Weekly Roundup Spring 2019 Week 7

I really thought I would have that Black Clover analysis post finished by now, but life keeps getting in the way. Between preparations for an upcoming anime convention trip (I will be sharing pictures, don't you worry), extra training at work for a new shift and additional responsibility, and a lot of Yugioh games, I'm amazed I even managed to finish all the anime for the roundup in time. But anyway, you know the drill: we have 7 anime remaining after Senryu Girl's elimination, and I mention something unrelated before awkwardly transitioning to the first show on the list. Speaking of which, that last chapter of One Piece (chapter 943 as of time of writing) was simply incredible!

And as I can't post spoilers, here's some awesome fanart I found on Google. If anyone knows
the artist, please let me know so I can credit them.

RobiHachi

I could make a Backstreet Boys joke here, but that's beneath me.

Leading us off is The Magic Kingdom in the Sky (by Da Vinci's Notebook). In episode 7, the gang arrives at the amusement park planet of Akka Sekka, where Hatchi helps them skip the 8 hour long line to buy tickets thanks to his large social media following. As Hatchi drags them from place to place, Robby and Ikku are horrified to learn that negativity is forbidden by law, and the slightest hint of verbal complaining can lead to you being "disposed of" by one of the singing employees. After a day full of faking smiles causes them to actually embrace the atmosphere, the trio's day is ruined when Yang hijacks the parade and chases after them, culminating in a moment where Robby and Hatchi accidentally ring a ceremonial bell during an annual planetary alignment that signifies that they are destined to share eternal love.

Going into this week's episode, I knew that nothing it could come up with would compare to the unbridled joy that episode 6 made me feel, and I adjusted my expectations accordingly. And while this episode didn't get nearly as bonkers as that one, it surprisingly holds up just as well. Learning a bit more about Hatchi's past was great, even if it's only through cryptic visual clues. I'm currently leaning toward the theory that he is some sort of wealthy heir who had a sheltered upbringing and is taking advantage of the Isekandar trip to make up for his lost youth by being the crazy tourist we know and love. And the comedy was good, too, even though Disney and other similarly saccharine theme parks are easy targets for this sort of satirical humor, the actual jokes land really well, and seeing Hatchi drag Robby and Ikku into joining in a musical number with the park staff or seeing Yang be inspired to continue following his dreams to be a creepy mob boss/stalker by an uplifting Disney ballas is absolutely hysterical. Another great episode from a show that seems to be a bit of a hidden gem this season.

Dororo

How dare you try to replace Mio!

Up next is Love and Other Demons. In episode 19, Dororo and Hyakkimaru travel to the home of the swordsmith Minetsuna in order to repair Hyakkimaru's swords. While there, the learn that all the villagers speak in lies and opposites, except for Minetsuna and his daughter Okowa, who are protected by their family's patron deity. Thanks to a misunderstanding and the curse of a ghoul named Amanojaku, our heroes start speaking in opposites as well, and Hyakkimaru ends up unwillingly agreeing to give up his quest for his body and marry Okowa as a result. As Okowa drags Hyakkimaru to the temple to start the wedding, Dororo and Munetsuna defeat Amanojaku, freeing everyone from the curse and Hyakkimaru from a loveless marriage. Okowa marries a local boy who can finally confess his feelings properly instead, and our heroes continue their journey.

That was...odd. And not very good. While there have been occasional funny moments in the past, this was the anime's first attempt at a comedic episode, and I think we have proven that comedy does not suit it at all. Everyone's delivery, aside from Dororo, was awkward and forced, the scenario was more confusing than actually funny, and the visual style is still as melancholic as ever, which clashes the more whimsical tone of the script. This feels like poorly written fanfiction rather than an actual episode of Dororo. I enjoyed some of the filler episodes in Naruto more than I enjoyed this episode! All that being said, this was still only the first bad episode after 18 straight good episodes. I am confident that the show will find its groove again now that Hyakkimaru's swords are repaired and we can continue the main story. Besides, it wasn't the worst thing I watched this week...(foreshadowing...).

Demon Slayer

In episode 7 of Smooth Criminal: The Animation, with Nezuko able to protect the human bystanders, Tanjiro is free to pursue the demon through its portals as it sinks into the floor. In a dimension that is more like an underwater swamp than anything else, he struggles to breath and maintain his footing, leaving the demon to think it has the advantage. However, his water techniques turn out to be much more powerful underwater, and he defeats the demon with ease. After returning to the surface, Tanjiro interrogates the demon for information about Muzan Kibutsuji, but the demon is so terrified at the thought of betraying its master that he is forced to kill him without learning anything. Immediately after destroying the demon, Tanjiro is given new orders to investigate rumors of a demon in the Asakusa ward of Tokyo. Though he is overwhelmed by the sheer number of people and level of urbanization, he soon notices the scent of Muzan, which he recognizes from the attack on his family, and leaves Nezuko behind to track it. But he is stunned to see the demon Muzan accompanied by a human wife and daughter, and as he awkwardly struggles to think of a plan, Muzan covertly demonstrates his power by silently attacking a passing human and transforming him into a demon for Tanjiro to fight.

Holy crap! I was expecting this to just be a full length episode of Tanjiro and Nezuko kicking ass followed by an interrogation scene that would give us more information about Muzan. I didn't expect to see the big bad so soon! Muzan Kibutsuji is already a great villain too, oozing with class and malice in equal measure. The twist that he has a human family reminds me a lot of Fuhrer King Bradley from Fullmetal Alchemist, being another inhuman monster with a human wife and child, and the offhanded way he creates the new demon sends a real message to Tanjiro: "Don't mess with me." I just love it. 

Also, it's gratifying to see Nezuko step away from being a plot device and take an active role in the combat. I wasn't too surprised to see her jump in the fray, but since Shonen Jump stories don't have the best track record when it comes to female characters (though they are getting better), it still is a relief. The animation was a bit weaker than last week, with some surprisingly bad CG compared to the previous episodes, but the story implications of Muzan demonstrating his power and the awesmoe battle music incorporating traditional shamisen and chanting more than makes up for it in maintaining my hype. I'm hungry for more and next week cannot come soon enough.

We Never Learn

I'm getting Domestic Girlfriend flashbacks.

Next up is Poor Communication Kills. In episode 7, after seeing Nariyuki climb a tree to try to help a cat who is stranded in a tree, Kirisu trips and sprains her ankle, forcing him to help her limp back to her apartment. Upon seeing how filthy the apartment is, Nariyuki offers to help her clean the place in exchange for some one on one tutoring, and the two discuss their philosophy on following your dreams versus sticking with what you're good at, as Kirisu once pursued her dreams of being a professional figure skater but was unable to make it in the hyper competitive field that has such a short lifespan. Realizing that Kirisu only wants what she thinks is best for her students, Nariyuki tells Fumino about this encounter to try to help them make up. Fumino, however, is distracted by the earth shaking news that he went to a grown woman's apartment, pins him to a tree, and swears him to secrecy, so as not to hurt Rizu or Takemoto's feelings. Unfortunately though, someone notices them under the special romantic tree on campus and begins spreading rumors of Nariyuki and Fumino going out. As concerned classmates spy on a tutoring session to determine their compatibility, Nariyuki's straightforward and honest demeanor proves to them that there is no romantic interest in their relationship and that their friendship is entirely platonic, thus putting a stop to the rumors, but Fumino's interest in Nariyuki may not be as innocent as she claims.

I am of two minds on this episode. On the one hand, learning more about how Kirisu's dream fell apart, thus leading to the jaded and cynical teacher we have today, is really good and helps to humanize her after the less than ideal first impression I had of her. I'm still not convinced about her being some spectacular teacher like Nariyuki is, since she just seems to be doing the bare minimum, but I don't think she's a horrible judgmental bitch anymore, so that's something. On the other hand, I still don't like the fact that the show is trying to sell her as another romantic interest to Nariyuki. She's his teacher, for god's sake, and I'm just not okay with that. Fumino's story was much more satisfying to me, and I really like the idea of her just being Nariyuki's friend and being torn about the fact that both of her friends have a crush on him and not knowing who to support. That's a really good conflict for a character in a romance anime to have. 

