If you can imagine adding magic and checkpoints to Groundhog Day, Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu will probably be the end result.

What’s it about? In two sentences: Natsuki Subaru, an average teenager, is summoned to a fantasy world facing a crisis. Moreover, he has acquired an ability that allows him to “respawn” at certain checkpoints if he is killed, which comes in handy as he is slowly learns about the world, its people, and of course, his role in it all.

There’s been a significant amount of excitement over the show, and indeed, it has an interesting premise and a relatively strong plot.

But of course, the question is, is it worth the hype? (Or really, should you watch it?)

Well, if you continue reading, I’ll discuss that. In the meantime, SPOILER ALERT.

To clear up any confusion: the world of Re:Zero is facing a crisis when Subaru, the main character, enters the scene. The entire royal dynasty of Lugunica, the country Subaru finds himself in, has just been wiped out, and as such, is lacking any possible heirs. Not only that, the process for picking a new ruler is complicated and arduous. Subaru finds himself getting wrapped up in all the intricate politics almost immediately, and in this backdrop, the story begins.

On to my thoughts.

The good

The show begins with a simple idea, really. What would it be like if people actually died and respawned like they do in video games? And the show illustrates what would happen rather well, with the protagonist actually suffering trauma from his multiple deaths, quite unlike the mundane reaction from a computer game death.

The world of Re:Zero is vast and rich and although the plot only provides a smattering of its history and culture here and there, it is enough to suggest that the world, and its global problems, are far from mundane. And no matter how Subaru tries, he will be dragged through every possible problem as the story plays out.

While the story mainly focuses on Subaru and his immediate circle of allies, the show managed to develop minor characters too, which made the plot richer. Given that there have only been 20 episodes (at the time of this writing), I think that the studio managed to pull off a feat in depicting such a vast world, both in history and social structure, in such a short amount of time.

On the subject of art, music and animation, White Fox has no major problems. The animation was smooth, the everything was drawn well and the music was well done. The camera angles, too, helped with conveying emotion.

Now on to some problems I found with the show.

The bad

In general, Re:Zero focuses a lot on characters and their development.

And boy, do some of those characters need some development.

I’m not saying that the writers slacked off in their development. What I am saying, however, is that some of those characters need to grow up.

Let’s begin with the main character: Subaru. To be blunt: he’s an idiot. Throughout the plot, he bumbles around, acting the fool. From being a self-absorbed narcissist to a gleeful idiot and then a PTSD patient in the course of three episodes, watching Re:Zero is a roller coaster ride in emotions. And honestly, after all the childish and idiotic displays episode after episode, I found it hard to sympathise with him when the show finally came around to portraying his serious side. By then, it seemed like his outpouring of tears was more a result of a bipolar disorder than an actual cry for help, seeing that right after his outpouring, he went straight back to being lighthearted and jovial.

And then there’s his sidekick, Rem. For a person claiming to have given up her inferiority complex mentality, she really doesn’t show it. Initially, her sole purpose was to aid her prodigious older sister, but after Subaru intervened and told her to stop looking down on herself, she decides to stop obsessing over her sister—instead, she begins to obsess over Subaru. And really, when I say obsession, I mean slavish devotion—but hey, he did save her life that one time, right? Never mind that it was he who got her in that bind in the first place, since the end justifies the means. Right?

But if you don’t mind protagonists with screws loose, you’ll survive to enjoy the show’s better points.

Some more good (because who wants to end on a bad note?)

Even idiots get redeemed at some point, and eventually, Subaru gets there too. I mean, he still acts like an idiot, but there’s a method to his madness after he gets over himself and realises that this fantasy world wasn’t created for his entertainment, like all those video games he played. He becomes more bearable after that, and even, at some points, intelligent.

Concluding thoughts

At the time of this writing, 80% of the show has been completed. There are only five episodes left. And the show did not feel like it was anywhere near completion at 80%. So unless there’s some amazing ending that makes one sit in stunned silence for ten minutes after the show is over, I’d hazard to say that there’s a second season planned. Just a heads up. Or more like a hunch.

I don’t think that I can give a complete, evaluation of the show until it’s completely done, so I think that I’ll have to sort of sit on a fence with my verdict. In all, I would recommend the show, but if you can’t stand watching idiotic characters, then maybe not. Main cast aside, the entire setting is fascinating enough that I plan on finishing the show.

So here’s the verdict on the unfinished show: 7/10.

Informações Gerais:

Episódios: 11

Temporada(s): 1

Status: Terminado

Estréia: Verão 2014

Gênero: Thriller Psicológico

Classificação: 17+

MyScore: ★★★★☆

ATENÇÃO ESSE POST PODE CONTER SPOILERS!

Teremos review de anime sim! Pra quem não sabe, sou uma grande fã de animes e adoro dar minha opinião sobre eles (mesmo que ninguém tenha pedido). Vejo de (quase) todos os tipos e tento estar sempre acompanhando os lançamentos, que são muitos por sinal.

“Nossa Laysa, mas você vai falar de um anime de dois anos atrás?” Sim, e vocês vão perceber que vou estar sempre fazendo posts sobre animes antigos, mas isso tem um propósito: ajudar quem não tem costume de ver encontrar seu estilo favorito! Acabando com a enrolação, vamos ao anime.

