Fate/Stay Night Heaven’s Feel: Presage Flower outclasses its contemporaries with mix of viscerally satisfying action and nuanced depiction of domestic abuse to create what possibly ranks as Ufotable’s finest work to date. Plot Synopsis: The young and idealistic Emiya Shirou is dragged into the Holy Grail War; a death match between 7 heroic servants and…
Rurouni Kenshin: Reflections- A Fractured Reflection
While the talents of Fukuhashi and Iwasaki shine through, the haphazard structure and priorities of Rurouni Kenshin: Reflections has the series end on a largely sour and unsatisfying note. Plot Synopsis: Kenshin and Kaworu have things happen to them. One of the major differences between Reflections and Trust and Betrayal is that while the latter…
Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal- A Transcendent Adaptation
For my 50th post, I felt it appropriate to discuss something special, and having recently bought my favourite anime of all time on DVD now seemed like an appropriate time to reflect on what makes this diamond sparkle. Plot Synopsis: As an assassin with a troubled past, Kenshin (going by the title “Hitokiri Battousai (The…
Mushishi Analysis Part 2: Ginko the Mushi Master
For an episodic series like Mushishi, with its emphasis on harmony and humanity, to be engaging, it needs a protagonist who is in tune with nature and of impartial view while also being empathetic towards its denizens. One who stands between the flowing, natural world of the mushi and the fickle, uneven world of flawed villagers, capable of…
Mushishi Analysis Part 1: A Shinto World
Mushishi is widely regarded as one of the best TV anime ever made, and with good reason. The strong audio presentation, with its haunting piano pieces and chillingly fitting ambient sounds, melds with the exceptionally detailed and atmospheric environments and often excellent animation to create a world that feels both authentic and spiritual. However, one of the most under-discussed…
Top 5 anime of 2016
The following list only contains series which ended in 2016, thus Sangatsu no Lion and Iron Blooded Orphans are not eligible (split cour series are acceptable). I will only include series that I have finished, so unfortunately Relife, Flip Flappers and Flying Witch could not be considered. Honorable mentions include My Hero Academia, Konosuba and…
How Snow White with Red Hair weaves a wondrous and endearing world
Snow White with Red Hair is something of a divisive title among its viewers, and the reasons behind these reactions are obvious. Throughout much of the first cour, and towards the end of the second, it primarily centres around isolated occurrences (which do, for the most part, pay off one way or another further down…
Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinju Review
Combining a rock solid fundamental narrative with strong social subtext and emotionally evocative presentation, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinju is a stunning feat of storytelling and a modern masterpiece of animation. Plot synopsis: Upon being released from jail, young yakuza member Yotarou begs Yakumo to let him become a rakugo performer. However, Yakumo has more than…
Angel Beats Review
Angel Beats is an emotionally resonant, distinct series that arguably deserves its popularity and attention, though its a rapid-fire labyrinth of plot points that seem to change at a whim, throwing all logistics out the window, leaving the strong emotional core, though present throughout, unable to be expressed to its full potential. Plot summary: A…
Konosuba Review
It may be easy to be fooled by Konosuba’s uneven animation and superficial reliance on tropes, but with its colourful and memorable cast of characters, unapologetic goofiness and deceptively unique presentation, viewers will have a hard time finding a more enjoyable way to immerse themselves in a fantasy world. Plot synopsis: Upon dying in one of…
Grimgar of Ash and Fantasy Review
Though the weak start, slow pacing and uncoordinated action scenes may prevent Grimgar from standing as a particularly strong action series, it nonetheless delivers a potently emotional, convincingly harrowing and well presented tale of Ash and Fantasy. Plot synopsis: A group of noobs get stuck in a fantasy world with few memories and have to…
Fate/Zero Analysis Part 2: Family, Pragmatism and Tokiomi Tohsaka
Fate/Zero is a series that tackles a multitude of broad psychological and philosophical themes through its characters and their respective conflicts. These articles will be spoiler filled, and if you haven’t seen Fate/Zero yet then I recommend that you read my review and watch it before continuing. This week, I delve into the philosophies of…
Theanimehub 