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December 23, 2019, 2:59 pm

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December 23, 2019, 4:27 pm

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Dear FreshChickenESL Creating these recommendations where kind of hard for since we don’t have a lot in common in the shows we watch, but i tried my best. Recommendations: Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo. (O Maidens in Your Savage Season): This anime aired last summer and do believe it to be fitting your taste. It is a show about some young girls who are hitting puberty and are coming to terms with the word “sex”. The main cast is a literature club where the club representative literally bans the word “sex”. It has a lot of good jokes and each characters has some good and enjoyable development throughout the 12 episodes. Toaru Hikuushi e no Tsuioko (The Princess and the Pilot): This is an anime movie from 2011. It is a story about forbidden love between a poor pilot and a royal princess. The pilot need to save the princess by flying her through the enemies lines, this gives a certain tension throughout the movie that the enemy might find the them. You do also feel the chemistry between the pilot and the princess and you want them to forget their birth status and just love each other. It is a great movie but the only thing holding it back is the ending which I won’t spoil. aaa

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December 24, 2019, 2:22 am

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Top 100 Moments in K-On!

December 24, 2019, 2:44 am

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50: Ui’s Ventriloquism S1 07 This scene is just too adorable. Madoka Yonezawa’s voice acting for Ui is perfect and the ‘chigao no?’ is the best. Ui’s pure heartedness and talent come together in a humble ventriloquist performance which is progressed through improvisation, and it’s among the best feel good moments. Her puppets look like they’ve been designed for such an occasion and goes to show the attention to detail KyoAni put in this scene. 49: Late at Night S2 19 Possibly the opposite of the ‘early morning scene’, this moment encapsulates the feeling of dusk. Again, the production contributes to the atmosphere, like the blue tint of the sky and the empty festival tents contrasted from the busy scenes earlier in the episode. What elevates this scene is that they’re in school, a place where they’ve rarely seen at night and there’s a novelty to seeing and even experiencing everything in a different light. There’s also a shared experience aspect to this scene which adds to the unique atmosphere, with other student’s silhouettes in windows. It’s a strange feeling, but it’s communicated perfectly through the art style. 48: Airplanes Movie Artistic inspiration is hard to come by but experiencing a beautiful sight can spark it, as Yui finds out here. There’s a stunning sunrise on clouds which only Yui sees, and I would add that these kinds of views can only be seen on an overnight flight. While there are other quirks on the England to Japan airline which I can relate to, like the dual lingual staff and how they assume your language, but this is the standout scene. The look of surprise on Yui’s face tells the genuine reactions she feels, and her corresponding motivation to write. 47: Mugi’s Dream Job S1 13 Mugi’s humble desire to work in a fast food restaurant expresses her perspective and upbringing as an upper-class citizen. Contrary to the stereotypes of rich people as snobbish and obnoxious, Mugi wants to experience what her peers do in every way she can, being ashamed of her background and going to the effort of hiding it. In an intelligent moment of character building, we see her fascination with fast food in the first episode and this is expanded on here. Her approach to work is earnest and from a unique perspective of being privileged and wanting to empathise with the lower class, and I’m glad the decision was made to make her work in such a job rather than leaving it at wishful thinking. 46: Ritsu Deception S1 01 The first episode is full of great character animation, but Ritsu’s mouth flaps are so accurate that you could nearly work out what she’s saying without the volume, which stands far above most of anime’s poor mouth animation. Not to mention Satomi Sato’s incredible voice performance of a Ritsu who is pretend-acting, and the genuinely great facial animation throughout the scene. Ritsu’s slight glance backwards as she transitions between lines to check if Mugi is paying attention is a stroke of genius and a showcase of incredible attention to detail. Her adorable tongue sticking out at the end is also a nice detail which I haven’t seen memed enough. I would be overjoyed if an anime today came out with the same level of character animation in its first episode. It’s also the scene that persuaded Mugi to join, not from any indication of the skill from Mio and Ritsu, but their close connection and prospects of joining that closeness, which speaks to the motives and attitudes of HTT members towards the light music club. 45: Death Devil Concert S2 10 Spontaneous and fiery, Death Devil temporarily regroup to perform at a former member’s wedding. Every concert scene is beautiful in K-On, and this is no exception, with the lighting and choreography on point as always. What strikes me about this scene is the tangible depth it gives to the history and previous identity of the light music club. We see countless call-backs to Death Devil from the music room, making it feel lived in and historic. The flashbacks we see in this scene are like Death Devil temporarily tapping into their past, and this is paralleled by the presence of HTT. The graduation flashback towards the end is another reminder of the impending climax that awaits HTT, but the current reawakening of Death Devil should be evidence enough that the future of HTT is safe from the arrow of time. 44: We’re Okay As We Are S2 01 After a mini arc of trying to attract new members to the light music club, Yui reaches the realisation that HTT is already as good as it could be and there is no point in changing the social dynamic. While this could be selfish towards Azusa’s future, Yui only has the best interests of the members in mind. The moment of realisation is beautiful, with a standout OST playing and her facial expressions contorting as she jumps the hurdles in her mind, she interrupts the conversation to speak her mind on what is best for the club, and ultimately why the club works so well. The rest of HTT seem to realise her mindset and agree quickly, with Azusa not far behind. 43: Pillow Fight S2 04 Mugi’s desire to involve herself with the physical intimacy of the rest of HTT is one of the most relatable and memorable aspects of her personality and this showcases that. She instigates a pillow fight, which is perhaps out of the ordinary of what the other characters expect of her, as Ritsu points out by putting the blame on her. Above all else, Mugi wants to have fun and create memories. It’s a scene of subversion and character building, and of course turns into another memory which the characters will treasure. As moments of connection in childhood go, play fighting with your friends while avoiding the wrath of a teacher or parent is among the most unforgettable and hilarious as they get. 42: Scarf Sharing S1 07 Another Yui and Ui connection moment, this warms my heart on a similarly cold day. Again, the shared affection of these sisters and the physical intimacy is closer than anything I’ve seen in non-romantic siblings and it contributes to the comfy feeling of the series considerably. With Ii Yumemite ne playing as it does in all the most noteworthy moments of the series, Yui’s carefully animated scarf wrapping and Ui’s corresponding gratitude could melt even the iciest of façades. Their hand in hand walking is also a testament to the comfort they have in each other, being so strong as to not care about how others might view them. 41: Azusa’s Confusion Movie This is my favourite comedic moment of the movie and I watch it repeatedly. I don’t understand how they managed to make an outfit fit Azusa so perfectly while also appearing to be comfortable and realistic, but KyoAni did. I can’t get over how cute she is in this scene, with her sleepy reactions and odd mannerisms shining. The joke itself is straightforward, with plenty of memorable interactions with the environment like Ritsu’s struggle to see through the peephole and the movement between rooms from the inside. Yui’s eventual realisation is slightly hamfisted, but it doesn’t take away from the overwhelming cuteness of Azusa and the dumbfounded reaction from the rest of the members. 40: Azusa is Azusa S2 16 With maybe the most philosophical K-On gets, Azusa spends the episode wondering if her attitude is being softened by the light music club. The episode is, as with nearly every episode in season 2, excellent, but the conclusion is another developmental milestone and step forward in friendship for Yui and Azusa. Yui essentially says that Azusa will always remain herself, no matter how she changes due to external influences and she has no standard to hold herself against. This is the final stamp on Azusa’s character arc, accepting who she is and that it’s okay to enjoy herself, despite stalling her talents. Essentially, whatever happens, Azusa will remain Azusa. 39: Ritsu With Hair Down S1 13 Ritsu’s design is probably my favourite other than Mio’s, and her hairstyle without a hairband is such a world of difference that I had to put this scene in the top 40. She’s a tomboy at heart, so when Ritsu looks in the mirror to find a more feminine, attractive version of herself, it’s like she’s stepping out of her comfort zone because of her newly realised romantic charm. One of my favourite tropes in media is people exploring their identity, specifically gender and sexuality in adolescence and early adulthood. It’s a pivotal part of differentiating as people and is a standout theme in the late teenage years, so I appreciate seeing Ritsu express this in even the most subtle of ways. While K-On cuts out pretty much everything not immediately directed to the developing the relationships in HTT, this is a rare example of deeper development outside of the friendship of the main group. 38: Azusa Helps Yui S1 10 Yui adopts an older sister role for Azusa and treats her similarly to Ui at times, while Azusa is more experienced in guitar and helps Yui accordingly. In this scene, Yui finally admits to Azusa’s superiority in guitar and asks for her assistance, shedding her facade as a more talented upperclassman. There aren’t many scenes where Yui practices with passion, but this is a reminder that she’s as hard working and thoughtful as any of the other members in the end. Yui’s quick learning and capability to think in non-standard ways is on show here as well, with her picking up on the string technique well. It’s also a scene of Azusa understanding her role in the group and coming to terms with her place as a younger member and that she can support the others just the same. 37: Sharakobe S2 04 The scene with the most memorable in-universe jokes, HTT say random words to disrupt each other while trying to sleep. This is easily the most directly relatable joke in K-On and is again something I can image teenage girls having fun with. What makes this scene so memorable is how it’s recalled throughout the series as something to instigate laughter. With the divide between the group in this scene and Azusa, the inside jokes somewhat exclude Azusa and there’s no way for her to experience the jokes in the same way. This divide is overcome by the end of the series, but this scene still serves as a double-edged sword in terms of comedic moments. 36: HTT Remembrance Video S2 25 As the series is coming to an end, HTT begins the reminiscing process by creating a video of HTT and the school’s opinion of them. It allows reflection and for HTT to get an idea of the wider appreciation of the club, and further makes the school and universe feel more lived in. We get a glimpse into the personalities of characters who were relegated to the background, with specific identities to each character. The production of the video feels rough around the edges and handmade, much like the style of the third opening. Azusa’s face in awe always gets to me, as she’s realising how great the light music club is in retrospect. It also serves as a great set-up for the gag at the end, which is perfectly delivered with Sawa’s odd pose. 35: Yui Imposter S1 12 Ui is understood to be a talented and capable girl, but this scene takes it to new levels. Her appearance is nearly indistinguishable and it’s hilarious that the only reason that Ui was busted was that she was too polite, too good at guitar and more physically developed. It shows how far Ui will go for Yui, and the countless hours of practice and courage to take on such a task for her sisters’ sake. It also shows how Yui is truly irreplaceable for her unique qualities, and how a better guitarist wouldn’t necessarily make the music or group dynamic better. It illustrates how the slight personality quirks of Yui are integral to the group and her absence is felt by everyone. 