Tag Archives: ARGEVOLLEN

Jacquie’s 2014 Year in Review – Top 10 Anime

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When I started thinking about the anime that I enjoyed the most this past year, I realized it would be challenging to make a realistic year-end best list. A vast majority of my favourite shows remain officially unfinished, either being ongoing, or with a continuation announced around the airing time of the season finale episode.

Usually, I only consider series which finish airing in the given year, without the immediate promise of a sequel. This time, any shows I watched in entirety that came to a clear season end in 2014, will be eligible. (Ongoing and designated split-cour series will be considered for next year.)

Below are my top picks of 2014, chosen from about 55 eligible titles. The top five were easy to decide; those were the series that received an 8 or 9 rating from me at MyAnimeList. The next five had to be selected from the nearly 20 shows which scored a 7, and it was no simple task.


#1. KNIGHTS OF SIDONIA (Sidonia no Kishi) (Season 1, 12 episodes)
There’s not much I can add that I haven’t already said in the mid-spring writeup.

I’m not much of a fan of computer-generated animation normally, but this show really made the most of it. With its engrossing sci-fi story and great world-building, KNIGHTS OF SIDONIA was smartly written and very exciting to watch.

Definitely looking forward to season 2 come springtime!
(NETFLIX)


#2. Free! Eternal Summer (Season 2, 13 episodes, complete)
In season one, the boys grew together as a swim team and as friends, while coming to terms with their past experiences. Eternal Summer, on the other hand, focused more on their personal development, especially as Haru, Makoto, and Rin needed to start thinking about their futures.

I had high expectations of Free! from the very beginning, and also confidence that the creators knew what they were doing and where they were going with the series. I felt that my faith was rewarded throughout, but particularly in this second season, including the satisfying finale.

The ending was conclusive enough that it seems fairly certain there will not ever be a season 3, never mind a season 10. Which is too bad, because I will miss having this series to look forward to. The animation was gorgeous, the music was evocative, and I came to care about the characters as if they were real people.
(Crunchyroll, FUNimation)


#3. YowaPeda (Yowamushi Pedal) (Season 1, 38 episodes)
This entertaining cycling anime was in my top 3 practically every week that it aired. Even though the storyline was quite simple and focused entirely on bike racing and training, it was always fun to watch. I liked how we gradually got to know each character in the huge cast as it came time for them to play their part for their team. It helped me empathize with their goals and it gave context to their successes and failures.

Well, season one officially ended in June and the sequel, GRANDE ROAD, started in September with a renewed numbering system, but there was really no ending to season one, as it stopped right smack dab in the midst of the gruelling Inter-high race.
(Crunchyroll)


#4. GUGURE! KOKKURI-SAN (12 episodes, complete)
When I first heard of this, I thought it was just yet another fox spirit anime; there seem to be so many of them! But one glimpse of the female protagonist and I was convinced it was not going to be just one of those shows.

I didn’t love everything about the series. Inugami and Tama, for instance, were not especially funny to me. But Kokkuri and Kohina, and even Shigaraki, were loveable enough to make up for it.

Overall, I enjoyed the absurd, irreverent humour a lot; and the balance of drama and comedy added some surprising depth to the material.
(Crunchyroll)


#5. ALDNOAH.ZERO (Season 1, 12 episodes)
The second of 3 mecha series on this list, ALDNOAH.ZERO had a strong start, featuring a war of worlds storyline, inventive plot developments, and an atypical lead character in soft-spoken, inexpressive Inaho.

The Martian Kataphrakt-of-the-week format of the middle section reduced the appeal of the show somewhat, however. It also didn’t help that Inaho always seemed to dispense with his enemies a little too effortlessly.

Regardless, the detailed animation, powerful soundtrack, and strong early episodes were enough to get me hooked and looking forward to the new season, which has just started.
(DAISUKI, Crunchyroll)


#6. NOBUNAGUN (13 episodes, complete)
For most of its run, this was a middling series for me. I really liked awkward, tomboyish Sio as the lead protagonist, and I enjoyed the episodes where her group, the Second Platoon, was featured in the plot. But it was considerably less fun whenever the focus was on other characters.

