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ファイト／ステイナイト 
For some reason this episode feels a lot more interesting than the ones before it for me. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that this is the episode that deals with the topic of finding a career instead of about the girls' love life, which as interesting as it was, a little bit difficult to relate. In fact, the general feel of the story leans heavily towards slice-of-life type until the last few minutes of the episode. This is probably the second time in a week a series decide to take this approach. Animation-wise, the quality is as consistent and good as always. A more notable element is the soundtrack that accompanies this episode. Some of the background music feature here help to create the mood of everyday life that the episode wants to project. Last but not least, as I pointed out yesterday in the previous entry, this series seems to have been given a tentative 50 episodes:
http://www.ntv.co.jp/english/pc/ntv-animation.pdf
This is definitely one of the funniest episodes so far. I've mentioned before how Ouran seems to be a lot better when the series is focused on Haruhi and the group instead of some random characters of the week. This episode is a good example of this. Instead of giving too much focus on the guest characters, the writers simply use them to mine the comic reactions out of the Host club. It also helps that the guest characters of the week are so serious that they provide a good contrast to the silly characters from Ouran. Animation-wise, this is pretty much the same quality as last week's episode so that means the animators are pretty good at maintaining the consistency. As a side note, if you didn't read last week's NANA's discussion, flchick pointed out a PDF document from Nippon TV that lists Ouran as 26 episodes series while NANA has been given around 50 episodes (tentative).
http://www.ntv.co.jp/english/pc/ntv-animation.pdf
It's through this episode you can see why they did all of those little ads during the Asahina Mikuru film. This episode also feels nicely slice-of-life in comparison to the other hectic episodes. It's probably a turn off for some but I like the change of pace. Having said that, this episode looks as if it was made to cut down some cost before the upcoming big episodes. There are many shots and composition which are clearly designed so that the animators don't have to spend too much budget on details. When that fails, they stick in a stationary scenes like Yuki reading books for around 3 minutes with some background noises. If you think Evangelion episode 24 had too many of these, you'll think the same way with this episode. As a side note, I finally managed to get a high-res version of the episode so the large images are here now.
I don't think this is as funny as last week's episode. However, since School Rumble usually contains more than one type of comedy, there's always something that will catch a viewer's attention. In my case, the Saint Seiya reference was good enough to make me complacent. The character design in this episode is quite horrid though. It's probably simplified so that they can put more budget on animating the characters' movement during the game. Having said that, some of the faces in this episode are shocker, especially Asou, who is inconsistently drawn from one frame to another. Also, it seems to me the character design for Harima and Tougou most of the time look a lot better in comparison to Asou's and Imadori's. I wonder if this has to do with the fact that Harima and Tougou's hair are a lot easier to draw and animated.
Time and time again I've heard the same (mostly justified) complaint: "Oh, if only this game was available in English". Be it Fate/stay night, Tsukihime, Air, or other kinds of games like Shuffle, it's sad that for most anime fans not proficient in Japanese the best games remain unavailable. Why? Because it usually involves translating incredible amounts of text, costing alot of time and money, while at the same time, the market and thus the potential revenues for it remain very small. Nearly nobody takes the risk.
Phantom of Inferno however is one of the great classics. Unlike the terrible anime version, which completely butchered this great story, this game is available in English and playable by everyone - because all you need for it is a DVD player.
About the storyline: Imagine the underworld setting of assassins from "Noir" blended with the loyalty-romance-and-betrayal drama of "Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien". The result is a thrilling epic with no less than six true endings, several of which I was unable to reach with dry eyes (even on my third replay). Add in the fact that the main endings take no less than 14 hours of game time each, and you can appreciate what you're getting.
Available dirt cheap for below 25$ in several locations. If you're remotely interested in the genre, get it.
Phantom of Inferno trailer 1 (MKV format)
Phantom of Inferno trailer 2 (MPG format)
Game Rating: (+++)
I really need to remind myself not to watch this series late at night. The last scene from this episode induced what I call a 'silent scream'. This is the kind of scream that you'd normally find in Japanese horror movies. In these kind of film, you'd see a character clearly screaming but audio-wise, you can't hear anything. I always find such scene to be rather disturbing because it visually represents the unspeakable horror that the character has to endure. Much to my displeasure, I felt this way upon seeing that last scene. Having said that, this series is just amazing. This is truly one of those series where the story makes you frustrated and excited at the same time. Of course, the addition of the horror doesn't hurt either. It's unfortunate that the animation is kind of lousy and I did think that some of Mion's shots in this episode look rather bad. In fact, in comparison to the manga, the Mion in anime looks rather bad. Just take a look at the image below:
It's been a while since this series shows an interesting fight but this episode manages to do just that. The battle is actually exciting and full of surprising revelation. And on top of this, Shirou finally grows up as a character and starts taking actions in order to achieve things that he wants to achieve. But with all of the surprises finally being laid to rest, it's clear that this series is finally on its way to completion. At this point in time, I don't think the anime will introduce other surprising elements to the storyline. I suspect that the next 2 episodes will simply deal with the latest enemy while the last one will probably be used to wrap up the series and shows what happens to the characters a few years later.