Por ser curto e ter apenas uma temporada acabei terminando em apenas um dia, isso fez com que experimentasse todos os autos e baixos sem pausa pra respirar. E, sendo sincera, o que me prendeu foi com certeza a curiosidade de saber mais sobre a origem de Nine e Twelve (os dois garotos principais). Os dois estudantes são na verdade temidos terroristas que estão pouco a pouco desenvolvendo um grande plano que abrange desde charadas (muito bem pensadas por sinal) até bombas atômicas. Tudo ia bem até que Twelve esbarra numa menina em um de seus ataques. A menina, Lisa, sofre (aparentemente) de depressão graças ao bullying frequente e problemas de família (que não são muito explorados, então só me resta generalizar). Nine dá a garota apenas uma escolha: ser cúmplice do atentado ou morrer, Lisa escolhe ser cúmplice.

Mais tarde, Twelve volta a se encontrar com a garota que estava fugindo de sua mãe maluca. Lisa que estava muito doente é levada para o esconderijo dos garotos e os três ficam juntos dai em diante.

O anime envolve muito mistério e pensamento, no fim descobrimos que o objetivo dos dois nunca foi matar pessoas mas sim chamar atenção. Isso mesmo, chamar atenção, serem reconhecidos. Mesmo com um grande detetive, Shibazaki, desvendando todas as charadas, não foi possível impedir que uma bomba atômica fosse lançada nos últimos episódios.

O mesmo detetive também descobre que ambos eram objetos de um grande experimento que visava criar “supercrianças” mas acabou sem resultados concretos. Quem acompanha os animes de temporada deve notar semelhanças com Kiznaiver, como eu notei.

Ambos os personagens principais acabam morrendo no fim (fiquei arrasada sim) mesmo já tendo se rendido e parado após a bomba final. Shibazaki descobre que a palavra pela qual eles eram conhecidos, sua ‘marca’, VON era na verdade esperança em islandês.

É muito difícil não se sentir preso a teia de mistérios que vão surgindo e mexe mesmo com qualquer psicológico. Os criadores souberam como utilizar tramas da vida real de forma mais profunda e complexa.

Considerações finais, é muito bem desenvolvido e não necessita de outra temporada. Não tem momentos “comédia” o que te deixa tenso na maior parte do tempo. Não consegui me apegar a  nenhum personagem mas todo conjunto merece uma nota maior que 10. Dei quatro estrelas porque sou louca e adoro sofrer, queria outra temporada.

É isso por hoje, desculpem sumir tanto, prometo tentar postar mais. (ﾉ･ｪ･)ﾉ

Yuzuyu, Aishiteruze Baby, Vl. 2

Read how to make it right here. 

We have two spoilers for Bleach. 1st we start with the big announcement a look at the issue with Shonen has a live action film in the works for the series. A lot of Shonen titles have been doing this with either a play or live action movie. The other has a link on the page where you can look to see the spoiler for the last chapter of the series. I am warning you now it is a spoiler from crunchyroll.com to a site where they have posted it up quickly on how it comes to an end. You have been warned.

Article:http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2016/08/17/bleach-to-announce-plans-for-live-action-movie

As always thank you for reading.

I think all of us in the anime community have taken part in the discussion of which anime world would you want to live in at least once. It is always a fun topic to talk about. Also, you get to understand someone better when you learn about their ideal world.

However, with the upcoming US election and the media going nuts over Donald Trump I realized something. People are worried that he might become president, but there is one anime world where that could never happen. In fact, there is a world in anime that is my idea of utopia.

Disboard, from No Game No Life.

Think about it, it is a world with no violence or crime and is ruled by the outcome of games. You can get into a position of power by winning games. Heck, you could become God if you beat him! It is a world where the only limit is your affinity for games.Thing is, to be good at games you need to be a strategic thinker.

Basically, you have to be somewhat intelligent. Perhaps not geniuses like protagonists Sora and Shiro, but have sharp enough to outwit your opponents. So, what does this mean for Trump?

I think a lot of us can agree that the guy is a total idiot. He is just a bloated egomaniac.He is the bully in the playground who gets away with being an ass because his dad has money. . Do you think a person with any working brain cells would say that building a wall will solve immigration? For a guy obsessed with China, he fails to remember that the wall only served to bait the Mongolians to attack them more. I still laugh at fart jokes, yet I think I am more mature than he is

My vote goes to these two

Idiots like Trump simply would not be able to win enough games to get into any powerful position in Disboard. After all, in Disboard your intelligence is your most valuable asset. Sure, you might be born into money and power, but if you are reckless (like Trump) you will lose it fast.

Who would you rather lead your country, two intelligent individuals who give it their all and have bested God himself, or a guy that bankrupted his companies no less than six times and says nonsense such as “It’s freezing and snowing in New York – we need global warming!”?

As a bonus, Disboard has Angels, Elves, Nekos and magic. Hand down, Disboard wins.

#makedisboardgreatagain

So yeah

All my things are pack, I have like 20 boxes or so. 

