Blue Box (Ao no Hako) Episode 3 - Things are getting very interesting!

 I am loving this show! Episode 3 of Ao no Hako has a lot of suspense (for Taiki), but it's such a ridiculously wholesome series. There are spoilers in this review.

Taiki and Hina saw Chinatsu with Haryu in the previous episode, thinking they're a couple. Throughout this episode, there are hints about a relationship, or at least what Taiki thinks is evidence, but there's little solid evidence. Haryu calls her Chii, which is a rather familiar sounding way of calling her. Now Haryu is Taiki's rival. Haryu has been undefeated in his matches against others, as has Taiki. But Taiki's been playing against other first year students. And then it happened, a match between Taiki and Haryu. Haryu won, but Taiki made it difficult in the second half. Later on, it turns out Taiki is paired with Haryu for pairs. Taiki talks with Kyou and let's it slip that he likes Chinatsu. Kyou already knows this, but Haryu overhears it. He makes a remark to him about it, so now he knows. But Haryu really works Taiki hard over the next week. Chinatsu asks Taiki to come with her, and takes him to a park. She borrowed some badminton rackets and a shuttle, and wanted to play with Taiki, as he had asked her one time. He helps her with her serve, while she says that he actually outplayed Haryu in the second half of the match. He's doing well. This scene just made me smile a lot, as she really does support Taiki. He noticed on her bag a keychain that says "Chii" on it. She says that in her class, everyone calls her Chii. It was a misunderstanding on Taiki's part. The next day, after practice, Taiki and Kyou are leaving and run into the second years, including Haryu and Chinatsu. They're all chatting about Taiki, apparently. Haryu playfully insults Taiki's ability to play badminton, but believes he will be good. Chinatsu mouths to Taiki that he's doing well. However, here's where things get interesting. Haryu received a text from who? His girlfriend. She's in show business. Which means that he's not pursuing Chinatsu! 

So, this is going to be very interesting. What's going to happen? Will Haryu help Taiki with Chinatsu? Is Taiki going to be accepted in Haryu and Chinatsu's group? I can't wait to see what happens. I am really enjoying this. I should also mention that the animation in this episode, especially with the badminton matches, has been top notch. It looks so good!

What did you think of this episode?

Ranma 1/2 (2024) Episode 2 - This looks familiar

 Here we go with Ranma 1/2 episode 2! How does this stand up to the original? How does it compare to the manga? How do I really feel about it? Well, there are spoilers ahead.

In this episode, Ranma starts school, and he joins Akane on the way to school. Ranma gets turned into a girl by accident, and they run into Dr. Tofu (Morikawa Toshiyuki), who is Akane's crush. Ranma definitely notices this. They arrive at school and Akane is mobbed by a large group of boys, Akane defeating them all. And then comes along Kuno Tatewaki (Sugita Tomokazu), the captain of the kendo club. He takes an immediate disliking to Ranma and they fight. During the fight, it starts raining, and Genma comes with some hot water to turn him back into a boy. In school, Nabiki, being the manipulative sister who loves to gossip, spills the beans and everyone finds out Ranma and Akane are engaged. Kuno challenges Ranma, and they jump out the window into the swimming pool. Girl Ranma needs to get away, and hides under Kuno, who then wakes up and grabs his chest. Ranma gets away, and Kuno is somewhat confused. Akane comes to the rescue with some hot water, challenges Kuno, and tries to give Ranma time to change back. However, before he can, Kuno interrupts him. Later on, a letter arrives for Ranma, or pig-tailed girl as Kuno calls him/her. It's a challenge? Ranma (girl) meets Kuno at the school, and instead of a challenge, Kuno gives girl Ranma some roses. Ranma is mortified.

Now, this seems exactly like episode 2 of the 1989 series. There are some differences, and from what I've heard, this version is more faithful to the manga than the original was. That's a positive. There's a lot of manga-style animation, which I'm not too fond of, though. The other thing I don't particularly like is the younger-looking girls' character designs. I don't know, they don't exactly look right. But that could be my bias. I'm continuing to enjoy the original cast, even though their voices have changed with age. The animation is a lot better, and is brightly coloured.

This episode was full of action, which we would definitely expect. Lots of fun to watch. And of course, Kuno. He's such a strange guy, and kind of absurd. He is incredibly dense, but this is part of what makes him a fun character. Overall, I am enjoying this series so far. It's just difficult to distance myself from the original. I need to do better with that. Next up is episode 3, and we'll see what happens!

