Summer-Induced Anime – Five Shows I Can’t Believe I’ve Never Seen

I just finished my last exam, and summer break is officially here for me. I’m sure there are at least a few of you who are in similar situations. Although I’ll still be working 40 hours a week and then some, I’d like to believe that I’ll have a bit of extra time to work through my extensive anime backlog. Some of the shows I plan to watch are understandably on the back burner, but there are a few that leave me absolutely speechless when it comes to an excuse for holding off on them. Here are just a few that are currently collecting dust on my HDD.

Friend or Foe? – Thoughts on the Anime-Manga Relationship

Anime and manga are virtually inseparable terms. In fact, were it not for the actual act of animation, I’m sure they would be nearly indistinguishable from one another. They share the same style, the same themes, the same fan base, but what does this relationship mean for anime? Does it open up new markets and opportunities for the industry? Or does it pigeonhole animators and stifle creative thought?

Before I go any further, I’d like to make clear that my knowledge on this subject is incredibly limited, and this isn’t meant to be a conclusive research paper. Most of what I talk about below is merely speculation and educated guesses.

Expectations and Disappointments – Winter 2013 Review

I picked my wording carefully when I was typing out that title. This season had its ups and its downs, so I can’t say it was entirely bad, but–and maybe this is even worse–it was disappointing. A lot of shows that I was looking forward to failed to deliver. Among them was Sasami-san@Ganbaranai, Robotics;Notes, and Maoyuu Maou Yuusha. All three of these had the potential to be something great, and instead they ended up being less than mediocre. That being said, there were a few shows that stepped up in the second half of the season and filled the void. Psycho-Pass, Shinsekai Yori, and (surprisingly) Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo all ended up exceeding my expectations in different ways.

“We Had No Choice” – International Relations in Shin Sekai Yori

Shinsekai Yori is finally over, and it was a hell of a ride. The epilogue did get a bit wordy for my taste, but overall, it was very well thought out. In particular the treatment of Yakomaru as the antagonist was just about perfect in every way. They could have ended his story with his defeat, leaving his motives up in the air, or even worse, basing them off of a juvenile hatred for humans. But instead they made him incredibly sympathetic, and, in a way, turned him into a pseudo-protagonist–an anti-hero of sorts.

Dear Friends, Once More – Spring 2013 Schedule

If the previews are any indication, this season isn’t going to be much better than the last. My predictions are always wrong when it comes to this sort of stuff though so my opinion really doesn’t hold much weight. Here’s to me being wrong again!

Past, Future, Present – Saki’s Journey in Shin Sekai Yori

As Shin Sekai Yori approaches its conclusion, it’s interesting to look back on how far its come. Over a decade has passed since the opening of the series and the story has taken so many twists and turns that sometimes even I forget exactly how it reached this point. Let’s be honest, the plot is disjointed at best and completely fragmented as worst. But this trait–something that would have killed any ordinary series–seems not only appropriate but intentional.

War is Peace – Nobody Likes Neocons in Mayouu Maou Yuusha

I love looking at scenarios through political lenses. If you happen to throw in some geopolitics, I’ll be even more on board. Needless to say, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the first few episodes of Mayouu Maou Yuusha, and I truly am expecting great things from it in the future.

The interactions between the human territories and their demon counterparts are ripe with parallels to our own world.  The actors involved are all easily recognizable too with familiar faces such as the Central Nations, the Southern Nations, the Alliance, the Convent and the yet to be named, “intelligence organization.” Maoyuu may be in its introductory episodes, but it’s already shaping up to a be a tense game of political intrigue (something severely lacking in anime).