So why the hell did you have to throw in a hint of her starting to develop feelings for him in the post credits scene? You're taking a character who was unique and compelling and turning her into another dull love interest for the sake of the harem fantasy! I mean, don't get me wrong, I like Fumino and having her as a love interest isn't necessarily a bad idea, I just think she works better as a platonic character who is overwhelmed by the drama and just wants everybody to be happy. But the worst part about all of this is seeing just how far Nariyuki has fallen in terms of personality. You might call it character development, but seeing him go from someone who was mostly invested in the tutoring for his own self-interest into apparently the nicest guy in the world who is also oblivious about love and sexuality just makes him lose what makes him unique and turns him into literally just every other harem protagonist. He's become a blank slate for the audience to project themselves onto, with a forgettable design and a personality that can be summed up in three words: smart and nice. At least Futaro from Quintessential Quintuplets stayed an awkard jerk with a hidden heart of gold throughout the series, thus transcending his generic design and becoming a memorable character.

Sounds of Life

Me while watching this episode.

Halfway done! Next up is episode 7 of Backstories for Days. After she passes out from fever in front of him, Kudo helps Hozuki back to her bed and stays the night at her apartment to make sure she's okay. While he listens to recordings of her past performances, she dreams about how her relationsihp with her mother became strained in the aftermath of her father's death. Hozuki's mother had taken up management of the koto school and was faced with an extreme amount of pressure as student after student dropped out. Hozuki's prodigious skill became the school's only draw, and her mother worked her to the bone in order to develop that talent and keep the school open. When Hozuki defies her mothe'rs orders and plays her own song of choice at a scholarship competition in protest, she ruins her chances to go to the elite music school that her mother chose for her. The next day, the rest of the club is overjoyed to see Hozuki return to school, but Hiro reveals that she learned from her grandmother that Hozuki only chose their koto club because she has nowhere else to go. Hozuki confirms this by telling the boys about how her mother kicked her out of both home and school, and, to both of the girls' surprise, the boys thank her for her honesty and reaffirm her status as a member of the club. Hiro is disgusted by the display of friendship and storms off, remembering how a single bit of manipulation from an outsider ruined all her middle school friendships and romantic relationship. Convinced that social bonds were all tenuous and fake, she dedicated herself to ruining all close friendships and romantic relationships she saw from that point on, in pursuit of a feeling of vindication that it wasn't her fault. But now that the koto club has proven her wrong and both Takezo and Hozuki tell her that she is still welcome, she second guesses her convictions and returns to the clubroom to apologize.

This might be one of the densest episodes I have ever had to cover in the roundup. Not only do we wrap up Hiro's introductory story arc, we also get TWO backstories revealed to us. Logically, this shouldn't work. The episode should become bloated and too quickly paced to convey this much information in a mere 23 minute runtime, and traditional storytelling wisdom would tell you to separate the backstories into their own episodes. But, amazingly enough, the team at Platinum Vision pulled it off! The pacing never felt rushed and I was never left confused about any newly introduced or clarified story details. Even more incredible, none of it felt bland, and there were plenty of strong character moments for the boys as they reacted to the new developments. Seeing Takezo's face harden like that when he first learns about Hiro's scheme to break up the club was genuinely unsettling, and it's awesome to see a fiercer side to such a mild mannered character. 

Hearing the details about the girls' backstories confirms my already growing suspicions as to what the core theme of Sounds of Life is all about. This is a story about lost souls finding redemption through the koto. Kudo and the other delinquents' redemption arcs are pretty self evident, but it applies to the other three as well. Takezo seeks redemption for letting his upperclassmen down in previous competitions by leading the new club to a national victory. Hozuki seeks redemption for failing to live up to her mother's expectations and finding meaning in her playing with the school koto club. Hiro didn't seek redemption at first, but upon learning that her previous assumptions that all social bonds are fake were false, she is now on the path to redeem herself by finding a group of people  who will accept her for who she is. I didn't expect much from this show after the lackluster first episode, but it has really surprised me since then with its above average character writing and a strong commitment to this theme, and I wouldn't be surprised if it made it to the end of the season.

Fruits Basket

Hatori looks kinda like Lelouch in this shot.

In episode 7 of Apparently Just Romeo and Juliet, Tohru is secretly summoned to the Soma Clan's estate by Hatori, where he warns her that she should leave the Soma household and avoid Akito's manipulation. Tohru doesn't understand why at first, but Momiji explains that Hatori's fiance Kana was dragged into the Soma Clan's politics in an altercation that led to him getting stabbed in his left eye by a piece of glass and her developing a mental illness from the trauma until Hatori is forced to erase her memories of him for her protection. Upon learning of this, Tohru apologizes for everything that has happened to him and wins Hatori over as a friend by how similar she is to Kana. Hatori asks Tohru to take care of herself and she overhears him and Shigure talking about a family curse that is supposedly separate from the zodiac secret. Hatori then overhears Kana discussing her upcoming marriage to another man with her friends and quietly wishes her nothing but happiness with her new husband.

I'm not crying, you're crying!

Seriously though, what a great episode. In just 20 minutes, my entire opinion of a character changes from "I don't know what's up with this guy, but I don't trust him" to "This poor baby needs a hug!" I am kind of annoyed that the story of Hatori and Kana is essentially told twice, first by Momiji telling Tohru an abbreviated version and then a more detailed version in Hatori's flashbacks, but the way the actual moment of Hatori's injury is recontextualized from an act of malice to a genuine accident is interesting enough that I'll let it slide. Either way, the more I learn about Akito, the more disgusted I am by him. I already had a feeling that he was a manipulative scumbag after hearing him tell Yuki to avoid outsiders in a previous flashback, but the way he twists the situation with Hatori and Kana to make himself blameless for an accident that he caused with his outburst is simply despicable and it's perfect. He's a great antagonist for a story about an old family haunted by secrets and curses, and I kind of hope that not even Tohru can redeem him, even though that's not what kind of story this is, simply to drive home that some people are too far gone. And because I have nowhere else to fit this in, apparently Hatori is a sea horse? Sea horses aren't part of the zodiac, so my best guess is that this is either a play on normal horses or a reference to their relatives the sea dragon, as both horses and dragons ARE part of the zodiac. More likely the latter. With the recent reveal this episode that there are over 50 Soma Clan members who can transform, there's still a chance that Akito is also a dragon, but if the show doesn't feel like repeating itself, then my next guess would be that he is a tiger.

Fairy Gone

Nothing interesting happens, so here's Bitter Sweet with a martini.

 Finally, to wrap things up we have Never Mind, I Quit. In episode 7, the investigations into the sabotaged artificial fairies and Gilbert Warlock's copy of the Black Fairy Tome continue. As Free and fellow officer Chase investigate the possibility that Wolfran and Arcame have a mole in the military who sabotaged the artificial fairies, Bitter Sweet approaches Dorothea with a deal. Gui Carlin executive Warlock refused to show her the page of the Black Fairy Tome, in spite of her devoted service to the family, so now she wants to work with Dorothea to steal the tome and take Gui Carlin down in exchange for a chance to read the pages on her own. Marlya and Klara are sent undercover with her to Warlock's estate, but Bitter Sweet seemingly betrays them by revealing their nature as Dorothea agents.

I really really wish I could say that this is good because, in spite of all its many many faults, I really do like it. It combines a turn of the century historical setting with urban fantasy and political thriller elements, and has consistently good battle animation, a killer opening theme, and an overall tone that is so ridiculously and unabashedly cheesy that it loops right back around to being awesome. It hits all my buttons and feels like it was designed specifically to appeal to me. But sadly, I have to face facts, and the facts are that no matter how much the ideas behind Fairy Gone may work, the execution has been lacking from day one. Characters have poorly defined personalities, only existing in service of the next plot point, and different factions and events are introduced so quickly and then dropped just as quickly that I am only half sure that my plot summaries are accurate, and that's after watching every episode twice. The pacing of this story feels like the director is fast forwarding through all the cutscenes of an RPG to get to the boss battles and now only has a vague idea of the story he is trying to relay to a friend who is asking for more details than he expected. Everything is confused and meandering, rushing to skip all the necessary plot details to get to the next action scene, but still convinced of how important its political intrigue and half defined character motivations are. If that doesn't make any sense, it's because the show doesn't make any sense, and this is not the genre for that sort of thing. I may still come back to this show later on to finish it, since I do still like watching it for how ridiculous it is, but I am done for now. Consider this one dropped.

And that wraps up this week's roundup! What will happen next week? Will Yang actually manage to capture Robby? Will Daigo take news of Tahomaru's failure to kill Hyakkimaru poorly? Will Tanjiro defeat this new demon before it can kill any civilians? Will Rizu and Takemoto have something to do in the next episode? Will Hiro decide to join the koto club for real? Will Akito start manipulating Tohru as well? Will I build a Cyber Dragon deck that can keep up with the Sky Strikers and Salamangreats of today? Find out the answers to all this and more on Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Amazon, depending on which one you care about more! Or, you know, on next week's roundup. Whichever you prefer.

