Plot 101: Introducing some more of our main story. Honestly, one thing I’m enjoying about 86 is how it’s been building up the world. In the first episode, we got hints and questions. Here we get answers, but also more hints to hook into for the future. For instance, in the first episode we wereContinue Reading... Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 2Continue Reading...
Apr 18, 2021 • Subscribe
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Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 5
So, to an extent, I was wrong. Shin’s brother got a more detailed address than I was expecting, even if, no, it wasn’t the crux of another transformation.…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 1
So, this season we’ll be taking an episode-by-episode look at 86. Because this choice was kind of last-minute, it’s not really a show I’ve researched or know anything…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 4
86 continues to impress with its humanity, but to an extent much of what was had and needed this episode was highly predictable from the last. That’s not…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 10
No Lena this week. For much of the episode, not really much talking either. This one is very much on the artistic end, trying to convey an experience…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 7
The pace of 86, at times, makes it difficult to talk about, or at least to start with. At the bare minimum for the week’s episode we saw…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 8
So, this episode is all pretty much ‘gearing up’ for what would seem to be a final confrontation. The Spearhead is down to five, and they’re being sent…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 3
I hope you enjoy slow burn drama over any general expectation of action. Frankly, I kind of appreciate the approach… at least when there’s been a second cour…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 11
The final episode of the cour (special pending) and if you told me this was the absolute final episode of the show and anything related to 86, I…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 9
The time for the great battle against Shin’s brother’s Shepherd form has come. The episode “feels” short, consisting essentially of two extremely powerful scenes rather than a lot…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 6
We spend most of this episode with Spearhead, oddly enough including an extended flashback scene to when the formation was first formed, having a fun cookout together. One…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 20 (S2E9)
Last week, the show was (apparently) preempted by a holiday broadcast, so after a break once again, we’re back with Shin and company talking about their feelings as…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 21 (S2E10)
Can you believe we’ve got more coming after this? Once again, the show has done a pretty good job of convincing you that everyone is dead and all…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 19 (S2E8)
After another recap break in the action, we resume 86 with the hunt for the Morpho. Uncharacteristically for this show, the episode is mostly dedicated to the action.…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 15 (S2E4)
There’s an interesting contrast between 86 and another show I’m tracking episode by episode right now, Scarlet Nexus, and it has to do with the pacing. Specifically, both…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 14 (S2E3)
And here we see Shin rejoining the battle. Not really anyone else; even his fellows are rather scarce this episode, but it’s time for the return of Undertaker…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 18 (S2E7)
86 is a show that knows how to move deliberately. This episode was essentially entirely dedicated to buildup and setting the stage, with the actual attack on the…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 12 (S2E1)
If you haven’t watched 86 yet, do yourself a favor and give it a look. The first cour of the show was a well-paced, emotional, dramatic dive into…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 17 (S2E6)
In the Republic, the fighting has become fierce, with Lena managing a forward command post as the Alba citizens scatter in terror. But more than that, we’re concerned…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 16 (S2E5)
For all that the pace of 86 can be deliberate, when crap hits the fan, the show knows how to show it hitting the fan. The Legion deploys…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 13 (S2E2)
This week, we get an episode entirely devoted to Shin’s side of the world; Lena doesn’t appear at all. And, quite honestly, that was needed in order to…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 23 (S2E12) (End)
A whole episode of clean-up off the battlefield and not one but two of those classic 86 “credits roll partway through the episode” fakeouts sees the show off,…
Seasonal Selection – 86 Episode 23 (S2E12) (End)
A whole episode of clean-up off the battlefield and not one but two of those classic 86 “credits roll partway through the episode” fakeouts sees the show off,…
Seasonal Selection – Shikizakura Episode 2
“The one where we actually integrate the main character into the setting” is an important plot beat for a lot of shows, particularly ones in the Urban Fantasy…
Seasonal Selection – Chainsaw Man Episode 2
I’m still not 100% sure what the show is doing in terms of its story structure, but I am enjoying it. Part of that is the fact that…
Seasonal Selection – Sabikui Bisco Episode 2
My level of concern is now higher than it was after episode 1, and as we get into how this episode has fallen out, I will explain why.…
Seasonal Selection – Ex-Arm Episode 2
Reaction of the episode (Paraphrased): “Blink. Blink. BLINK! Blink already, you soulless Barbie Doll!” So, for this episode, we’ve decided to record live reactions. Fair warning, it’s mostly…
Seasonal Selection – Scarlet Nexus Episode 2
Great misfortune, huh? Standard training, deployment… Ah, there we have it. Pardon the return of the Haiku intros. This episode is the kind that goes by in a…
Seasonal Selection – Hell’s Paradise Episode 2
“No danger at all. By the way, the only person who came back alive is now half shrubbery, have fun!” So, the condemned criminals are gathered together and…
Seasonal Selection – KamiErabi God.app Episode 2
Now with extra Fate/Stay Night parts? Well, it’s worth a chance at least.
