Azur Lane Kizuna Scrapbook Question Marks
Welcome to another year of doing retrospectives on coolest moments that came out of Type-Moon in all of its various iterations. I should mention upfront that this is a personal list. These are the events, announcements, games, characters, items, and pieces of fandom that have made me happy this year from Type-Moon. It is not necessarily the best of Type-Moon but merely what reminded me why I love so much of what comes out of the company.
That means that if something is missing from this list it does not mean it was not important and/or cool. I am not an omniscient so there is a good chance lots of little pieces and even some major elements of the fandom may escape my notice. Also, I can't read Japanese so that cuts me off from a lot of what is happening in Japan. It also means most of the Japanese fandom is a complete mystery. In the end, I just have my own tastes so what might be incredibly important to me might otherwise be trivial for you and vice versa.
Now that Type-Moon is a juggernaut of anime, manga, and games I have far too many choices for this list that I know what to do with. I could easily just make it a list of Top 10 Grand Order Moments without breaking a sweat but that would crowd out everything else that is Type-Moon and enough of the fandom already is a bit sick of how prominent it has become often at the expense of other parts of the franchise. So while I won't ignore Grand Order I made sure to throw in a healthy amount of Type-Moon moments unrelated to the mobile game.
I will note that I consider anything that happened on New Years to be the stuff of 2020. So if you are wondering why anything very recent is not on the list despite being crazy amazing you now know the reason.
10. It Will Be FGOWarrior For The NA Release: FGOQuest
Type-Moon April Fools events have a very variable level of complexity and effort involved depending on the year. Sometimes you even get the insanity of Back Alley Satsuki – Chapter Heroine Sanctuary and other times you just get Koha-Ace: Chemical Maid Kohaku. But even the years they just did a bunch of in-character Twitter accounts they involve a fair amount of time for the staff to produce. They are usually very amusing but since they are only out for one day how much they get translated into English can be VERY variable. Most of the time we only get summaries of the event with some select translations when it tickles someone's fancy. I'm still holding out hope that someone will translate all of Back Alley Satsuki – Chapter Heroine Sanctuary.
All that said I was fairly impressed by the fake Dragon Quest I app they made this year. It felt like a complete game albeit a small game. But since the Type-Moon April Fools apps only last one day it had to be something you could easily beat in a few hours anyway. I'm sure it was a fun little nostalgia blast for Japanese fans around my age especially. The graphics seem very cute and it extended the universe of Riyo drawn servants.
It might have been higher on the list but since this has a very low chance of being translated into something I can play it will always be more of an interesting oddity than anything else.
9. Games Were Every Heroine is a Devilish Kouhai: Studio BB
While we have not really seen anything yet from Studio BB the idea alone is worth getting excited about. Apparently, this will be a new subdivision of Type-Moon to work on new video game projects. The goal is small-scale in house 2D games and larger 3D games in collaboration with other companies. Their first title is going to be announced this summer. There is lots of speculation about some sort of fighting game or a more accessible version of the Fate/Extra games.
I'm not exactly sure what it is going to be but I look forward to seeing what we get. I feel like the Fate/Grand Order boom has really helped the anime side of the company I'm very excited to see what it does for their roots in games.
8. 'Dat Ass The Anime: Fate/Grand Order – Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia
When you get anime based on wildly successful games that are just raking in the cash you tend to only get the wild extremes in terms of quality. You either get blockbuster affairs where tremendous amounts of time and money are poured into the production and everything shines brightly or you get rushed schlock that looks like the dog's dinner even if there is a good deal of capital behind the project. The Babylonia anime is definitely the first case. Say what you will about where in the story they decided to start they certainly put their everything into what is on the screen.
The animation is gorgeous. It is different from the marvel that is the Ufotable anime but CloverWorks does their own brand of impressive. There is a fluidity and punch to the fight scenes that make you take notice. There is also just a good eye for knowing what from the game to show on the screen and knowing what to cut due to a difference in medium. The fact that they really have brought life and weight to Ushiwakamaru and Leonidas with anime original scenes is quite impressive. So far the whole anime seems like a master class on how to adapt a game without making it feel like a sloppy cut-scene compilation video.
It actually makes me think that in the proper hand's someone could not only adapt but actually improve the Okeanos and E Pluribus Unum chapters of Grand Order. That would normally just be crazy talk but it might be possible if this anime is any indication.
7. Bronze is the New Gold: The New Bronze Servants
Cool new high rarity characters are pretty much the SOP of Gacha games. Games will occasionally throw out some new low rarity units but they tend to be basic and underwhelming. So it came as a huge surprise when one of the anniversary announcements this year was the fact that Grand Order was getting 7 new Bronze Servants. The thing is none of them seem cheap or throwaway. Now not all of them are top tier but all of them have a surprising amount of effort poured into them.
The animation on all of them feels really solid. In fact, all of them are better than any of the release Servants who have not gotten an animation updates including most of the golden release Servants. Jason sticks out the most impressive one-star Servant to date. Chen Gong is a Servant that has changed some people's play styles proving they are not just pretty faces.
Also, Gareth is amazingly cute with a hint of tragedy and makes the whole thing extra special.
6. The Belly of the Whale: Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel II. lost butterfly
Not that much to say about this one other than Ufotable continues to just keep killing it with their Fate adaptations. The movies continue to be gorgeous and captivating. The pacing is amazing and knows exactly how to fit the longest arc of the original game into three movies while still conveying everything people loved about Heaven's Feel. That fight with Berserker is worth the price of admission alone.
I just wanted to note that the movies are still awesome and have to be acknowledged on any list for this year.
5. Hooray for Denpa: Today's Menu for the Emiya Family
I know that I put Today's Menu for the Emiya Family getting licensed on the list last year but a lot can happen between the licensing of a book and when it finally appears on shelves. If it ever gets on shelves in the first place. Thankfully we already have three volumes of Today's Menu for the Emiya Family and they are wonderful. TAa's take on the Fate characters is always so warm and comforting. The books are well done and look great. I'm really looking forward to seeing Fate/Grand Order: Chaldea Scrapbook from Denpa as well.
4. A Tour of the Waterfalls of the Provinces: Katsushika Hokusai (Saber)
Katsushika Hokusai is already back on the list from last year which is quite impressive. They took a great character and then made her a wonderful free Servant so everyone could have a kick-ass single target Saber. She really just looks amazing and plays really well too. Despite being a tongue-in-cheek Summer servant they still manage to work in a good deal of the historical art of this Father and Daughter team. She really is a great example of how to do a swimsuit Servant perfectly. And on top of all of that, she was free. Amazing.
3. Birb is the Word: Beni-enma
She is the katana-wielding yokai version of Gordon Ramsay. That alone should be enough to convince anyone that she was one of the best servants to come out in 2018. The fact that she is the long alluded to but never seen a member of the Yokai SNS network is really just icing on the cake. It really seemed like there was no topping Katsushika Hokusai last year as the New Year's Servant. While there are solid arguments on both sides for who is the cooler Servant is I can easily say that Beni-enma is a solid successor if nothing else.
Her design by Harada Takehito is adorably cute without straying too far into loli territory like some of his art. The gameplay mechanics are unique, powerful, and most importantly tied to her mythological origins while still having a very Type-Moon twist. Also, her animation is just top-notch.
But most importantly she is just a fun character. She is a great mixture of acidic snark and earnest warmth. The way that she looms over Tamamo, Kiyohime, and Osakabehime as a cruel but secretly loving taskmaster is just great. I already loved that trio but her addition is just perfect. She really just adds to any story she is placed in.
Spoilers for next year: I know she is a good Servant and popular with the fan art community but Yang Guifei did not blow me away like the last two New Year's Servants.
2. Slaps Roof of Car: Anime NYC 2019
Holy Moly! Anime NYC 2019 was jam-packed with cool stuff this year already but the sheer amount of Type-Moon events went above and beyond. Without anything else, the Fate/Grand Order USA Tour alone was enough to make this list. Being able to sit on Kintoki Rider's Golden Bear motorcycle or see the Gudako mascot causing havok was simply amazing. When the US tends to get Japanese style events they are far too often only on the West Coast. Seeing the East Coast get some love was fantastic. Also, the fact that there was the US only merchandise like the famous/infamous Wassap my Homies shirt was extra cool even if we don't the full grandeur of a Japanese style event.
Then there was the surprise The Lord El-Melloi II Case Files panel. While the audience did not really get to ask any questions I felt like we got a good amount of insight into the show thanks to the director, producer, and character designer all being at the panel. They each added a different angle on a piece of the production and really showed how it was the whole staff as well as the original novels that made the show what it was.
And last but not least was Denpa's massive coup in bringing over TAa. I am a huge fan of Today's Menu for the Emiya Family so getting to meet the author was a real treat. She was very charming and you could see that much of the appeal of the series comes from her skills and warmth. Her presence at the convention kicked it up from amazing to unforgettable.
It would easily take an appearance by Koyama Hirokazu in 2018 to even match this year's levels of shock and awe.
1. The Anime Made For Me: The Lord El-Melloi II Case Files Anime
The only thing that could go in this slot was The Lord El-Melloi II Case Files Anime. It is such an odd niche show even for this franchise. A murder mystery novel series that is based around solving cases using the mechanics of magical systems. It is a show that is so based on my very specific tastes I could not even imagine such a show as a joke before it was created. The fact that the novels were written in the first place was shocking. The fact that they turned it into an anime is doubly bizarre. I'm a 1,000% percent sure thew only reason this show got animated was the rabid Waver Velvet fandom and the actual premise of the show got dragged along for the ride. I'm not complaining. I'm just pointing out that I realize that Type-Moon is not specifically targeting Alain Mendez of Brooklyn, NY and I just happen to occasionally get a bit of area of effect luck from other people.
But an Alain targeted premise alone does not a great show make. The anime itself is fantastic. It has some powerful visual, bewitching music, and skillful composition. It is definitely one of the Type-Moon properties that define this modern era of top tier Nasuverse anime. But it is not just a pretty face and no substance. The plots are engaging and the mysteries feel substantial. Magic can easily make mystery shows feel utterly empty but the writing is smart enough to grab a hold of the viewer even though Knox's Commandments are immediately thrown out the window with the premise. I also really enjoy the mixture of references to old Type-Moon material while also adding much more to the universe.
It really is a special show and one of my favorite pieces of the Type-Moon universe not only this year but overall.
So that was my list. Did you have any moments I missed? There were quite a few that I left off that might have even been more special to you.
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(note: No Type-Moon Weekly News Round Up this week)
I'm not going to lie to you. Doing Otakon coverage without Kate is a little bit frightening. Otakon is always just such a beast of a convention. Truth be told no one could ever cover it all and even when there were two of us there were always parts of the convention we wanted to see that slipped through the cracks. I have covered AnimeNEXT and other conventions without her but Otakon is always a triathlon compared to simple marathon of covering other conventions. I will do my best and see what happens.
DOWNLOAD THE PRE-OTAKON PODCAST
Be sure to attend Our Panels!
New Anime for Older Fans
Saturday, 10:15 AM, Panel 6 (Room 152A)
Star-Crossed Alien Lovers…in Robots!
SUNDAY, 12:45 PM, Panel 5 (Room 151B)
My tentative schedule for the convention:
Friday
09:00 AM Urusei Yatsura: 40+ Years, Datcha!
10:15 AM Abrakadabra! Magic Systems in Anime
11:30 AM Shojo Manga's Lost Generation
12:45 PM Comparing US and Japanese Comics with Hiroshi Nagahama
02:00 PM Mix! panel with Kikuko Inoue and Michihiko Suwa
03:15 PM DENPA Manga Licensing Panel
04:30 PM Kyogoku's Guide to Directing and Animating Anime from Tokyo Ghoul to Yuru Camp with a side of Kuroko no Basket
05:45 PM Live Drawing with Studio Trigger
07:00 PM Planes, Trains, and Battleships: A Look at the Leijiverse
09:30 PM Aren't You a Little Old for This? – Fandom and Functional Adulthood
Saturday
09:00 The Women Who Write Shounen and Seinen Manga
10:15 AM New Anime for Older Fans
11:30 AM Otaquest panel feat TAKU
12:45 PM Mecha as Modern Mythology: The New Hero's Journey
02:00 PM "That Time I Got Reincarnated As a Slime" Staff Panel
02:15 PM IOEA presents What's Comiket
04:30 PM Fact & Fiction: The Real Events That Have Inspired Our Favorite Anime
05:45 PM Magical Girls Transforming Through the Ages
07:00 PM Genshiken and Beyond: The Works of Kio Shimoku
08:15 PM Fake Fashion and Vintage Vandalism: A Designer Tour Through the Fashion of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
09:30 PM WHY Marnie Was There: Turning Brit Lit into Anime
Sunday
09:00 AM Fate/Stay Night and Type Moon: A World of Magic and Mystery
10:45 AM Animation in Anime
11:30 AM The History of Japanese Animation as created by Masao Maruyama Part 2
12:45 PM Star-Crossed Alien Lovers…in Robots!
02:00 PM Twenty Years Ago: Anime in 1999
03:00 PM Closing Ceremonies
04:00 PM Con Feedback Session
Much like Junk Dog, the Speakeasy podcast is not quite dead yet. While it is on hiatus for most of 2019 I felt it wrong to not do a pre-Otakon podcast. Thankfully I was able to get Carl from Ogiue Maniax and Patz from The Cockpit to be on the podcast so I had someone to bounce off of preventing this from being utterly lame. We mostly talk about our plans for the convention as well as some guests and events you might want to check out. I'm still not sure what I'm doing podcast wise for Otakon proper but I have some ideas. Keep your eyes on the web page for further news.
Download the podcast!
Be sure to attend Our Panels!
New Anime for Older Fans
Saturday, 10:15 AM, Panel 6 (Room 152A)
Gundam for Newbies
Saturday, 04:30 PM, Panel 4 (Room 151A)
Genshiken and Beyond: The Works of Kio Shimoku
Saturday, 07:00 PM, Panel 7 (Room 146C)
Star-Crossed Alien Lovers…in Robots!
SUNDAY, 12:45 PM, Panel 5 (Room 151B)
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Apparently, the 12th Anniversary is silk and linen so I went with a "classic" anime silk shirt for a picture for the post. I would have gone with the more traditional Dragonball Z club shirt but One Piece is more on brand for the site.
If you give me nothing else I will note that I remembered the blog's 12th anniversary before it passed this year. It might be a little odd to pat yourself on the back for something most people would remember as a matter of course but I will take my wins where I can. Also doing anything for twelve years is an admirable accomplishment especially for something that is as bespoke as an anime blog like this.
This has been a bit of an odd year for Reverse Thieves. If you have not noticed Kate has taken a year off from doing anything with the blog. I have been waiting for the right time to say something about it and the 12th anniversary seemed the right time. She wanted a year away from blog and podcasting to focus on herself since she has had several life-changing events (for better and for worse) hit her in a row. If she will be back in 2020 is yet to be seen but until then I will try and keep the porch light on for her if she chooses to return.
Until then I will try my best to keep up the weekly content on the blog. The beginning of the year threw me for a bit of a loop to the point were people understandably thought the blog was totally dead. After a bit of adjustment, I was able to get myself in the proper headspace in order to keep to a regular schedule. Now if nothing else I do some sort of editorial on Monday and the Type-Moon roundup on Saturday. It hardly peak Reverse Thieves but it is something.
I know several people miss the Speakeasy podcast but I utterly dread the thought of doing it as a solo podcast. I just have a feeling it would be an odd rambling affair if I did it in a free form manner and I just don't have the energy to do it as a scripted affair. If Kate does not come back in 2020 I will look into restarting the Speakeasy in some form without her. I have some vague ideas in what form that might be but at this point, it is nothing even remotely definitive or concrete.
While I am at it I am fairly certain that there will be no Secret Santa Project this year or at least one run by the Reverse Thieves. That was always Kate's project and possibly a little beyond my organizational skills without her. If anyone wanted to take over the mantle I would have no objection to it as I always liked it as a way for the community together in a way and for everyone to expand their horizons.
I do have a slightly interesting idea surrounding Sarazanmai and some other irons in the fire but that is for another day. Until then I apologize to any readers who have stuck with the blog during these odd times and hope that I can still provide some materials that make you appreciate the depth and breadth of anime and manga.
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I have a theory. I think Shonen Jump has recently gotten a bit darker than it has been in a while. A more accurate title for this post would have been "Have a Number of Shonen Jump Titles Gotten a Bit Darker?" but that does not really roll off the tongue. I'm not claiming that 2019 Shonen Jump is all Young King OURs or Afternoon. Let us be realistic. I'm not even saying it is back to its peak Fist of the North Star era level of Shonen Jump. It is more somewhere between the fairly light mid-2000's Shonen Jump and the almost seinen era 80's Jump.
My theory began with Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. I will admit that Demon Slayer had mostly flown under my radar until recently. I was not really avoiding it for any particular reason. I even remember Carl from Ogiue Maniax giving it a thumbs up. What happened was I recently started using the Shonen Jump app when they changed how it worked. Now that that newest chapters are free I have started reading a bunch of titles. I saw that Demon Slayer was one of the titles you could read but there was enough backlog that it intimated me away from trying to catch up. The title was on my radar but never enough for me to add another title on to my regular reading schedule.
Then the anime from Ufotable came out. The mixture of word of mouth, impressive production values, and current positive reviews made me want to sample the series and now I could start from the beginning. The series was fairly entertaining. It is not my favorite Shonen Jump series but it is solid enough that I will probably make an effort to catch up with the manga when the anime is over. The far more interesting reaction I had was to the overall mood of the series.
I was a little surprised amount of blood, guts, and murder that was in Demon Slayer. Now Demon Slayer at its peak is a fluffy bunny panel of Berserk. But for Jump, it seemed a bit darker than I was used to. But then I looked around and realized that the median tone of the magazine had gone it the same direction. The recent batch of new titles have made me think there might be something going on.t
I think it says a little about myself that whenever I write an article like this I immediately imagine someone with a dozen counter arguments to anything I would say. Overall the modern Internet engenders that defensive mindset but I sometimes feel it more acutely than others. So I want to get some simple defenses out of the way.
