I… do believe you deserve an explanation as to why I am so behind… Currently, my internet is absolute crap. It takes hours to download a single episode, whereas previously I could download and watch up to four or more episodes a day. So… that is putting a major cramp on absolutely everything. I just can’t keep up. Secondly, I am currently heavily involved with the other half of my life: writing. If any of you have been to the Facebook page I have linked to this blog or my Livejournal or my deviantART, you will know that I recently self-published my first novel, and I am in the process of the next one. Now, I know what you’re thinking– “Why can’t you do both at once?” And I know. It’s… a bit unreasonable. But the main problem is that my internet makes everything IMPOSSIBLE.

However.

I am working on catching up. Eventually. I’m starting with the season I stopped on–the Spring ’11 season (AnoHana, [C], Steins;Gate) and am finishing up the Summer ’11 season, which I actually watched some of. Naturally, due to the catching-up, there will be no impressions posted here. The current season (Winter ’12) and the one prior to this one (Fall ’11) poses a bit of a problem for me due to the upgrade from 8-bit encodes to 10-bit; normally this wouldn’t be an issue because all I’d have to do is upgrade my CCCP, but… I am actually at this moment not of my usual laptop, which is a Windows one, Windows Vista. I am on a Linux one, Ubuntu 10.10. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how to update my codecs to handle 10-bit. Hence why I am catching up with the oldest stuff first in the hopes that by the time I do, the new 10-bit codecs will come in. (-_-;;) I am also very behind on manga, but… again. I will be attempting to catch up. I just need time and better internet, that latter of which will come with time.

So. Tl;dr version:

OMGUH Y U NO UPDATE!?!?!?

Answer: I am busy and my internet SUCKS. But I’m trying. Updates may not come for weeks or even months, but they will return. Eventually. Consider the blog under hiatus for now.

Thank you for your time,

~dragonarya

This is great. All of the characters bear heavy scars over what happened, and they’re not just going to get over that. I like character-oriented shows, and this hits all the buttons. I’m also quite in love with the OP and ED. The animation’s simplicity is adding to the overall nice experience. I haven’t decided between Taka and UTW subs yet… I mean, Taka’s fine, but I’m pretty sure “Chou Heiwa Busters” is “Super Peace Busters” and not “The Great Peace Busters”… Hmm. Anyway, I’m really liking this show.

Makoto spends the night eating convenience store dinners with Erio. The next day, Makoto rides home from school with his strange classmate, Ryūko Mifune. The following day, he gets acquainted with another classmate, Maekawa, who gets dizzy if she holds her arms above her head for more than 10 seconds. Later that night, Makoto goes with Erio to the beach, where she randomly walks into the sea, claiming she can fly. On their way back, they run into Maekawa, who reveals that Erio was a former student in their school who disappeared for half a year. Meme later reveals that Erio has no memories of the half a year she was gone and had started to believe in aliens. She also mentions Erio broke her leg whilst trying to fly on her bike, which caused her to start wrapping in her futon.

Basically, if I were to summarize this show, it’s “everyone’s a weirdo.” But actually, it’s not too bad, if you don’t have anything else to watch. The story with Erio breaking her leg on an attempt to fly scores major points with me. I want to see someone who is insane actually acting insane and causing harm to themselves and those around them. I want to see the Pretty Freeloader story subverted. So I’ll watch one more episode before I decide whether to follow through. Also, the OP grates on my ears something awful. The ED though is very, very nice.

3:

Makoto goes on a day out with Ryūko, who explains her stance on mysteries. Makoto relays what Meme had told him to Erio, though she seems reluctant to respond. Later, Meme tells Makoto not to get involved with Erio. Though he still wants to help her, Makoto decides to dispel her belief in aliens as the first step. He attempts this by taking her on his bike and riding off a hill to disprove her ability to fly. The hill turns out to be a bit too steep, and they both go flying into the sea. Erio starts to come to terms with her being a simple Earthling and manages to introduce herself properly to Makoto.

Ehh… I don’t know what’s going to happen after this, but I think Erio got over her delusions too quickly? Like I said, I don’t really know if she did or not, so… This show is pretty entertaining though. Maybe she’ll have relapses? After all, there’s still nine episodes to go. Well, it managed to grab me. It’s not a bad show. Whether it’s above average is something that can only be judged after I finish it, but at the moment I want to see more.

