Category Archives: Sasami-san@ganbaranai

Sasami-san@ganbaranai Episode 2 Reactions

I’m probably not going to do this every episode but I feel a little bit obligated to react to it here. I think it’s nice to be able to hand your quiz in and get the answer back in a week. And looks like at least I passed. Perhaps better yet we ought to celebrate the anime sinking back to the realm of easy-to-understand.

Who's bending who to whose will?

It’s very casual how this episode drops in the information of how Sasami and Onii-chan are Amaterasu’s vessels at some different points in the timeline. It says nothing about the Imperial Regalia, besides that Shinbo puts Tsurugi in that down-shirt fanservice angle. Must be nice when you’re short. Oh so maniac. Tama on the other hand behaves almost like how a girl her age would. It’s probably the most dissonant thing about this show this week.  Also, how old was Sasami and Kagami 3 years ago? How old was Tama 3 years ago? It boggles me a little.

The one obvious, beat-over-the-head reference in episode 2 is the Yamata no Orochi. Others have remarked enough about it so I’ll just add my own 2c: “I guess despawning the boss doesn’t drop its loot.” The key takeaway is the ludicrousness of playing a game that’s essentially called “Devil Online” (or, as reality does it better, “Diablo“) and people are getting sucked into the game and getting stuck. Despite its great power all it wanted to do is to maintain the status quo. If that’s not some social crit on MMORPGs, then I don’t know what is.

It reminds me of the funny news articles on big nerd item release dates on how American productivity sinks.

The only other interesting thing is that Onii-chan gets sucked in, but where did he go? I guess it’s time to rewatch. Speaking of which, the way Sasami climbs into bed, and her bed, were great. This show is full of simple but deeply impacting scenes like this. I guess that’s why the ending visuals are the way they are.

PS. Laptops with a numpad can’t be that cheap.

The windows button is so dainty...


Bookcover Scratchpad #1 Winter 2013

Two very important things that shouldn't be missing

 

Just to keep track what I watched:

Maoyu – The only new anime that piqued my interest that I wasn’t already interested in. I think it has more to do with the presentation than anything at this point, but let it be said that when it comes to animation, getting the presentation right is perhaps the best thing you can do in the first episode. The future is dicey because I think there’s some kind of genre warfare going on. I smell a post.

Love Live – Totally lukewarm. Might be because I haven’t really watched the live shows much. Approaching 2.5D is tricky, I guess. It’s one of those cases when we break Love Live down by element, it checks all my boxes but the finished product doesn’t do anything for me. But because it checks all my boxes and does nothing for me, it intrigues me in some weird way. Maybe I should just watch some live shows first.

Senyu – P. alright. Yamakan notwithstanding. I think there was something about short anime said by some people that is slowly becoming a thing. I guess this is why I am still planning to finish Poyo and Wooser. And Kuromajo-san ga Toru. And maybe Yurumates. LOL.

Mangirls – I think I got over the language joke in the first 5 minutes of seeing this title. Sadly that was funnier than anything in the show. But it’s short, I don’t think it hurts to follow.

Yama no Suzume – The Encouragement of Engrish is pretty strong with this one too but it presents a slightly more otaku-friendly atmosphere.

Amnesia – It could be worse. I guess I’m about as interested in it as I was with Hakuouki. Which is to say…well, the OP/ED were nice. To recap a conversation I had elsewhere, the whole otomege adaptation genre is still developing, so expect mediocrity for some time. It would help to have a good otome game first.

Oreshura – It’s a good example of how this “genre” evolved to be slightly more interesting on each subsequent iteration. At the very least there are some meat on this dry bone, versus shows like Oniai. But maybe some people prefer that instead?

Ai Mai Mi – Not Strawberry Eggs. I think I prefer Tekyuu slightly more.

Da Capo III – Well, really no opinion at this point. Besides that, man, Ms. Charles “Ruru-nee” Yoshino sure is…Ruru-nee-esqe.

THE UNLIMITED Hyoubu Kyousuke – It’s fun, but I can see if you go into this show expecting something else,  you might not like it. Me?  I had nothing against Zettai Karen Children, but I dropped that for a reason. So when I started Hyoubu Kyousuke I was expecting something a lot worse, and didn’t get it. It’s certainly more fitting of its Manglobe association.

Osaka-Okan – See above comments about short anime that I would watch but haven’t. Actually this one might be the one to beat in 2013 winter. And still wondering why the Osaka native is not voicing the Osaka immigrant and we’re left to see Asumiss trying her hand at something lols.

Bakumatsu Gijinden Roman – Bakumatsu Lupin is wholesome fun, but unless it does something interesting soon it’ll get tiring real quick. I don’t know, I’m not usually big on era pieces.

Ishida & Asakura – Ha. Well, it wasn’t really funny. It also reminds me that I didn’t ever get around to finish Cromartie (what is this with short anime and I), to its credit.

Minami-ke Tadaima – I remember why I stopped watching this show. Not bad though.

Tamako Market – It’s cute and fuwafuwa and made of gohan. There is no curry. The bird is really the one redeeming feature to this show–he’s like the lotus filling to some mad expensive wagashi. This anime is bleeding sakuga kyun-ness. Well, it’s an original, and I’m weak against originals. Not expecting much but I’m sure at the worst it will be overindulging. At best, Dera might rival the legend that began in the 12th century…

Sasami-san@ganbaranai – Probably my most anticipated anime of the season. Probably my favorite. It’s all too early to say, but in traditional Shinbo style he checks all my fetishes boxes. Only problem is that all I hear is 765pro Shacho voice every time Onii-chan speaks.

GJ-bu – You know what? It’s okay. But I can’t imagine you’ll miss out on much if you didn’t bother. I don’t know if I will bother.

Kotoura-san – The emotional whiplash aside, it makes a strong statement. I can argue with how it did things but at this point I’ll just enjoy the light-hearted comedy.

Vividred Operation – Too bad this isn’t SUNRISE making an anime that gives SUNRISE a new meaning. Also, best magical pet concept yet.

Mondaiji tachi ga Isekai kara Kuru soudesuyo - Also known as “Problem Children are Coming from Another World, aren’t they?” I uh… let’s just call it Mondaiji. It’s okay, I guess. Maybe it’s because of the bunnies, but I find myself liking the show more when I’m not watching it. Which means I might not bother with it either.

PuchiM@S – I’ll probably marathon this, but sufficed to say it’s exactly the kind of crap anime for sad folks like me.

I will surely try the other stuff, too, like 2GD2GT. Except maybe AKB0048.

PS. I pseudo-dropped Koichoco half way in. I ought to finish it.

 


Sasami-san@ganbaranai Episode 1 Conjectures

Haruhi Suzumiya

Did you just watch Sasami-san@ganbaranai episode 1? Did that make sense? No? I don’t know, but there’s plenty to go on from here, even for someone unfamiliar with the source material like me. But it requires some decompression for someone who isn’t neck-deep in Japanese culture and subcultures.

Continue reading