What raised my opinion of NOBUNAGUN was the final story arc, in which Sio got to display her character development and a truly inspired twist regarding the identity of one of the E-Gene Holders was revealed.

I’ve said before that it’s fairly uncommon for an anime to have a great ending, so I really appreciate it when it happens. NOBUNAGUN resolved not only its battle storyline, but its romantic subplot as well, even though the love triangle was mostly imaginary and played for laughs up till that point. This is more than can be said for most shows with romance as the theme!

There is still room for a sequel, but the series ended in a satisfying way.
(Crunchyroll)


#7. Space Brothers (Uchuu Kyoudai) (99 episodes, complete)
An all-ages-appropriate, realistic portrayal of what it’s like to apply for the space program and the process for becoming an astronaut.

Self-deprecating Mutta made for a sympathetic hero; and the underlying story of brothers with a shared passion was touching.

The first half of the series definitely had the better material, climaxing with Hibito’s moon mission arc. The remaining episodes were more slow-paced and less riveting. But overall, I still give the show a strong recommendation. It’s well-informed and well-written, and it’s entertaining too.
(Crunchyroll)


#8. Shirogane no Ishi ARGEVOLLEN (24 episodes, complete)
This mecha/war anime suffered a weak start full of tropes: predictably hotheaded protagonist and grossly out-of-place fanservice, just to name a couple of the problems.

But along the way, the characters, including the lead, grew and became fleshed out and believable. Fanservice fell by the wayside. It was a joy to see the military strategy play out, as well as the interactions between the cast. All in all, it was not a predictable show at all; and it’s a shame that many viewers probably dropped it, for understandable reasons, before it got good.
(Crunchyroll)


#9. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: STARDUST CRUSADERS (Season 2, 24 episodes)
The third part in the JoJo timeline, once again featuring a huge time skip from the previous arc. Happily, Joseph is still around, and although he’s a grandfather now, he’s still as much of a redneck a-hole as ever. This time, it’s all about special powers called stands and it’s a race against time to reach Dio and stop him from destroying the Joestar family.

Basically, Jotaro and company are trying to make it from Japan to Egypt in one piece, but at every step, Dio’s followers are there to thwart their progress. This results in a stand-of-the-week horror story format most of the time. But that’s okay, because it’s so much fun just watching these lovably flawed characters interacting with each other. You can’t help but laugh at the crazy situations they find themselves in.
(Crunchyroll)


#10. Black Butler (Kuroshitsuji): Book of Circus (Season 3, 10 episodes, complete)
I never actually finished season one, and I didn’t watch any of the second season, but I checked out this third installment of Kuroshitsuji anyway. And I liked it!

Who is a victim and who is a villain in a world that isn’t black and white? Book of Circus was pretty dark and explored some of the same themes as Tokyo Ghoul (which also aired in the summer) clumsily attempted to, but executed on them so much better, in my opinion.
(FUNimation, DAISUKI)

Mid-Autumn 2014 Anime Ranking

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It’s more like a late-season review again. I took a break from work and anime for a couple of weeks early on, and it’s taken a while to get caught up, more or less. There are still a few shows on my watch list that I will not be covering here, since I have not seen enough of them to rank them.

It has been an exceptionally strong season, in my opinion. I’m really happy with just about everything in the top 10.


01. GARO THE ANIMATION (GARO: Honoo no Kokuin) (ep. 1-10) – I’m new to the GARO franchise, so I didn’t really know what to expect going in. I started watching because it seemed like it was an adult-oriented, medieval-setting anime, which is right up my alley. Fortunately, they seem to be presenting a stand-alone story which doesn’t demand much prior knowledge of previous works.

The interactions between sullen Leon and his libido-charged dad, German, have been amusing to watch. It’s a believable relationship. I can see how teenaged Leon would constantly feel annoyed at his father’s behaviour, and also how German would be frustrated at his withdrawn and uptight son.