I've been hoping for this particular story to be animated and now that it's here, I think I'm quite happy with it. As usual, I wish the animation can be a bit better but at least this time around the characters' face are a lot more consistent than in the previous episodes. But the important thing about this episode is the story, which is probably one of the darkest one that has been animated so far. And much to my surprise, Production IG actually kept the majority of the scenes intact down to some of the rather disturbing scenes. I'm happy about this because I think the impact of the story would have been lessened without these scenes. And if you're wondering, the scene where Moro and Maru are cleaning a dusty carpet with Fai's magic staff still remains in the episode as well. Although since I've never paid attention to the detail of the staff, I've never been sure if that really is his staff or just a similar-looking one.
I think the animation quality goes down a bit in this episode but that is to be expected in a mid episode like this one. The storyline also starts to slowdown a little bit and starts to have a little bit of slice-of-life feel to it. Through this simple stories, however, it's not hard to see that the two Nana are quite different from each other. This is why I'm surprised to see them getting along with each other. As a side note, I realised that I've been calling Komatsu Nana as 'Hachi' right from the first episode but that is simply because it's more convenient to do this than to refer her as Nana.
This episode highlights some of the differences that set this series apart from other anime series that are currently on air. This is particularly true of the voice actresses, who have the tendency to use adult voice while lending said voice to a character. This is quite a rarity in anime, where voice actresses often project a little girl's voice even when the character is supposed to be an adult. In Mushishi, however, the only time a character sounds like a child is when the character is of that age as well. As a result, it's quite easy to distinguish which character is supposed to be younger or older just by listening to the voice track. Anyway, it's nice to know that after this episode there are still 6 more to go. It would be nice, however, if the series is granted a second season. Currently there are at least 7 volumes of the manga and out of those 7, only around 4 have been adapted for the anime. That means there are sufficient material to make 12 new anime episodes.
This episode contains some of the nicest animation I've ever seen. I especially love the two little snakes that Tamaki carries around in his bucket. It is therefore unfortunate that they actually have to trim the story down. I think it would have been better if this was presented as a two-parter. This makes me wonder if the series has only been scheduled as a 13 episodes series. The schedule on Shoboi's site certainly still indicates this. If that's the case then it's understandable as to why the animators want to include as many stories as possible. I do hope, however, that the series will be given 26 episodes at least so we can see some of the more interesting plotlines in the series.
This is a fun prologue to the upcoming baseball game. Before this episode, I wasn't aware that Asou actually has many girls lining up for his affection. But as it of now, it seems Mikoto, Sarah, and Satsuki are all interested in him. There are also some nice physical jokes here. My favourite is probably the one involving Satsuki and a meal set. The running joke of Tenma getting lots of foods from Yakumo but not getting any exercise is also a comedy gold. Last but not least, Lala giving Imadori the beating of his life never fails to incite any kind of laughter.
I didn't know until I use google that the 22nd of May is actually the birth date of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. I wonder if this is the reason that the screening of this episode was postponed until this week. It certainly makes a rather nice trivia if you think about it. Anyway, there are some interesting character development and interactions within the episode. I think Haruhi's character benefits the most from this episode because this one reveals that there's more to her personality than the obnoxious loud persona she seems to use on a daily basis. In a twisted kind of way, showing last week's episode first also makes a bit sense due to the revelation at the end of that particular episode. As a side note, if you haven't heard it before, I really recommend the Euro Mix version of Hare Hare Yukai. I've also updated the images with the high-res version if you're interested in them.
Hare Hare Yukai (Euro Mix)
Episode order comparison (revised)
I have to say that I'm really impressed with this series so far. I like how every episode always manages to give a little bit of hints while asking a whole bunch of new questions. It's also amazing how the writers manage to make the viewers unusure if there is actually a rational explanation behind the murders or if they are actually achieved through supernatural means. The most frustrating part of the series is that it seems as if the answer is actually in front of your eyes and yet you can't figure it out yet because you haven't got enough clues to solve the mysteries. Anyway, next week's episode should wrap up Watanagashi-hen. Since this is episode 7, it seems the anime writers decide to designate 4 episodes for each arc from the game. This means the anime will either stop at Tsumihoroboshi-hen or Minagoroshi-hen. Anyway, I didn't have the time to do full summary so I ended up only highlighting parts which I think will have some importance to the plot.