The first is simply the existence of Death Note. Death Note always felt like a seinen series that got dropped in the wrong magazine. Death Note could turn the melodrama to points were it wavered between gloriously stupid and just plain stupid but the tone was always mature and dark. How well it executed that tone is still a matter of debate but it outside of the scope of this article. What really matters is that despite Death Note's popularity it generally remained a solitary island of tone in terms of the magazine. No long running series really took after Death Note for the longest time. The next title that even comes close to assuming the mantle was The Promised Neverland and that started a decade after Death Note ended. Until then Death Note was more of an anomaly than anything else.
I don't doubt Death Note was an influence on The Promised Neverland. I would just argue that by the time titles like The Promised Neverland came out it was one of several major influences that led to its creation. These other factors are just as important otherwise I think something like The Promised Neverland would just be its own island separated from the mainland of the magazine.
The other main counter would be that most action-oriented Jump series have a storyline, character, or event that can be described as fairly dark. I think of individual moments in Bleach, Naruto, and One Piece that are either creepy, disquieting, or shocking. It is not as if Shonen Jump shows are utterly unwilling to "go there." It is just that overall these titles are mostly upbeat fighting shows for kids more in the mold of Dragon Ball than Barefoot Gen.
There is nothing wrong with this. I love myself some One Piece. One Piece can go to some meaningful places when it wants to tackle some more weighty themes. But even something like Thriller Bark which could have been darker was more The Nightmare Before Christmas than it ever was Hellraiser.
Bleach had some parts in the beginning with the disturbing and alien Hollows where it could have done something different but after a while, it mostly settled into being a much more standard man vs monstrous man fighting show. Mayuri Kurotsuchi stepped back into that original vibe but he mostly is a cul-de-sac especially as the series went on. It is not that these titles can't do some darker moments. It is just they are very clearly the exception and not the rule.
With that out of the way I feel I can finally get to my idea. When I did my manga of the month for The Promised Neverland I generally assumed it was another dark island in the overall feel of Jump. But now with Chainsaw Man, Demon Slayer, The Last Saiyuki, and Tokyo Shinobi Squad alongside The Promised Neverland, there seems to be a little shift. Now you still have your milder titles like Black Clover, Samurai 8, and Yui Kamio Lets Loose in the magazine showing that the shift is more a change of percentage than a total transformation. But it is still a shift worth examining.
These titles tend to be a bit more graphically bloody, they have more shocking and brutal deaths, and the overall the mood is a bit more cynical and grim. Now the series still tend to revolve around the Jump trilogy of principles "Friendship, Effort, Victory" but with a bit of a darker interpretation. The death of Conny in The Promised Neverland, the introduction of Sai in The Last Saiyuki, or anything in Chainsaw Man all feels more at home in a seinen magazine.
So here is my theory. Kodansha's Attack on Titan demanded a response. The Titan manga was popular thanks to its unique vibe and shocking elements but its less than finely polished art kept it from being anything more than an interesting oddity. Then the anime made the series a superstar and almost forced the other shonen magazines to examine if they needed to adjust their lineup to keep up with the Jones.
That said I think that Attack on Titan was just the spark that lit the kindling that was already there. It is not as if Shonen Jump has never had a selection of darker material before this date. This is the magazine that ran Bastard!! and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. I feel like some combination of lower circulation, changing demographics, editorial turnover, formulaic stagnation, and increased competition from other media set the stage for this shift. The bonfire was set it just needed a title to set it ablaze and I think Titan was that title. Titan's popularity paved to way for titles that might have otherwise be rejected or sent over to other Shueisha imprints instead make their way into the pages of the flagship magazine.
Now this is just a theory. Since I can't read Japanese and I don't have a subscription to the Japanese version of Shonen Jump, therefore, I might be missing some vital pieces of this puzzle. The American version of Shonen Jump is getting closer to having all of the same content as its Japanese counterpart but that is still a little while off. I theoretically could be catching the middle of a movement instead of the beginning of one. I could even be wrong about this being a movement in the first place. It could be a "Don't call it a comeback" thing.
All that said I'm fairly confident I'm on to something. I don't think I see the total tapestry of the movement but I think I have a decent impression of the overall concept from the parts I'm seeing. I'm very curious for anyone else's impressions of the tone of modern Shonen Jump and how far off the base you think I am about what caused the change. This is an evolving theory so I'm all ears to criticisms and clarification.
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Sarazanmai just kicked off and it is 1000% Ikuhara from the start and shows no signs of stopping. At this point you can pick out some of the major themes he is going to examine and guess and some others but betting on details specifics is a fool's wager. Heck, even after an Ikuhara show has finished fans will be debating points about it until the end of time. I myself have watched the first episode of Sarazanmai three times in an attempt to try to find some of the obvious threads to pay attention to as well as hopefully catch some of the more subtle paths as well. I did notice something I was not excepting that gave me a new insight into Ikuhara as a storyteller.
Back in 2014 Kate and I did a panel on The Visual Stylings of Kunihiko Ikuhara. Ikuhara's filmography might be rather small but his shows are dense enough that you have to put some restraints on what you talk about if you want anything more than an extremely cursory look. Since Ikuhara has such a striking and unique visual style we focused on his optical themes for the panel. But he also has a wide array of narrative tools in his directorial belt that is just as impressive. Ikuhara is a master of controlling information in his shows so that twists and turns have the maximum impact without feeling like they came out of nowhere. There is an interview with Kinoko Nasu of Type-Moon where he discusses how much of a gut punch the last moments of "The Prince Who Runs Through the Night" was in Utena. After watching the first episode of Sarazanmai I realized one of the fundamental narrative techniques he uses to have an audience get that same mind-blowing moment. The intro is never the beginning.
What I mean by this is simple. All of his narratives have three layers of truth each with its own beginning. There is the initial layer of truth that the main characters know and revolves around the place where the protagonists think the story starts. The audience, on the other hand, knows fairly early on that the main characters are mistaken and there is more to their story then they realize. The audience exists on a greater level of truth and is merely waiting for the characters to catch up. You are waiting for them to see the real starting point of their story and the revelations that come with that truth. But by the end of any Ikuhara story, a third layer appears. There is actually a greater social mechanism behind the story with its own starting point and revelations. In a way, Ikuhara is waiting on that third layer for the audience to catch up in the same way you were waiting for the characters in the show.
This also gives Ikuhara a bit of layering to the reveals. Since then the second layer tends to be more narrative based then the reveals contained within can be more narrative based as well. Since the third layer is theme based all of it can tend to have a thematic emphasis as well. In a well constructed show the themes reinforce the narrative and vice versa so realistically all the layers are supporting each other in a dynamic manner so nothing is really isolated in any level or needs to be on any particular level to work it just sometimes helps as a possible but hardly ironclad sorting mechanism.
The prime example is Mawaru Penguindrum. At first, the Takakura siblings think that their story started when Himari died and was revived by the Penguindrum. It is fairly clear to the audience that there is more going on with Princess of the Crystal that they know. Eventually, the Takakura siblings remember that their relationships go back to their time in the care of the Kiga Group and all the secrets contained within. Their story began when they first shared that Fruit of Fate long ago. But eventually, the audience is made aware that the Kiga Group, the Child Broiler, and the Fruit of Fate are all parts of a story of this greater war between Sanetoshi and Momoka. The real story started when Sanetoshi decided to start his terrorist organization.
Utena does the same thing. At first, Utena thinks that her story beings with her participation in the duels and her getting a ring from a Prince. The audience is quickly shown that maybe Utena's recollection of meeting the Prince isn't exactly how she remembers. When she finally learns the truth she understands that nature of the duels and her relationship with the Prince and Anthy is very different. Her story began when she climbed into the coffin not when she got the rose signet ring. But of course, the audience gets the same shock when discovering that these duels are part of a larger story that has played out many times. The truth of the nature of Akio and Anthy is a layer of shocking secrets even to the audience. The real story started when the Prince became Akio.
Yurikuma Arashi shows the pattern for the third time. Kureha starts the story thinking everything begins with her friend Sumika being eaten by a bear. But the audience knows that her real story revolves around the death of her mother. The audience is waiting for Kureha to connect these stories together. But eventually, the story really starts even before the destruction of Kumaria and the creation of the Wall of Severance. It is truly a tale of society's judgment and harmful constructs.
Sarazanmai continues the trend. Surely Kazuki thinks his tale began when he accidentally smashed the kappa statue but the audience knows the truth. They know he had already been hit by that otter sign before then. What that means and what is the greater level that Ikuhara is waiting on have yet to be revealed. You can make some educated guesses from the first episode but only time will tell the whole story. I think we can all agree that this is another case of the intro is never the beginning.
I don't think this is some amazing revelation to English, film, or theater students. It is all fairly basic if somewhat complex narrative construction. I have not deciphered some secret code. What I hope I have done is shown some of the people who read the blog a tool that Kunihiko Ikuhara likes to use. That, in turn, might act as a tool to help you decipher Ikuhara dense storytelling into something a little easier to handle.
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I recently had to take a Friday off of work after I had spent most of Thursday expelling the contents of the digestive system. That meant I spent a good deal of two days mostly lying in bed. While the experience was hardly pleasant it did give me a good deal of time where I needed to entertain myself passively as I recovered. This gave me a good chance to knock out a very vital title in my pile of shame.
A while back Kate and I were asked if we could get the other host of the Speakeasy to watch one show what would it be. Kate said that she would get me to finish Fullmetal Alchemist. Fullmetal Alchemist was an odd case in my library. I started watching the original TV series but then the overwhelming outcry was the original manga was better. (If this is true is a matter of contention I will touch on later in the post.) So I put the TV series on hold and started reading the manga. I played with the idea of watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood but I was already decently invested into buying the manga and I heard that while Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood only got really good when it got into new material as the first parts of the story were extremely rushed since they were in the 2003 TV series. The problem was that halfway through the Fort Briggs storyline I got outsourced at work and my pay was significantly cut. This meant that I stopped buying a lot of manga series and one of those titles was Fullmetal Alchemist. I always meant to finish off the series but I just never got around to it.
So Fullmetal Alchemist fell into this limbo where I had gotten fairly far into the story so there was a drive to finish off the series but starting over from the beginning was a bit of a pain in the ass. I'm definitely in that position with Nodame Cantabile. I was really hoping that someone would get the itch watch Fullmetal Alchemist and I could tag along with them but that never happened. So I was in limbo until I got sick. It seemed to be the perfect catalyst. It also worked really well since I was a little loopy during the episodes I watched on Friday but that was mostly when I watched the part of the story that I had experienced multiple times. By the time I was generally feeling better on Saturday I had caught up to where I was in the manga. I then just spent the next week finishing off the series.
Now a LOT of ink has been split on Fullmetal Alchemist. If you want a complex analysis of the themes, characters, and plot it is not too hard to find. I instead wanted to just go over five things I noticed since I watched all of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood in 2019. There are certain observations that are easier to make a full decade after the show premiered. Some might only be possible with that much distance. That is worth talking about thanks to perspective.
First of all, it is easy to forget what a powerhouse Fullmetal Alchemist was back in the day. If you are new to anime fandom Fullmetal Alchemist still has a decent amount of cache alongside series like Dragon Ball, Cowboy Bebop, or Neon Genesis Evangelion. Despite being "old"
those shows still populate many a list of canon that you should see and no one is super worried that they will be forgotten anytime soon. The thing is there like all those other series I mentioned at their heyday it felt like everyone one had either seen Fullmetal Alchemist or was intentionally going out of their way not to watch it. Opinions ranged from it was an instant classic to a piece of overrated claptrap but it seemed like the series was everywhere. It was constantly cosplayed at conventions. It was a constant topic of panels, podcasts, blog posts, humor, and general fan conversation. I know Kate avoided anything Fullmetal Alchemist just because it had such a huge cloud of hype around it that she waited until it died down to give the series a fair shake.
It also came out at just the right time. The Physical DVDs and manga were released alongside streaming episodes and a TV broadcast on Cartoon Network. That meant the show was extremely easily accessible in so many different formats. At the same time, the number of shows coming out was still small enough that popular shows could stick around for a while without immediately being completely replaced by the new hotness. It was definitely a mainstream success in fandom and even made a minor dent in the consciousness of the general nerdy public. I know Asami Sato's character design from The Legend of Korra is partially based on Lust.
As I mentioned Fullmetal Alchemist is hardly a forgotten show. If you asked a crowd at any large anime convention you would undoubtedly still get a positive reaction from a decent percentage of the crowd. It is just the difference between the excitement for Attack on Titan in the middle of its first season and the fandom now. When Fullmetal Alchemist was on fire it blazed with the heat of a thousand suns. Now it is just a bright point in the sea of stars.
Secondly, it is easy to forget how odd the two different version of the Fullmetal Alchemist TV series. I have mentioned it so many times on this site but the fact that shows can take a few years off and still come back on a regular basis is a major game changer. Back in the day, there was a fear that if a series took a break to let the manga build up the fandom would die out. So anime original endings and filler arcs were rather common. They were hardly ever popular but they were often considered better than a "go read the manga" ending. Even in that climate the Fullmetal Alchemist TV still stands out.
Around the introduction of Greed the first Fullmetal Alchemist TV series goes off in its own direction in amazingly significant ways. Characters like Ling Yao and Olivier Mira Armstrong are not in the original anime and there are new characters like Frank Archer and Clara are used instead. The Homunculus are radically different in both versions with some Homunculi have different identities and powers and others being totally new characters. Also, major characters like Kimblee and Van Hohenheim share similarities to their original versions but are pretty much new characters. In fact, even something like the fundamental principles of alchemy and the themes related to that eventually radially diverges. Also, the endings would actually try very hard to be any more different than they are now. The 2003 version is not some series where they slap on a quick ending in the last three episodes. Watching Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 and 2009 is like watching two different shows. It is pretty much its own show once they start diverging. I don't think something like this would happen today without a request from the original author.
It is also sort of crazy how quickly they put out Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood after Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 ended. This is back in a day when reboots were hardly unheard of but were also nowhere as frequent as they are today. Even today a totally new series like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood would raise some eyebrows at how quickly it came out. But I think it speaks volumes how well Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 sold. They knew they had a huge pile of money on the table and a complete story that they could adapt with a huge amount of demand attached to it. If you look at the credits for Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood you will see Funimation's fingerprints all over there. Funimation clearly saw they had a hit on their hands and did everything to strike while the iron was hot.
Third is how odd it is that Hiromu Arakawa has fallen out of the spotlight. It seemed like Hiromu Arakawa was poised to be a rock star mangaka. Just slap "From the creator of Fullmetal Alchemist" on the cover of whatever she did next and just wait for the money to pour in. The major problem is her next two major works were Silver Spoon and The Heroic Legend of Arslan. I actually like both series immensely so I'm not saying she is some unfortunate one hit wonder. The problem is neither series was able to capitalize on the English speaking fandom in any meaningful way.
The problem with Silver Spoon is it is NOTHING like Fullmetal Alchemist. Fullmetal Alchemist is a classic fantastical shonen adventure with lots of hooks for a western audience. Silver Spoon is a very down to earth comedy series that is so very Japanese in its look at an agricultural college. Especially in America, the parts of fandom that care about both types of story is rather slim. It is not that Silver Spoon totally fell off the face of the earth. It is just that the narrative shift lost so much of the original audience and was replaced by a much smaller seinen fandom. In Japan, the series is a hit but here it is mostly an oddity for scholarly nerds and oldtaku.
The Heroic Legend of Arslan seemed like it should have been the one to carry the legacy of Fullmetal Alchemist. The original novels are by the author of Legend of the Galactic Heroes. It is an epic fantasy adventure loosely based on a Persian epic. If you have read the original manga you will see that Hiromu Arakawa really hit it out of the park with her adaptation. This was the series that would appeal to Fullmetal Alchemist fans 100%. But the anime was super mediocre. Painfully so. It is not bad. It is just so very lackluster. Without a killer anime, the manga sort of just exists in limbo. Hardcore fans know about it but everyone else in the dark. It did nothing to sell itself and so The Heroic Legend of Arslan sort of just faded into obscurity.
It is just sort of crazy to think about. A super popular mangaka sort of faded from the spotlight despite having two really solid follow-up series. In a way, she sort of has become a one-hit wonder despite doing nothing to deserve it.
Fourth is how nice the series looks at the time. I'm sure a sakuga expert could go into greater depth into the best parts of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood but even my amateur eyes notice that most episodes have at least one or two dazzling scenes that really knock your socks off. I know that budget alone does not determine how well a series turns out. But when a series has a solid set of tracks laid out the amount of money poured into the show yields results with far better efficiency. It is very clear that everything was set up that the team working on Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood could do their best and the end result shows that. Not every episode is a masterwork and if you want to nitpick you will find what you need over the course of 64 episodes. But objectively Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a very pretty show that was extremely well crafted.
Fifth is how well the series holds up now. I have to say that Fullmetal Alchemist still feels fresh and exciting. The themes of the show are still very relevant and powerful. Everything with the Ishval Civil War still has strong real-world parallels and feels heavy in a way that adds layers of depth and meaning to what otherwise might be a simple fight series with some cool magic effects. The corruption of the Amestris military, the philosophical dilemmas of the Philosopher's Stone, the questions of what makes someone human, and even the beginning storyline with the Church of Leto all still make you think. While both versions of Fullmetal Alchemist eventually go their own ways both of them take the core ideas and run with them in fascinating ways.
I think that should make it clear that if you have not experienced any version of Fullmetal Alchemist it is a series you should not sleep on. If you have to pick one I would go with Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (or just the manga) for two reasons. The first reason is the manga snob in me says when in doubt go with the original story. The second reason is I like how the manga very deliberately structured so the narrative of the story mirrors the creation of a Philosopher's Stone in classical western alchemy. That is some high-level planning. While the story is strong in the Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 version the changes make it so that structure is no longer present. It is an odd reason to prefer something but also a very Alain reason to prefer something. But both stories are solid enough that there is something to be gained from watching both versions.
