Author Archives: torisunanohokori

First Reactions: Dangan Ronpa Episodes 11 and 12

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Sorry for the incredibly late updates. I’ve had a busy time lately that I’d like to claim is all work’s fault, but it really has as much to do with Valkyria Chronicles 2 and the general greatness of Gatchaman Crowds. Which I’ve rewatched episodes of for hours episode 10 specifically, and is definitely the turning point pushing Kenji Nakamura past the ranks of very, very good situational directors into the tier of “watch me nail this magic trick I’ve never done before,” greats.*

Anyway, I’ll be getting back to writing over this weekend, skipping pics and just dishing my thoughts on the shows I was supposed to be covering** until I’m caught up. Also, look forward to some more crunched numbers; I’ve been running some data on anime adaptations of award-winning manga and the frequency of mecha anime pre- and post-3D mech animation techniques that should be ready relatively soon.

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First Reactions: Free! Episode 10

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Free didn’t let up on the details as per usual. It might be only the second or third time I’ve seen an anime point out the poor quality of it’s written Engrish, a stickem take on a cliche that was further justified by it being written by a bunch of jock high schoolers. It packed in a little extra bit of realism by showing how information technology can be used to boost athletic performances. And it made the most of a nabe spill, resolving the subplot foremost in the minds of the viewers.

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If I were her, I would have just picked up some non-corrective glasses

But the real reason Free sold out at the majority of online retailers is that it packs a good dramatic cast, and said cast was on display as well, approaching something that the show hadn’t really confronted up till now. The central arc of the show deals with the rivalry between Rin and Haru with roots dating back to when they were in the same swim club with Matoto and Nagisa. So where does Rei, the new kid who’s now friends with the latter three but just got involved 3 months ago fit into the equation?

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Fun With Numbers: Scarce Demand for Simulmanga

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This past year, viz media pulled off a first for the non-Japan manga industry. I’m referring to Shonen Jump Alpha, a digital “magazine” offering same-week release of the chapters of some 11 Weekly Shonen Jump manga. It’s pretty cool, and at 26$/year for 48 issues (and a buck per back issue), it’s not a totally unreasonable subscription fee. But that specific business model, one of same-week releases for official translations, is unfortunately not something that’s likely to be transferable to the majority of manga. Especially seinen and josei series with smaller fanbases. If you’ve ever wondered if the manga translation industry will catch up to where the anime industry is now with simulcasts, this article discusses the depressing reality of the situation and why such an outcome is relatively unlikely.

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First Reactions: WataMote Episode 10

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I’ve seen shows lead into their ED credits with the first few notes, (to nearly universally impressive results), but this is only the third or fourth show I’ve seen do so with the opening credits. Between that and the decision to plug Tomoko into class chat central, the second semester got off to a running start.

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First Reactions: Space Brothers Episode 72

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The longer we get past the lunar canyon crash arc in this series, the more convinced I am that it ended in exactly the right way. This way keeps Hibito around and lets the show explore the careers of the two siblings, staying true to the title. Lately, it’s been responsible for some evolution in the dynamics between the two, showing them dealing with careers stalling out for reasons that appear separate (Mutta’s turning down the backup job, Hibito’s PTSD), but are actually largely identical. The revelation that Mutta was really being held back because of Hibito’s PTSD and the NASA director’s handling of the situation was a smack in the head that made a ton of sense.

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Manga Chapter of the Week: Diamond is not Crash Chapter 30 (Let’s Go Out for Italian, Part 3)

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I’m a sucker for a good cooking manga. I’m even more a sucker for it when it’s pulled out of nowhere in a superpowered battle series and yet feels totally welcome. It’s why Toriko is so balls-on amazing under normal circumstances. And why it’s so lackluster now, when nary a character has had their muscles restored by a delicious cake in over half a year. So I’ve been satisfying my hunger* with a number of manga, most notably the raws of an almost-finished Akagi and the charmingly-amateurish classic Duwang scans of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. This week’s featured chapter comes from the latter, not for the unintentional comedy, but because this spaghetti looks really, really good:23_10_24_2011_21_54_23

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First Reactions: Dangan Ronpa Episode 10

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This was, first and foremost, a great Monokuma episode. His cosplay acting was a level up from normal, that back-and-forth between him and Naegi about the lack of cameras in the baths was solid banter, and the way he laughed when he found the kids snooping around the hidden room was spot-on. His character is probably one of the show’s 3 biggest achievements, unlike many villains who start to feel tired or experience character dilution, he still exudes the same threatening yet fun poise he’s had since day 1. And his declaration at the end shows two different kinds of astute villainy (depending on whether you see it as a bluff or not).

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First Reactions: Free! Episode 9

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The more the series draws to its conclusion, the closer it resembles a cross between an 80s sports movie and a less-minimalistic Touch. It’s got the works; last-second comeback plays, a little bit of environment for the small town, plenty of memorable quotes. Not to mention the chat Haru and Makoto had while looking out at the coastline which finally made things click for the former. Nor that recollection scene Rin had at the old pool, choking down tears for something he could’ve kept but threw away. Nor the still-excellent background music that played during it.

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Charactology 2012 (Group 3, Match 1): Lupin or Rikka

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(Check out the stickied post for the full bracket.)

Finally halfway through the first round, we’re getting to the appearance of one of out bigger favorites; the legendary, looney phantom thief with a snazzy green jacket and a rap sheet long enough to span the globe. Oh, and some girl with Middle School Disease.

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