Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Zombie Land Saga

The usual mornings. The usual music. The usual self. For seven girls, a peaceful life was all of a sudden destroyed. All at the hands of zombies, dead things that somehow remained moving. Now they step into a new world, whether they liked it or not. A “zombieworld” that represented both the best and the worst. The seven girls had only one wish: “We want to live.” – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Funimation (Simuldub premieres Oct. 28th)

Episodes: 12

Source: Original

Episode Summary: Sakura loves watching idol performances and is looking forward to submitting her application to become an idol. Unfortunately, on her way out the door to mail it in, she’s hit by a truck. She wakes up in unfamiliar surroundings during a raging thunderstorm, and is soon pursued by other frightening figures in the darkness. Sakura escapes the house and encounters a police officer, but his reaction to her appearance isn’t encouraging. When she sees her own reflection, it becomes clear; she’s in the same state as the zombie-like creatures who chased her away.

Sakura is collected by Tatsumi, a flamboyant and eccentric man who claims to be putting together an idol group. The other threatening creatures are undead women from throughout idol history, brought back to life for this very purpose. Aside from Sakura, all the others behave as typical zombies would, mindlessly shuffling throughout the room and occasionally biting one-another. Considering these unusual circumstances, Sakura believes this whole “idol” business to be complete folly. Nevertheless, Tatsumi has signed them all up for a live performance at a local death metal festival. Having never practiced any songs or routines the performance is still an unlikely success; it seems that the zombies still retain some inherent sense of rhythm, and their horrifying death screams fit right into the atmosphere. The performance also seems to have had another benefit – the mental stimulation has “awakened” most of the other girls, who are now able to function like Sakura.

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Categories
Anime Reviews Reviews

Anime Review – Revue Starlight

“Starlight” is the song and dance revue troupe loved throughout the world. Karen and Hikari make a promise with each other when they’re young that one day they’ll stand on that stage together. Time passes, and now the girls are 16 years old. Karen is very enthusiastic about the lessons she takes every day, holding her promise close to her heart. Hikari has transferred schools and is now away from Karen. But the cogs of fate turn, and the two are destined to meet again. The girls and other “Stage Girls” will compete in a mysterious audition process to gain acceptance into the revue. – ANN

Streaming: HIDIVE

Episodes: 12

Source: Original

Review: This review contains plot and thematic spoilers for the anime. Heavy spoilers are indicated; the section in question can be skipped.

Do you believe in fate? That once our life is set in motion, its pre-determined pathway is truly an immovable arc of destiny? Anime is filled with stories of prophesies fulfilled and traditions unbroken; it’s a theme whose expression allows us to believe in the possibility and comfort of things greater than ourselves. There are also plenty of anime, however, that dare to suggest that we, as human beings, are more responsible for our lives than some of us may be comfortable fully accepting. I tend to like these stories better, because rather than simply implying that our poor state of being is solely the result of our own mistakes, it suggests that we might also have some power to alter the flow of the river and set ourselves on a better course, given the opportunity and support of course.

Revue Starlight is, in its simplest form, a story about a group of girls choosing not to accept an exclusionary story – a fate which does not encompass the happiness of them all. Instead, they attempt to re-write the stage-play of their existence and to reinterpret their story as one which allows room for successful fulfillment of their desires.

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Categories
Conventions Special Features

Anime Fusion 2018 – Panel Materials

Hi friends. Below are J.C.’s and my panel materials from Anime Fusion, which took place this past weekend. Feel free to take these and use them as you like, but be sure to credit J.C. and/or myself if you do. We put a lot of work into them and want to make sure people can contact us if they have any questions about the content.

Please let me know if any of the links are broken – I’ll be sure to update them.

Women in Anime

PowerPoint Presentation – Many thanks to Heroine Problem which helped to inspire some of the content and format.

Shiny New Anime

PowerPoint Presentation (large: contains clips)

Handout

Visual Storytelling

PowerPoint Presentation (large: contains clips)

Handout

Categories
Conventions Special Features

Anime Fusion 2018 – Come See Us!

Hello, friends. This news is a bit belated, but J.C. and I were invited to be Featured Speakers at this year’s Anime Fusion convention, taking place this weekend in Plymouth, Minnesota! Prepping for the convention has kept me from writing for the past couple of days, so apologies for that. We’ve been attendees and panelists at the con for the past few years, so it was cool to receive this invitation. Obviously pre-reg is closed for the convention, but they have walk-up registration and day passes; even if you’re only free one day you can stop by and say hello!

We’re holding 4 panels over the weekend:

Friday, October 19th

9:30pm Panel 1 – Anime by Numbers Trivia Game – All the answers are numbers, and anyone can play! It’s a game that values logical guessing over exact factual knowledge; teams work together to come up with their best answers. And of course there are also prizes for the winning team!

