darker material in past episodes, but this was its first time going beyond just dipping its toes into it. And it does make for one of the more powerful moments the series has had so far, and provides a lot of insight into Zen as a character, the significance of his relationship with Shirayuki and his comrades, along with shedding light on the conflicts he's currently facing as a Prince. The episode itself is a bit stilted, the first half focuses on totally stuff with Shirayuki, making it almost feel like two episodes stitched together, but it doesn't keep the moments in that second half from being wholly effective.

The next episode lightens things up a bit, focusing mostly on Shirayuki. More specifically, Shirayuki accidentally getting drunk. And yes, that is just as hilarious as it sounds. But as funny as it was (and it was very very funny), even that moment acted as a means for providing more development for Shirayuki, along with her relationship with Zen. It goes to show just how well this series handles its characters and relationships, even side characters like Lowen and Obi have gotten a lot more screen time and been expanded on very well. The last few episodes of Snow White with the Red Hair have not only continued to do well what the show has always done well, but also started to branch out in some new directions, doing so with the strong execution that have always made the show so enjoyable to watch.

Strong Recommendation

Ushio and Tora
David O'Neil

What do I even say about Ushio and Tora. It's just good. It's just remarkably good. And I like it a whole lot. Even now, as the series remains mostly on obligatory side stories of Ushio getting wrapped up in other people's various magic spirit-related problems, helping them to overcome some sort of emotional issue in order to defeat some evil baddie, Ushio and Tora never fails to entertain the hell out of me. There's something about its perfectly balanced tone, its endlessly charming characters, and its unbridled sense of energy that just works so well.

After a pretty alright episode involving fighting off a giant snake xenomorph monster that hijacked an airliner mid-flight (says a lot about the show that something like that was a weaker episode in the series), the ninth episode saw the show's titular duo arriving in a new city only to be immediately wrapped up in more mystical shenanigans, agreeing to help two shapeshifting dog-like creatures who can grow scythes out of their hair for some reason to hunt down their brother, who'd gone rogue and started senselessly killing humans for destroying their forests. The episode starts off a bit too quick pacing-wise, but quickly gathers itself and more gradually builds up to what was a really good episode overall. It went with the show's running theme of the modern world (well....90s world I guess) clashing with the ancient world, and whether or not it could ever be possible for the two to live in harmony, a conflict even shown through the two constantly conflicted main characters from differing times. The climax is a bit corny, but also dramatic and surprisingly bittersweet. Even if the show isn't always the brightest, it's so genuine in how it handles its characters and themes it overcomes its simplicity through an abundance of heart.

This is also shown through the tenth episode, which I'd consider calling the best episode of the series so far. It follows an interesting new character who goes through some really hell handled character development, and integrates the magical aspects of the episode to mirror the character's internal conflict very well. It almost reminded me of some episodes of Mushishi in how effectively it blended the mystical aspects into the narrative, (just if Ginko had a giant Tiger spirit sidekick who he eventually worked together with to stab the problem away). It was smartly written, perfectly paced, had great humor, and a memorable climax, a shining example of the series at its best. Ushio and Tora is great fun to watch, and the last few episodes have had some of the best stuff the series has had to offer so far, it's definitely still worth watching.

Strong Recommendation

Wakaba*Girl
Danni Kristen

After the weird finale-like plot episode I addressed last time, Wakaba*Girl has returned to its regular form with the arrival of the school cultural festival. After Shiba comes down with a cold and is unable to participate in the beauty contest, Wakaba volunteers to take her place. She ultimately wins and tearfully dedicates the win to her deceased grandmother in a way that manages to actually be hilarious. Following the cultural festival, Moe decides to confront her lack of athletic ability head-on. With the help of all her friends, she manages to successfully pull off a back hip circle. Also, Wakaba's house turns into a cartoon villain's secret lair at night out of nowhere.

Wakaba*Girl is pretty darn okay. I enjoy watching it, but I suspect that the only thing motivating me to keep watching it is the fact it was assigned to me. Each episode is adorable and pretty and usually has a gag or two that makes me laugh, but it fails at standing out much in the middle of what's turned out to be a pretty entertaining season. As I've sad before, its biggest strength lies in the fact its a short and not a full series. If you're in the mood for something cute and looking for a way to kill eight minutes, you'll probably enjoy Wakaba*Girl.

Weak Recommendation

Wakako-zake
Danni Kristen

Another installment, another segment where I again fail to come up with anything fresh to say about Wakako-zake. What is there left for me to say? It's a great show worth the two minutes of your time it'll take. Seriously, in the time it's taking you to read this short-ass paragraph you likely could have watched a whole episode. I promise I'll finally have more stuff to say in my wrap-up. For now, just watch Wakako-zake. It literally won't even take you twenty minutes.