Even though he hasn’t had much screen time until recently, I’ve been impressed with how Prince Alfonso is depicted as being a lot more capable and worldly than your average runaway royal. It’s obvious the King’s money bought him a good education, as one would expect, and it’s clear he paid attention in class, too. Of course he’s going to be a bit uncomfortable as he attempts to navigate his new surroundings, and he is physically weak compared to all the other guys in the show, but he is never useless or completely defenceless, either. I’ll bet Princess Yona (from currently airing Akatsuki no Yona) wishes her overprotective father had had as much foresight as Alfonso’s parents did!

This show proves that it’s possible to have mature content, including sex and violence, without being cheap and exploitative.

My one real complaint is that the super-shiny CG battle suits are a bit jarring compared to the restrained colour scheme of the 2D animation. I definitely prefer the fight scenes when they are not suited up. The only plus is that the CG suits are easier to see in the dark.
(streaming at FUNimation)


02. Parasyte –the maxim- (Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu) (ep. 1-10) – A thriller in which alien beings take over human bodies and turn them into shape-shifting cannibals. Our hero, Shinichi, fortuitously prevents his parasite from reaching his brain when it attacks him in the middle of the night. However, it permanently ends up in his right arm and they are forced to work together in order to survive.

I almost gave Parasyte the number one spot, as it has been the most consistent in effective storytelling, but the musical score is sometimes incongruous to the events on-screen, and GARO is just closer to my heart at the moment.

The narrative unfolds at a well-measured pace. It kind of reminds me of Death Note, with how it starts with the focus on the personal dynamic between Shinichi and Migi, then gradually expands the view to more and more of the outside world as the story progresses.

Even though it’s understated, we get a good sense of Shinichi’s feelings of discomfort at what is happening to his body. It’s fascinating to see Migi’s development too.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


03. Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] (ep. 0-9) – Easily the best-looking series of the season, Fate/stay night offers top-notch action animation and detailed characterization.

Because this is being re-made as a direct sequel to Fate/Zero, it comes with a layer of context that elevates the material possibly above what it actually is. As such, I was invested in many of these characters before the show even began. Really subtle things, such as the way Saber stared at Illya, when they first encountered her, just for a moment, before casting down her gaze, can make me wonder at their meaning. Was Saber remembering the young child Illya used to be? Did seeing her standing there remind her of Illya’s mother Irisveil? Did she possibly feel regret that Illya was now to be her enemy?

I’m hoping they will eventually delve into the past events which many of the current Grail War participants have limited knowledge of. Rin seems to remember Sakura. But it’s hard to read her actions. Sakura doesn’t seem to be aware of their previous relationship at all. I also think it’s interesting that Illya, Shirou, and Saber each seem to have vastly different impressions about the kind of person that Kiritsugu was.

Rin is a great character. I love her interactions with her Servant Archer and with Shirou.

This version of Fate/stay night has done an extraordinary job of making Shirou out to be a likeable guy. He’s naïve and idealistic, but it’s clear he has a lot of potential for becoming a stronger Master. So far, he has not displayed any of the chauvinistic behaviour toward Saber that really irked me in the original Fate/stay night. Fingers crossed that there will be no mid-war “date” episode this time around.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


04. LAUGHING UNDER THE CLOUDS (Donten ni Warau) (ep. 1-10) – This one got off to a rocky start; it didn’t bode well for things when the main characters were running around in drag for no reason in the very first episode. Fortunately, the show took a more serious direction fairly quickly.

Tenka, the eldest Kumoh brother, reminds me of Headmaster Cross (from Vampire Knight) with the way he constantly puts on a goofball façade, while keeping his burdens to himself. I thought he took the act too far with his little brother, though, especially as it seemed obvious that Sora was mature enough to handle some reality. Gotta say, I was surprised and impressed by the gutsy yet logical conclusion to episode 6.

And then, the shocking twists in episode 9 left me reeling! I’m really enjoying Shirasu’s very nuanced portrayal. There’s a difficult scene between Soramaru and Shirasu in the latest episode, and I was blown away by the heartbreaking and compelling way in which it was handled.
(streaming at FUNimation)


05. Shirogane no Ishi: ARGEVOLLEN (ep. 13-22) – The story’s gotten really good. It’s now less a question of who is winning this war between Arandas and Ingelmia, and more about the disagreement within Arandas ranks on whether or not to stop fighting. The characters have become fleshed out and believable. The animation has been impressive as well, including the mecha fights. I’ll choose to forget the mostly off-model season opener episode 13; if anything positive came out of that, it’s that it made me appreciate how good the show usually looks!

