Shin Weekly Round Up: February 18th

Getting closer to the Friday ‘deadline’ every week!

This week, Karura lets real life take over from anime when she attends a rare social event. She also attempts to do some PhD work but takes forever to write a simple program.

Reviewed this week: Ano Natsu de Matteru 6, Another 6, Aquarion Evol 7, Black Rock Shooter 2, Hunter X Hunter 19, Last Exile Ginyoku no Fam 15.5,Mirai Nikki 18, Natsume Yuujinchou Shi 7, Nisemonogatari 6, Persona 4 17-19, Symphogear 6-7 Ano Natsu de Matteru 6

It seems a bit out of place given the temperature outside, but this week is the obligatory swimsuit episode as Kaitou and friends head to Okinawa for an all-expenses-paid summer trip. It’s all beach fun and bouncing assets until a previously unmentioned childhood friend of Kaitou’s shows up; naturally, she’s been harbouring a crush on our hero for years, but is there really room for another player in the love polygon? I have to admit most of the episode was standard stuff, but the tension ramped up once more in the last few minutes. Could it be that the closing scenes of each episode will be where all the development is?

Another 6

You might think that, after last week, you know why the show is called Another, but think again. It’s not because there’s “another” student in the class, it’s simply because each week we get “another” boring episode. This time around, there’s a lot more exposition, with only a couple of moments of interest- one in which Kouichi imagines dancing around the classroom with Misaki whilst everyone ignores them, and another (no pun intended) right at the end of the episode that I shall not spoil.

Shrade focuses on Hyper Self Pleasure.

Aquarion Evol 7

Things get off to a slow start this week, with Andy convincing the girls and boys to sit together and spreading rumours about a ghost doll (that frog doll that everyone insists is a cat for some reason). Fortunately, not only is the doll mystery finally cleared up (apart from the whole thing about it being a cat) with yet another delightfully cheesy battle sequence that brings us everything we love from Aquarion – music, animation, Gattai, you name it. There’s even time for Shrade to decide that Pleasure is definitely more important than life as he contemplates how good he is with his hands.

Black Rock Shooter 2

I’ve watched plenty of bad shows before, and it’s true that I never expected this to be good, but I didn’t realise it would also annoy me so much. Despite Kuroi’s naively optimistic attempts to make friends, Yomi remains under the thumb of the sadistic and mentally unstable Kagari, something which none of the responsible adults of the series seem to think is at all wrong. Reflecting this in the dream world, Black Rock Shooter continues to fight against Kagari’s macaroon spewing avatar, but can she release Dead Master from her chains? Why can’t each episode just be a few minutes of action scenes without any pretence of a plot?

Is there a way to do it so that they *can* be reattached?

Hunter X Hunter 19

The trouble with having seen this all before is that I want everything that I know is coming to happen now rather than waiting for the show to proceed at its own pace. The week the Final Phase of the Hunter Exam begins, and of course it’s a tournament – albeit one where there will only be one loser rather than one winner. First up is Gon against shinobi Hanzo, but even though our plucky hero is about to take a pretty harsh beating, he has no intention of giving in. What could possibly be the outcome of this? Come on, do you really need me to tell you?

Last Exile Ginyoku no Fam 15.5

I was prepared for extreme pain when I saw we were getting another recap episode, but strangely enough, this episode actually recaps the original series rather than the events of the last few episodes of Ginyoku no Fam. Of course, the nostalgia thus induced makes me want to get out my goat plush and marathon the original series right away, but given that I don’t have time for such things (and I like my sleep), I guess I’ll have to hold out on that front.

Mirai Nikki 18

After last week’s cliffhanger ending, we start off with a Yuno Flashback Mode this time around, which mostly sees her running around in a rabbit suit trying to disrupt Yukiteru’s outing with another girl. Aside from revealing how Yuno came to do away with her parents, this section is a little painful, although somehow more memorable than the rest of the episode, in which Yukiteru realises that he may have to take winning this battle royale seriously if he wants the power to bring his mother back.

Natsume Yuujinchou Shi 7

Every week, Natsume brings its own brand of warm, tranquil enjoyment to my home, and this instalment is, of course, no different. Picking up from last week, the episode sees Tanuma boldly step into a youkai-filled mansion in an attempt to rescue Natsume from his imprisonment in a jar. As well as plenty of Nyanko-sensei and some HARD GAY undertones between Natsume and Tanuma, this episode has plenty of emotional impact, and is a nice reminder of how far Natsume has come since the first episode. I remain impressed as to how this series radiates excellence at every turn.

Nisemonogatari 6

It’s Part 6 of Karen Bee, and Senjougahara is sharpening her pencils in preparation for a showdown with Kaiki, but before anything happens, there’s plenty of dialogue and fanservice to get through. Fortunately, despite some disappointment that Mayoi refrains from her Ararararagi jokes, the series remains as on the ball as ever; you do have to be in the right mood for it, but when you are, it’s a worthy slice of entertainment.

Persona 4 the Animation 17-19

Episode 17 finishes off Naoto’s dungeon and sees her join the team, but in the next couple of episodes, events take a curious turn. Although it seems as if the series is ready to progress onto the Nanako section of the story, this seems somewhat cut short in favour of a single episode about the Dojima family, followed by the infamous culture festival. Somehow, the group date café and “Miss” Yasogami pageants didn’t seem quite as entertaining in animated format, and with next episode featuring a trip to the Amagi Inn, it’s unclear how the series is planning to proceed with the main storyline.

Symphogear 6-7

Following in the footsteps of episode 5, episode 6 gets off to a slow start, but once again makes up for it with an EPIC BATTLE between Hibiki and misguided disciple of evil Chris, who has both a special armour and a Symphogear – now that’s just greedy! Meanwhile, the evil mastermind behind all this turns out to be a woman with a fetish for dressing either as a witch or in nothing at all. Oh, and Miku takes the obligatory best friend route of feeling betrayed when she finds out Hibiki’s secret (because Friendship is more important than national security when it comes to classified information), and is likely to turn evil later on because of this.