34: First Realisations S2 04 This is the first moment when Yui realises that graduation is coming, and HTT is finite and bound to the school. She doesn’t stay awake long enough to come to any grand conclusions, but the seeds are sown which will be swept behind the rug until they come back to haunt them. She wants these carefree days to last forever, and it lets us know how much this club means to her in the present. While short-lived, this scene is the start of the timeline of realisation that Yui goes through before she comes to terms with the graduation. School graduation always feels a long time away for your entire time at school, until the last few months, and Yui has that exact feeling here. 33: Mio’s Festival Fun S1 12 Music festivals are a uniquely memorable experience in themselves, with the deafening music of passionate artists, the infectious craze of the fans and festival regulars who look deranged on the brink of existence. This festival is like Comiket for Lucky Star, as a mecca for fans. As a shy person, Mio is initially reluctant to let herself go, but is swept away by the electric atmosphere and eventually cheers more than any of the other members due to lack of restraint. K-On’s scene selection shows exactly how Mio is experiencing this scene – the amping of the volume, vibrations in the ground and growing excitement around her as she sees everyone else loving it. 32: London Montage II Movie I love the first London montage on this list, but this one takes everything to the next level. The first scene, with HTT going stylistically in and out of focus as they wait for the tube is cool as hell, and I think of this moment whenever I’m taking the underground in London. Their independent animations are complex and are another showcase of great animation. The heavy drums beating in with the tube approaching is fitting, and it feels like the characters are realising every new stimulus through every sense they have. I can’t express enough how great it is that the K-On movie is set in London, knowing that I’ve walked the same paths as these characters have and experienced the same emotions while doing so. 31: Mio’s Failed Poem S2 07 As far as comedic scenes go, this one is a favourite. As much as Mio is embarrassed and creeped out by her fans, she’s willing to be a part of a bizarre party in her honour, which is a testament to her tolerant and kind qualities. Her ending poem is as awkward and cryptic as the rest of her lyrics, and I love the confusion gradually spreading throughout the room as even her diehard fans can’t appreciate her writing. Mio’s shock at her monumental mistake when she realises no-one got her poem at the silence and awkward atmosphere is hard to watch from similar experiences that I’ve had. Yui and Ritsu’s simultaneous assessment of the situations is a great comedic touch and rounds of the scene well. 30: Sakura Petals S2 01 The first episode of the second season feels a little strange and unsettled at first, like the series hasn’t got into its rhythm quite yet. This scene instantly sets the stage of what is to come, with a stellar change of pace through brilliant production. The high contrast and attention to shading instantly sets this scene apart from what proceeded it, and it reminds us that K-On is about the details and the small things that sum to a greater whole. Yui takes a moment to appreciate the sakura petals falling, and this kind of scene will be repeated regularly throughout the second season to foreshadow graduation. 29: Sawa’s Entrance S2 10 In terms of badass moments in K-On, the unhinged, insane presence of Sawa leads the way and is a constant reminder that HTT could one day be as awesome. I get chills every time I hear Sawa play a sick solo as she announces her return to Death Devil for the night, shedding her insecurities and letting herself go. It’s her moment in every sense, and we get to see the overcoming of her tipping point as she caves into doing what she and everyone wants her to do. The look of reassurement from the other members seals the scene. 28: Rain Lifting S2 05 A collective recognition of weather phenomena is something that I really appreciate in anime for the direct relatability and the creation of a delicate, shared memory. At the end of a low-key episode, it reaches a beautiful conclusion in golden time lighting and sunsets. The wonderful music, thoughtful scene composition and selection all contribute to making this scene as comfy and unforgettable as it is. The leg/feet animation is intelligent and detailed as expected from Yamada Naoko’s work, and the music lightening up as Azusa takes the photo almost makes up for her absence from the trip that the others went on. 27: Yui to the Rescue S1 13 In one of the best episodes of the show, everyone in HTT reaches a roadblock when trying to tackle their problems individually. Mio struggles with writer’s block, Ritsu with perceived boy troubles, Mugi with work struggles and Azusa with cat problems. Yui also has a problem, wondering whether chocolate milk nabe or marshmallow nabe would be nicer. She texts everyone for help, which is ironic since everyone else is dealing with more serious issues, but none of the others even try to communicate before this. It puts their problems into perspective and helps them to take themselves a little less seriously while showcasing the warm, silly presence that Yui has in the group. 26: Payslips S1 02 In only the second episode, we get some development in Yui’s laziness and ability to do the right thing. She realises that everyone has pulled their weight to help her reach her goal, and even though she’s touched by their kindness, she will take on the responsibility herself. As much as Yui is portrayed as a lazy goof, we learn she’s has a kind heart and will go out of her way to be fair and civil. She says at the end ‘I have to get better for everyone’s sake’, which already shows the character progression in her work ethic and finding reasons to improve and better herself. 25: Sunrise S1 14 To round off the first season is a scene not related to school but is another memory that these characters will treasure. New year’s is special for the Japanese and here we see HTT celebrate it together, and under Yui’s suggestion, they see the first sunrise of the year. It’s touching that everyone is willing to get up early in the morning to see the sunrise, which is beautifully drawn with prism rainbow colours, a rural setting and a sense that everyone is basking in the serenity of the moment. It reminds me of my favourite scene in Azumanga Daioh, where everyone is admiring a huge, overwhelming cloud to the point they are metaphorically sucked into it. 24: Azusa’s Realisation S2 22 In the famous scene in episode 20, Azusa is the only one not to cry, but later in the series we see her privately break down as she realises the enormity of the loss she will face upon the other’s graduation. In a Hibike Euphonium esc manner, Azusa rushes out of shot after she’s confronted with the prospect of the third year’s graduating, and she’s discovered to be dealing with her over-spilling emotions by her friends, who comfort her accordingly. I love the subtlety of this scene in comparison to over the ep 20 scene, as it gives an insight into the compounding loneliness Azusa has on her unique position and that she can’t relate to the others due to her being a year younger. So instead we don’t see her breakdown, but only see it from a distance, and there’s no catharsis at the end, only a lingering uncertainty and an out of shot contemplation. 23: Ritsu Slaps Mugi S2 14 Mugi stands as one of the most interesting members of HTT because of the conflict of her role in the group and her desires to be a more physically intimate member with a greater presence. This episode is one of my favourites because it focuses exactly on that aspect of her character, and in a way that tackles a wishy-washy concept that isn’t immediately clear. While Mugi is a well-liked member of HTT, she’s never the butt of the joke or someone who is immediately involved with the comedy, due to her motherly and harmless presence. With an episode of constant mishaps and hilarity, she’s eventually hit by Ritsu because she’s being too kind, which shows that her role as a kind, nice character is reason enough to be part of the intimate aspects of HTT and she’s playing a part in their interactions regardless of her presence. I relate to this aspect greatly being someone who holds little presence in social groups and wanting to engage with the major aspects of the activities and wondering whether my passive personality is at fault. 22: Waking Up on a Sunday Morning, and it’s Raining S2 05 In my favourite scene in FLCL, Naota asks Mamimi how much she likes his brother. Mamimi responds with cryptic metaphors which involve indescribable, satisfying events, of which includes ‘when you wake up on a Sunday morning, and it’s raining’. Instead of stating the pleasure of such a scene, K-On goes a step further and lets us experience it vicariously with Azusa. There are few feelings that I’ve felt quite as surreal yet secure as waking up after a sleepover with my friends, and this is for some reason it would always be raining when it did. It’s uncanny how accurate the moment when Azusa lifts the curtain to see the rainy morning is to my experiences. It’s the kind of scene which would be skipped by nearly every other anime, but K-On includes it to show what these characters remember about a given experience. The tired toothbrush scene is also strangely accurate, with excellent character animation to boot. 21: Azusa’s Conflict S1 09 With Azusa’s introduction to HTT being turbulent due to the conflict in personalities and attitude to work, we see Azusa trying to capture to magic she saw in the live performance with other bands. The production of this scene really elevates it, with the blank silence of the bands being a metaphor for the zero resonance she has with them. The piano contrasting the scene is beautiful, as she realises that talent and musical production has nothing to do with HTT’s appeal. She understands that your personal experiences are paramount to how good your music will sound when it comes from the heart and those experiences will sound and resonate with your and your friend’s hearts. 20: Mio Visits Ritsu S1 11 In the only even slightly serious conflict in the show, Ritsu and Mio have a brief falling out due to miscommunication and stubbornness. What concludes this is one of the most emotional scenes in the first season and highlights the strength of the bond between these characters. Ritsu knows Mio’s footsteps, Mio knows how to talk Ritsu down and settle things in the most effective way possible. There’s a tangible intimacy to this scene, with Ritsu in a cold ridden state and Mio resting so close to her as they talk things out. We realise that Mio has thought a lot about their passive-aggressive fighting, and she admits her faults, in a scene of talking through their conflicts which could have solved 90% of the problems in typical rom-com anime. Mio and Ritsu’s friendship run so deep that a minor falling out is nothing compared to the magnitude of great moments and bonding they’ve spent together. 19: Sawa’s Full Circle S2 26 This scene caught me completely off guard when I re-watched K-On, as Sawa’s character arc of being a teacher who acts truer to herself is played out in the background. We see Sawa invite HTT into her house even when she’s under the weather and gives them permission to help her with her chores in her moment of vulnerability. She sees how far HTT has come since her first taking over and how her relationship with them has evolved to be as comfortable as it is. Finally, we see her accept her identity as a teacher and mentor who shows her true self. It’s a painful reminder that HTT’s time is ending soon, as she looks at them like they’re ready to leave the nest of the school system. She touches the photo of Yui as to show her gratitude and desire to show it on a more emotionally intimate level, albeit from a distance. ‘It’s going to be quiet around here’ gets me to well up in tears every time. 18: Mugi Steals Strawberry S2 14 I’ve already mentioned Mugi’s desire to become a more prominent member of HTT, but this moment takes the cake. As with the sleepover scene, Mugi is the last person to incite conflict and will only do so if she wants to have fun. With what she thinks to be a harmless joke, Mugi eats Mio’s strawberry to get Mio to hit her comedically. However, things don’t go as planned and there’s an awkward turning of mental gears as the group realise that Mugi of all people has committed an awful crime. No-one knows quite how to react because it’s so out of character for her, and Mio is frozen out of shock. The moments that follow are chaos and hilarity, with Yui calling Nodoka back to prove herself right and Mio breaking into tears while still frozen. It’s an amazing crossing of in-episode storylines which is absolutely the most iconic comedic scene in K-On. 17: Snow S2 22 I love snow and I’m excitable whenever it falls, so I resonate with this scene considerably. The contrast of the cold outside and the emotional warmth of the connection between HTT is the most obvious metaphor of this scene. I’ve mentioned how sharing viewing of weather phenomena make some of my favourite scenes in this show, and this one is at the top for me. There’s a silent fondness of the moment that everyone experiences and overflows in laughter. It’s really sells how close these characters are and how much they enjoy each other’s company. Azusa taking herself out of the moment, being front and centre almost shows how she’s lightly isolated in the last arc of the series, but still surrounded by her friends and in company. It shows how no matter how cold life will get; friends can warm your soul. 16: U&I S2 17 At the peak of Yui and Ui’s sisterhood, Yui is inspired to write a song dedicated to Ui when she realises how much Ui does for her. Yui goes out of her way to make a meal to the best of her ability for an unwell Ui and falls asleep at her desk while writing the lyrics. To see Ui finally realise the full appreciation of Yui’s efforts in the form of a heartfelt song is among the most touching moments of the series. There’s no overwhelming emotional climax, but a quiet realisation that these sisters really care about each other. The song itself is wonderful and easily the most personal track that HTT have made, and it all comes from this instance. 15: Sawa’s Final Goodbye S2 24 While we don’t get a comprehensive view of what being a teacher is like through Sawa’s character arc, we do get an insight into how proud and emotional she is as she sees off a graduating class. Just as any graduating student would, she feels the empty seats which won’t be refilled by the student’s she’s spent the whole year with. She has seen these students grow as people through their most turbulent years of adolescence, and to watch them leave so suddenly must be hard to take. The blackboard of messages from her class, written to show their love for a teacher who now expresses herself fully, for them to still love her all the same is heart-warming. She tears up in the only time we see Sawa in any serious emotional moment, as she exclaims ‘how can I erase that?’. It’s almost like she loved this class so much that they’re irreplaceable, and the next generation of students can’t possibly live up to this one. 14: Passion S2 03 This scene communicates passion with no words needed. Ritsu spends this episode questioning her place in HTT as a drummer, trying out different instruments and having the others trying to solve her issue of not being in the spotlight enough. As she returns to her room, without a drum kit, she realises that everything about drumming is for her and everything about her is for drumming. To love anyone or anything for a long time, you need to find new reasons to fall in love with them again, and Ritsu does that here with her drumming. Her excitement and passion are painted in her face so much that she can’t control it. Her expressions, with her open mouth smiling as she’s drumming her magazines are of someone who loves something overwhelmingly. 