JAINITUOS TRAILER REVIEWS – NIER: AUTOMATA VER1.1A – MY OWN IMPRESSIONS

Nier Automata Ver1.1A

Genre: Sci-Fi, Action

Studio: A-1 Pictures

Hello my friends, Welcome to another entry of my blog.

Jus like the last week I decided to make a little review of the teaser trailer of the anime of Genshin Impact, produced by Ufotable…

…Today I have decided to do a little review about the teaser trailer of Nier Automata Ver. 1.1A.

And I hope that you can forgive, because most likely I will have less to say here than what I said on my review of Genshin Impact, however, this is a very unique opportunity that I cannot just let it go. I hope you like my friends.

But before I start, I must ask you the typical question:

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am very happy.

Now, let’s continue.

NIER AUTOMATA

Firstly, I must tell you that I know less about Nier: Automata than what I know about Genshin Impact, And I shouldn’t, because if there is anything I enjoy in this world, is an amazing video game of sci-fi with a great story, fantastic characters and a handful of philosophical and political themes that leaves you wondering. Heck! One of my favourite games of all time is BioShock.

Which, by the way, I finished twelve years ago with the Good Ending.

Nonetheless, I hace basic knowledge about Nier: Automata; from what I heard, it is a sequel of Nier, a spin-off of Drakengard, and it take place thousands of years after the fifth ending of the first game. Now, Nier: Automata takes us to an apocalyptic world, where some mostly emotionless androids, from a series called YoRHa, fight alien-created machines to protect what remains of Earth. One of these androids is callled 2B, or. YoRHa No. 2 Type B, who is accompanied by a male android, called 9S, who displays more emotions than her. And both goes on a series of missions in which they fight enemies, discover their human side and understand the meaning of life, with someone tragic consequences and sacrifices, pretty much like its mother series, Drakengard. I know this not the most detailed synopsis, but, like I said, I have never played Nier: Automata.

What I know is that 2B has become an icon for many fans, as well as 9S.

How to say No to these two beautifully designed warriors?

And despite everything, I… have some fetish toward 2B. Honestly.

Art by Inhoso.

I have it. She has her charm, and I think she has become one of the best characters done by Yoko Taro. I am dead serious, I barely remember any character from Drakengard, only the soundtrack of the first game, but I immediately can identify who is 2B, and 9S. In fact, I am more interested in 9S rather than 2B. I do not know why.

Anyway, My surprise when I read an anime adaptation of Nier: Automata was pretty clear. As much as with Genshin Impact.

And now, five years, after the release of the original game, we see a trailer of an upcoming anime, courtesy of our always beloved friends from A-1 Pictures, who are bosses on this 2022.

And I am not count the work of Cloverworks in both 2021 and 2022.

And now… What does the trailer talk about?

TRAILER

Ok. How to put this?

Basically the teaser trailer of the anime is the same one from the original video game from 2017, first we see 2B questioning about her existence, wondering if what is happening around her is a curse or a punishment, while afterwards, we have 9S looking forward to the future with a glimpse of optimism, quite the opposite of 2B. For those who played the game, they will definitely know better how to enjoy the elements of each character. But what really surprised are two elements; the first one is the animation. It is beautiful.

Of course it is not on the same level as Ufotable’s Demon Slayer or MAPPA’s Jujutsu Kaisen or Chainsaw Man, but again, A-1 Pictures knew what is the style that an anime of Nier: Automata, less Lycoris Recoil and more 86: Eighty-Six, and it is not like I have something against Lycoris Recoil, but with a plot like that, I would prefer more of the former due to the serious tone, and less this…

Soon, the fans of Chisato will kill me.

Also, that soundtrack… I wonder if the composer will be Yuki Kajiura again. That will not surprise me. This video will tell you the details better.

The second element is the voice cast. I confess… that this is the very first time I saw the voice cast on Japanese, Yui Ishikawa is fantastic in every project she works… And what can I saw about Natsuki Hanae?

I will say this one. If I consider Saori Hayami a goddess in seiyuu world, then Natsuki Hanae is a god. Everything they perform warms my heart, and with 9S, it is not the exception.

Looking forward for this January, 2023.

CONCLUSION

Indeed, this teaser trailer really kept the essence of the video game, at least on the most basic level, and I will be waiting for its release, so we will know how good it is. A-1 Pictures is one of my favourite anime studios, so I’m sure I will not get disappointed on this anime project.

Nier: Automata and Genshin Impact – hooking me to two worlds of wonder and existentialism.

Until then, what will I do? I know!!! I will ask Yoko Taro if he can make me my own 2B. What do you say, Taro-sensei?

Eh… Never mind.

Anyway, tell me what you think about the trailer of Nier: Automata: ver1.1a, see you soon.

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – LYCORIS RECOIL -MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Lycoris Recoil

Studio: A-1 Pictures

Genre: Action, Girls with Guns

Hello my friends.

It’s been a long time. Right? But do not worry, because I have been watching some good anime, and I am working on their respective entries. And Yes… I also watched that dreadful Netflix new series, called…

RESIDENT EVIL

Worst series released by Netflix in 2022 so far.

But now, let’s go back to anime, and now, what I want to talk about is…

LYCORIS RECOIL

But before I start with my review, I just want to ask you the typical questions:

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy, because unfortunately some of my closest friends are getting either COVID or flu, I am doing my best for not getting either, I even got my flu shot. That means I am inmune to getting sick? No. Especially because I got sore throat twice in May, so I am fighting for my health. Well, at least I will be listening to Gun’s N Roses all the day.

But until then, let’s start with Lycoris Recoil.

PREMISE

Lycoris Recoil is, among with Engage Kiss, one of the original anime A-1 Pictures is releasing on 2022, and after a fantastic season with 86: Eighty-Six, Kaguya-sama: Love is War: Ultraromantic, and hopefully a massive success with Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night, a little bit of experiment with anime originals sounds like a good idea, and I think star reading Solo Leveling anytime soon.

That trailer looks really promising.

Anyway. During the last years, Japan has been living in a solid peace that many countries would like to have right now. Everything seems to be better than before. But the real reason of this is because there is a secret agency in Japan, called DA, or Direct Attack, which employs young orphans who look like normal schoolgirls, but that are actually assassins and enforcers that dispose criminals, terrorists and any possible threat for Japan. Takina Inoue is one of the top members of the DA, really skilled and confident, but she has a problem – her arrogance. So, when she disobey direct orders, she is demoted and transferred to be partner of Chisato Nishikigi, another legend inside the DA; that is why Takina is sent to be «LycoReco», a cafe that serves as a covert for Chisato’s HQ.

Chisato is the complete opposite of Takina – energetic, cheerful and very expressive. At the beginning Takina feels unimpressed by Takina, but little by little, she will learn how to trust her new partner, and find a good, new life inside LycoReco, while she tries to recover her former position.

Lycoris Recoil is directed by Shingo Adachi, and when I discover this, the first thing I thought was…

That explains so many things!

In case someone didn’t notice, I am talking about the character design and the animation.

Also, the opening theme of Lycoris Recoil, performed by ClariS, is called «Alive», while the ending,  «Hana no Tō» (花の塔, «Flower Tower»), is performed by Sayuri. Finally, some talents in the voice acting includes Chika Ansai (Hibike! Euphonium), Shion Wakayama (Takt Op. Destiny, SSSS Dynazenon), and Maki Kawase, who was recently in The Rising of the Shield Hero, season 2, as Yomogi Emarl

So far, Lycoris Recoil has a lot of good elements, except for one that I personally distrust, and those who read my entries should know what I am talking about.

THE INFAMOUS 13.

No. I am talking about the number per se, I am talking about 13 episodes. And if the story of Lycoris Recoil slips, those 13 will end up killing it. Speaking of which…

STORY

I have to admit that the fact that Lycoris Recoil is an anime from A-1 Pictures was enough to call my attention. On my previous entries, I also mentioned that this studio is a champion of animation. Also I read an article saying that Lycoris Recoil will be darker and more serious. But the studio changed its mind, because It will resemble another gem – Gunslinger Girl. Here is the article. Be careful, it is in Spanish.

El anime Lycoris Recoil iba a ser mucho más serio y sombrío

Beyond that. Which are my impressions of the story. I will say… it really had a very good start.

