AniWednesday: Ms. MONOCHROME ep3, and ep2 of Coppelion, Tokyo Ravens, BlazBlue and Ars Nova

Alright, for the second time, I’m gonna try this little experiment where I test out anime I have less of an interest in, and give my thoughts.  So far, this feels good.  If this continues until the fifth or sixth week of Fall airings, then I may be able to pare down some anime while I’m at it, too.

Coppelion

Episode 2

I’d say this was pretty strong, competent episode. Though i can’t say I really enjoyed it that much, nor did the drama really move me. I guess my lack of empathy comes from seeing people make unfathomable decisions in this show. I can’t understand how a person, even someone who had to endure prison, could stand to live in such a toxic environment. To make matters worse, these guys chose to do so with a child. Then again I’m not totally clear on their situation, even with the information we’re given, it doesn’t explain some factors and events.

For one, who the hell was driving around giving out provisions to the survivors?  And who is this group that have anti-radiation suits that far outpace the government’s own stock?  They’re invisible, but there’s no denying this other group that has yet to show up in this show.  But I will give the show credit for not leaving viewers totally in the dark.  For some reason,  this show really takes the time to explain some of the stuff that would just make me scream out the word “nonsense”.  Whether it be how come people choose to live in this environment, or how they’re able to survive (man that sterile underground room was a miracle), there was always a valid excuse prepped.  I was rather surprised, but appreciative of the effort.  That still couldn’t mask the female prisoner’s actions though.  I know she tossed away a baby’s life a long time ago (good lord what a horrible thing to live with), but I just couldn’t fathom her staying choosing to keep an innocent child in this hell hole, just to ease her conscience.  So when she met her demise, I saw it as penance and a self-inflicted end.

Overall, a decent episode that moves things for the characters and the show slightly forward.  Though I know that things are going to get much wilder than that.  I hope I’m sticking around for a good reason.

Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova

Episode 2

Yeah, that’s my basic thought on this episode.  For all bile that builds up inside my esophagus when I see the CG in this show, the naval battles so far have been thought out and engaging.  There isn’t much to this show besides that (and the inevitable conspiracy), but it’s enough to carry this episode at least.  And if you’re going to do anything right, it may as well be the thing your entire show is centered around.

Now as far as what little bits of plot there are so far, it seems that maybe in some weird roundabout way, the humans and “Fog” just need to engage one another to understand one another.  At first I thought that Gunzou’s decision to not kill Takao was just a dumb thing that was facilitated by good looks.  But at the end of the episode, you see the desire in her to be more like Iona blossom.  It’s still a dumb decision by Gunzou (why spare something that’s just going to kill more humans at any chance it gets), but at least we truly see how capable a commander and officer he is.  And the same goes for his crew.  Though I so far find their inclusion superfluous, since you can’t tell me that Iona can’t run the ship just as well by herself.  I’ll just chalk this up for the need for plot and character interaction.  Afterall, the show would still be interminably boring if it was just her and Gunzou on the ship.

Overall, and good, fun episode with a decent amount of suspense and tactics.  It’s no Legend of the Galactic Heroes in terms of strategy, but it’s leagues above anything else on TV when it comes to that stuff.  I could recommend this show just based on that.  And if I get to episode five of this show, then I’ll try to get into any conspiracy theories after that.

Note: Takao is pretty damn sexy!  Uh huh!

Tokyo Ravens

Episode 2

Someone is going to have to explain to me just what a familiar is and does.  Because after watching this episode it seems it can mean anything.  Also, there’s definitely a lot of five pointed stars going on in this show.  And this may be why I didn’t like the second episode as much as the first.  It didn’t do enough to get me hooked or attached.  Harutora has a friend who turns out to not even be a real person, and we’re just supposed to go on this emotional roller coaster with the character.  I’m guessing this is probably a slower, more well explained process in the light novel, but I’m just left feeling underwhelmed, waiting for the  crying to stop.

Actually, this episode was trying to pull a lot of strings.  Suzuka has this terrible story about how she’s been a guinea pig her entire life and that the government is responsible for her brother’s death.  I’m sure that’s unfair, but her idea of raising him from the dead with a forbidden technique and her own life as payment wreaks of a horrible idea and lack of forethought.  It didn’t work out for Edward and Alphonse Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist, it won’t work out well for her either.  In time though, I can see her being a decent villain with a tragic and understandable backstory (if a bit over done).  But right now she’s just a b*tch and a brat who is really dangerous.

Not to harp on the failings of an episode too much, I was kinda excited to see the CG mecha familiar demon thingies in this show.  The presence of a giant spider rarely works out for the better when good guys are around.  Though I found it a bit weak when all it did was suck a few government lackeys dry of their spiritual energy, and accidentally kill a familiar.  Hopefully this show picks up quite a bit when its hero gets his powers, or does stuff.  At the moment, there’s a little too much forced drama, standing around and confusion.  I need some ass to start getting kicked, soon.

Don’t get the wrong idea from my overall negativity, there  is hope, and there were good parts (the mecha battle thingy).  I just hope this show manages to improve greatly past this build up to the actual pace and storytelling of the show, and not this set up crap.  This isn’t one of the stronger intros I’ve seen for a show.

BlazBlue

Episode 2

Before I even start this episode, I’m going to guess that I’m still going to be as confused and out-of-the-loop as I were the previous episode.  Now then, let’s see.

*thirty minutes later*

AHAHAHAHAHAAA!  I still have no idea!  NONE!  Sweet lord!  I’m sure there’s something clever in here somewhere, but I can’t see it for the life of me!  This whole episode was basically the characters asking questions, looking surprised, or trying to kill each other, which if you boiled it down, would be a lot of different anime.  The problem here is that there’s nothing to boil down.  New characters are introduced, and then nothing’s said about them.  Names are uttered, and there’s no weight behind them for the ignorant.  It feels as if I stumbled into the middle of season two of a series.

I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.  There’s just nothing here.

OK.  OK,  After a moment of silence, maybe I can muster up a little something to speak about.  For one, Nu is pretty badass.  You can’t beat a shot where someone is firing dual hand cannons at you, and you keep walking forward.  Though the story behind her is almost sickening, as it almost seems like she’s just a guinea pig that’s been turned into a lion.  She mutters stuff about Ragna killing her over and over again, happily, before she was even born.  I don’t know what’s going on with this weird time loop either, but it does seem that it’s been broken this time.  And if the little loli vampire is to be believed, then that means all hell is gonna break loose.  Sure wish I knew more about what was gonna break loose though.  Sure wish I knew ANYTHING about this story!

Note: is it the stream I’m watching, or is this show really louder than everything else I’m watching?  GEEZUS!

Ms. MONOCHROME

Episode 3

Perhaps watching this and BlazBlue back to back was ill-advised.  Basically, Ms. Monochrome gets a special battery that allows her to charge herself up and become Iron Man for one fleeting moment.  That fleeting moment so happened to be when a bunch of d*ckhole  aliens were about to start their human hunt by murdering her manager.  Also, when the hell did the roomba get un-buried?  Oh well, I shouldn’t be expecting continuity or plot, that would be foolish.

I will say, this anime more than any other, makes me wonder what I’m doing with my life.  Or at least I worry about such things when I realize I’m watching this show weekly.

Further Reading:

• Check-in Station: AniWednesday? (BlazBlue, Ars Nova, Ms. MONOCHROME, & Tokyo Ravens)