And they really did stop with the random fanservice which marred the first half. Fanservice is now limited to the ED credits, and I, for one, am grateful the creators were able to use that to get it out of their systems so they can treat the actual show seriously.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. Ace of Diamond (Diamond no Ace) (ep. 51-59) – It’s the final game leading to Nationals and our main character Sawamura finally gets the spotlight as he takes the mound for Seido in the last few innings.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


07. Gugure! Kokkuri-san (ep. 1-10) – Emotionally-stunted Kohina inadvertently gets herself haunted by 3 spirits. It’s not as if she can easily get rid of them, so they sort of become her family. Long-suffering, vain fox spirit Kokkuri is remarkably endearing. And our cup-noodle-obsessed lead girl Kohina is no angel, but she is totally adorable.

I like how the show doesn’t feel obligated to produce a gag every minute. Some of the best episodes are the ones where the comedy takes a back seat for a while and allows the show to explore a more thoughtful storyline. The music used in these segments tends to be really pretty, too. Of course, the jokes and punchlines are never far behind.

Gugure! Kokkuri-san is silly and absurd and charming. It also has no qualms about making light of potentially touchy subjects such as suicide, stalking, or pedophilia, so sensitive viewers may wish to steer clear; but also know that you’ll be missing out if you do, because this is funny stuff.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

08. Yowamushi Pedal: GRANDE ROAD (ep. 1-10) – Continues right where we left off before the break, in the middle of the Inter-high race. Yes, it is more of the same of what we’ve come to expect from YowaPeda, and it’s just as fun and exciting as ever.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


09. Akatsuki no Yona (YONA OF THE DAWN) (ep. 1-10) – This was one of the series I was most looking forward to before the season began. For the most part, I’m pretty satisfied with the way it’s turned out. Many of the characters exhibit some depth, including the antagonists, and that’s a big draw for me. In fact, I’m eager to know more about traitor and pretender to the throne Soo-won; he’s a conflicted villain if I ever saw one.

I’m actually less excited about the current Dragon quest that Yona and Hak are on, but at least Yona is learning to be stronger and more independent in the process.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


10. ORENCHI NO FURO JIJO (ep. 1-10) – A four-minute comedy short in which blond merman Wakasa takes up residence in the bathtub of a young man named Tatsumi. Wakasa’s friends get involved and hijinks ensue. Frequently, the characters appear in chibi form and it’s super-cute!

The ridiculously dark and angsty OP sequence featuring Matenrou Opera music serves as a perfect counterpoint to the lightweight content of the rest of the show.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

11. PSYCHO-PASS 2 (ep. 1-9) – Maybe I had too-high expectations, but this sequel has proven to be a considerable disappointment to me thus far.

By the end of season one, we knew that Sibyl was flawed. I don’t recall Sibyl ever being so wilfully stupid or blatantly treacherous, though. Prisoners automatically get released the moment their crime coefficient goes down, no matter what they did to cause their incarceration? Is that even possible? A missing inspector, who is known to be acting suspiciously, is entitled to all her privileges as long as her psycho-pass is clear? I’m not saying they should fire her, but common sense says the MWPSB should have a way to prevent her from accessing police weapons until they can ascertain that she is safe and actually still on their side!

I’m not going to go so far as to call season 2 a train wreck, since they do seem to have a clear story in mind and they are telling it; and on its own, it’s probably fine. However, it’s difficult to ignore how the rules of the Sibyl System as established in the original series sometimes seem to be contradicted or changed to fit with the current production.
(streaming at FUNimation)

12. SHIROBAKO (ep. 1-9) – The overall story revolves around a group of friends beginning their careers in the animation industry. Most of the action (if you can call it that) is centered on Aoi’s experiences and the challenges she repeatedly faces in her role as production assistant for a company putting out a currently airing anime. Setbacks and deadlines abound and the fear of failure is sometimes palpable.