13: Rooftop Movie Just before their final moment with Azusa, the others relieve their nervousness by running on the roof together. The moments that lead up to this moment shares the dream-like, transcendental production of the previous scene, with the glossy filter and diffuse light rays. On my final day of school, I remember taking my time by looking at everything in my field of vision. I remembered all the great times I had involving them in some way and acknowledged that this will be the last time. Yui does that here, with the movie level character animation allowing us to understand what she’s looking at or interacting with at every moment. She touches the turtle for the last time, looks at the walls, at the door, I’m sure memories flowing through her mind. In a miracle of the final day, the roof is open, and they shout the world, as to relive their nerves and to release the amalgam of emotions they are processing. The pure, simultaneous acting on emotion of everyone shows their telepathic understanding of each other. Yui confesses how nervous she is, and everyone is momentarily relieved to hear that they feel the same way. 12: The Appeal of HTT S2 12 As a follow up of Azusa’s conflict with understanding the appeal of HTT, the group collectively come to understand why their band is great on a deeper level. Even after seeing bands play all day at a festival, they conclude that from their perspective and experiences, HTT holds more weight to them than anything could, from every interaction they’ve had contributing to every moment of musical synergy. There’s a feeling of youthful invincibility to this scene; they want their art to transcend the bounds of school and their friendships by association. In some terms, their friendships are larger than Natsufest, and there’s nothing that could break them. This is of course contrasted against the impending doom of graduation, but for all of them to disregard it in favour of their love for HTT speaks volumes to the strength of their bond. I love the final scene when the camera pans up from their silhouettes sitting on the hill to reach the stars, as they are as ambitious as them. 11: Graduation S2 24 When a friend of mine passed away, I didn’t fully process the event until I saw their photo on the casket at the funeral. That moment holds a resemblance to how this scene is constructed, specifically how Azusa finally processes that the others are graduating today, and there’s no going back. Ii Yumemite ne is again playing to haunt us, with a silvery glaze over every shot giving this a transcendental feeling. There’s a slight blur around the frame of the scene, almost like Azusa is looking at this moment through teary eyes, with the bright early spring sun baring down on everyone. To round off the scene, a gust of wind passes by, as to end the fleeting moment and reveal Azusa’s injury, as to show that she’s hurt by the graduation but intended to cover it up, but the moment has uncovered her pain regardless. She rushes to hide it as she’s approached by Ui and Jun, but her unprocessed feelings will remain. 10: Classroom Performance Movie Relating to my own experiences, the feeling of celebration with people you’ll likely never see again, is incomparable, and it’s on show here. HTT hold a classroom scale performance with their most intimate show yet. U&I is their most emotional song and doubles as an appreciation track for Azusa, like how Yui looks at her during the bridge. They’re playing for their classmates and as a thank you for all the years they’ve spent together, and their classmates are giving their all as a reply. As a final act of appreciation from Sawa, as she defends the classroom against her image of a beautiful tactful teacher by begging her supervisor for HTT to perform. It’s a moment which only this group of characters could pull off with the authenticity that they have, and I love all the quirks of the performance like Yui jumping in the crowd and Sawa and her supervisor being pushed into the crowd. I can’t image how much happiness and fun is in that room, and that time. 9: Fleeting Moments S2 13 In one of the best episodes of the anime, Azusa falls through surreal dreams and reality as she contemplates her unconscious thoughts to the other members of the group. She ends the day with HTT as she runs through the crowd with them. With Ii Yumemite ne playing yet again, it hits with the upmost emotional gutpunch as Azusa is being held by Yui as they run through a whirlwind of fun and joy of the festival. The moment is of such happiness that Azusa wonders if she’s dreaming again, as Yui and HTT has whisked her away much like she did with their friendship and journey through music. The lights are glowing and blurry, indistinguishable to how Azusa’s dreams are in the same surreal presentation. In the most emotional moment of foreshadowing, the rest of the group disappear in the crowd and Azusa is left behind as the fireworks disappear. It’s an ingenious scene of metaphorical foreshadowing, of the brief, fleeting moment of their friendship and how it is due to end, at least how it is now. 8: Fireworks S1 04 The first time I watched K-On, I could tell that it would be amazing from episode 1, but I was waiting for the great moments to come. From episode 4 and onwards, I knew this would be one of the best anime I’ve watched because of this scene. It’s a moment of such emotional intensity that it parallels the fireworks blowing up around Yui. Mio is searching for a reason to continue participating in the light music club as she realises that not everyone is as committed to the musical side. Yui stands in front of her, having barely practiced all day, and plays her guitar with all the passion and fun she represents. A wall of fireworks accompanies her as she’s dancing in the light as Mio realises that this is what makes HTT – the fun and passion towards music is unparalleled by anything else. I love how the music plays like her emotions as they are so great in magnitude that they outshine even the fireworks. Yui’s face is so full of joy, surpassing everyone and everything around her. The first season has a sketchier, more playful art-style than the second season, and this moment showcases that more than any other. The sparkles, colours and shapes are glittering around her in a scene are the finishing touches. 7: Legs Movie Yamada Naoko and KyoAni are the best at animating girl’s legs, and they focus on it on the last scene in K-On. In a completely natural conversation, we get a voyeuristic view into what HTT talk about amongst each other, with the reactions and subject being completely detached from anything previously. I expected them to be sombre after their separation from Azusa, but this resembles the scene in Cowboy Bebop episode 24, when Spike and Jet eat eggs furiously to distract themselves from their loss. An alternative interpretation is that HTT have finally overcome their fears of separation from Azusa and they’re happy to have idle conversation and interact with Azusa normally, as they do at the end of the scene. It reminds me of the ending in Liz and the Blue Bird, when the characters finally interact with no restraints and have a completely normal, positive conversation. While K-On’s emotional arcs aren’t nearly as intense, they are along the same lines. This is without talking about the personality in character animation through the girl’s legs only, which is a flex of talent and mind-blowing with how much care was put in the details of this scene. With no audio and silhouettes, it would be easy to tell who is who, and it speaks not only to the skill of the animators, but also how well we’ve got to know these characters. It’s a fitting final scene and gets me every time, and it feels that they’ve finally spread their wings. 6: Running S2 26 In the last moment in the TV anime, we see the peak of HTT’s connection. No longer do they need words; their actions and emotions take president. Azusa plays her part of Fuwa Fuwa time as the others run gleefully around the school, laughing and joking around as they wind down the staircases and corridors. Every member runs a little faster than the other, propelling the others to keep up, with Yui speeding ahead at the end to keep pace until she comically overshoots the stairway. It’s almost like how HTT push each other to improve constantly, whether musically or being friendlier. There’s no bad feelings, bad relationships or toxicity, everyone is happy and enjoying each other’s company in ways words can’t describe or aren’t even needed. They all touch the turtle together, respond to each other’s mishaps while running through action and take visual notes of everything they’ll soon be leaving behind. To end the scene, everyone spins around in unison, timed to Azusa’s guitar even when they can’t hear it, to say one last goodbye to us as viewers and Sakura high. 5: Azusa’s Farewell S2 24 In a final act of devotion from HTT, Azusa is given a farewell in the form of a song from the others. The only song more personal and emotional than U&I, it hits every emotional beat with a line devoted to their friendship, how great it has been and will continue to be. Azusa previously had an outburst of childishness when confronted with the reality that the others are graduating, but the song they play fixes all of Azusa’s troubles for the time being. Although it will take some time to come to terms with their graduation, it ensures that the others will think of her and have her in their interests going forward. As Azusa didn’t cry in episode 20, she does now, as to finally admit to the others that she’s painfully separating from the rest of HTT, but it’s fine to show such emotions. Interlaced with the song, there are flashbacks and shots of everyone else graduating, making this a more general song for everyone in the school who is leaving behind a kouhai. Azusa’s clap at the end and famous ‘you’re still not very good’, shows that despite their lacking technical skill, factoring every experience that they’ve had and the chemistry between them, they are unbeatable from their perspective. 3,4: Cultral Festival Performance S1 12 The end of episode 13 is among the first moments that K-On feels transcendentally good, on a scale which I had never seen before. After quickly recovering from a cold to perform with the others, Yui must run home to get her guitar. We see her paralleling her journey in the first episode, though this time she’s moving with purpose and drive, without distractions or laziness. Instead of the directionless girl that took the same journey two years ago, she’s now a member of a band ready to perform in front of the school, and most of all, performing for the other members as much as she is herself. When she hurriedly reaches the stage, she breaks down in tears as she realises how much of a burden she has been, but simultaneously how this isn’t the same Yui as before and she now cares about the relationships she has deeply. She clears herself up and straps on her guitar to give a performance of a lifetime, with a fully animated Fuwa Fuwa time for the first time in the series. There’s so much joy in the motions, expressions and accuracy in the instrument playing. There are students singing along and everyone is enjoying themselves, as HTT becomes embedded in the identity of the school. The encore is unexpected, and I love how each member catches on and rolls into the song, until Yui jumps starts to vocals to give one last chorus. The camera pans to all the locations that have crafted this moment, every afternoon teatime and walk up the staircase. At the end, Yui ends the first season by exclaiming: ‘I love K-On!’. I couldn’t agree more. 2: Cultural Performance 2 S2 20 This is it, the last performance of HTT on a large scale. This is their Natsufest or RockJapan-fest, the crowning moment of their school band. As mostly third years, they are popular among their classmates and their performances are beloved and anticipated. There’s no interruptions or mishaps, nor set-up for any other event, this is a celebration of every moment they’ve experienced up until this point. Every song is performed with every ounce of passion and joy that HTT are known for. Yui’s member showcase is a crowning moment, where we see the final form of where the characters have ended up. While the mock introductions HTT gave each other at the start of the series stated their most obvious characteristics, Yui now knows everyone deeply and can communicate their best qualities in more detail. She gives credit to everyone who has shaped this band, from Sawa to Nodoka to everyone at Sakura High. Everyone is wearing their shirt, being part of the experience dedicated to HTT. It feels like a celebration to end all celebrations, with every aspect of the scene being as climactic as it can be and everyone getting their moment to shine. The crowd echos as the camera pans behind Yui, about to give her best performance ever. This scene encompasses every great moment that precceds it. Every one of the top 100 moments before this feeds into the greatness of the scene. Every time when they’ve laughed at a joke, eaten cake together, travelled, helped each other, every positive moment that they’ve encountered. It’s all encoded into this performance, as indicative of the strength of the friendship and bond that they’ve forged through those experiences. 1: Crying S2 20 To follow up the ultimate celebration of HTT comes the ultimate emptiness and emotional come down that the group will experience in their school lives. They’ve put off and swept away any thoughts of graduation or the fact that they will all go their different ways after this, but now they have no choice but to confront them. They’ve given their best and peaked, they know that nothing following this will top that experience. They try to sidestep the inevitable breakdown that is approaching by discussing what they’ll do next as a group, as to further the everlasting and invincible feeling that they fully believed they had just weeks prior. Now they know that this is the end, nothing can save the fact that by some capacity, they will never have the same experience that they just had and no longer with the same people. The hard cut into the scene from the concert allows those feelings to seep into this scene, where HTT do the ultimate 180 to confront what they’ve put off all years now. They sit side by side, aimless and exhausted in every sense. They all come to the same conclusion, that it was the greatest moment of the band’s history, and how they want these moments to carry on forever. They try their best to back away, but inevitably, their emotions get the best of them and they burst into tears as they realise that this is really it. It’s the first time we see such strong emotions in the entire anime, and fittingly they are reserved for the most powerful moment. They’re close enough that they can share even the harshest moments of emotional instability. As much as Azusa tries to comfort them, they’re no longer holding back their feelings and will collectively face this hurdle. They conclude that even if this pain of separation is awful, it was all worth it. It’s a crashing down of everything that happened in K-On, but to be picked up and carried forward.