Weekly Roundup Spring 2019 Week 6

We're halfway through the spring 2019 season, I have nearly finished the upcoming post about Black Clover that I promised a few weeks ago, and we have eight shows left. But sadly, I can't do my normal charade of drawing things out and pretending like I don't know what will be dropped because, for the first time ever, I couldn't finish an episode in time for the roundup, so let's get this over with.

Senryu Girl

This show does not deserve a photo after what it did. In episode 6 of I Don't Even Care Anymore, some stuff happens and a rabbit eats its own poop. I was so disgusted I legitimately threw up. I tried watching this all the way through three times but I just couldn't make it. I'm sorry, I just don't handle that kind of stuff well at all. So, yeah, this show is dropped. Honestly, compared to the rest of the episodes we have this week, it probably would have been dropped anyway.

Fruits Basket

I mean, I like being called cute.

For our first real entry in the roundup, we have Wholesome Slumber Party. In episode 6, the cultural festival has arrived, and the class's rice balls are selling like hotcakes. While Tohru's delicious and cute rice balls are a factor in their success, Yuki agreeing to dress like a girl is the main draw, as boys and girls alike marvel at how cute he is. Two members of the Soma Clan, Momiji and Hatori, arrive at the cultural festival as well, and Momiji, upon hearing that Tohru knows the zodiac secret, immediately embraces her and transforms into a rabbit, forcing the Somas to scramble to cover for him. After Momiji and Hatori leave, Yuki warns Tohru that she should avoid being alone with Hatori since he is the one who erases the memories of those who learn the Soma Clan's secrets. Later, Tohru's friends Uo and Hana, suspicious of how close she seems to be with Yuki and Kyo lately, invite themselves over to spend the night and evaluate how well the Soma household suits Tohru. Thanks to some fast talking from everyone involved, the two guests don't learn anything about the zodiac secret and Uo and Hana are satisfied that Tohru's new home is good for her. The next morning, Tohru receives a phone call from Hatori, telling her to come visit the main estate alone.

When I started this show, I expected it to be good. I was wrong. This show is great. Where do I even start with this episode? Momiji and Hatori are both promising new additions to the cast, with Momiji exuding that youthful energy and innocence that only children have and Hatori seamlessly combining the class of Yuki and Shigure with his own quiet and menacing aura. Uo and Hana have lowkey been some of my favorite characters in the series so getting to see more of them being amazing friends to Tohru is always welcome. I very much empathize with their frustration that they didn't even know that their friend was homeless until after the situation was resolved, and now all they want is to make sure she's safe. Also, the story about the boy leading Tohru home and giving her his hat implies that Tohru is the girl who Yuki befriended when he was younger and that Hatori had erased her memories back when they were children. That is a huge deal, and while some might complain that it's a bit convenient, I think it fits with what we know about these characters so far, and I've always got the feeling that the Soma Clan would never move no matter what, especially since they're capable of erasing memories. What isn't quite as forgivable right off the bat is what looks like a photo of Tohru's mother Kyoko on Hatori's desk. I mean, what!? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Did Hatori know Kyoko somehow? They're gonna have to tell a hell of a story for me to accept that. And, apropos of nothing, even though I've been wrong with every zodiac prediction so far, I'm going to keep up my predictions and say that Hatori is the horse and that family head Akito is the dragon.

We Never Learn

I'm just amazed that she's actually being reasonable.

Next up we have Wait, Did This Become Good Again? In episode 6, Kirisu-sensei interrogates Nariyuki about the incident at the study camp, referencing "illicit sexual conduct". Overhearing this, the girls panic and burst in one after the other, desperately trying to explain how various incidents were misunderstandings, and only making things worse for Nariyuki in the process. Still, Kirisu is impressed by the sincerity of the girls' protests and agrees to let him continue tutoring them for the time being. Nevertheless, rumors about Nariyuki kissing a girl at the study camp start spreading around the school, evolving into rumors of a secret girlfriend living with him. Both Takemoto and Rizu panic upon hearing these rumors, and their grades start slipping as a result. When Nariyuki asks Fumino what is distracting them, she realizes that they both like him and tells him to be considerate of their feelings. In classic harem anime fashion, he misunderstands this advice and worries that he has been inappropriate with them and needs to back off, even when Takemoto starts dressing sexier around him to try to get his attention. After being trapped at a shrine during a rainstorm, Nariyuki lets the fact that he is distracted by her outfit slip, and, comforted by the knowledge that he finds her physically attractive, Takemoto's grades start improving again.

Okay, so to be clear, I liked this episode quite a bit, and I appreciate how the flirting from previous episodes are having lasting consequences on the relationships between our characters. But I don't want to talk about any of that, because I just have a bit of a rant here instead. For some reason I cannot understand, Kirisu is one of the most popular girls in this show, both among manga readers and anime only watchers, at least if Reddit and YouTube are any indication. Now that we have an episode with a scene that actually introduces her to the audience, I just cannot see the appeal. She is a judgmental woman who stands as the antithesis of the core theme of following your dreams regardless of what people expect of you. And while that makes for a decent antagonist, I can't wrap my head around the idea that Nariyuki is trying to sell her as a good person because she went looking for Rizu when she was lost in the rainstorm, since you know, as a teacher, THAT'S HER JOB! And why the hell is she blushing at that? Stop trying to sell me illicit relationships between teachers and students, anime!

Demon Slayer

In episode 6 of Action Scenes that Turn Patrick into a Screaming 12 Year Old Fanboy, Tanjiro (with Nezuko resting in his new backpack) travels northwest to investigate a series of teenage girls disappearing. His investigations lead him to the scene of a demon abducting its latest victim, and he manages to get her away from it before battling it. The fight is difficult thanks to the demon's ability to sink into the floor and walls and its ability to split into three doppelgangers, and Tanjiro's efforts are distracted by his need to protect human bystanders. But Nezuko turns the tide as she bursts from her box to join the fight, having been conditioned by Sakonji to recognize all humans as her family and all hostile demons as her enemy.

Much like Fruits Basket, Demon Slayer continues to exceed my expectations. Every single aspect of this episode was on point. The music softly builds the tension throughout the first half of the episode as Tanjiro tracks the demon, right up to the point where the battle starts. The shifting colors that visualize Tanjiro's sense of smell are simply beautiful. The battle choreography is so dynamic and makes such clever use of the environment that a simple back alley background with no detail actually put into it is iconic and memorable. The use of flashbacks to clarify certain plot points serve to break up the tension and build up expectations for turning points in the battle. Not to mention that those flashbacks now give us a definitive endgame instead of the vague hope that Nezuko's humanity can be restored. The first demon, born 1000 years ago, named Muzan Kibutsuji, is name dropped by Sakonji as the one who would most likely know the secret to turning Nezuko and other demons like her back into their original human forms. I'm glad to see a future framework is being set up for the story since, as good as things have been so far, there was a real danger of this becoming directionless and meandering. Having a main antagonist and a final goal set up so early indicates that creator Koyoharu Gotoge has a plan for this series, and that is very comforting to hear. Here's hoping that she and the team at Ufotable can continue this momentum, since this has easily become a frontrunner for anime of the season at this point.

Sounds of Life

Next up we have episode 6 of Teen Drama and also Music if We can Fit it In. After a successful performance, the koto club's popularity and confidence are at an all time high. Inspired by the rush they felt from seeing the fruits of their labor, the club vows to pursue the national title. Upon hearing this, the faculty advisor Takinami argues against this ambition, as he preferred it when the club was a joke and he didn't have to actually do any extra work. The koto show owner gives Kudo the last koto his grandfather made, which has already had Kudo's name engraved on it. The koto club gains a new member in Hiro Kurusu, who immediately starts spreading tales among the other members that Hozuki has been feeling frustrated and unfulfilled having to play with beginners like the boys, causing a rift to form between them. But when Kudo calls Hiro out on how ridiculous the notion is that she would continue to attend club sessions for a club she doesn't want to be in, Hiro gets annoyed and plans to quit the club, frustrated that her fun has already been ruined, but then she hears some rumors about Hozuki from her mother that cause her to change her mind. Kudo visits the sick Hozuki's surprisingly modest apartment to deliver the homework she missed, and is surprised to see her look incredibly ill.