There is quite a bit of humour as well. I’m actually enjoying SHIROBAKO a lot; however, it’s just not the kind of show I find myself clamouring to watch each week.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


13. Rage of Bahamut: GENESIS (Shingeki no Bahamut GENESIS) (ep. 1-9) – This had a really promising start: nice-looking animation, medieval fantasy adventure setting. The men are likeable if rather needlessly unattractive; and single-minded Amira is an interesting heroine. Okay, to be fair, she’s interested in 2 things: food, and getting to Helheim some way somehow.

Anyway, I wanted to like this show more than I do. I kind of wish it remained more grounded in the human world, as I find the parts about the angels’ and demons’ realms to be somehow overwhelming and boring at the same time.

The best part of the show remains the kick-ass opening credits, featuring “EXiSTENCE” by SiM. In case anyone’s wondering, there is no need to watch episode 6.5; it is 100% recap and doesn’t shed any new light on the proceedings.
(streaming at FUNimation)

14. Wolf Girl and Black Prince (Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji) (ep. 1-10) – Erika gets caught in her lie about dating random hot guy Kyouya when he turns out to be a student at her school. To her surprise, he agrees to play her boyfriend; but only if she will be his dog. Yeah.

None of this is meant to be taken seriously, and honestly, the series is pretty fun and easy to watch. Still, I can’t help but have some reservations about the frankly abusive relationship at the core of this romance.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


15. Lord Marksman and Vanadis (Madan no Ou to Vanadis) (ep. 1-10) – For something that bills itself as a fanservice show, the gratuitous content is actually pretty mild. Sure, the way all the girls’ bodies are covered in canker sores is a turnoff, and the gigantic breasts on some can get ridiculous at times, but importantly, characters of both sexes get to retain their self-respect here.

The initial arc started things off well, but as the series continued, the execution has taken a tumble. After the fourth episode or so, things started happening at breakneck speed: characters were introduced and killed off before we learned their significance, Tigre wandered off and made a pact with some mysterious being, battles were fought and won with little regard for the human side of the story. It just seems a lot less focused now and I’m losing interest because of that.

tl;dr: Way better than expected; still not that good.
(streaming at FUNimation)

16. Your lie in April (Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso) (ep. 1-9) – Former piano prodigy finds inspiration to take up his instrument again, and possibly romance, when a pretty and gifted violinist joins his group of friends. I find this stuff a tad melodramatic and, well, boring, but that’s just me. I would heartily recommend this anime to fans of Nodame Cantabile.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

Notable Drop:

TERRA FORMARS (ep. 1-3) – The basic premise, with humanity possibly engineering its own demise when it attempts to terraform Mars by using cockroaches, sounds like a fascinating idea.

Problem is, the show is too obsessed with sensationalist violence. It’s just so hellbent on graphically depicting every beheading or dismemberment. Except you can’t show that stuff on TV, so at times up to 50% of the screen might be covered in black censor bars, making the show quite literally unwatchable.

It could have been so much better if they chose to suggest the gore artfully and if at least some clues as to what is going on on Mars were revealed earlier. If you’re looking for art or competent storytelling in a horror-thriller, best look elsewhere. Parasyte would be a good place to start.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

Mid-Summer 2014 Anime Ranking

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The trend this season seems to be… restrooms! Just kidding. But there have been a surprising number of shows that have had scenes set in a washroom or had one featured prominently in the background, which is weird, and funny.


01. Free! Eternal Summer (ep. 1-8) – If you didn’t enjoy the first season, there’s probably no reason to watch this sequel. However, if you connected with the characters as I did, Eternal Summer does not disappoint. So far it has delivered in spades to its established audience in terms of humour, character development, and thrilling swimming races.

Sousuke and Momotarou are welcome additions to the Samezuka swim team. Even though in some ways I can’t stand the guy, there’s no denying that Momotarou has been a great source of laughs for the show. Also, I love seeing how Makoto and Rin are developing as captains of their respective teams despite both of them having been reluctant to take on the leadership role initially.