Fullmetal Alchemist maybe over a decade old but it still feels as fresh as when it first came out. It deserves its place alongside the other classics of anime.
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Forward: I know it is an overused phrase to use for lame posters but it was just too apropos. Also I technically wrote most of this post 4 years ago when Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches anime was on TV but I decided to finish it since I JUST finished the 3rd season of the Rin-ne anime which inspired me to finally finish this.
Remember when Kyon from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya was a popular character? For a while he spawned he spawned about a dozen similar anime leads who were similar stoic with a bit of sarcastic edge to them. This is hardly a phenomenon solely centered around anime. Success tends to breed equal amounts of homage, inspiration, imitation, and plain and simple copying in media. I think it was just Kyon that made me mentally track trends like that in anime more than anything else I can easily remember.
Most of the time when people notice a trend like this it tends to inspire a good deal of cynicism. When you see a dozen characters all with a very similar character in a short period of time it does really make it seem like media has completely run out of ideas. Add on top of that the fact that the Johnny-come-latelys often never match up to the original only exacerbates that feeling of despair. I myself try to find similar characters who on the surface seem like they are doing the same thing but instead find a way to distinctly find their own niche. There is no real lessons to be learned from the first case that is not immediately obvious after you learn it the first time. The blind copying of a trend is just as easy to criticize as it is to do. The far more interesting examination is an analysis of the cases where similar characters are able to differentiate themselves or even fill different roles.
The characters who recently brought this to the forefront for me are Sakura Mamiya from Rin-ne and Urara Shiraishi from Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches. At first they seem remarkably similar. They are both young ladies who seem to be the only characters who constantly keep an almost robotic stiff upper lip despite the strange supernatural activity happening around them. They both act like straight-men for the rambunctious characters around them. They both also seem to be fairly unaware of the romantic interest that the male lead has for them.
It is really easy to assume that these characters are merely carbon copies of the other. A closer examination will show that they are actually very different when you examine them beyond the simple examination you would make in a snarky image post.
The main difference between Mamiya and Shiraishi is overall Mamiya is actually as serene on the inside as she is on the outside whereas despite appearances Shiraishi actually has an inner universe of tumultuous feelings when you get to know her despite what you first assume. Mamiya is basically a case of what you see is what you get. She does have some hidden complexity but overall she wears her heart in her sleeve. Shiraishi, on the other hand, plays the stoic mostly because she is clearly someone who does not deal well with large bursts of emotion. Shiraishi is usually placid as a lake but she tends to react to things if you paying close attention. Her emotions much like how music is the space between the notes. How she does not react is just as important as when she reacts.
A good deal of this contrast comes from the author of the series and what they are bringing to the characters. Sakura Mamiya is a reaction to the work of Rumiko Takahashi as much as Urara Shiraishi is informed by the previous work of Miki Yoshikawa. An examination of each manga-ka's previous work gives a good insight into how these characters came to be the way they are.
Rumiko Takahashi is distinctly known as an author who likes certain archetypal templates. You could even say it might be at the point of loving infamy. Her female protagonists tend to be stubborn and jealous women who have hair-trigger tempers but are very sweet down deep. Akane Tendo, Lum Invader, and Kagome Higurashi are full versions of her style of character while Kyoko Otonashi, Sister Angela, and some of her Rumic Theater characters are a bit more diluted versions. And that is just her protagonists. You will also have someone like Miyake Shinobu in the same series as Lum who increase the overall count of that type of characters in her series.
In many ways Sakura Mamiya seems like a deliberate choice to try create someone who was the exact opposite of her standard heroine. When someone like Akane would fly off the handle or freak out at an event Mamiya has an almost monk-like calmness instead. She is not unemotional like Rei Ayanami or Eve from Black Cat. She can be happy, angry, sad, scared, annoyed, or perplexed. She just generally seems like she has a firm control over said emotions. If anything she seems like what would happen if she took Nabiki and Kasumi Tendo, combined them, and made that character the main character of her own series. The thing is Sakura Mamiya often placed into situations where the prototypical Rumiko Takahashi would go ballistic just so you can see Mamiya have a far more tempered reaction. While it is effective on its own there is an extra level of amusement involved if you are familiar with Takahashi's older works.
(Yes, yes, I know that Rei Ayanami and Eve have emotions. But said emotions are so stunted and repressed in those characters that they are mainly nonexistent.)
Urara Shiraishi on the other hand seems like the next step after Hana Adachi. Hana is this former wild child that wants to be the utter cool and respected class president type but is a goofy force of nature despite her best efforts. Hana's ideal would be to be someone exactly like Shiraishi. It is very clear that Hana thinks her problems would go away if she could be the responsible, even headed, classy intellectual. In the end it is a clear case of the grass always being greener on the other side. Shiraishi gets her power because she would like to be more like Hana.
Shiraishi used to be a person who was much more expressive with her feelings but after being hurt and let down by multiple people she became jaded and closed off. She decided she would not react in a way that would let it show that people get to her. But the witch powers in Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches reveal what the person who gets them wish they could change about themselves. Her body-swapping would theoretically let her escape from the pressure of being her and let her actually express her feelings. It is not that Shiraishi is actually as calm as she appears. It just that she uses her facade to protect herself from the vulnerability that comes with strong emotions. Shiraishi is a straight-laced doll inhumanly clam doll that actually wants to let her strong emotions to flow freely.
In most situations both characters would often have the same deadpan reaction to any crazy situation. A simple cursory examination might make you think they are pretty much the same character. Sakura is a simpler character mostly because she is in a simpler straightforward comedy series with small bits of deeper drama. Shiraishi is a more nuanced character because she is in a series that has more dramatic weight and therefore needs more emotional depth. With that observation you could conclude that Shiraishi is the "better" character but I feel they are merely characters who are crafted to work with the story they are in. It is an important fact to remember in any analysis but especially vital when thinking about seemingly similar characters.
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There is always one thing about Fate/Grand Order that has always slightly perplexed me. During the rerun of the first summer event in Grand Order, they added a swimsuit you could earn for Mash. This introduced the concept that Servants could get extra outfits in the game. These outfits change their aesthetic appearance but do noting to effect gameplay. Since then they have only added a total of sixteen costumes for a total of 237 Servants. Also, two costumes barely count as unique because Summer BB and Ruler Quetzalcoatl get two costumes each that mostly are a pair of costumes rather than four unique costumes. Compare that to Azur Lane that constantly makes costumes and will throw in five or six new costumes with every update.
Look. I realize that most mobile games are predatory money machines. In fact, that is sort of what surprises me about the lack of costumes in Grand Order. I am sure that Azur Lane makes money hand over fist with their costumes. They are a game with one of the most generous gacha and they still seem to be doing well. I'm fairly convinced part of the reason is that you have to use premium currency to buy costumes. Now Azur Lane gives away one or two costumes as part of events but they clearly keep the more popular costumes in the realm of pay only. You figure that Grand Order would see this and implement a similar system.
You still give away a costume or two during events but you sell the rest for a few dollars. Since they are cosmetic they don't tilt the game even farther into the realm of pay-to-win but at the same time, they would be enormously popular. Every time a new event comes out I see people thirsty for new costumes only to be disappointed when the one new costume that appears is not anything they were dreaming of. If anything even slightly Saber Alter related is on the horizon there will be a small army of comments hoping for her Shinjuku 1999 costume.
Now that I got that off my chest I might as well talk a little about what I would like to see for upcoming costumes. There are a lot great costume ideas so I will try to curate a list of ten with each one representing ideas that could represent dozens of other costumes.
10. Saber Alter with her Shinjuku 1999 costume
Since I used this as the primary example in the intro so it would be silly not to use it here. The story has introduced several very popular costumes for Servants but oddly enough only a select few have been made into playable costumes. Jeanne Alter getting her Shinjuku 1999 costume first makes sense as Jeanne Alter is the hotness of Grand Order. That said Artoria is still the beloved cash cow of Type-Moon. Everyone just assumed she would get her costume soon after. But months have passed and still nothing.
A good deal of the Servants who got fancy new costumes complete with sprites still don't have their costumes in-game. This seems the easiest thing to prioritize as some of the work is already done. I understand letting time pass to foster some anticipation but this seems excessive.
9. Any Servant With Glasses Gets Costumes That Let The Keep Their Glasses
Several Servant definitely seems to subscribe to the Dorothy Parker "Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses" school of thought. They might wear glasses at earlier ascensions but they remove them in later iterations. I'm sure the megane otaku in the fandom would appreciate the ability for Osakabehime, Sigurd, Mash, or Leonardo Da Vinci to wear their glasses at any ascension. For all the items on the list, this easily has the highest appreciation for the lowest effort ratio.
I know the picture is a scene with Ciel from Tsukihime but all the old school fans will get the joke.
8. Consort Yu with Her Master Costume
Speaking of glasses I have to mention Consort Yu.
Let me be clear. Fan art alone shows that Consort Yu's Servant outfits are POPULAR. When she was revealed to be a Servant and a True Ancestor her fandom was galvanized. But for the longest time people just knew her as the Master Akuta Hinako. So when none of her ascensions had her cute nerd girl version I know there were some very disappointed fans who assumed it would be her initial ascension.
More than any other costume Consort Yu's Akuta Hinako costume has more gravitas than most making it an ideal alternate costume.
7. Medusa with Her Casual Clothing from Fate/Hollow Ataraxia
Since they are the genesis for the whole multi-million dollar franchise the original cast of Fate/Stay Night has an emotional cache that few Servants released after could ever have. Therefore anything that invokes those memories is very powerful. There is a reason they instantly released the Sakura's School Uniform sprite when Parvati was first released. It just made sense. Fans would easily be just as excited for a Rin costume for Ishtar or a Hawaiian Shirt Cú Chulainn. I mostly picked Medusa's casual clothing for this example because it is fun but does not feel like a costume that could be its own unit.
6. Lu Bu with his Mobile Suit Costume for Fate/Extella Link
The Fate/Extella series has LOTS of costumes. Fate/Extella and Fate/Extella Link have a bunch of costumes you can earn in the game, several dozen that you can buy as DLC, and then various promotional costumes as well. Some of them are based on existing Grand Order variants and others seem more likely to be their own units but there are still a whole bunch that would work better as in-game costumes. I know several people who would run Lu Bu for casual grinding if he had his Mobile Suit Costume. People love their Char Aznable and would use a version of Lu Bu made to look like a Sazabi even if it does not make him three times as fast.
5. Tiger Dojo Saber
Not every costume has to be serious or sexy. Sometimes a good joke is its own reward. Remember that Nendoroid 000 to 003 are 2 variants of Neko Arc and 2 variants of Tiger Dojo Saber. People are willing to shell out for Saber in general and Tiger Dojo Saber in particular. I would love her to be riding the Lion Car but that might be just a bit too much animation for a silly costume. Then again they have the "Funifuni" costumes from Fate/Extella Link so it is hardly outside of the realm of possibility to create something that time-consuming for a silly joke.
4. Ishtar (Rider) with her Costume from Her Noble Phantasm
The free event Servants in Grand have become one of the game's saving graces despite the rather draconian gacha rates. While they are not all equal the best of them are as good as top-tier gacha 4-star Servants and can sometimes even surpass 5-star Servants. BB and Rider Kintoki are worth their weight in gold. The downside is they (mostly) only ever have one form and never change their appearance with Ascension. The thing is Ruler Quetzalcoatl changed everything when she was debuted with two costumes. Now they are both just face and heel Lucha libre masks so they are hardly radical transformations but they showed that Delightworks was not totally against giving free Servants costumes.
Ishtar (Rider) is interesting because when her Noble Phantasm goes off she gets this upgrading Blue Dress as she rides all over the world on her bike. I think making that thing like the blue dress as an optional costume would be tons of fun and give a little flair to free Servants.
3. Boudica with Her Heroic Spirit Formal Dress (or Pretty Much Any Other Costume)
There are some Servants who have divisive character designs. Boudica, Bradamante, and Jack immediately jump to mind. A look over the lineup of any class will show that Grand Order is nothing even approaching a prudish game. Nitocris, Shuten Dōji, or Miyamoto Musashi all have outfits that are clearly designed for maximum fan service but are generally agreed to be quite racy but still have a modicum of tastefulness. There are fans who have legitimate criticisms of some of the outfits but overall the fandom is OK with them. Servants like Boudica, Bradamante, and Jack tend to invoke the feeling that they cross the line into the realm of garish over the top lewdness you would expect in a low tier porn game.
(I know Fate/Stay Night is a porn game but the assumption here is it, at least, has some class.)
Some of these Servant could get a little more play if they had alternative costumes that were a bit more reversed. They don't have to all be conservative Amish dresses but there is clearly something in-between an extra in Witness and a dental floss bikini. Boudica in some more combat appropriate armor would go over better when playing on a crowded subway while still leaving the option to use her doujinshi inspired normal outfit when you want to let your freak flag fly proudly.
2. Ryougi Shiki with her Decapitating Bunny Costume
Back Alley Satsuki – Chapter Heroine Sanctuary is arguably the best April Fools event that Type-Moon has ever done. It was an amazing amount of effort placed into something that technically was only upon the Type-Moon website for 24 hours. The events greatest contribution to the universe was the creation of Mysterious Heroine X who is a treasure for all of humanity but they also rolled out a bunch of extra costumes for established characters.
We will ignore Jeanne d'Arc's "April Magical" as I know several people who HATE that costume with the passion of a thousand suns. Ryougi Shiki's Decapitating Bunny Costume, on the other hand, was popular enough to get a CE so giving Saber Shiki that outfit as a costume would be greatly appreciated. The gap moe alone is powerful enough to justify its inclusion in the game.
1. Mordred with her Casual Clothing From Fate/Apocrypha
I'm actually shocked they have not put this costume in the game yet. Mordred in Daisy Dukes has pretty much been a staple of figures, posters, tchotchkes, and various other pieces of promotional materials and merchandise since she first appeared in Fate/Apocrypha. While Mordred in the armor is extremely bad-ass her casual clothing has a sexy appeal that cannot be ignored. While Saber Mordred's 3rd ascension shows off plenty of skin her casual clothing has a distinctly different appeal that would not feel redundant.
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So I'm watching the 17th episode of season three of A Certain Magical Index and there is a major revelatory moment. It was so odd I had to share it.
The whole point of the current arc is the characters discovering who or what is DRAGON. All these organization and individuals are running around with various plans to either find the identity of DRAGON or prevent others from discovering the truth. Then at the climax of the episode Accelerator finally corners Shiokishi who is one of the few people who actually is in on the secret. Shiokishi with nowhere else to run says that DRAGON is everywhere and Accelerator should turn around. Shiokishi does not in fact then run away like a cartoon character when Accelerator turns around because there is actually something there. It is DRAGON.
Now at this point I'm TECHNICALLY spoiling the secret of DRAGON in the A Certain Magical Index but the fact of the matter is in many ways this is actually almost impossible to spoil which is actually part of the whole reason I'm writing this in the first place. Going forward there are basically two main camps of people. People who are not hardcore fans of A Certain Magical Index and those who have been watching the series for a while. Everything past this point is so stepped in esoterica that the important parts of the reveal would mean nothing to non fans. The fans of the series have probably already seen this reveal. Even then it actually sort of dodges being a full spoiler for reasons I will explain.
So it turns out that DRAGON is in fact the angel Aiwass. So what does that mean? Well one of the major antagonists in the series is Aleister Crowley. For those not in the know Aleister Crowley is a rather infamous occultist back in the early 20th century. Supposedly his magical teachings are the result of secrets passed on to him by his guardian angel Aiwass. This means that Aleister Crowley is a great persona if you want to throw a historical figure into your urban fantasy series or have some semi obscure magical reference in your song lyrics. I know who he is because I'm a tabletop RPG nerd and enjoy researching things like that but the details of Thelema are hardly common knowledge in the US or Japan. I highly doubt they teach Japanese students the history of The Book of the Law right after lessons on Oda Nobunaga and Meiji Restoration.
The weirdest thing is (and the whole reason I wrote this) is because right after this big reveal the conversation continues as if a casual fact was dropped on the audience and nothing more. There is no expository dialog. No one says, "You know, Aiwass. The guardian angel of your nemesis Aleister Crowley." It is mentioned the same way as if it turned out one of the minor cast members like Fukiyose Seiri or a celebrity Madonna turned out to be actually be DRAGON. It is supposed to be an unexpected reveal but nothing worth going into detail about.
Now Aleister Crowley is an established character in the show since fairly close to the beginning of the show. They have mentioned that he was once a famous occult figure and is now being kept alive via a mixture or magic and science but not really much more than that. There has never been an episode that explains his back story or his place in the Index universe. Not even a "That dude Ozzy Osbourne wrote a song about." He mostly is shown as a shadowy mastermind and send out minions or exploits on plot elements at the end of a story arc. Your mostly expected to know who he is on your own. They do VERY briefly mention offhandedly that Aleister Crowley wrote The Book of the Law with Aiwass in the Orsola Aquinas Rescue Arc back in the beginning on Season 2. It was such a minor scene that
1. I had to look up when it happened and
2. I had to look up that it happened in the first place.
It does not help that the episode aired back in on October 15, 2010. Even a lore nerd like myself only vaguely remembered the scene. I actually remembered who Aiwass was more because of Mage: The Ascension than the show itself.
I guess what I expected was either a quick expository line or a quick flashback to get people back up to speed on who this mysterious angel is. Anime is infamous for flashing back to things that happened ten minutes ago let alone 3,032 days ago.
I do have to wonder if this is a sign that A Certain Magical Index has a bit of a mandate to cover as much ground as possible since it has come back. I know that several people have noted that the season's pace seems rather spirited. Even Frenda's death seems to happen rather quickly and mostly off screen. (But that might have been more a little bit of self censorship on the show's part since she dies pretty brutally.) So it might be just a case where when every second counts you have to prioritize new information over things the audience has already been told even it it was a while back.