Top 100 Moments in K-On!

December 24, 2019, 2:55 am

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Top 100 Moments in K-On! K-On! is my favourite anime of all time, so to show my appreciation I have ranked the top 100 moments in the series. There is a video viewable here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=19ITA7bMPARGhQ3-Zwme4u4rxQ9p1TH0w and accompanying descriptions in my blog. *Note: The descriptions will be re-written in the future to improve the current writing quality. 100: Race Final Sprint S2 15 The climax of one of the weaker episodes of season 2, this scene is a boost in energy to an otherwise pedestrian footrace. Every member has a unique reason to win the race, Ritsu being competitive, Mugi wanting to keep up with the others, Mio wanting to avoid the spotlight of being last and Yui desperate to eat omochi. The facial expressions are personalised to the characters during the slow-motion scene and Mio’s roll to save an embarrassing fall speaks to the cool and mature image that she’s accidentally constructed. 99: Nodoka Prompts Yui v2 S2 08 This is a call back to the first episode, where Nodoka prompts Yui to join a club. While the original scene is memorable enough with its uniquely expressive character art, the fact that this is repeated in a new context shows the constant influence of Nodoka on Yui when it comes to making important decisions. Nodoka’s mouth animation and eye movements are a step above what TV animation would assign to such a seemingly unimportant scene, highlighting the importance K-On! puts on everyday moments. Yui says that Nodoka’s warning has more weight ‘this time’, as a nod to the self-aware and playful nature of season 2. It’s is a treat to any fan who has re-watched the anime any number of times. 98: Mio Begs Ritsu S1 06 The evolving character art in the scene makes it both hilarious and specific to Ritsu and Mio’s friendship. Mio’s progressively dissolving form as she becomes more unreasonable is a clever way to express her childish and unreasonable side, which she will only show to Ritsu. Ritsu then responds with equally distorted character art and aggression, suggesting that Ritsu is used to Mio’s childish behaviour, something the viewer hasn’t gotten used to this point. 97: Mio’s Chest S1 04 As far as fan service scenes go, this one makes sense within the context of the show. Real teenage girls might make comments jokes around their bodies, especially during a time of exploring sexuality and physical growth, so I’m glad K-On gives a brief nod to the topic. The comedic timing is excellent, the character art is easy on the eye and Ritsu and Yui’s childish reaction contrasted to Mio’s nonchalant response is indicative of the slight conflict of personalities at the start of the series. 96: Running and Singing S2 15 With the performance scenes being somewhat detached from the slice of life episodes, Ritsu’s singing of Fuwa Fuwa time shows the nature of the self-referential comedy that HTT engage in. Running while singing is standard and expected, but HTT singing their own song adds a personal layer to this scene. It’s a moment which can exist only in that moment with these characters, which is the nature of the entire school experience of HTT. It should be added that the voice acting is again commendable, with the highlight being hilarious and believable breathless Yui attempting to sing ‘Hot Kiss’. 95: Azusa and Mio S1 09 Being the two more level-headed members of HTT, this is a formative moment for Azusa in which she understands that there are different personalities in HTT, and they interact to form the identity of the band. She questions whether Mio is in a band outside of HTT, as Mio doesn’t involve herself with the theatrics of the rest of the group and appears to have talent. Mio states that this is her only band, perhaps to Azusa’s confusion. Azusa’s introduction to the group is about her learning how she fits into the group dynamic and how the appeal of the band goes beyond technical skill, and this moment is the first step she takes. 94: Ritsu Communication S2 03 In an iconic moment of K-On comedy, Yui completely misunderstands Ritsu’s problem of not being in the spotlight. Yui’s sole enthusiasm for her idea is the main comedic crutch, with everyone else’s deadpan obedience being the punchline. It’s sometimes difficult to tell when Yui is being childish or only pretending to be, but here is a clear joke that Yui has made to lighten Ritsu’s turmoil, all in the spirit of fun. 93: Ritsu Crisp Trick S1 03 This scene centres around each of the other members of HTT supporting Yui in their own way. While the rest of the group send words of encouragement in text form, Ritsu sends a skit which speaks to how she supports others through her being bundle of fun and energy. It doubles as a comedic moment and personality building, strengthening the bond between Yui and Ritsu through digital means, something which teenagers would actually do. 92: Matsu Pichu S2 27 The unique interactions between each of the main characters is a staple K-On’s appeal, and here is an unusual pairing of Azusa and Nodoka. The earnest but naive attitude of Azusa and Nodoka’s worldly knowledge and eagerness to correct others culminates in a cute, funny interaction. Azusa’s failure to pronounce Matsu Pichu and the subsequent embarrassment is memorable. 91: Interruptions S2 17 The compounding of similar comedic moments will always make me laugh and HTT’s series of attempts to find a place to practice serves as a great example. Their interactions with new settings are welcomed as it fills out the school setting and allows us to understand the boundaries of their environment. Here, they are driven to an occupied school gym out of desperation and predictably interrupted still. While the joke doesn’t stand by itself, the set-up from previous scenes makes this work in context. 90: Getting the OK Movie This is among the most directly relatable moments of the series, as HTT ask their parents for permission to go on their graduation trip. This is a moment many have experienced, with the build-up of anxiety and subsequent relief and joy when permission is granted. The personalised methods of approach, like Yui’s nonchalant attitude to Ritsu’s immediate begging, again highlight the care when presenting each of the characters. It also bridges the gap between Azusa and the rest of the group, as she realises that everyone needs to ask for permission and the gap in maturity isn’t as large as she thought. 89: Takuan Eyebrows S1 12 The opening scene for the climactic episode of the first season, this is an odd choice which ended up being a memorable gag. K-On! loves dream sequences and the blueish, high contrast filter is a thoughtful touch. While the joke is quite straightforward, the fact that K-On decided on this as the opening scene shows the intentional subversion and attempt to briefly bring the tone back to comedy before the later drama begins. The timing is on point as always, with Yui’s feverish face being an instant call back to reality. 88: Tempura + Suika S2 13 This episode is a favourite of mine, and this scene starts it all as an unsuspecting dream sequence. The very Japanese reference to the forbidden combination of watermelon and tempura is a sore reminder to those who’ve had the displeasure of eating both simultaneously. Azusa’s genuine shock is both adorable and shows her care for Yui as someone who isn’t the best adjusted person to feeding themselves, and the high contrast dream filter is back in full effect. We hear Yui’s mood evolve by the sound of her guitar, which is a creative touch and consistent with the distorted senses of dreams. 87: Haircut Mistake S2 21 Yui’s nightmare haircut scene is superbly constructed and timed. The long pauses of shock and the progression through the stages of grief are well executed. The little animations work well to supplement the scene, like the sweat pouring from Yui as she turns to HTT for consolidation. Their attempts are predictably useless, as this is perceived as a major error and shows the feminine importance on hair. Yet again there are individualised reactions to the same event, this time showing their attempts to console Yui and the relative inabilities to handle their shock. We see Yui’s increasing pessimism as reality sets in, Azusa and Mio’s fainting and the well composed Mugi and Ritsu. 86: Debate Training S2 11 HTT are tortured by the summer heat so much that they go to war to get an air con. They hold a completely unnecessary mock-interview, which serves as a hilarious mental training scene. The reasons each of the group members give evolve as they consider why a cooler would be increasingly beneficial, eventually getting more serious until they are confident of their reasoning. This scene is even better in retrospect as it was completely useless in the end, despite their best efforts. 85: Airport Fun Movie This highlights the childish side to HTT’s fun interactions, with the innocent fun at the airport. It’s likely that this is the first time the characters have been to an adult environment by themselves, and they enjoy each other’s presence by interacting with the airport in ways that are both relatable and fun. It takes the edge off a scene which could have been intimidating, and instead focuses on the friendly play that they engage in which could only occur with this group of characters. 84: Humbled Over Food S2 10 This scene remains as one of the few interactions between the whole group and an adult figure who isn’t Sawa chan, here, Norimi. We see the individual reactions to a more mature musician in a non-school setting and the positive atmosphere of this scene is tangible. The cicadas in the background, warm street food and enclosed sitting area create a comfy atmosphere. Yui’s embarrassment at assuming she didn’t have a foreign name is also a comedic touch which shows the inexperience of the girls in the presence of a woman who has lived a HTT school life to some extent. The body language of the characters also shows the difference in confidence between HTT and Norimi. 83: Yui Wants to Sing S1 05 This is another great example of how the art compounds and changes to complement the humour. The glow and sparkles around Yui in her attempts to impress Ritsu shine with popping colours, and the contrast against Mugi’s reluctance works to comedic effect. The shameless begging at the end also works as a good punchline, especially when followed up with Yui’s fake attempt to be modest. Season 1 is filled with these mini gag scenes, which serve to introduce and explore the character’s personalities in comedic ways, and this is one of the best. 82: Mio Fan Club Concert S2 07 A relatively standard concert scene, but as consistently and thoughtfully presented as any other. The scene composition and editing works well, even if the setting is plain. Pure Pure Heart is one of my favourite HTT songs with Mio as a vocalist, especially at the chorus. The interaction of the audience is more personal in this concert scene, with the fan-club supporting this performance by clapping in unison. The last moment of Mio singing ‘I love you’, with her facial inflection is a wonderful detail and shows her earnest gratitude towards the fan-club which she wants to express through singing. 81: Cooler Begging S2 11 This is one of my favourite gags in the series and perfectly highlights the chemistry between Yui and Ritsu. Their childish attempts to gain Nodoka’s attention for their misguided plan to attain an air-con lead them to stage Yui’s death due to the heat. This kind of interaction could only occur with Yui and Ritsu, as they’re the only ones who are stupid enough to try this and stay in character for the whole time. Like most of the jokes in K-On, there’s a level of self-awareness which shows the level of connectedness and comfort that these characters have with each other. Their glances for affirmation to Nodoka shows her parent like status to Yui and Ritsu and her influence beyond being a student council president. The Golden Axe story is commonly told to Japanese children (I assume worldwide as well) and this also feeds into the motherly figure of Nodoka as Yui and Ritsu attempt to gain Nodoka’s attention through that story 80: Ultimate comfort S2 06 After Yui’s rainy walk to school, she is treated to the ultimate comfort of Mugi’s warmth. This scene shows how HTT look out for each other and has each other’s best interests at heart. While the setup is limited to the school supplies, this somehow adds to the comfy feeling of the moment. I can only believe that this would be the treatment that HTT would give to a member if they were carrying an injury or sickness, as seen when Yui and Ritsu get colds in the first season. Mugi seems eager to accommodate Yui as best as she can, with her kind and warm personality shining through. The grey, rainy skies outside with the lights on indoors build on the relaxing feeling 79: Azusa vs Cat S1 13 While this is a seemingly inconsequential scene, it’s one of many moments which show the throwaway moments in day to day life of the characters and add to the holistic approach to character building in K-On. The song playing in the background is wonderful and has the great offbeat sound to it, matching the strange encounter perfectly. When Azusa attempts to pet it, with notably detailed character animation, the cat hisses. Of course, Azusa is a cat, so she is rejected when trying to get too close with another one. The animal animation is realistic, which is greatly appreciated as there are countless examples in which cats and other animals are not animated consistently or realistically. 78: I Love Sushi? Movie I might not love this scene much as many others do but it will still make me laugh out of embarrassment at my own failures in communicating in other languages. Ritsu’s blind confidence to lead her group and maintain her identity backfires when she realises that her English isn’t nearly as good as she thought it was. As with the rest of the movie, the character animation is brilliant, especially with the frontal, downward view that is used. Her eventual defeat is disguised as nobly quitting to the rest of the group in comedic fashion. 77: Impact S1 03 As featured on the famous ‘Ritsu Mayim’, Ritsu intends to sabotage a study session in dramatic style. Her initial failure is hilarious, as she retreats immediately aftre she is ignored, and this is only funnier in the following attempt. When she realises that a dynamic entrance is the only option, her explosive roll and yelling is hilarious, as evidenced by the multiple camera angles and vocal effort. Mio’s anticipation of Ritsu’s interruption is well in her character and shows the familiarity of their relationship. I won’t comment on this often, but Mio’s figure, compared to the other members, is clearly more elegant and conventionally beautiful in this scene, which is consistent with how the other characters at their school see her. Beautiful characters in other anime often aren’t as distinct from the other characters as they are in K-On, which shows the strength of the designs from KyoAni. 76: Azusa’s Kemonomimi S1 11 This scene highlights the understanding Azusa has towards her friends and the dynamics that they have. This is again an interaction that is specific to HTT, calling back to Azusa’s embarrassment in an earlier scene, but this time Azusa uses this to her advantage to diffuse a tense situation, even if it’s shameful to her. It works, which shows how the rest of the group understand that Azusa will not do this willingly and responds with corresponding understanding and respect. It’s a subtle moment of connection and unspoken empathy. 