Another - Episode 8

Best girl of the series.

Not even Another could resist the need to put in the all-important "Obligatory Beach Episode". For the first time in a while, the students of Class 3 are able to free themselves from the strain of the curse after leaving Yomiyama. The result? Fun times at the beach for them, and plenty of fanservice for the audience. "Coincidentally" Mei's summer house is near the beach they all went to so she ends up joining them in their activities. It's all fun and games for the majority of the episode. Both Izumi and Mei were really moe in this episode, with the former still being my preference. However, knowing Another, there was bound to be trouble brewing. And I was right...

Senki Zesshou Symphogear - Episode 6

;__;

Surely, but slowly, the episodes are being released. This one in particularly got the series back on track. I enjoyed it for the most part but felt some things were questionable. Still, the series has fallen far from where it started; a promising first episode had caused my expectations to be high. And by the looks of the score on the MAL page, the future episodes don't look too bright. Nonetheless, I will not let this discourage me/influence my thoughts. My reviews will still be based solely on my own thoughts, though. Now then, for this episode, I've split the bulk of the review into the two paragraphs: one for the positives, and one for the negatives.

Area no Kishi - Episode 6, 7, 8

As you can probably tell from the screenshots used, I have resorted to watching HorribleSubsRips' release for Area no Kishi. It is unfortunate that Oyatsu has decided to drop the series since I felt their subs were much easier to read and follow than HS's. Nonetheless, with no other competent group subbing the show, I'll continue Area no Kishi with CruncyRoll's subs. Also, given that this is a three-episode review, it may be less detailed than usual.

Inu x Boku SS - Episode 7

First Ririchiyo, then Karuta, and now Chino~

"あ...ありがとう"
Those words from Ririchiyo were essentially the highlight of this filler episode. It's sad how the show is starting to go slightly downhill, seeing as it started out nicely. The first four episodes followed the first four chapters almost identically. However, Episode 5 did not follow Chapter 5, but instead was taken from Chapter 7. The next episode, Episode 6, was based off of Chapter 5. But this episode was the first original (well, I've only read up to Chapter 12 but the time frame of this episode seems to be before that) and I found it to be far less appealing than the previous ones. The title of the next episode matches Chapter 6, so the earliest that Sōshi's past will be revealed is in Episode 9. But for now, I'll put aside these anime-manga comparisons and focus a bit on the episode itself.

Nisemonogatari - Episode 8

That fang~

なんだよ、これ！？
Halfway through the episode, I seriously had to double-check to see if I was actually watching Nisemonogatari and not some professional-looking fan animation created by someone who desires for an incestuous relationship between Koyomi and Karen. Furthermore, Tsukihi didn't even show up until near the end which begs the question: Is this really the beginning of the Tsukihi Phoenix arc? Personally, I can't really say I enjoyed the episode, but it was indeed amusing. The side of Karen that one would never imagine seeing, given her prior behavior towards her brother, being displayed for all to see was undoubtedly shocking. However, what surprised me the most was the fact that this actually happened in the light novel.

Amagami SS+ - Episode 8

Here, have a nice boat.

The concluding episode of the Kaoru arc takes a different approach than usual. Instead of being able to solve the problem introduced in the first half of the arc, the two end up in even more difficult situations, resulting in a few lovers' quarrels. However, like the truck driver had stated, arguments are a true testament of the strength of a couple's relationship. It was great seeing Kaoru realizing that it doesn't matter whether she and Junichi fall under the world's definitions of "friend" or "lovers", but that the unique nature of the relationship is the only thing that she should worry about preserving.

Highschool of the Dead - Review

"This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper." - T. S. Eliot

Underneath all the blatant fanservice and mindless bloodshed, Highschool of the Dead digs deep into the psychology of the human mind, showing us the lengths of cruelty and inhumanity us humans can go to in order to save ourselves. During times of chaos, the disgusting and selfish core of human beings are fully exposed for all to see, and the world which was once keen on peace and unity transforms into one of corruption and division. True, the story depicted in the anime is just that - a fictional story and nothing more - but it does serve as an entertaining way to foreshadow the possible state of the world if a similar international crisis were to happen. However, as this is an anime review, other factors besides the story must also be taken into account.