I spent all my day with my best friend. It was grand. I think we had like… 2 or 3 days like this together all summer even if I was living at her house. I’ve seen more often my friend who has 2 jobs than her. 

Anyway, tomorrow is the big day, so better go to bed soon. 

Oh, and I finished to watch Evangelion. Goddamn it was so

So

Freaking

So

Good

And now I’m watching Gakkan Shojou Nozaki Kun. 

I’m impressed that I could remember a title that long. 

Keep making the world beautiful,

Roszi 

Didn’t know what to put as a featured image so here’s a nice pic of evangelion (yes I’m in a post anime depression) 

Greetings readers, and welcome to another Christianity v. Anime! Today we will be exploring Serial Experiments Lain, and what it says, among its many complexities, about the nature of God. Just be warned that there will be heavy SPOILERS, if you have not yet seen this anime. Let’s not hesitate any longer and jump right in!

Why Christianity v. Anime?

For anyone who missed my previous Christianity v. Anime post, which I encourage you to check out if you enjoy reading this article, here is a quick catch up to why I am writing this. Japan is one of the most secular countries in the world, yet a lot of traditions and attitudes are rooted in religion. Christianity has an interesting backstory in Japan (which I encourage you to look up), and does have a presence, albeit minor, in the modern day Japan. As such, anime provides a useful tool for examining the attitudes of the Japanese towards Christianity. I desire to search out these insights, and see what I can glean from various anime that deal with Christian elements. Serial Experiments Lain is an anime that deals primarily with the relations between man and technology. However, sprinkled in there, it raises some questions about religion, most notably what makes someone or something a god. This is further made interesting by what the main “deity” character of Masami Eiri claims makes him a god. There are two things he claims that apparently make him a god, and we will compare these to the nature of the one true God. A summary is provided below if you need a quick refresher as to the premise of the series. If you have not done so, be sure to check out our review of Serial Experiments Lain.

Summary: Lain Iwakura appears to be an ordinary girl, with almost no experience with computers. Yet the sudden suicide of a schoolmate, and a number of strange occurrences, conspire to pull Lain into the world of the Wired, where she gradually learns that nothing is what it seems to be… not even Lain herself. -Anime News Network

Who is God?

The question above is first asked by Eiri, ironically enough, when he asks Lain in episode 8, “What is your definition of God?” The interesting thing is that as humans, from a theistic viewpoint, we do not get to decide that. God reveals Himself to us through two sources of revelation: special (which is the Bible) and general (study of creation aka nature). Therefore, we only know as much about God as He allows us. Now in episode 8, Eiri mentions two possible definitions of God, one as the creator of the world and one as someone who is omnipresent. Eiri is not the creator of the Wired, so he does not fit the first definition he proposes. The Christian God truly is the creator by contrast, as told in Genesis 1: 1-31. The second Eiri does fit, as he is omnipresent within the Wired. The word “omnipresent” is defined as “present everywhere at the same time” by Dictionary.com. This is also true of the Christian God, though this expands beyond just space for God in that He also exists throughout all of time. The Bible confirms this in Jeremiah 23: 23-24 when God Himself announces, “‘Am I only a God nearby,’ declares the LORD, ‘and not a God far away? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?’ declares the LORD. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the LORD (NIV).” Now obviously, the nature of God is completely beyond human understanding, so we will limit our discussion to Eiri’s claims. Other classical attributes assigned to God include omniscient (all-knowing, supported by Romans 11:33) and omnipotent (all-powerful, supported by Job 37:23). Do note that what makes Lain a goddess of the Wired is her omnipotence over it. 

The Internet Idol

There is one other fact that Eiri claims makes him a god. It is the very fact that he has worshipers, specifically the Knights of the Eastern Calculus. This claim ties very closely to the themes of Serial Experiments Lain, and is actually an accurate claim. Before we explore that further, let us see how this compares to Christianity’s God. The very truth, and a hard one to swallow, is that God really does not need us humans. He does not need worshipers to maintain His existence or to justify Himself as God. God still calls us to worship as a sign of love to Him. Humans exist because God decided to create us, as an act of love. So if our worshiping of God does not make God who He is, how is Eiri correct? Well, this creation of a god comes from the worship of idols. Now, the mention of idols are a very common thing in the Bible, most notably the Second Commandment forbidding the worship of idols (Exodus 20:4-6). Idolatry is the act of believing something as more valuable than God, or as more worthy of your love than God. So therefore, the idol becomes a god. This is very common in the Bible, including among God’s chosen people. One such example is the story of the golden calf as recounted in Exodus 32: 1-35. A common idol nowadays is often money, something Jesus specifically warns about saying, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24).” All this put together, Eiri is clearly nothing more than idol, having no more real power than the golden calf.

This ties nicely with the warnings in Serial Experiments Lain about becoming too caught up in technology. The Wired, the overall net that represents technology, is shown to be more dangerous than anything, and while many in the show believe it is above or of more value than reality, Lain dispels this rumor. The Wired is nothing more than a tool, just like any other gadget. As one can see, the Wired, and technology, had become an idol to people. This is very much reflected in modern society, especially here and now in the smart phone age, where your life on the Internet can become an idol too.