It could also just be the fact that A Certain Magical Index deeply nerdy show. It is one of those series that clearly prides itself on its extensive depth of lore. That type of show attracts a certain type of nerd. The type of nerd who remembers minor bits of off mentioned esoterica, periodically reads and references wikis, and does research outside of the show itself. As a Type-Moon fan it is clear I'm that type of nerd. The J.C.Staff crew might just have decided that sort of exposition would be like reintroducing Touma every episode. It would just be a waste of everyone's time.
In the end It was just bizarre that when I saw the DRAGON reveal my first thought was, "It makes sense that Aiwass is DRAGON." My second thought was, "But wait. Why should that be obvious to anyone watching this unless they are someone like me?" Then my final though was I should write this article. I guess in the end when you are so used to seeing things over explained the inverse sticks out like a sore thumb. While I'm sure many an anime fan would wish away pointless expository dialog from many shows they love it does serve a purpose when used correctly.
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Warning: Spoilers for Hugtto! PreCure
Truth be told I'm actually going to try to keep spoilers about Hugtto! PreCure to a minimum. The thing is I'm going to be talking about the show as a whole including the ending so spoilers are inevitable but I will try to leave some details as vague as possible because I know the length of the PreCure franchise tends to ward off all but the hardcore. At the same time, the number of very strong PreCure entries has grown to the point where people are getting more interested in the series like they have with Gundam or Jojo's. So I have a feeling more people are going to read this out of general curiosity than the number of people who have finished the series. For them, I want to leave some sense of discovery if this makes them seek out Hugtto!
Also leaving somethings deliberately vague is thematically appropriate for this article.
Like any long-term franchise, you are going to have some disparity in the quality of the entries. Some iterations will be universally loved with a few staunch detractors, there will be some stinkers than only have a handful of defenders, with most versions being somewhere in the middle. The general consensus will drift on certain titles over the years and individual taste will always be a little different from person to person but there are some popular opinions that tend to transcend that. HeartCatch PreCure! is one of the highlights of the series whereas Suite PreCure is often cited as one of the most skippable. Hugtto! PreCure was on track to be in the pantheon of the best-reviewed entries in the franchise. Then the ending came. It made a lot of fans mull over their thoughts on the show. At this point, I feel only some distance from the ending will tell how the fans will ultimately judge the show but it is no longer guaranteed a top spot.
I have been examining my own feelings on the show since it ended. My overall grade on the show is not final but I feel I very much understand where this mixed reaction to the series from the fandom has come from. It all centers around one of the subtle but integral parts of the show. Hugtto! PreCure liked to keep various elements of the show ambiguous and up for interpretation. The main point of contention is that before the ending this element might have been frustrating for some people but overall it was ignorable at worst and clever or even subversive when it was working. The problem is that it complicates the ending in several key ways.
Now there are a good number of people who were fine with the series. It distinctly has a definitive conclusion. It is not trying to have the main conflict left dangling or have you ponder the artistic message of the show. Especially if you read between the lines most things have a pretty definitive conclusion. The ending does purposefully refuse to comment on certain elements but always does that for a reason. The main sticking point is that this can easily come off as cowardly or milquetoast depending on how invested you were in certain parts of the story.
Now before I continue I think it is vital to explain why so many people got heavily invested in Hugtto! PreCure. I love Smile Precure! but let's face it other than the one episodes about Yayoi's dad the show is fairly effervescent. It is loads of fun and hysterical but hardly War and Peace levels of gravitas. Hugtto! PreCure while mainly a fun kids show touched on a lot of heavy topics on the down-low. It was also progressive in a way you usually only see in American cartoons like Steven Universe.
Henri Wakamiya alone created quite the stir. While it never clearly addresses how he would identify himself he is clearly not a cis character. He also starts what is easily seen as a homosexual relationship with Aisaki Emiru. Their relationship one of the biggest examples of something in the show is left ambiguous but is very apparent if you read between the lines. Henri even becomes a PreCure twice in the series. Emiru Aisaki and Ruru Amour have a relationship that could be interpreted as anywhere from strong friendship to deep romantic love. It is a clear case of only a minor push could make the relationship official but they always stay in the realm of plausible deniability.
It is not just relationships. Ogiue Maniax has a great article about how the show tackles the taboo around Caesarean sections in Japan. The show also deals with careers, the working world, alienation, family, parenting, identity, gender expectations in a harder way than most PreCure episodes while staying within the normal boundaries of the franchise. Just look at the fact that all the Criasu Corporation employees are a critique of the Japanese economic periods they are based on. In fact, all of their names are based on these eras. It is a little sharper than the basic office comedy in Yes! PreCure 5.
You could throw the accusation that the show is cowardly for never pulling the trigger on a lot of these issues. They hint at them but never go all the way. I for one think it is clever. Their approach let them tackle some issues that might have otherwise gotten PTA groups in a tizzy when included in a show for little girls but it still has a meaningful discussion about what might otherwise be seen as hot button issues if they were tackled directly. It is progressive without being directly confrontational. I know some people wanted them to go further but I don't think it was really a deal breaker for most people. Most fans were appreciative that they touched on the ideas at all.
The real problem is how all the time travel stuff was handled. This should surprise no one. Time travel is one topic that complicates everything and easily leads to paradoxes, plot holes, and a lot of hand waving. In fact, I would say every time travel story has this it is just that the better ones have less of it. The problem is that Hugtto! uses their ambiguous playbook with the time travel and that led to lots of the sour feelings.
So Hugtto! basically does almost nothing to explain how time traveling the series works. This means that they avoid a good deal of massive paradoxes that would be caused by trying to come up with an explanation that makes all the events line up. At the same time, it leaves everything at the end oddly confusing. The final scenes happen years after the conclusion but before the time travel started in the first place. This works in the show's favor but at the same time makes a whole different set of problems.
It also does not explain what exactly happens to all the characters who went back to the future. Do they return to the original crappy timeline and try to make it better or do they pop into this new happier timeline? How far in the future did the first person start time traveling? Who remembers what and when? You can make informed guesses but Kate and I had a long conversion just trying to begin to understand how things lined up. The vagueness of what happened lets the dedicated fans interpret things how they wish. I think this is what they wanted. The problem is if you were not super invested in certain interpretations then it was easy to just be left scratching your head. Also if you read in between the lines in one way it can make it seem like the show totally counters your hopes when the did not mean to trample on that interpenetration. Hugtto! has asked the audience to read between the lines several times before this point so it would be odd for them to stop now.
Overall I enjoyed the ending but it did feel weaker than what came before it. When we were discussing the ending of the show one of my friends jokingly called the show cowardly. I think that is overly harsh but I do feel the show should have done a little more with its ending to make things feel more satisfying. I don't think that Rin Tohsaka explains time travel systems would have really helped anything. The exact mechanics of the time travel would not have really added much and may have only invited more questions. What the show really needed was just a tad more conclusion that could have made some stories feel more solidified and some character related questions feel less nebulous. George Kurai alone really needs just a little more clarification. The final Precure villains have a bad habit of just people EVIL for the sake of being EVIL. So when the series has a villain with real motivations that tie into the cast you might want to avoid being so obtuse about it.
Overall I think there is a good deal to love about Hugtto! PreCure. It opened the door to male PreCure. It touched on some interesting ideas and went places boldly and confidently while staying true to the series roots. I just think the ending will prevent it from being an automatic recommendation like HeartCatch PreCure! or Go! Princess PreCure. I hope it is a series that will be remembered for how much it tried with ambiguity more than how that same technique cut them at the end.
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Welcome to another year of doing retrospectives on coolest moments that came out of Type-Moon in all of its various iterations. I should mention up front that this is a personal list. These are the events, announcements, games, characters, items, and pieces of fandom that have made me happy this year from Type-Moon. It is not necessarily the best of Type-Moon but merely what reminded me why I love so much of what comes out of the company.
That means that if something is missing from this list it does not mean it was not important and/or cool. I am not an omniscient so there is a good chance lots of little pieces and even some major elements of the fandom may escape my notice. Also, I can't read Japanese so that cuts me off from a lot of what is happening in Japan. It also means most of the Japanese fandom is a complete mystery. In the end, I just have my own tastes so what might be incredibly important to me might otherwise be trivial for you and vice versa.
Now that Type-Moon is a juggernaut of anime, manga, and games I have far too many choices for this list that I know what to do with. I could easily just make it a list of Top 10 Grand Order Moments without breaking a sweat but that would crowd out everything else that is Type-Moon and enough of the fandom already is a bit sick of how prominent it has become often at the expense of other parts of the franchise. So while I won't ignore Grand Order I made sure to throw in a healthy amount of Type-Moon moments unrelated to the mobile game.
I will note that I consider anything that happened on New Years to be the stuff of 2019. So if you are wondering why Benienma or The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II anime is not on the list despite being crazy amazing you now know the reason.
10.I Assume Her Noble Phantasm is Eternal Recurrence – Yukika Saegusa as Pseudo-Servant Friedrich Nietzsche
For New Year's Type-Moon had 2 specials. Fate/Grand Order -MOONLIGHT/LOSTROOM- was filled with lore and teasers for the next arc of Grand Order. While I enjoyed it immensely the special that threw me for a loop was the Fate/Grand Order x Himuro's World: Seven Most Powerful Great Figures Chapter special.
For the longest time, it seemed like Fate/school Life was this mostly discarded Type-Moon manga. Even Koha-Ace and Melty Blood X get some amount of recognition but it seemed that Fate/school Life was that weird title for the super nerds. So seeing Eiichirou Mashin's work being animated was a delight.
Without a doubt, one of the highlights of the whole affair was seeing Yukika, Kane, and Kaede as Pseudo-Servants. They were some amazing choices that really could have only come from the mind of the person who threw Sepak Bola Api into a gag comedy manga about the students of the Homurahara Academy. As much as this category praises Yukika as Nietzsche I feel that mixing Kane and Amelia Jenks Bloomer is a product of divine inspiration. Kaede and Takuboku Ishikawa are pretty good too but the first two are just amazing.
All of that had me cracking up but also wondering when they were going to be added into Grand Order as Servants. Seriously though, we need a Fate/school Life event in Grand Order sooner rather than later.
9. Mahjong Legend Tamamo ~The Good Wife who Descended into Darkness~ – Fate/EXTELLA LINK Premium Edition
I'm super excited to play Fate/EXTELLA LINK this year but until I have experienced the story and improvements to the gameplay I'm going to avoid rushing to praise most of that title. The one thing I can celebrate is the amazing Japanese Premium Edition of the game.
The original Japanese Fate/Extella Premium Edition came with a lot of cool things like the small Material artbook but the item that stood out to most people was the tacky Saber Bride booby mouse pad. I for one shed no tears when it was not included with the English special edition. But when it came to the special edition for Fate/EXTELLA LINK I actually saw something I was sad not to get.
The Mahjong set for Fate/EXTELLA LINK just looks so cool. With Tamamo, Atilla, and Nero taking the place of the Three Suits and the rest of the cast being the Honor Tiles. While I don't play mahjong I would love to own a set of Fate/Extra tiles like this. Who knows? Maybe I will have to team up with Koizumi to defeat Vladimir Putin with the fate of the world on the line. If that happens I really should own my own mahjong set.
8. Who is this Blue Haired Elf Eared Woman? – Taste of Autumn – Caster's Training in Japanese Dish Cooking
Today's Menu for the Emiya Family is a splendid series and any episode could easily be chosen for a Type-Moon moment of the year. The whole cast shines brightly while cooking and eating delicious food. The show is a delight that brings joy to fans of the series while being dangerous if watched on an empty stomach. That being the case I wanted to highlight an episode where a neglected main cast member got a chance to shine in a way that they usually miss in other versions of Fate.
Medea is never entirely forgotten as a Servant. She gets a good deal of attention in Unlimited Blade Works and she occasionally appears in side material. But if you compare her screen time and fan support to any other female character in the Fate series and you see that she pales in comparison to most anyone else when factoring in her importance to the plot. She might get more screen time than Ayako Mitsuzuri but the captain of the archery club is never really the main driving force of any arc of Fate either. So it is nice to see Medea get a chance to show off once in a while.
The story mostly revolves around Medea trying to learn to cook a traditional Japanese dinner for her husband and everyone else having a minor psychobilly freakout about that. Saber has some particularly good scenes of being suspicious of Caster but is pacified with food. She gets some good scenes with Shiro and provokes some warm feelings when she interacts with Souichirou.
It is not enough to break Medea into the top 10 most popular Type-Moon characters but it is a nice treat for anyone who loves her character. I'm also a little surprised that Tamamo's Lonely Heart Club Band has never tried to study under a Good Wife, Wise Mother success story. She might just be able to give them a tip or two.
7. Best Married Couple – Sakamoto Ryōma and Oryou-san
So far the game has primarily focused on the ever-popular Shinsengumi went it comes to servants from the Bakumatsu period. That makes sense but we have not seen anyone from the Ishin Shishi movement. The first pair from the opposition of the Shinsengumi is darn strong.
This husband and wife duo leave a strong impression on the player with a style that feels like a character from Jojo's. Sakamoto Ryōma has a mixture of sword and gun combat whereas his wife feels like a Stand. But their combination is where they really shine. They have effortless chemistry and a good balance between their personalities. They get a good deal of fan art because they work well for comedy as well as for badass combat poses. Their friendship with Okada Izō only helps their case.
Also if you look into the life of Oryou-san she comes off as quite the impressive individual. She could easily be a Servant all on her own.
6. Coming Out Strong – Napoleon
Overall Napoleon seems a fairly solid but otherwise unremarkable 5-star archer. He has some decent animation surrounding the giant cannon that he swings around one-handed and a flashy Noble Phantasm. If you need a farming Archer he has you covered. For most people, he is nice to get if you pull him randomly but otherwise forgettable.
The reason I bring him up is that he did cause quite a number of fans who are usually fairly quiet get very vocal in a good way. As much as Grand Order is often called a waifu simulator, and often for good reason, it is not only enjoyed by heterosexual guys even if that might be the game's primary demographic. The fans of muscular men in Type-Moon fandom came out in full force with Napoleon's release. You saw a bit of buzz when Ivan the Terrible was released but he was very unavoidably also in the monster boy category. Napoleon is a hunk that has a much simpler universal appeal.
While the fans of Servants like Napoleon are still a minority they are a minority you don't really hear from much. I was very interested in hearing from them and hope that they get Servants that make them happy in the future. I'm 1000% sure I will continue to get Servants that appeal to me so I have no problem with everyone else getting Servants that make them happy as well. It makes for a stronger and more interesting community.
5. Ikenai Borderline – Valkyrie
While Maid Alter is definitely peak Takeuchi Takashi (Saberface, Maid, Motorcycles) I would say a very close second place would be the Valkyries. If you have ever looked back on Takeuchi's old doujinshi work he did before he got famous you will notice there was a whole series about Valkyries called Valkyria. Ciel from Tsukihime is clearly based on Clobette from the series. The man clearly likes the choosers of the slain.
They are also just a neat variation on the standard Servant. They are the first multiple person Servants that feel like an actual team. You have had Servants like Orion, Anne Bonny & Mary Read, or Hundred-Faced Hassan but they usually feel like just a single Servant that has a neat gimmick for their NP. But each costumed ascension is represented by a different member of the Valkyries each with their own sprite and voice actress. It is like getting three Servants in one. Sadly we did not get the other six Valkyries in anything other than their NP but it would be naive to assume they will not get a different version down the line. I could easily see them being a free holiday Servant or getting a Summer version.
4. Order in a Meal from the Emiya Family – Today's Menu for the Emiya Family Licence
I think it was no surprise that Crunchyroll picked up the Today's Menu for the Emiya Family license. I would have been more shocked if no one was streaming a Type-Moon property given their recent popularity. But there is never that same guarantee with Type-Moon manga. While we are getting much more Type-Moon manga than ever before there is always a question about any Type-Moon related manga. Some have a distinctly higher probably than others but very few are guaranteed.
Fortunately, the newly formed publisher Denpa picked up Today's Menu for the Emiya Family as one of their first titles out of the gate. While the first volume has yet to drop everything seems to be pointing towards this being a great release. I can't wait to read about stories that were not in the anime as well as experience the old stories in their original format.
3. Ph'nglui Mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh Wgah'nagl Fhtagn – Katsushika Hokusai
There are some amazing Servants in Grand Order but few are so beautiful and well designed as Katsushika Hokusai. This father and daughter team seems a level above and beyond. The team seems to have a little extra love packed into them and I appreciate that.
When the Foreigner class was first introduced there was a lot of speculation on what sort of historical and fictional personas would be put into the class. So it was a little surprising when the second Foreigner was a famous Japanese painter. It really showed that the class had a bit more range than people might have had initially assumed because of Abigail Williams.
Also, there was an interesting little back and forth with the reaction. Since Katsushika Hokusai is an iconic artist there were some people groaning that another historical person had been gender-swapped if the Type-Moon universe. Given that the woman is the immediately notable part of the team it was a fair assumption. But even before the full translation came out I speculated that people maybe have been a little too quick to judge. I had seen Miss Hokusai in theaters so I had a feeling that the girl was Katsushika Ōi and the octopus was Katsushika Hokusai much like the Orion and Artemis combo. It turns out I was correct. I'm proud that I figured that out.
That is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their design. If you see the animation you will see so many pieces of art from Ōi and Hokusai like Masculine Wave and Night Scene in the Yoshiwara as well as the iconic The Great Wave off Kanagawa. Of course, the theme of their outfits is also tied to The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife because of course, it is. It is a great homage to art with a Type-Moon twist.
They are also just a wonderful looking servant. Their animation is just fluid and colorful. It integrates their art with combat in a way that feels fun and true to the characters. They also have an entirely new set of animation with their third ascension so it is almost like getting two Servants in one. It was more than they needed to do but it was very much appreciated.
And to cap it all off they are actually a useful Servant thanks to their ability to utterly decimate an enemies' defenses with their Nom de Plume: Extraterrestrial Octopus skill. So they look good but also play good. If you roll for one Servant that is not an Artoria I would suggest this one.