This episode feels kind of slow and doesn't actually progress the plot much. There are, however, some light moments in the episode which kind of make up for its deficiencies. By looking at this episode, it also becomes apparent that the series is closer to Fate arc ending more than anything else. The heavy focus on Shirou and Saber in this episode will definitely come in handy if the conclusion really is heading towards that particular ending. Anyway, I find it hard to believe that there doesn't seem to be any sense of urgency within the plot even though the series is ending soon. Having said that, the preview for next week's episode suggests that the pace will pick up a little bit from here on.
As far as resolution goes, this is not exactly what I had in mind for the series. I always feel that the anime suffers greatly because of the writers' decision to exclude some of the darker storylines and themes from the manga. I also find the excessive fanservice to be rather silly and distracting instead of enjoyable. On the positive side, the anime contains some lavish character design and background images courtesy of J.C Staff. I really hope the company will give similar or more attention when they get to work on the second season of Honey and Clover. Anyway, back to Karin, I think that overall this is not a bad series to watch. From time to time, one can sees that the writers are actually capable of writing some good and interesting dramas. Unfortunately their tendency to keep things light made the series feels rather generic.
Wow, finding a good raw for this episode was harder than usual. I only had the 105 and 121MB as options. Oh well, I suppose I'll just upgrade the screenshots to a Widescreen version later. Anyway, if you're looking for references to other series, you'll be glad to know that the reference to Doraemon remains intact. But as expected, there's no place for Tsubasa reference in this series. I also don't understand why the animators decide to put this episode first before the Zashiki-Warashi story. Despite this, they actually included one reference to her character at the end of the episode. As a side note, Ageha Ohkawa actually wrote the script for this episode. This suggests that she is actually aware of the changes and possibly even approved them herself. On a more positive note, the animation quality of the animation in this episode seems to be better than last week's although I realise that's not saying much.
I never noticed it until this episode but the characters in this series sure wear all sorts of nicely designed clothes. Some of them are the casual kind like the ones that Shouji wears but others are quite lavish and eclectic like Kyousuke's cowboy hat and his and Junko's matching pyjamas. A lot of details have certainly gone to the design of the clothes in this series. It makes me wonder if they actually work with several clothes retailer in order to promote each other's product. I think it's nice to see a series where the characters don't wear the same thing over the course of 26 episodes. I'm sure it adds up to the cost of the production though but I'm glad because it means that this series has a high production value attached to it.
This is not exactly the funniest episode within the series. However, it is a mark improvement from last week's episode which was rather dull in my opinion. It helps that this episode features my favourite pairing which is Mori x Haruhi. I actually don't mind any other pairings with Haruhi but if a person asks me which of the pairings that I like the most then the answer will have to be Mori x Haruhi. I just find these two a lot more interesting together. Anyway, the animation in this episode is fantastic and maintains the quality of the past few episodes. I think the quality will be maintained until the end of the series. Of course, there's the likelihood that the budget becomes crippled halfway or towards the end of the series but I seriously hope that won't be the case.
I am glad that I didn't eat anything while watching this episode because I would surely lose appetite halfway through the episode. Having said that, the scene in question made me realise that Higurashi contains some word play that would have been funny if this is actually a comedy series instead of a psychological horror. For example, Mion asks Keiichi back in episode 3 if his lunch was Oishikatta (delicious), a pun on the name of the detective, Ooishi. I remember how at first I wasn't sure if I should laugh or shiver in terror due to the way the sentence was delivered by Mion. This episode contains a similar scene but this time around there is no question that the scene is meant to scare the viewers. Anyway, I should probably mention that if you keep up with the anime numbering, this is basically episode 6 within the series.
For some reason this episode seems to be a lot better quality-wise. The background scenes have a nicer water-colour painting feel to it, something which I don't think I've noticed before on School Rumble. It's unfortunate the same thing can't be said for the characters. I kind of miss the way they look in the manga and wish the anime can replicate the style. Moving on to other parts of the episode, I found some of the background music used in the episode to be quite good. They remind me of lounge jazz music that are often played in those atmospheric jazz club and parlours. It's the kind of music that I'd listen to if I'm trying to relax. Overall, this was an entertaining episode but it's definitely not as good as last week's. The second half of the episode suffers a bit due to the amount of stories that the animators tried to condense.
It looks like the reason they move right away to this episode is because it'll allow the animators to showcase the powers that Itsuki and Yuki possess. I personally think if they really want to do this, then they should have screened this before Lone Island Syndrome or maybe right after The Boredom of Suzumiya Haruhi because this story is actually a direct continuation of that story. The other objection that I have with this episode is the excessive use of CG. Although the CG creature here is not as bad as the dragon featured in Fate/Stay Night, it still does not blend in seamlessly with the 2D animation. By the way, if you've been looking for it, I now have the chronological timeline of this series. I've also updated the screencaps with the hi-res version if you still want them.
