My Summer 2014 First Impressions

Every anime of summer 2014 has its first episode out, so now it's time for me to do a first impressions post. I know that much of the anime listed here has had its first episode out ages ago and it's now on its second episode, but I was waiting for the rest of the shows airing this season to catch up. So today, I will be writing my impressions of each anime series based on its first episode. I will explain what I think of the show thus far and give my predictions for it (whether or not it'll get better or worse). Now let's begin!

DRAMAtical Murder

Originally based on a BL game, DRAMAtical Murder follows Aoba, the blue-haired guy in the picture above. As a person who hasn't played the visual novel, I'm not exactly sure what the plot is, but what I do know is that this show, if it's following the VN properly, does not focus on the game Rhyme. Instead, it delves into more psychological themes, which I am interested in. However, compared to another psychological show I'm watching this season (Terror in Resonance), DRAMAtical Murder is not that interesting. The animation is dull, but is made up for by being colorful (though the background in this one scene was just awful: I can only assume the studio spent its budget on the CGI rabbits).

However, I'm willing to give this show the benefit of the doubt (or rather, the three-episode rule) to prove itself that it'll provide entertainment, because that's what I'm looking for this season: fun. As it's summer, I want to be entertained through this ridiculously hot season, and I won't bother with shows that don't amuse me. But since the VN players liked the first episode well enough, I'll continue watching this and hope for the best.

Predictions: According to the visual novel fans, if this show follows the source material well, then the show should be good. I can only hope they're right.

Free! Eternal Summer

Okay, this instantly the best anime of this season! (Just kidding . . . or am I?) Free! Eternal Summer is a worthy successor of its first season, Free! Iwatobi Swim Club. It has the hilarious fanservice, occasional camp moments, even more beautiful animation, fantastic OP and ED, awesome relays, and the same, good ol' cast from season one. What I'm really enjoying about this second season (other than the even better animation) is how sporty it's become. There are a lot more relays in the first two episodes than the first four in season one. So if you watched season one or want to watch it because you want a good sports show, then I'll say that going through season one to get to season two is totally worth it.

Now I can't say much else, because spoilers, but I'll say this: Free! is a very entertaining series that has heartfelt and heart-pounding moments, and its second season is on an entirely different level from season one. If you judge the series just by its first episode, then you'll be missing out on something truly amazing. 

Predictions: Said it once and I'll say it again: this will be and is the best anime of this season—no contest. I'll go as far as saying this will be even greater than its predecessor. (But this is just the word of a fangirl. That is all.)

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun

We all need romance in our lives because we're all forever alone, and Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun can provide you with that and comedy. Although only two characters have been introduced so far (one more being introduced near the end), they are a very likable and comedic duo. If the series does progress their romance, then I think this could become one of my favorites.

In the music department, oh my God, the opening is fantastic. Catchy and colorful, it really reminded me of Space Dandy's opening. Don't remember the ending that much, but I think I enjoyed it.

Predictions: While comedy, animation, and characters are all good, I'm wondering if the heroine will ever confess her feelings to the guy. I really hope this show doesn't end with no confession or "read the manga" ending, or else I'll have to classify it with other, typical shoujo shows.

Glasslip

Glasslip was one of only a couple shows I was most anticipating for this summer season. So how'd it hold up? Well . . . it only barely does. Going into Glasslip, I was expecting just a good ol' slice of life show with some romance, but I was surprised to learn it's going to have sci-fi elements (believe it or not, the main character and her love interest, "David," can see the future through glass—I'm not kidding). To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed. I wanted this to be a show about making glass, which is a pretty unique concept on its own, but ultimately I can tell it's not going to be this way.

I'd forgive it if the characters were more likable, but they're not that interesting. On the other hand, the supporting characters provide much more entertainment than the main cast—and they're only on screen for a few seconds or a minute at most! The main cast is pretty unlikable because they're mean without reason. When "David," the new transfer student, comes to them at their table they're instantly cold and aggressive to him—for no damn reason. These group of "friends" don't even seem like friends—in fact, when one of the girls was talking about confessing, she was afraid she was going to have to "leave the group." Um . . . does a true group of friend make one of their friends leave if they confess to one of their own? I was actually thinking for a second that they were actually a cult or something, not friends.

But then, this is P.A. Works. Slice of life with sci-fi/fantasy elements and freaking complicated love triangles. They're known for making such beautiful anime, so I'm all the more disappointed that Glasslip doesn't live up to its predecessor, Nagi no Asukara. Sigh. At least the visuals are pretty and the OP and ED are nice to listen to.

Predictions: If the plot actually starts and character development occurs, this show might actually be half good. But based on the first episode alone, I know it won't be as good as Nagi no Asukara, now or later.

Persona 4: The Golden Animation

As someone who hasn't played the game nor watched the original Persona 4 anime, the first episode of P4GA was interesting enough for me to continue watching the show. While the animation looks to be average, the whole fighting scene was pretty good, even if there was plenty of CGI usage. Although it's a bit fast-paced for my liking, I think it'll slow down at some parts to explain (hopefully).