It seems to me this season has been a bit more suggestive of BL compared to its predecessor. It’s never overt, though. More like the creators are aware of the fujoshi segment of the audience and are having fun with the material, but it’s all in line with the overall plot.

Maybe we’re a bit crazy, but we typically watch every episode two or three times in order to appreciate all the little details that make the series so much fun.
(streaming at Crunchyroll and FUNimation)


02. TERROR IN RESONANCE (Zankyou no Terror) (ep. 1-6) – Deliberate and intellectual. It’s like watching a chess match unfold between the terrorists and the disillusioned police detective.
(streaming at FUNimation)


03. ALDNOAH.ZERO (ep. 1-8) – Stunning start to this series about Martian humans waging war on Earth humans. Since the 5th episode, it’s tapered off a bit, but I’m still enjoying it a great deal.

My heart wasn’t really ready for the brutal interrogation scene in ep. 8, though. Poor Slaine must be the most hard-luck hero of the season. Despite his best efforts, the guy just can’t catch a break!

ALDNOAH.ZERO boasts another powerful soundtrack by the venerable Hiroyuki Sawano.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


04. Ace of Diamond (ep. 38-45) – Great ensemble cast for this baseball anime. It’s often not obvious that Sawamura is the main character. But it’s all good.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


05. NOBUNAGA CONCERTO (ep. 1-6) – The latest rendition of the modern-day kid finds himself time-slipped into the middle of the Warring States period storyline. Saburo encounters Oda Nobunaga upon arrival and when they realize that they are dead ringers for each other, Nobunaga asks him to take his place. Considering the premise, the show takes things a lot more seriously than I expected. Obviously, there’s going to be some culture shock humour. But mostly Saburo does his best to fulfill Nobunaga’s role in unifying Japan, while trying to preserve history, which proves to be a bit challenging since he sucked at History class. And wow, that plot twist in episode 6!

Biggest challenge for the viewer is the CGI. It is definitely not at the level of Sidonia no Kishi. The character movements and facial expressions are stiff and video-gamey. On the plus side, some of the background art is absolutely gorgeous, though.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (ep. 14-21) – Squalid toilets, a recurring source of torment for poor Polnareff as the Joestar group treks through Southeast Asia on their way to Egypt.

This show is a terrible offender when it comes to cruelty to animals – to the point where it’s pretty safe to fear for the life of any animal that has the misfortune to show up. They seem to draw the line at killing babies at least…

That aside, the characters continue to be amusing and the situations they end up in are frequently laugh-out-loud funny.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


07. Tokyo Ghoul (ep. 1-7) – In the conflict between humans and ghouls, it’s sometimes hard to tell which side is more inhuman. The most fascinating characters so far have been mild-mannered but scary-looking mask-maker Uta and flamboyantly creepy gourmet Tsukiyama.

Love the great atmospheric ED theme: “Seijatachi” by People In The Box.
(streaming at FUNimation)

08. Baby Steps (ep. 14-20) – Ei-chan’s hard work is starting to pay off as he racks up some wins on the tennis court. He considers taking things to the next level. Solidly entertaining, as always.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. Haikyuu!! (ep. 14-20) – Still enjoying the volleyball anime. At times the sport melodrama is laid on pretty thick…
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

10. LOVE STAGE!! (ep. 1-7) – Usually I can’t tolerate yaoi anime because I can’t stand the non-consensual sexual stuff. LOVE STAGE!! does have some non-con content, but it helps that the offender is aware of how his actions are inappropriate and shameful. I also like that Izumi is warming up to Ryouma because he appreciates how thoughtful the other boy can be, and not because he’s secretly turned on by the unwanted advances.