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 7

＼（＾∀＾）メ（＾∀＾）ノ

Seven episodes in and things are just getting started. The relationship web now seems less tangled and messy, Lemon is still trolling everyone and it seems Ichika's going to run into some problems in the near future given that Rinon is acting strangely now. The romance aspect of this show is being handled quite well. Both the Kaito x Ichika and Tetsurō x Mio pairings took big steps in this episode, resulting in a couple of beautiful (pseudo-)confession scenes. In a way, this all happened thanks to Kaori and Chiharu, even though they seemed to have caused unnecessary drama. Without their appearance, who knows how long the four people involved in the two aforementioned pairings would have waited for until one took the initiative to make a move?

Another - Episode 7

Another's version of Shinigami Eyes?

Aside from the gruesome suicide and creepy dream, this episode of Another was quite "normal". With the whole "making people non-existent" plan clearly failing, our two protagonists are now allowed to "existent" again. While this is technically a good turn of events, there have been complaints about their prior "non-existence" being the only thing that kept Kōichi and Mei together, allowing them to grow closer to each other in their relationship. Nonetheless, it's relieving to see that Kōichi still values Mei as a really good friend despite starting to befriend the others. As expected, Mei's socially awkward behaviour prevents her from being able to interact normally with others, even though she isn't ignored anymore (though the ignoring might have been the cause of this in the first place). But now, let's move onto the more interesting parts of the episode.

Inu x Boku SS - Episode 6

Karuta-chan <3

With this episode, the Karuta fanbase has most definitely skyrocketed. Riding the wave of Hanazawa Kana popularity, Karuta has been compared to characters like Tachibana Kanade and Gokō Ruri in terms of voice. The soft, yet moe, voice of these characters has already won over the hearts of countless viewers, and that number is continually increasing. I have to admit that I'm part of this group of fans and really enjoyed this Karuta-filled episode. Surprisingly, there was actually character development; I thought it'd just be an episode focused solely on showing how moe Karuta is.

Nisemonogatari - Episode 7

Sibling Love <3 (It's not incest...)

I felt the content of this episode catered to two different types of viewers, but at the same time, made the episode as a whole seem a bit split. Those who like their fair share of action got what they preferred in the first half courtesy of the shōnen-esque fight scene involving Koyomi and Karen. In the second half, viewers who like to indulge in complex but significant dialogue were treated with a great conversation between Hitagi - Koyomi included - and Deishū. Personally, I found the latter half to be much more intriguing although it may have been a tad bit long. As of late, I've slowly begun to appreciate dialogue-filled episodes of anime. I find trying to uncover potential hidden meanings behind a character's words to be enjoyable, even if I am unable to do so most of the time.

Amagami SS+ - Episode 7

Junichi's idea of a batsu gēmu

I admit that I'm not a big fan of Kaoru, but this episode certainly made her shine. To me, her relationship with Junichi is different from that of the other girls. Even after half a year of dating, they still seem like their just really close friends. The fact that Kaoru doesn't get embarrassed easily is probably what causes Junichi to be less cautious of their relationship and his actions around her. Sure, there was quite a lot of blushing in the episode, but the absence of "We stare at each other's red faces for 10 seconds" scenes was surprising.

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 6

Have fun, Kaito~

Okay, I honestly didn't expect things to get any more complicated than they already are. It's enough that Ichika and Kanna are fighting over Kaito, but to add another girl, no less a childhood friend, into the mix is pushing it. Poor Mio can't relax anymore either as she, too, finds herself in a difficult situation. However, even though it may seem like I wasn't satisfied with this episode, in reality, I actually loved it. What happened may be cliché, but it was still interesting, to say the least. I really enjoy the pacing of the story and I had a good laugh or two while watching the episode. Whether Kinoshita Kaori and Arisawa Chiharu are going to stay for the remaining six episodes or not still remains a mystery. One thing's for sure though, they have definitely impacted the lives of the other four.