2. RUN!RUN! Lancer! – Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. presage flower
Ufotable as been getting better with each Type-Moon property they animate. Their work on Kara no Kyoukai was like nothing that came before it and they have only upped their game each time after that. The Heaven's Feel movies have to compress all of the third arc of Fate/Stay Night into three movies when the Unlimited Blade Works anime had 26 episodes to do a similar task. So far the movies have been hitting it out of the park while looking even nicer than the Unlimited Blade Works TV series.
While there are a lot of scenes I could highlight I have to say the fight between Lancer and True Assassin is the one that is going to stand out for most people. The fight is fluid and dynamic as they battle across the city. It starts off on a high structure, transitions to the streets on top of a truck, goes from building to building, and finally ends in the lake. Each part of the fighting taking elements of the setting into the battle which adds to the impact of the fight. It shows off Lancer's abilities in full even if he eventually is killed due to interference from the Black Shadow and at the same time shows of True Assassin who has not really been seriously animated up until this point.
The scene was iconic enough that they made an official flash game so you could relive the fight. Just thinking about the scene makes be so hype for Lost Butterfly this year. I can't wait!
1. The Summer of Super Robot Wars – Everything About Servant Summer Festival! 2018
I have loved so many Grand Order events up until this point. They are often times funny little side stories that let the characters break the fourth wall while often still telling a compelling adventure tale. It is where the writers really get to let their hair down and poke fun at the fans and themselves. But the 2018 Summer Event was just so good. Combining Comiket with an American style convention in Hawaii was brilliant. Apparently, it was even based on some of the staff's experience at Kawaii Kon. I'm sure that fact alone has had a few Type-Moon fans who have been to the convention wonder if they randomly passed by someone who worked on Grand Order and did not know it. Also the doujinshi created during the event were everything from cute to disturbing but always amusing.
But the Servants from the event were even better. First of all the fact that the free Servant was Summer Jeanne d'Arc Alter was shocking. You could have knocked over quite a few people with a feather when they revealed such a beloved character could be obtained by just playing the event. Now regular Summer Jeanne was a 5 star Servant but the fact that they were not both is the gacha was quite unexpected. On top of that, they gave Summer Jeanne d'Arc Alter a silly chuunibyou shtick whereas Summer Jeanne's Noble Phantasm was an instant meme.
Leaving out the rest of the Servants in the event would be criminal. Ibaraki Dōji Lancer is tons of fun and has an amazing Nobel Phantasm. Summer Mebd is extremely funny and actually uses Caladbolg in her own special way. Summer BB could get her own place on the list with 2 very different forms, her great costumes, her unique class, her Space Jam style, and overall sexy attitude.
And then there is the lady herself. Mysterious Heroine X is back and now she is a Space Police officer. Mysterious Heroine XX has references to Gundam, the Metal Hero Series, Type-Moon lore, and mecha in general. Most unexpected her Noble Phantasm is a call back to Ado Edem of all things. Crazy. She solidified her place as my second favorite version of Artoria without breaking a sweat.
It is also worth mentioning many of the Servants in this event have animations that are shout-outs to Super Robot Wars. How crazy is that?
If anything this event set the bar very high. I'm curious what they could pull out next year to even come close?
So that was my list. Did you have any moments I missed? There were quite a few that I left off that might have even been more special to you.
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A Place Further Than the Universe from Madhouse This series captured my heart at the very beginning of 2018 and stayed rooted there all year-long.
High schoolers Kimari, Shirase, Hinata, and Yuzuki forged an unbreakable bond as they pursued the unlikely dream of going on an expedition to Antarctica. They each had a personal reason for embarking on this mission and each came to find themselves, and a better understanding of each other, along the way.
Friendship was the core of this story. Not only did we see the growth of companionship between our four main characters (who were less than acquaintances before the start of the show), but the series contained the complex relationships of adolescence that formulated who these girls already were. Growing up was tough, but the series remembered that along the way there was also hijinks and laughter, and that a good friend could make the journey a little bit easier.
Rarely have I seen an anime capture a group of friends so perfectly. A story need not be accurate or relatable for it to be good, but The Place Further Than the Universe was both of those things for me which made it the most unexpected and wonderful journey of the year.
Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san from DLE This comedy series swooped in with a silly name, but actually made me remember all the good, and not so good, moments I too had working in a bookstore.
Hinamatsuri from feel.This is a series that could have easily gone into the "Best Anime I Unexpectedly Liked" category. When it came out we skipped over it mostly because it looked like a mediocre slice of life comedy and I can't remember any major hype around the series. But after a few episodes came out I started hearing a few people saying that Hinamatsuri not only had a surprisingly dry wit but it had a little more going on under the hood that you might expect at first glance. It turns out they were not only right but they were more right than anyone probably expected.
As a comedy Hinamatsuri has an almost British or level of dark deadpan humor. You start with an effete high-ranking Yakuza and a very odd psychic girl who are both horrible and you force them to live together. You then throw them in with an equally broken cast and put them in Larry David-esk situations and let the uncomfortable comedy spring forth. This allows a nice mix of simple physical comedy alongside more sophisticated long burn jokes with just a hint of cringe comedy. It is actually far more effective than you would probably first imagine. But that is just the first layer.
The second layer that shocks most people who get into the show is the odd amount of social commentary. When you get long ruminations about the homeless, the Japanese working world, the nature of outsiders, and a surprising critique of modern Japanese culture it catches you off guard. Anzu and Hitomi's storylines alone have a shocking amount of weight to them. I don't normally expect to see deep and persistent ruminations about the human condition in my gag comedy series.
The third layer is the combination of comedy and thoughtful narratives adds some major emotional weight to the series that is equally surprising. I have seen a great number of people confessing that certain parts of the series have either made them cry or feel a surprising amount of empathy for the characters. Even a horrible goofadoof like Hina can provoke a surprising amount of pathos in certain parts of the show.
The real power of the series is none of those three layers feels forced or out-of-place. The series knows how to transition from one tone to another organically. It rarely feels like a comedy that hit to breaks to have a REAL MOMENT or forcefully to try to turn on the waterworks. If anything the different parts of the series often have a synergy that lets the different layers have a greater impact then they would on their own.
It is really a series you should give a chance if you dismissed it from the visual designs or the premise alone. I can't say the show's somewhat unconventional sense of humor is for everyone but I think there is a lot for anyone who it resonates with it.
March Comes in Like a Lion from Shaft I feel I have heaped so much praise on this series that it should be obvious that I think this show is very special. I could have easily made this show my anime of the year without regrets. I mostly decided that I wanted to give another show the top spot for variety more than anything else. March Comes in Like a Lion is still one of the strongest series on the air for a variety of reasons.
The first part of March Comes in Like a Lion is a fabulously empathetic look at depression that avoids being patronizing, overly simplistic, or trite. Rei's struggles feel authentic without feeling oppressive. His mixture of hunger, apathy, defeatism, self-imposed isolation, and pride paints an intricate picture of a young man with equal amounts of blessings and curses. His interactions with his acquaintances inside and outside of the shogi world flesh out his struggles while building a wonderfully diverse supporting cast that captures the attention of the audience just as much as the protagonist's journey does. The show makes sure that there is always enough shogi going on that you remember it is a show about Japanese chess while having enough other material that it can engage a wide variety of viewers.
But when the arc about Hinata being bullied is introduced the show jumps up another level. Hinata always seemed like a much more minor character before this point but when her life turns very ugly she really shines despite the deep darkness she is mired in. It is a messy story that avoids simple and cliche answers or solutions. There are several times where it would be far easier for the story to give a more black and white answer but refuses to do so in favor of realism. It is a powerful story that will surely resonate with anyone who watches it. The most interesting part is it is not fully over because like depression things can get better or worse with bullying but they never simply go away.
March Comes in Like a Lion is a fantastic and beautiful show that gives a loving voice to many people who might otherwise feel overlooked and misunderstood. It is a show filled with the classical Greek idea of catharsis that is the perfect balm for many types of weary or troubled souls. There are few services more valuable than a piece of art can perform and I look forward to March Comes in Like a Lion containing to provide that priceless service in the future.
Best Movie, Short, or OVA
Kase-san and Morning Glories from Zexcs A joyful film about two young women in love. From the color palette to the characters' smiles, this movie felt like a celebration of being in your first relationship.
Kase-san and Morning Glories started off with the surprising decision to skip "the good stuff," brought us up to speed on how Yamada and Kase decided to start dating, and plopped us right when Yamada is anxious about what being in a relationship actually entails. We watch Yamada and Kase navigate making time for each other, being alone together for the first time, going on a trip, planning for the future, and biggest of all, how to communicate. Yamada's anxiety is visible, but Kase is also not as confident as she first appears.
The rewards, like the struggles, are small but meaningful as Yamada and Kase's relationship deepens over the course of the film. It gets wrapped up with a nice, big romantic bow making for a heart-melting watch.
Lu Over the Wall from Science Saru Masaki Yuasa directs this charming monster tale filled with music and his signature style.
Kai is lonely after moving from Tokyo to a small island with his father and grandfather. His only refuge is creating music which attracts new friendships including one with a mermaid who loves to dance. But the island is superstitious about mermaids, believing they will harm humans, so when disaster strikes it is a race to see if the town can be saved with the help of those the humans fear most.
I was incredibly impressed that Yuasa pulled off a family-friendly movie, not something I've come to expect from him. It was goofy and fun and pulled from classic monster tropes, making this one of my favorite Yuasa works.
The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl from Science SARU As I have stated several times on the blog I have a complex relationship with Masaaki Yuasa. While I admire his unique style and creativity as a director I find him overwhelming and off-putting when he is given total creative freedom. I usually like his works when he has enough room to run wild but has to work inside some defined structure from someone not on his team. That is why I first enjoyed him with his work on The Tatami Galaxy as opposed to Kaiba. So I was very happy to see Masaaki Yuasa was working on another book by Tomihiko Morimi.
Since The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl is from the same trilogy of books as The Tatami Galaxy so it only made sense to bring back Yuasa to adapt this novel as well. This time he had to condense the whole book into a single movie as opposed to having 11 episodes to take his time. This meant he changed the story in various ways to fit in the general flow of the narrative. I would have to read the original novel to get a full sense of how well he captured the original but I enjoyed the end result regardless. Also, the fact that it felt very much like The Tatami Galaxy says a lot.
Also if you watched The Tatami Galaxy you will see many little nods to that series in characters, locations, events, and even themes. I would guess there are some Tower of the Sun references as well if you knew where to look. It definitely rewards fans of Tomihiko Morimi but even more importantly none of them are necessary to enjoy the film. The story stands alone and the references are more Easter eggs for the observant than anything else.
Masaaki Yuasa's energetic animation and Tomihiko Morimi's pithy writing once again combine together to make a masterpiece.
My Hero Academia the Movie: The Two Heroes from Bones For the longest time Shonen Jump movies were merely mass-produced filler arc stories with a better than average animation budget. While they might have a few well-done action scenes, for the most part, they had the most disposable stories and characters. While there have been a few diamonds hidden in the rough for the most part they were mostly forgettable at best and actually insulting at worst. Even their flagship titles got that same threadbare treatment. The only time you got a decent movie was when the animation team decided to go above and beyond on their own.
But then Strong World came along. Shonen Jump eventually realized that it was no longer in their best interest to just plop out yearly movies of extremely mediocre quality connected to their heavy hitters so they put in some real effort with the 10th One Piece movie. Since then all the Jump movies have been fairly high quality. I won't say all of them are great or even good but they seem to have a reasonably high degree of effort poured into them. There was a level of polish that had been missing for years. It was no longer a guarantee that the movies would be bland.
The first My Hero Academia movie was released in this era and it shows. It is a fairly self-contained story. It is nowhere near the storytelling of the series at its peak but it easily hangs with some of the more solid arcs. It does explore the superhero world outside of Japan which has mostly gone ignored in the series proper. The new characters are fun and the action was well done. It is pretty much what you should reasonably hope for with an original movie.
The reason it is actually on this list was my enjoyment of the audience reaction to the movie when I saw it in theaters. Since My Hero Academia is pretty much as mainstream as you can get with anime the crowd was a bit on the younger side and filled with more of the standard fandom as opposed to the more scholastic crowd you see at niche titles. That meant the kids went wild whenever their favorite characters appeared on-screen, gasped at the dramatic moments, and howled at the climactic moments. They also went BALLISTIC when their favorite ships were on-screen. It really added an additional layer of enjoyment as I got to watch the audience as well as the movie.
It really proved that My Hero Academia is a series that deserves all the general popularity it has.
Best Anime Woman
Shirase Kobuchizawa from A Place Further Than the Universe The last time Shirase saw her mother, her mom was heading to Antarctica. Now Shirase is determined to see the place that so fascinated her mom. Shirase's classmates mock her dream and write her off, but she boldly purses her goals believing that she'll have the last laugh.
Shirase works hard and doesn't bother with those who doubt her. She can be meticulous and obstinate, but as her journey becomes a less lonely one she grows to value people more than a perfectly executed plan.
My soul-sister.
Anzu from HinamatsuriWhen Anzu is first introduced she seems like a simple foil and rival for Hina. She comes to capture Hina, Hina beats her, they call a truce. Anzu tries to get back home but her teleporter is broken so she is forced to live on the streets. Everything up to that point seems fairly bog standard.
Then we see her actually struggling with being homeless. Then she gets taken in by the homeless community that sees she desperately needs help. They teach her how to survive and maybe even find a little hope. When a major development comes along and forces the community to move they even find a family to take Anzu in. It is an unexpectedly powerful story that surprises you in how much it shapes Anzu's character. Her time on the street never just vanishes. It makes her who she is as the series goes on in countless ways.
But the even more shocking thing is they are able to keep the story funny and lively despite the social commentary going on. Anzu never feels like the Debbie Downer who shows up to bring up REAL ISSUES in the middle of the comedy bits you actually want. She is just as hysterical as the rest of the cast and feels an organic part of the story.
Anzu gives a sympathetic and endearing face to the homeless while still letting you enjoy the rest of the goodadoof comedy. Maybe she even lets you enjoy it a little bit more.
Best Anime Man
Haiji from Run With the Wind Haiji spent the first episode of Run With the Wind recruiting (read: tricking) people to live in the dorms of their college which were reserved for the track team. His dream is to run the Hakone Ekiden, a two-day team race held in January every year. Once everyone relented and agreed to give it a shot, Haiji then becomes the most supportive, dedicated, positive, unstoppable captain ever.
He also loves his dog and has just a hint of melancholy from a leg injury that he is still recovering from. So basically, I love him forever.
Arsene Lupin III from Lupin III: Part 5Since the manga started in 1967 Lupin has been running in one form or another for over 50 years. In that time a wide variety of authors, directors, and creators have had their own take on the character of Arsene Lupin III. While the core of his character is always a dashing antihero where he falls on the antihero spectrum depends greatly on which version of him you are experiencing. Sometimes he is a merely a rouge with a bit of a mischievous side but other times he is full on dirty noir thief who is far more merely the protagonist than anything even resembling a hero. Every iteration has to determine where on that continuum they wish to place their version of Lupin.
Lupin III: Part 5's has to main goals. One is to pay tribute to each iteration of Lupin in one series while also telling a new and unique tale. The other is to ask the question, "Is Lupin still relevant 50 years later?" It is obvious that the answer the question is going to be "yes" but the success of the series depends on how well they answer that question.
Throughout Part 5 there are blue jacket episodes that explore this show's version of Lupin and are part of the main plot. Throughout the season there are episodes with Lupin wearing his old jackets that are distinctly done in the style of that Lupin. Most of these episodes are done as flashbacks but at the same time, they are somewhat nebulous on when exactly take place. This lets all the versions of Lupin coexist without messy continuity issues.
Lupin III: Part 5 shows how Lupin has always been changing over the years. Every time he comes back he is adapting to what he needs to be for a new audience while still retaining the vital essence that has made him a fixture of Japanese entertainment. It is clear the current staff understands how Lupin works and how he will continue to propser even in the future.
Best Sequel or Ongoing Anime
Attack on Titan from Wit Studio It feels like the love for this series has dropped off a lot, but I am enjoying it more than ever! As the story delves more into the past of its characters and world things get increasingly complex. I'm not 100% convinced it can deliver on all of its promise, but I remain optimistic and curious about where it will go next.
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online from Studio 3Hz If you asked me if Sword Art Online could be saved as a franchise in 2017 I would have said it would take a small miracle. It turns out that Keiichi Sigsawa is a miracle worker.
Sword Art Online uses Karen Kohiruimaki's journey to explore online identity, player communities, and toxic players. Karen uses Gun Gale Online to explore the person she wants to be in real life and slowly gains more confidence in the game and reality. She also meets many other players who explore different parts of themselves via their online personas. But it is not all personal growth and comradery. She also meets a good deal of people who have had their pre-existing problems exasperated and amplified by being online and some of them are even her friends.
Sword Art Online was a world that had a fascinating premise that hooked people with its first episode and then became the gold standard for lame Isekai power trip fantasy series. It had some real potential to explore both online spaces and people under duress but it never really examined either of those in any meaningful way. But when the author of Kino's Journey wrote a series of side stories in the same universe he actually decided to visit those neglected ideas in a fun and thought-provoking way.
Best Mascot Character
That Animal That Shall Not be Named from Working Buddies! He always appears at the exact right moment to dispense the essential wisdom of the episode.
Kakka from Planet With Imagine an alien dog generalissimo voiced by Norio Wakamoto that pilots a giant spaceship that is shaped like him. His role changes in the series several times from shadowy conspirator, to a major antagonist, to the voice of the philosophical opposition, and finally to a reluctant ally. I would be hard pressed to find a cooler mascot this year even if he were not voiced by Norio Wakamoto. Being voiced by the man himself seals the deal.
Best Ensemble Cast
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku from A-1 Pictures Having a fun, bright series about slightly older otaku, when I myself am now a slightly older otaku, is great. Balancing job responsibilities with relationships and never-ceasing fandom is a delight to behold when it is these particular dumb but lovable nerds.