For an episode that is just meant to set up future plot points and transition between arcs, there was a lot of stuff happening. I appreciate the attention to detail, but with three different plot threads to keep track of between the lazy Takinami, Hiro's scheming, and the preparations for the upcoming music festival competition, the direction of the story is kind of scattered and unfocused. That's not to say that this episode was bad, though. Hiro is an intriguing character, who seems to have joined the koto club simply because she likes instigating drama. I wonder if she is just kind of a rude person who likes to start trouble or if, going from how Hozuki looked at her and how her mother seems to know something about her family, if she has a grudge against Hozuki. Also, apropos of nothing, wouldn't those long painted nails get in the way of playing the koto? Just a thought.

RobiHachi

Uh....did I turn on hentai by mistake again?

In episode 6 of The Mushroom Samba, our heroes land on the planet of Hanama II just in time for the Great Eel Festival. As eels have been overfished to extinction back on Earth, Hatchi is incredibly excited for the chance to taste real eel for the first time in his life, while Robby and Ikku worry about the fact that unless they win prize money from one of the festival's events, they will be stranded on the strange planet populated solely by incredibly buff men. But things get complicated when Yang and his goons arrive on the scene, and Yang, somehow high on the sheer amount of eel he has eaten, chases Robby through the eel racecourse. Thankfully, after unintentionally winning the race, Yang is swept away by the locals for an award ceremony, so our heroes take the second place prize money and fly off in terror.

I've never been high before. I tried smoking marijuana once, but I didn't feel any effects from it. Then again, the person who smoked it with me told me I did it wrong...anyway, that's not the point. The point is, I'm now convinced that this episode is what me being high would be like. Nothing makes sense, everything is really colorful and flamboyant, and it all just seems to run on dream logic, with events simply happening with no rhyme or reason and being forgotten soon afterward. And I absolutely love it. No past or possible future episode of this series could possibly compare to this masterpiece of surreal art! Every joke just landed with me, especially since the episode doesn't dwell on any of its punchlines like many other anime comedies do. There's nothing else to really say about this, other than the experience of watching RobiHachi is incredibly bizarre, and I had a great time from start to finish.

Dororo

It really says something that this isn't even the coolest thing that happens this episode.

Up next is Hot Damn, That Was Awesome: The Animation. In episode 18, as Itachi and his band continues to search for the treasure, the shark boy feeds Saburomaru's corpse to Jiromaru, who transforms into a land shark and attacks Dororo. Fortunately, Hyakkimaru chooses that moment to arrive on the scene and kills Jiromaru, regaining his lost leg in the process. As our heroes climb the mountain in pursuit of Itachi, Tahomaru arrives on the island with a squadron of samurai, and they begin a campaign to eliminate Hyakkimaru and all those associated with him. As Hyakkimaru battles against Tahomaru and his two retainers, Dororo and Itachi are forced to join forces again as they flee up the mountain. Things come to a head when the shark boy, who had been ignored by all sides at this point, gathers the explosives that were used to protect the treasure and detonates them in a suicide attack that triggers a landslide and buries nearly everybody. As the samurai are forced to retreat, Itachi dies and Dororo finds the lost treasure. As she does not know what she wants to do with it, she decides to leave the treasure behind for now (aside from a small amount of spending money), and she and Hyakkimaru leave the island to continue their journey.

This was everything I hoped it would be. At first I was bummed that Jiromaru was defeated so early into the episode, but the incredible fight animation between Hyakkimaru and the samurai more than made up for it in my eyes. Hearing Tahomaru and the samurai repeat the same propaganda about how Hyakkimaru is a demon in human form whose very existence is a threat to the peace of Daigo's people is fascinating. Not only does it sell how far Tahomaru has fallen from the honorable samurai we first met, it's also kind of true. Every time Hyakkimaru kills one of the demons of the Hall of Hell, the pact is weakened and misfortune comes to the people of Daigo. Somehow there are six episodes left, but with the treasure found, I'm not sure what is left for the rest of the series. It can't just be Hyakkimaru battling demons, right? Is a final confrontation with Daigo and Tahomaru on the horizon? That's the only thing I can think of that makes sense, so let's go with that.

Fairy Gone

I couldn't find a good screenshot to summarize this episode, so here's a cute picture of Marlya.

Finally, we have I'm Not Sure What's Going On Anymore. In episode 6, the tenth anniversary of the war's end draws near, and one of the new royal artificial fairies meant to provide security is commandeered by a mysterious stranger and causes a panic. After Dorothea subdues the royal fairy, Free leads an investigation to find out what went wrong, and Marlya and Klara are sent to track down another page of the Black Fairy Tome. The girls learn that the Tome was purchased by a man named Dice, who is famous in underground circles for acting professionally and confidentially on behalf of various individuals. After Marlya successfully arrests Dice, his tight lipped nature provides another roadblock for Dorothea, until Axel (at Free's prodding) suggests that they investigate his most frequent employer: a man named Gilbert Warlock. Unbeknownst to them, however, Bitter Sweet has already come to the same conclusion, and has already traveled to Warlock's estate.

I didn't expect it after the last few episodes have been kind of weak story wise, but this is genuinely intriguing. The fact that the episode opens with a history of how the five dukes have engaged in political maneuvering and failed revolts since the end of the war, leaving only two alive, makes me think that Ray Dawn, the duke that Veronica wants to kill, is responsible for the sabotage in the artificial fairies. Was the incident with the rogue fairy a test run? Does he plan to hijack all the artificial fairies during the anniversary celebration and usurp the united kingdom of Zessika, thus declaring himself ruler of the world? If so, then this would mean that the story is finally getting the central antagonist that it so desperately needs. Either way, next week promises a rematch between Marlya and Bitter Sweet, and that at least warrants at least one more episode.

And this is how this week's roundup ends. Not with a bang, but with a whisper. But what will happen next week? Will Hatori attempt to erase Tohru's memories? Will Rizu confess her feelings for Nariyuki? Will Tanjiro and Nezuko defeat the demons? Will Hiro continue to sabotage the koto club? Will Hyakkimaru regain his sight? Will Wolfran contribute anything to the plot? Will RobiHachi start making sense? Will this post ever end? 

Yes. Right now. See you next week!

Weekly Roundup Spring 2019 Week 5

We have reached the fifth week of the spring season. Nine shows remain, and let me tell you, I struggled to decide what show deserved to be cut this week. When it comes down to a coin flip, that's not a good sign for the quality of this week's offerings. At least Detective Pikachu turned out to be pretty good.

Sounds of Life

Leading off the roundup this week is That Jerk Who Keeps Talking Over the Music. In episode 5, after hearing the story of his grandfather's death, Hozuki tearfully apologizes to Kudo for the many many times she insulted him or questioned his commitment to the club. He doesn't answer her with anything more than a smile and a bag of tissues, but the message of forgiveness still rings clear. Before long, the fated day of the performance arrives, and thanks to some wise words from Hozuki, the boys swallow their stage fright and prepare to play. After shutting down some hecklers, Takezo leads the club in the piece. As Hozuki and Kudo play their solos with a practiced ease, the student body is stunned into silence, and the members of the club reflect on everything they have been through together.

Remember when I said this show could grow into something special if it kept up its momentum? It's not quite there yet, but it got damn close this week. That performance was utterly breathtaking, and I'm just playing Kudo's solo on repeat as I'm writing this right now. The lead up to the performance did a great job of increasing the tension, too, as the vice principal stacks the deck against the club by announcing that the club will disband if the student body isn't sufficiently impressed. It really makes the moment where the club loses the timing have more impact and their subsequent rally is all the more exciting as a result. Even if the rest of this show turns out to be utter garbage and I end up dropping it, this episode will stay with me forever. My only complaint about the episode is the flashbacks constantly interrupting the performance. While the actual scenes being shown were really good at underscoring just how low Kudo had sunk before the series began and how important this performance is to him, the way the dialogue just overpowers the music and makes it hard to hear the koto really hurts the impact of the scene, and I can easily imagine someone who isn't a soft-hearted crybaby like me thinking it's a bit too much. Besides, just imagine, wouldn't it have been so much better if the entire scene played out with no dialogue or flashbacks? Just the power of music and animation, telling a story of redemption without words? That would have pushed me over the edge and led me to call this a classic episode. As it is, it's still REALLY good.

Fairy Gone

Yeah, kinda.

Next up is All Style, No Substance. In episode 5, Veronica and Marlya work together to defeat Jonathan. Marlya asks Veronica to come back home with her, but she refuses, sayingg that the Ver she knew is long gone and that she is only focused on getting her revenge on Duke Ray Dawn, the man who betrayed their homeland during the great war which led to her parents' deaths. Meanwhile, Free defeats Patricia, who leaves the Black Fairy Tome behind when she flees, and he and Marlya  successfully complete their mission and return the Tome to headquarters. Later, the members of Dorothea have a belated welcome party for Marlya at the local tavern. 