Another - Episode 6

At least it's not a butcher knife...

Blogger's Note: My week of schooling hell has finally ended so now I can get back to watching anime. Up first is one of my favorites of the season: Another.

Character development, plot advancement, new mysteries, and an epic cliffhanger - how can an episode that contains all these things not be awesome. Once again, Another is able to deliver a spectacular episode that requires one to do some deep thinking. Characters like Chibiki and Kirika, who only showed up briefly before, get prolonged appearances in this episode. Chibiki's explanation of the whole mystery was helpful in answering some common questions. Kōichi's conversation with his father was, in my opinion, the most critical part of the episode. Wrapping everything up was that well-executed cliffhanger. The brief period where the teacher talked nonsense was perfect for giving the audience time to think about what was going to happen next. In-depth analysis coming up, so brace yourself for a wall of text - it'll be worth it!

Minor Delays

Reviews will most likely be delayed until Friday since I have a midterm tomorrow and assignments to work on. This delay affects the following:

• Another - Episode 6
• Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 6

Thank you for understanding~

Nisemonogatari - Episode 6

Gahara-san needs more screentime

Not much on the Deishū front as Koyomi goes around gathering information. Like always, the lengthy dialogues between him and the other characters, specifically Mayoi and Hitagi in this episode, may seem unorganized and random, but underneath it all lies an important meaning. Unfortunately, I was unable to get a lot out of it this time around. However, the visuals really caught my attention, namely the ones during Koyomi's conversation with Hitagi. Essentially, the episode could have been condensed down to the final few minutes in which Koyomi finds out Karen has ran away from the house, despite still suffering from a fever. Because of this slow pacing, I'm starting to wonder how Tsukihi's arc is going to be done. Assuming the Karen Bee arc is wrapped up in the next episode, that just leaves four episodes at most for Tsukihi. Then again, that sounds about right as the first three episodes of Nisemonogatari were just used for character (re)introductions.

Senki Zesshou Symphogear - Episode 5

Berserk Hibiki shows up again

Some interesting development for a show that I had thought of dropping. A new antagonist is introduced right off the bat, although her face isn't shown. An uninformative English phone call to what I presume to be a representative of America sets up the rest of the episode well. Surprisingly, the episode did not focus on the development of Hibiki. Instead, Ryōko's "other side" seems to be finally making its public appearance.

Inu x Boku SS - Episode 5

Now with even more loli!

As Kagerō would put it, this show is such an S! Sometimes, it makes me laugh until it hurts, while at others, the levels of moe makes my heart stop. On a more serious note, the infamous Kagerō makes his appearance this episode with a bang. To be honest, his voice threw me a off a bit; I didn't it expect it to be that deep. A voice with pitch that's a bit lower than Zange's was what I thought of, prior to hearing him talk.

Amagami SS+ - Episode 6

What a wonderful couple~

The Ai arc comes to an end on a heartwarming note. Everything was more or less predictable, and at times cheesy, but overall, I really enjoyed this arc; my favorite of the three, thus far. It's good to see Junichi actually taking the lead in the relationship (unlike with Tsukasa). Furthermore, I was surprised at how he didn't say/do anything perverted (I'll give him the benefit of the doubt regarding the love hotel incident) throughout the episode. At the conclusion of this arc, it starting to seem like the format for each arc is SS+ is going to consist of an episode with a problem followed by an episode where it's solved. Like I noted before, I personally would like for the events in the arcs to be less obvious.

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 5

Problem?