Today's Menu for the Emiya Family from ufotable Look. I love the cast of Fate/Stay Night. They are one of the main reasons I fell in love with the Type-Moon universe in the first place. Now take away the pesky Holy Grail War and just have them make and eat delicious food. There were already several major cooking scenes in the original novel so it is not entirely out-of-place for the characters. But now you can see Medea and Shiro converse about cooking technique. Might this be the moment that Witch of Colchis finally gains a fandom? Probably not but it is still fun.
Is this for everyone? No. It is like someone took the cast of the A Song of Ice and Fire series and removed all the high fantasy politics and just had the story revolve around the delicious banquets. To some, this would be an abomination. To my friends, this would be the series they always wanted.
Saber is a woman who is happiest surrounded by friends while eating mouth-watering food. This is a series about Saber being ridiculously happy. What more could I ask for?
Best Anime I Unexpectedly Liked
Revue Starlight from Kinema Citrus I know nothing about idols and don't have a lot of interest, despite that I checked out this show. After a compelling first episode, the series dropped so many questions, themes, and ideas that I kept wondering if it could pull it off. Why a giraffe? What was the play's significance? Which wish would be granted and why? WHAT DID IT ALL MEAN??? Revue Starlight kept me engaged and did end up at a satisfying conclusion with a lot meaning.
Zombie Land Saga from MAPPAIt seemed there was a time when media is sickeningly saturated with zombie media. It was the genre du jour for a while and really over saturated the market. While zombie titles still have a robust fandom the rise and subsequent backlash have thankfully reduce the omnipresent nature of the genre. Idols in anime were exactly the same thing. I remember when it seemed like idol shows were popping up like daisies but that trend has actually gone through several iterations and is now far more manageable. But then MAPPA decided to dig up both of these old warhorses and sew them together into a strange new beast.
You could easily call Zombie Land Saga a satire or parody of the idol genre, and in many ways it is, but it feels more to me like someone's bizarre thought experiment. Take a super by the book idol show and then logically think out what strange complications would come from making all of the members of the group secretly undead. Don't get me wrong the show is basically a very loud comedy but at its core, it seems more interested in playing with the absurdity of the combination than taking the piss out of its origins. The show takes a very standard step up from an idol show and slowly lets it go out of control.
Thanks to certain people I know I'm sort of burnt out on zombie stuff even if I was never into it in the first place but I really find this show entertaining. The sheer commitment to the absurdity of the premise is commendable.
Best Opening
Pop Team Epic OP "POP TEAM EPIC" by Sumire UesakaFor a show that is very simplistic in its actual episodes, this opening is a high-level production. It captures the absurdity in sound and visuals and even goes so far as to smash a TV in real life to get a lovely shot.
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku OP "Fiction" by Sumika It makes sense that a show for working otaku would have an appropriately nerdy opening. The opening does a great job of showing the working lives and private lives of the four main characters. We see them both how they are as professionals and as geeks. The splendid animation shows their loves of anime, manga, games, and cosplay with an emphasis on showing each character in their niche. The parts with the pixel art and the hand dancing are tremendously charming as well.
The song ties it all together nicely with an effervescent pop that is a signature of the series. The whole opening tells you this is a fun little story about falling in love while balancing it with being an adult. As a working adult, it is a wonderful balm for a weary soul beleaguered by the monotony of the rat race.
Best Ending
Card Captor Sakura: Clear Card, "Jewelry" by Saori Hayami Every week I looked forward to watching this ending. A charming upbeat song follows Sakura, Syaoran, Tomoyo, and Kero on a day off. The key frame animator Norimitsu Suzuki embues the ending with vibrant colors and a delicate line quality to create animation that is as lively as the song and characters within.
Today's Menu for the Emiya Family, "Collage" by Sangatsu no Phantasia If you have ever come back after a strenuous day of activity and sat down to a good meal you can easily recall the warm feeling that envelops you as the food pushes away any misery that you had before that point. The ending to Today's Menu for the Emiya Family embodies that feeling. The pleasant tone of the music mixed with the everyday tasks of the cast in comforting watercolor art style recalls a transcendent tranquility. It the essence of the show in a single ending montage. Even if just for a single moment peace is obtained.
The Line-Up is a monthly rundown of new anime, manga, novel, and artbook licenses for the U.S. It also lists new streaming/broadcasting announcements and posted crowdfunding projects available to U.S. residents. And finally, it includes anime/manga projects and live-action anime/manga adaptation announcements from Japan.
New Licenses in the U.S.
New Crowdfunding Campaigns
- Godhand Teru Manga Reboot
- Kurayukaba VR Anime
- Spice & Wolf VR Anime
- Yuruyuri OVA
New Streaming or Broadcasting Announcementsin the U.S.
- Crunchyroll Anime adding Saint Seiya: Santia Sho, Haikyu!! compilation movies, Hozuki's Coolheadedness S2, RIN-NE S3, Kuroko's Basketball: Last Game, Girly Air Force, Price of Smiles, Mob Psycho S2, The Morose Mononokean S2, Persona 5: Dark Sun, Steins;Gate 0, The Promised Neverland, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II
- Funimation adding Rising of the Shield Hero, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
- HIDIVE adding Legend of the Galactic Heroes: My Conquest is a Sea of Stars, Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Overture to a New War, Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Golden Wings, Just Because, Rocket Girls, Human Crossing
More great Legend of the Galactic Heroes episodes and Golden Wings. - HULU adding The Promised Neverland, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
- Weekly Shonen Jump USA adding Ne0;lation
New Anime and Manga Projects in Japan
New Live-Action Adaptations of Anime and Manga in Japan
- Katsu Futaro Manga Getting Movie Adaptation
- TV Series Announced for Radiation House
- Movie of 4-Gatsu no Kimi Spica Green-lit
Best New Manga
ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Department by Natsume OnoACCA is a political thriller that somehow balances intrigue with chill comedy and an eye for dessert.
Jean is a charming detective that keeps his own council as the territories dabble in a coup d'etat. Jean's motivation and role in this story is slowly teased out to great effect.
Natsume Ono gives the same attention to conspiracies as she does to sandwich breads in winning combination.
Wakako-zake by Chie ShinkyuFrom simple joys like fried chicken and rolled omlette, to unsual sights like monkfish foie gras and grilled turban shell, Wakako takes pleasure in all ends of the culinary spectrum.
Short chapters burst with meticulously drawn food and Wakako's wide-eyed reactions. A contented "PSHEWWW" often escapes her lips (and mine) as she enjoys her after work restaurant jaunts.
Again!! by Mitsurou Kubo What if one of the main creators of Yuri!!! on Ice created their own version of Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches but swapped out time travel for magical kiss powers and made the story about 10% more serious. This gives you a very good idea what Again!! is like.
Again is a fantastic story where a misanthropic boy who just graduated. but if filled with regrets, is transported back to the first day of High School alongside bratty princess to their first day of High School. The eventually decide to start putting right what once went wrong at their school with a very dysfunctional Oendan team and the very awkward captain. The main problem is Kinichirou is horrible when dealing with other people and Akira is horrifically self-absorbed. The other problem is the seemingly well-adjusted people they are trying to help are just as messed up as they are. Just in different ways.
It is a great series with wonderfully expressive art, great comedy, and solid drama. If you Yuri!!! on Ice, Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, or Orange you definitely want to try this out.
Seven Shakespeares by Harold Sakuishi When I saw Harold Sakuishi at NYCC in 2018 it was clear from the questions he got almost everyone knows him as the author of Beck. I bucked the trend and while being a fan of the Beck manga I asked questions about Seven Shakespeares. I admit that there are several worlds of difference between the two series so there is no guaranteed overlap in the fandoms of the two series I find both of them equally compelling. I also find it awesome that the person who created a series about the modern Japanese rock scene could also write a piece of Elizabethan historical fiction with equal skill. That is definitely some impressive range.
Taking on the Bard of Avon is not something you do casually. He is one of the most well know authors in history so adding him to a piece of fiction is both tempting and foolhardy. Making him the main character of your story doubly so. A manga doing so is either very confident or terribly foolhardy. Thankfully Harold Sakuishi has the skills to pull it off.
It is also worth noting the secondary protagonist of the series is a woman named Li who lives in the English Chinatown. I'm fairly certain most people would not guess that a series like Seven Shakespeares would deal with the Chinese immigrant population in Elizabethan England but it does. That alone makes it worth checking out.
I do feel like this series has a bit of a niche appeal to fans of historical manga so I can't see this as a title everyone needs to read. Thankfully it is available digitally so you can easily sample it as see if it tickles your fancy. I think you might be very pleasantly surprised. Remember, "Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt."
Best Ongoing Manga
The Promised Neverland by Posuka Demizu and Kaiu Shirai I have to assume that Posuka Demizu and Kaiu Shirai have some pretty damning blackmail information on someone at Shonen Jump because it is the only reason I could see that the magazine infamous for running popular series into the ground would ever let something like The Promised Neverland announce it is ending with only something like 11 books currently under its belt. As far as I can tell the series is only growing in popularity so it is not like it is ending because the fans have grown tired of the story.
The last year of story has taken the premise and gone is some exciting and intriguing directions. While the initial arc to escape the orphanage was tense and engrossing the places Emma has gone since then have only built on the initial strengths of the series. The Promised Neverland has gained a bit more action and adventure while keeping the more cerebral cat and mouse aspects of the first arc.
For a story as strong as this to get an ending green light when it could be dragged on for several more arcs for must be either a miracle or a piece of art done by a team that is strong enough to convince their editors that they can quit while their ahead and simply move on to their next success. I think the strength of this years story lines convince me it is the former and not the latter.
JoJolion by Hirohiko Araki JoJolion reminds me a lot of Diamond Is Unbreakable when it comes to structure. Both of them start off in strange little towns in Japan, they meander around with a plot that only truly reveals itself as the story goes on. So far JoJolion is keeping you guessing about the main antagonist. There is clearly a plot with Josuke Higashikata's memories, the Rokakaka Fruit, and the enigmatic Rock Humans are all part of a larger plot that has yet to fully reveal itself. But so far the story has done an excellent job of keeping the story engaging while keeping some key plot elements hidden. The fights with the Rock Humans have been strong and exciting and have let Josuke and Yasuho show off their abilities. Also everything surrounding Jobin has been fascinating since it is very clear that Hirohiko Araki want to keep his status as a hero or villain very vague. I think much of the series will depend on how strong those hidden elements turn out to be but so far it is a fascinating journey to get to that point.
Arte by Kei Ookubo Set in 1700s Italy, Arte is a manga that displays exquisite attention to the details of life, architecture, and history. Aspiring painter Arte's serendipitous meeting with Master Leo and subsequent apprenticeship is a bit of dumb luck that Arte has to capitalize on. As a noble woman, her entering the life of an artist is unprecedented but she is determined to prove herself and gain respect in a world that doesn't accept her.
The Morose Mononokean by Kiri Wazawa Like many great yokai manga, we are treated to tender portraits that lean towards melancholy as we come to understand the yokai and their past connections. Abeno and Ashiya bring these stories to light, help the yokai move on, and sometimes get embroiled in a bigger problem than they thought. Ashiya's naive kindheartedness and Abeno's terse attitude make them a great duo.
As the series progresses, it is clear that the yokai world holds many secrets, Abeno's past is a mysterious one, and Ashiya possesses powers which need explanation.
Best Manga-ka
Natsume Ono Her simple designs and sparse approached to paneling belies complex characters and plots. Modern to historical, all of her series are filled with a sense of atmosphere and dynamic personalities.
Haruko Ichikawa I'm fairly certain Haruko Ichikawa comes off to anyone as a normal person. I'm sure she is a lovely lady. Her manga is bathed in an empathy and complexity that make me want to believe she is a kind and clever person. The thing is I'm guessing you could come away from a casual conversation with someone like Eiichiro Oda or Miki Yoshikawa and unless you hit the right topic of conversation you could easily assume they could be your neighbor or coworker. On the other hand if someone had a conversation with a writer like Hirohiko Araki or Haruko Ichikawa I would be very surprised if they came away thinking they are a regular bloke. While it might make being their friend or relative a bit challenging it also makes for some wonderful manga.
Haruko Ichikawa's manga has the feel of a modern take on a 70's shoujo series. The look, themes, and style of art and storytelling all feel like a bit of a throwback while still feeling very modern. At times she feel like a lost Forty-Niner and other times she is unmistakably contemporary. Her building of the world of Land of the Lustrous is deliberate and detailed while being organic and well paced. And the world of Land of the Lustrous is quite alien and unqiue so it can't rely on similar series to do the heavy lifting.
Also she really likes drawing butts. I mean in the Arco Wada could and her could talk into the wee hours discussing the glory of posteriors. That is not really what elevates her work to high art but it is defining enough that I thought I should mention it.
The real interesting part comes from the fact that her manga has so many levels. There is the simple surface layer of fantasy adventure that works very well. It is a good mix of adventure, mystery, and wonder with a dash of thoughtfulness to make it feel more than just fun fluff. If you enjoy her work on that simple level that is great. But if you dig deeper you will find layers of religious and secular philosophy that are the core of her work. Concepts like the Seven Treasures of Buddhism, the number 108, and the Ship of Theseus are all intricately woven into the DNA of the story without ever explicitly calling attention to themselves. There are some amazing depths to Land of the Lustrous if you want to dig deep and start taking things apart.
Best Manga That Should Get an Anime
Atelier of Witch Hat by Kamome Shirahama Atelier of Witch Hat really has two elements that make it ideal for an anime adaptation. First of all it has a very unqiue fantasy world. While there are lots of series that a society of wizards that have to remain hidden from the mundane masses the world of Atelier of Witch Hat is neither fully in the urban fantasy nor the Harry Potter mold. The magical systems, history, characters, and general world design simultaneously feel familiar and yet unqiue. Atelier of Witch Hat invokes a feel of previous popular works while not seeming like a carbon copy of something that is popular. The second is its illustrated fairy tale style is begging to be animated. The pages of the manga feel like the pages of a wonderfully detailed picture book of some grand fantasy story. While it look wonderful when it is static it could truly be a masterpiece with a loving animation team.
It would be a great substitute for more episodes of The Ancient Magus' Bride if done by the right studio while finding its own audience thanks to its abundance to style. It is a series that is magical in more ways than one.
Shojo Fight by Yowoko Nihonbashi Shojo Fight hits a lot of classic sports tropes and does them justice. Neri is having trouble moving past an unexpected death in her life. Her grief has driven a wedge between Neri and volleyball, Neri and her friends, Neri and herself. Just as she starts reconnecting, a fateful meeting with a coach gives her the final push she needs. Shojo Fight also stands out for its bold lines and character designs.
In these posts, we'll highlight some of our recommended new U.S. manga and anime releases. The Line-up posts have helped record what gets licensed (among other things), while Most Wanted will help to record when those licenses actually come out. We might even throw in a light novel or game from time to time.
These lists are as much for you as they are for us. Let us know what you are most looking forward to picking up!
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Ongoing Investigations: Mirai
Food for Thought: What are some of your favorite non-anime and manga things from 2018?
Topics: Weekly Shonen Jump USA Goes Free, Hidive Teams with VRV, Funimation Teams with Hulu, TMS Starting 2 US Streaming Channels, Top-selling Manga Series of 2018.
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Anime licenses were up from last year. The difference between anime and manga licenses was still significant (anime: ~120, manga: ~190) but less crazy than in 2017. With Sentai Filmworks and Discotek leading the charge; picking up around 80 of those 120 anime licenses of 2018 between them.
We had some additions to the manga publishers this year: Denpa and Sol Press, plus J-Novel added manga to their line-up. Also there's been an expanded line of digital-only titles for purchase from all over the map. That really showed in Kodansha's list which exceeded 60 titles this year, many of which were exclusively digital.
As a reminder, this list does not include streaming-only anime and manga. And as always, let us know if we missed anything.