The first two minutes of the first episode has a very satisfying combination between exposition and action that fits an anime like this. Then we are introduced to Takina, whose insubordination and arrogance cost her position, so she is immediately transferred to LycoReco, where she meets Chisato, her partner Mizuki, her secret contact Kurumi, an expert hacker, and Mika, her boss. From this moment, Takina learns the true face of Chisato beneath of that energetic, cheerful side of hers.

I have to admit, again, that I only have time to watch the first episode. I wanted to binge episode two, but Call of the Night and RWBY: Ice Queendom halt from that (BTW, I will also writhe about these two soon.). Despite this, the Episode 1 left me a good impression, I have to say that it kind of exceeding my expectations, and I was actually coming with very low expectations, but I found the series so funny and interesting. The backstory is solid enough and the main characters have their personalities. Of course, Lycoris Recoil is neither the most original nor the most innovative anime of 2022, but it is entertaining enough to make me come back for more. And for, that is all an anime needs to do – Entertain.

I hope for the rest episodes this status remains unchanged.

And with the anime produced by A-1 Pictures, its animation is great, but I believe 86: Eighty-Six has better animation, because that appearance of moe girls given by the protagonists does not convince too much. Just compare the images.

Sorry guys. For me, if I have to choose the best animation and character design, I will go with 86: Eighty-Six. Again, I am not saying Lycoris Recoil has bad animation, I am saying that this style from Sword Art Online does not match completely with this type of story. Again. I understand that the anime is not as dark as Gunslinger Girl, but yet something similar to 86: Eighty-Six would do some harm to Lycoris Recoil.

As I said, the pacing and rhythm of Episode 1 is good enough to take interest in the story. Let’s looking forward together to Episodes 2 and 3. Because that is something I almost forget.

THE ACTION IS SO MUCH FUN.

Seriously, seeing both Chisato and Takina holding guns is absolutely one of the best moments of Episode 1. No wonder why do I have a fetish for girls with guns.

DARK SKINNED GIRLS.

And…

GIRLS WITH GUNS.

Now…

CHARACTERS

The characters are ok.

Despite looking good with guns, neither Chisato nor Takina have the most profound personalities. Chisato is the average energetic, cheerful optimistic, cutesy girl who always wants to see the bright side of things… Madoka, anyone? , while Takina, as I mentioned before, is quite the opposite, aloof, reserved, methodical and very distant…. Akemi, anyone?

Sometimes I think I am seeing Mai and Ty Lee together.

I am not saying this as criticism, I am saying this as an observation. But they have relatable motivations, talents, weaknesses and charm. To me, I prefer characters with basic personalities, with likeable and compelling rather than tridimensional characters that are either repellent or disgusting. However, I do not know if other fans will be that welcoming. Also, I didn’t find Mizuki interesting, but Mika was convincing for his role as manager and father-figure (Sort of.)

But one of the characters that I want to know more about is Fuka.

This is the best picture I found of her.

Fuka is the responsible for Takina’s demotion, and clearly the rival of both of our protagonists. I have the feeling that she has more to offer than being the mean-spirited rival that wants to put Takin down, just like Nao Kaizaki, from Dragon Pilot: Hisone and Masotan.

Let’s see, only time will tell.

But in other words, I am pretty satisfying from what I saw of the characters so far.

CONCLUSION

To sum up, I really enjoy Lycoris Recoil a lot. I will try to watch more episodes and learn more about Chisato and Takina. I am welcome to more surprises. Recommended especially if you like A-1 Pictures.

See you next time.

I know is 10 o’clock, but I must look for the next vampire.

See you next day!!!

FIVE OF MY REALLY FAVOURITE COUPLES OF ANIME (VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL)

Hello my friends.

Welcome to another entry of my blog.

Let’s take this now, from the bottom fo my heart…

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

Well… It is a bir late. I recognize that.

But I am working in another couple of blogs, some are ready, and I will writing pretty soon. Nonetheless, after some thought and… some crying for being single, feeling sorry for myself (Just kidding), I decided that I will include five couples on the anime that I really love, to the point that just thinking of them is good enough to cheer me up in the worst day.

I know that many of you will disagree with me. And that’s okay. In fact, if you can suggest me more couples for me to write about, or to watch, that will be more than welcome. Having said that, Happy Valentine’s Day to every single couple of the world, enjoy the day, if not, remember that you are special…

..and some is out there, waiting for you. We must have faith.

Anyway, here are… Five couples from anime that I adore.

5. ASUNA YUUKI AND KAZUTO KIRIGAYA

Yeah! I know what many of you are thinking. Asuna and Kirito?

The answer is yes. Aincrad arc is actually pretty entertaining, and some of the best scenes involve Asuna and Kirito becoming a couple, getting married and living peacefully in the cabin both of them bought. In fact, for a moment, I thought they found absolute happiness in the midst of the death game. Furthermore, Fairy Dance Arc, in all its mediocrity, got Asuna and Kirito being together among the best moments of Sword Art Online.

That right. I will say it now. Alfheim Online Arc is BAD!!! But Asuna and Kirito give some joy to that story. Perhaps I will review the anime of Sword Art Online someday, but until then, I will simply smile every time I think of the kiss that started everything between these two.

4. KYOUKO HORI AND IZUMI MIYAMURA

From moment one. Kyouko Hori and Izumi Miyamura really got my heart. Both are complex, both are well-written, and the chemistry that share every time they are together, I fell my heart really fluffy. Episode one gives the best impression of Hori-san and Miyamura, the former being a popular student who looks after her house and her brother, unbeknownst to her peers, and the latter a reclusive student who, outside school, has piercings, tattoos and dresses like a rock star.

Add that to a very well written story from HoriMiya, and some heartwarming confession, and you will receive one of the best couples of 2021.

3. HIRO AND ZERO-TWO

Indeed Darling in the FRANXX has become a really polarising anime throughout the years, at least in my opinion; some love it, some hate it, especially those who think that the plot is a blatant copy of Neon Genesis Evangelion. I disagree on that part.

What I agree is that one of the best elements of this mecha anime from Studio Trigger is their protagonists, Hiro and Zero Two. Just like with Hori-san and Miyamura, their chemistry is priceless, their very first encounter is full of comedy, awkwardness and beauty, and when the story advances, Zero Two and Hiro inspire each other to overcome their obstacles, Hiro being a recluse and Zero Two unable to learn how to become human, giving so many beautiful romantic moments, full of great character development, that gives Darling in the FRANXX some of its essence.

In the other of Hiro, the hero…

2. SAILOR NEPTUNE AND SAILOR URANUS

Yuri genre has been always there, with Revolutionary Girl Utena, The Rose of Versailles, Oniisame E…, but I think that the yuri couple that we remember the most is Michiru and Haruka, from Sailor Moon.

I don’t know you, but for me, the presence of these two has been a revelation, because I think Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune are what we all know they are – True love. Every moment together is a symbol of true love, in both Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon Crystal; they helped me realise that, Hetero, GL or BL, as long as you are honest and feel real love, nothing else matters.

Whether they come from Sailor Moon or not (Of course they do), is relevant. Haruka and Michiru is possibly the most iconic lesbian couple of anime and manga.

And before I move on…

There!! The mandatory joke of Uranus.

SPOILER?

honorable mention

SHINEI NOUZEN AND VLADILENA MILIZÉ

I apologise beforehand.

It is just that I have become such a huge fan of 86: Eighty-Six, especially everything regarding the light novels, that I can’t help to confirm what probably must of us know – that Lena and Shin are meant to be together. Yes – the anime is still broadcasting, but I assure that, after the events A-1 Pictures is adapting, the story gets better, especially with everything related to Shin and Lena.

Personally, I didn’t want to include an honorable mention, but these two are worth it.

Wanna know more? Read Volume 7. That’s all I have to say about that.

1. VIKTOR NIKIFOROV AND YURI KATSUKI

This is definitely a must-watch. Because in less than five years, possibly Yuri and Viktor, from Yuri On Ice, has become what Haruka and Michiru have always been – a symbol of yaoi. And the fact that Yuri on Ice is a sports anime with wonderful choreography and animation really helps too.

These two are beautiful. After replicating one of his best choreographies, Viktor Nikiforov travels to Japan to meet former professional skater, Yuri Katsuki, to train him and allowing him to win the prestigious Figure Skating Grand Prix, being this random encounter what starts a love between two skaters that enchanted our hearts.