75: Career Talk S2 08 K-On covers everything that matters to these characters in the school experience they had, and naturally this includes talk of careers in the final year. While career discussion can be uncomfortable and uncertain, HTT take the opportunity to see the comedic side of it. Each of the members show their familiarity with Yui’s nature and suggest jobs, only to again be conscious of Yui’s nature and dismiss any potential careers Yui could have. The comedic timing and gag set-ups are excellent, and I can see such an interaction being funny in real life. 74: Yeah, the Ibis, Which One? Movie The decision to set the movie in London couldn’t have been better for me, as I’m familiar with the city. I was overjoyed at the accuracy of every detail, which is on show here. English accents are rarely done well in anime, so I’ve gotten attached to the phrases in this scene. The adorable engrish and subsequent mistake when asking for their location is relatable and I’m glad they included a mess up in their trip, as it’s far more realistic than if they didn’t encounter a mishap. The instant speeding of the taxi and the uniquely opening doors are also relevant details I’m glad they added 73: Animal Costume Fail S1 08 Sawa’s dress up scenes are more of a nuisance than anything else in season 1, but this is an exception. The grotesque and intimidating costume designs are hilarious and communicate nothing about HTT, which makes everything about this moment a complete waste of time for the characters. My favourite part about this scene is that it’s obvious who is who solely from the movements of the costumes, which shows how well the group is characterised through animation. Unfortunately, Ui isn’t as understanding and the surprise at the end is a comedic punchline. 72: Lost S2 04 Aside from the great comedic set-up, this scene has a wonderful aesthetic and feeling to it. The lighting is just past sunset, and everything has a blueish glow, which looks great under KyoAni’s excellent colour processing. It’s a common occurrence to get lost on a trip in unfamiliar surroundings, but rather than tension, there’s a relaxed feeling with the group as they realise that they’re lost together. Yui’s call to Azusa is absolutely within her character and is referenced in the following episode cleverly. Nodoka’s group being lost also shows she’s human and a rare instance in which she isn’t dependable. 71: Early in the Morning S2 12 Similar but opposite to the previous scene, this communicates the feeling of embarking on a trip in early morning perfectly. The soft, blue gradient of the sky, birds chirping, and cold colour choices all point towards the dawn aesthetic. Azusa’s bucket hat is adorable, and Yui’s attempt to surprise the others is funny. It captures the quiet excitement of the characters as they anticipate their trip. The silent and static parts of this scene are the draw, as the atmosphere can build and set. 70: London Montage Movie One of many London montages from the movie, I love the attention to detail in these scenes. It’s clear that KyoAni visited London to take photo references and soak in the atmosphere. I can pinpoint the exact locations of some of these scenes, and I’m glad they chose a cloudy sky as it is most appropriate for England. Everything from the corner shop, slight wear on the streets, look right and left signs and the tube stations all feed into the London experience. I can image that the mannerisms of the characters are taken from experience, especially the unnecessarily cautious road-crossing, common for Japanese visiting the UK. The bird animation with the Canada Geese is especially impressive. Yui holding the dog waste bin is also a thoughtful cultural touch and serves for a great moment of comedy. 69: Azusa’s Inspiration S1 08 While there wasn’t much focus on the concert scene, this was the spark of Azusa’s interest in HTT. It takes a while for her to process her feelings and fully integrate in the group, but it’s clear from her body language and focus here that she understood the appeal of HTT from the start. Azusa is often reluctant to express herself fully, but this scene reveals that her love for HTT is overflowing her boundaries. This will later come full circle in the resolution to her conflict with the group. 68: Sawa Uncovered S1 05 With KyoAni’s excellence in character animation and delicate moments, it can be easy to forget that their action animation is also incredible, and this scene is a reminder. In the context of the episode, it’s a jarring change of pace and her ridiculous acrobatics are much like how Nichijou uses its animation to heighten the comedy in spurts. There isn’t another great showcase of animation action-wise in the series, but it goes to show KyoAni’s versatility in their production. 67: Rainy Days S2 06 There isn’t any single scene which allows the atmosphere of this scene to soak in, but the general artistic choices lead it to perfectly resemble a Japanese rainy season. The constant grey, overcast skies, humidity and abundance of umbrellas are staples of this season, which all Japanese are familiar with and anticipate. The fact that KyoAni highlighted this walk to school is a thoughtful decision, as it gets you into the mindset of the characters and what they find is important in their daily lives. It sets the tone of the episode with the school and community reaction to the inescapable weather. There’s an excellent video by GitGud which plays a piano piece over this scene on YouTube 66: Lending a Hand S2 09 A key developmental moment for Yui, we see her struggle with time-management when she has exams and a show to perform. Azusa offers her time to help Yui and constructs a plan for them to succeed, something Yui would struggle to do. We see Azusa quickly understand how Yui isn’t as experienced in time management and that, as a friend, it’s a responsibility to give her some help. Yui’s overjoyed reaction is every part adorable as relieved that someone has realised the magnitude of the task that she would have otherwise faced alone. 65: Survey S1 02 In one of the earlier scenes of character building, we get a look at the distinct personalities in HTT as they approach the same task in their own ways. Everything from their clothing choices outside of school, attitudes to working an actual job and their unique interactions allow us to understand these characters better. Ritsu and Mio’s gag shows the musical intuition and understanding through music that Ritsu and Mio have. This being a moment early in the series, it’s evident how the communication dynamic between Yui and Mugi is far less intimate and personal that it is later in the series, highlighting their growth as people and as friends by the end 64: Hair Brushing S2 21 K-On is full of wholesome moments like this that go under the radar, but this one is too good to ignore. KyoAni is great at capturing femininity and the swishes of Yui’s hair and the general girly treatment in these moments. There isn’t an abundance of purely feminine moments in K-On, but the few that exist are subtle and there to remind you that above all else, they are high school girls. There’s a mutual satisfaction from Mugi and Yui and it’s clear they enjoy each other’s company very much. 63: Ritsu’s Last Resort[ S2 02 Among the most iconic comedic scenes in K-On, Ritsu decides the best way to save the group from giving up the huge sum of money is to eat the receipt. This is the kind of moment that you laugh about years after high school and I image it would be among the finest memories of their school experience. Ritsu’s distorting face is animated in cute chibi style and I love her voice acting in the whole ordeal 62: Finding Azusa’s Kouhai S2 02 The first few episodes of the second season revolve around the struggle to recruit new members and Azusa’s perceived loneliness in not having a kouhai or a reason to continue the club past graduation. This scene is a moment of empathy towards Azusa and is one of the few tender moments outside of the last few episodes. The sunset is a metaphor for running out of time and closure, with their underlying anxiety that the light music club may end if they are unsuccessful at recruiting anyone. With Japan’s early evenings in spring, I can image a similar scene occurring in real life 61: First Contact S1 01 Re-watching this scene having watched the rest of the anime puts into perspective the growth that all these characters have gone through. Yui is shaky, nervous and unsure of herself when confronted by unfamiliar students, while Ristu and Mio are immediately judgemental and see the worst in Yui after her mistake. It seems surreal that there was a time in the anime when these characters didn’t know each other. The second part of this scene features great character animation and detail in the drawings. Ritsu’s expression compared to the manga is nearly unrecognisably more effective in communicating her cunningness, as shown by Digibro in his K-On, the perfect adaptation. 60: Afternoon Tea Movie KyoAni occasionally flexes its incredible animation in slice of life scenes in which other anime studios would outsource or pay little attention to. Here, the shot is held in the same position while we get to see the truest to life window into what tea is like with HTT. Every character is engaged in their own activities and is animated independently, with evolving expressions and reactions. Mugi’s challenge to open the packet of crisps is a battle fought in the background, Yui and Ritsu’s adorable expressions and Azusa’s and Mio’s overlapping chat (a rarity in anime), all occurring simultaneously show the magnitude of effort that was put into this seemingly throwaway scene. 59: The Future S2 27 In the final non-canonical episode of the series, we see HTT think about their future in light terms. While the reality of their near-ending friendship hasn’t set in yet, it’s an indication that their time is come to an end, and these characters have plans that extend past high school. Yui’s ambitious preparations for future events shows that she values this friendship as being irreplaceable. The rest of the group is a little taken aback, perhaps as they haven’t considered such a preposition, but as always, follow Yui’s enthusiasm. They react nearly tearfully when Yui states that they can go anywhere, and they’ll have fun and be okay. 58: London Performance Movie Aside from being beautifully animated, as with every concert scene in K-On, the lighting in this scene is particularly impressive. The afternoon fading light in London shines on the last memories HTT will have of the city, surrounded by a diverse, realistic audience. Yui’s improvised encore as she engages with the crowd shows her personable attitude and willingness to please the audience during the performances. Her engrish lyrics are hilarious and show that she intends on leaving everything she has on stage. 57: Romeo and Juliet S2 19 The play is one of my favourite parts of K-On S2, with the build-up including Ritsu and Mio’s swapped roles and conflict in attempting to act naturally, culminating in a memorable final product. It’s another moment that will surely be remembered by the characters in years to come, especially Ritsu and Mio’s near break in character when they become embarrassed by reading such romantic lines to each other. Seeing Ritsu in a more feminine role is amusing and her acting is convincing that she’s not used to presenting in such a way. Yui’s near sneeze is one of the funniest moments of the series for me and I love how Ui comments on it. 56: Ritsu Introductions S1 06 HTT’s introductions to each other serves shows how they view each other at different parts of the series, and they serve as markers of progression. This is the first of such introductions, with Ritsu performing a mock stage opening. Her perception of Yui is still as a lazy girl who likes sweet things, Mugi as a rich provider of sweets and Mio jokingly as a ‘dangerous queen’. I love the animations of Yui and Mugi as they perform their air instruments, along with Ritsu’s low framerate chibi animation style. This kind of joking around already hints at their ambitions of reaching higher heights as a band and friends. 55: Yui and Ui in Bed S1 07 K-On’s content on family comes mainly through Yui and Ui’s close familiar relationship. They are remarkably comfortable with each other, possibly due to Ui’s pure nature, and some of the most wholesome scenes in the anime are a result of this closeness. There are few siblings that could sleep in the same bed as high schoolers, but this scene goes to show that they allow each other into their comfort zones and support each other accordingly. The soft warmth of Yui is on display with her dialogue and mannerisms and it’s one of the cutest moments in the series involving the sisters. 54: Azunyan S1 09 Speaking of iconic scenes, this might be the most immediately recognisable moment in the series, with the Azunyan meme born in and out of the context of the series. Core to many friendship groups are inside jokes and nicknames that are attached to certain experiences, and this is such an example. Azusa later references this scene herself later, and there are countless call-backs through costume wearing and her nickname ‘Azunyan’. In terms of unbearably cute characters, Azusa is hard to beat, and this scene puts her on show 53: Reminiscing S1 11 Another major part of the school experience is reminiscing, since many school friends become lifelong friends. While this scene takes place at the start of the second season, Yui’s cheerful reaction and the general positive recollection of HTT’s first performance is a joy to watch. Azusa’s face lights up as she remembers her first live performance. The conversation sounds natural and I can imagine the voice actors thinking back on the series in a similar way. 52: Sumo S1 06 Among the best voice acting performances in the show, Aki Toyosaki voices Yui with a hoarse throat pretending to be a Sumo, and it sounds completely natural. The voice acting is stellar in every role in K-On, surely being directed to perfection by KyoAni, and Yui’s voice is absolutely how I image in sounding, with a soft, warm voice who can joke around and be genuine interchangeably. Ritsu’s mischievous, almost boyish voice serves her role as a class clown and her voice acting is on show in this scene as well. This kind of adolescent play is closer to how real schoolgirls have fun, and I can’t image other school anime including a scene quite as convincing as this. 51: Guitar for Grandma S2 09 Another moment involving family love, Yui turns her attention to the older generation. Despite her upcoming exams, she’s able to participate in a community show and make her grandmother proud. We see a different style to the music in the show, with a more traditional Japanese approach and a YuiAzu combination. The banter between Yui and Azusa at the beginning, mistakes made at the start and early cut off help to make everything feel truer to life and not the perfect fairy tale it could have been. If anything, the most valuable reward was her grandmother’s pride and satisfaction during the performance. It’s a rare example of HTT interacting with the community and it worked fantastically