This particular story actually shares a lot of similarity with episode 14. Unlike the other episode, however, this one feels a bit more lighthearted and not as sinister in terms of mood. This, however, means that the storyline is not as ambiguous as the other one. It's quite easy to know which side to root for this time around. There is also an unintentionally funny scene here, one which gave the literal impression of Gone with the Wind. In general, the episode doesn't have the same impact as the others that preceeded it. On the upside, this is one of those rare episodes that actually ends on a happy note. So this will be a pleasant change for those who's been waiting for a happy ending. Anyway, this week marks the return of the series on television. I'll try to finish episode 20 as soon as possible so I can move on to the new weekly episodes.
The main battle in the first half of this episode is amazing. I think the last time around I felt this way was the episode with Acher's death. Of course it helps that there are two major events happening within this one episode so the animators probably felt that they have to up the quality a bit. Also of note is the soundtrack, which is especially notable when it switches to a Egyptian/Mesopotamian style tune during the new character's introduction. Overall, the episode quality is quite impressive and made me wonder why Studio Deen can't give the same amount of quality control to Higurashi no Naku Koro ni. Anyway, with only 5 more episodes left, I wonder if the new character introduced this week will be the last nemesis for Shirou and the others to fight.
After the Widescreen version of episode 1 looking rather good, I decided to download the Widescreen version of the second episode just to see if it actually improves the rather lousy animation featured in the episode. Unfortunately, the answer is not really. The overall framing of the scenes are generally improved and this in effect, allows more colours to be included within a scene. The Widescreen framing, however, can't fix the bad and inconsistent character design that plagues the second episode. I suspect viewers will have to wait until the DVD version to see if this episode will get an upgrade in terms of character design. It seems to be the trend with the recent anime series so hopefully this will happen with xxxHOLiC as well. Anyway, this episode is basically a return of the first volume of the manga. And in case you're wondering, the crossover with Gouhou Drug/Lawful Drug remains intact.
This is a rather unusual turn for the series. For some reason, this sixth episode ends up being a return to the first episode. In other words, this episode is basically similar to the first episode except for several additional scenes which did not make it in the first episode. There are probably two explanations for this. The first one, the rumour (scroll down and look for a news that's dated May 2nd) that Yazawa Ai was not happy with the cuts/alterations that were done in the first episode was true. And because of it, she demands that another episode is screened to fix these missing scenes. Or maybe the writers simply want to follow the narratives of the manga and the first episode is simply a taste of things to come, a teaser, one may say. Either way, in the end fans do get to see the episode in the order that they were presented in the manga.
Unfortunately this is not as funny as last week's episode. I think by taking the focus away from the Host Club themselves, the series end up losing the comedy part of its appeal. The anime tries to add a little comedy by giving Renge a short appearance, but in the end, the overall episode is not as funny as usual. Having said that, this episode did a good job in the dramatic content part of the story. Unfortunately, the character of the week is a rather annoying and unsympathetic character in my opinion, so I didn't really care whether or not he manages to achieve his aim. I think the character in question tried to take a shortcut to achieve his aim but in the end ended up doing what he supposed to be doing anyway. But then again, I never like this kind of character so your milleage may vary.
It's been a while since I talk about games so I figure I should mention the E3 conference a bit especially since it's already underway at the moment. I've specifically created this thread to discuss the various announcement which are of interest to me. Unfortunately most of it will probably be PS3 related since I don't have enough money to purchase all 3 next-gen system. I will probably end up buying an additional console but I haven't decided if it's going to be XBox 360 or Nintendo Wii. Anyway, I'll update this thread from time to time so it may have some additions in the next few days.
E3 Coverage: Gamespot | IGN | 1UP
News:
PS3 will arrive in US on November 17, $499 for 20GB version, $599 for 60GB.
Final Fantasy XIII trailer | Mirror
Metal Gear Solid 4 trailer | Mirror
Ridge Racer 7 trailer
Grand Theft Auto 4 is confirmed for PS3/XBox
This was a rather entertaining episode. Well, I don't think it's actually as funny as episode 4 and I'm slightly disappointed with the ending. Having said that, there are some nice highlights which made the episode worth the while. The animation seems to be okay and at times look a bit Ouran-ish due to the flowery background. Anyway, this is probably the episode that most shipper have been waiting for. There seems to be many shipping variations presented here. It makes me wonder if there is anyone who actually watch the series but is not invested whatsoever in any of the pairings. I understand that the comedy is probably what most people are after but I think the various pairings help to create the silly misunderstandings that become the source of this series' jokes.