Seasonal Selection – Metallic Rouge Episode 2
Few answers, but fewer new questions makes this feel like a slow-burn affair. Despite that, we still got some impressive action and solid world-building.
Seasonal Selection – Kaiju no. 8 Episode 2
Kafka on the run.
Seasonal Selection – The Gene of AI Episode 2
A very quiet episode, on the whole, possibly promising more to come.
Seasonal Selection – Shikizakura Episode 1
Well, a new season is here and despite the fact that some previous Selections are continuing (namely Scarlet Nexus and 86), it’s time to pick one of them…
Seasonal Selection – Shikizakura Episode 9
So, I misread things last week – the smooth talker from Black Team wasn’t the big monster; he was in the scene already. In the first couple of…
Seasonal Selection – Shikizakura Episode 10
This episode is again a very needed beat in the story, serving as the hero’s darkest moment before turning things around at the climax, and it comes at…
Seasonal Selection – Shikizakura Episode 3
I won’t say that Shikizakura exactly did well, but it did display a basic understanding of the facts I was talking about last week. To its limited credit,…
Seasonal Selection – Shikizakura Episode 5
We’re back to standard form this week with a jolly beating of hard realities into Kakeru’s thick head, which oddly enough has things looking up for the show,…
Seasonal Selection – Shikizakura Episode 6
All things considered, this show can be kind of charming. True, just about anybody who’s engaged with any sort of media has seen this plot a million times…
Seasonal Selection – Shikizakura Episode 11
Because it wouldn’t be a traditional action climax without a big twist and a moment when it looks like all hope is lost… here’s all those things I…
Seasonal Selection – Shikizakura Episode 4
What the hell? So, in this 3D CGI Anime about people fighting demons by using power suits that may also be demons, we have this episode, fully 2D…
Seasonal Selection – Shikizakura Episode 8
So, for those who wanted a darker and more serious episode out of Shikizakura, we have this one And, compared to the bits earlier in the show that…
Seasonal Selection – Shikizakura Episode 7
So, after the big turn of last episode, it’s time for downtime! Actually, I think it is kind of the correct time for this… or at least, a…
Seasonal Selection – Shine On! Bakumatsu Bad Boys Episode 2
It’s so rare that a show I use for these seasonal writeups stays on course for an episode. I’m almost shocked. Because this was, basically, what we’d expect…
Seasonal Selection – Management of a Novice Alchemist Episode 2
Welcome back to your half hour of chill. This week, Sarasa meets the people in her town. Like the townsfolk in most sort of bright and fluffy media,…
Seasonal Selection – Metallic Rouge Episode 9
Visiting the Visitors
Seasonal Selection – Metallic Rouge Episode 3
Let’s build the world while we let Rouge fly solo for a bit.
Seasonal Selection – Sabikui Bisco Episode 8
The daring rescue goes about like daring rescues do… and look at that! Answers. So, last week I mentioned that Kurokawa (the thug governor) needed a better explanation,…
Seasonal Selection – Scarlet Nexus Episode 10
Every side is bad, And everywhere you’re outlawed Time to change venue So, the point of this episode is to get both main groups headed to Togetsu, a…
Seasonal Selection – Metallic Rouge Episode 11
Just let them put the action set pieces into play.
Seasonal Selection – Scarlet Nexus Episode 19
Kagero, confess! Turns out he didn’t do it. Leia is Luke’s sister?! We’re kind of back to oldschool Scarlet Nexus bloat, using the lead-in on recap as well…