Saturday, October 20th

11:30am Panel 1- Women in Anime – Anime features girls and women in a variety of roles. What are the aspects of a great heroine? What are some ways anime could improve its portrayal of women? What are some of your favorite characters? This discussion is meant to provide some tools to think critically and recognize the strengths and weaknesses in how women are featured in anime and other media.

3:30pm Panel 2 – Shiny New Anime – Our annual run-down of some of the great anime that’s come out in the past year (since last year’s convention). It’s our goal to show great clips, feature lively discussion, and present good anime in all its variety so that every audience member has something new to go watch. There’ll be handouts to take home, too!

Sunday, October 21st

11:30am Panel 3 – Visual Storytelling – Great anime doesn’t always need subtitles. Watch and discuss some of the best uses of frame, expression, and other visual cues creators use to tell stories without dialogue.

Again, if you’re in the area I hope you’ll drop by and say hello! If you’re not in our area or aren’t able to come to the convention, I’ll be posting my panel materials here after the convention.

 

Categories
Opinion Personal

Defining Darkness at the Expense of Others

Though I assume most people who were planning to have already watched the first episode by now, I’ll warn that the first episode of Goblin Slayer – and by extension this discussion of it – includes references to sexual assault and rape, both generally and specifically.

As I mentioned in my Goblin Slayer first impressions post, I had the desire to write further about some of the extreme content that appears in the episode. This isn’t because other bloggers and reviewers haven’t been writing about it, but more because I haven’t seen my thoughts and feelings reflected in most of the reactions and I’d like to provide my perspective. A lot of what I’ve been reading in the past week has been very analytical, weighing various points in an attempt to come to some kind of logical conclusion about whether the episode’s content is warranted or appropriate. I believe that kind of disaffected point-by-point examination of scenes and images is the luxury and privilege of those whose lives are untouched by crimes of sexual aggression. I’m not trying to make enemies by saying as much, but I feel that there’s a certain survivors’ perspective on this matter that can be difficult for others to understand except from first-hand experience (or an incredibly robust sense of empathy).

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Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Goblin Slayer

“I’m not saving the world. I just kill goblins.” Rumor has it that, in a certain guild in the middle of nowhere, there is an extraordinary man who has climbed all the way to the Silver rank just by killing goblins. At the same guild, a priestess who’s just become a new adventurer has formed her first party… and the man who ends up rescuing that party when they get into trouble is none other than the Goblin Slayer. – Crunchyroll

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Funimation

Episodes: 12

Source: Light Novel

Episode Summary: A Priestess, having just become an adult at 15, elects to become an adventurer and to serve as a healer for adventuring parties. No sooner does she join a local guild than she’s hired by a group of greenhorn adventurers on a quest to exterminate a nest of goblins. Though the popular opinion is that such a quest is too much for beginners, the enthusiastic bunch isn’t deterred. The Priestess joins them.

As they enter the goblins’ cave, it becomes apparent just how woefully under-prepared they are. The swordsman’s sword is too long for such an enclosed space, and no one has brought any healing items with them. When the Priestess and mage fall behind they’re soon surrounding by a swarm of goblins who, despite their small size, are vicious and cruel. Things quickly take a downturn and the Priestess soon finds herself alone and in a very vulnerable position. It is likely only due to insanely good luck that she is saved by the Goblin Slayer, a high-ranking member of the guild who makes quick work of the goblin horde. She then elects to join the Goblin Slayer on his quest to kill goblins.

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Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Hinomaru Sumo

A “small” new student, Ushio Hinomaru, appears before the weak little sumo club of Oodachi High School. The words “big” and “heavy” are the rules to this sport, which does not fit this newbie one bit, but Ushio surprises everyone. Ushio and the small sumo club climbs its way to the top with a goal to reach the highest rank, Hinoshita Kaisan. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 24

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Ushio Hinomaru is a small guy with a big dream – to achieve the rank of Yokozuna, the highest honor in sumo wresting. He takes a day to scout a high school with a famous sumo program, but gets off at the wrong train stop and finds his way to Oodachi High School instead. He meets Ozeki Shinya, practicing his sumo techniques outside. Though he’s lovingly constructed a sumo ring outdoors, Ushio wonders why he doesn’t make use of the perfectly good dojo on the school grounds. Unfortunately, it’s been overrun by delinquents and Ozeki is too timid to kick them out.

Ushio’s love of sumo is such that, when the ringleader of the delinquents makes a mess of Ozeki’s wrestling area, Ushio challenges him to a duel. Ozeki offers to give up sumo to protect him, but Ushio will have none of it. In order to win this rigged contest, he’ll have to endure 10 minutes worth of punches without defending himself, something that his fine-tuned muscular body seems to do effortlessly (even when an extra 5 minutes is added in secret). Ozeki gets his dojo back, and Ushio goes to find the high school he was actually looking for. When Spring arrives, Ozeki receives a big surprise; Ushio decided to transfer to Oodachi High after all, because he was so wow-ed by Ozeki’s dedication to sumo wrestling.

