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Anime On Something

On Anime: Summer 2020 Season

I never got around to posting about what shows I checked out during this latest TV season, but I did do a Twitter thread about it, that I figure I’ll adapt as a post here. It’s getting more and more difficult to do a “start of season” post these days though, as a lot of these series that I’m watching are coming via Netflix, which just releases them whenever they feel like it.

Japan Sinks 2020

Japan Sinks 2020 is one of those new Netflix series, and having watched it all I can say that I enjoyed it quite a bit. The opening credits sequence is a delight, and I really loved the pacing and overall mood of the show. Basically, a huge earthquake hits Japan, and it explores the aftermath. This was directed by Masaaki Yuasa, and it then got me to go and get caught up on all of the movies and series that’s he’s been producing in recent years, that I’ve been chronicling in this Twitter thread.

Based on the first episode, Deca-Dence takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting where humans are holding up in a moving fortress, to defend against the appearance of giant (and not so giant) monsters. My feeling was that I could go either way on this one, with the first episode being decent, and I was planning on giving it 1-2 more episodes. Well, I bounced off quickly, as I didn’t like the swerve it took in episode 2 (it’s a virtual game that weird cartoony bots/creatures are playing).

Dorohedoro

Dorohedoro aired in Japan late last year, but popped up on Netflix recently. I’ve watched the first few episodes and like it. It’s set in a weird post-apocalyptic world with forms of magic that deforms some people. I like the animation style — and it’s gory as fuck.

Great Pretender

Great Pretender gets bonus points for its Lupin-like opening theme song. It’s about a Japanese grifter who in the first arc (of five episodes) finds himself in LA. It’s a very Lupin-like mix of humour and action, which is right up my alley (considering how big a fan I am of Lupin in general). I’m more than halfway through this first season, and I know that there are more episodes coming later this year. Again, it’s one of those Netflix series.

The only other series I wanted to watch this season was the return of The Millionaire Detective Balance: Unlimited, which was put on hiatus last season after only two episodes due to COVID. I like this show (it’s still airing new episodes), and episode 4 was especially fun.

Categories
Anime Film

Spring 2017 Anime Season

Looking at the lineup for the Spring 2017 season of anime, I gotta say there’s nothing much that seems to be for me — even less than the winding down Winter 2017 season (the only series that really grabbed me this season was Onihei).

Of all the regular series debuting, the only ones I’m interested in watching are GranBlue Fantasy The Animation, which I though was starting during the Winter season, but they just released the first 2 episodes, with the series proper starting next month, and Atom: The Beginning, a prequel series to Astroboy. I am very happy to see that on the OVA front we’re getting a sequel to the Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderboltthe first series was really fantastic, with super slick animation, and a jazz-heavy soundtrack. On the movie front, there’s of course Masaaki Yuasa’s Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome and Yoake Tsugeru Lu no Uta, as well as the Blame movie, and maybe also Biohazard: Vendetta.

Categories
Anime Film

Lu Over the Wall

I was so excited when I found out that we were getting a new film directed by Masaaki Yuasa this spring (Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome), and now there’s the news that, by the way, he has yet another movie coming out this spring. Here’s the trailer for Lu Over the Wall, which comes off as a an acid-like take on Ghibli’s Ponyo (although Ponyo itself is pretty acid-like in its own way). You’ll find more details in this Cartoon Brew post.

Categories
Anime Film

Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome

There’s a trailer out for Masaaki Yuasa’s next film, Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome, and it’s a visual treat. I cannot wait to watch this. The film comes out in theaters in Japan next April.

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Debaser Uncategorized

Ping Pong The Animation

Last month marked the start of a new season for anime, and the series I was most excited to check out was a new animated adaptation of Taiyo Matsumoto’s Ping Pong. So far, 4 episodes in, I’m truly enjoying it. I should mention that it’s not the prettiest show out there – the animation style is actually crude and fairly ugly, which I get is a nod to Matsumoto’s illustration style, but as we saw with the Tekkon Kinkreet film, it can be done to look more beautiful. But what shines here is the construction of the scenes – brilliantly directed by Masaaki Yuasa – and the characters. It’s been a while since I’ve watched an anime series in which I really can’t wait to watch the next episode.