Conclusion

Thank you for taking the time to read. What are your thoughts on what I’ve written? I would love to hear any feedback, or any challenge to my assertions. Also, I will also link some of my previous Christianity v. Anime posts below, if you would like to read them. Thank you!

Christianity v. Anime: Sunday Without God

Christianity v. Anime: Blue Exorcist

I just found out that my car, for which I’m paying $228 per month for two years, is a ticking time bomb. I’m not in a great mood, so instead of trying to generate an intelligent discussion, I’m just going to rant about something I feel very kind of strongly about: mikan.

No, not Yuuki Mikan.

I’m talking about Japanese oranges. I rather dislike peeling oranges since the smell gets all over my fingers and my nails turn orange. However, it seems like tons of anime characters peel and eat oranges when they’re bumming around with the kotatsu. Maybe they’re different from the ones I get around here. Maybe I’m overly conscious of my small, ugly hands.

Maybe I just need a kotatsu in order to properly appreciate oranges.

I don’t know. I’ve just always wondered: why oranges? Why this particular fruit when you’re enjoying the warmth of a heated table / bed thing? I guess it’ll make clean up relatively easy since you’ll only have to throw away these attached husks, but I’m not seeing the allure of this popular combo.

That’s not to say I hate the flavor of oranges. Orange juice is great. Orange flavored popsicles deserve more love. I just have a problem when I have to work in order to get to the goodness that’s trapped inside. I’m very much aware of how spoiled I sound, but I’m standing by this statement.

What do you think about oranges? Do you give any particular foods conditional love?

Anime: Fukigen na Mononokean (The Morose Mononokean)

| Episode: 7

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Nipponbashi Den Den town is a shopping district in Osaka that specializes in everything anime, and electronics! I visited this area twice: on the evening of day three, and the afternoon of my fourth day. I’m not too anime saavy, but I did love this area! There are many stores offering everything anime, comic books, key chains, trading cards, and other memorabilia. Some people even dress in cosplay, as they look for their favorite anime characters. Electronics also make up this side of town, and you can find any type of phone, laptop, appliance that you might be looking for. Den Den town was my favorite part of Osaka, because it’s an older side of the city, and has a more rustic feel to it. If you go to Osaka, please check it out!

This was some kind of card trading/playing room. The guys on the right even had some kind of machine for the cards. If you know what this room is for, please let me know!

Before I visit Den-Den town for the second time, I went to a zoo, and walked around Shinsekai market. This entire area, (including Den-Den town), is an older part of Osaka, that hasn’t seen much development in the past few decades. Nevertheless, they were all packed with tourists eager to experience this side of Osaka. One thing I didn’t like, was that the animals at the zoo didn’t seem happy. They were also living in enclosures that were too small for them. I didn’t take many pictures because I felt sad that they didn’t seem to be happy.

Before I visit Den-Den town for the second time, I went to a zoo, and walked around Shinsekai market. This entire area, (including Den-Den town), is an older part of Osaka, that hasn’t seen much development in the past few decades. Nevertheless, they were all packed with tourists eager to experience this side of Osaka. One thing I didn’t like, was that the animals at the zoo didn’t seem happy. They were also living in enclosures that were too small for them. I didn’t take many pictures because I felt sad that they didn’t seem to be happy.

Tsūtenkaku Tower, (or Osaka Tower) near Shinsekai market. There’s an observatory at the top, and gift shop at the bottom. The wait to go up was 55 mins, so I passed. I’d already done the Umeda sky building, so I wasn’t upset about it.

I think this is a famous restaurant. The line to get in curled alongside the wall of the building!

Shinsekai market

These next two episodes begin introducing the serious and romantic aspects of Haru and Ren’s relationship, changing it from one of almost parental/brotherly love to one with romantic intent. This is at least true on the side of Ren, as we see consistently that he does’t think of himself as Haru’s brother, but Haru’s feelings are a little more complicated and will take some time to deconstruct. I’ll put this out there right now that I disagree with the opinion that their relationship is one of “grooming,” however it can in some ways be dangerous because of their maturity levels or lack of social experience, which I’ll get into more later.

What we begin to see in these two episodes as well is the social development of Ren as he begins to make friends at school. We see the stark contrast between his high level of education and his very low understanding of human relationships, though his outright frank way of speaking seems to be the breath of fresh air the people around him need. I think that’s what Ren provides to the people closest to him, that sense that he will never sugar coat something. It is definitely something that Haru needs in his life, which may be why he was drawn to Ren in the first place. Additionally, the introduction of Kurosaki provides an outsiders perspective on Ren and Haru’s relationship that confirms that they are more lovers than brothers at this point. He also serves as a foil to Ren to again clearly show the level of his social skills, a way for us to gauge just how much of a deficit he has in that area. This is another area where I honestly wanted to see more of Ren’s interpersonal relationships rather than the romance element. I think they do a great job building Ren’s character and less of a stellar job with Haru’s.