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Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Uzamaid!

Misha is a little girl who lost her mother at an early age, and now lives with her father. Her father employs a maid named Tsubame, who was a former Self-Defense Force official, and is also a lolicon. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Tsubame is a retired member of the JSDF who’s on the lookout for the perfect civilian job. Unfortunately her idea of “perfect” is somewhat unorthodox. She likes cute clothes and little girls who wear them, and wants a job that can combine these two passions. She has a stroke of luck when she notices a job flyer for a local address looking for a maid to cook, clean, and babysit. It’s the same house where Tsubame saw a cute little Russian girl during wintertime. Might she be lucky enough to work for that girl’s family?

Misha is the girl in question. Suffering from the death of her mother and her father’s cluelessness, she’s driven away each and every maid her father has tried to hire. But Tsubame has the guts and the motivation to stick around and do the job right, even as Misha protests her every action. Tsubame does whatever she can to get Misha to spend even a small amount of time together with her, though Misha is so put off by her creepy vibe and actions that she refuses. Will Tsubame have what it takes to survive this job assignment… and will Misha?

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Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – DAKAICHI: I’m Being Harassed by the Sexiest Man of the Year

Takato Saijō has reigned as the idol industry’s “Most Huggable” for five years, that is, until freshman actor Azumaya. Takato was always considered brusque while Azumaya’s smile is winning over admirers by comparison. The whole fiasco drives Takuto to over indulge in alcohol and his actions catch the attention of the last person he wants to see. To his surprise, Azumaya uses this new info to blackmail Takuto for physical affection. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 13

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Takato Saijyo is at the top of his game. He’s coming up on 20 years in the entertainment industry and shows no signs of stopping. For the past five years he’s been voted as the “most huggable” man in a popular magazine poll and expects that his ruthless hard work will land him at the top of this year’s standings as well. However, he gets a rude awakening when Junta Azumaya, a young but popular upcoming actor, upstages him big time, stealing his top spot (and to him, all the glory). Even worse, the two are working together on a new film in which Azumaya has the lead role.

If that weren’t bad enough, Saijyo ends up in Azumaya’s house after a night of heavy drinking (which Azumaya has on video), and Azumaya confesses that ever since Saijyo gave him acting advice a year ago, he’s harbored strong feelings for him. So strong, in fact, that Azumaya tries to make a move right then and there before Saijyo escapes and locks him in the bedroom. Needless to say, the atmosphere gets a little awkward on the movie set the next day, but Azumaya’s try-hard method of acting requires some hardcore correction, so Saijyo finds it in himself to provide some guidance. After a successful day of filming, Azumaya drags Saijyo back to his apartment for round 2, and Saijyo can’t find it within him to resist this time around. But he vows that he won’t have sex with Azumaya again unless Azumaya wins the “best actor” award.

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Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 5: Golden Wind

Naples, 2001. Giorno Giovanna is a small-time crook with one big dream—to become a “Gang-Star.” No ordinary thief, Giorno has a connection to the remarkable Joestar bloodline, and possesses a Stand named Gold Experience. His dream starts to become reality when he meets Bruno Buccellati, a mobster from the gang Passione and a fellow Stand user himself. Realizing that they share similar ideals, and both disagree with the gang’s harmful affairs, Giorno reveals his goal to Bruno: with Bruno’s help, he will reform Passione by overthrowing the boss. – MAL

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 39

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Naples, Italy is a beautiful city drawing tourists from far and wide, but it has a darker underbelly filled with drug use and crime. Teenager Giorno Giovanni exists somewhere in between, committing petty crime for profit and paying the police to look the other way, but also occasionally also thwarting the efforts of local gangsters. When he crosses Leaky-eyed Luca, a violent gang member after protection money, Giorno uses a mysterious power, called “Golden Wind,” to turn the tables on Luca. The gangster’s defeat draws the attention of his associates and puts a target on Giorno’s head.

In the mean time, Koichi Hirose arrives in Naples on the orders of Jotaro Joestar; he’s been sent on a mission to gain information (and perhaps a DNA sample) of a young man named Haruno Shiobana, who Jotaro believes may be the human son of DIO. After encountering Giorno multiple times (and being duped by him), Koichi is positive that Giorno and Haruno are on-and-the-same; Jotaro agrees, and believes Giorno’s un-Japanese blond hair is likely a symptom of the awakening of his stand powers. As Koichi mulls over how best to fulfill his mission, Giorno is cornered on the trolley by a gangster named Bruno, an associate of Luca and someone with frightening powers of his own.

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