Anime Openings from past

December 24, 2019, 3:11 am

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≪ Previous: Top 100 Moments in K-On!

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Настроение такое настроение. Иногда накатывает. Сегодняшний гость пустых страданий - опенинги. И не абы какие. А опенинги аниме давно ушедших лет. И особое внимание, конечно же, опенингам именно тех аниме, что нахрен не стерлись из памяти. Таких, слава Богу, достаточно. Но те аниме, чьи опенинги и сейчас бьют в живое, им отдельное уважение. И сейчас, эти опенинги смотреть приятно. А уж сами аниме, тем более в радость. Но увы. Все те же лица. И никаких новых аниме среди них. Только старая классика, вроде One Piece или Цикад. Или Чаек. Или же аниме, которые станут классикой. Или останутся в памяти - нового там Инуяши, Норагами.... Ничего нового. Плохой знак. Качество сдало. Я жадная. Я голодная. И я хочу аниме с годным сюжетом, персонажами, сейю, визуалом, музыкой, опенингами и ED, смыслом и искрой. Где мне найти такое? Чтобы оно прошло сквозь время...?

MAL FB - Top TV Anime (2018)

December 24, 2019, 3:46 am

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1. Gintama.: Shirogane no Tamashii-hen - Kouhan-sen
2. Gintama.: Shirogane no Tamashii-hen
3. JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 5: Ougon no Kaze
4. Sora yori mo Tooi Basho
5. Violet Evergarden
6. Boku no Hero Academia 3rd Season
7. Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan 2
8. Steins;Gate 0
9. Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru
10. Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3

MAL FB - VR

December 24, 2019, 3:52 am

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From left to right:

• Ookami to Koushinryou VR
• Evangelion: Another Impact (VR)
• Osomatsu-san VR

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Private

December 24, 2019, 4:01 am

≫ Next: ANIME REVIEW (MINKY MOMO IN The Bridge Over Dreams)

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Private Entry

ANIME REVIEW (MINKY MOMO IN The Bridge Over Dreams)

December 24, 2019, 8:02 am

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MINKY MOMO IN The Bridge Over Dreams is a poignant gem. Both this OVA and its sister series, MINKY MOMO IN Tabidachi no Eki, take place after Momo has *lost her magical powers and are from the perspective of her life as a normal, prepubescent girl. While these stories are slightly more melancholy than the usual shenanigans of the serendipitous Minky Momo, it is a fitting—coming-of-age kind of sobriety; an inventive approach to a mahō shōjo’s graduation from childhood. *Explains the title change from ‘Mahō no Princess’ to ‘MINKY MOMO IN,’ because Momo is starring in these side stories as a main character but she no longer is the spectacle. This review of MINKY MOMO IN Yume ni Kakeru Hashi (1993) contains spoilers! You have been warned! —Story/Characters The story begins when Momo meets a boy on a bridge. The boy is waiting for someone but talks to Momo to pass time; she then walks over to a food vendor and buys them a couple of crêpes. After that, the vendor asks if her and the boy are friends or lovers, Momo fervently denies their relationship—explaining to him that they had just met. The vendor tells her that everyone who meets on the bridge, are destined to meet again. After Momo chats with the boy for a little bit, he promises to come see her the next day. But when the day comes, he never shows up. The rest of the story consists of Momo people-watching while she waits on the bridge, hoping to see the little boy again. There’s a large array of colorful characters—(1) the first is a hat model who gets fed up with her employers disregard for her well being and quits to go on a date with a miscellaneous man, who tries to catch her hat from flying away in the wind, (2) the second is a flower vendor who turns down a marriage proposal from a military pilot that is getting deployed the next day, she loudly exclaims to him that she refuses to be a widow, (3) a buxom beauty is seen on the bridge *with several different men, (4) there is an elderly man and woman who walk their dogs every day, but never seem to notice each other, (5) there’s a triathlon runner, (6) a blonde-haired girl, (7) the vendor, and (8) an elderly woman, resembling a Native American indian, who is always there. *There are light implications that the woman in question is a sex worker. There is an infamous scene, during a Tōrō nagashi (lantern floating) festival, where she is in a suggestive position against a statue and asks him to wait until the fireworks show is over. This could either mean one of two things—she either really wanted to watch the fireworks or she didn’t want to be seen doing something illicitly vulgar. Days and months pass, and Momo has yet to reunite with the boy that she’s smitten with. During those days and months, the model and her boyfriend break up and his glasses roughed up again—a call-back to their first meeting, when he accidentally crushes his own glasses when trying to catch her hat! With a critical mindset, the glasses could be emblematic of him losing sight of what he originally wanted. There’s an implication that he might have had an affair with the sex worker because during a segment, while it’s raining, she walks by him and he ogles the her in front of his girlfriend. The last scene that it shows of him, is the man dropping an engagement ring on the bridge, ultimately deciding to leave it on the ground, and walking home dejectedly. Momo picks up the ring and decides to hold onto it, so she can return it when he comes back. The flower vendor begins to yearn for the military officer once he’s gone and stands on top of the bridge—when he signifies his return, as the fighter jet flies over them. After these events have transpired, winter comes and Momo is still waiting for the boy, in the freezing cold. The buxom beauty then approaches her and advises Momo not to wait for the boy to return. She goes onto to explain that she has never reunited with her past lovers, because there are better left as memories and seeing them again would be too painful. The old woman on the bridge then interjects, stating, ‘If you don’t wait through the harsh winter, you realize when spring has come.’ After that, the sex worker gives Momo an *apple—telling her that the fruit can provide more warmth than another person. *Her visual motif is always carrying around an apple. My interpretation of the sinful woman carrying around fruit harkens back to the Garden of Eden in the Bible. She is trying to tempt Momo to stray away from her promise of meeting the boy again, in exchange for worldly wisdom. In the OVA’s finale, Momo discovers that the bridge is going to be torn down. That evening, the old woman stands up and reveals to Momo that she’s the human embodiment of the bridge and tells her that she can use magic to reunite everyone… one last time. The reoccurring characters get their swan song—(1) the man with the glasses *has contacts now and when Momo returns the ring, the model reveals that he had bought her another ring and proudly displays it on her finger, (2) the flower vendor and the military pilot are having their wedding ceremony, (3) the buxom beauty is surrounded by a crowd of her past lovers and she responds by taking a bite out of the apple, (4) the elderly dog-walkers gets tangled up in the leashes—similar to Disney’s ‘Hundred and One Dalmatians’—and they blush, while staring amorously at each other, (5) the triathlon runner bursts through the goal as people cheer around him, and (6) the blonde-haired girl is reunited with the boy. *Implying that he won’t ‘lose sight’ again! The apple, yet again, is a signifier of worldly desire. When Momo and the boy exchange glances again, a nurse is pushing him around in wheelchair. ‘That’s her,’ he says, while pointing in Momo’s direction. Momo soon realizes that he was pointing to the blonde-haired girl behind her and Momo’s enthusiasm is deflated. The boy then adds that he got hit by a truck on his way to come meet her the next day, smiles at Momo, and verbally recognizes that they had met before, too. Momo has the sudden epiphany that she’s surrounded by a lot of strangers that she had met on the bridge, that are also happy to see her again. The buxom beauty winks at her, gesturing a ‘I told you so!’ And Momo realizes that the point of her encounters on the bridge weren’t meant for one person, but for the many friends she made along the way. The journey is more important than the conquest after all. So, the bridge is torn down and a new one is built with a railroad track dividing the parallel sides. Momo concludes the story by reminding herself that even if a bridge is divided, people will somehow be able to find each other again. Before this OVA, I was unaware that such a harrowing tale could be told in thirty-eight minutes! The beats of the story are reminiscent of a Charles Dickens novel, in structure. This kind of moral catharsis is echoed through centuries of classic literature. A story that cannot be done justice with words alone. —Technical The stylization of Yume ni Kakeru Hashi is similar to Ghibli’s productions during their *golden era. The scenery is draped beautifully around the meticulously designed characters. It is obvious that this OVA was created out of pure love for the Minky Momo franchise, or simply for the sake of art itself. *Every brilliant artist, or studio, typically has a ten-year period where they make their most prolific pieces and, after that bracket of time, an artist usually runs out of creative fuel. In Ghibli’s case, their golden era spanned from 1986–2001. A fifteen-year culmination of memorable stories is exceptional! Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata deserve all the praise they get! It’s strange because, other than Minky Momo’s *chief director, the main director credited to this project is Yoshitaka Fujimoto and, aside from Cyber Team in Akihabara, he has mostly directed smut. I can’t say whether his pornographic productions have been any good or not, because I don’t watch hentai, but they must be if Fujimoto can create such a heartrending Minky Momo OVA. *Kunihiko Yuyama has had a hand in directing every series, movie, and OVA—that is part of Minky Momo’s franchise. Other than that he has directed nearly every Pokémon TV series and movie to date, as well as other notable productions: Wedding Peach, Genmu Senki Leda, and Windaria. Other notable figures in the production of MINKY MOMO IN The Bridge of Dreams are animation director, Keiichi Satō: Tiger and Bunny, Gantz:0, Inuyashiki, Karas, Shingeki no Bahamut, and Asura; the character designer, Hiroshi Watanabe, also did designs for Yume de Aetera—a staple series in ‘90s otaku culture. There are a few famous seiyū in this OVA—first of all, in the ‘90s, Momo’s original seiyū (Mami Koyama) was succeeded by, none other than, Megumi Hayashibara: Faye Valentine (Cowboy Bebop), Rei Ayanami (Neon Genesis Evangelion), Musashi (Pokémon), Ranma Saotome (Ranma ½), Lina Inverse (Slayers), Ai Haibara (Detective Conan), and many other popular roles! Mika Doi was cast as The Beauty, this seiyū is known for her roles as Queen Serenity from Sailor Moon and Misa Hayase from Macross. Yūko Mizutani was cast as The Flower Girl, this seiyū is known for her roles as Pinoko from Black Jack, Sora Takenōchi from Digimon Adventure, Sara Zabiarov from Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, Minnie Mouse in Kingdom Hearts, and Mihoshi Kuramitsu from Tenchi Muyō! Unfortunately, Yūko Mizutani died from breast cancer on May 17th, 2016. Conclusively, MINKY MOMO IN The Bridge Over Dreams is a must-watch OVA! You don’t have watch the rest of the Minky Momo series to be able to enjoy this one! I rate MINKY MOMO IN Yume ni Kakeru Hashi a 8/10 and a hard recommendation to anyone willing to put aside thirty-eight minutes to see it!