As for the characters, the main protagonist is probably the best. I like his gentleman-like and kind personality, and even his comedic moments. I heard in the original anime he lacked a personality, probably because this is based off a game, so I'm glad he has one—and a good one at that. The other characters are a bit lackluster, but Marie is the most interesting. She's an adorable tsundere, so I look forward to more development.

Predictions: Once the plot becomes clear and the pace is slower, I think P4GA will become a great show.

Rail Wars!

Can I just begin by saying how much I hate fanservice? Oh, there are some good ones out there, like Free! Iwatobi Swim Club; but the purpose of those "fanservice" moments were just for comedic sake and were never in your face. But Rail Wars! on the other hand loves to shove the boobies and pantie shots in your face with the force of a train (pun not intended). I wouldn't have a problem with the occasional pantie or booby shot if it wasn't every five minutes (like Noragami, which is able to present "fanservice" without it being in your face). But—sigh—moving on . . .

From the story— Wait. Who am I kidding? What story is there even? But I know I should wait till at least episode three for the plot to appear before judging, so I'll wait. . . . I'll be patient. . . .

Now, from the first paragraph you probably assumed that I thought the fanservice was the worst aspect of the show, but sadly it's not. The characters are the worst: They are just awful and bland. The main lead character is like every other bland, boring, perverted, one-dimensional protagonist in an anime, and the other supporting characters are just as clichéd: you got the big-titted, pretty, nice girl; man-hating, hot-headed, bitchy girl; a guy with an unidentifiable personality; and completely forgettable side characters. Seriously. I don't remember a one.

In the animation department, Rail Wars! is pretty good. Nice, smooth animation, but not the best of the best. Also, CGI trains? No. Just no.

Predictions: Whenever it decides to move on from the fanservice, I think we'll actually have a story to work with. In the meantime, I hope it works on its characters, because they all desperately need a personality ASAP. If it doesn't get better by the time episode three rolls around, consider this a drop.

Re: Hamatora

As Re: Hamatora is the second season of a show from the winter season, Hamatora The Animation, I can't say much about this show without going into spoiler territory. However, I will say that the animation has improved greatly from the previous season (most likely due to being animated by a different studio). Yet there are two flaws with this season premiere: the transitions—while unique, are very annoying since they appear every time the scene changes—and a "plot twist" revealed near the end—which I find to be both a positive and negative thing.

I'll probably make a post of what I thought of the first episode of Re: Hamatora so I won't be spoiling anything to anyone. But in short, I look forward to seeing what more Re: Hamatora will be revealing to the viewers of its previous season.

Predictions: I am hoping from the bottom of my heart that Re: Hamatora will answer every and all questions from the first season. If it does, I'll be good. If not, I will be majorly disappointed with this series and it will fall flat on its face. But as a fan, I have a small glimmer of hope inside me that there's going to be a massive revelation (or at least I hope there will be). Here's to learning answers sometime in the future.

Sailor Moon Crystal

I've said this once and I'll say it again: I am not a Sailor Moon fan. I was not a fan of the original anime or manga, so my opinion of this show isn't that of a fan but of a person who's new to the series. So as a newcomer, how does this show hold up? Well, pretty darn good, actually. Sure there's some things here and there, but I can live with it. I can't say much about the story because, well. Everyone knows about it. I mean, Sailor Moon is one of the most well-known anime shows out there. A lot of people were introduced to anime because of it, but I wasn't one of those people (probably because I was born in the very late '90s ['99 baby!]).

Anyway, animation is pretty 50-50 for me. While I like the style (as it's very reminiscent of the '90s style of anime [plus those backgrounds: very early anime, but I like it]), the CGI is very off-putting. I mean, Toei Animation, Sailor Moon, as I said before, is one of the most well-known anime out there—ever. So can't you at least find it in your budget to make the transformation scene in 2-D—or at the very least, good 3-D? But whatever. I think I can overlook it.

As for characters, once again, as someone who isn't a fan, I think they're pretty basic. I mean, I'm sure this series will delve into their backstories and develop their personalities, so I'll be patient until then. The voice acting is also good, and I think it fits every character pretty well (though Usagi's voice can be very annoying at times).

Predictions: If this show slowly gets more interesting (and I get used to Usagi's freaking annoying voice), I might consider watching the original Sailor Moon—and I mean all of it.

Terror in Resonance

Terror in Resonance has the best premiere of this season as a new series. It had very fluid and clean animation (so beautiful, in fact, that I teared up a little during the snowmobile scene at the beginning [or that could've been because I had just taken my contacts out, who knows?]), a dark and gritty setting, and intriguing characters. Nine and Twelve, the two main characters and terrorists, are who I'm most interested in, as we saw some flashbacks of them escaping from an institution of sorts (which, I assume, is where they were probably used in experiments), so I'm really interested in them. But I'm also curious about the lead female character, Lisa, and her backstory.

I found the whole terrorist thing pretty cool, and I was just waiting for Nine and Twelve's plan to kick in. And when the building fell down? Just wonderful (though I'm a bit hesitant to call it that because all I could think of was 9/11 during that scene [but I'm sure everyone else thought the same]).

Also, can we all just agree that Twelve is Nagisa from Free! if he were a yandere?