Blue Box (Ao no Hako) Episode 2 - I smiled the entire time

 Episode 2 of Ao no Hako has come, and I couldn't stop smiling! This episode review contains spoilers.

So, we've jumped ahead to March, and Chinatsu has moved in with Taiki's family. Taiki acts like a complete idiot, of course, as he doesn't seem to be able to control his awkwardness around Chinatsu. And for once, he realised he was acting that way. For much of this episode, Taiki is worried about others learning that they live in the same house, and gave Chinatsu the wrong impression. She gave him a bracelet for good luck, which they both have on their ankles. She discovers that he also wants to go to Nationals. At school, Chinatsu's misunderstanding begins, and acts like they don't know each other much after Taiki suddenly has an outburst to prevent her from letting Hina know they live together. As the episode goes on, Chinatsu believes that Taiki likes Hina, even though Hina is really one of his best friends. His other best friend is Kyou, who is on the badminton team with him. They later talk, and Chinatsu understands that she misunderstood, and all is well, or should be. Hina even presses Chinatsu to find out if she has a boyfriend, but she said no, she's only concentrating on basketball. At school, Taiki discovers his biggest rival will be Hanyu. He also notices the large number of admirers that Chinatsu has. And then he sees that Hina has a growing number of admirers. Hina is a nationally ranked rhythmic gymnast? Wow! Towards the end of the episode, Hina is walking with Taiki to see a famous chiropractor, and who should they see behind them? Hina and Hanyu. Uh-oh.

This episode had a lot of misunderstandings, which is common in romantic comedies, but nothing was really serious. It had a feeling of innocence. I was constantly smiling as I watched, as it felt so comfortable to watch. I didn't have second-hand embarassment, which is something I often have with Maison Ikkoku (but that's another story). It's fun watching the developing relationship between Taiki and Chinatsu, as she's the outsider to this group, and knows little about Taiki and Hina, and pretty much nothing about Kyou. The emergence of Hanyu as a rival for Taiki in more than one way is interesting.

I am thoroughly enjoying this now. If episode 1 hadn't hooked me, this episode absolutely did. The characters are so likeable. I can't help but smile. I can't wait to see episode 3!

Ranma 1/2 (2024) Episode 1 - Well, here it is!

 Ranma 1/2, the 2024 remake is here! Released on Netflix, I got to watch episode 1, and there will be spoilers!

To start off, I want to say that the story of episode 1 is nearly identical to episode 1 of the original 1989 series. The dialogue, the action, the situations, all the same. What's different? The character designs have been updated, and the girls are cuter. Kasumi looks too young, to be honest. The animation is nice and clean, having the advantage of more modern technology. The colour is brighter. It's more colourful than before.

So, Saotome Ranma (voiced by Yamaguchi Kappei/Hayashibara Megumi) and his father Genma (voiced by Cho) have returned from China, and Ranma is going to be the fiance of one of the Tendou girls. Akane (voiced by Hidaka Noriko) is 16, Nabiki (Takayama Minami) is 17, and Kasumi (Inoue Kikuko) is 19. Their father, Soun (Ootsuka Akio) has arranged with Genma for one of the girls to marry Ranma. Of course, when they arrive, Ranma is a girl and Genma is a panda. Very odd situation! Akane tries to be friends with Ranma until it's discovered after a bath that Genma is not a panda and Ranma is in fact a boy. Of course, Akane discovers this by walking in on Ranma, and they see each other naked. This is a big issue for Akane, but not so much for Ranma, as he's seen himself naked. Akane does not like this one bit. As Akane doesn't like boys, her sisters agree that she should be Ranma's fiancee. And so the story begins.

What's interesting about this episode is what has been changed. While most of the cast are the same, Soun and Genma's voice actors are different. The others sound a bit different than before, as they have aged 35 years since the original. However, Inoue Kikuko sounds exactly the same and Hayashibara Megumi has managed to sound nearly the same. I feel that Takayama Minami and Hidaka Noriko are a bit different. Yamaguchi Kappei sounds just the same as before. Another change is the addition of manga style text throughout the episode.

The opening theme is fun. It has a nostalgic Ranma feel to it, and "Iinazukkyun" by ano recaptures the Chinese-style theme song of the original. The ending theme, "Anta Nante." by riria is a more modern song that doesn't really match with the anime, I think. The song itself is fine, though. I will cover the theme songs in separate posts. Enjoy the opening theme here, though.