Most importantly, the show is actually very funny.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


11. Sengoku BASARA Judge End (ep. 1-7) – I have seen the previous releases in this franchise and this installment provides more of the same goodness. It’s a nicely balanced mix of serious historical material and ridiculous stuff.
(streaming at FUNimation)

12. SPACE DANDY 2 (ep. 14-19) – The continuing charismatic adventures of Dandy and his crew. Much of the content this season has been so random, and yet somehow smart at the same time. I actually suspect many of the references go right over my head. But it’s funny anyway, for the most part. There have been some duds; the Ghibli-influenced fishing episode #18, for example; but maybe that’s just a problem with me and my lack of interest in fishing stories.
(streaming at FUNimation)

13. Shirogane no Ishi ARGEVOLLEN (ep. 1-8) – This show is best when it’s focused on the war story plot. And I am interested in the characters, what their motives are, and how they might be connected in the past. Otherwise, the pacing is a bit slow, but the major strike against ARGEVOLLEN is the sexual fanservice. Fortunately, it is only sporadic, but it’s really out of place when it occurs and serves only to cheapen the show. They should really stick to the military/mecha stuff.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


14. Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun (GEKKAN SHOJO NOZAKI KUN) (ep. 1-7) – Somehow, I don’t feel I connect with the characters in this comedy series as much as I should. Episodes 1 and 6 were lots of fun; the rest I found just mildly amusing.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

15. Captain Earth (ep. 14-21) – I’m grateful that the designer-child of the week episodes are over and that we don’t have to sit through that damn expansion sequence every time Daichi and/or Teppei deploy anymore. However, after 20-odd episodes of this, I still don’t feel I truly understand what each of the three main factions is trying to achieve. Planetary Gears’ attacks are increasing in frequency and the Midsummer’s Knights always manage to hold them off, but what is everyone’s endgame and what does it really mean if they fail? Lots of people will die, I suppose. I don’t know. The show just doesn’t make me feel the gravity of the possible outcomes.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

16. Samurai Jam – Bakumatsu Rock (ep. 1-8) – Nonsensical, but fun to watch as something that won’t tax your brain cells. Strangely, the government-sanctioned Heaven’s Songs are almost indistinguishable stylistically from the rebels’ rock music. At least they all had the right reaction to that girl group’s autotuned atrocity in ep. 8!
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

17. AO HARU RIDE (Blue Spring Ride) (ep. 1-7) – Well, I don’t dislike male lead Ko as much as I hated Yamato from Say “I Love You”, but that’s not saying much. Ko isn’t all bad; he’s nice to people sometimes. When it suits him. The way he treats his brother is what ticks me off the most. I don’t think I can be satisfied with this show if he doesn’t eventually get his comeuppance or at least a good whack to the head. Yeah, he’s supposed to have his issues, but seriously, any guy who would show so little respect to such a thoughtful and patient brother cannot be a good catch romantically.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

18. The irregular at magic high school (Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei) (ep. 14-20) – The boring-ass Nine Schools Competition is over at long last. Now Tatsuya is enlisted to help with the Thesis Competition. Fortunately, the topic is something he’s really interested in: the technical feasibility of a Gravity Control-type Magic thermonuclear fusion reactor. This show.
(streaming at Crunchyroll)


19. GLASSLIP (ep. 1-8) – Pretty much nothing happens in this. The visions of the future conceit is barely touched upon and poorly explained. The animation looks very sharp mostly; however, every episode includes random still scenes which are ostensibly for artistic effect but come off looking like cost-cutting. The characters often engage in inane dialogue. Why am I watching this?
(streaming at Crunchyroll)

Also watching, as part of our Grimdark Funimation Thursdays lineup (along with TERROR IN RESONANCE and Tokyo Ghoul): PSYCHO-PASS new edit, a re-broadcast of last year’s series, cut into double-length episodes with a bit of new footage incorporated. Honestly, I wasn’t that keen on re-experiencing PSYCHO-PASS, as I really did find some of the material to be disturbing and even traumatizing. If perhaps I don’t feel as shocked the second time around, that’s balanced out by the dread I now feel at knowing what’s going to happen.

The new scenes do add a bit to the story, I think. Or maybe I just have a better grasp of what’s going on now. Regardless, the series really is well-written and this new edit is good preparation for PSYCHO-PASS season 2 this fall, especially for those who missed the original broadcast.
(streaming at FUNimation)

I’ll just leave you with this:

ALDNOAH.ZERO’s main character, Inaho, planning some strategy in his “office”.