Strong Recommendation

Second Opinions

Actually, I Am

Jonathan: The last two episodes I saw included a sexy contest that ended in an explosion and a demon threatening to destroy the world to get some chocolate that somehow turned into a torture session and a game of chicken with the planet on the line because the teacher was really, really pissed off. What I'm saying is that this show has become incredible. Also, they're starting to insert more faces closer to the manga's art style, and they're a thing of terrible, horrifying magnificence. If only the rest of the series was more like this. Solid Recommendation

Aoharu X Machinegun

Jonathan: I needed a show like this so much, and I didn't even realize it. The ridiculously heavy character drama, creative editing, and thrilling visual ideas really make for an exciting time, taking mundane material and draining all the emotion possible from it. And holy shit, this series has the villain of the season, even compared to Clementine from Overlord. There's evil, and then there's this sadist fucker. Only complaint I have now is that the show can be too emotionally draining to sit through without pausing once or twice. It does not hold back. Strong Recommendation

Charlotte

Joe: That was a nice recovery from Yu's jackass stage of grieving. Watching a guy wallow in his self pity while potentially destroying the lives of others is not a particularly pleasant viewing experience. Introducing Yu to Mao's favorite band Zhiend opens some effective emotional moments all around and eventually brings in a development that completely changes the series (Am I the 200th person to say the song "Trigger" should've come with a trigger warning?). I can see the one aspect that's going to completely undo the huge twist from the middle of series and I prefer my tragic moments to be heavily resistant to resetting. However, it still leads to a wonderfully creative action sequence and elevates the series as a whole to something better than what it was before. Solid Recommendation

GANGSTA.

Stephanie: We've hit the start of the climax, it seems, and there are a few added twists in there for good measure. Alex is regaining her memories, we find out who the two murders who steal tags are, and we now also have confirmation who is truly pulling the strings. At least until we may or may not get someone even bigger doing that. My concerns for the writing during the last report are still there, however with the amount of little twists here and there added into these episodes it makes me feel a little bit better. The characters have been improving a little here and there as well, with Alex finally becoming much more relaxed and happier compared to when we first see her. It will be interesting to see where the series ends, but it has been one hell of a ride so far despite some of it's problems. Solid Recommendation

Himouto! Umaru-chan

Jonathan: Bomber comparing junk food with Umaru and Kirie waiting in the falling snow to give Umaru a present on Christmas Eve prove that these are the best character and nobody can tell me otherwise. It's cool how this series makes mundane situations so enjoyable, thanks to really strong character writing. Now that Umaru is actually likable and not just a selfish user, the series is becoming something special. Solid Recommendation

Monster Musume: Everyday Life With Monster Girls

Danni: Would you fuck a spider? Heh, of course you would. Who wouldn't? Well, I wouldn't, but I'm not surprised you would. Spider fucker. Weak Recommendation

Stephanie: After the really weird, and near hentai, episode from the last report, I am very happy to see the series get back in the right form! We add our sadistic spider woman, Rachnera, to the fold and our household is now complete! With four more episodes left, what kind of craziness could happen?! You can never really tell with this series. You should, but you can't. That's probably what makes this series so much fun! Solid Recommendation

Overlord

Stephanie: I think the one major problem I'm having with this show right now is that long arc we've been dealing with so far. I understand the purpose of it, but, at the same time, it also takes some screen time away from Albedo and the others whom I believe to be the secondary characters in all this. Yes we've had little glimpses here and there, but it's more for the sake of comic relief more than anything. I'm hoping that since the major conflict from this arc is now done, that we can move back to where the show was before and give more time to those characters, because they are heavily underused. Solid Recommendation

Prison School

Danni: I think the most telling thing I can say about Prison School is that in the past few episodes a woman has crushed a figure with her ass, hung from a doorknob by her thong, and become infuriated by someone's nipple hair, and yet I consider these episodes 'tame' in comparison to earlier ones. The only truly negative thing I can say is that one of the manga's best panels was ruined by the show's censors. At least it gives us a reason to look forward to the BDs. Strong Recommendation

SCHOOL-LIVE!

Jonathan: "Maybe something nice will happen! WHY WOULD ANYTHING NICE EVER HAPPEN!?" Strong Recommendation

Seiyu's Life

Stephanie: This week we went into a rather interesting place, and that is with our manager Konno. While she's mostly been in the background throughout the series, it was very nice to get another side of the story and see her character develop a bit more. Not only that, but seeing the work and dedication that managers have to do. As someone who deals in management for theatre, it's something I really appreciate and am very glad the the series didn't just stick to seiyus. It also looks like Futaba is developing nicely as well with the single debut episode that came out as well. And, by the looks of it, Rin's about to get some more story of her own next time. How will the series play out from here, and will us staffers actually get to finish the series for the final report? Chances are, yes! Strong Recommendation

Snow White with the Red Hair

Stephanie: It's been a little while since there have been more backstory for Zen, as well as more screen time for Obi who, I admit, is one of my favorite characters in the series. These episodes give both along with more detail into the kind of relationship Zen and Mitsuhide have and even connecting it back to Obi by the end of the 9th episode. This is really a pleasant change as the past several episodes had more focus on Shirayuki and her growing romance with Zen. Normally, I'd be a little upset that something like this comes in late, however, since this series is set as a two cour, I have no issue. It's a much need piece of development for our three major male characters and fits rather nicely into the story. Strong Recommendation

Ushio and Tora

Jonathan: I'm really impressed by the empathy and heart this show has. It's not the dumb ra-ra kick evil butt to solve all problems type of thing most shonen action is today. Instead, Ushio is a really empathetic guy that's learning not everyone can be saved, and the least he can do is relate to their struggles and give them a kindness they desperately needed. The action and comedy is great, but the sheer heart from these characters in unexpected and very welcome. You need to absolutely see this if you have any interest in action-horror stuff. Strong Recommendation