There are some shows that are constructed so cleverly that I would give anything to be a fly on the wall during their development meetings. In fact, I bet I can write this one: No, let’s start out …
May 6, 2024 • Subscribe
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Sidonia no Kishi (Knights of Sidonia)
Sidonia is an interstellar seed ship that escaped the destruction of Earth at the hands of the alien beings known as the Gauna. It contains what is essentially…
How to Build a Series: 86
Our old friends Salvati and Simplicito scored BIG on their last series, The Elite Classroom (not to be confused with Classroom of the Elite, which was created by…
How To Build a Series: Toradora
I always like a nice case of Stealth Storytelling. Look, in a lot of ways, when you have a really basic story what you’re really exploring is character…
How to Build a Series: TP Bon
Okay, I write science fiction, so I’m a sucker for stuff like time travel as long as the writers can convincingly deploy handwavium. You know handwavium: “We can…
How to Build a Series: Fruits Basket
Fruits Basket is one of those things that looks like a delightful piece of fluff but is actually a masterclass in story construction when you look at it…
How to Build a Series: Samurai Champloo
I don’t talk enough about Samurai Champloo. I guess that’s because it’s Shinichiro Watanabe’s second series, and let’s be honest: Once you’ve made Cowboy Bebop there’s only one…
How To Build a Series: Steins;Gate
Steins;Gate is one of those things I saw a long time ago but never really had a chance to take a close look at until just recently. It’s…
How to Build a Series: Death Note
Death Note is one of those anime stories that tries to be deep by asking deep questions. There are others. Ghost in the Shell asks “What does it…
One-Punch Man, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Death Note, Ghost in the Shell
How to Build a Series: Strike Witches
I’ll just say it: the neat thing about Strike Witches is that it’s like a good stew, a whole bunch of things thrown together that work together to…
How to Build a Series: Classroom of the Elite
Due to popular demand, we return to our anime-writing friends Salvati and Simplicito. You know, the guys Galileo used to explain how the Earth goes around the Sun.…
Knights of Sidonia Anime Review
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Attack on Titan, Blame!, Knights of Sidonia, Mobile Suit Gundam
Knights of Sidonia - Episode 11
The path of a giant craft journeying through space never did run smooth, particularly if that craft happens to be named Sidonia, as this spa...
How to Build a Series: Thermae Romae Novae
WARNING: This discussion violates my rule on not talking about anime that are just out. It contains spoilers! Be warned. In a lot of ways Thermae Romae Novae…
How To Build a Series: Spy X Family
Okay, repeat after me: Stories don’t need conflict if you don’t want people to pay any attention to them. Of course, if you DO want people to like…
How to Build a Series: Dan Da Dan
Okay, first of all Dan Da Dan falls under the “It’s New” rule. I’ll do my best not to reveal spoilers. Although, SPOILER, it’s a high school romance…
How to Build a Series: My Happy Marriage
Look, there are times when you can look at creating a story/series as being like cooking from a recipe. That doesn’t mean it’s going to work. You can…
Mecha March: Knights of Sidonia (2014)
Welcome back to my second installation for Mecha March! I hope by now you guys have this system down, but in case you weren’t aware Mechanical Anime Reviews is the…
Knights of Sidonia - Episode 12 (Completed)
Taking the fight to a massive Gauna hive was always going to be a "do or die" mission for Sidonia's Gardes, but as the situations worsens it...
How Not to Build a Series: Girls und Panzer
I REALLY REALLY wanted to like Girls und Panzer. Seriously, among other things I have been a World War II buff for years. My dad – Staff Sergeant…
How to Build a Series: Teasing Master Tagaki-san
I’ve been watching something utterly inane called Teasing Master Takagi-san on Netflix. To qualify, “Teasing Master” is a title, not a verb: Takagi does the teasing rather than…
How To Build a Series: The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. Reawakened
Okay, the Saiki K. series is a whole franchise built around a gag manga, and like any gag-based show, as long as the jokes keep coming, so do…
Knights of Sidonia: Love Woven in the Stars
Love Woven in the Stars opens with a quick action scene that shines with a polish the TV series never achieved, and I have to imagine that it's…
Knights of Sidonia, Knights of Sidonia: Love Woven in the Stars
Sidonia no Kishi: Daikyuu Wakusei Seneki (Knights of Sidonia: Battle for Planet Nine)
The second season of Knights of Sidonia continues the story of Nagate and company as they fight against the Guana in an effort to preserve humanity. However, beyond…
Knights of Sidonia, Knights of Sidonia: Battle for Planet Nine
Sidonia no Kishi: Ai Tsumugu Hoshi (Knights of Sidonia: Love Woven in the Stars)
This film is the conclusion to Knights of Sidionia. It’s is a continuation of season two, though there’s a pretty major gap between it and season 2. There…
Knights of Sidonia, Knights of Sidonia: Love Woven in the Stars
How To Build a Story: Descending Stories
I know there’s a Descending Stories anime. I think it’s on Tootsieroll, or whatever that service that Sony just bought is called, but I haven’t seen it. But…
Knights of Sidonia S2 ep8: lovingly preserved culture and crushes
If not for how much I’ve started liking the characters that actually survive in this show, I’d have a real problem with the slow down in pace here.…
Knights of Sidonia S2 ep9: un-uttered anticipation and fear
This is more like it. I could see comedy, harem and slice-of-life elements in an anime anywhere in this day and age. I come to watch Sidonia primarily…
Knights of Sidonia S2 ep10: wrapped with the red string of fate
I should’ve known Benisuzume was too good a villain to lose. though I’m pretty puzzled as to how she survived. We’re very slowly understanding the Gauna, but their…
PODCAST - Ep. 71: Moonlight Mile s.3 and Knights of Sidonia
After some snafus last week, we're catching up with our podcast show notes with a sci-fi double-header, including our first chat about an UNTRANSLATED (yes, in Japanese) manga!