The resemblance . . . it's uncanny. . . . shiver

Predictions: With awesome anti-heroes, impressive animation, and a good OP and ED, Terror in Resonance will be an amazing and memorable series if it keeps up its dark themes and proves to have an amazing story.

And now, I bid you all farewell for the moment. I hope you all enjoyed reading this post and that you became interested in at least one. This summer season is just amazing, because there's such a variety of shows to watch. You want yaoi? You got yaoi! Want action and adventure? You got it! There has to be at least one show out there that captures your interest and holds it. And quite a few of these shows I've listed have for me. Now let us hope this season, and the ones that come afterward, will only get better and better! And with that, take care, otakus!

My Spring 2014 Final Impressions

Notice: This post was previously published on July 1. However, due to my stupidity, it got deleted. But thankfully, I found a cached copy of it and managed to re-publish it. I hope this clears up any confusion you may have had. Now enjoy my post!

With spring 2014 drawing to a close, and the summer season right around the corner, it's time I do an impressions post. Yes, of all the shows I have watched for this season (not including the ones I've dropped and/or put on-hold [I may or may not talk about them in a future post]). I'll be quickly discussing the show for a little bit, and I may perhaps write a more in-depth review for it sometime in the future. Now, let's begin!

Captain Earth

Although only halfway completed, Captain Earth has proven to us how beautiful BONES can animate its shows and enchanting space can be. Sure this show can be really slow at times, but I like its slow pace because I believe it's introducing everything and most of the characters for its first half before focusing more on the story and action in the second half. After all, it's going to be 25 episodes long, so it's only natural it's a little slow in the beginning. It just shows that the creators are taking their time setting everything up before going full-blown in the second half.

However, if the show is like this for the rest of the series, then I'll have to say I'm disappointed. But for now, I'm fine with the slow pace, as the writers are developing the main characters and introducing side characters (mainly villains). And I have a feeling that some of the "villains" will soon be on our heroes' side. For now, I can only wait and hope that this show will become what I think it can.

Rating: 3.5/5 or 7/10

Chaika – The Coffin Princess

Compared to the other shows I have watched/am watching this season, Chaika is one of two shows that is set in a fantasy setting (the other being The World is Still Beautiful). And as such, world-building is essential for its overall score. Chaika, while it's world-building isn't as well-done as Still Beautiful, has a great cast of characters and entertaining action. As it's rated R, Chaika has blood and gore, and it'll come as a big surprise for the unsuspecting viewer (example: me). For instance, in the very first episode you see a unicorn (not the beautiful kind you're used to, folks) get killed by the two leads. And yes, there was a lot of blood involved, which absolutely caught me off-guard.

If this series was to have only one season, then I'd say Chaika was disappointing. However, since season two is coming in the fall and with the way the show ended, then I recommend Chaika for its engaging story and characters, along with its animation, which is, while simple, effective.

Rating: 4/5 or 7/10

Haikyuu!!

A show that has the energy of Kuroko's Basketball and the fun of Free! Iwatobi Swim Club, Haikyuu!! provides solid entertainment and amazing characters. I'm amazed at how Haikyuu!! can make its characters, both main and supporting, so three-dimensional and realistic, yet at the same time move the plot forward at a pace not too slow nor too fast. I'll tell you now, it takes real talent to be able to do both things at the same time. Not only that, but Haikyuu!! has very solid animation: it's very smooth and crisp throughout, and I haven't noticed any scenes where the animation isn't up to par. As such, if Haikyuu!!'s second half is just as good as its first, I'll be one very pleased fan.

Rating: 4/5 or 8/10

Kamigami no Asobi

A reverse-harem with gods? Sign me up! Kamigami has a unique concept: a normal high school girl is transported to an alternate world where she has to teach Greek, Japanese, and Norse gods about humans or else she won't be able to "graduate" and return to her own world. Although different from the norm, many people expected Kamigami to be like Diabolik Lovers and Amnesia (shows renowned for having awful characters and crappy stories). The first episode seemed like a joke to most people, what with the magical boy transformation at the beginning and flowers blooming every time a guy was introduced.

However, the show was quick to prove viewers wrong with its surprisingly complex characters and interesting storylines. And gradually, the plot began to shift toward darker territory, with having a more grim atmosphere and serious moments. What I like and appreciate about Kamigami is that the guys' lives don't revolve around the heroine and that they actually have quirks and personalities, similar to Uta-Pri. So I ask you, like Free! Iwatobi Swim Club, to not judge this show based on its first episode and continue watching, because it gets better—trust me.

Rating: 4/5 or 7/10

One Week Friends.

Hm . . . A romance show about a girl's memories of the past week be gone on every Monday? Prepare for the feeeeels, people! Okay, okay, just kidding everyone. While many claim One Week Friends. will make you feel them "feels," it often seems like it's trying too hard to make the viewer feel all teary-eyed and emotional, when really it isn't necessary. I do feel the weight of the memory loss thing, but you don't need to shove it down my throat, all right? Regardless, what I really admire and adore about this show is its art style: it's simple, it's cute, and perfect for this kind of show.