Haru’s characterization is still lacking for me, he keeps falling flat in that even when problems are brought up with Haru’s character that seriously impact their relationship, he never seems to change or grow in any way. When Ren and Haru get into a fight over a past girlfriend, it seems like Haru’s go-to response is to force (most of the time physically) his way back to some semblance of their past relationship. Instead of giving Haru a chance to examine the issues of his relationship and grow that way, he forces them back together, and Ren, being who he is, always forgives him. Even the moments in past episodes where Ren up and leaves for Canada are pretty much wiped away as Haru doesn’t seem to take anything away from that kind of loss, staying the same character he has been since the beginning. Honestly, if this was an anime just about Ren, Shima, and Aki I would be completely okay with it. The story and growth surrounding building a family seems to be much deeper that anything that has been done with the romance aspect.

That being said, lets look at Haru and Ren’s relationship. I’ve tried staying away from it from the most part because I think it’s been discussed to death, but it does need to be mentioned at least briefly. For one, I absolutely don’t think this is a case of “grooming” where an old man intentionally raises a boy to be his lover when he gets older. I think the use of an age gap of this size can create a misinterpretation to that effect and also lead, if indirectly, to the propagation of the stereotype “all gay men are pedophiles” that has been terrorizing media surrounding gay relationships. I also think that what might make this uncomfortable for some is the way their relationship develops. The series starts with Ren, eight at the time, being taken care of by Haru in an almost fatherly way (bathing, feeding, play, making sure he’s wearing clothes and shoes, and sleeping in the same bed) which then changes into one of romance. However, we are still left with those times were Haru was like a surrogate father to Ren. If the series had started when Ren was 15, there may be more acceptance of their relationship. As of now, their past is coloring their future, creating that feeling of taboo.

I mentioned before that while I don’t agree with some criticisms of their relationship, my main issue is the factor of their maturity levels and how both of them lack some measure of social skills that can be semi-dangerous especially in this case. Ren trusts Haru implicitly and has relied on him to be a moral compass in a world he had been separated from for some time. As such, anything Haru says Ren at least seriously considers if not takes to heart. His measure for romantic relationships begins and ends with Haru. Haru, on the other hand, has social problems of his own. His relationship history consists of one serious love followed by a series of casual relationships. I get the feeling from watching Haru that he honestly has no idea what he’s doing. Combine that with Ren’s unwavering trust and Haru can potentially tell Ren anything and he would believe it. This wouldn’t really be a problem if Haru was aware of his naivete in this area, but he genuinely doesn’t think this way. Even if he’s doing it unintentionally, any advice he gives, Ren is most likely going to accept and integrate it into his social norms.

There was a couple more things I wanted to talk about, but maybe I’ll get a chance in the next two episodes. Stay tuned!

Be sure to hit that follow button or follow me on Facebook for updates!

Ok, am I the only one who was mentally f*cked when the magic weaver stuck her head in Chagum’s stomach? Like every moment the camera caught her face, I mentally imagined waking up during the middle of the night and finding her in the corner of my room plotting to suffocate me.

She reminds me of the old hag from Spirited Away. I might have nightmares about her face for a couple of weeks. I guarantee that I won’t be getting sleep at all. I’m sorry but she looks like she is seconds away from eating Chagum’s face clear off, and snatching that egg.

And I didn’t understand what the old lady was saying. Just before I asked what was said, Balsa asked for me.

Me thinking mentally: (What the f*ck was said?!)

Balsa: Can you explain that in simpler terms for those of us who couldn’t understand that? (I had a feeling Balsa realized that some of the people watching would not understand SHIT)

Old Lady: (Explains again)

Everyone Else: Oh, yea I get it.

Me: …I still don’t get it. I think she made it worse!

The only thing I think I understood from that was that if the egg hatches, it would bring a drought? If I am wrong about it, forgive me. I was trying not to look directly into the eyes of the magic weaver. You know that feeling when you’re walking down a hallway, and you feel that the people in paintings are looking at you? Well, I felt that same eerie, creepy sensation when I looked at the screen and saw her. I might seem ridiculous, but she f*cking terrifies me.

And another moment that caught me off guard was when the guy came to talk to Balsa, after Tonda told him about buying his merchandise. Did anyone else understand their plan? Like it seemed as though everyone understood what Balsa was planning to do once she started talking to him. I swear I need to lay off the booze after a certain time.

I think I realized what the issue was. I had this weird feeling that something was off while I was watching it in English Dub. I think the speed is faster in English Dub, versus English Sub. Mind you, I am watching it in Youtube, so that may be the issue.

I haven’t watched anything else all day, thanks to my lovely job. Swear I might become mentally insane after dealing with so many people and their stank attitudes. I should finish this anime, hopefully by the weekend. Also, I am heading to Newark Comic-con on Saturday. I will upload pictures!

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The Phantom Files: Eve

Soooo as it turns out we aren’t done with the rest of this flashback! Not that I’m complaining. The last episode was amazing, this one was going to be as well! Without delay let’s get into D Grey Man Hallow Episode 7!

We get a brief recap of what happened in the last episode. I assume they do this to make sure the trauma and sadness sunk in properly from last time.

We cut to the blind exorcist from before. He was injured in a fight and the scientists looking for damage. They say this new Exorcist, Noise Marie will become an exorcist in the 2nd Exorcist plan.

