Rottcodd

And yes - caught up.

I think uni guy called it - they’re going to hold hands at the festival.

And I’m not going to be surprised if Harima does tag along, so we can get that thing sort of like progress that we get from her and Kirishima. There’s definitely something there, but they’re so mutually antagonistic that they’re actually likely going to move even more slowly than Nayu and Hikiochi.

Nayu and Hikiochi is a strange thing. Because that’s what they learned first, they still refer to each other by their given names inside of their own heads, but they had to work so hard just to be able to call each other by their family names out loud without being crippled by embarrassment. It just makes for such an odd contrast.

And speaking of odd contrast, though they aren’t relevant, I really want to mention Mase and Okute, who might just be the most interesting characters in the entire series. I have no idea what possessed the author to introduce a pair of cynical, world-weary elementary schoolers to inadvertently provide the mains with love advice, but it was brilliant, and just that much more so because it doesn’t seem like there’s any way it could work, but it does. And it’s just that much more interesting because even with only a few appearances, they’re already multilayered characters. Mase comes across as so cynical and so jaded, but then she lets down her guard a bit and you can see that she’s actually a romantic. And meanwhile Okute tries to act as the proper voice of reason, but then we get these little flashes of a cunning maneater underneath that innocent facade. That’s masterful writing.

And broadly, that’s speaks to the real secret behind this series. It is a great concept - basically we get literal audience surrogates (and not just in the main three - like on their cafe date, pretty much the entire cafe was watching them) - but the thing that really sells this is that it’s just extraordinarily well-written. I mean - it took them 21 chapters just to actually work up the courage to talk to each other, and the moment it happened felt like one of the biggest romantic events I’ve ever seen. That’s masterful writing again.

This festival is going to be so good…

I still haven’t quite caught up to this - I just read the fireworks chapters about an hour ago, then had to take a break to get my blood sugar levels back down.

This is such an amazing series.

They are Still Being Shaken This Morning

Halfway through chapter 1 and I already adore this series.

Sort of an overt version of the busdriver in Bus For Two - he’s extremely subtle, but you can tell he knows exactly what’s happening.

It reminds me of an anecdote - one of those perfect little fleeting experiences. I was walking down a mall on a Saturday afternoon, on a break from my job, when I noticed a boy and girl - both about 14 or so - sitting side by side on a bench. And she was radiating “kiss me” so strongly that I swear I could feel it from halfway across the mall. And meanwhile he was just sitting there with his hands clenched between his knees and a panicky look on his face, peering around everywhere but at her. And I sort of chuckled to myself and walked on. And then this guy fell into step beside me, and when I looked at him, he gestured back at them and said, “I remember when I was that stupid too.” I laughed and said, “Yeah - you and me both,” and we went our separate ways.

I’m looking forward to lots of that - thanks for the link. And I haven’t even checked out any of the others yet…

And with that, this moved up to become my favorite of the season.

And an appropriate send-off.

That last scene between Rui and Seiichi was hilarious. And perfectly placed genre-savviness.

Overall, this was good. It was sort of hit or miss, but when it hit, it was great. And I never got tired of the art style (though admittedly in large part because it reminded me so much of Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop).

Already finished, might be my number one: An Observation Log of My Fiancée Who Calls Herself a Villainess Sweet and funny and goofy and charming and a pure pleasure from start to finish. Bertia is easily my favorite character of the season.

Not finished but might end up my number one: My Ribdiculous Reincarnation (and that’s the first time I’ve actually written out that godawful localized title and will also be the last) Bizarre and hilarious and stylistically unique. Went from having no recognizable plot to speak of to having a “fate of the universe(s) hangs in the balance” plot and the final episode is potentially going to be epic, silly, charming, stupid and laugh-out-loud funny, all at the same time.

Not finished but has an outside chance to end up my number one: The Ramparts of Ice - very impressive look at miscommunication that worked by regularly switching the point of view between the four main characters, so we got to see first hand the (often significant) differences between the ways that different characters saw each other and the things that happened between them. The only problem is that there seems to be far too much story still left for this final episode to be really momentous.

Not finished but has an even more outside chance to end up my number one - Even a Replica Can Fall in Love Intriguing and original, and with a demonstrated history of going along seemingly relatively sedately for a few episodes, then hitting us with an astonishing gut punch (and in fact the second time they did that - I can still see the scene in my mind’s eye, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it - it was that impressive). It’s now been going along for the last few episodes relatively sedately, so there’s no telling what might happen in this last episode.

Seems like it might end up my number one, but I dropped it right at the beginning of the season so I could binge it later so I don’t know yet: Witch Hat Atelier

Notable but not in the running for number one: Nippon Sangoku and Needy Girl Overdose Both creative and interesting and generally well done, but with too many flaws to make the top of the list.

I think I’m going to have to watch this all the way through again at some point, because it strikes me that the pacing issues that bothered me earlier in the series are pretty much gone at this point. This episode in particular, though it covered some really significant and emotionally charged events, kept to a good pace pretty much all the way through.

I suspect that watched straight through and taken as a whole, the middle parts, where the pacing seemed to switch back and forth from slow to fast too erratically, might actually fit in as a transition between the relatively slow beginning and the much faster paced ending.

