I’m going to give this space just another chance as my last entry seemed to be uninteresting to pretty much everyone. At least I know one person read it in the middle of the famous /sp/ Sunday football call, but that’s about it. Then again, I once again have to point out that no one actually reads this part, so I’ll move on to the week’s content as that is what you really want.
So on the docket this week is a bunch of shows that performed better than expected, however, come the end of the week and terribad I realized just how bad some of the stuff that aired this year really was. So all-in-all, it was really a mixed bag for the week.
Currently Airing Top 5
Space Brothers
The sentimentality from last week and Kenji’s success carried over to this week as Serika was also selected. Before that happened, we got to see her relationship with her father. Watching her make the most of the time she had left with her father as his condition from an unspecified brain disorder. It didn’t quite leave me in a blubbering mess, but it had by far the greatest impact on me of any episode this week. I’ll admit that this episode was once again emotionally manipulative to the highest degree. However, I think its heart was in the right place when doing it, so I was fully on board. Next week, it looks like we may end up with a Mutta in the park cliffhanger after the failures are announced one-by-one.
Zetsuen no Tempest
This series has markedly improved in the last 2 episodes. This week I was really most impressed by Yoshino again. As the four characters involved in the center of the story debate the logic of the world. There was a moment when he had to convince Mahiro that he should shoot at the tree and force Hakaze to be recalled. However, Yoshino is quick to realize that the story he needs to tell does not actually have to be factually relevant to what is happening with the time gap. It just has to convince Mahiro to fire the talisman, or secondarily convince Hakaze not to be discouraged because the logic of the world is with her. Most of this episode is spent on logical games like that, but it proves to be interesting regardless.
Jormungand
Koko’s crew travels around the world in kidnapping one target and trying to get another from the custody of the American government. In the meantime, Bookman has deduced that the grand plan involves the construction of a quantum computer. This makes the actions of Koko, Kasper and Bookman very interesting in my opinion. As Koko and Bookman were talking at a Five Guys in the area of Washington, D.C. she makes the point that even if she was constructing a fantastic new world, the likes of Bookman and Hinoki would try to stop her. Kasper, on the other hand, contributes the fact that he and Koko were essentially forced into becoming arms dealers by their father. I’d take a guess that it’s possible that this project that Koko is working on is one last fight against turning into the monster she sometimes appears to be in each episode. Maybe she’s doing some good for the world, even if it’s incredibly subversive to accomplish it. I also think this episode really encapsulated the fact that the characters that are on the inside of the planning seem trapped by the thinking that goes with it. Bookman for example has to keep everything as tight as possible because he doesn’t want another Julian Assange, for example.
Sukitte Ii na yo
The ending of this episode was on the verge of breaking into bro farce. Kai and Yamato did indeed fight at the end of the episode, but it was with Mei’s best interest in mind. I think the episode also did a good job in making what is commonly known as the friend zone a good thing. Kai can have friendly platonic conversations with Mei without a problem. It actually ends up solving one of Yamato’s confidence problems with the relationship. Kai also steps in at the end on her behalf to punch Yamato in the face for making her unsure. As for the darker angle of Megumi trying to poach Mei’s friends off of her, I just wish it didn’t seem so petty.
Onii-chan Dakedo Ai Sae Areba Kankeinai yo ne!
The silliness and perversion were toned way down and I think it paid off this week. We got back story on Ginbei and Akito’s friendship. Amazingly, it is perfectly okay for them to be friends even if she wants her relationship to be something more. The second half sees the conclusion of Akito being nursed back to health. Arashi wins the challenge among the girls as she did the least to him. As a result, she gets to spend the day alone with him. And it consists of some tea ceremony, chatting and flower arrangement. Even more strangely for this show, everyone bar Akiko probably would have done the same thing if they had won. Suddenly making all of the girls not be sex-craving lunatics is the best thing that could have happened, and was a welcome change.
The Rest of the Week
Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb
This was a surprisingly serious episode of Hidamari Sketch. Nori spent a large amount of time focusing on her homework despite the fact that none of her artistic work has ever been seen on the show. Then the episode takes a break and Sae’s younger sister Chika enters the frame. A serious discussion about what Sae should do after college ensues, and after that is resolved the younger members of Hidamarisou cheer on Sae and Hiro on their respective goals. A decent episode which ticks all the boxes correctly, much more than what can be said of a lot this week.
To Love-Ru Darkness
This series is just biding the time before it actually has to move on with a story. This week was more character building involving Yami and another one of Lala’s botched inventions. The mere fact that Rito and Yami have to hold hands because of it is surprisingly, and realistically accepted by the rest of the cast. However, there were some down moments like the need to have a bathroom scene and a bath scene with the two of them involved. There was also some deep insight into Mea’s character as she walked away from school. Once again, though, the main character continued to be the mysterious white mist that appeared at strategic times. I wish this show didn’t have to go that route.
Psycho-Pass
This was really just another transitional episode that served as a world builder. Yes, Akane is clearly being drawn closer to Kougami by his attractive looks and work ethic. At the same time, that also brings her danger because she could begin thinking like a criminal. It’s all rather confusing. There’s also the introduction of one of the villains who happens to be a cyborg. That seems like a curious end run around the psycho-pass system. In an interview with one of the members of the media, he pretty much exposes unintentionally how silly people are in this universe. Once technology that is taken for granted is taken down people will just wait for it to be brought back up. There are no backup plans that involve non-digital solutions in the world of Psycho-Pass. That is truly ridiculous.