The characters are also very well-done. The two main characters are very likable (the main girl being innocent and adorable, and the boy being quirky and cute), and the rest of the cast are just as likable, maybe even more so. What I love about this show is the relations between characters. All of the characters connect to each other in some way, and that's what makes them all the more three-dimensional.

However, there is one more negative to this show. Another thing that bothers me about One Week Friends. was its ending, which was pretty . . . "meh." I mean, maybe it's just right for some people, but for people like me I think it could've been better and more satisfying. For one, the romance isn't really satisfying. Without spoiling too much, it feels like we go back to square one again. The characters deal with the events that occurred throughout the show as if it never happened, which feels like a punch to the gut. If you want a show that has heart-warming moments, One Week Friends. is for you. However, be aware that it might leave you unsatisfied in the end.

Rating: 3.5/5 or 6/10

The World is Still Beautiful

A show that came as a surprise to me, The World is Still Beautiful is a wonderful addition to the shoujo genre. Set in an alternate fantasy world, Still Beautiful has politics, romance, comedy, and a taste of action. Alongside it is fluid animation and a wonderful opening and ending song. Still Beautiful is unique, not because of the height difference between the main male and female character, but due to its charming atmosphere. There's something about this show that feels so charming it draws you in, and you find that half an hour goes by in a flash. Maybe it's because of its likable cast of characters, good pacing, or unique setting, but Still Beautiful has something that most shoujo anime don't: balance.

It knows when to show a romantic moment between the two leads, crank open the drama, have a comedic moment, or bring out the action while bringing along the story and developing the characters. There's a little bit of everything for everyone to enjoy in this show, and I'm pretty certain it won't leave you disappointed.

Yet, despite its positives, Still Beautiful leaves a lot to be desired. I feel that, if the show was longer, the writers could've gone deeper and darker, flesh out the characters more, pace the romance better, and expand the world. But for what you get, Still Beautiful is truly a beautiful show that's very much worth your time.

Rating: 3.5/5 or 7/10

And now, I bid you all farewell for the moment. I hope you all enjoyed reading this post and that it caused you to rethink about the shows from this season. But most of all, I hope it makes you look forward to the summer season more than ever before. And with that, take care, otakus!

My Summer 2014 Anime To-Watch List

Notice: Ronia the Robber's Daughter has been announced to be released this fall, so I removed it from this list. But expect to see it in my next "To-Watch List"!

Oops. Has it really been that long since I last posted something? Oopsie. Apologies to everyone who reads my blogs and reviews and are upset with not getting a review in so long. But now with the school year finally over, I can focus a lot more on my blogging. Now in this short but sweet post, I'll be listing and talking about the upcoming shows for the summer 2014 season. I'll have the title, picture, and my expectations of the show listed as well.

Black Butler: Book of Circus

What can I say? I'm a big Black Butler fan! Although I agree with most people that season 2 was nothing compared to season 1, it's still Black Butler, and therefore I must watch it. Though, I don't have any plans on watching this till Funimation dubs it (because I just love Sebastian's voice in English).

That's for you, Michael Tatum, and your angelic demonic voice of Sebastian!

DRAMAtical Murder

I'll be honest. I have no flippin' clue what this show's about—like, at all. Even after reading the synopsis I have no clue what it's about. Ah well. So lucky for it I have little to no expectations and the bar's set pretty low for it. All it has to do is be half decent and it's all set. (Note: I went searching for a promotional image for this anime and . . . let's just say you got some pretty erotic images there, Google. Originally, I heard it was a yaoi eroge game, but I didn't know if it was true. So in that case, if the show's going to be a yaoi, I want to know straight up [not that I have anything against yaoi anime, by the way].)






Now, what you've all been waiting for . . .

Free! Eternal Summer

Why yes. I did use all those GIFs for Free! Eternal Summer. Whatcha gonna do about it? Joking aside, I have been looking forward to Free! for a long time—more specifically, since last summer. Although it had a weak story and also, sad to say, weak characters, Free! was a very entertaining show and one I highly enjoyed. So when I watch Free!, may this summer truly feel like an "eternal summer."

That's right. I was paying attention to you, end card. Don't think I ever forgot. ;)

Something I've been wondering about for the longest time was why Free! hasn't been turned into a visual novel yet? KyotoAni, take advantage of this money-making machine! MAKE A VISUAL NOVEL—NOW! . . . Um, please. :) So. Yeah. If you haven't been able to tell already, I'm very much looking forward to seeing my babies again watching Free! again. (By the way, if you're wondering, I'd choose Haru's route in a heartbeat.)

. . . . . . . .

Just one more GIF, please?

Glasslip

From the animation studio that brought you Nagi no Asukara . . . comes another amazing, beautiful anime show . . . Glasslip. Or so I hope. Nagi-Asu was a wonderful and impressive show from the fall 2013 season, and it quickly became one of my most favorite anime series ever. However, I have a feeling that, despite being animated by the same studio, Glasslip will be a very different show. Nagi-Asu was a slice of life show with fantasy elements, while Glasslip here will be a slice of life but with no fantasy elements. I really hope we don't have to go through the same complicated love triangle B.S. like we did in Nagi, and I really hope the main heroine isn't annoying. If so, I'll be a very disappointed fan, and the result might be:

Hint: Pretty bad.