Garden of Sinners 1 – How to Build Atmosphere
I have always had a hard time explaining why I like the Kara no Kyoukai movies (or Garden of Sinners from now on) to the extent that I…
How to Build a Story: The Flowers of Evil (Part I)
Sawa Nakamura her own self I waited until the complete The Flowers of Evil manga set went on sale before picking it up. I won’t say that was…
How to Build a Story: The Flowers of Evil (Part II)
Okay, last week we left the Flowers of Evil kids in the pits, as Acts I and II of the five that comprise the story resolve the first…
How to Start a Series: Dragonball
And I do mean Dragonball, the original series, because it was the start of it all. If the first one doesn’t work, Z and Kai and whatever others…
How To Cook a Series: Beastars
I’m taking a week off from shows going off the track, since even I don’t think it’s THAT interesting. I mean, you know, really. Problem: This is the…
How To Cook a Series: Nana
Nana is one of those things that’s actually easier to think about than a lot of anime, because it transcends the genre(s) in a specific way. Yeah, it’s…
Knights of Sidonia: Love Woven in the Stars – No Tolerance At All
A Quick Look at Knights of Sidonia This film is the conclusion to the anime series Knights of Sidonia. A season that was, for a while, a Netflix…
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How to build a zecha: from concept art to 3D model
Ever wonder how a 2D concept illustration ends up as a fully rendered 3D character in a game? It’s definitely a team effort involving several different artists. Let’s…
How to Cook a Series: Domestic Girlfriend
Okay, let’s throw something on the floor here: You got this high school student named Natsuo. He’s got a heavy crush on this girl named Hina. In the…
How to Cook a Series: Demon Slayer
Everyone thinks writers start with a plot and write. I don’t. I think about what I want to write about, and then cook up whatever other pieces I…
How to Cook a Series: Silver Nina
Every once in a while I fall into a rabbit hole and can’t climb out. So I have a subscription to Crunchyroll, and there’s an app that gives…
How Not to End a Series: School-Live!
I’m relatively new to anime/manga fandom, and School-Live! is the first series I’ve managed to follow “traditionally.” You know: waiting for weeks or months for the next issue,…
How To Start a Series: Komi Can’t Communicate
I almost called this “How Not to Start a Series,” but as annoyed as I am with Komi Can’t Communicate, from the standpoint of financial success the author,…
How to Cook a Series: Wonder Egg Priority
You know what Wonder Egg Priority reminded me of? Interviews with Monster Girls. Let me tell you why. The deal with the demi-human girls of Interviews is that…
How to Start a Series: Revolutionary Girl Utena
Revolutionary Girl Utena is one of those concoctions, like Neon Genesis, that is sometimes so deep it seems like the creators outsmarted themselves trying to show themselves how…
How to Cook a Series: The Orbital Children
The Orbital Children is one of those things that snuck up on me. I was like, yeah, kiddie sci-fi, I’m going to like that (sarcasm), but I was…
How to Cook a Series: Kotaro Lives Alone
Isn’t Kotaro Lives Alone so cute you just can’t stand it? That brave little boy, living alone, living up the ideals of the noble knight, making all the…
How To Start a Series: Pleasure and Corruption
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Spiraken Manga Review Ep 184: Knights of Sidonia & Shin Getter Robo (aka GETTA CHANGE!!)
Xan is so pumped for this episode. In It, he and raze review two mecha series. One is a classic series by that amazing MangaKa, Go Nagai and…
How Not to End a Series: Welcome to the NHK
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How Not to Cook a Series: Michiko and Hatchin
Look, let me lay it out here: I don’t call this blog “The Overage Otaku” because I’m 19 and all my manga friends are like 16. I’m an…