Meanwhile, after seeing all the failed experiments Alma seems to be losing his mind. Again I must say poor Alma! He takes the memories of his previous life much worse than Yu does. Yu uses them as inspiration to fight back and live despite everyone being against it. Through determination, he actually summons his innocence, which we know today as mugen basically.

Yu comes out with the sword covered in blood. I’m not sure if it’s his own or not. I’m leaning towards his own since we already know it was Alma who killed the staff. The scientists, most of them anyway are hiding in one room and Alma walks in. Another scientist is looking for her as well but can’t get inside.

Meanwhile, Yu finds Noise attached to hospital equipment. He wakes him up so he won’t become part of the Second Exorcist plan and Yu takes Noise with him on his escape. For’s husband is looking for Alma and goes into the room where all the experiments are kept. He finds him but his eyes widened. We aren’t sure why because we cut back to Yu again. This is a really good way to build suspense and I loved it!

Yu has to carry Noise on his back since his injuries keep from moving. It turns out Noise knew about the Second Exorcist plan and is actually livid, but handling it well partially thanks to Yu’s company. This makes Yu remember Alma,  and decide he wants to leave with him. We actually see Yu show more emotion for the first time in this scene. It’s very very touching.

Yu finds Alma in the next room. He is at first thrilled but then realizes that Alma killed everyone. The workers, and the other still sleeping experiments. Alma says he’s happy to see him but has to kill him as well. This scene was so upsetting, the fact that Alma feels he has to at this point is probably one of the saddest things I’ve ever seen.

Yu does his best to dodge with Noise on his back but in the end gets an arm chopped off. Alma’s insanity really starts to show here as he rambles about how the experiments would never wake up, and the fact that they wouldn’t want to anyway. He calls himself annoying and such and when we see his face again he’s in tears.

Alma actually is trying to destroy himself but can’t stop all the anger and sadness he has. His innocence acts on its own and attacks Noise. Yu remembers what Noise says earlier and holds Alma in one last embrace, allowing his innocence to harm him. After Alma becomes an Akuma (we can tell by the red eyes he became one)  Yu ends his life.

This was really sad. I really just want them both to be happy is that too much to ask?

Another girl we haven’t seen carries the scientist’s body away. Her name is actually For. They told For not to protect them and only one girl escaped so she could “Tell the next generation of the mistake this plan was”. For was their guardian spirit but was told not to protect them. She puts the husband sitting next to the wife and calls them idiots as she walks off. It’s a very solemn scene I don’t do justice to honestly.

Allen can’t stand watching Yu suffer anymore and manages to break the control Wisely had on him. He wakes everyone else up in the process by punching the eye in the forehead which actually causes Wisely physical pain.

Though it turns out it was too late and Alma already awakens. The wires in the room begin to constrict almost everyone in it. The Earl says that the order will be destroyed once and for all by the monster they created. Alma starts giving the Akuma virus to anyone too close and causes Headquarters to explode.

Link and the other half-Akuma girl are going to get close to check things out. Before they can something happens with her, though. I think she had another vision and is actually going insane. They make their way to headquarters.

The last scene is the most amazing. We see Alma awakened and get to hear his voice and mannerisms as an adult which is nice. The Noah’s, being the type who like to watch the world burn watch as Alma hatches and starts walking around. I noticed here that Wisely is super short and tiny since he can be carried so easily haha.

Alma killed quite a few people with the virus and Yu walks up to him recovering from it pretty easily with his ability. Alma stares at him and recgonizes him as Yu almost immediately. I am so sad for these characters! I really hope they can find a way to bring Alma back from this. Maybe if they can he can become an exorcist as well! I would love a plot like that, it would me so happy to see. Someone draw them happy damn it! Them as adults and happy again please-

The episode ends on a cliff hanger here though (SCREAMING)

I hope you all enjoyed as much as I did! I’m excited for the next episode for sure and shall see you all on Monday for Food wars. I bid you all adieu until the and hope you all have a great rest of the week!

Review:

I’m definitely thinking that I need to do a comparison post of Taboo Tattoo with something else. This week it tries to bring the characters some pain, but unlike D Gray Man or Tokyo Ghoul where my heart genuinely moves for the characters and I await with my breath caught in my throat to see if they will come through that torture and still be themselves, I watched Seigi get pinned to a wall and skewered, Izzy have her arm crushed, and countless characters mercilessly slaughtered, and I felt nothing. Actually, I felt vaguely bored and found my thoughts constantly drifting to other things (like what else I could watch). Here’s the thing, Taboo Tattoo sounds great when you go through the story and the things the characters encounter, but the execution just leaves you wondering why they are even bothering.

Oh, and they definitely need to get a new writer for the sexual innuendo. Seriously. If you are going to include it at least make it vaguely clever or amusing. Most of the lines this episode just left me staring at the screen wondering if the translators had all just given up.

Taboo Tattoo is available on Crunchyroll (but I wouldn’t recommend it).

Be sure to check out the write-ups for prior episodes!
Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5

Jimmy Gnome

“…this episode is just too unfocused and diluted to be compelling beyond its visuals.”