Anime
- 100 Sleeping Princes and the Kingdom of Dreams: The Animation – Sentai Filmworks
- Accel World: Infinite Burst – VIZ
- Accel World (OVAs) – VIZ
- Ai Tenchi Muyo – Funimation
- Alice or Alice – Sentai Filmworks
- Angel Cop – Discotek
- Anime-Gataris – Funimation
- Area 88 – Discotek
- Armored Trooper Votoms – Sentai Filmworks
- Assassination Classroom – Funimation
- Aura Battler Dunbine – Sentai Filmworks
- Ayakashi – Discotek
- Baldios – Discotek
- BanG Dream! S2 – Sentai Filmworks
- Basquash! – Sentai Filmworks
- Beast Fighter – The Apocalypse– Discotek
- Bermuda Triangle ~Colorful Pastrale~ – Sentai Filmworks
- Between the Sky and Sea – Sentai Filmworks
- Beyblade – Discotek
- Beyblade V-Force – Discotek
- Blend S– Aniplex USA
- Bloom Into You – Sentai Filmworks
- Blue Gale Xabungle – Sentai Filmworks
- Bobobo-bo Bobo-bo – Discotek
- Captain Tsubasa – VIZ
- Cardcaptor Sakura: The Sealed Card – Discotek
- Cat Girl Nuku Nuku – Discotek
- Code Geass (compilation films) – Funimation
- Cutie Honey Universe – Sentai Filmworks
- Devilman – Discotek
- Devils' Line – Sentai Filmworks
- Dinosaur King – Discotek
- Dive!! – Sentai Filmworks
- Doreiku– Sentai Filmworks
- Eternal Alice– Discotek
- Fair, then Partly Piggy – Discotek
- Fireworks – GKIDS
- Free! -Take Your Marks- – Funimation
- Free! -Timeless Medley- Kizuna – Funimation
- Free! -Timeless Medley- Yakusoku – Funimation
- Gakuen Basara: Samurai High School – Sentai Filmworks
- Galaxy Angel A – RightStuf
- Galaxy Angel AA – RightStuf
- Galaxy Angel S – RightStuf
- Galaxy Express 999 (TV) – Discotek
- GARO: Divine Flame – Funimation
- Giant Robo – Discotek
- The Girl in Twilight – Sentai Filmworks
- God Mars – DIscotek
- Great Mazinger – Discotek
- Grisaia: Phantom Trigger – Frontwing
- Gunparade March – Sentai Filmworks
- Haikara-San: Here Comes Miss Modern Part 1 – RightStuf
- Haruka Nogizaka's Secret – Discotek
- Hataraki Man – Sentai Filmworks
- Hello Kitty & Friends – Let's Learn Together – Sentai Filmworks
- High Speed! -Free! Starting Days- – Funimation
- Human Crossing – Sentai Filmworks
- Inukami! – Discotek
- Is it Wrong to Expect a Hot Spring in a Dungeon? OVA – Sentai Filmworks
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 5: Golden Wind– VIZ
- Kimagure Orange Road – Discotek
- Konohana Kitan – Funimation
- Laughing Under the Clouds: Gaiden Part 1 & Part 2 – RightStuf
- Law of Ueki – Discotek
- Liz and the Blue Bird – Shout! Factory
- Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Take on Me – Sentai Filmworks
- Lu Over the Wall – Shout! Factory
- Lupin the 3rd: Blood Seal of the Eternal Mermaid– Discotek
- Manaria Friends – Sentai Filmworks
- Maquia – When the Promised Flower Blooms – Eleven Arts
- Maria Watches Over Us – Sentai Filmworks
- Megalobox – VIZ
- Metropolis – Mill Creek Entertainment
- MFKZ – GKIDS
- Mirai of the Future – GKIDS
- Mobile Suit Gundam 00 – RightStuf
- Modest Heroes – GKIDS
- Monkey Magic – Discotek
- Monochrome Factor – Sentai Filmworks
- Mr. Tonegawa – Sentai Filmworks
- Negima! – Sentai Filmworks
- Negima!? – Sentai Filmworks
- Night is Short, Walk on Girl – GKIDS
- Okko's Inn – GKIDS
- One-Punch Man (S2) – VIZ
- Pastel Memories – Sentai Filmworks
- Persona 5 – Aniplex USA
- Pokemon Battle Frontier – VIZ
- Pokemon Sun & Moon – VIZ
- Pop Team Epic – Sentai Filmworks
- Psycho Armor Govarian – Discotek
- Real Girl – Sentai Filmworks
- Reborn! – Discotek
- Release the Spyce – Sentai Filmworks
- Revue Starlight – Sentai Filmworks
- Rocket Girls – Sentai Filmworks
- Ronja the Robber's Daughter – GKIDS
- Run with the Wind – Sentai Filmworks
- Scum's Wish – Sentai Filmworks
- Shin Tetsujin 28 – Discotek
- Sister Princess – Discotek
- Skip Beat! – RightStuf
- Space Runaway Ideon – Sentai FIlmworks
- Space Warrior Baldios – Discotek
- A Spirit of the Sun – Sentai Filmworks
- SSSS.Gridman – Funimation
- Star Ocean EX – Discotek
- Stevllia – Discotek
- Tada Never Falls In Love – Sentai Filmworks
- Tetsujin 28 – Discotek
- Tetsujin 28 Morning Moon of Midday – Discotek
- This Boy is a Professional Wizard– Kuma Holdings
- This Boy Suffers from Crystallization – Kuma Holdings
- Tibetian Dog – Sentai Filmworks
- Tokyo Underground – Discotek
- Toriko the Movie: Secret Recipe of Gourmet God! – Discotek
- Tsurune – Sentai Filmworks
- Twilight of the Cockroaches – Discotek
- Urahara – Funimation
- Voltes V – Discotek
- W'Z – Sentai Filmworks
- Welcome to Pia Carrot! 2 DX – Sentai Filmworks
- Wild 7: Another – Discotek
- Yona Yona Penguin – Sentai Filmworks
- Yumeiro Patissiere – Sentai Filmworks
- Zatch Bell: 101st Devil – Discotek
- Zatch Bell: Attack of Mechavulcan – Discotek
- Zillion – Funimation
Manga
- 10 Dance – Kodansha USA
- A.I.C.O. -Incarnation- – Kodansha USA
- Abara – VIZ
- After the Rain – Vertical Inc.
- Alicia's Diet Quest – Kodansha USA
- An Archdemon's Dilemma: How To Love Your Elf Bride – J-Novel Club
- Animeta! – J-Novel Club
- Ao-chan Can't Study! – Kodansha USA
- Ao Haru Ride – VIZ
- Are You Lost?– Kodansha USA
- Aria – TokyoPop
- Arte – Media Do
- Ascendance of a Bookworm – J-Novel Club
- At the Mountains of Madness (Gou Tanabe) – Dark Horse
- Back Street Girls – Kodansha USA
- Baki the Grappler – Media Do
- Batman and The Justice League – DC Comics
- Beastars – VIZ
- Beauty and the Beast Girl – Seven Seas
- Beck – Kodansha USA
- Beware the Kamiki Brothers! – Kodansha USA
- Blank Canvas – Seven Seas
- Blissful Land – Kodansha USA
- Boarding School Juliet – Kodansha USA
- Burn the Witch – VIZ
- Can I Kiss You Every Day? – Kodansha USA
- Can You Just Die, My Darling? – Kodansha USA
- Candy Color Paradox – VIZ
- Card Captor Sakura – Kodansha USA
- A Certain Scientific Railgun: Astral Buddy – Seven Seas
- Chainsaw Man – VIZ
- Chio-chan no Tsugakuro – Yen Press
- Choujin-Kokoseitachi wa Isekai demo Yoyu de Ikinuku Yodesu! – Yen Press
- Classmates – Seven Seas
- Collected Works of Yoshiharu Tsuge – Drawn & Quarterly
- The Comiq – VIZ
- Creature Girls: A Field Journal in Another World – Seven Seas
- Crocodile Baron – Kodansha USA
- Danganronpa 2: Ultimate Luck and Hope and Despair – Dark Horse
- The Dark Maidens – Vertical Inc.
- Daytime Shooting Star – VIZ
- Defying Kurosaki-kun – Kodansha USA
- DIVE!! – Yen Press
- Don't Mess with Me, Nagatoro – Vertical Inc.
- Dragon Ball: That Time I Got Reincarnated as Yamcha! – VIZ
- Dragon Head – Kodansha USA
- Dragon Quest Monsters+ – Seven Seas
- Elfen Lied – Dark Horse
- Emanon – Dark Horse
- Eromanga Sensei – Dark Horse
- Fairy Tail: Lightning Gods – Kodansha USA
- Fate/Grand Order – mortalis:stella – Kodansha USA
- Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection – VIZ
- Fullmetal Alchemist: The Complete Four-Panel Comics – VIZ
- Futaribeya – TokyoPop
- Futurelog – Denpa
- Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji – Denpa
- Gantz G – Dark Horse
- Gleipnir – Kodansha USA
- Go with the Clouds, North by Northwest – Vertical Inc.
- Goblin Slayer: Brand New Day – Yen Press
- God Shining Moonlight Howling Moon – Yen Press
- The Golden Sheep – Vertical Inc.
- Good Dog, Cerberus! – Kodansha USA
- Hakumei and Mikochi – Yen Press
- Hanger – TokyoPop
- Happy Sugar Life – Yen Press
- Harem Days The Seven-Starred Country – Akita Publishing
- Harem Royale -When the Game Ends- – Sol Press
- Heavenly Delusion – Denpa
- Heaven's Design Team – Kodansha USA
- Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku – VIZ
- Hinamatsuri – One Peace Books
- Hiro Mashima's Playground – Kodansha USA
- Hitorijime My Hero – Kodansha USA
- How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom – J-Novel Club
- HOT – VIZ
- I Hear the Sunspot: Limit – One Peace Books
- I Married My Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up – Seven Seas
- I Shall Survive Using Potions! – J-Novel Club
- I'm From Japan – VIZ
- I'm Standing on a Million Lives – Kodansha USA
- I Want to Eat Your Pancreas – Seven Seas
- Ibitsu – Yen Press
- The Ideal Sponger Life – Seven Seas
- Infinite Dendrogram – J-Novel Club
- Inside Mari – Denpa
- Interspecies Reviewers – Yen Press
- Intertwining Lives – Kodansha USA
- An Invitation from a Crab – Denpa
- Is Kichijoji the Only Place to Live? – Kodansha USA
- Kira-kun Today – Kodansha USA
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable – VIZ
- Jujutsu Kaisen – VIZ
- Juni Taisen: Zodiac War – VIZ
- Junji Ito – VIZ
- K: Seven Stories – VIZ
- Kaiju Girl Caramelizer – Yen Press
- Kakafukaka – Kodansha USA
- Kakegurui Twins – Yen Press
- Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits – VIZ
- Kamakura Monogatari – Media Do
- Kamikamikaeshi – Kodansha USA
- Karate Heat – Kodansha USA
- Keeping His Whims in Check – Kodansha USA
- Key Ring Lock – Kodansha USA
- Killing Me! – Yen Press
- Kimi wo Shinryakuseyo! – VIZ
- Kino's Journey – Vertical Inc.
- A Kiss, For Real – Kodansha USA
- Komi Can't Communicate – VIZ
- Konohana Kitan – TokyoPop
- La Magnifique Grande Scène – Akita Publishing
- Liar x Liar – Kodansha USA
- Little Miss P – Yen Press
- Love in Focus – Kodansha USA
- Love in Limbo – VIZ
- Magus of the Library – Kodansha USA
- Maiden Railways – Denpa
- Mega Man X: Mega Mission – Udon Entertainment
- Mikami-sensei's Way of Love – Kodansha USA
- Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: Elma's Office Lady Diary – Seven Seas
- Mob Psycho 100 – Dark Horse
- Monster & the Beast – Yen Press
- Monster Wrestling – Yen Press
- Mushoku Tensei: Roxy Gets Serious – Seven Seas
- My Boy in Blue – Kodansha USA
- My Hero Academia: Smash!! – VIZ
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes – VIZ
- My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! – Seven Seas
- Mythical Beast Investigator – Seven Seas
- Ne0;lation – VIZ
- Noah's Notes – VIZ
- Now Loading . . . ! – Seven Seas
- Nyankees – Yen Press
- O Maidens in Your Savage Season – Kodansha USA
- OL Visual Kei – Media Do
- Oops! I Messed Up and Made the Wrong Person Into a Magical Girl! – Seven Seas
- Peach Girl – Kodansha USA
- Peach Girl Next – Kodansha USA
- Peach Mermaid – Kodansha USA
- Perfect World – Kodansha USA
- PEZ – Denpa
- Pleasure & Corruption – Denpa
- Plunderer – Yen Press
- The Poe Clan – Fantagraphics
- Pokémon: I Choose You! – VIZ
- Pokémon Pocket Comics Classics – VIZ
- The Prince's Romance Gambit – Kodansha USA
- Princess Resurrection Nightmare – Kodansha USA
- The Quintessential Quintuplets – Kodansha USA
- Radiant – VIZ
- Ran and the Gray World – VIZ
- Record of Grancrest War – VIZ
- Red Riding Hood's Wolf Apprentice – Kodansha USA
- Redefining the Meta at VRMMO Academy – Sol Press
- RWBY – VIZ
- RWBY Official Manga Anthology – VIZ
- Satoko and Nada– Seven Seas
- Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for my Retirement – Sol Press
- Seirei Gensouki – Spirit Chronicles – J-Novel Club
- Serial Killer Detective – Vertical Inc.
- Seto Utsumi – Akita Publishing
- The Seven Deadly Sins: Seven Days – Kodansha USA
- Seven Shakespeares – Kodansha USA
- Shimanami Tasogare – Seven Seas
- Skeleton Knight in Another World – Seven Seas
- Slum Wolf – New York Review Comics
- Sorcerous Stabber Orphen Heed My Call, Beast! – Seven Seas
- Snow White with the Red Hair – VIZ
- Starving Anonymous – Kodansha USA
- Stray Bullet Baby – Kodansha USA
- Tales of Berseria – Kodansha USA
- Teenage Renaissance! David – VIZ
- Those Summer Days – Kodansha USA
- Tia La Cherla – Cross Infinite World
- Today's Menu for Emiya Family – Denpa
- Tokyo Alice – Kodansha USA
- Tokyo Revengers – Kodansha USA
- Tomo-chan is a Girl! – Seven Seas
- Torture Princess: Fremd Torturchen – Yen Press
- Total Eclipse of the Eternal Heart – Seven Seas
- Transparent Light Blue – Seven Seas
- Trap in a Skirt – Kodansha USA
- Urusei Yatsura – VIZ
- A Very Fairy Apartment – J-Novel Club
- Wakako-zake – Media Do
- The Walls Between Us – Kodansha USA
- Whenever Our Eyes Meet…: A Women's Love Anthology – Yen Press
- Will I Be Single Forever? – VIZ
- Witch Hat Atelier – Kodansha USA
- The Wizard and His Fairy – Kodansha USA
- Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku – Kodansha USA
- You Got Me, Sempai! – Kodansha USA
- Yume de Mita: Anoko no Tame ni – Yen Press
- Yuri is My Job! – Kodansha USA
- Yuri Kuma Arashi – TokyoPop
- Yuri Life – Yen Press
- Ziga – VIZ
Funded Crowdfunding Projects
- Emma English Dub and BD Release
- Horror of the Underworld Anime Short
- Idol Connect -Asterisk Live- Anime Film
- It's My Life Anime Short
- Kurayukaba VR Anime
- Spice & Wolf VR Anime
- Yuruyuri OVA
Artbooks/Supplemental Material
- The Art of Neon Genesis Evangelion: 2007-2017 – VIZ
- Colorful Dreams (VOFAN) – Vertical
- FLCL Archives – Udon Entertainment
Novels/Light Novels
- [New Life+] Young Again in Another World – J-Novel Club
- 86 – Yen Press
- Amagi Brilliant Park – J-Novel Club
- The Ancient Magus' Bride – Seven Seas
- Battle Divas – The Incorruptible Battle Blossom Princess – Sol Press
- Beast † Blood – Cross Infinite World
- Boogiepop – Seven Seas
- Bottom-tier Character Tomozaki – Yen Press
- Bungo Stray Dogs – Yen Press
- Classroom of the Elite – Seven Sea
- Cooking with Wild Game – J-Novel Club
- The Cursed Princess and the Lucky Knight – Cross Infinite World
- Dawn of the Mapmaker – Cross Infinite World
- The Dirty Way to Destroy the Goddess's Hero – Yen Press
- Division Maneuver – Seven Seas
- The Eccentric Master and the Fake Lover – Cross Infinite World
- Emeth: Island of Golems – Cross Infinite World
- Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom? – Yen Press
- Forest of Piano – Kodansha USA
- From Truant to Anime Screenwriter: My Path to "anohana" and "The Anthem of the Heart" – J-Novel Club
- Gear Drive – J-Novel Club
- The Hero is Overpowered but Overly Cautious – Yen Press
- I Shall Survive Using Potions! – J-Novel Club
- I Want to Eat Your Pancreas – Seven Seas
- Infinite Stratos – J-Novel Club
- JK Haru is a Sex Worker in Another World – J-Novel Club
- Kabukimonogatari – Vertical Inc.
- Katanagatrai – Vertical Inc.
- Kokoro Connect – J-Novel Club
- Konosuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World! – Yen Press
- Last and First Idol – J-Novel Club
- Last Round Arthurs: Scum Arthur and Heretic Merlin – Yen Press
- Lazy Dungeon Master – J-Novel Club
- Little Princess in Fairy Forest – Cross Infinite World
- Märchen der Werwolf – The Annals of Veight – J-Novel Club
- The Master of Ragnarok & Blesser of Einherjar – J-Novel Club
- Me, a Genius? I Was Reborn into Another World and I Think They've Got the Wrong Idea! – J-Novel Club
- Mia and the Forbidden Medicine Report – Cross Infinite World
- Mirai – Yen Press
- Mushoku Tensei – Seven Seas
- My Hero Academia: School Briefs – VIZ
- NieR: Automata: Long Story Long – VIZ
- NieR: Automata: Long Story Short – VIZ
- The Night is Young, Walk on Girl – Yen Press
- Penguin Highway – Yen Press
- Reprise of the Spear Hero – One Peace Books
- Restaurant to Another World – Seven Seas
- Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for my Retirement – Sol Press
- Seirei Gensouki – Spirit Chronicles – J-Novel Club
- Skeleton Knight in Another World – Seven Seas
- Sorcerous Stabber Orphen – J-Novel Club
- Strongest Gamer – Let's Play in Another World – Sol Press
- Torture Princess: Fremd Torturchen – Yen Press
- Tsuujou Kougeki ga Zentai Kougeki de ni Kai Kougeki no Okaa-san wa Suki Desuka? – Yen Press
- The Unwanted Undead Adventurer – J-Novel Club
- Voices of a Distant Star – Vertical Inc.
- Why Shouldn't a Detestable Demon Lord Fall in Love?! – Sol Press
- Wolf Children: Ame & Yuki – Yen Press
- Woof Woof Story – Yen Press
The Line-Up is a monthly rundown of new anime, manga, novel, and artbook licenses for the U.S. It also lists new streaming/broadcasting announcements and posted crowdfunding projects available to U.S. residents. And finally, it includes anime/manga projects and live-action anime/manga adaptation announcements from Japan.
New Licenses in the U.S.
New Crowdfunding Campaigns
- SteveS Manga English Release
New Streaming or Broadcasting Announcementsin the U.S.
- Crunchyroll Anime adding Undefeated Bahamut Chronicle, Action Heroine Cheer Fruits, Frame Arms Girl, Dynamic Chord, Long Riders!, Mob Psycho 100 S2
- HIDIVE adding Run with the Wind, Pia Carrot!! 2DX, Gunparade March
- Weekly Shonen Jump USA adding Chainsaw Man
New Anime and Manga Projects in Japan
New Live-Action Adaptations of Anime and Manga in Japan
- TV Series Green-lit for Kono Koi wa Tsumi Nanoka!?
