It’s been a busy week and because of that, the stuff I have to blog about ended up piling up. So I decided to blog about the episodes I enjoyed the most first.
Ao no Exorcist 09
AnE really stepped it up this week. This was an incredible episode. I’d say that in terms of quality it’s up there with the second episode. The animation was fluid, the pacing was tight and the music blended in very well. I liked how the animators paid attention to the little things, like how the characters walk across the screen and facial expressions.
This also had a decent amount of character development. Specifically towards the main trio: Rin, Shiemi and Yukio although it was mostly centered on Yukio. I have a love/hate relationship with his character. I do admire his persistence to protect his brother, and I wonder if Rin constantly outdoing him will prove as a weakness later. The show’s really good with providing bits and pieces of the underlying plot and building relationships between the cast members. I especially liked Yukio and Shiemi’s first meeting.
The best part is definitely Yukio and Rin vs. Eyepatch-sensei. It was very well done and the animation was eye candy.
There are still a lot of questions than answers in AnE. But we’ve still got a long way to go and the great thing is that AnE is shaping up to be a solid show. The fact that it focuses on it’s characters a lot helps it stand out amongst a lot of other shows under the same vein.
[C]: The Money of Soul Possibility Control 09
Okay, this is what I did with this episode: I decided to disregard the underlying themes and concentrate on the plot for a moment.
Mikuni’s plan to protect reality looks as if it’s backfired, with him possibly overlooking the fine print in this dangerous deal with the Financial District. Kimimaro decides to side with Jennifer, and discovers that his father’s asset looks similar to Mysu. This episode functioned to bring things to full circle and did it quite well.
Kimimaro kissing Mysu on the forehead certainly incited some reactions, and I’d be lying if I wasn’t the least bit affected not because I wanted them to kiss like lovers but because Kimamaro, Mysu and the audience know that if Kimimaro intends to rescue what’s left of the future– he’ll have to part with her. With Mysu gaining more human-like emotions, their relationship feels more complex than it was when they first met.
I vaguely remember calling [C] the prettiest show this season, not out of sarcasm but out of the awe regarding the structure of the Financial District and the colorful beams of light that scatter across the screen. This episode brought back that same feeling of awe. The massive tentacle monster descends and Mikuni stands before a monstrosity, majestic and frightening at the same time.
Call it an unpopular opinion, but [C] has become the better NoitaminA show for me this season and probably one of my top picks. With only two episodes left, I’m eagerly awaiting the ending– regardless of the possibility of a cop out or a train wreck.
Tiger and Bunny 11
Things have gotten really intense, but it’s great to see some humor here and there. And Jake has certainly lived up to expectations of a proper villain, he’s shows no remorse and his eccentricity is reminiscent of The Joker. In that sense, Tiger and Bunny has been doing quite well in the superhero genre.
This was actually much better than last week’s. The heroes sit back as the higher ups form a plan. Ivan finally gets to use his real abilities and works as a spy upon Jake’s release. However, it seems that he’s in a pinch judging how this episode ended. Proving that a superhero going too public is more of a liability than advantage.
Hachimitsu 
I don’t know why, I like those moments in Ao no Exorcist where the music turns to a full-on orchestra and opera voices. It’s just so epic and I’d like to see more of those kinds of fight scenes. Hmph. đŸ˜€
Rin looked too cool bathed in blue flame
I love the music in Ao no Exorcist, and the dramatic bgm really adds to Rin’s badassery. Especially in this episode, he really outdid Yukio in the badass department this time around.
Foh sho, but I still want to see some Yukio-gun-wielding action. Something along the lines of Bayonetta gunplay would be cool. đŸ˜€
Nice to hear that things are doing well w/ Ao no Exorcist lately~
“[C] has become the better NoitaminA show for me this season and probably one of my top picks.”
= *shares your unpopular opinion*
Wah, I hope I cna watch Tiger & Bunny soon >_<
Yeah, everyone’s calling AnoHana the best show, but it think [C] started off not so good but eventually got much, much better. I enjoy things like these so maybe I’m a minority.
It may sound like piling on since you say you already feel like you are in the minority, but to me, AnoHana works better because I can understand better what I am supposed to be getting from it. AnoHana, despite the supernatural angle, is very human. The various flaws exhibited by the characters are things one can recognize in one’s self. [C], OTOH, operates at a grand level, and mystifies the subject with an additional level of allegory, making it hard to relate to the real world. Often shows of this type will at least have some clarity, because, regardless of the nature of the world crisis, there is a human struggle that one can relate to. In the case of [C], I have difficulty understanding how to relate the struggle presented there to the reality of my world.
To give another example, I don’t spend each day fighting against demons, but I can relate to Ao no Exorcist better than [C], because I understand Rin’s actions and motivation (and even nobility), such as when he says, “just stop involving innocents”. I can respect that, and reflect on whether I would have stopped at that point. [C] just remains mysterious and elusive (not BAD, just difficult for me to relate to).
Rofl not at all! I do agree with you that it’s easy to get lost with [C] and relating it to your daily life. It just comes across as having way to many messages without focusing on one that most people can relate to. XD
Man, I can’t disagree with you more on Jake Martinez. The biggest problem for me is his voice. He just sounds like a common street punk.
ROFL. I do think he’s fairly decent. I’m a bit disappointed with the disappearance of the beard, I thought it was a bit Charles Manson-ish. But the new look is disappointing.