The Thriller Challenge

December 24, 2019, 9:16 am

≫ Next: ❆ Winter 2020 Look-In ❆

≪ Previous: ANIME REVIEW (MINKY MOMO IN The Bridge Over Dreams)

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The Thriller Challenge |Watching|Plan to Watch|Completed|Rewatching|Rewatched| |Proof|Score|Started Date:|Finished Date:|

Start Date: Before Account End Date: TBD Progress: 15/30 Status: Participating

1. Watch a Thriller Movie: Paprika
2. Watch a second Thriller Movie: Death Billiards
3. Watch a Thriller OVA, Special or ONA: Another: The Other - Inga
4. Watch a second Thriller OVA, Special or ONA: Series
5. Watch a Thriller TV Series: Series
6. Watch a second Thriller TV Series: Series
7. Watch a Thriller anime with 10 episodes or less: Shiki Specials
8. Watch a Thriller anime with 20 episodes or more: Shiki
9. Watch a Thriller anime that aired in January - June: Series
10. Watch a Thriller anime that aired in July - December: Series
11. Watch a Thriller anime that aired before 2010: Higashi no Eden
12. Watch a Thriller anime that aired after 2010: Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu
13. Watch a Thriller anime with less than 25,000 members: Series
14. Watch a Thriller anime with more than 100,000 members: Mirai Nikki
15. Watch a Thriller anime rated 7.00 or above: Another (Proof)
16. Watch a Thriller anime rated below 7.00: Series
17. Watch an Original Thriller anime: Death Parade
18. Watch a Thriller anime adapted from a Manga/Web Manga: Series
19. Watch a Thriller anime adapted from a Light Novel/Novel: Series
20. Watch a Thriller anime adapted from another source: Series
21. Watch a Thriller and Action anime: Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku
22. Watch a Thriller and Mystery anime: Higashi no Eden Movie I: The King of Eden
23. Watch a Thriller and Drama anime: Series
24. Watch a Thriller and Horror anime: Satsuriku no Tenshi
25. Watch a Thriller and Sci-Fi anime: Series
26. Watch a Thriller and Supernatural anime: Gankutsuou
27. Watch a Thriller and Psychological anime: Yakusoku no Neverland
28. Watch a Thriller and Seinen anime: Series
29. Watch a Thriller anime tagged with genres not mentioned: Series
30. Watch a Thriller anime with a main cast with natural hair colors: Series
31. Watch a Thriller anime with a main character with an unnatural hair color: Series
32. Watch a Thriller anime that begins with the letters A-L: Series
33. Watch a Thriller anime that begins with the letters M-Z: Series
34. Watch a Thriller anime with a special character anywhere in the main title: Series
35. Watch a Thriller anime with a non-Japanese main title: Series

❆ Winter 2020 Look-In ❆

December 24, 2019, 5:13 pm

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≪ Previous: The Thriller Challenge

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*The site I use to pick up seasonal titles can be found here.*

Legend: ✓ Will be checking out regardless ★ Titles that caught my attention 1.) Darwin's Game ★ Director: Tokumoto, Yoshinobu (Comic Girls) Studio: Nexus Tags: Action, Mystery, Shounen Episodes: ? Thoughts and Concerns: The idea interest me and this will definately will be something that I'll keep my eyes on. But with an unknown studio and director that doesn't have much behind them. This can lead to a lot of technical problems. Main example: Animation. 2.) Magia Record: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica Gaiden ✓ Director: Gekidan Inu Curry Studio: Shaft Tags: Psychological, Drama, Magic, Thriller Episodes: ? Thoughts and Concerns: This isn't a matter of what or who but rather, how. As a spin off to a much loved Madoka Magica, many people are very hyped for this. I don't think I have any concerns, but as usual, anything can happen. 3.) ID:Invaded ★ Director: Aoki, Ei (Re:CREATORS/ALDNOAH.ZERO) Studio: NAZ Tags: Sci-Fi, Mystery Episodes: 2/?(First 2 Episodes are available on Hulu.) Thoughts and Concerns: There are no concerns for me when it comes to the plot, the director, or even the soundtrack. My main concern comes from the studio. NAZ has some titles to it, such as Hajimete no Gal or DRAMAtical Murder. It even has another anime airing the same season (Infinite Dendrogram). While I had a fun time watching, I knew that these were lower quality. This mainly comes down to art and story. So, hopefully with a great director, we can get a great anime from them. 4.) Pet ✓ Director: Oomori, Takahiro (Baccano!/Durarara) Studio: Geno Studio Tags: Mystery, Psychological, Supernatural, Seinen Episodes: ? Thoughts and Concerns: This is going to be an interesting one, at least for me. So, Geno Studio has the example of Golden Kamuy and Kokkoku behind them. Check. The director brought us the much loved anime such as Baccano! and Durarara. Another check. The plot being about people who can get into people's minds and control their memories? Check, Check, Check. This will most likely end up on my final list. I just can't see anything of concern that could go wrong. 5.) Breakers ⇢ Director: Nishikawa Masataka Studio: NHK Enterprises Tags: School-Life, Sports Episodes: 12 Thoughts and Concerns: If you wanted a link to the MAL page, I'm gonna have to let you down for this one. However, the studio has titles such as Radiant and Pingu behind it. Director is unknown. So, this might be a flop? Might be more of a time filler. Hard to say. 5.) Itai no wa Iya nano de Bougyoryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu. Director: Oonuma, Shin (Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu/Imouto sae Ireba Ii.) Studio: Silver Link. Tags: Action, Sci-Fi, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy Episodes: ? Thoughts and Concerns: For the love of god, I hate when anime take on such long titles. It's ridiculous. What is wrong with calling it I hate pain. Regardless, this is something I don't usually pick up. But I thought it would be a simple anime that I could use as a break from much heavier ones. Since I have no interest in this series as a whole (because it mostly sounds and looks generic), I don't have concerns.

Private

December 24, 2019, 5:42 pm

≫ Next: The Holiday Challenge

≪ Previous: ❆ Winter 2020 Look-In ❆

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Private Entry

The Holiday Challenge

December 24, 2019, 6:11 pm

≫ Next: The Korean and Chinese Anime Challenge

≪ Previous: Private

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The Holiday Challenge |Watching|Plan to Watch|Completed|Rewatching|Rewatched| |Proof|Score|Started Date:|Finished Date:| |Easy|Medium|Hard|Conquered|Mastery| |[x1]|[x2]|[x3]|[x4]|

Start Date: |Dec. 25, 2019|TBD|TBD| End Date: |Before Club|TBD|TBD| Progress: |0/25|0/50|0/75| Status: |Participating|Participating|Participating|

EASY [x1] |0/25|

Watch an anime with a New Years themed episode:
1. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with sweets:
2. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with at least one young adult main character:
3. Series [Character: ] Watch an anime that takes place in the Spring:
4. Series Watch an anime with at least one child main character:
5. Series [Character: ] Watch an anime that takes place at sea:
6. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with mountain scenery:
7. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with at least one elder:
8. Series [Character: ] Watch an anime that takes place in Autumn/Fall:
9. Series Watch a sports anime:
10. Series Watch an anime with a culture festival:
11. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with a couple:
12. Series [Characters: ] Watch an anime with any type of president:
13. Series [Character: | Type: ] Watch a romance anime:
14. Series Watch an anime with a green haired character:
15. Series [Character: ] Watch a parody anime:
16. Series Watch an anime with a mother or father figure:
17. Series [Character: ] Watch an anime that takes place on Summer vacation:
18. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with fireworks:
19. Series [Episode: ] Watch a war anime:
20. Series [Type of War: ] Watch an anime with an animal sidekick/main character:
21. Series [Character: ] Watch a horror anime:
22. Series Watch a gourmet anime:
23. Series Watch an anime that takes place in Winter:
24. Series Watch an anime with a Christmas episode:
25. Series [Episode: ]

MEDIUM [x1] |0/50|

Watch an anime with a New Years themed episode:
1. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with sweets:
2. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with at least one young adult main character:
3. Series [Character: ] Watch an anime that takes place in the Spring:
4. Series Watch an anime with at least one child main character:
5. Series [Character: ] Watch an anime that takes place at sea:
6. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with mountain scenery:
7. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with at least one elder:
8. Series [Character: ] Watch an anime that takes place in Autumn/Fall:
9. Series Watch a sports anime:
10. Series Watch an anime with a culture festival:
11. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with a couple:
12. Series [Characters: ] Watch an anime with any type of president:
13. Series [Character: | Type: ] Watch a romance anime:
14. Series Watch an anime with a green haired character:
15. Series [Character: ] Watch a parody anime:
16. Series Watch an anime with a mother or father figure:
17. Series [Character: ] Watch an anime that takes place on Summer vacation:
18. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with fireworks:
19. Series [Episode: ] Watch a war anime:
20. Series [Type of War: ] Watch an anime with an animal sidekick/main character:
21. Series [Character: ] Watch a horror anime:
22. Series Watch a gourmet anime:
23. Series Watch an anime that takes place in Winter:
24. Series Watch an anime with a Christmas episode:
25. Series [Episode: ]