Hanasaku Iroha is wonderful.

Surprisingly low key episode, and I was okay with that. I’ve never been much of a fan of weddings, either real or fictional - they’re sort of boring for anyone who’s not directly involved. But it was just nice to watch Bertia’s dreams come true.

I really enjoyed this overall. It didn’t push any boundaries or anything, but it was solidly entertaining all the way through, and Cecil and Bertia (and especially Bertia) were charming characters.

And I’m still vaguely hoping to see an account of Heronia in exile, redeeming herself and reuniting with Pii-chan.

It’s almost as if there’s been too much progress lately, so the entire main cast took a giant step back.

Is this…? (off to do a web search…)

Yes! It’s the one with Remilia and Emi. Oh I’m looking forward to this one.

I think I see a promising hint of a good ending in that other character’s (whose name I forget) bland assumption that they’re doppelgangers, and his seeming willingness to reveal what he knows, but only later, apparently when they have an opportunity to give it full attention. Particularly in light of the fact that Ryo’s grandparents knew that she was a replica.

And Sunao coming out of her shell is potentially good news not just for her, but for Nao.

There might just be a way for replicas to live their own lives…

I still don’t know where this is headed, but it’s more clear than ever that it’s headed somewhere, and that it’s likely going to somehow be truly monumental and ridiculously silly at the same time.

That aside, I could’ve watched this episode just for the Goddess’s reaction to the harem alone.

Poem the transdimensional tsukkomi…

And Mama Po was awesome as always. It’s like her superpower is embarrassing Poem, and she does it with pinpoint accuracy.

Looks like we’re setting up for huge events at the prom, and I’m looking forward to it.

Chokki-chan’s rival is here.

As has happened before, I found myself picking up more and more series over the past half dozen or so seasons, until it reached the point that I was invested in too many of them, and disappointed by too many of them this past season, and ended up dropping most of them (though I’m still planning on binging some of those sooner or later).

So this coming season?

The only thing I plan on definitely watching from week 1 is You and I Are Polar Opposites S2. Season 1 was brilliant, and (I already read the manga) season 2 might just be even better.

I’m sorely tempted to follow S3 of Mushoku Tensei - I really enjoyed the first two seasons, in spite of Rudeus, and there have been enough broad hints of things to come that I’m looking forward to seeing it. But even if I wasn’t facing burnout, that’s the sort of thing I’d tend to prefer to binge, so probably not.

Ghost in the Shell. I mean - a GitS reboot by Science SARU? That’s like a dream come true. But again, it’s the sort of thing I likely would’ve preferred to binge anyway, so…

Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia - Science SARU historical epic equals absolute must watch - yet again, the only question is whether I’ll try to follow it or wait and binge it, and yet again, it’s the sort of thing I likely would’ve preferred to binge anyway.

Possibly Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You. I mostly enjoyed the mini-episodes (Sasaki’s recurring blithering panic got a bit tedious), and it’s relatively low key, so I’ll undoubtedly try the first episode and see.

Things I’ll at least sample:

I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day - I can’t deny the appeal of what looks to basically be Gunslinger Girls plus mystery plus GL.

Sparks of Tomorrow - the broad plot outline only seems somewhat interesting, but I’m intrigued by the idea of a KyoAni historical epic set in the middle of the Meiji era.

World is Dancing - fictionalized 14th century history of the creation of Noh? I love that idea. Depends on the execution.

Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. S2 - actually, I’ll have to go back to season 1, since I didn’t see it, but I’m intrigued. I might just do that this afternoon in fact.

And… that’s about it. If this goes anything like past seasons, I’ll stumble across things as the season goes on, or notice that something that didn’t look promising is getting much more attention than it seems it should deserve, and at least watch the first episodes of those, but for now…

Exactly. And meanwhile, the OP is on Reddit, where we’re not.

It’s sort of like going to a restaurant and being served a picture of some food from some other restaurant.

Good riddance.

The whole idea of reposting Reddit content here has always been stupid and toxic. It’s never going to get any meaningful engagement, so it’s just a waste of server space at best.

Fate/Stay Night - couldn’t say - it’s never interested me. Note that it’s not “forgotten” by any stretch of the imagination.

Mushishi - very, very good. And entirely the opposite of “forgotten” - hardly a week goes by that I don’t see it mentioned in some context.

xxxHOLiC - Clamp. I can sort of see what I guess the appeal must be, but have no interest in investing the necessary time and effort.

Negima reboot - important to stipulate “reboot,” since the first series was ridiculously awful - like they actually went out of their way to try to make it as bad as possible awful. The second series is okay. The manga’s better.

Witch Hunter Robin - I’ve bounced off of it three times now. It looks intriguing, but for some reason…

Hellsing Ultimate - I prefer the original.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles - Clamp^2

All in all, a pretty awful list. Here’s a better one, just off the top of my head:

• Scrapped Princess
• Casshern Sins
• Trinity Blood
• Now and Then, Here and There
• Ghost Hound
• Solty Rei
• Last Exile

A solid and satisfying ending to a great anime.

I love this feeling - it’s like the moment when a tightrope walker steps off onto the platform at the other end.

And Scarlet is easily one of the best characters of the year.