Kusunoki is embarrassed on her date with Keima but still continues it hoping it will draw her feminine side out. After failing to connect themselves in their date, Kusonoki and Keima decide to do the most romantic thing: eating an ice cream together. After overcoming their embarrassments and eating it, Kusunoki’s feminine side finally comes out where both Kusunoki and her feminine side fight for dominance. As both of them fight and explaining their reason with Kusunoki wanting to get rid of her femininity as it is a weakness in her martial arts and preventing her from inheriting her family dojo while Feminine Kusunoki wants to get rid of her martial arts as its preventing her from becoming a woman, Keima stops them and tells them they can just choose both and not sacrifice one for the other. Kusunoki protest at first but Feminine Kusunoki tells the former that Keima is correct since she did enjoyed her date with Keima despite her earlier denial. Feminine Kusunoki admits her defeat but makes Kusunoki promise not to forget her femininity. As her last act, Feminine Kusunoki takes control of Kusunoki’s body to kiss Keima as a remembrance which Kusunoki does so willingly a she realize she likes Keima and kisses him which release the spirit inside of her. Kusunoki still continues her martial arts and now accepts her femininity. Later, Elsie tries to explain to Keima the powers of the evil spirits only to get trapped inside a Spirit capturing bottle used by her friend and fellow Spirit hunter, Haqua.

The best part of the whole spirit-capturing process is that the girls always end up happier than they were before. It was very heartwarming how Kusunoki managed to accept her softer side. Also, first intro to Haqua! She’s one of my favorites, so I’m looking forward to her arc. I heard some people saying that she was Elsie’s sister or something, but having read this part of the manga I’ll tell you that she’s really not. Would’ve been interesting if she was though.

3:

In this episode we get an intro to the district chief, Haqua. She’s Elsie’s former classmate, the top of the class. The chief however warns them that a very powerful spirit has escaped and is in the area. Later we find out that it was Haqua who lost it. Keima, fully away of this, decides to team up with her just to get the whole thing over with. Haqua also explains that the loose souls aren’t human souls, but rather, demon souls. Hell was once ruled by these evil spirits, but the new demons sealed them away to create order. The loose souls are the old demons who managed to slip out, while Elsie and Haqua are the new demons who are tracking them down. Finally, the episode ends with Haqua’s confession to Keima that she actually hasn’t caught a single soul, despite bragging to Elsie that she’s caught ten, and the finding of the enormous soul.

I love Haqua’s character, I really do. This is one of my favorite arcs. She’s such an interesting character! At school she excelled at everything, she’s even the district chief, but somehow she can’t do anything. That, and her design is awesome. Gotta love her scythe. The story of hell is also quite interesting, how now it’s governed by order instead of chaos. Love it all.

Kyubey reveals to Homura that the reason Madoka has the potential to become such a powerful witch is because of Homura’s constant trips through time. After Sayaka’s funeral, Kyubey shows Madoka the history of the Puella Magi, and how it has shaped civilization, causing Madoka to become extremely distressed. Meanwhile, Madoka’s mother, Junko, is concerned about Madoka, feeling she is hiding something from her. Later, Madoka goes to see Homura, who reassures her that she can handle the Walpurgisnacht, and finally reveals the truth about herself, begging Madoka to let her protect her. As a storm hits the city, and the citizens take shelter, Homura stands alone to face the Walpurgisnacht, throwing everything she has at it, but even so she is still overwhelmed and eventually is all but defeated. When Madoka hears from Kyubey that Homura may turn into a witch if she loses her hope of saving her, Madoka prepares to go and find her. Junko tries to stop her, but Madoka convinces her to let her go. As Homura begins to lose hope, and is on the verge of becoming a witch, Madoka and Kyubey arrive.

Ack. I have no words. Utterly heartbreaking. Homura, no matter what she does, can’t defeat Walpurgis. Not only that, but every time she repeats the cycle, Madoka’s fate gets worse and misfortune gathers around her, increasing her potential as a magical girl. Now, it looks like Madoka’s made the contract with Kyubey yet again. Oh boy. Doesn’t that essentially make everything we’ve watched Homura do over the course of the series meaningless? Well, Madoka knows all the secrets of being a magical girl, so maybe her wish would negate that…? But argh, this is so heartbreaking! Even with all the tons upon tons (literally!) of explosives Homura throws at Walpurgis, it just won’t die! …speaking of which, where does Walpurgis come from? If all witches are magical girls, then maybe Walpurgis is Madoka’s witch form from the future or something?