Hayate no Gotoku Can’t Take My Eyes Off You
While this show clearly isn’t comedy anymore, it finally seems to have a direction. Ruri and the people behind her are trying to get the watch back. Hayate seems to have become a different person since being stabbed in the chest. That hasn’t stopped him from continuing to wear the butler uniform despite quitting as Nagi’s butlet. And finally, the show seems to have made it back to the beginning where Nagi was stranded in the Nevada desert. They just have to reunite with Hayate to make things better, or so they think. However, a part of me wishes that Izumi had finished the dramatic storyline off early in the episode. Now it just seems to be a lot of waiting for stuff to happen in the middle of nowhere. That’s not very interesting is it?
Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!
Damn was I upset at how much this episode hedged itself against fan impact. Yes, Rikka and Yuuta do end up briefly together as an innocent couple, but I was more upset over how the episode completely skipped over Yuuta’s conversation with Rikka in making her grow up. The sudden maturation of Rikka seems to come out of nowhere as a result. What’s left from this episode is Nibutani going over how chuunibyou the rest of her middle school friends were. One minute does not an entertaining episode make.
Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo
This show is the very definition of inconsistency. Last week I felt really good about putting it in my top five because it showed the growth of a character in the face of adversity. This week, I can’t help but think that Sorata’s role is to actually undermine the series to begin with. One of Mashiro’s acquaintances from England reappears in her life, correctly highlights that Sorata has no courage at all, and with a trip to an art gallery convinces him that Mashiro needs to go back to England to work on her art. Damn it, why do they have to have such a no confidence flake in the middle of the series. He was perfectly fine with Mashiro working on manga, but no, he really wants her talents to be as far away as possible. And what is this new character Rita doing in Japan if she really wants Mashiro as far away as possible. Add new characters and make it all rather silly. Well done, Sakurasou.
Little Busters!
Unlike last week, the Key train completely derailed in quality. Riki was put in charge of finding the last member for their baseball team and he goes all in on the first girl he sees. Yes, Nishizono Mio has no presence at all to the rest of her classmates and she would be a terrible choice for a baseball team. That doesn’t stop Riki from trying unsuccessfully. Even the problem she has where she has to carry a parasol around because she has no shadow isn’t even addressed. When she loses the book she holds on to, Riki is dragged into a mystery that Yuiko solves from start to finish. What was the point of this episode?
Robotics;Notes
This was just a painful mess of an episode. At one point as Aki’s 9 years of effort tried to step forward with its woefully underpowered diesel engine, I actually longed for the days of Chaos;Head and its stupid conspiracies. All we got out of this episode is that Aki sticks to dated plans and that her sister is an asshole. What kind of message is that? There is literally no character that comes out of this episode any better than they did to begin with. Even the serious mode of Airi suffers from complying with Kona’s BL shipping dreams. Just bring back the silly conspiracies, please.
Updated Fall Seasonal Ranking
| Season Rank | Year Rank | Change | Anime |
| 1 | 2 | ↓1 | Sukitte Ii na yo |
| 2 | 6 | – | Jormungand |
| 3 | 14 | ↑2 | Uchuu Kyoudai |
| 4 | 16 | ↓2 | Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo |
| 5 | 18 | ↑2 | Zetsuen no Tempest |
| 6 | 25 | ↓2 | Psycho-Pass |
| 7 | 27 | – | Robotics;Notes |
| 8 | 28 | – | Hayate no Gotoku: Can’t Take My Eyes Off You |
| 9 | 29 | ↑1 | Onii-chan Dakedo Ai Sae Areba Kankeinai |
| 10 | 32 | ↑1 | Seitokai no Ichizon Lv. 2 |
| 11 | 33 | ↓2 | Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb |
| 12 | 36 | – | Little Busters! |
| 13 | 39 | – | To Love-Ru Darkness |
| 14 | 40 | – | Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!! |
Terribad
Worst of 2012 Part I
This was the first of 2 sets of 5 as part of a collection of some of the worst episodes of 2012. Things got underway with Guilty Crown episode 18 which aired in February. I couldn’t help but think that the whole thing seemed rather misogynistic as I watched it. Then, it ultimately became silly as Ouma Shu failed to die from having his arm chopped off and Inori turned into Wolverine. Logic was never this show’s strong point from what I was told in the group session.
Next was the 5th episode of Black Rock Shooter. The only thing I can remember is people turning crazy and the alternate world having nothing to do with what was happening in the real world. Even the CG battles let the series down.
Third was the penultimate episode of Another. It pretty much encapsulated all of the stupid that could come from bad horror. Fatal mop beatings, gruesome deaths that had no meaning at all and everyone just trying to kill Mei on the word of another student just led to all sorts of stupidity. The real sign of how bad it was is the simple fact that I was commenting on the terrible wallpaper in some of these hotel rooms. The fact that half the building was on fire also escaped everyone except one student who decided to kill himself in an explosion of fire.
Fourth was the final episode of Queen’s Blade Rebellion. Terrible animation and Siggy’s erotic healing spell pretty much confirmed it as a terribad anime. Finally came the 2nd episode of Hagure Yuusha no Estetica. Devoting an entire portion of the plot of an episode into getting girls to urinate in public is frankly shameful. I struggle to think of a good reason why this was made.
Lower Mid-Table 