Rail Wars!

Another show I have no clue about but am moderately looking forward to. I mean, have you ever heard about a character who wants to work with railways? I'm already sold on the idea. Looking at the synopsis of the show, it piqued my interest: A kid who wants to work in some elite railway with a group of interesting people (such as with a person who hates men) while some sort of terrorist group wants to take over said elite railway. Who wouldn't get interested after hearing that? Plus, the genre at the moment is simply "action," and seeing what I'm currently watching for spring season, an action anime would be very good right now.

UPDATE: So another PV came out—

—and goddammit, Japan, why does this show have to have fan service? Like, my God, it seemed like it was going to be awesome until you decided to add boobs with the boob physics of High School of the Dead. Sigh. But I'll still watch this show. Probably. Maybe. I don't know?

Re: Hamatora

OH MY GOD. AFTER THAT ENDING—THAT FREAKING ENDING—FROM LAST SEASON, I NEED TO SEE THIS RIGHT NOW. *takes a deep breath* Okay. Now that I got that out of my chest: Re: Hamatora is the second season of winter 2014 anime Hamatora The Animation. So after the ending of last season (no worries; no spoilers), I was desperate to see how things would play out in the next season. After that awful cliffhanger (awful as in awesome, mind you), I knew that there'd be a second season.

Yet, I was shocked at how much shit this show was dealing with because the ending and overall show pissed off some people. I mean, I somewhat understand why the ending might've pissed off a few people, but I didn't expect so much hate for it. People often complain about how boring this show is, but I actually found the premise rather interesting and the idea of people having awesome powers fascinating.

So . . . I guess this show is a guilty pleasure for me then? But I honestly don't give two shits if people hate this show; I'm watching the hell out of this when it airs.

Sailor Moon: Crystal

I'll be honest, I'm not a Sailor Moon fan. No, not because I didn't like the original. It's just I didn't watch it. Or actually, I did watch a few episodes, but I got so bored I dropped it eventually. (Yes, I tried both the English dub [shame on me] and the Japanese, but neither succeeded in catching my interest.) Looking at the trailer, though, I saw a chance at being hooked onto this show, so I took it. Who knows? Maybe I'll be more drawn to the original after seeing this reboot.

And now, I bid you all farewell for the moment. I hope you all enjoyed reading this post and found new shows you want to watch for the summer 2014 season. And with that, take care, otakus!

Episode Reaction: Nagi no Asukara (凪のあすから) Episode 21 – Something Seems A Bit . . . Off

Warning: The following contains spoilers! Viewer discretion is advised.

Welcome back everyone to another episode reaction! Today, Nagi no Asukara episode 21: "The Messenger from the Bottom of the Sea."

Episode 21 starts off where the previous episode ended: Manaka waking up. After her awakening and realizing that five years have passed since she fell asleep, Manaka takes the whole thing . . . rather well. Very well, in fact. She retains her usual energy and childishness from before, and isn't distraught whatsoever. And who could blame her, honestly?

Unlike Hikari, when Manaka woke up, all her friends were awake, so why would she have to worry? Well, I was rather alarmed by how . . . indifferent she was to the whole situation. For most of the first half of the episode, Manaka's like, "Lookie! Look at all the saltflake snow!" All the people of Shioshishio are still asleep and she's just so enchanted by all the snow.

Um. I'm sorry, did you forget about what happened five years ago? I'm pretty sure the reason why all the snow fell was because the Sea God was going to freeze the world to get rid of the humans and start a new world. Also, why are some of the sea people starting to wake up? Weren't they supposed to wake up only once every non-sea person is gone?

Ah, well. These questions probably won't get answered until later on in the series.

So we see Miuna at the small pool in the school, letting her Ena soak up all the salt water while her friend Sayu waits for her. Sayu asks Miuna if she is unhappy that Manaka has woken up, but Miuna denies it, stating she's happy but she feels different than what she imagined.

We cut to Manaka and Chisaki playing with the saltflake snow, and Hikari and Kaname watches them. They discuss how Manaka is still the same and taking everything rather well. Kaname says that it's because all of her friends are there, and because of Hikari himself. Hikari brings up that Manaka doesn't remember what happened when the Sea God accepted her. She does, however, remember a voice telling her that they want to give something to her or want her to give them something.

Well, that's the episode in a wrap, although there's a few details I've left out. Anyway, I want to list my favorite moments from this episode, and an incident that occurs near the end of the episode.

Funny moment #1: While walking up a hill, Chisaki and Tsumugu discuss how they'll convince Uroko-sama to help them. Tsumugu proposes they bribe him, suggesting porn magazines as an option.

Kudos to Tsumugu for being able to bring it up so easily.

 And Chisaki's all:

Well, it is Uroko-sama. What do you expect?

Ending this moment with Tsumugu going:

You and Uroko-sama are really alike, aren't you Tsumugu?

Funny moment #2: The next day, Tsumugu is running to Akari's house, where she and her family, Hikari, Manaka, and Kaname are. He awakens everyone and reveals that . . .

