First Impressions: Summer 2016 Anime (Part 2)

We’re into the second third of the season’s premieres and I think I’m starting to see my weekly schedule slowly putting itself together out there in the distance. Nothing’s set in stone yet, but I’m getting the feeling that some shows are going to hold up over the long run and others aren’t. The more I watch, the more I have perspective on the stuff I’ve already seen, and the more I feel ready for the season to actually start.

New Game 1-34
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Aniwords – The Spirit of Joy Lives in Love Live! Sunshine

It’s Love Live! It’s back, it’s here, I’m happy, Hanamaru best girl after one episode (disclaimer: best girl decision not final). And so, because I’m not quite over the girls of μ’s yet, I wrote up a little something about what Sunshine!! has inherited from the original series: namely, a spirit of joy. It’s a topic I’ve sort of written on before, but it’s neat to see how these sort of things can crossover so strongly from shows not in direct continuity with each other. It’s like the Macross effect, except much more 1:1.

Here’s the link~

Love Live Sunshine!!

First Impressions: Summer 2016 Anime (Part 1)

So, it’s that time of the year again, that time of the year that comes around four times a year, that time of year when a bunch of new anime start all at once and it’s a mad scramble to try and watch all the things I at least want to try. And with this season’s premieres being so spread out over a long period of time, halfway through premiere week I’ll have to take a break, but that’s neither here nor there. Let’s hit it!

Love Live! Sunshine
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The Best Anime of Spring 2016

Spring 2016 was ridiculous. It’s been a long time since I’ve watched 10+ shows in a season, but this season made me do it. In addition, the top level of shows this season were ridiculous. We had basically two competing AOTS shows (fortunately, only one actually ended this season). In short, I had a whole bunch of fun—my weekly schedule this season felt like coming home each time I started in on it.

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A Comparison of Translations for Concrete Revolutio

It’s not often we get two different official sets of subtitles for a simulcasting anime, but that’s what happened with Concrete Revolutio (which was streamed by both Funimation and Daisuki here in the US). After seeing some screenshots from Funimation’s version of Conrevo‘s finale, which differed a bit from the Daisuki subs, I got it into my head to compare the two translations—what follows are the results, along with my commentary.

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Aniwords – The Lost Village and the Death of the Genre

The Lost Village wasn’t the best anime that aired this season, nor was it anywhere close to being my favorite, but darn it, it was sure a heckuva a lot of fun to write about. I’ve long since passed by my formalist fan days (I remember telling one of my college professors that I was a formalist LOL), but talking about The Lost Village‘s formal qualities is very nearly the only way I can think to approach the show—as should be clear since this is the third post I’ve written on its formal elements. In any case, I hope you guys enjoy this wild post!

Here’s the link~

Mayoiga

Aniwords – Concrete Hero Luluco: From Heroes to Justice to Love

I’ve been away on a business trip, which is why I’m late getting this one posted over here. I apologize for the blog’s relative deadness as of late – I promise I haven’t forgotten about it; just in a weird sort of funk with writing lately since work’s been crazy. Things should settle down by mid-July.

Anyways, this belated post is a (perhaps overly so) ambitious attempt by me to bring together some thoughts I’ve been having on My Hero Academia, Concrete Revolutio, and Space Patrol Luluco. Hope you guys enjoy it – if not, let me know if it was impregnable after all in the comments.

Here’s the link~

My Hero Academia

Aniwords – Dealing with Bakugo

Another week, another Aniwords! On the docket this week is My Hero Academia, which I confess I feel rather lax for having left untouched for this long. While I think the show’s pretty good, and even improves on the manga in places, ultimately I’ve been disappointed by how safe the adaptation’s been played. That being said, there’s still a ton of cool stuff going on My Hero Academia, and so I hit on some of those things this week. Hope you guys enjoy it!

Here’s the link~

My Hero Academia