Yes. Viktor and Yuri are my favourite yaoi couple of all time. Every time I look at them, my hearts becomes comfy, and a bit jealous of their chemistry. There are no words for describing how beautiful they are, and I apologise for being repetitive, but Yuri and Viktor did what very few fictional characters can do without being forceful – make me fall in love.

Indeed, Yuri and Viktor were born to make history.

CONCLUSION

There you go.

My five couples of anime.

Of course there are more, and I hope you include them pretty soon. But… Is it weird? Because I don’t feel lonely. Sometimes I should be telling myself to look for a couple, but… I am quite commented, and now… I am more after this.

Stay tuned for Part II, and… Happy Valentine’s Day.

Oh yes… I know why I am happy, because I found a new love…

MONA MEGISTUS, FROM GENSHIN IMPACT.

Nah! Just kidding!!! It’s because I got a good laugh with this comic, which I am sure fans of Mushoku Tensei, or fans of Konomi Kohara, will enjoy.

I will leave here for you, and see you next time.

ART BY SONGJO

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – SWORD ART ONLINE ALTERNATIVE – GUN GALE ONLINE – MY OWN IMPRESSIONS

Sword Art Online Alternative – Gun Gale online

Genre: Sci-fi, action, adventure

Studio: 3Hz

Hello my friends, welcome to another blog entry.

It is time to go back a bit in time, to the year of 2018; on that day, I saw one series that I enjoyed a lot, and that I wanted to talk about since that time. And to be honest, it is definitely one of the best entries of Sword Art Online I have ever seen, until the arrival of Alicization, to the point that I still affectedly remember it today.

Okay. I am talking about more like a nostalgic. I simply don’t know how to describe this frenzied feeling, but I will do my best in this entry.

With that said…

But before I continue with my entry, I must ask you the typical questions:

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy.

Now, let’s proceed with arming ourselves to one hell of a ride, with some hot bodysuit beauty. Right Pitohui?

This is Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online.

PREMISE

First and foremost, I must clarify that Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online is a spin-off of SAO, along with Sword Art Online Alternative: Clover’s Regret, which does not have an anime, but if I can read the light novels, I will do it with all joy as well.

Furthermore, the author of Alternative Gun Gale Online is not Reki Kawahara; instead, this story is written by Keiichi Sigsawa, and illustrated by Kouhaku Kuroboshi, pair that was behind one of the best anime based on a light novel ever created – Kino’s Journey: The Beautiful World.

Alternative Gun Gale Online takes place after the events of Fairy Dance Arc, where the VRMMORPGs come back into existence thanks to the Seed that Akihiko Kayaba gave to Kirito. We follow an university student, called Karen Kohiruimaki, from Obihiro, Hokkaido, who has always suffer a complex due to her height, and in order to face that problem, she is introduced to Gun Gale Online, where she creates a cute avatar, called Llenn, and little by little, becomes an expert marksman and a popular player. Shortly afterwards, Llenn enters a tournament, called Squad Jam, in which many squadrons fight for a price in a Battle Royale style. In the tournament, she meets a lot of friends who fight and become stronger.

Sword Art Online Alternative GGO was animated by Studio 3Hz, the same company behind Princess Principal, anime that I reviewed a year ago, and Flip Flappers, one of the most «interesting» magical girl anime I have ever seen.

Also, Sword Art Online Alternative GGO was released in 12 episodes, from April 8 to June 30, 2018, under the direction fo Masayuki Sayoi (Overly Cautious Hero, Noragami), and the music is composed by Starving Trancer. And as of November 22, 2021, Sigsawa and Kuroboshi have released 11 volumes, from 2014, always under the supervision of Kawahara himself.

Finally, the opening them – Ryusei, is performed by none other that Eir Aoi, who, as many fans would know, performed many of the best openings from Sword Art Online: Alicization.

STORY

Let’s just put it like this. In the very first episode, we got our main characters, Llenn and her partner M, in the middle of Squad Jam, who take their time to carefully analyse the enemy, their weapons and numbers, at the same time, the episode slowly establishes the setting, the conflict, what Llenn and M are thinking. In other words, Sword Art Online Alternative allows us to fully understand everything, and to put our characters in what clearly is a disadvantage, being absolutely out numbered and ill-equipped.

That is the first half.

And then, the second half gives a very awesome glimpse of Llenn, with her short height allowing her to be fast; having a clear expertise on her adorable pink FN P90.

And while Llenn attacks directly, M is the sniper, waiting coldly to the moment of shooting, ultimately both win the match. Meanwhile, Karen, in the real world, is praised and lauded.

Finally, episode 2 introduces us to Karen in the real world, how bad she feel about the height, her failed attempts to get into Alfheim Online and other VRMMORPGs, until she finds herself comfortable inside Gun Gale Online, creating her pink avatar, training hard, learning to handle the controls, improving, and showing the results of her training, befriending my favourite GGO character, even more than Sinon.

Ladies and gentlemen… PITOHUI

Believe me, the pacing and the rhythm of the first two episodes of Alternative Gun Gale Online are simply gorgeous, because we get familiar with everything, and somehow, we feel submerged, especially with the characters and the story. Also, the action scenes are simply spectacular. I admit, it, the animation is not as polished as in Sword Art Online: Alicization, or with 86: Eighty Six.

However, Studio 3Hz created some amazing worlds with the notorious contrasts between light and shadows, for both the real world and the virtual reality.

Moreover, I remember that some of the complains of the people who watched Sword Art Online was that Kirito was not well-written, that all the time he is a Gary Stu, and… I cannot say I disagree. In fact, that is one of the reasons of why I don’t like Fairy Dance Arc, but that will be for another moment.

With Karen that is not the case, she is surprisingly well-constructed, simple, but sharp enough, equal to Kino from Kino’s Journey. And I immediately noticed that Keiichi Sigsawa tends to develop his female protagonists in a more believable way, both mentally and physically, something that I indeed value a lot.

And after the first two episodes, you want to see more, because the other elements, the music, the animation, the characters, and the story goes in such a natural way, and in a pretty balanced, defined style, that you do not get bored. You get hooked with the story because of how it is presented as an anime, and then, when the action scenes come, you feel like hypnotised. Some are not that long, but they are exciting enough.

At this point, I won’t be surprised if many consider Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online their favourite entry of the franchise.

But what about the…

CHARACTERS

One thing is for sure – Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online has better characters than some of the story arc of the original story before Alicization.

Like I said, we got Llenn, M and Pitohui, who are absolutely badass and human in their own unique way, and don’t worry, because throughout the twelve episodes, we know more about all of them, and we grow to love them even more. They are awesome, yet flawed; they win, yet they also make mistakes, and they are forces to be reckon with, yet relatable enough.

Something I wish I could say about… THIS MESS.

Let’s admit it – Fairy Dance Arc is sh&t!

But they are not the only ones, we got Miyu Shinohara, a.k.a. Fukaziroh, Karen’s best friend, and the one who introduce the latter into the VRMMORPGs. And then, we got SHINC, a.k.a. Shintaisou Club, or the rhythmic gymnastics club.

Cute…

but deadly.

And during their episodes, we see that they have very good motivations. It is done by exposition, I tell you, but before that, you see them as a perfect squadron, and you get to understand SHINC better by the time you know their backgrounds.

Great characters indeed.

CONCLUSION

Without a doubt, Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online is one of the best entries of the SAO franchise, creating good characters, badass action scenes, and hilarious moments in some time, and I think it offers some quality that the other Sword Art Online stories previous to Alicization lacked, so I would be surprised if many fans consider this series the best of SAO. Personally, Alicization has better story and a bigger lore, but the anime of SAO that I enjoyed more, as a whole, is this one.

Trust me, go binge it through Crunchyroll. You will have a sweet, amazing surprise. ARRIBA GUN GALE ONLINE.

And now, since you can’t have enough of sweet, sexy Pitohui, here is come…

I mean, for you Pitohui, I will become full-fledged masochist.

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – ERASED (BOKU DAKE GA INAI MACHI) – MY OWN IMPRESSIONS

Erased (Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi)

Genre: Drama, Sci-fi, Mystery

Studio: A-1 Pictures

Hello my friends. Welcome to another entry of my blog.

