Rinne no Lagrange ep12: say it until they can’t hear you anymore, and then say it some more.

Well here I am.  The twelve and final episode of the first season of Rinne no Lagrange.  Didn’t think I’d be here three months ago.  I was sure I’d dump this rather publicly and harshly like I’d done to other shows.  But Lagrange has shown that it was bit more entertaining than I was expecting.  Now whether I’d call it a good show, or a show I’d consider picking up for the second season is still up for debate.  Could the final episode help convince me one way or another?

Ah ha!  Guess Lagrange didn’t want to play things straight for episode twelve.  Things are more than a little disjointed and confusing when we see Madoka and Lan acting out what turned out to be a scene from a school film production on the beach.  The thing that really stood out was the space armada parked in the sky.  What the hell happened last episode?  That was a pretty big cliffhanger.  I didn’t expect the show to play with its audience like this.

#GundamAGE ep24: to live like a man and die like a dog. #anime

What the hell is this?! Asemu doesn’t get much of a break does he?  And I can’t for the life of me understand Zeheart’s thinking.  Either you view him properly as an enemy or you don’t.  Don’t try to romance his weakness and then hesitate to end his life.  Though I will say I like one thing, Gundam AGE is bitter as hell. And it doesn’t have much of a use for old men.

DonKangolJones’ Images of the Week: March 23rd (Because after Dark Souls I need something to make me feel better.)

Off my ass again to do another images of the week post.  My excuse for the delay this time?  Mass Effect 3 and getting my curb stomped by Dark Souls over and over… and over …and over again.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m making progress, but you can’t play that game without suffering, despair… and a healthy dose of spontaneously cursing because you screwed up, or the game screw you.  So when all is lost, I completely shut down the PS3 & boot up the anime.  Games nowadays have a way of telling you you’ve been playing for too long.  They tell you you need to stop and get out of the house.  You don’t need that with Dark Souls.  Granted you haven’t spiked your controller, you’ll walk away on your own, eventually.  But enough about that.  Anime and  manga, that’s all I’m concerned about right now.  Here are my usual, but hardly consistently weekly anymore, images of the week!

#Lagrange ep11: there’s something not right about Midori. There’s something broken in Madoka. #anime

“Come hell or high water.”  Don’t know who came up with the phrase, and it doesn’t make a lot of sense to me when I think about it. But it appears to be a truly appropriate phrase once a desperate enough situation comes up. By hell or high water Madoka was getting in her Vox. And it looks like a lot of people are going to pay for it.  Rinne no Lagrange, welcome to your Evangelion moment.

#GundamAGE ep23: no one can afford to wait for you to grow up, Asemu. #anime

First and foremost, for all those who followed Gundam AGE from the beginning, Grodek has finally been released from prison! Woo-hoo! It makes sense since the Vagan’s have been causing so much trouble lately. I don’t know what did it, maybe enough of the old brass died off to allow for his release. Or maybe Flit was able to finally pull enough strings. It doesn’t matter because at least the old badass didn’t have to die in that prison and is finally getting some of the respect that was due to him.

Something else long overdue is Zeheart catching flack for being such poor commander.

#GundamAGE ep22: Flit has put so many previous Gundam protagonists to shame, that Tomino should feel ashamed of himself. #anime

I don’t know whether to be more impressed by Flit, or by the Federation forces’ overall competence. This also once again allows me to say that despite Zeheart’s sexy quotient and first-rate X-Rou– Newtype skills, he’s still a terrible commander. He’s no Char or Athrun in that department. But most of all it allows me to say that Gundam AGE is a very entertaining show. There’s a special kind of payoff you get from this type of narrative.

And that’s the enjoyment (artificial or not) of seeing characters progress over a long period of time. And the additional joy of seeing various relationships evolve, devolve and permeate.

Lagrange ep10: I have a fear. A fear of school festivals and too much lounging around.

Rinne no Lagrange is starting to delve deeper, and when it does that I like it.  It’s this potential and the series few shining moments that keep me watching (along with the gorgeous production values).  It’s too bad that I have trouble enjoying the show’s more subtle attributes.

Lagrange‘s love of swimming in the slice-of-life pool tends to irk me.  I enjoy character development and bonding just fine, but this show seems to have trouble emphasizing, or making understand how important its events are.  Sheesh!  Even though the series takes place on a

#GundamAGE ep21: Woolf is on the fast track to being the best sempai ever. #anime

There are plenty of ways to deal with your feelings towards a problem.  There’s only one true way to deal with the problem itself. That appears to be what Asemu’s learning to master as of this episode of Gundam AGE. You could easily pin the guy (can’t say he’s a kid, despite his character design he is an adult) with the spoiled, entitled brat label. But you’d only be showing how much of an ignorant hate you are. The only thing Asemu has lacked so far was
focus. True focus on a goal. He doesn’t lack it now.

Lagrange ep8: I’m as disappointed as Madoka to learn of the “secret” behind the “aliens”.

This show melds a lot of things into its recipe for a show. Though I didn’t know goth loli would be one of the ingredients. Cross dressing is another surpise ingredient as well. Oh Lagrange, I don’t know exactly what to make of your playful nature, but at least you’re taking the time to explain yourself.

What a kick I got to see the show enjoying itself and showing me one of the things I enjoy most about it in the opening sequence. The beautiful animation and the Voxes in flight. They even got to throw in a Top Gun style buzzing of the command center/tower. All three of the girls of getting along swimmingly, so you just know something has to be thrown in to shake up the dynamic. And since it doesn’t appear battle will be that thing then there is no better solution than another woman. Well perhaps the word “woman” isn’t the best descriptor.

#GundamAGE ep20: Zeheart is still an awesome pilot, and a terrible commander. #anime

Well that was a fun episode. I would hardly say much moved forward.  It was more a case of more possibilities and options being put on the table. It’s an episode seasoned with some good Gundam-style space acrtion and sprinkled with a bit of the show’s penchant for terrible tactics and strategies.  I suppose that’s something I’ve learned to accept.