Going forward, I will be focusing more on the episodes themselves, rather than a comparison with the original. I want this to stand on its own, and I will judge it for itself.

With all that said, what do I think of it? Ranma 1/2 is a classic. I was so happy to see it get a remake, and I did enjoy watching episode 1. We don't yet know how long season 1 will be, nor do we know how long the entire series will be. That remains to be seen. Overall, recommended and fun.

Blue Box (Ao no Hako) Episode 1 - What a start!

 Premiering on Netflix today, this is the first time I'm watching a series as it airs since I lived in Japan. Ao no Hako, or Blue Box in English, is a sports romance anime that stars Inomata Taiki, a 3rd year junior high school student who plays badminton, and Kano Chinatsu, a 1st year high school student who is a star basketball player. They are in a completely different class from each other, as she's a star, and he's just practicing with the senior high team. But of course, this wouldn't be a romance without these two being a possible future couple, right? Well, it's very early, and Taiki has a major crush on Chinatsu. Now, before I continue, there are spoilers ahead.

To put this as briefly as possible, Taiki is very enthusiastic about trying to have a relationship with Chinatsu, but he's very awkward about it. She probably has no idea yet. They are the first two at school in the morning to practice their respective sport, and after some awkward moments, they do start to talk. Taiki's friends Hina (rhythmic gymnastics) and Kyo (badminton) are also introduced, and they know about his crush on Chinatsu. Did I mention that this school, Eimei Private School is known for its sports program? Well, Taiki's mother was a basketball player at this very school, and was a teammate of Chinatsu's mother. They have a connection! Unfortunately, Chinatsu's family is being transferred overseas in two months. And this is where things get interesting. Chinatsu says she's not going, but is staying with an acquaintance. It's Sunday morning now, and Taiki wakes up, only to find Chinatsu in the kitchen! That acquaintance? It's Taiki's family. They're going to live together.

I can see the direction this may be going, and this is going to probably result in some awkward moments, but also quite humourous. So far, this show has been funny, heartwarming, and just put a smile on my face. The quality of the animation and art is outstanding. It's beautiful to watch. The opening theme, "Same Blue" by Official HIGE DANdism and the ending theme, "Teenage Blue" by Eve have a very similar feeling to each other. Other than having the word "blue" in the title, along with the series title, they are fairly calm and catchy songs. I'll be reviewing them separately soon.

So, is this episode 1 a win? Absolutely! I can't wait to see what happens next.

Sousou no Frieren Episode 17: Feel-Good Episode, but Bittersweet

 It feels strange starting the episodic reviews of Sousou no Frieren with episode 17, but it's oddly a good place to do it. The opening and ending changed! Keep in mind that there are spoilers in this review.

We start with Sein deciding whether to leave for Tur to find his friend Gorilla, or to continue on with the company. But due to some bad weather, they're stuck in town for about a month. The town they're staying in has things that allow them to pass the time, which is good. During that time, they spend their time doing what they want. An argument between Stark and Fern gives Frieren a good excuse to get Sein to help out. They make up, of course. As the weather improves, Sein decides to take leave of the group, and head off to Tur, while the others continue on to Äußerst, the City of Magic. During their trek, Fern catches a cold, and they find a place to stay. Frieren and Stark search for herbs and a very special cherry tree that blooms in winter. They want a mushroom, though. Frieren holds Fern's hand, who finds it embarrassing, as she's no longer a child. Fern recovers, and they head out.

There is absolutely no action in this episode. It's purely about the characters and their development. But that's what this series is mainly about. We get an insight into Fern and Stark's growing relationship with each other, as well as Frieren's growing understanding of the humans she's travelling with. While not exciting, it was a great episode to feel calm and cosy with. I really enjoyed the interactions between the characters.

As I mentioned the opening and ending credits changed. The opening is no longer "Yuusha (Brave)" by YOASOBI, but "Haru (Sunny)" by Yorushika. This is still an upbeat opening, but less energetic than the first. It'll probably grow on me, but I'm already missing "Yuusha" as that's one of my favourite opening themes at the moment. The ending theme is the same song, but the animation has changed, and the music has changed a bit. "Anytime Anywhere" by milet is a more calm song than the opening, and I find it to be like a comfortable way to end the episode. The animation now features stop motion animation. I will discuss the opening and ending credits individually soon.