The high I was feeling for this show is starting to fade away, even if this episode was better than last week's. And the worst part is that it isn't really its fault either. The animation is still pretty good, the action scenes are still fun to watch, and everything is just as over the top as I wanted it to be. I mean, you can't get more over the top than Jonathan, who is a mix of Deidara and Agent 47, with a dash of insane Harry Osborn from the 90s Spider-man cartoon for spice. I loved everything about him, and the fact that his fight against the girls took up most of the runtime is this episode's biggest strength. But the problem here is the story. It's ridiculous and cheesy, but it almost isn't dumb enough. It keeps trying to sell how nuanced and unique its characters and scenarios are, introducing a bunch of subplots and factions, but the characters are just not well defined at all. I mean, we've been at this for five episodes, and all I can tell you about our main characters is that Free is the experienced one while Marlya is the rookie. Ver and Wolfran are basically interchangeable villains, to the point where I can only tell them apart by looking at their chests. I'm not at the point where I hate this show yet, but it's giving me nothing to work with.

RobiHachi

Wait til you see her ankles.

Next up is All You Need is Mechs. In episode 5, as Yang and his goons are distracted by a marathon being held on a completely different planet, Robby and Hatchi arrive at the Hacccone checkpoint. But they soon learn that without travel passes, they cannot leave the Milky Way and travel to Isekandar, and that they would have to return to Earth if they want to get permits. Frustrated, the group lands on Haccone and explore the hot springs while they try to come up with a plan. While there, Hatchi overhears rumors of an underworld boss who could provide them the permits, but supposedly, none have returned from meeting him completely intact. As Robby chases various alien tourist girls, Hatchi gathers information and eventually the group ends up before the boss himself: a pink wombat who is apparently so adorable that you will always long to cuddle him for the rest of your life. With that misadventure behind them, the group flies off through the warp tunnel and continues their journey to Isekandar.

Remember when this was a mech show for two minutes? Yeah, me neither. I don't really know how I feel about this week's episode. A lot of the humor revolved around Robby trying to get lucky, which is my least favorite running gag in the series. And while I enjoyed seeing Hatchi accidentally stealing Robby's dates by virtue of being nearby and better looking, that was the only moment that I actually laughed out loud this week, which is a new low for this series. I'd blame the lack of Yang, but Robby and Hatchi's banter has been enough to enteratin me before. I'm hoping that this was just a momentary bump in the road in what has been one of my favorite shows of the season so far. Also, am I crazy, or is that totally the same wombat from Cute High Earth Defense Club Love?

Dororo

Master Splinter has seen better days.

In episode 17 of Teenage Puppet Demon Hunter, Hyakkimaru reunites with Jukai and tells him about Daigo's deal with the demons. When he is asked to replace his leg; Jukai turns Hyakkimaru down, arguing that he taught him how to fight so he can survive, not so that he could forfeit his humanity on a quest to retrieve a body he never even knew. Jukai destroys the last prosthetic leg he has, and the two of them are trapped in a cave in. As Hyakkimaru struggles to dig them out, Tahomaru hunts down a rat ghoul that has invaded Daigo's land. Upon returning home from this mission, Daigo tells him that the scouts have located Dororo and Itachi, and dispatches him to head there and kill Hyakkimaru. Finally, Hyakkimaru escapes the cave in, thanks Jukai for taking care of him as a child, and heads off to find Dororo.

This is what I come to Dororo for: super violent battle animation, beautifully melancholic background art, and morally complex characters. Jukai is way too much of a sad sack to realize that he's being unreasonable, and it fits his tragic character perfectly. This is a man who only wants to do the right thing, but he feels that every single thing he does only makes things worse. He wanted to serve his lord and uphold justice, but he is forced to crucify hundreds of people. He tried to make amends by caring for Hyakkimaru, but he is horrified to see the killing machine the boy has become. Of course he wants him to give up his crusade. He feels responsible for the deaths of all the humans that Hyakkimaru killed. It's not until he is acknowledged as a parental figure that he actually has a moment of happiness. It's a great arc and I loved it. 

It's also interesting that Tahomaru is falling into darkness and cruelty, burning someone's house down in order to kill the ghoul. It seems that after having made his peace with the idea of murdering his brother for the greater good, he decided to go full on anti hero and do whatever it takes to kill anyone who threatens his people. And if the implication that the events of this episode happened simultaneously with last week's episode, that means that we may be heading for a four way conflict between Hyakkimaru and Dororo, Itachi and his men, Shark Boy and Jiromaru, and Tahomaru and his men! That sounds freaking rad!

Senryu Girl

Casual Nanako is a cutie.

Up next we have The Best Ad for Spellcheck. In episode 5, Nanako drags Eiji to see a fortune teller named Tao and asks for a reading on their compatibility. She tells them that they are fundamentally incompatible, which Eiji flat out denies, and she realizes that she got an inaccurate reading because she misspelled their names. She originally offers to do another reading, but Nanako says that Eiji's reaction was enough. The next day, Tao gives them a free reading as an apology, and warns that Eiji will be struck by lightning. He laughs it off and the two spend the day at the roller rink. After a fun date, Nanako shocks him by taking off her outer layer to let some sweat out (she still has a T-shirt on underneath), and his surprise at seeing the size of her bust hits him like a lightning bolt.

I don't know anymore. This episode was fine, I guess? There was nothing inherently wrong with it, and the chance to throw some fuel on the fire for the Nanako-Eiji shippers (which should be anybody watching this show, just so we're clear) is always appreciated, but nothing really stands out either. Tao is more like a plot device than a character, as her entire existence revolves around making predictions to add something to this episode's story, but what was the point of this episode? Where was the conflict? Where was the development? Instead of feeling like a crucial piece of the puzzle that is the overarching story, as every individual episode of any given anime should, this feels supplementary at best. I'm worried that we may be hitting a wall that this kind of show tends to hit: where nothing is left to be discussed and episodes just sort of exist so as to drag out the story and make as much money as possible from viewers like us.

Fruits Basket

This show is too real.

Four shows left! Next up is Fruit Salad. In episode 5, the renovations are now complete, and Tohru's biological family are ready to take her back. Reluctantly, she returns to her family's house, leaving a note with her address behind if Yuki or Kyo ever want to visit. At the new house, Tohru's aunt and cousins reveal that they hired a private detective to investigate why she was living with a family of boys, worried that she was acting lewd and ruining the family name, when her grandfather responds by slapping them and telling them to back off. He then turns to Tohru and tells her that it's okay to make a selfish decision and go to where she belongs if she wants to. Tohru refuses to admit it at first because she doesn't want to sound ungrateful, but she then breaks down and admits she wants to go home to the Soma house, at which point Yuki and Kyo (who had been eavesdropping) swoop in and taker her home.

Well, that was resolved rather easily, wasn't it? And don't consider that a negative either, because, quite frankly, I'm thrilled that this didn't take any longer than it needed to. A lesser anime would have dragged this out for at least two episodes for MAXIMUM DRAMA (I can't figure out how to add the trademark symbol on Blogger, but it's on my notes in Google Docs). TMS perfectly paced this, though, doing just enough to explore the impact that this had on the characters and then moving on to the next story beat when it is time to do so. Oh, and Tohru saying she doesn't deserve to say she needs more? You know that shit hit me too close to home and made me cry. Do you know how many times I've said the exact same thing? Way too many times. The lesson that she is learning that it's okay to put your own needs first is a lesson that I have needed to learn the hard way several times. 

Also, learning about the Fruits Basket game from when Tohru was in kindergarten? Eh...At least we know where the title comes from, even if it's near impossible to explain in text. Basically, the Fruits Basket game is about pairing kids off by assigning them a fruit, and because she was bullied, Tohru was frequently labelled as a non-fruit and left alone while everybody else played together. Now that the Somas have accepted her, she has found her own fruits basket. Is that sappy and cliche? Yes. Is it effective? You bet your ass it is.

We Never Learn

In episode 5 of Domestic Classmate (that was terrible), the time has come for Ichinose Academy's mountain study camp, but Rizu is distracted. Fumino had pointed out that she had been staring at Nariyuki a lot lately, and now she is so distracted by how distracted she is that she has become a walking ball of nerves. After snapping at Nariyuki when he was simply checking up on her, she storms out of the building and gets lost in the mountains. When a thunderstorm starts pouring down on her, Nariyuki heads out to find her and bring her back to the lodge. During their trip back, she trips and their lips accidentally make contact. The next day, the two of them have been assigned to clean the baths as punishment for leaving the lodge without permission, but Rizu forgets to hang up the "closed for cleaning" sign, leaving Nariyuki in the uncomfortable position of having to sneak out of a bath filled with his naked female classmates. Thanks to some awkward distractions from Rizu, some competent distractions from Sekijo (who figured out the situation and understood that Nariyuki wasn't there to peep), and a bit of dumb luck, he manages to sneak out with nobody noticing that he is there. Rizu and Nariyuki rationalize that their kiss was accidental and didn't mean anything, so now they can be on speaking terms again without panicking every time they look at each other. Upon returning to school, Kirisu-sensei (the girls' first tutor) confronts Nariyuki for kissing one of his pupils.