We’re now at the halfway point of Mob Psycho 100 and I think it’s time to start considering the effectiveness of the show when taken so far as a whole. I’ve harped on the individual successes and failures of specific episodes every week, but this far in it’s clearly established its formula, giving us a clear guide to understanding its priorities as a work of entertainment. Unlike the Bones produced sakuga darling Space Dandy before it, Mob has a continuous, non-episodic plot structure and is driven primarily by its narrative, so while its production functions as a spotlight for a variety of idiosyncratic talents in the animation industry there must be some sort of necessary cohesion to tie the whole together.

So far Mob Psycho has been broken up into very short arcs that introduce a conflict in one episode only to resolve it in the next, but they aren’t entirely discrete from each other. A remarkable number of characters have been introduced in the two arcs that make up the first five episodes that have continuously reappeared in the episodes since. Even the minor characters that would have quickly been tossed away after their relevance was exhausted in most other series find a way to get screen time here. Upon watching the most recent episode I’ve determined that this is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand the ever-growing recurrent cast has allowed for this series, in a very short amount of time, to establish a broad community of quirky and memorable characters. This is beneficial because it makes the show feel lively and keeps the viewer entertained with diverse personality types and interactions. However, episode six has made me begin to question the effectiveness of having such a large cast in a series as short and quickly-paced as this.

Indeed, it seems that the only characters that have received any sort of notable development are Mob himself as well as Teruki, who benefited from an entire episode dedicated to his character. It seems Teruki is one of the characters that may actually be tossed away in the scheme of things, as he only briefly appeared in a cute, chibi form during a recollection scene this episode while practically every other minor character gets some sort of role instead. You’ve got the usual Reigen gag at the beginning that serves little to no purpose; the middle school detective, Ichi, interviews Mob to make him uncomfortable, followed by Tome going on a date with him for much less interesting results than I had hoped; the villainous student council present is introduced as a new character while the vice president from the second episode is recycled to draw out Ritsu’s obsession with his brother’s powers; and even Tenga, the gang leader who appeared last arc, gets a last ditch effort at characterization before becoming victimized at the end of the broadcast. Then they go ahead and add a community of wacky minor espers and the goateed hipster that controls them. Honestly, it’s a little much, and I didn’t even mention everything that happens over the episode’s run time. While that is an issue in and of itself, it’s compounded by the fact that all of these characters are as flat as Mob’s bowl cut bangs.

Having not read the source material I can’t say if this problem is something exclusive to the anime or if things will improve as we move forward into new territory, but it’s certainly something that’s irked me this episode, especially after how deeply invested I was into the last arc. If there’s one thing Mob Psycho’s narrative excels at its portraying the adolescent struggles of Mob himself, so when the alluring prospect of angst brought about by being forced into a date with a girl he doesn’t particularly like is mostly skimmed over for bland gags and some questionable foreshadowing I feel the creators aren’t playing their cards right.

That said, in terms of production this episode looked much better than the previous off-episodes. The visual direction was stellar, with a huge variety of shot compositions and framing. What stuck out the most to me was how the presence of the student council president’s brother was cast throughout his home, reflected on the stairs and walls, leading to quite a memorable and believable example of the stress induced by overbearing expectations.

I’m still a fan of the general aesthetic of Mob Psycho and its themes of adolescence, but this episode is just too unfocused and diluted to be compelling beyond its visuals. Moving into the second half of the series I’m beginning to wonder whether or not the narrative will be able to keep pace and deliver and ultimately satisfying or meaningful experience.

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CJ Hitchcock

“…do I find this compelling and gripping storytelling? No, but you know, points for putting in the effort.”

I don’t think anyone will argue with me when I say this week’s episode was a little dry. It was mostly about Ritsu joining a group of low level psychics looking to enhance their powers. Ritsu is also dealing with the pressure of having to be better than his older brother (Seriously guys, we, meaning Josh and myself, spent a very long time trying to figure which one of these two was the older sibling. Imagine that montage scene from Spotlight where the reporters are piling over mountains of reference books for hours on end, and you’ll have a brief snapshot of what it’s liking trying to figure these silly little details out at WMC). That’s pretty much it. I’m honestly kinda struggling right now to say much about this one.

In terms of character development for Ritsu, it’s serviceable enough. Even though everyone praises him for all of the accomplishments he’s done, those comments come across as insults. How can he be more talented than Mob when he doesn’t even have a fraction of the skill Mob possesses? Can’t they see Mob’s the gifted one?

Another source of Ritsu’s problems come from his after school activities. Ritsu is on the student council who’s president is a little bit of a trash lord. The President is under the opposite side of the pressure Ritsu is facing at home. His parents are constantly hounding him on not having the same achievements as his older brother, but unlike Ritsu who’s seeking to improve what he sees as his weaknesses, the President embraces what everyone thinks of him. He wants to be seen as a disappointment to those closest to him, and involves Ritsu in a scheme to publicly embarrass Tenga. I’ll be honest, I’m really sure why the President was gunning for Tenga outside of just proving to Ritsu that he, meaning The President, is a jerk face.