12:

Madoka makes the decision to become a Puella Magi, wishing to stop all witches from the past, present and future, to erase them before they are born by her own hand, a wish made possible due to the massive power inside her. As she makes the transformation, her conscious is greeted by Mami and Kyōko. Becoming a god-like Puella Magi, Madoka spreads herself across space and time, absorbing the misfortune from other Puella Magi to prevent them from becoming witches. The gigantic Soul Gem produced cracks into a giant mass of despair, but Madoka’s hope manages to quell it. As a result, Madoka becomes an omniscient being, of which there is no evidence of having existed on Earth. Madoka then says her goodbyes to Homura, leaving her with her ribbons so that she won’t forget her, before fading from existence, where she joins Sayaka. Homura returns to a world where Madoka doesn’t exist, and she, Mami and Kyōko are fighting together, though Homura still retains her memories of Madoka. With a different type of enemy that are born from curses, Homura continues to protect the world that Madoka loved.

You have got be kidding me. This was the last remaining path? That is one of the most bittersweet endings I’ve ever seen, with heavy emphasis on the bitter and a question mark on the sweet. I was crying before we got half-way through. Madoka’s essentially… what? Hope itself? A god? And Homura… it’s so sad, yet I can’t think of any other this could have ended. *sniff* *sniff sniff* I’m sorry, at the moment I can’t think of anything more to say. Beautiful. Simply beautiful. What a great show this was.

*sniffle* Now I understand this. Excuse me, I need some tissues. I have no comment on certain similarities of this either. This is an anime commentary blog and not anything else.

Mashu.

He also can now see that some of the money being used is black; Mashu tells him (through the card) that all of the money in the Financial District is black. Mikuni shows up to save Kimimaro from a tight spot regarding the money and tells him that it’s issued by Midas Bank, Midas Money.

Mikuni seems to be a very powerful person, given the meeting he was in. Mikuni also says that Kimimaro could become a person like him, someone “who uses large amounts of money;” the reasoning behind this seems to be that their first Deals were very similar–Mikuni was also trying to help Q. Kimimaro responds that he only wants to live normally, but Mikuni tells him that he might be able to help him. Mikuni also seems to know Kimimaro’s father. Finally, there’s a mysterious blond woman who seems to be spying on Mikuni, by the name of Jennifer Satou, according to the official [C] website.

I do believe that the deranged animation this time is through the CGI. It’s starting to freak me out slightly. Replacing entire character models with CGI… Yup, that definitely counts as Deranged Animation. The OP is also starting to grow on me. Oh boy…

Slightly freaky, yes?

Mashu's special attack(?), Scorched Earth.

I’m also liking Kimimaro’s wanting to stick to normality. It’s very realistic, especially given the setting. It’s a world where anything can happen, though we’ve yet to see much of it.

In conclusion, I am all over this anime. I love every minute of it, and when the ED starting playing, my only thought was, “IT’S OVER ALREADY?” You know you’re enjoying something good when the episodes seem too short. And it’s not like there’s any filler. I can’t really think of any superfluous scene.

"ALREADY? Nooo!"

Yup, that’s Shaft alright. But let’s put the visuals aside.

Well.

This is complete and utter crack.

That is all.

(I may post some more in depth thoughts later, but right now I’m just tired of the whole thing and glad that it’s over.)

He brought it. Thank you for not disappointing me, Nakamura-san.

Summary: The episode opens with a broke man using a special card to grant him access to the Financial District, where he fights a man named Mikuni using strange creatures. He is swiftly defeated and commits suicide by jumping under a train the next day. Meanwhile, 19-year old student Yoga Kimimaro is working two part-time jobs to raise money for his future. One evening as he’s studying for a test he’s approached by the mysterious man Masakaki, who is a banker at Midas Bank. He tells Kimimaro he’s been randomly chosen to become a replacement entrepreneur after a position opened up in the Far East Financial District. He explains that being an entrepreneur means that the bank will lend him money with his future as collateral, and requests that money to be used in the Financial District. Kimimaro refuses, but Masakaki messes with him, asking him if he doesn’t want money, and how if he had money he could go out, he wouldn’t have to work two jobs, and he could have the secure future he wants without working in the public sector… The next day Kimimaro finds 500,000 yen deposited in his account. While wondering what to do about it, he considers using a small amount so he can go out drinking with his friend Hanabi. But as he withdraws the money, he is approached by Masakaki again, who offers him an invitation to the Financial District, a card like the one used in the beginning of the episode. The episode ends with Kimimaro finding himself in a car with the card in his hand, heading to the Financial District.