HARD [x1] |0/75|

Watch an anime with a New Years themed episode:
1. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with sweets:
2. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with at least one young adult main character:
3. Series [Character: ] Watch an anime that takes place in the Spring:
4. Series Watch an anime with at least one child main character:
5. Series [Character: ] Watch an anime that takes place at sea:
6. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with mountain scenery:
7. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with at least one elder:
8. Series [Character: ] Watch an anime that takes place in Autumn/Fall:
9. Series Watch a sports anime:
10. Series Watch an anime with a culture festival:
11. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with a couple:
12. Series [Characters: ] Watch an anime with any type of president:
13. Series [Character: | Type: ] Watch a romance anime:
14. Series Watch an anime with a green haired character:
15. Series [Character: ] Watch a parody anime:
16. Series Watch an anime with a mother or father figure:
17. Series [Character: ] Watch an anime that takes place on Summer vacation:
18. Series [Episode: ] Watch an anime with fireworks:
19. Series [Episode: ] Watch a war anime:
20. Series [Type of War: ] Watch an anime with an animal sidekick/main character:
21. Series [Character: ] Watch a horror anime:
22. Series Watch a gourmet anime:
23. Series Watch an anime that takes place in Winter:
24. Series Watch an anime with a Christmas episode:
25. Series [Episode: ]

The Korean and Chinese Anime Challenge

December 24, 2019, 6:24 pm

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The Korean and Chinese Anime Challenge |Watching|Plan to Watch|Completed|Rewatching|Rewatched| |Proof|Score|Started Date:|Finished Date:| |Easy|Medium|Hard|Conquered|Mastery| |[x1]|[x2]|[x3]|[x4]|

Start Date: |Dec. 25, 2019|TBD|TBD|TBD| End Date: |TBD|TBD|TBD|TBD| Progress: |19/20|0/30|0/40|0/50| Status: |Participating|Participating|Participating|Participating| Sources: |Korean & Chinese|

EASY |19/20|

1. Noblesse: Awakening
2. Noblesse: Pamyeol-ui Sijak
3. Cheating Craft
4. Bloodivores
5. To Be Hero
6. Quanzhi Gaoshou
7. Quanzhi Fashi
8. Gin no Guardian
9. Nanumu no Ie
10. Quanzhi Fashi 2nd Season
11. RoboMasters the Animated Series
12. Wo De Tian Jie Nv You
13. Gin no Guardian II
14. Evil or Live
15. Elsword: El-ui Yeoin
16. Quanzhi Gaoshou Specials
17. Wei, Kanjian Erduo La!
18. Quanzhi Fashi 3rd Season
19. Shikioriori
20. Series

MEDIUM |0/30|

1. Series
2. Series
3. Series
4. Series
5. Series
6. Series
7. Series
8. Series
9. Series
10. Series
11. Series
12. Series
13. Series
14. Series
15. Series
16. Series
17. Series
18. Series
19. Series
20. Series
21. Series
22. Series
23. Series
24. Series
25. Series
26. Series
27. Series
28. Series
29. Series
30. Series

HARD |0/40|

1. Series
2. Series
3. Series
4. Series
5. Series
6. Series
7. Series
8. Series
9. Series
10. Series
11. Series
12. Series
13. Series
14. Series
15. Series
16. Series
17. Series
18. Series
19. Series
20. Series
21. Series
22. Series
23. Series
24. Series
25. Series
26. Series
27. Series
28. Series
29. Series
30. Series
31. Series
32. Series
33. Series
34. Series
35. Series
36. Series
37. Series
38. Series
39. Series
40. Series

CONQUERED |0/50|

1. Series
2. Series
3. Series
4. Series
5. Series
6. Series
7. Series
8. Series
9. Series
10. Series
11. Series
12. Series
13. Series
14. Series
15. Series
16. Series
17. Series
18. Series
19. Series
20. Series
21. Series
22. Series
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25. Series
26. Series
27. Series
28. Series
29. Series
30. Series
31. Series
32. Series
33. Series
34. Series
35. Series
36. Series
37. Series
38. Series
39. Series
40. Series
41. Series
42. Series
43. Series
44. Series
45. Series
46. Series
47. Series
48. Series
49. Series
50. Series

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December 24, 2019, 7:05 pm

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25/12/2019 I have a beautiful smile.

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December 24, 2019, 11:15 pm

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December 24, 2019, 11:15 pm

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December 24, 2019, 11:24 pm

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ZettaiBlog 334: Heroine Wins By Doing Absolutely Nothing

December 24, 2019, 11:57 pm

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WARNING: BECAUSE OF REASONS I MUST TELL EVERYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 TO GET OUT OF MY BLOG! OBEY OR I’LL BE DEFENESTRATED! ALSO BE WARY OF WILD ROAMING SPOILERS! YOU’VE BEEN WARNED! Welcome back. Last time a swordgirl was covered. Now it’s more like some S-word girl instead. : You’re comparing me to feces right off the bat? How cruel. Yeah, cruel for the feces. : Zing! : I didn’t come here to get insulted! Zettai, finish the blog this instant! And why I should obey to a powerless girl like…

Tsukasa Nishino from Ichigo 100%

: Wait, thought Ichigo was from Bleach and not this show. Not every show is named after the main character. JoJo and Naruto are not the rule. : Har har. Stop wasting time and blog me for the battle can start! I hope this isn’t about making cakes! : Just blog and get ready… Body Hair Tsukasa utterly fails this. Not just because her hair is blonde and short and utterly forgettable, but she even comes off getting a goddamned haircut at the start of the story. Naturally she gets praised for that. But that’s not the worst part, the worst part is during the series she gets ANOTHER haircut just to rub salt on the wound. That’s beyond evil. The only reason this score isn’t lower would be because she isn’t bald obviously. Screw haircuts. Score: 0.5 Eyes Tsukasa has green eyes. You know how well that goes with blonde hair. Worse, seems early on she had brown eyes which are better but she got quickly retconned because only losers have brown eyes. Lame. And this has nothing really to do with Tsukasa but screw the author for constantly mocking Aya for having glasses and forcing her to wear contact lenses again and again. Glasses need more appreciation. Mock her chest instead. Score: 4 Build Tsukasa has measurements. Height is 158cm which is not bad, blood type B which sounds like they are gonna do the “four heroines with a different blood type each” but then you get two 0 and no AB because reasons which are probably dumb, and no three sizes but only a cup size. Maybe Danganronpa was inspired by this drivel. Anyway she has B cup and has a flat chest complex because those are always hilarious and never overused nor annoying beyond words. Other than that the girl isn’t too bad, though the faces felt a bit off-putting to me for some reason. Nothing too extreme, but it’s not doing Tsukasa any favors. Still decent overall. Score: 7 Butt Tsukasa shows ass. Too bad the show doesn’t care for asses, only for panties. Then again it’s named after a freaking panties print. Score: 5 Clothes Tsukasa is kinda boring here. And everywhere else. She mostly sticks to standard clothes and her uniform for some reason is the sweater type which is even more boring. Her waitress outfit is cute and helps slightly but overall this was not her best trait. Also gotta say she wears strawberry print panties because that’s important for the plot. Goddamned Japanties strikes again. Score: 6.5 Mind Personality Tsukasa is kinda okay. The lead Junpei declares to her thinking she was the strawberry panties-wearing girl he saw and she somehow accepts. Sure. Then she breaks with him and they go separate paths. Except not really for every time Junpei is all “This time I will ask Aya/Satsuki out and move forward!” magically Tsukasa appears and like a dog in the meager prevents him from choosing other girls while remaining herself away and not being capable being picked. Sure this is mostly Junpei being so indecisive that it takes him ten minutes to pick from chocolate or vanilla ice cream, but it feels like a cheap way to keep Tsukasa relevant and prevent the actually enjoyable and active girls from winning. Something Tsukasa does out of freaking nowhere. After a fake out where Aya looked like she won but ha-ha disregard that. Lame. Not too bad personality. She becomes slightly more mature serious and hardworking over time, and she wants to become a pâtissière and works hard for that. But much like a Hugtto character all her character development was done offscreen while Aya and Satsuki worked hard. Screw this noise. Score: 2 Reception Tsukasa sucks here too. Like said she wins out of nowhere and that’s really lame. She also seems fairly popular at least for MAL users because this site hasn’t proved to have awful taste enough times. Luckily this seems more prevalent among Western fans because image upload sites give Aya and Satsuki far more pics and one poll for least favorite Jump heroine had Tsukasa end pretty high. Still she has too many fans. Score: 3 Libido Tsukasa fails again. Like said before she’s the dog in the meager and despite breaking with Junpei never stops liking him and making him question his feelings time and time again. Like said that’s more him being way too indecisive but it’s pretty lame nonetheless. And she wins randomly like said. Terrible. Score: 1 Age Tsukasa is shown through all of high school, making her 15-18 at various points. The epilogue shows her in her early twenties but not enough to affect the score. Her birthday is the 16th of September case curious. Score: 9 Voice Megumi Toyoguchi needs better roles. Period. Score: 7 Total: 45 - Failed : Huh, expected way less. Same. Guess you’re more annoying that outright awful. : Not that blogs shall matter again. I’ll dye the snow red with your blood today! First, that sounds too violent for a romcom character. And second, where I live snow never falls. At best sometimes hails. : Way to ruin the dramatic line. Sorry not sorry. Blogged girls, come! *they indeed appear* : Nyaa, did I run into a blonde girls convention? : Hopefully I can provide assistance. : Stay away from me you fat cow. : Elite team right there. : Perfect. And now for my unique challenge… : Baking cakes? : Nope. COME, HOUOU! *suddenly a blue robot with floating limbs drops down* Aaaaaaah! We are doomed… Doomed…. : Zettai, what happened? : He recognized the power of this character! And be glad Ivan Ooze and Petshop weren’t answering my phone calls. You evil monster! And also a total tier who- : Zettai, language. But that’s how these people are called. It has nothing to do with her being female. : Enough hosing around. Houou, attack! *uses her remote control and the robot charges forward* : Not so fast there! *transforms and blocks the robot* : Houou Break! *the robot dashes in and hits Claire really hard* : Ugh! Such reaction speed! Such power! This machine is in another level! : Sadly we’re not in the level to help out… : Nyaa… I have a plan actually… : I will try coming down from above… *flies up and descends fast* HAAAAAAAAH! : Houou Upper! *the robot “stretches” upwards and uppercuts Claire out of the air* : Waaaah! Just what is this thing! : Are you sure that will work? : It better work… : Might as well shoot at it from away… *readies her Dragoon for that* : Houou Cannon! *the robot fires a really fast energy ball* : What the!? *narrowly dodges* That reaction speed is off the charts! : Alright, here goes nothing! *holds Nozomi by her ankles and spins her around then flings her at the villainess* : BURUTS CANNON! *tackles Tsukasa and destroys the remote control* : Ow! Now it’s out of control and- *gets grabbed by the robot* Houou, stop! Houou Crash is not wanted! *gets flung far away, then the robot short-circuits and breaks down* : Looks like we won this! Thanks for the help, girls! : Nyaa… Thanks. : Guess some busty girls are fine… But now I’m gonna leave! Goodbye! *leaves* : Merry Christmas. *also leaves* : Happy holidays! *leaves too* : What now? Well, the year is all over. Next year should start peaceful. How about a gothloli month? And since it’s technically Christmas for us still maybe we can start with one with a fitting name. : Sweet.