- 2 Movies Announced for Hop Step Jump! Manga
- TsukiPro Franchise Getting Movie
- The Flowers of Evil Movie Revealed
- Movie in the Works for Korosanai Kare to Shinanai Kanojo
- Back Street Girls Movie Announced
- Boku no Hatsukoi o Kimi ni Sasagu Manga Getting TV Series
- TV Series Revealed for Fruits Delivery Service Manga
- Yotsuba Ginko – Harashima Hiromi ga Monomosu ~Kono Hito ni Kakero~ About Banking Woman TV Series Announced
In these posts, we'll highlight some of our recommended new U.S. manga and anime releases. The Line-up posts have helped record what gets licensed (among other things), while Most Wanted will help to record when those licenses actually come out. We might even throw in a light novel or game from time to time.
These lists are as much for you as they are for us. Let us know what you are most looking forward to picking up!
- ACCA vol. 5
- Ace of the Diamond vol. 17
- Anonymous Noise vol. 11
- Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card vol. 5
- Galaxy Angel Z BD
- Haikyu!! vol. 29
- I Hear the Sunspot: Limit
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 3 Stardust Crusaders vol. 9 (Hardcover)
- One Piece vol. 88
- PEZ
- Shojo Fight vol. 5
- Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku vol. 3
Special guest: Patz from The Cockpit
Song: Star of the Giants OP "Yuke Yuke Hyuuma" by Ensemble Bokka
Topic: Anime NYC 2018.
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The Line-Up is a monthly rundown of new anime, manga, novel, and artbook licenses for the U.S. It also lists new streaming/broadcasting announcements and posted crowdfunding projects available to U.S. residents. And finally, it includes anime/manga projects and live-action anime/manga adaptation announcements from Japan.
New Licenses in the U.S.
New Streaming or Broadcasting Announcementsin the U.S.
- Amazon adding Boarding School Juliet, Karakuri Circus, Saint Seiya: Saintia Sho
- Cartoon Network adding Mob Psycho 100
- Crunchyroll Anime adding Between the Sky and Sea Run with the Wind, DAKAICHI, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, Hinomaru Sumo, Conception, Voice of Fox, Gurazeni 2, Merc Storia, The Idolm@ster SideM Wake Atte Mini!, Himote House, Uzamaid!, Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san, My Sister My Writer, A Certain Magical Index III, Tsurune, Welcome to Japari Park
- Crunchyroll Manga adding Lofty Flower, Fall for Me!!
- Disney XD adding Beyblade Burst Turbo
- HIDIVE adding The Tibetan Dog
- Hulu adding Sword Art Online: Alicization, Tokyo Ghoul:re, Hunter x Hunter, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Megalobox, One-Punch Man, Overlord, Sailor Moon
New Anime and Manga Projects in Japan
New Live-Action Adaptations of Anime and Manga in Japan
- Movies Announced for Mahjong Hado Densetsu Tenpai Gaiden
- TV Series Adaptation of Trace: Kasoken Hoi Kenkyuin no Tsuiso Revealed
In these posts, we'll highlight some of our recommended new U.S. manga and anime releases. The Line-up posts have helped record what gets licensed (among other things), while Most Wanted will help to record when those licenses actually come out. We might even throw in a light novel or game from time to time.
These lists are as much for you as they are for us. Let us know what you are most looking forward to picking up!
There were so many releases this month! WOW!
Ongoing Investigations: Detective Kaga mysteries and My Hero Academia: Two Heroes.
Song: My Hero Academia S3 ED2: "Long Hope Philia" by Masaki Suda
Food for Thought: Who are your favorite My Hero Academia characters?
Topics: New York Comic Con 2018.
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Best New Show
Banana Fish from MAPPA The classic, and incredibly melodramatic, crime thriller finally in anime form! This is a twisty, sad, violent tale of drugs, street gangs, and the mob in New York City. The anime has a clipped pace that is many times gut wrenching as young gang leader Ash seeks revenge for a life filled with tragedy.
Ash and his exploits were only known to me through word of mouth, and now I know that didn't even do him justice. He has suffered greatly, and suffers continually as the story goes on, but he rarely sees himself as a victim (even when he should).
Banana Fish is originally from a period of time when gay characters could only have the saddest of stories, and Banana Fish is filled to the brim with darkness. Even though we've seen a shift towards more variety of late, your mileage may still vary.
Cells at Work! from David ProductionEducational entertainment series have to balance carefully themselves if they wish to live up to their full potential. Series can easily lean into either aspect of their dual nature and succeed at one task but fail at the other. An educational series can be very dense and accurate but dry as dirt or it can be super fun but mostly fluff with some minor vitamin fortification. Neither of them counts as a total failure but they tend to miss the strength of the format. The best of the best stand out because when the title is fun and rich with information which sticks with you long after you experience it. That is why people remember Bill Nye the Science Guy or Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? years later. I think Cells at Work! exists in that same illustrious category as some of the best.
If Cells at Work! was just a workplace comedy about cells in a human body I think it would be an odd little niche comedy that existed as a good example that anime can set a simple premise anywhere and make it work. If it were middling but informative it would be relegated to the hell of mediocre educational shows for kids and only kids. Cells at Work! works because it has great characters and silly jokes but still gives you some major insights into how the human body works. Red and White Blood Cell make some great point of view characters who can interact with a good deal of eccentric weirdos while also have a snappy relationship. The show throws in just enough information that your actually getting insight into how the body works without turning each episode into a biology lecture with mascots.
Now it is worth noting that there is some definite exaggeration and artistic license taken for better dramatic or comedic effect in stories. But at this point, if you can't deal with that I think you're going to have a bad time with a good deal of media in general. The point of the series is to show the complexity, magnificence, and oddly janky design of the human body all at once more than act as a precise medical reference. If you take everything you learn in the show with an appropriate pinch of salt you will learn a lot and have fun at the same time. That is an amazing feat for an otherwise goofy workplace comedy. The show brilliantly walks the line by entertaining and teaching at the same time which makes both parts far more effective.
Best Character
Nagisa Aragaki from Hanebado! Just a quick note because people constantly seem to miss the point about this when watching Hanebado. You're not supposed to like Ayano Hanesaki. This might seem like an odd thing to talk about when discussing Nagisa but it is vitally important in understanding her role as the deuteragonist. When you realize that Nagisa exists in the show not only to have her own compelling story but as to exist as a foil for the distasteful protagonist her place in the story makes far more sense.
Nagisa starts off as a toxic character who would normally be the sympathetic villain that has reformed by the noble main character so she can join the protagonist on her hero's journey. The thing is while Nagisa's transformation occurs because of the introduction of Ayano the actual healing has nothing to do with the main character. It is a mixture of empathy from other characters and Nagisa rediscovering her own inner strength that ignites her redemption into the character we are supposed to root for. If anything Ayano exists as a detriment to that progress with her own toxic growth. For the rest of the series, Nagisa mostly acts as a someone who helps other characters be reborn like she was by playing them. Occasionally she will slip back to her former ways but it is always because Ayano sets her corrupting attention on her. For the most part, she sits in the position that a typical sports heroine would occupy.
But Nagisa does not just exist to be the light to better show off Ayano's darkness. Her friendship with Riko helps build both characters and helps offset some of the darker parts of the series. Riko and Nagisa face some hard challenges and difficult revelations about their abilities but they are always the brighter part of the story even when faced with adversary. Nagisa's mentorship under Kentarou mirrors a more conventional sports show and reinforces the positive themes of the show. It is also worth noting that most of the time Kentarou usually gives Nagisa more of a push in the right direction and allows her to find the path she needs as opposed to just giving her the answers she could not find on her own. This gives her an appropriate amount of strength while still showing she is not an invincible machine that needs no one else.
In a way, this back and forth mirrors the seesaw feeling of a high-intensity badminton game. The rise and fall that Nagisa and Ayano experience reflects their matches on the court. This lets Nagisa's role in the narrative mirror the feeling of the sport it is discussing which is pretty damn clever. It makes her more than just a simple rival or ally. She becomes a critical part of the story even if she is only a secondary main character.
Levi from Attack on Titan S3 I'm quite late to the Levi fandom, but I finally got here. Amidst the political intrigue and surprising secrets of S3, Levi finds himself as a rebel leader and confronted with some revelations of his own. How he handles both of those situations makes him a standout this season.
Best Finale
Revue Starlight from Kinema Citrus Why is there a giraffe? How is this play important? What is the meaning of the duels? Which wish will be granted? WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN??? Revue Starlight did a good job of making me think, wonder, consider, and interpret, and created an ending with meaning.
Planet With from J.C.Staff If you have watched enough mecha anime you are probably all too acquainted with the idea of the Sunrise stretch. While it happens with lots of long-running robot shows and is particularly common in 50+ episode Sunrise anime. Somewhere in the second third of the show, a new set of antagonists are added whose whole purpose is merely to extend the plot. They are usually introduced with not much setup, they fight the heroes, and then they are defeated without much impact on the plot. While it might help create more models for the anime company to sell they don't much else. Planet With avoids the Sunrise stretch.
With only 12 episodes to tell a whole story Planet With does not have any time to have a Sunrise stretch. It does a great job of telling a complete mecha story in its single season so it does not have any time to waste of filler or nonsense. Planet With sets up its characters, world, and plot very efficiently and then gives an arc to all of its characters while getting in a robot battle in almost every episode. I have seen too many shows get lost on the way to end and have to try to push out an ending after they have run out of time. The show is even able to have three distinct sections that build upon each other. That in of itself is quite an accomplishment.
The final battle does a fantastic job of wrapping everything up in a way that acts as an end cap for all the pilot's stories while answering most of the major mysteries while still leaving some things up for your imagination. And they do that all while still subverting some of your ingrained expectations. If you want to watch a mysterious robot show but can't commit to 50+ episodes or just want a mecha anime that messes with the formula without going full Evangelion then this might be the show for you.
Best Way the Human Almost Died in Cells At Work!
Cancer from Episode 7 This feels like an episode of Batman: The Animated Series where a bunch of villains are sitting around playing poker while trading stories about how they Almost Got 'Im.
I feel few episodes of Cells At Work! got as much attention and provoked as much attention as the episode with the Cancer cell. Considering the fact that cancer tends to always been in the top 10 causes of death via disease in the modern era it is almost impossible to not know someone who has had to deal with cancer at some point or another. That alone would make it a potentially emotional episode by itself. Add on to that the fact that the show made the Cancer cell a sympathetic villain and you make people's feelings go all over the place.
It was also one of the episodes that has some of the biggest fight scenes just to remind you this was done by the same staff as JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. You had White Blood Cell, Killer T Cell, and Natural Killer Cell going all out in a battle against a monstrous enemy that felt like something more out of standard shonen series. While there were some fight scenes before the battle they felt more like random encounters. This felt like a major boss battle.
If nothing else you can't say the episode was mot memorable.
Food Poisoning from Episode 4 A battle against a parasite in the very dramatic-looking stomach (think giant furnace with acid), made that much better by the overly cryptic Basophil cell.
Best Couple (Real or Imagined)
Rin and Sousuke from Free! S3 Dive to the Future I mean, a million times yes? So glad to have these two back for a season, and Free! back in general. Last we saw them, Rin was heading off to Australia on his own and Sosuke was deciding how to handle his shoulder injury. In this season, though they appear much too briefly, we get a touching reunion!
Red Blood Cell AE3803 and White Blood Cell U-1146from Cells at Work! When Kate and I were discussing the Case Closed podcast for Cells at Work! and we were discussing the fact that the anime has a bit of a shipper's bias when it comes to pairing up Red and White Blood Cell. While Kate mostly found it slightly odd I had no problem with it. They are clearly good friends and any romance between them would be a good lesson for some of the more isolationist cells in the body. Plus someone really needs to take care of Red Blood Cell AE3803 and White Blood Cell U-1146 seems to be up to the task.
Best Opening
Last Hope OP: "Sirius" by BUMP OF CHICKEN I will admit I have not seen Last Hope (aka Juushinki Pandora) yet. While I was very interested to see Shoji Kawamori's new show but since it was licensed by Netflix they are releasing it in binge-watching chunks as opposed to week to week. Since we have really fallen behind with this season I have not had any time to watch this show now that the first half has come out. But it is a Shoji Kawamori show so figured I would at least check out the opening for an award consideration. That was a very good idea.
BUMP OF CHICKEN is always a good sign for an opening. They have a gentle sound that still has a lively tempo that gives their songs a good energy. Sirius is no exception to that rule. I really want to watch this show so I can see if the show itself lives up to its excellent opening.
Hanebado! OP: "Futari no Hane" by YURiKA This opening has a ton of style with a limited palette and high-octane action shots.
Best Ending
Free! S3 Dive to the Future ED: "GOLD EVOLUTION" by STYLE FIVE Colorful outfits, a Westside Story-like moment on the streets, then a costume change to tuxes, and dancing. We all need a full dance version of this ending.
Revue Starlight ED: "Fly Me to the Star" by the Starlight 99-gumi The Revue Starlight ending was one of those endings where a different member of the cast (or sometimes a different pair of cast members) would sing the ending each time. While a cynical person might point to the fact that it helps them pump out character singles CDs if the show is popular it adds more to the experience than just added potential profit. Each of the endings highlighted the characters of pair of characters that were the focus of the episode. Since the cast are all performers it makes sense to highlight each of their singing styles to reinforce a part of their character that might otherwise so neglected despite how integral it is to them. It is a nice bit of fleshing out their characters in a part of the show that might otherwise be just a perfunctory time to just play the credits. That is a nice bit of dual purpose which I very much appreciate.
The Line-Up is a monthly rundown of new anime, manga, novel, and artbook licenses for the U.S. It also lists new streaming/broadcasting announcements and posted crowdfunding projects available to U.S. residents. And finally, it includes anime/manga projects and live-action anime/manga adaptation announcements from Japan.
New Licenses in the U.S.
New Crowdfunding Campaigns
- Emma English Dub and BD Release
I glad to see Emma back in the popular fan consciousness.
New Streaming or Broadcasting Announcementsin the U.S.
- Crunchyroll Anime adding Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple, Double Decker!, Goblin Slayer, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind, Jingai-san no Yome, Thunderbolt Fantasy S2, Fist of the Blue Sky Regenesis, Xuan Yuan Sword Luminary, Slayers Next, Slayers Try, Zombieland Saga, RErideD, Sword Art Online: Alicization, Emma, Aria the Origination, Frankenstein Family
- Crunchyroll Manga adding YanOta: The Delinquent and the Otaku, One Room of Happiness, Talentless Nana
- HIDIVE adding Bloom Into You, Kissdum R – Engage Planet OVA, Spirit of the Sun
- Netflix adding Mobile Suit Gundam UC
- Weekly Shonene Jump USA adding Teenage Renaissance! David, I'm From Japan
New Anime and Manga Projects in Japan
New Live-Action Adaptations of Anime and Manga in Japan
- Hajimete Koi o Shita Hi ni Yomu Hanashi Manga Getting Series
- Movie Announced for Hot Gimmick
- 2nd Tokyo Ghoul Movie Green-lit
- 1/100,000 Manga Getting Film Adaptation
- TV Series Announced for Tokusatsu Gagaga
In these posts, we'll highlight some of our recommended new U.S. manga and anime releases. The Line-up posts have helped record what gets licensed (among other things), while Most Wanted will help to record when those licenses actually come out. We might even throw in a light novel or game from time to time.
These lists are as much for you as they are for us. Let us know what you are most looking forward to picking up!
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Ongoing Investigations: Journey to the West, Octopath Traveler, Azur Lane, Hinamatsuri.
Song: "Monkey Magic" by Godiego
Food for Thought: What are some of our favorite absurd comedies?
Topics: 12 Manga Magazines Canceled in 2018, Inkypen Coming to Nintendo Switch, RightStuf Launches Emma Kickstarter, New Slayers and Dirty Pair Novels.
D OWNLOAD
]]> The Line-Up is a monthly rundown of new anime, manga, novel, and artbook licenses for the U.S. It also lists new streaming/broadcasting announcements and posted crowdfunding projects available to U.S. residents. And finally, it includes anime/manga projects and live-action anime/manga adaptation announcements from Japan.
New Licenses in the U.S.
New Crowdfunding Campaigns
- El-Hazard Sequel Pilot
- Megazone 23
The real question is will they bring back Cyber Game Hard On?
New Streaming or Broadcasting Announcementsin the U.S.
- Amazon Prime adding Boarding School Juliet
- Crunchyroll Anime adding Senran Kagura Shinovi Master, Muhyo and Roji, The Slayers, Shakugan no Shana Movie, Strike Witches S1 and S2, Trigun movie, Murder Princess, Disgaea, Princess Jellyfish, Eden of the East
- HIDIVE adding Is It Wrong to Expect a Hot Spring in a Dungeon? OVA, Yona Yona Penguin, No Game No Life (movie), Negima
- Hulu adding Attack on Titan S3, Overlord S3, Angels of Death, Chio's School Road, How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord, Devils' Line, Amagi Brilliant Park, Flying Witch, Hakumei and Mikochi
- Netflix adding Hi Score Girl
- Tubi TV adding Heroes ~Legend of Battle Disks~
New Anime and Manga Projects in Japan
New Live-Action Adaptations of Anime and Manga in Japan
- Movie Announced for Gokko
- 4th Season of Wakako-zake Green-lit
- Yube wa Otanoshimi Deshita ne Manga Getting TV Show
In these posts, we'll highlight some of our recommended new U.S. manga and anime releases. The Line-up posts have helped record what gets licensed (among other things), while Most Wanted will help to record when those licenses actually come out. We might even throw in a light novel or game from time to time.
These lists are as much for you as they are for us. Let us know what you are most looking forward to picking up!
- ACCA 13 Territory Inspection Department vol. 4
- Ace of the Diamond vol. 14
- Digimon Adventure tri.: Coexistence BD
- Giant Killing vol. 13
- Haikyu!! vol. 26
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 3 Stardust Crusaders hardcover vol. 8
- Kuroko's Basketball omnibus vol. 13
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans S1 BD
- My Hero Academia vol. 14
- One Piece vol. 87
- The Promised Neverland vol. 5
- RG Veda vol. 3
- Space Brothers vol. 32
- To Your Eternity vol. 6
- Tokyo Tarareba Girls vol. 2
Azur Lane Kizuna Scrapbook Question Marks
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