Of course, the President’s plan is bit odd. He and Ritsu sneak into Tenga’s classroom, take all of the mouth pieces from the girl’s musical recorders and hide them in his desk, attempting to label Tenga as a pervert. The idea is since the girls used the mouth pieces to blow into their recorders, he’ll be able to taste the girl’s lips, which seems like a bit of a stretch to me. I get people being grossed out by underwear thieves and why underwear is an appealing thing to steal, but the mouth piece from a recorder is just a bit of plastic. It might get slightly wet, but it’s not like they slobbered all over it and I doubt you’d even get much lipstick residue on there assuming any of the girls are wearing lipstick. I’m also not entirely sure why everyone in the class is freaked out by this. A few people, sure, definitely the girls in the room who had their stuff stolen, but I have a hard time imagining every guy in the class would be even slightly concerned. Again, gym clothes and underwear, sure that can be creepy and gross to a lot of people, but a bunch of cheep plastic from a really annoying musical instrument went missing. Also why are a bunch of middle-schoolers practicing the recorder in the first place? Isn’t that just an elementary school activity? Anyhow, I’m over thinking this whole bit in the hopes of stretching out my section of the article’s length when really I don’t have much to say this week.

Regardless of how silly this act can come across, it still bothers Ritsu on a personal level. Not because he’s framing an innocent student as a pervert, but because he’s using his limited abilities and resources for causing harm. He knows Mob only uses his gifts to entertain his friends and protect himself and those around him. Meanwhile, Ritsu’s damaging a person’s reputation to help some scumbag in a higher level of power. How is he supposed to live up to Mob’s example when this is how he’s spending his time? It doesn’t matter if everyone else sees him as a model student, Ritsu knows deep down he’s doing the wrong thing.

Now, do I find this compelling and gripping storytelling? No, but you know, points for putting in the effort. This story just doesn’t grab me like it should and I can’t put my finger on why I wasn’t interested this week. Normally, I can point to one thing that bothered me, but this week it was just everything. It might be because the show spent the time building up elements that’ll come into play later, like the group of weak psychics Ritsu met or the powerful psychic in a hoodie Mob encountered while hanging out with the girl from the Telepathy Club. Either way, this episode was just kinda dry.

These kinds of episodes are important, but unfortunately they’re not the most interesting to talk about.

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Josh Dunham

“The sakuga – or in this case, its absence, means something, and serves a purpose more than just looking pretty.”

“Where’d all the sakuga go?” seems to be the uniform opinion of this week’s episode, but to be honest, I think its absence was intended. With comments like that, people have forgotten that Mob Psycho is interested in its narrative as well as stylish flare and visual integrity. Compound this with the fact that nearly every moment we’ve been privy to said sakuga involves the use of psychic abilities and it starts to make sense. A full on sakuga-fest would not have been appropriate this episode, and ultimately, would have detracted from the very standard and average life of Mob’s younger brother, Ritsu. Because Mob Psycho uses sakuga properly: to drive the narrative.

That’s not to say this episode was visually underwhelming, episode director and story boarder Anzai Takefumi was able to keep the shot composition dynamic without dipping into the mania of episodes past, just as he did in episode 2. In fact, a lot of the comments I made then apply to this episode now, the ‘syncopation of sakuga’ comment in particular. What Mob has done is emphasize the off-beats with class-A animation, not only the battles and clashes, but even the mundane uses of Mob’s powers (such as sharing takoyaki with Reigen). Why? Because the sakuga drives the narrative point home (seriously, go read my comments on episode 2). The sakuga – or in this case, its absence, means something, and serves a purpose more than just looking pretty. It’s abundantly obvious that Ritsu is due for psychic powers of his own, but if he becomes as visually stimulating as the all-powerful Mob this early on all that progression would have been spoiled before it even began.

Camera angles and perspectives did well to probe into Ritsu’s insecurities/aspirations. Running parallel to this is his relationship with the student council president, a vision of what Ritsu could (or will) become if his pursuit of power continues to be a path of frustration and self flagellation. And similar to last episode, exploration of these themes takes a dialectical approach, even going as far to show the student council president being browbeaten by his older brother, escaping to his room to lie in the trash. The symbolism is poignant.

Perhaps the most effective of cinematic tools establishing the theme includes the lighting, shallow depth-of-field, and warped perspective, and in many cases the use of all three elements together. The constant use of shallow depth-of-field was most noteworthy. Takefumi  Really seems to be fond of low-angle shots emphasizing depth of field and inviting contrast in scenes where one of the foci hugs the rabatment of the frame.

Likewise, this same technique causes tension when applied to closeups, one focus placed in lower-left third at a low angle looking to the actor’s face in the upper-right third. The distance between the two objects is understood, but two contrasting objects are now forced to share a frame when they may not like each other.

Meanwhile, warped perspective shots allowed for emotion to leak from Ritsu, inviting us into his world, demanding we be drawn into his cerebral space. These forced perspectives literally increasing the size of the focus in the center frame; we have no choice but to see and acknowledge it. But carrying all of this was the lighting, providing an even and level dais for the other elements to stand on. Even though this episode falls short of being the fantastical spectacle we demand week to week, the visuals carried the burden of the story just as effectively, only differently.

But I suppose if you aren’t sold on that you could just wait until next episode for Dimple to save the show.