Wow! It is been ages since I published my review of Edens Zero. And we are in the last week of September. This month is almost over, and I better move quick in order to put the reviews I must. I wish I could be back in time in order to make that possible.

Who can help me now? I KNOW…

TAKEMICHI!!!

Better not! He is busy with Hinata and Mikey.

How about you Satoru Fujinuma?

And yes! I have been very busy with many things, just like Takemichi (but with less blood, fights and Tokyo Manji Gang), so I have decided to go back in time to revisit some of the anime I watched during the Deakin Anime Club, and also some yuri manga that I have been reading for some time, and now, it is time to pay my respects to one of them. Indeed, one of the best anime of 2016.

Having said that, I bring you…

But before I start, I want to ask you the typical questions:

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am very happy. Now, let’s go back in time with Erased.

PREMISE

Based on the manga written by Kei Sanbe, Erased, or Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi (僕だけがいない街), tells the story of Satoru Fujinuma, a 29-year-old aspiring manga artist who works as a pizza delivery driver, by 2006, who also possess a supernatural ability, called «Revival», which allows him to go back in time. For most of the time, Satoru uses this Revival to prevent many incidents, including traffic accidents. One night, however, his mother is brutally murdered and Satoru is framed for the crime. While in the run, Satoru uses the Revival to go back to 1988, eighteen years, on his elementary school days. There, he has the chance to prevent the murder of his mother, as well as the kidnapping of some of his childhood friends.

The first thing I want to point out is that the manga of Erased was published between June 2012 to March 2016, in eight volumes, and the first episode was released in January 8, 2016, in other words, the story stays loyal to its source material. Another element is that the composer is none other than…

Yuki Kajiura

Seriously. Sometimes I think that Yuki Kajiura is A-1 Pictures, and A-1 Pictures is Yuki Kajiura.

Erased has twelve episodes, released between January and March, 2016, and during the first edition of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, of 2017, it won two categories, Best Drama, and Best Antagonist (Who? You will have to watch the anime). I will tell about the 12-episode element later, because trust me, it is worth it.

Finally, Erased has become so popular, to be point of inspiring a Japanese movie, and a television drama, produced by Netflix, and filmed in Japan… fortunately!!!, and the director in charge was Tomohiko Ito, who directed the first two seasons of Sword Art Online.

KIRITO: So he made me awesome!!!

Ah… No Kirito. I think that was Reki Kawahara. You need to ask him.

Anyway…

Time to get the…

STORY

Overall, Erased combines many genders – drama, mystery, sci-fi, psychological thriller, and slice-of-life in a way. And it does that in such an effective fashion that you don’t see it. But that is because the story is pretty organic, it builds the characters, their personalities, their backstories, their strengths and weakness through its twelve episodes. No fillers, no absolute unnecessary OVAs, just a mystery story with realistic characters and good pacing.

In the first episode, we manage to know Satoru, his attitude, his Revival power, his mother, Sachiko, and the conflict, as well as an important character, Airi Katagiri, his co-worker. And the second episode, back 1988, we know how Satoru lived his school days, as well as another relevant name, his classmate Kayo Hinazuki. And after meeting the other characters, the story evolves by allowing Satoru to get clues of Kayo’s murder, her troubled life and the circumstances of her disappearance, all in a well-balanced rhythm and pacing, as well as pleasant atmosphere, that it hooks you to the plot and story even more.

I recognised that the pacing can be slow for many fans, but for me, that is how a story like this should be produced.

There are other examples in which this character development and rhythm have made an already amazing promise, even better. And here are some examples.

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To put a few.

Indeed, the lesson here is that a solid premise, great pacing, strong character development and uniqueness on both personality and design makes a fan favourite.

The animation… Well… What can you expect from A-1 Pictures? It is beautiful, with great colours. We are talking about the same studio behind anime like Sword Art Online, Fairy Tail, The Seven Deadly Sins, 86: Eighty-Six, and others. One thing that I noticed is something that only can be described with one word – atmosphere. What do I mean by this? Simple. The colouring of the animation matches with the tone of the moment, if it is winter, or tragedy, it is pale, cool colours, but when it is a heartwarming moments, the colours are strong and beautiful.

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Very subtle, but well crafted.

And, finally… a controversial pic.

This is from episode 9

Erased is not shy with dealing with the consequences of domestic violence and toxic relationships. Through probably one of the most complicated characters, Akemi Hinazuki. This arc revolves Kayo, her childhood and the plot.

In other words, the story of Erased is a beautiful mixture between fantasy and realism that produces a powerful drama that will stick with you for a long time.

One negative trait is that, during the last episodes, there is a big plot twist. Ok… It is not the twist itself the bad thing; it is that, after watching some episodes, you know what is it, decreasing the impact of the revelation.

And now…

CHARACTERS

Like I said, Erased has enough realism to impact you with its story, but more importantly, with its characters. But for me, the best are Satoru and Kayo. Obviously all of the characters are important, but some of the solid moments that make Erased a compelling story have Satoru and Kayo as protagonists. On one hand, a boy who is trying to save his beloved ones, including his mother, and get a better life, and on the other, Kayo is a young, lonesome girl, who will slowly discover happiness through Satoru and his characters.

Furthermore, Sachiko is a strong, dedicated mother who puts the safety of others before hers, especially his son. In other words, Satoru is a perfect Mama Bear. You must check episode 11.

The rest of the kids – Kenya, Hiromi, Kazu, Aya and Misato are really wonderful. Despitr they do not appear as much as Sachiko, Satoru and Kayo, their liveliness bring energy to the series.

And finally we got these two:

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On one hand, Gaku Yashiro is Satoru’s school teacher. Wise, supportive, and very pleasant character. A great source of strength for our protagonist. I will not say more about him, it is better that you see the series, or read the manga; then we got Airi, whose cheerful personality makes her a pivotal person for Satoru.

And me… I always have seen Satoru and Airi as a potential couple, but… No! They are fine the way they ended up.

CONCLUSION

Without a doubt, Erased (Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi) is one of the best series from A-1 Pictures, one of the best anime of 2016, and one of the greatest stories I have ever seen. And a testimony that 12-episode anime can be great if they are adapted correctly. If you are a weekend, go binge it.

And promise… you will be happy to revive the feeling again and again.

Well… That is for you. Now. Time to work in other blog entries… So mucho work to do… so little time. But I will complete my First Impressions from 86: Eighty-Six.

Before Henrietta Von Penrose kills me..

WHERE IS YOUR BLOG ENTRY OF 86, AND MY MONEY?

JAINITUOS ANIME REVIEWS – SO I AM A SPIDER, SO WHAT? – FIRST IMPRESSIONS

So I’m A Spider, So What?

Genre: Isekai, Adventure, Fantasy

Studio: Millepensee

Hello my friends.

Welcome to another First Impressions.

I got to admit that… If I was about to reincarnated into another creature, it would be… a Spider.

KAWAIII!!!!!!!!

Why is that? It’s because our entry of today.

So I am a spider, so what?

Not, but seriously, spiders, despite being the personification of fear and nightmares, are pretty interesting creatures, because their silk is as strong as the material in which the bulletproof vests are done, and spiders are some of the best pest-controllers in the world. What is more interesting is that spiders are not insects, for many reasons, because spiders have eight eyes and legs; furthermore spiders don’t have wings, while some insects do…

Sorry. I know you guys don’t care about these facts.

My point is that, with the path of the years, we have met the great possibilities of isekai genre, which can tell its story from many perspectives, always getting better and broader, as long as the story is good enough. And, after watching the episodes of So I am A Spider, So what?, aside form being an interesting story, the anime is an invitation of reading the light novels, because you feel that curiosity from many elements, the animation, the story, the protagonist.

I will talk more about this here.

But before that…

Are you guys ok? Staying safe and feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am happy. Now, let’s go with So I am a Spider, so what?

PREMISE

Based on the series of light novels written by Okina Baba, and illustrated by Tsukasa Kiryu, as well as a Crunchyroll Original, So I am a Spider, So what? tells the story of a young high school student who discover that she has reincarnated in a new world… as a spider. More precisely, as a Small Taratect, the weakest species in this new world. Despite this, Kumoko, which is the name she gives herself, will do her best to survive as a spider and become stronger as she finds out new answers about this new world, like any good isekai protagonist.

