Day: January 16, 2022

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Anime Reviews First Impressions Reviews

Winter 2022 First Impressions – Orient

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: The land of Hinomoto was a peaceful one, until the Oni arrived and began to rule over the human population. Certain humans – warriors called Bushi – fought back, but eventually lost to the greater power of the demons. Now over a century later, the Oni have become central religious and authority figures in the lives of humans, and the Bushi have been all but forgotten. However, Musashi and his friend Kojiro, having been told about the Bushi in secret as children, have resolved to revive the battle against the oppression put upon them by the Oni.

As Musashi is processed through the school system, however, he appears to lose sight of his goals in the face of the relentless propaganda machine. He can’t find it within himself to outwardly make waves by professing his goal to become a Bushi, and he eventually graduates with the rest of his class and takes up his post as a miner. When Musashi meets Kojiro in secret, Kojiro refuses to believe in his resolve, partly to help ensure his friend doesn’t suffer the difficult life of a Bushi. But when Musashi and his classmates learn the truth about the Oni, it’s Musashi’s secret weapons practice and unwavering goal to fight against their oppressors that ultimately saves them. He and Kojiro make amends and once again set their sights on sharpening their swords and eliminating the Oni.

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Anime Reviews First Impressions Reviews

Winter 2022 First Impressions – Love of Kill

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Chateau Dankworth is a young bounty hunter executing hits on behalf of a larger organization. One day while out on a job, she encounters an assassin named Ryang-Ha Song who immediately becomes smitten with her. His persistent advances eventually lead to him helping Chateau locate and neutralize her bounties. Ryang-Ha seems to be searching for something more substantial in compensation, though Chateau clearly finds him off-putting and only tolerates his constant phone messages in service of the “bigger picture” she operates within.

One day, Chateau’s agency is contacted by a client who plans to offer a substantial amount of money toward the capture neutralization of a certain hit man who managed to kill several high-ranking members of an Asian-based criminal organization. That bounty turns out to be none other than Ryang-Ha himself. Now Chateau must wrestle with the prospect of obtaining a substantial bounty, all the while figuring out how to handle her very dangerous romantic pursuer.

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Anime Reviews First Impressions Reviews

Winter 2022 First Impressions – Slow Loop

Streaming: Funimation

Episodes: 12

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: When she’s stressed out Hiyori spends her days near the ocean, fly fishing like she learned from her late father. Her meditative silence is broken one day, however, by a girl attempting to leap into the frigid March ocean. Hiyori uses her wits to help avert disaster, and she spends some time fishing with this girl, named Koharu. Koharu is impressed by Hiyori’s way with a fishing rod, and is even more impressed when Hiyori prepares fresh rock fish sashimi right there on the wharf. Hiyori feels drawn to this outgoing girl, and their meeting turns out to be more than just a chance encounter; Hiyori’s mother and Koharu’s father are planning to marry, which will make the two girls sisters.

After their families are joined and Koharu and her father move into Hiyori’s and her mother’s home, some of these big changes begin to make Hiyori feel withdrawn. Yet Koharu’s bright personality seems to be just the thing to help draw Hiyori back out of her shell. Koharu’s enthusiasm toward learning to fish certainly doesn’t hurt, either. As the two new sisters start the new school year, their future looks bright.

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Site News

January 9-15, 2022 Week-in-Review

Hi all, and happy Sunday (or whenever you happen to read this). I thought I’d try something new this season – weekly posts to gather in one place what I’ve written the previous week. Not only do I hope that this will remind interested folks of posts they may have missed, but also that it will remind me of the things I’ve accomplished, which is always something I could stand to do a little more of.

Though I didn’t get to as many premieres as I would have liked this week, I’m choosing to give myself a little bit of leeway since I returned from a weeklong vacation right back into the thick of a hefty work project and some other “real-life” deadlines. I also took an evening to go see Belle in theaters, which was a great experience! I’m sure I’ll have some more to say about it soon. In any case, as much as I’d like to construct a life that revolves almost entirely around anime, I’ve unfortunately had to face the fact that it’s just not a realistic goal 😉

Below are links to posts from last week:

  • Winter 2022 First Impressions – Sabikui Bisco – This is probably the most interesting premiere I’ve watched so far. The first episode accomplishes a lot with its worldbuilding. Oh, and have I ever mentioned that I like mushrooms? I find them very cute and *aesthetic*, so there’s a lot for me to love here!
  • Winter 2022 First Impressions – World’s End Harem – This series’ reputation preceded it, and having been delayed from its initial premiere date I became even more curious. The opening beats of this story following one of the last men on Earth is significantly less offensive than I would have expected, at least in the manner I would have expected. But why did all the scientific expertise disappear when the men did? I’m only asking questions here.
  • Winter 2022 First Impressions – Rusted Armors – Anime’s use of CG character animation continues to go through growing pains, and this series is a prime example of why many of us are still not entirely convinced that this technique will ever replace 2D hand-drawn animation.
  • Winter 2022 First Impressions – Futsal Boys!!!!! – This series revolves around Futsal, a variation on soccer/football. That’s all well and good, but some of the character relationships already feel a little bit manufactured to me.

Have you had time to check out any of these series yet? What did you think of their premiere episodes? Let me know in the comments!