The fish has returned! D:

. . . he has been cursed by Uroko-sama! Well, that's what you get, Tsumugu, for taunting Uroko-sama with porn mags, lol.

Now to explain the incident that occurs near the end of the episode. We have an anticlimactic scene where Akira spills hot soup on himself and Akari, being the awesome mom that she is, rushes him over to the sink and splashes cold water on him. While everyone is distracted by this, Hikari looks back at Manaka, only to see that . . . she's a bit "out of it."

Shivers. That look is giving me the heebie-jeebies!

What does this mean? Is Manaka under the control of the Sea God? Is Manaka not . . . really Manaka? SO MANY QUESTIONS BUT SO LITTLE ANSWERS! But, I guess we're going to have to wait till next time. Hopefully some of our questions can be answered, or something really dramatic will occur. Judging from the episode preview, it seems that Uroko might be appearing next time. So, fingers crossed, everybody! >.<

And with that, see you next time, otakus!

Episode Reaction: Nagi no Asukara (凪のあすから) Episode 14 – Time Skip

Warning: The following contains spoilers! Viewer discretion is advised.

So here's a little new thing I'm doing: it's a quick (and not so detailed) reaction post of the fourteenth episode of one of my favorite anime shows of 2013: Nagi no Asukara. Last time the show left me with utmost desire to watch the next episode, and when it finally became available on Crunchyroll it felt like years had passed since I watched episode thirteen. And, funnily, years have passed in the anime—five years, to be more specific.

Chisaki was the only sea kid from our group (Hikari, Manaka, Kaname, and her) who managed to avoid the whole Ofunehiki-Sea-God-disaster-thing that occurred in episode thirteen. She and Tsumugu are now both college students; Miuna and Sayu are attending the school Hikari and the gang went to; Akari now has a son named Akira (changing the letters around, I see? Very clever . . .); and Hikari assumingly fell asleep under the sea, Kaname "died," and Manaka—well, Manaka is who knows where?

Well, anyway, the story begins with a five-year timeskip. As stated in the paragraph above, Chisaki and Tsumugu attended high school, then graduated to college. Tsumugu is studying to become an oceanographer researcher (something like that) and is helping out a professor to understand what happened the day of the Ofunehiki. Chisaki is apparently studying to become a nurse, as she is helping out in the hospital. At the hospital, Tsumugu's grandfather is there after being found collapsed by Chisaki some time when she was still attending high school.

So it is seen that Chisaki develops a close liking to the old man after he allows her to stay at his home when that weird dome-thing appeared over Shioshishio and she had nowhere else to go. Another flashback shows how when Akari discovered she was pregnant with Akira, she was mortified, as it was not a real good time to have a kid. However, Akari began to feel better when Miuna cheered her up, saying she's happy about having a little brother.

Later at school, the teacher (yes, the same teacher from the other episodes with the round glasses and interesting voice) tells the class that the Tomoebi will be occurring at around eight o'clock (it's that three-sun thing that happened in episode six; just that it's with the moon now, not the sun). The class decides to have a party at the beach to celebrate the occasion.

Sigh. I'll never get tired of looking at this gorgeous image.

At the beach, Miuna gets confessed to by this boy from her class but she instantly declines, saying she's in love with somebody else (obviously Hikari). Suddenly, Miuna and Tsumugu get a mental image of a strange light and they run off to end up meeting at the same spot where the phenomenon is occurring (I assume this happens because they are both related to a person from the sea). There they find a naked Hikari, who has seemingly not aged since the day he disappeared in the sea.

Miuna does CPR on kisses does CPR on Hikari and he wakes up. He doesn't recognize Miuna, as it has been five years since he last saw her, so when Tsumugu says she's Miuna, Hikari is shocked. Realization then dawns on his face about what happened, and Miuna says to the audience that his eyes "stopped moving in sadness, like the lull of the sea," thereby quoting the other title of the anime, Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea.

Woot! Woot! Everyone get on the feels train and buckle up, because this ride is gonna get a lot bumpier! This episode made me feel a range of emotions: excitement, sadness, surprise, and ultimately depression. I feel so bad for everyone in this episode, especially Hikari and Chisaki. Chisaki because she is the only one from Shioshishio to avoid the hibernation (excluding Akari), and Hikari because—well, the poor guy falls asleep the day his crush and childhood friend sacrifices herself to the Sea God, only to wake up five years later to see that the people he knew from the sea village are all gone and everything has changed. I just want to give these two a hug—a big, warm hug to make all the pain go away. Hopefully everything will be happy and great in the series' finale.

Looking at this picture, I feel sad. Am I the only one?

And, boy oh boy, this love polygon is becoming so complex that I highly doubt rocket scientists could figure it out. Now that Hikari is back, this might stir up some feelings in Chisaki—although she seems to like either Tsumugu or Kaname now (please let it be Kaname; he has no one else!)—and most definitely Miuna. (Back off! Only Manaka can be with Hikari!!!!!) But seriously, this love . . . er, shape is getting way out of hand. Please let the characters I want to be together be together in the end! And also, even though physically Hikari is eighteen or nineteen years old, he's still mentally a fourteen-year-old (I think?), so would that mean it's all right for Miuna to be in love with him? And isn't he also her uncle? Not by blood, obviously, but—Oh, never mind. I don't ship the two together, anyway, so why should I care?