So I am a Spider, So what? has been released since December 10, 2015, in fourteen volumes, being published by Fujimo Shobo, as an Imprint from Kadokawa Books. According to news reports, the anime version of Kumo Desu Ka? (Or KumoNani from my perspective), the anime will have a two-cour adaptation, which would mean that it will comprise from 24 to 26 episodes. I still don’t know, but I will say that, as of January 24, 2021, three episodes has been released, and the story looks pretty good.

Because, SEMI-SPOILERS ALERT – there are some glimpses that Kumoko is not the only one from our world who got reincarnated in a new universe. something that was never done before. It is not like Arifureta, in which THE CHARACTERS WERE ONLY TRANSPORTED INTO A NEW WORLD, NOT REINCARNATED.

END OF SPOILERS.

STORY

Going back to Why would I like to be reincarnated as a spider, it is because arachnids are more handy and powerful than many people would imagine. First and foremost, spiders are very quick, their wight legs allow them to have better, faster movements to get their preys; furthermore, spiders are smarter, using the environment to camouflage, either them or their spiderwebs, and catch their food. Finally, despite the fact that, for the most part, spider venom is non-lethal to humans, it is… A. Lethal for bigger, stronger predators. B. It is always an excellent resource for protection.

And with every episode of KumoNani (Yeah, I will be calling it like that), our protagonist learns all of these qualities. In that sense, Kumoko is pretty similar to Rimuru Tempest, both apparently are the weakest species, yet, they find all the potential of their strength and become creative of how to use it, to the point of evolving and allow the audience to be more hooked to them; because we are witness of their development, their human side, their weakness and their most elemental motivation, personally, this is my favourite type of isekai protagonist, because they are the most compelling.

Yeah, many people criticise Naofumi Iwatani for his personality, but for me, he is a better protagonist than Kirito before SAO: Alicization. And the same goes for both Rimuru Tempest and Kumoko. (Ok, I went too far with that.)

My only problem regarding the story is that the human side is not being that interesting. I will go on and call it a bit boring. But I will get to the characters later. For now I will continue saying that the whole story is divided in two arcs – the evolution of Kumoko, and the story of the human characters (Yuri, Hugo, Shun, Sue). Nonetheless, this side of the story resembles more of Hamefura, but in a slower pace, something at, as of Episode 3, it is not making it any favour. In other words, if I repeat the first three episodes, it would be because the story of Kumoko, not because of her human counterparts.

Before I wrapped up, I want to say that Studio Millipensee is the same studio that released the «sequel» of Berserk, or Berserk 2016. You know…

Nightmare horse

And because of that, I almost lost faith in this adaptation of KumoNani, and I am not precisely a fan of Berserk.

Let’s have patience, only time will tell of Millipensee learnt from the mistakes of Berserk 2016.

CHARACTERS

Ok. I will not spent too much time talking about about the characters, because I pretty much said everything I wanted to say about them. So no need to go back.

Instead, what I will say is that I already entered into the Wiki Fandom of So I am a Spider, so What?, and definitely more characters will come, and they will make things interesting for Kumoko, furthermore, the human characters also have their own interesting personality, they become better.

Let’s see how the anime adapts that development. Hopefully it will be loyal to its source material.

So… have patience… and be careful not to go too much into the Wiki Fandom, unless you don’t mind to get spoiled.

CONCLUSION

I would say that 2021 has a very interesting start, at least in terms of anime, because I had so much with So I a Spider, so What?, and despite some spoilers that I got from the Wiki Fandom, I feel more curious with the story than ever. Hopefully fans will see this little Crunchyroll original with the same love as Tensei Slime, Tower of God, the God of Highschool and In/Spectre.

So… yeah. Go to Crunchyroll, and see this beauty by yourself my friends.

But listen to me… Crunchyroll. There is something that you must do during the next episode, and that is…

BRING PENI PARKER!!!!

Yes… Wouldn’t be great for anime to have it’s own Spider-verse? Definitely it would look like this.

Sorry. I mean… THIS!!!

TEAM IS COMPLETED… NOT!!!!

I ALREADY CASTED MY VOTES AT CRUNCHYROLL ANIME AWARDS – 2021 – PART II

Hey Guys.

Regarding my entry of my votes for Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2021, I decided to divide it two parts, because I didn’t wanted to extend too much.

Now… here is Part II

BEST VA PERFORMANCE (EN)

Johnny Yong Bosch – Bam – Tower of God.

I absolutely adore Johnny Yong Bosch.

From Lelouch Lamperouge to Clair Leonelli, from Ichigo Kurosaki to Renton Thurston, from Albert de Morcerf to Giyu Tomioka, Johnny Yong Bosch has always been one of my favourite voice actors. Eevery single role he does is beautifully performed, every character feels alive throught th majestic voice of Johnny Yong Bosch.

Seriously. Who would thought that one of the Black Power Rangers will become a VA legend? And Twenty-Five Bam from Tower of God is another great role added to his curriculum vitae.

Nothing else to say. Sorry guys.

BEST VA PERFORMANCE (JA)

Yusuke Kobayashi – Natsuki Subaru – Re:Zero – season 2

Like many of you, my friends, since its release in mid-2016, Re: Zero has become one of my favourite isekai series; its story is one of the best done for the genre, and each of the characters are well done too. No wonder why it is so popular (But I still think that Subaru should stay with Subaru instead of Emilia).

With that said, every time I heard Yusuke Kobayashi performing as Subaru, it is a blissful voice of emotion and talent that perfectly transmits the anguish, determination and humanity Natsuki Subaru has displayed since episode one.

And in this second season, that effort comes back with a lot of strength for the knight of Emilia, and my vote for this fantastic actor.

And Ram agrees. Right Ram?

Runner-Up – Mutsumi Tamura – Sayaka Kanamori. For a character that needs to keep the Eizouken Club down to earth, you need a seiyuu that is willing to give it all. And that’s is Mutsumi Tamura. She became a queen this 2020 for her fantastic job.

BEST ENDING SEQUENCE:

The Great Pretender – Freddie Mercury.

What can I say? This is Freddie Mercury. A song of great lyrics, great animation, and great feeling for its eponymous anime.

Seriously. I can listen it for all 2021, and never get tired.

Runner-Up: None. DDDD from Dorohedoro was great, so Last Dance from In/Spectre was. But none reached the perfection and serenity from The Great Pretender.

BEST OPENING

Easy Breezy – chelmico – Keep your hands off Eizouken!

The first 2020 anime opening that I heard, and definitely one of my favourites. Another great song from this beautiful series that brought me a lot of fun. And that dance is simply one of the treasures from last year.

What else can I say? Oh yes!!!

EASY BREEZY!!!!!!!

Runner-Up: Ali – Wilde Side – Beastars. From my viewpoint, the only opening song that could take the position to Easy Breezy!, especially from the stop-motion sequence of Legoshi and Haru dancing. Pure art, as fancy and deserving as Easy Breezy!

BEST GIRL

Noi – Dorohedoro

From my decision of voting for Noi, I will paraphrase what I said about her on my Top Waifus of 2020 entry.

Noi is one of the few girls in 2020 that was able to masterfully combine beauty, strength, charisma, intelligence and a nice chemistry with her senpai. Tough as the strongest gladiator, but laid-back as a best friend, Noi is everything you are looking for in a waifu.

What are waiting for Shin? Marry her.

Runner-up: Sayaka Kanamori, Abigail Jones and Chizuru Mizuhara. All of these three waifus got the personality and the beauty for being the best girl in 2020, but for me, Noi could be the teacher of all of them in elegance and personality, which is why our waifu from Dorohedoro has the top prize.

BEST BOY

Legoshi – Beastars

It is funny to see how an anthropomorphic grey wolf is able to show and teach more about humanity than many human characters from 2020.

Legoshi is a noble seventeen year old student from Cherryton Academy who falls in love for the cute rabbit Haru, he tries to get closer to her as his inner, most savage instincts are trying to possess him, remembering us that he is a carnivore. The inner turmoil and drama of Legoshi to survive in the world of Beastars was beautiful enough to awake our inner, most sensitive feelings.

And if a wolf is capable of that, it makes the Best Boy of 2020 in my book.

Runner-up: Caiman, from Dorohedoro. Irreverent, hilarious, strong, and a very «scaly» personality, Caiman is some you don’t want to f*^k up with, unless you want to have your head eaten by a… well… Caiman.