This was a MUCH better episode than last week, even if it didn't give us a lot of the girls interacting with each other like I wanted. Instead, this week is focused on Rizu, as the study camp marks a turning point in her starting to acknowledge her feelings for Nariyuki. And as we all know, Rizu is best girl, so I'm not complaining that the show focuses more on her. All kidding aside, the interactions between Nariyuki and Rizu, while cliche in their hyperbolic levels of awkwardness, really do work thanks to the great performance from Rizu's voice actress, who puts in just the right levels of flustered and confused without overselling it. Nariyuki's voice actor is being a little too dramatic for my taste, but it leads to a few funny reads of certain lines, so I'm willing to roll with it either way. Other than that, there isn't much to say about this episode. It had one goal, to sell Rizu's growing feelings for Nariyuki, and it succeeded in that goal. The cliffhanger ending of Kirisu being aware of their kiss somehow is a little much (to the point where I'm getting Domestic Girlfriend flashbacks), but if an episode about the school trying to stop him from being their tutor is absolutely necessary, I suppose it's better that they do it now and get it over with.

Demon Slayer

Up next is I Can't Believe It's Not Goblin Slayer. In episode 5, the Final Selection Exam has come to a close, and out of twenty candidates, only four have survived the entire week. These four graduates are given their uniforms and special messenger crows, and are then given a chance to select an ore for their special swords. After choosing his ore, Tanjiro begins the long journey home, collapsing from exhaustion and untreated wounds in front of Nezuko at Sakonji's house. Fifteen years after that tearful reunion, his sword is delivered, as well as his first orders as an official Demon Slayer: head to the village in the northwest and find out why young girls are disappearing.

I'm not going to say that this episode was bad, because it wasn't, but it was below the very high standards that this show has set for us. The fact that my summary was so short is indicative of just how little of note actually happens this week. Everything felt oddly rushed and we barely got any time to get to know the other graduates, which is especially weird considering that the blonde one is heavily featured in the opening and all the marketing material, so we know he's going to be an important character. The little we did get to see of him and the others were great, as all three of them are oozing with personality, but it doesn't do nearly enough to satisfy my need for details. I'm still having a great time either way, there were some impressive emotional moments like when Sakonji embraces Tanjiro and Nezuko and how Tanjiro legitimately mourned the demons he killed, and the visuals never stop impressing, but I hope that when the actual mission starts in the next episode the story will slow down a little and really let us sink our teeth into things.

Hitoribocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu

Me watching this week's episode.

Finally, we have A Migraine. In Episode 5, Aru works very hard to maintain her image as the perfect class vice president, but she is in fact a very ditzy and clumsy girl, to the point where Nako frequently calls her unfortunate. After a particularly airheaded mistake of wearing her old elementary school uniform she is supposed to wear, she tries to pass herself off as her little sister, but everyone not named Bocchi or Sotoka sees through it right away, and Nako bursts out laughing in front of everyone. Fortunately for her, the rest of the school reads Aru's mistake as an elaborate gag with the intention of making the typically stoic Nako laugh, and Aru's reputation is safe. Still, though, Aru is frustrated with Nako, and challenges her to a tennis match in order to get revenge. Nako realizes that Aru has skipped practice so often that her serve is sloppy and stands perfectly still as she misses every serve she attempts. As Aru vows to redouble her efforts and thanks Nako for the tough love, Nako just shrugs and says she wanted to win with as little effort as possible.

I can't take this show anymore. This was painful to watch. I get that exaggeration is a staple of humor, but  you cannot expect me to believe that Aru is dumb enough to A. wear the wrong uniform to school after having been going to middle school for months at a time and B. choose to keep the uniform on just because Bocchi complimented her. Putting on the proper uniform should be second nature at this point, and I just can't believe that anybody would be that stupid. Thank God for Nako though, she sees through the idiocy and calls Aru out every single time. But the fact that she is the only character I can stand in the entire show is a very bad sign.

And that wraps up this week's roundup. What will happen next week? Will the koto club have a boost in popularity? Will Wolfran contribute to the plot? Will Yang catch up to Robby and Hatchi? Will Hyakkimaru reach Dororo in time? Will Eiji make any male friends? Will that random German girl show up at Tohru's cultural festival? Will Nariyuki lose his tutoring position? Will Tanjio meet up with any other Demon Slayers during his mission? Find out next week on this random collection of ramblings disguised as legitimate criticism!

Weekly Roundup Spring 2019 Week 4

EDIT: I DID NOT FINISH THIS ON TIME, AND I AM VERY SORRY ABOUT THAT. I TRIED TO WRITE THIS ALL IN ONE GO THANKS TO PERSONAL PROBLEMS LEAVING ME BEHIND SCHEDULE AND I PASSED OUT HALFWAY THROUGH. AGAIN, I AM VERY SORRY, AND I THANK YOU FOR READING THIS EITHER WAY.

It's crazy how quickly this season is going by. It feels like it was only a week ago that the spring season started and we're already a third of the way through. We've got ten shows to cover and I'm very tired after watching them all in a row, so let's get right into it so I can get some sleep.

Dororo

Even when being held hostage, Dororo just doesn't care.

First up we have Anime Jaws. In episode 16, Itachi kidnaps Dororo and plans to use her to complete the treasure map and live a carefree life after having deserted the army of the samurai with his band of brigands. The band arrives at a village at the end of the cape, and finds themselves unable to cross, as the entire village, including all its boats, have been destroyed by bandits. A one armed boy (who is never named) who survived the bandits' raid offers to ferry them across on his boats, which are towed by two giant sharks named Jiromaru and Saburomaru. Dororo, being the master of pattern recognition that she is, realizes that this is a trap, but Itachi forces her onto the boat anyway, and half of his men are killed, while the other half are left on the boat without any oars and guarded by Saburomaru. After the boy leaves on Jiromaru to do...something..., Dororo dives off the boat and lures Saburomaru into an ambush by Itachi and his men. The group uses the seats on the boat as makeshift oars and tows the shark onto the island where the treasure is buried. After Itachi finds the map on Dororo's back, he ties her to a tree and leaves her behind as he heads off to unearth the treasure, while the boy swears revenge and Jiromaru's eyes change to reveal its true demonic nature. Meanwhile, Hyakkimaru is searching for Dororo, but he isn't making much progress on one leg, and a passing priest recommends that he speaks to Jukai, who happens to be in the area.

Holy shit, Hyakkimaru was barely in this episode. That's awesome! I've been waiting for a chance to see Dororo do something more to contribute to the plot, and seeing an entire episode dedicated to her and her personal nemesis Itachi work together is a good way to do that. Especially since they, and let's be reasonable about this, KILLED A GODDAMN SHARK!! That's freaking hardcore! I haven't been this excited by a show of badassery in anime since Sugimoto punched a bear in the face! It's also really nice to see that Dororo has grown from her travels with Hyakkimaru, being more confident and resourceful after having been so close to so many demon battles that a giant shark barely even fazes her. I'm not sure how I feel about being so close to the treasure already, since there are still 8 more episodes left in the series, but I trust this show to be good all the way to the end at this point.

Sounds of Life

Up next is Why Don't You Just Use a Metronome, You Idiots? In episode 4, thanks to their dedicated practice, Kudo and the others have mastered their individual parts for the upcoming performance. However, when it comes time for the group to practice together, things start to fall apart very quickly. The group has trouble playing in sync with each other, constantly confusing the tempo and failing to blend their sounds. Hozuki gets overwhelmed by her failure to teach such an abstract concept until Takezo breaks up the tension by suggesting a team bonding trip to a monja restaurant. As the boys reassure her that they will still accept her even if she doesn't know everything, the group brainstorm about ways to keep time in a piece with no percussion and what the meaning of the piece may be. The group continues to make incremental progress even as the rest of the school thinks that it's just a bunch of delinquents using Takezo as their errand boy, and Kota tells Hozuki about Kudo's past.