The preview of episode 18 looks interesting, as it's likely to be a Frieren-centred episode. However, episode 17 was very enjoyable.

Planetes Episode 25: What Is This Series Doing to Me?

 After episode 24, I had no idea what was going to happen in episode 25 of Planetes. Before you read on, this contains spoilers.

Tanabe and Claire were out in the middle of nowhere on the moon, running out of oxygen. Hachimaki was about to shoot Hakim. The terrorist situation was resolved, and the Von Braun was saved. But this episode started 6 months after those events. Hachi is experiencing some pretty serious psychological issues, but we don't know what happened. And what about Tanabe? Nothing about her at all.

Bit by bit, we learned what happened to each of the main characters, starting with everyone but the four I mentioned above. Though we know Hachimaki was selected to go to Jupiter. Slowly, we learned what happened between Hachimaki and Hakim, but we still don't know Hakim's fate. But as this episode continued, I had no idea what had happened with Tanabe. We discover she's alive, but she had quit Technora and returned to Earth. Throughout all of this, Hachimaki is extremely out of it. He's fighting his inner demons, but in a near death situation, he realises that he no longer needs to be alone. And who does he meet? Tanabe. She's been injured due to oxygen deprivation, but should make a full recovery. We also learn that Claire survived, but is in better shape. It's at this time, Hachi is back to his old self.

This episode was an emotional rollercoaster. I was constantly worried that Tanabe had died. The final scene was quite emotional between Hachi and Tanabe. I was hesitant to start watching this episode, but I am now relieved that I did. What an excellent story Planetes is turning out to be. But now I'm looking forward to episode 26. I need to know the conclusion.

Slayers Next Episode 8: An Unexpected Turn!

 I have probably seen Slayers Next three times. The first time was when I was a member of an anime club in the 1990s, then when I had the series on VHS. Yes, VHS. And now this is my third time. It's been a long time, so a lot of it is a very fuzzy memory. But I do remember this episode somewhat. There are some spoilers in this review!

We start off with our group (plus Xellos) arriving in Seyruun to look for the Claire Bible. However, they discover that Amelia's father, Prince Philionel has died. Amelia's Uncle Christopher and Alfred are there to deal with the aftermath. So now we have the premise set up. It's a mystery. And this is probably one of the most serious episodes of Slayers I have ever seen. Who did it? Why? And who is this mysterious character that looks like he's dressed like Batman? Seriously, the colours are the same as Batman!

As we go along, we find out what happened to Phil and discover that there is a new enemy. But who is this enemy? All we know is that he's a monster. This episode shows Amelia's strong bond with Phil, Lina's impatience, Gourry's usual obliviousness, and Zelgadis' annoyance. There isn't much to say about most of the main characters other than Amelia. And Xellos is off doing whatever. Funny episode? Somewhat. Not laugh out loud funny, but there are humourous moments. But where this episode shines is how it sets up a new story arc, which may be a rather serious set of episodes. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next, even though I have seen this entire series before. Again, it's been about 25 years since I watched it.

The nostalgia factor here is fairly high, and I am enjoying. What did you think of this episode?

Rurouni Kenshin (1996) Episode 8 Impressions

 At the beginning of this episode, it was pretty lighthearted, and gave me a smile. But seeing as this was Rurouni Kenshin, things would get more heated. Of course, we are introduced to Takana Megumi (Doi Mika), a mysterious woman who doesn't give away her motives. Enter Takeda Kanryu (Tobita Nobuo) and the Oniwabanshu, headed by Shinomori Aoshi (Yasuhara Yoshito). The former is a criminal businessman, while the latter is head of a ninja group. And this sets up the battle in this episode. I won't go into details, but I will mention that this is a strong episode that created a lot of tension in more than one way, and I was thoroughly invested in the story and action.

The core characters continue to grow closer together, and it's nice to see Sano's loyalty to Kenshin grow. Kaoru's trust in Kenshin appears to grow in this episode, as well. And then there's Yahiko, who is his usual self, though always positive. Megumi is very questionable, though we are definitely going to be seeing more of her, as we are entering a new fight with a new enemy. This episode also introduces the characters Beshimi (Matsuno Taiki), Hyottoko (Iizuka Shozo), and Hannya (Nojima Akio). I'm looking forward to seeing how they all play into the coming episodes.