Story and characters aside, the new opening and ending songs for Nagi are just as soothing as the previous songs, albeit a lot more depressing and sadder. Although it will take some time to adjust to the new songs, I know I'll love them by the end of this anime.

So what are my predictions on Nagi? Honestly? I have no freaking clue. And I love how I have no idea. Based on the opening, and the picture above, Kaname seems to be returning as well, so I'd love to find out what the heck happened when that pillar fell (or not?) on him. Where's Manaka? Hell if I know. Maybe in some alternate world with the Sea God or something . . . but I hope to find out soon!

Hopes on Nagi? Please let it not end on a cliffhanger or "read the manga" kind of ending. This show is absolutely magnificent, and one of the best I have ever seen. If it were to end badly story-wise, my rating for this show will plummet so fast that it'd be worthy of an Olympic gold medal. Also, I'd love it if the couples I ship get together. Hikari and Manaka, Chisaki and Kaname, Tsumugu and . . . hell if I know. But for now, I am in love with this show and excited for the next twelve weeks of awesomeness!

Also, I'm sorry about how this reaction is all over the place, but this episode was SO GOOD. I have officially boarded the feels train after watching this episode and I need to see how this show will end. Will I continue watching it? Hell yeah I will! And with that, see you next time, otakus!

Otaku Reviews: Nagi no Asukara (凪のあすから) [First Half]

Warning: The following contains spoilers! Viewer discretion is advised.

I wrote this review halfway through the series (thirteen episodes in); opinion is subject to change.

When I first decided to start watching Nagi no Asukara, I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much. The only reason why I even started watching it in the first place is because the animation looked pretty. That was it. But now, thirteen episodes in, I am absolutely in love with this series and deem it as one of my favorite anime series of this year.

Story

Nagi begins pretty simply. Four middle school friends—Manaka, Hikari, Chisaki, and Kaname—are sea people, meaning they live under the sea. They are able to breathe because the Sea God gave the people of the sea a gift many centuries ago: Ena, a sort of layer of skin that allows people to breathe underwater. The sea people look exactly like humans; the only differences are that the sea people's eyes are an awesome blue color and their skin (aka their Ena) sparkles like the vampires from Twilight when they're in the sun.

Gah! Never mind! Let's stay away from that atrocity.

So anyway, the school of these four children closes (for what reason, I have no clue), and they have to go to the school above the surface. Now the sea people and the surface people have this sort of racism against each other, the sea people calling the surface people pigs and the surface people calling the sea people . . . well, fish. The root of this hatred goes back to when the first sea people went up to the surface to live there. The longer they stayed there, the less powerful their Ena became. Ena is extremely sensitive to UV rays, so when a sea person stays out on the surface for too long, their Ena begins to break, like glass. So the people who went up to the surface eventually lost their Ena and could no longer live in the sea. As time went on, less and less people believed in the Sea God, therefore weakening his power.

Now that being said, one of the kids Hikari, the son of the Chief Priest of Shioshishio (the village the sea people live in), has this prejudice against them as well, believing them to be greedy pigs for throwing away the gift of Ena from the Sea God. So of course Hikari is rude to the surface people and calls them pigs. So when Manaka accidentally gets caught by a surface boy named Tsumugu in a net and is instantly enamored with him, Hikari gets a little worked up, especially since he has feelings for Manaka. However, as the anime proceeds, Hikari starts to form a friendship with the people of the surface, and even at one point stands up for them to his own kind, saying that they are not greedy pigs.

Yeah! We aren't animals!

So not much happens for a few episodes (just relationships growing and friendships forming) until around episode eight or nine. Around this time it starts snowing saline, something that's only supposed to happen underwater. It is discovered that the Sea God's powers are weakening, causing the saltflake snow to keep falling and cooling the world, which will eventually lead to the world freezing and all the surface people dying. In the meantime, the sea people will enter hibernation, staying asleep until the Sea God's powers are renewed and the world is restored to its former self. Hikari and the others want to avoid this, so they want to perform the Ofunehiki, a sort of ceremony in honor of the Sea God. Hikari's older sister Akari (yeah, their names rhyme) wants to replace the offering with herself so that it'll please the Sea God and she can go marry her boyfriend from the surface.

So a few episodes later, episode thirteen, they perform the Ofunehiki. However, the Sea God wants to take Akari as an actual offering and tries to drag her down in a whirlpool. Manaka and Hikari go down to save her, but the Sea God won't allow them. Manaka then offers herself to the Sea God in place of Akari, and he releases Akari. Hikari tries to rescue Manaka but he fails. Also caught in the whirlpool, Tsumugu flies off the boat and is pulled down by it. Chisaki and Kaname go to rescue him and return him to the boat. As Kaname is climbing onto the boat, he sees Chisaki hugging Tsumugu. At the same time a pillar falls down near them and the boat makes a quick turn to avoid it, accidentally throwing Kaname off the boat and into the place where the pillar falls into the water. Suddenly a barrier covers Shioshishio and Akari is found alone floating to the surface.