This show may be the new Price of Smiles, starting off a bit iffy and then slowly improving with each episode to become something special. It may be my own nostalgic bias talking, but the struggle of a group of talented musicians learning how to play together is a compelling one for me, and hearing a trio of characters who had originally joined the club just to impress a cute girl inject their own personal meaning and experiences in a piece of classical music hit me hard. That calls back to my days in high school band in a way that not even Sound Euphonium could. I used to get into a lot of fights when I was a kid, and moving to a brand new high school where I didn't know anybody gave me a chance to reevaluate the kind of person I wanted to be. Band and drama gave me a chance to channel my anger and depression into something creative and was a catalyst for making some lifelong friends. I know it's not fair to use personal experience to review an episode, but I maintain that if a piece of art manages to evoke such memories in me that it's a good reflection on the art's quality. Besides, it's my blog, so shut up.

RobiHachi

Next up is Deadliest Catch. In episode 4, as the gang makes their way to Haccone Warp Station, they become concerned when they notice a group of ships tailing them. The ships don't belong to Yang, however, and they decide to make a pit stop at the water planet of Odwarla while they wait for their tail to pass them by. After eating lunch at a local restaurant, Hatchi realizes that the ships are tracking his spending, and thus claims to be broke and works off the debt at the restaurant instead. While there, he learns about a rare fish that fetches a handsome price on the market, and he and Robby team up with a merman named Gyo to catch the fish and pay for Gyo's wedding. Unfortunately, Robby didn't consider the effect that water pressure would have on Hizakuriger, and they barely escape with their lives. But luckily, the rare oarfish ends up trapped in Hizakuriger's cockpit anyway, and the profits they earn pay for both Hizakuriger's repairs and Gyo's wedding, so everything worked out okay in the end.

Okay, so you read the main plot of this episode and it was pretty okay, but none of that matters because we got backstory for Yang's goons! And it's as hysterical as I hoped. Seeing Yang win Aro's loyalty with just a comb and a meal was hilarious enough, but then seeing Aro try to win over Gura with the exact same lines (ignoring her gender) only for it to fall flat because he lacks Yang's sheer charisma and she was too busy listening to her headphones was so damn funny I had to pause the episode for at least two whole minutes from laughing so hard. Even better, though, we get hints that Yang may be romantically interested in Robby and that that is the actual reason he is pursuing him to the ends of the universe. If so, that is an interesting reveal, and not just for the comedic subversion of expectations. Anime doesn't have a lot of out and out queer representation, and the examples it does have tend to be a bit problematic and rape-y. And still, unless the show is explicitly a queer romance, they tend to be shoved in the background as minor comedic characters who exist purely to make the main characters uncomfortable with their flamboyant nature (think Leeron from Gurren Lagann) or as sexual predators designed to provide a tragic backstory (think Donovan from Berserk). But Yang isn't either of those. He's an antagonist, sure, and being a loan shark means he probably isn't the friendliest of characters or a great role model, and he is a bit of a joke with how campy he is, but the fact that he may be attracted to another man and that that is just an incidental part of his character and the core of it is still something else. It's barely commented on, and just serves as another facet of his colorful personality. It might have been better if Yang were a purely heroic character who happened to be gay, but it's still interesting representation that doesn't demonize or trivialize his sexuality. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it, who knows? The point is, the hints are there and I found that interesting.

Fairy Gone

She's the best part of this show because her name is Patricia.

In episode 4 of Wait, That's It?, Bitter Sweet's power is to reflect any damage dealt to her back on her opponent, and she has dealt a severe amount of damage to Marlya. Free starts to hold back in the fighting out of fear of getting himself or Marlya killed, but Marlya steps up and drives her off with  her fairy's overwhelming power, retrieving the Black Fairy Tome in the process. The effort involved knocks her out for over a day, though, and she is unable to summon her fairy afterward. Suspecting a connection to Ver, Marlya asks Damien and Cain where they got their copy of the Tome, but they deny any connection to her. Later, as they are waiting for a train back to headquarters, the Tome is stolen by assassins from Gui Carlin, who lure the duo into an underground network of passages, where they are separated and attacked. As she is unable to summon her fairy, Marlya is overwhelmed by the assassin Jonathan, until Ver barges in and challenges him.

I know this is going to sound negative when I say it, so I'm going to preface my thoughts with the conclusion that I still liked this episode. It had fun action scenes and I enjoyed the chance to see more of Marlya and Veronica as children. But everything just felt kinda off. The same energy that was in the previous three episodes of turning everything up to 11 and going as nuts as possible wasn't really here this week. The payoff for the big cliffhanger of Marlya being injured felt anticlimactic as she still defeated Bitter Sweet fairly easily, and the down time between that scene and the fight against the assassins felt more like pointless fluff than anything else. We already knew that the scholars were connected to Veronica, so what purpose did a scene about them lying to Marlya serve? Once the action gets going everything gets really good, with the claustrophobic underground tunnels and the atmospheric ruined church really building up the tension as the assassins Patricia and Jonathan attack our heroes, but it takes too long to get there and ends on another cliffhanger. Next week had better be a full episode of fighting these assassins because they are awesome personalities and it would be a waste to throw them away so soon.

Fruits Basket

I'll be honest...I wasn't expecting that.

Next up is Awkward Flirting: The Animation. In episode 4, the shy girl is Kagura Soma, and she has been in love with Kyo since they were young children. The sheer passion she feels for her beloved occasionally manifests into violent impulses as she attacks Kyo for leaving the clan without warning for several months. Interestingly, members of the Soma clan don't transform when opposite gendered members of their family hug them. Kagura continues to shower affection upon Kyo, cooking him (and coincidentally everyone else) dinner, but the attention makes him uncomfortable, and when their antics cause the meal to be ruined, she sadly leaves the house. Tohru goes after her and helps her buy groceries to salvage dinner, and the two of them connect after she assures her that she has no romantic interest in Kyo. After the two girls cook dinner and Kagura spends the night, an accidental collision with the paper boy reveals her animal spirit to be the boar. Later, Tohru receives a phone call from her grandfather, and what she hears shocks her to her core.

So, first of all, I was wrong about Kagura's form. I guessed that she was going to be a sheep, but it turns out she's a boar. More importantly, this episode was really good. Kagura is an amazing character, able to make me laugh and cry at the drop of a hat (no I didn't literally cry, but I came close) and she is a great embodiment of the idea of loving someone as a person without ignoring their flaws. I did find it surprising that Tohru said she feels no romantic feelings for Kyo, but I'm inclined to take her at her word. Her primary concern for the past few episodes has been helping Kyo and Yuki get out of their shells and live harmoniously as a family, and I think she just sees them as close friends. 

On top of all the great character development and hilarious antics (seeing Kyo get the stuffing kicked out of him never gets old), we had some interesting new plot developments. I think that the phone call Tohru got from her grandfather was news that the renovations are done and she has to move back in with him and leave the Somas, but I've heard at least one person theorize that the grandfather is actually dead, leaving her well and truly homeless, so who knows? Additionally, what the hell is the deal with Kyo's "true form"? Kagura let those words slip and all the guys freaked out. Does this have something to do with Kyo's banishment from the clan? Is Kyo some kind of demonic beast? That's the theory I'm currently going with.

Senryu Girl

This is my new favorite reaction image.

Up next we have Silence of the Schoolgirls. In episode 4, Eiji cannot shake the feeling that someone is watching him, and it turns tout that he is right. A girl named Kino was attempting to return his dropped student handbook to him, but was unable to approach him due to her own crippling anxiety and his intimidating appearance. Kino is a lot like Nanako, almost completely nonverbal and only able to express herself through her sketch pad, and the two become fast friends. The two invite Kino to the Literature Club, and they spend the day drawing instead of actually doing anything literary.

At first, I was nervous that having another character so similar to Nanako would be a bad decision, but Kino is a good character that adds to the dynamic between our two leads, as their impromptu drawing competition gives them a great flirting opportunity that Nanako takes advantage of in the cutest way possible. Not to mention that she seems to be a lot more outgoing than Nanako, and the actual drawings lend themselves to some good comedic moments that had me laughing every time. I get the feeling that as long as she is used sparingly, she'd be a great addition to the cast. Besides, even if Kino turns out to be a bad fit for this show in the long run, it'd be worth it just for the scene of her and Nanako having an entirely silent conversation through manga art and poetry. If that doesn't endear you to these characters, then I don't know what will.

We Never Learn

Ohhh, deaaarrr....