BEST ANTAGONIST

Akito Sohma – Fruits Basket

There is one word that perfectly describes Akito Sohma in my eyes… Terrifying.

The Head of the Sohma family, she constantly abuses her relatives, going too far to call Ryo «monster», and many other questionable ways she does. On the other hand, in every scene, she reveals a more flawed side that makes her more sinister. Every single trauma of the Sohma is her responsibility, direct or indirect.

Yet. Somehow she has a bit of truth in her words. Personally Akito Sohma has always scared me, in both the 2001 series and the 2019 reboot. Simply a great villain.

Please, enjoy another of her scary faces.

Runner-Up: Echidna – Re:Zero – Season 2. Again, I talk about Echidna, the Witch of Greed, calling her charming, mysterious and very endearing, all that, along with her interest in Subaru makes her a very creepy and compelling antagonist. The only reason I didn’t choose Echidna is because she has not terrify as much as Akito Sohma.

Instead, I find Echidna cute, like Himiko Toga. And now… Can I have some of her «special tea»?

BEST PROTAGONIST

Catarina Claes – My Next Life as A Villain: All Routes Lead to Doom

Again. Catarina has become one of my top waifu of 2020.

I already said that I need to say about her, but I will repeat it again. She starts as a spoiled brat who mistreats her closest people, but after a very hard hit on her head, she remembers her previous life as a high schooler, and that she reincarnated in the World of her favourite novel… as the antagonist.

Now, she is trying to change her ways, and be nice to everyone in order to avoid her doom.

Her resolve reminds me of Deadpool in Deadpool 2; and just like Deadpool touched my heart with his journey, Catarina Claes did the same, and her relationships are beautiful, especially with Geordo and Keith.

Long Live Bakarina.

Now… There is one last category for the Crunchyroll Anime Awards. We all know which one it is, and for this one, I already casted my vote. Nonetheless, I will change things a bit in the last minute… and I will split my vote, because I believe these two series are Anime of the Year. Sorry guys, but that’s how I feel.

Having said that… Here is…

ANIME OF THE YEAR…

SPLIT AWARD.

BEASTARS, AND…

KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF EIZOUKEN!

That’s right!!! The beautiful highschoolers who want to do anime, and the story of the grey wolf who falls in love with a rabbit. I come to realise, after analysing my votes, that, from my perspective, I can’t be another way. Both Beastars and Keep Your Hands off Eizouken! have proven to have outstanding elements in everything; story, animation, characters. Midori, Tsubame and Sayaka, for one year, have entertain me and engage me with a story that will inspire many people to draw manga, just like Midori was inspired to do anime.

And there is no doubt that Beastars has strong possibilities to become Anime of The Year, an anime that gets deep into out humanity unlike any other seen in 2020, aside from Japan Sinks 2020.

Hopefully Beastars will win; until then, you can count I will alternative my vote between these two, in definitely one of the best years for anime.

Who would thought that we got something as big as 2019?

CONCLUSION

So Here are my votes.

• 4 votes – Keep Your Hand off Eizouken!

• 2 votes – My next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom, The Great Pretender, Beastars, Dorohedoro

• 1 vote – Fruits Basket, Re:Zero – season 2, Tower of God, BNA: Brand New Animal, SAO Alicization: War of the Underworld, Somali and the Forest Spirit, Tonikaku Kawaii

And those are my chosen ones.

Thanks for reading my entries my friends. Can’t wait until February to see the winners.

Again… Happy days in January.

I ALREADY CASTED MY VOTES AT CRUNCHYROLL ANIME AWARDS – 2021 – PART I

Hello my friends.

Some fantastic news for you. The Crunchyroll Anime Awards have been already opened, and we got until January 22 to decide who are the best of the best in Anime – 2021. The winners will be announced in February 12th.

And, of course, I just casted my votes. Well… You have no idea how long I have waited for this moment.

And now, I will share you which are the winners of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards in each category. Again, it is only my opinion, and we will have to wait until February to know the real stars.

Having said that. Let’s get started.

BEST FANTASY

Dorohedoro

Indeed, this was a really tough one, because I loved both Tower of God and Re:Zero – season 2. And I was this close to vote for Tower of God, in fact, I spent like ten minutes debating between the three, wondering non-stop – Which one is the best Fantasy? But then, something about Dorohedoro crossed in my mind. It’s tone. Believe it or not, I found the tone of Dorohedoro unique, like a weird, yet perfect balance between dark fantasy, black comedy, urban fantasy and friendship, all of them adding to a story that felt original and well-paced, and since I wrote from my Dorohedoro entry that all of the characters were villains in a way, that makes it more creative.

Dorohedoro wins Best Fantasy – just barely, because I absolutely love Tower of God and Re;Zero -season 2.

My second choice – Tower of God.

BEST COUPLE

Nasa & Tsukasa Yuzaki – Tonikaku Kawaii.

Another tough election. Personally I love all the nominees, especially Chizuru and Kazuya, and I was about to vote for them. After all, they have a great chemistry, and all the moments are really sweet. And both Kuro and Kotoko from In/Spectre have proven to be a nice couple.

Nevertheless, there is something that made me choose Nasa and Tsukasa. They are authentic, Tonikaku portrays young couple in a way similar to Netflix’s Close Enough, but with less adult humour and more development on their relationship. To be honest, I have a personal thing about TV shows that portrays daily lives of married couples, because they feel more natural and gives good morales, for the most part, like Bewitched. Furthermore, Tsukasa is an angel, and Nasa is a gentle, reliable guy.

Nasa and Tsukasa are a good remainder that sometimes life gives you a path you don’t expect.

Runner-ups: Chizuru and Kazuya/ Haru and Legoshi.

BEST SCORE

Gorutaichi – Keep your Hands Off Eizouken!!

This one was a bit easier. Because I repeated each of the episodes of Eizouken!!, I was able to hear every one of the soundtracks of the series. The one that I really remember is the soundtrack – Struggle for the Freedom, which perfectly represent how imposing is the School Council. And the two tracks – Monday and Tuesdays, which are beautiful.

Here is the link for the Eizouken! Ost

Every track offer a sense of life and adventure that really added up to Eizouken!!, and for me, that is more than enough.

Runner-Up – Kevin Penkin – Tower of God. Just like it happened with Made in Abyss and The Rising of the Shield Hero, Kevin Penkin has prove to be one of the best composers in both 2010s and 2020s. Long live to the explorer and the hero, always catching us with a Bam. (Sorry for the horrible pun).

BEST COMEDY

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Road lead to Doom.

Like I mentioned in My Top Waifus of 2020s entry, Catarina Claes is a really funny character; dense, hot-headed, impulsive, but very charming, and the misadventures that she gave us during this first season of Hamefura made us laugh so much. And with such a charming and likeable characters such as Catarina and the supporting class, I got a nice mixture of isekai and comedy that sugarcoated part of 2020.

Also… How can you forget…

Top meme of 2020

Long live Bakarina-Sama.

Runner-Up: Keep you hands off Eizouken!!! and Kaguya-sama: Love is War?

BEST DRAMA

Somali and the Forest Spirit

From the laughs to the tears. People say that is harder to make laugh than to make cry. I agree in a way. Nevertheless, I give a lot of credit to the drama series of 2020, especially in anime. Having said that, I got a hard time choosing my winner. At the end, I choose that the journey of a father and his daughter in a fantasy where humans are pariahs, and basically food for the fantasy creatures is quite charming. And it is not just Golem and Somali, it is also Uzoi and Haitora.

And the last episode almost made me cry.

Runner-Ups: Japan Sinks 2020. Who would thought that Masaaki Yusa will bring another gem in 2020. Japan Sinks 2020 is a wonderful story of a family trying to survive during, possibly, the worst earthquake in the history of Japan. And this is a realistic scenario, despite being only 10 episodes.

Beastars: Who can you say no to the adventures of Legoshi and Haru? Being both a couple and different individuals. Nothing else to say.

BEST FIGHT SCENE

Bercouli vs. Dark God Vecta – Sword Art Online: Alicization, War of the Underworld – 2

First and foremost, I am just happy Kirito vs. Subtilizer was not nominated, because I found it really underwhelming.

