Am back. Sort of. I’m currently in that state of limbo between moving from my old place to my new place. But in between carrying big boxes, arranging new broadband and getting a TV license (yes, we need a license to watch TV in the UK), I have found time to catch up on shows though, because I’m that kind of cool person…or at least I try to be…
Starting with Hinamatsuri. My criticism of this show has been like a broken record now, but I only do it because this is the kind of comedy anime I’m not too familiar with. Of course that isn’t to say that I’m not enjoying it.
Both episodes 9 and 10 see Hina, Nitta and the two best girls (Hitomi and Anzu) carry on living and working together in Tokyo’s streets. Going back to my previous point on unfamiliar shows; Hinamatsuri is a very mature show. If you read this column, you’ll know that I’ve had issues with Hitomi being blackmailed into becoming a bartender for a Yakuza bar, and Anzu forced to become homeless. Of course we are never meant to take any anime show seriously (as a former butthurt weeb, I speak from experience), but shows like Hinamatsuri that have tested that resolve of mine. With its emphasis away from Hina’s psychic powers and more focused on the ‘family/friend unit’ of Hina, Nitta, Hitomi, Utako, Anzu and co, we get concerned about the trials and tribulations of these kids. We laugh at the long-suffering Hitomi being overworked and roped into doing ridiculous things for a girl her age, and cry rivers when we see Anzu be saved from a life of homelessness (which no child should have), and of course these can all count as traits for a good show. I suppose it’s just me and my trash taste in shows.
Speaking of trash shows, Darling in the Franxx returns after what they called a ‘special episode’. I didn’t bother to watch this ‘special episode’ so I have no idea what it’s about, aside from the fact that it concerns what goes on behind-the-scenes in the making of the show. Perhaps the scriptwriters are just picking ideas (that originally came from other shows) out of a hat at this point, because at episode 20, this might as well be Evangelion dressed up as a Trigger show.
After having drilled down into the Klaxo lair, Strellzia (Hiro and Zero Two) are sent to connect a spear (that is very reminiscent of the Spear of Longinus) to it. Why isn’t really made clear, but the tsundere Klaxo princess catches wind of APE’s plans and takes control of Hiro, awakening the lair to attack the orbiting members of APE. Despite having taken control of Hiro and casting Zero Two aside like some discarded relic, I feel a lot more sympathy for the princess now, after it’s revealed that APE have been in fact controlled by alien invaders.
Wow, lesse…Shock plot twist: check. So-called good guys revealed as the true enemy: check. Fighting in space: check. It’s almost like Trigger can’t think of any other way to end their own shows. Both Kill La Kill and Little Witch Academia saw final battles in space, and Kill la Kill saw Ryuko, Satsuki and Nudist Beach fighting the alien invaders and enemies of fashion.
And as for the rest of Squad 13?
Well, they’re too busy fighting on the ground, separate from Strellzia, but after this reveal, and last week’s plan to cut ties from the adults for good, I’m not really too fussed on what will happen to them anymore. Maybe my house move has something to do with my mood regarding Darlifra, but I just want this all to end now.
Well, Uma Musume Pretty Derby will be ending early, at least, and while I haven’t really understood why the fans love the show so much, that hasn’t stopped me from chuckling at all the jokes.
Episode 11 saw Silence Suzuka’s comeback race. A lot of time has apparently passed since her injury; 13 months. And it only seems like 5 or 6 episodes ago. This was her episode, despite the fact that Broye, the bane of El Condor Pasa when she went to race in France, has unexpectedly arrived to race in the Japan Cup with Special Week. She is being portrayed as the cocky antagonist who is the ‘outsider’. And so Episode 12 saw the Japan Cup in earnest…
…but this episode felt like the finale episode. Special Week finally racing in the Japan Cup and representing her country alongside the super-strong and super-cocky Broye. Again, like the episode before it, it didn’t have much in the way of extensive story. Our focus and attention is on Special Week, and us hoping that she wins.
It was only later that I realised that this race is a mirror of the real 1999 Japan Cup in which the real Special Week horse ran in; I have Reddit to thank for this. I have to admit that P.A Works have done a rather remarkable thing here in Uma Musume Pretty Derby. These horse girls are named after real Japanese thoroughbred racing horses and their races are reflections of real-life horse races, and yet even though we can turn to Google or Wikipedia to find out who actually won these races, each episode is made exciting and each race is made suspenseful to watch. I suppose we then remember that a gatcha video game is to be made of this, and thus a whole new franchise (with doujin, figures, etc. to come) is born.
Because I had a lot of past episodes to catch up on, and am still busy with my house move, I have decided to save my episodic reviews of Princess Principal for another time. Meanwhile, I’ve already picked the shows I’m going to be watching for OASG this summer (alongside Serial Experiments Lain), and none of the big franchises are among them. No FLCL or Banana Fish either; I’ll leave that to some of the others here – I’m pretty sure Justin will at least want to check Banana Fish out. And I will not be reviewing the weird Yakuza sex reassignment show either. Just…no… I’ll have a preview post at the end of this month to reveal all. Also, as the much hyped Maquia: When The Promised Flower Blooms movie by Mari Okada releases sort of early here in the UK and Ireland (June. 27), I’ll be writing up a spoiler-free review of that for OASG (I know it doesn’t arrive in NA until mid-July).
This season is ending soon, so what shows have pleased you? What shows have made you want to cry? What are you looking forward to the most in the summer season? Feel free to air your opinions in the comments below…