You really have to give credit to the story of this anime. So little happened in the beginning but so much happens in the halfway point. The last episode definitely had me on the edge on my seat, and left me awed and wanting more. You already got what is assumed to be two deaths (Manaka and Kaname), somebody's missing (Hikari), the people of Shioshishio are hibernating, and the Sea God is a total douche canoe.

Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you do a cliffhanger. Nagi no Asukara will continue airing on January 9. And so the wait begins.

Characters

The character development in Nagi no Asukara is one of the best I have ever seen. Hikari grows from this immature, rash kid to this wise, determined man. Manaka matures from an annoying crybaby to an independent young lady. Honestly, you'll have to see it to believe it.

Now, because these two characters have so much growth, they outshine the rest of the cast—for a while, at least. Chiaki, while a bit of a mother figure, doesn't really grow like the other characters do. Thankfully she isn't really annoying, but she's sort of . . . bland. As for Kaname, he seemed like the typical nice guy; quiet and mature, not much is going for him. That is until this happens:

Wait. Am I reading this right? Someone actually confessed? And Kaname of all people?

Way to go, bro! From the third (or fourth?) wheel to badass, congrats!

Holy ****! This guy is fearless!

Where did you come from, person? What did you do with the real Kaname? Not only did you confess to someone, you actually told her parents you did.

. . .

Hold up a second. My mind is having trouble processing this. This man deserves a medal for being such a badass!

Moving on, last but not least we have Tsumugu. The guy who seems to always have a blank face and a cool head, and at times offers advice to the other characters. Like Chisaki, Tsumugu is a bit boring, as well. But I do see what he wishes to be (a sea person with Ena, like his grandfather is implied to be) and where he wants to be (Shioshishio).

Now there are other characters as well, like Akari's boyfriend from the surface, the boyfriend's daughter, the daughter's best friend, the kids' teacher and friends from school, etc., etc. But at least most of the characters have an importance in the overall plot. Most of them are rather enjoyable to watch.

Now something that has to be addressed in Nagi no Asukara is that there is a love, er . . . polygon going around. Here's a picture to help you out:

Hm . . . all the arrows end up pointing at the fish.

The love polygon isn't bad, in fact it's probably one of the best ones out there, but it really irks me that nobody realizes that someone likes them. Thankfully, though, around episode ten Kaname confesses to Chisaki, Hikari to Manaka, and Chisaki to Hikari, so hopefully something good is going to happen.

Animation

The animation in Nagi is absolutely breathtaking. I love the backgrounds, I love the shading, I love the reflections, and I love how the sun's rays look. Everything is so detailed, so life-like—it's gorgeous! Like look at this picture:

Ooh! Three suns! Pretty!

Oh. My. God. Have you ever seen anything so pretty? Before watching Nagi I thought that Free! was the best animated anime of the year, but once I saw this show, my opinion changed in an instant!

Sound

The opening song is sung by Ray and the ending song by Nagi Yanagi (ha, ha, her first name has the word nagi in it; great coincidence to the anime, yeah?). Interestingly enough, both Ray and Nagi have worked together before in another anime, Amnesia. But in this anime, Ray sings the opening song and Nagi sings the ending song, so the roles are reversed. Just a little interesting tidbit there.

So, how is the opening? Well, I absolutely adore it. The chorus is so soothing and it gives you such a good feeling. I think it works real well with the anime's mood.

Now for the ending, it fits the anime's theme to a tee, especially after episode thirteen. It sounded really cool, with its chorus's "hehehe," but once you watch episode thirteen, those little "hehehe"'s sound absolutely spooky and make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.

Note how the hourglass has water in it instead of sand. But hell if I know what it means.

I hear there's going to be a new opening and ending song, so, if it's true, I hope they'll live up to the previous songs. I look forward to listening to them.

Overall Enjoyment

In the beginning, the anime is pretty slow-paced. Not a lot of drama is happening, and only some tween love triangle is going around. However, once the main problem is revealed, a flood of dilemmas come crashing through and real-life worries are addressed. What if one of us wakes up before the other? What if one of us doesn't wake up? What if they never wake up at all? These are all questions the characters ask and are concerned about. And the wonderful thing is that the problems just keep on getting bigger and bigger.

In the latest episode, episode thirteen, Manaka sacrifices herself to the Sea God in place of Akari, Kaname seemingly dies from a pillar falling on him, Hikari is nowhere to be seen, and a barrier covers Shioshishio. All these problems and we have to wait until January to see how they are resolved and what'll happen next.

I am literally left speechless at how mature this anime is and how fast everything seems to be going. Nagi is a beautiful anime that is more than just your typical slice-of-life romance show.

The Bottom Line

I hereby give this anime the score of ★★★★☆, with each section rated the following:

Story: ★★★½

Characters: ★★★★☆

Animation: ★★★★☆

Sound: ★★★★☆

Enjoyment: ★★★★☆

Because of its rating, this anime is deemed "Great," and I recommend it to do the people who wish to watch a good anime with fantastic animation, character development, and a growing plot. And with that, see you next time, otakus!