by Rody » Tue Dec 05, 2017 11:50 pm
^ I thought Soul Eater was quite good, for at least the first half. Later it gets kind of mediocre (which I guess is what happens when one catches up to the source material and has to make do).
With Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond currently airing, I decided to revisit the first season, as well as Kyousougiga, another show by the same director. Both titles are still loads of fun, exploding with energy and heart. Neither show slows down much, so following everything about the plot can be hard the first time through; but it's worth it for the sheer ride both shows are.
Now to catch up on Beyond...
In other catch-up news, I've started Girls' Last Tour and The Ancient Magus' Bride from this season, and am working my way up to current episodes. Girls' Last Tour is a curious title: a post-apocalyptic road tale that's surprisingly cute (if somewhat melancholy) and pleasantly reflective. It's a good program to relax to, for the most part. The Ancient Magus' Bride is shaping up to be pretty heartwarming, too, but not without its moments of intensity. This is a curious take on a "beauty and the beast" setup, with tons of world-building and an intriguing main cast. It's quite good so far and I'm looking forward to seeing were it goes.
I still need to start Mr. Osomatsu season 2 and Kino's Journey.
I just finished Gatchaman Crowds Insight, the sequel to Gatchaman Crowds, which I was watching earlier this year. The first season was a good show, overall, with some interesting commentary on heroes and current societal trends; but Insight takes all the elements and does them even better, with an even more poignant message about society. Much like the first season, there's a bait-and-switch method to the antagonist(s) of the story, which gets even more twisted here when the real enemy is one harder to "defeat" than any other before. Hajime is as lovable and insightful (ha,ha) as ever; and joining the Gatchamen is newcomer Tsubasa, who contrasts Hajime remarkably. Where Hajime can appear appear ridiculously upbeat and savvy, Tsubasa can be shockingly naive and impulsive. Watching her character over the course of the show is equal parts frustrating and rewarding - but ultimately rewarding.
I thought Gatchaman Crowds was a good show worth watching after the first season; after Insight, I believe it is a great show that should be watched. I'm seriously impressed with this one, and would recommend it highly.
I'm also finishing up season two of Sound! Euphonium, and finally, finally watching two other major Kyoto Animation titles: K-On! and Hyouka. Euphonium isn't quite as strong as the first season, but it's still a very good show overall. The voice acting is especially good in this show, amidst the consistently excellent art & animation. K-On! is pretty cute and silly so far, and Hyouka is quite intriguing in an oddly pleasant way. I must say, it's interesting watching these three titles concurrently. All three have impressive production values (as expected of KyoAni), and are unmistakably products of the studio with their iconic moe-ish designs; yet each show looks and feels quite different from the other. It's neat to see how KyoAni continues to shape their style for each new show, polishing their products and modifying where appropriate to fit the story best. KyoAni is just a great studio.