Secondly, it was between this one and Deku vs. Overhaul – My Hero Academia 4. Both battles are extremely epic, especially the latter; both have something very important for our heroes to protect (Eri and Alice Zuberg), both left our villains pretty bad.

In other words, they were shoulder-to-shoulder. Narrow to say the least.

Nonetheless, at the end, I thought that Bercouli vs. Vecta had more drama, and have a good vibe from Game of Thrones, especially in the aftermath, where so many «revelations» are unveiled.

At the end, those two things elements made me choose SAO over BNHA… barely.

BEST CHARACTER DESIGN

Genice Chan and Yuusuke Yoshigaki – BNA: Brand New Animal

My goodness!!! Is there any way you can beat Studio Trigger in terms of characters design? Kill la Kill, Kiznaiver, Darling in the Franxx, SSSS Gridman, Little Witch Academia and Ninja Slayer have some of the greatest character designs I have seen in my life. And now… BNA: Brand New Animal joins to the list.

Seriously. the concept of Beastman was very good and well-balanced, but the part that I enjoyed was the beast part. All of them look really good, especially Michiru and Shirou. And… I think I am awaking my inner furry (Just kidding.) There were great nominees, but BNA: Brand New Animal was able to beat all of them in my book.

Runner-ups: The Great Pretender. Like I said on the respective My First Impressions, the character designs of The Great Pretender is a beautiful tribute to the characters of Lupin the Third and Cowboy Bebop. And it deserves an ovation from me.

Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon: Once again, Rumiko Takahashi is a master on character design, and in Yashahime, every design gives identity to each of our protagonists, from here, my favourite is Towa. Another ovation for Takahashi-sensei.

BEST ANIMATION

The Great Pretender

With gems like Attack on Titan, and Vinland Saga, Studio WIT has proven its talent and dominance in animation, and in 2020, The Great Pretender shows that they can do more than epic; rough, simple, but with a great sense of realism, this is the animation that you expect in a crime-drama anime.

And it is not just that. Once again, The Great Pretender pays a beautiful tribute to Cowboy Bebop and Lupin The Third in terms of animation (I will never get tired to mention it.). In others words, some full of nostalgia, but always being at the present.

Runner-Up: Princess Connect: Re Dive. From the creator of Konosuba, this beautiful anime didn’t only manage to make me laugh, but it is also a visual spectacle with its bright colours and sweet palette animation. And when the atmosphere needs to be dark, it is really dark.

BEST DIRECTOR

Masaaki Yuasa – Keep Your Hands off Eizouken!!!

I think I already I gave all my reasons of why Eizouken!! is one of the best animes of 2020. Furthermore, with gems like Devilman Crybaby, The Tatami Galaxy and Japan Sinks 2020, Masaaki Yuasa deserves the medal of Best Director.

Nothing else to say.

Runner-up: Takashi Sano – Tower of God. Great storytelling, original animation, and well-constructed characters. Tower of God is simply the best.

Trust me! It was rough decision.

STAY TUNED FOR PART II

MY TOP ANTI-WAIFUS OF 2020

MY TOP ANTI-WAIFUS OF 2020

Hello my friends.

As many of you know, some days ago, I published my list of MY TOP WAIFUS OF 2020, and then I wrote the second part afterwards. I am working in the third part despite of my work shifts these days. After all, 2020 was full of fantastic, memorable female characters.

However, just like there were amazing heroines last year, there are just… awful characters that, far from becoming the ladies of our dreams, became the ladies of our nightmares. No! I take back! We don’t want to see them in our nightmares. In other words, the anti-waifus.

There is a yang for every yin. And here, there is no exception. Here are my 2020 anti-waifus. Again, it is just my opinion, based on the impressions that these characters left on me.

But before I go with this travel of disgust, I must ask to ask you the question:

Are you guys ok? Staying safe?

If the answer is yes. Then I am happy.

But first… lets get our…

DISHONOURABLE MENTIONS

Most of the harem – Peter Grill and The Philosopher’s Time

I will try to be brief here. But, when I wrote my impressions from Peter Grill and The Philosopher’s Time, I thought that this is the first time I have seen a harem working so hard to make themselves hated… for the most part. From my perspective, these girls don’t even want Peter Grill himself, they just want his… juice, for their… harvest. And some of them go to very low to even blackmail our protagonist to get what they want.

They only reason of why I am not including them is because our protagonist is so stupid enough not to resist them. Furthermore, they are that bad, but I consider they deserve a mention.

MALTY «B*TCH» MELROMARC – RISING OF THE SHIELD HERO

I know what you’re thinking. Jaime. What is this? Mal… B*tch came in 2019.

Yes. That’s true, it is just that her character is so despicable, so unforgivable that it basically overcomes time itself. And rest assured that from season 2, she will only get worse, especially during the Spirit Tortoise arc.

Nothing else to say.

And now… OUR ANTI-WAIFUS. (SPOILER ALERT!!)

DEE EYE ELL – SAO ALICIZATION

Chancellor of the Dark Mages Guild and of the generals of the army of the Dark Territory, at the service of Emperor Vecta (a.k.a. Gabriel Miller), she is everything you can expect from a ruthless, almost supremacist villain. The way she addresses to Lilpilin, and her borderline obsession toward her master and his cause gets the worst of her.

Without mentioning her despicable act toward Leafa at the beginning of War of the Underworld – Part II. I just made me so furious… really.

Of all the generals of Vecta/Gabriel Miller, she was definitely the most disgusting, so much that, after her downfall at the hands of Leafa, all want I thought was…

HIKAWA – GLEIPNIR

The sentence that says it all.

The very first enemy that Clair and Shuichi face after the transformation of the latter. For me, there is only one word for this character… terrifying, and definitely not the person you want to meet if you are in a dark, isolated alley.

Brash, rude, foul-mouthed, and extremely shameless, Hikawa is not meant to be a very complex or memorable character. She is basically tasting the strength, and posterior bonding of our main protagonists. But her attitude and ruthlessness makes you wish to stay away, as much as possible. as both enemy and waifu.

In fact… how many pelvises you think she could break during any… bonding?

MIREI JINNO – THE ISLAND OF GIANT INSECTS

What can be worse that being cast away in an uncharted island with giant, perverted insects? Being cast away with a person so horrendous, so irredeemable that she not just abandons you to your death, but also allows to another survivor to rape you… almost.

Mirei Jinno, from Kyochou Rettou, represents that awful, superficial and cowardly character from the American horror movies. That’s right. Those who you want to die first. Before the events, she was a bully for our protagonist, Mutsumi Oribe, and a hooker… Literally, because she sells her body to another survivor so they can work together and save themselves.

On top of that, being dress as a hooker makes her uglier, because, for me, that is proof of how selfish and corrupt she is.

I don’t know. Perhaps if the story of The Island of Great Insects had more substance, instead of more substantial graphic parts, it will have a better reception. But one thing is for sure. It won’t take long before we meet an anti-waifu we will love to hate.

MAMI NANAMI – RENT A GIRLFRIEND

Yes Mami… Really!

To be honest, I cannot say Mami left a good impression on me. After all… What kind of girl dumps her boyfriend after just one month, for no apparent reason, and then trashtalks his ex-boyfriend when he invites another girl? In just two episodes!!!!

Furthermore, every time I look at her eyes, I got this ominous feeling that she is up to something. Manipulative, insensitive, and selfish, Nevertheless, since I am still watching the rest of the episodes of Rent-A-Girlfriend, I am trying not to be this harsh with Mami, even though she made merits to get some hatred.

I am still waiting to see if she has some kind of redemption. Perhaps I am expecting too much, or talking too soon. But nothing will change my low impression of her.

And now… my worst anti-waifu.

One favour from Earth itself… Eat me!!

RACHEL – TOWER OF GOD

Don’t let that cute face fool you!!

Man… where to start?

Some wish like «want to reach the stars» sounds inspiring and beautiful for a protagonist, however, when you combine that desire with «the end justifies the means», and a manipulative personality, that is the perfect combination for a protagonist villain. Rachel is supposed to be Bam’s best friend, and his reason to enter the Tower of God, just to find her «wounded». And throughout almost twelve episodes, we see Bam fighting, overcoming challenges of lethal cunning, and protecting her.

And how does Rachel repays him?

Poor Bam. He deserved better.

Then, in episode 13, she tells Bam’s friends that he died protecting her, convincing them to take her to the top of the tower in his memory.