(A little note for the people who have seen Kuuchuu Buranko: that broke man who committed suicide looked awfully like he’d just came out of Irabu’s office, didn’t he?)

I am head-over-heels in love with Takahiro Sakurai’s performance as Masakaki. Just incredible. Sakurai often plays Tall Dark and Snarky characters, so to hear him like this is a very, very welcome change. Uchiyama Kouki, who plays Kimimaro (sounds a bit like Kimihiro, don’t it?), who did Yuuki Natsuno in Shiki, also does a wonderful job. Kimimaro is a very empathetic character. We all know what it feels like to want money, right? People do their best and work multiple jobs and try to pinch and save. Then if someone offered you a lot of money… would you take it? With your future as collateral. Would it be worth it? It’s like the old story of Faust: if the devil offered you everything you could wish for in exchange for your soul, would you take it?

I love it, I love it, I love it. The effects, the fuzzy noise when communication with the Financial District is happening, the pixeled border with text… some people might dislike that, but I think it adds a unique touch. Seeing things written down kind of carries an extra impact. The ED is excellent. I saw it yesterday on the official website, and it’s nice to see it in better quality. The OP though… I don’t really like it that much. The music, that is; the animation is good. It’s a little grating, kind of flat when the vocals start (especially in the later parts of the song), and whenever I think Matoryoshika I think Hachi’s Matryoshka… it’d be funny if they used his song! But it’s too manic and it wouldn’t fit.

Speaking of which, I like the animation a lot. Whenever a show has a distinct animation style that can be recognized instantly upon viewing, that scores an extra point with me. It’s smooth and very nice, and as I mentioned, the effects, like the golden eyes, lend a great touch. I complained a bit earlier about the CGI in Tiger & Bunny, and I noticed some here in [C], and it was quite wonky, but it’s just a little bit (I almost didn’t even notice it at first) and I think it adds to the surreal atmosphere during the dream scene. That scene was quite creepy and the way Masakaki was here and there actually made me jump in surprise several times.

Additionally, I’ve seen some idiots online comparing this to Yugiou or something, but (a) we haven’t seen anything about what’s going on, and (b) I think that the action/battle sequences are more… a metaphor for something; specifically, financial dealings. For example, you can use an action sequence to illustrate a character’s internal conflict. Well, that’s a pretty common example, but it’s the only one I can think of off the top of my head. I think the little fight at the beginning of the episode could be a metaphor for, say, negotiating a contract, where both parties haggle and argue before making a deal.

I’m glad to see an anime trying to tackle something as deep and serious as money. I hope it will be explored further as we progress. Not only money, the economics in general. If mind screws and nightmare fuel occurs later down the road, at least I can say I Watch It For The Economics. I’ll certainly learn more here than in my Economics class. Learned absolutely squat. (Speaking of which, if Kimimaro is an economics student, shouldn’t he already know what an entrepreneur is?)

Subs used: gg (going to be rewatching with Nutbladder and anyone else who subs it)

Rating: 4-5 (Good-Great) Please note however, this is a quite subjective show. There’s plenty of people who might be bored by it and who might find it too weird. I happen to rejoice in that weirdness, but I am aware that there are some who might not.

This show pretty much checks off all the things I insist on: an empathetic protagonist, nice animation and effects that add something, good music, interesting characters, what looks to be a good plot, plenty of questions to be answered… But then, this entire ‘opinion’ thing is subjective, so yeah.

I’m not even sure how to summarize this. It’s just absolutely random. Random weird stuff happening. It’s mildly entertaining, but not that interesting as a show. I mean, it’s off the wall and all the characters do weird things, but I don’t think I can take it much longer without being bored. Skipping on this one.

Subs used: Underwater-Commie

Rating: 2.5-3 (Alright-Mildly entertaining)