It turns out that the prologue isn't over yet. So with only seven episodes left, one may wonder whether or not the whole show is just going to be one long flashback up to the time when Ichika has to leave. But back to what happened in this episode, I thoroughly enjoyed the increased complication of the love polygon and Lemon's movie "script". To be honest, part of the reason why I'm continuing to watch this show is because of how amusing Lemon is. The way she effortlessly trolls the others is just amazing. Not to mention her analysis skills seem extremely sharp (it's as if she knows that Ichika is an alien). Ah, but let's not forget Rinon - my 2nd favorite character of the show. "It's" (I'm going to assume "genderless" here) actions during the non-serious portions of the show never fail to make me laugh.

Another - Episode 5

I'm starting to find Mei to be slightly moe

Blogger's Note: It's that time of the semester again, when assignments and midterms just keep on piling up. Reviews may (most likely will) be posted slowly. I'll catch up during my reading week (Feb. 20th - 24th). Until then, please bear with the delays and thank you for reading~

Lots of previous theories and speculations of mine went straight down the drain at the conclusion of this episode. Although the death scene in this episode was mediocre (I've read that it reminded someone of Death Note), the interesting and plot-advancing dialogue made up for it. Many questions were answered by Mei, which causes some suspicion to rise as to how she seemingly knows about everything that's going on. The direction of the story from here on out seems to now be much clearer. However, how Kōichi digests this new information may determine whether he and the rest of his classmates escape Class 3 alive.

Area no Kishi - Episode 5

Mind = Blown

This was more or less a introductory episode to the new arc. A bunch of new characters were introduced, along with the surprising appearance of Kōta. None of them are really interesting or memorable, aside from Araki Ryūichi. His relationship with Suguru, back when he was still fit, still remains a mystery. One flashback depicts them as seemingly good friends while another shows Suguru criticizing Ryūichi. But whatever the true nature of their relationship might have been, the reason why Ryūichi gave up on soccer, and in the process put on some weight, is apparently because of Suguru.

Nisemonogatari - Episode 5

Rest assured, there is no incest in this episode of Nisemonogatari

The Karen Bee arc progresses a bit further with this episode. Like always, it was a dialogue-heavy episode that requires one to pay close attention in order to fully understand it all. Karen's encounter with Deishū and her conversation with Koyomi were the focal points of this episode; it's about time she gets more screentime given that this is her arc. Nisemonogatari continues to get better and better, which is surprising since I didn't really like Bakemonogatari.

Inu x Boku SS - Episode 4

*nosebleed*

A flurry of new characters were introduced this episode. It followed Chapter 4 of the manga almost exactly so now I'm quite certain that the anime will end at Chapter 12. The new characters are colorful like always, some of them to the point where they're creepy (yes, I'm specifically referring to the two male maids). Although the events in this episode were mostly used for comedy, there was some development in terms of character relationships.

Amagami SS+ - Episode 5

Ai ♥

I'm feeling slightly depressed after watching this episode. I can't say I know exactly how Ai is feeling, but I'm certain that she must be in a lot of pain now. And for once, it is not fully Junichi's fault. Sure, his careless mistake of answering his cram school test questions on the incorrect row deserves a facepalm, but ultimately, the blame can be directed at the school itself for conveniently scheduling a training camp near Christmas Eve; it's like they intentionally did so to spite those who have plans. Nonetheless, I have hope that a happy ending is waiting for the two of them at the end of the road.

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 4

Lemon + Rinon = Win

Apparently, the past four episodes were just part of the prologue. Now the question is whether a good story can fit into the remaining eight episodes without any noticeable rushing. It doesn't sound like an easy task to do, especially considering that even 12 episodes are, at times, not enough for an anime to deliver a memorable story. But at the same time, the chances of the story being dragged on should be lower.

Area no Kishi - Episode 4

キラ☆キラ? o__o"

With the heart transplant giving Kakeru his brother's personality, I'm glad that there was at least an attempt to explain this unrealistic phenomenon. Although the justification for this strange happening was a bit farfetched, from the point of view of someone who is not experienced in medical practices, I can't say for sure that it is invalid. Aside from that questionable issue, I felt this episode worked well as a wrap-up for the "Suguru arc" (I refer to it as that since it seems like Kakeru has finally stopped dwelling on the past and his brother's death).