As you might see by now, we are witness of Rachel’s true personality; selfish, manipulative, jealous and uncaring. I am still reading the manhwa, but I can tell you that her character gets worse and worse. And this is not even a secret. The author of Tower of God, S.I.U. said and I quote.

«Baam being ‘Shounen main character’ in Headon’s floor is intended to some degree.
Because Rachel is someone who cannot be so… (…) If Baam is ‘Typical Main Character’
Rachel would be ‘Anti Main Character'»

Yep. Sorry folks. For all intents and purposes, Rachel is meant to be hated.

CONCLUSION

Art by – Sofra

And there you go.

Honestly, I am out of words, talking about these anti-waifus left me tired, and if that is not evidence of how awful they are, I don’t what could be. Nevertheless, this is evidence that 2020 in anime was an interesting year, and I am convinced that 2021 will be as fascinating, if not better.

And I must leave you, because… Mami is coming for me, and I think she wants… revenge.

Got you!!!

Could this be any worse?

Yes. It can!!

MY BEST WAIFUS OF 2020 – PART I

Hello my friends.

Can you believe it? This 2020 is almost over, and I am not going to lie; this is absolutely the most complicated and most difficult year for all of us; especially because many of us, myself including, had a relative who was infected with coronavirus. Let’s hope that 2021 is a little bit better.

Anyway, there was something else I want to point out, even anime was affected by the pandemic; beloved series like Sword Art Online: Alicization, Re:Zero, season 2, Danmachi, season 3, Oregairu Climax, and many others had to be postponed, and it’s a shame, because all of them brought some of our best husbandos and waifus.

And of course, there were other great characters from great series, so, like the title says, I will start mentioning those wonderful ladies that made my 2020 flourish in the middle of COVID-19.

And if some of your beloved waifus are not here… don’t worry; remember that this is just the first part of my long list, so more will come. This is my own opinion anyway, it will obvious that we will have different opinions.

So, here it is my….

BEST WAIFUS OF 2020 – PART 1

art by: sesield

But first, I want to do a couple of honourable mentions.

ALICE ZUBERG – SWORD ART ONLINE: ALICIZATION

Ok. Alice was a really wonderful character, from my point of view, and in the last season of Alicization: War of the Underworld, she got some of her best moments, especially at the ending of the season. Nevertheless, her best achievements were already established, and Alice continued to show her best at the end of Alicization, so that’s why I am including her here.

LEAFA – WAR OF THE UNDERWORLD

Yeah. She is also here, because, even though Leafa’s role was not as big as Asuna and Kirito, she still deserves recognition. I am not going to lie…. I was angry at the way she was introduced in War of the Underworld. Again, my opinion, but I think it was very awful, because it remind me the awful development she got in Fairy Dance Arc, my least favourite of SAO. Heck!! She doesn’t even receive a goddamn hug from Asuna!!! Instead, we got another tasteless, motherf$%ing tentacle/pseudo hentai scene for her.

Yet, she fought with bravery and determination.

I don’t know if it was the original author’s fault, or the scriptwriter’s fault, but all I can say is… Shame on you. Leafa deserves better.

Sorry guys. I have to take out, because I was really… furious.

Anyway. Now… let’s get to the real waifus.

WIENE – DANMACHI – SEASON 3

Another cute girl that has developed romantic feelings toward our favourite Little Rookie, Bell Cranel. Wiene is a Xenos, who, unlike regular monsters, is able to talk and rationalise like a human, she is rescued from the dungeon by Bell and Welf, and brought to Hestia Familia, befriending everyone despite Lili’s objections. Then, it is through her arc that we discover that there are more like her, without mentioning another dungeon, perhaps bigger than the one in Orario.

I will not spoil anything, but then Wiene has some of the most touching moments of Danmachi, of both season 3 and the whole series, and it is through her arc that Bell and the Hestia Familia face their toughest challenge. I think even tougher than the rescue of Haruhime.

A character with really good background, and great moments. That’s why she is here.

KOTOKO IWANAGA – IN/SPECTRE

The «Goddess of Wisdom». When she was a child, Kotoko was rescued by yokai, or shall I say… kidnapped; later, the same yokai ask her to become a «bridge»: between them and the human world, which she accepts, but in exchange of the right eye and her left leg. Then, during the course of the series, she meets our male protagonist, Kuro, an immortal young man she feels in love for and together they solve mysteries that involve paranormal events.

From the beginning, I found this character extremely interesting, but it took me like eight episodes to fully get my interest on her. Because, despite losing a leg, Kotoko displays considerable agility, and is her brains her greatest weapon, along with her knowledge of yokai and supernatural.

If you read my reviews, you will know that I love characters that uses their wits aside from their strength, because I found them more compelling, and that includes Kotoko. Let’s put it like this… a «moe» version of Kitaro, and a «cuter» version of Neko-Musume, both from GeGeGe no Kitarou.

Nice character. Welcome aboard.

MICHIRU KAGEMORI – BNA: BRAN NEW ANIMAL

Ok. I have to be honest. I feel a bit terrible when I think of Michiru. Why? Because it reminds me that I own you a Review of BNA: Brand New Animal. But don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten that, and I will do it on 2021.

Having said that, I must give credit to her protagonist, Michiru Kagemori.

Michiru was a normal high school student until she got transformed into a tanuki beastman. That event forces Michiru to travel to Anima City in search for a cure. Once she arrived, she discovers many intriguing facts about what is happening to her, while knowing the true nature of this «paradise» for the beastmen. Worth mentioning that, as a beastman, Michiru got sharp senses and superhuman strength. Almost.

Studio Trigger has a reputation of creating interesting, if not classic, female leads (Ryuko Matoi, Zero Two, Luluco, Rikka Takarada {thighs… uhum… thighs, thighs). And definitely Michiru is no exception. Just like Zero Two before her, she faces so many inner turmoil because of her nature, making her struggles more relevant and her character more compelling.

Perhaps I should join the furry movement (Animals… Forever). Just kidding.

ENDORSI JAHAD – TOWER OF GOD

Ok. First and foremost…. FUKC Rachel!!!! F&^K HER GOOD!!!

Now, Tower of God, one of my favourite anime of 2020, has a lot of great female characters, including Serena, Yuri, and Anaak. Anaak is an awesome character, with solid background, attitude and clear abilities. But it is definitely Endorsi the one who became the female breakout character.

Endorsi is a Princess of Jahad, a group of female ladies that wield the blood of King Jahad, which is why they are so respected and admired. However, being a Princess of Jahad is difficult and comprehends many sacrifices, such as having romantic relationships. With that said, Endorsi had a very hard life, enduring horrible events that made her who she is, a girl with attitude, no fear, some great lines, and the star of some of the best fight sequences in Tower of God.

Furthermore, Endorsi is really attractive, and… her feet. Oh Gosh!!! I think I will develop a foot fetish because of her. But what is true is that Endorsi has earned her title as one of the most popular girls in all Jahad. And a perfect foil, as well as romantic interest, to Bam. Seriously, Bam and Endorsi really complement each other, and their trials had the potential to make something amazing out of them.

I am still reading the manhwa, but for now, Endorsi has become my favourite characters in all Tower of God.

SAYAKA KANAMORI – KEEP YOUR HAND OFF EIZOUKEN!!

They said that producers can be a pain in the neck when it is about funding your project and interfering with your freedom. But sometimes producers can be also inventive and the ones we most listen regarding our creativity.

And Sayaka Kanamori is a great example of that.

The Producer of Eizouken Club, Sayaka Kanamori proves to be intelligent, resourceful, and the one who keeps the other members of the club down to earth. Because yes… Asakura is passionate, and Mizusaki is talented and determined, but none of them will be able to stay focus without Kanamori, who keeps track of another great element for Art – Funding. In other words, the good side of money in anime industry, and she is very good at dealing with people, even though some of her methods are bit… questionable.

Also, Kanamori proves to be a very caring friend, for both Asakusa and Mizusaki. So, don’t let her deadpan expressions and love for money fool you. Kanamori is one of my top waifus of 2020.

CONCLUSION

There you go. Just like 2019, 2020 is closing with some great characters, and i am just getting started, because so many waifus appeared, and are waiting to be mentioned now.

So, thanks for everything, and stay tuned for Part II.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021.