Four shows left, so let's get right into Sekijo: Harems Die Twice. In episode 4, Fumino is devastated when she realizes that she has gained weight, and she soon determines that it's all the snacks that she shares with others during their study sessions that are to blame. But when she tries to cut the snacks out entirely, her hunger distracts her from her studying, forcing Nariyuki to confront the matter and convince her to just snack in moderation. Then, Rizu's self-proclaimed academic rival Sekijo is furious that she would decide to pursue a degree in one of her weaker subjects, and is convinced that she is only changing majors due to a romantic interest in Nariyuki. Sekijo tries to prove her theory by provoking Rizu through flirting with him, but when Rizu ignores her completely, she backs off and accepts her commitment to her passion. Later, the school sports day has arrived, but Takemoto is off her game because she forgot to wear a bra and doesn't want anyone ot notice.

I'm not sure if I like the whole "let's give each girl her own stand alone story" structure this episode adopts, for three reasons. First, it leaves the episode feeling fractured and confused, with events just sort of happening without any real transition between them or narrative throughline to make them feel relevant to the overarching story. Which would be fine if this were an anthology series like Kaguya-sama or Takagi-san, but it hasn't been presented as one. Second, if each girl needs her own story for the episode, that means that each individual story has less time to develop and engage the viewer. I couldn't care less about Fumino's weight problem or Takemoto forgetting to wear a bra because they just feel like jokes that don't matter, and neither of them were funny enough to justify being a stand alone gag (though Takemoto's voice actress does a really good job selling flustered and embarrassed). Rizu's story is much better, though, and the hint that she actually was a bit bothered by Sekijo's questioning Nariyuki on his philosophy on romance but was more focused on keeping it together so as not to undermine her own commitment to the humanities was a great character moment. 

Finally, while the whole structure is a good way to keep the characters in check and balance screen time, it ignores the fundamental appeal of harem anime in the first place. I mean, yes, obviously the implications that you can project yourself onto the protagonist and imagine all these sexy anime girls tripping over themselves to spend time with you is the main appeal of these shows, but the defining aspect that makes the good harem anime stand out in the crowd is getting to see all the different girls' personalities bounce off each other. A well-written harem is a group of characters second and a collection of living body pillow ads second, and seeing these characters interact provides even more chances for comedy, drama, and character growth. I thought this show understood this, but this episode has so few scenes of the study group hanging out together in favor of one on one scenes between Nariyuki and an individual girl. It makes the whole thing feel disjointed, like three separate anime got bought out by a western licenser and slammed together into its own Frankenstein's monster of a show, a la Beast King Golion and Armored Fleet Dairugger being turned into Voltron. This was a surprising miss from a show that had been firing on all cylinders up until this point, and I hope that We Never Learn can bounce back soon, because these characters are too good for this kind of mediocre storytelling.

Hitoribocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu

In episode 4 of Boruto: Bocchi Next Generations, even though two months have passed and her friendship with Nako and Aru has made socializing easier for her, Bocchi's anxiety and aversion to small talk hasn't gone away. If anything, it's only gotten worse, if the way that she tries to avoid her neighbor and the crossing guard on her way to school is anything to go by. But upon being spotted while trying to blend in with a crowd of pedestrians in order to avoid the crossing guard, Bocchi is cornered by the beautiful foreign exchange student Sotoka (though with a name like that, I'm not sure where she's supposed to be from if not Japan) who excitedly asks if she is a ninja. When she tells the truth and says she isn't one, Bocchi is surprised to see her fall into a state of depression. Hoping to cheer her up, she throws a paper shuriken with a friendship letter at her, but Sotoka misunderstands the situation and takes it as a sign that she really is a ninja. With seemingly no other choice if she wants to befriend her, Bocchi agrees to act as Sotoka's sensei, training her in the art of ninjutsu.

What the hell did I just watch? 

No, seriously, this whole ninja thing is so out of left field compared to the down to earth slice of life stories we've had so far that I'm genuinely confused. The whole thing feels so out of place that none of the jokes about Sotoka can even make me smile, and the fact that the ninja running class didn't have the girls Naruto running is baffling. I'm glad that Nako and Aru still have their reliable quips about the situation's absurdity; seeing as the bulk of this episode traded the relatable comedy in exchange for outlandish characterization and how Bocchi enables it by being such a doormat, their believable reactions of confusion and exasperation are the only things that make this episode even slightly tolerable. I was already kinda on the fence with Bocchi before, with every positive feeling I have being balanced out by a negative one, but with Sotoka being so out of place with the tone of the show, I don't know if this will survive much longer.

Demon Slayer

Look at how damn pretty this is!

For our penultimate anime of the week we have Pretty Colors and also occasionally Demon Slaying. In episode 4, with his training complete, Tanjiro heads off to participate in the Demon Slayer Corps Final Selection Exam. At a special mountain covered in wisteria flowers year round, several live demons are sealed away by the flowers' magical properties. In order to pass the exam, the candidates must survive in this open air prison for demons for a total of seven days. Thanks to his training, Tanjiro makes short work of the smaller and weaker demons, but he then stumbles across a demon that was captured by Sakonji 47 years ago and had been taking its revenge by eating his disciples during each Final Selection Exam that happened since, including Sabito and Mokomo. Even though it originally appears that Tanjiro would share in his predecessors' fate, the reminder that he has a sister counting on him helps him keep his focus and defeat the fifty year old monstrosity.

It's funny, but even though this episode is the most action packed yet, I found myself more interested in the aesthetic details than anything else. I mentioned it back during my coverage of episode 1, but it bears repeating: Demon Slayer has some of the best color design I have ever seen in modern anime, contrasting bold colors in the foreground with muted backgrounds to create some striking effects. While this is most obviously seen with the character designs and the water effects trailing off Tanjiro's swords, it's the haunting beauty of the wisteria flowers and the red and white palette used to depict Sabito and Mokomo's deaths that had really had my jaw drop. I feel like, more than anything else, the use of color is what sets Demon Slayer apart.

Also, and I can't believe I've never mentioned this before, the soundtrack is awesome. It has that typical orchestral feel when things get grand and climactic and a clever blend of traditional string instruments and choral chanting when things get tense, and the dynamic way it shifts from one track to another in this episode in particular was really well done. I know that I usually talk about story beats and character development in the roundup, but this was more a straightforward demonstration of how far Tanjiro has come than anything else, so a discussion about visual and sound design has more substance into why the episode is great.

Cinderella Nine

But alas, all good things must come to an end, and since I forgot to continue my gag of using the names of other baseball anime as my fake title last week, allow me to list all the baseball anime I would have used had this show been good enough to make it to the end: Ace of the Diamond, The Big Windup, Mix, Touch, Major, Major 2nd, Little Busters, Star of the Giants, Cross Game, Taisho Baseball Girls, and Gurazeni. Anyway in episode 4 of I'd Rather Watch Gurazeni than This, Tsubasa tells the team about the little league game she played against Shinonome years ago. Though her team was originally very far behind, unable to score a single run, Tsubasa's optimism and support was infectious among the team, and they rallied for a comeback victory over Shinonome's fractured and hyper competitive team. Afterward, however, Tsubasa quit baseball, accepting that there was no future for her in a male-dominated sport. But with Tomochi's prodding, she changes her mind and decides to form her own girls' baseball team. Back in the present, the team surprises Shinonome by cheering her on at her club team tryouts, and though she did not make the cut, she appreciates the gesture and decides to join their team in order to keep active and polish her skills.

The worst part about this show is that it's actually getting better. I know that makes no sense, so allow me to explain. If Cinderella Nine was just a consistently terrible show, I could drop it with no regrets. But since it's actually trying to improve its story over time, adding backstory and character development, I still partially feel like I should keep watching in case it actually gets good. Because, and let me be clear about this, this show is still not good. It's definitely trying its best, but everything about this show is, say it with me, bland. It's boring to look at, the baseball games are frequently cut away from and unengaging, and Tsubasa is the only character who consistently stays interesting and unique. Nothing filled me with more dread this week than seeing Shinonome embrace her failure and, in her own way, sing the praises of friendship and cooperation at the end of the episode. now instead of 7 interchangeable supporting characters we have 8! Hooray! Yeah, consider this dropped. At least Mix is still good...

And that is going to wrap up this week's roundup! What will happen next week? Will Hyakkimaru find Dororo? Will the koto club master their song in time for the performance? Will the mysterious pursuers catch up to Hatchi? Will Veronica defeat Jonathan? Will Tohru be forced to move out of the Soma household? Will Nanako write Eiji an epic love poem? Will the headmaster give Nariyuki another insane ultimatum to keep his scholarship? Will Bocchi teach Sotoka how to use the Rasengan? Will Nezuko wake up from her slumber? Find out the answer to all this or none of it, next week!