Love, Chunibyou & Other Delusions Heartthrob! Complete Regular Edition DVD Review

So our paths finally cross at last...

What They Say:

In a strange turn of events, Yuuta and Rikka are forced into living together. And though this should be exciting for the two of them, it comes with a plethora of challenges. The biggest of these, however, arises when Yuuta's childhood friend Satone Shichimiya walks back into his life. And what's even worse is that she also has a crush on Yuuta! Not to mention that she is also stricken with the same Chuunibyou Rikka is. So not only does Rikka now have to compete for Yuuta's heart, she also has to compete for her own delusional life against her new arch nemesis, Sophia Ring! Will Yuuta be able to preserve and advance his relationship with Rikka in the midst of all this?

Contains episodes 1-12 + OVA.

The Review:

Audio:

The audio quality on this DVD release was a tier above what I expected it to be. Being accustomed to blurays with higher audio and visual quality, I'm always skeptical when I throw a DVD into the disc tray. This time, however, there was barely a difference at all. No audio drop outs were experienced throughout the entire series and volume stayed equalized throughout all three discs. Both Japanese audio and the new English dub are included in this release.

Video:

The DVD edition of Love, Chunibyou & Other Delusions: Heartthrob is displayed in standard definition in the typical 16x9 aspect ratio. Even though this is only standard defintion, visuals are still impressive thanks to the always impressive Kyoto Animation. All 12 episodes (As well as the OVA and special features) run smoothly all the way through. Thanks to natural lighting effects, the series has a slightly nostalgic tinge while maintaining a bright and vivid color palate. Even though the colors are not as vibrant as they would be in native 1080p, they don't morph into something unenjoyable. Character designs from season one are the same (Except for a few new haircuts) and all the new character designs are interesting and easily parallel to the consistency of first season characters. Fight scenes have a wonderful aesthetic to them, but you can't really expect much less from Kyoto Animation. Everything is up to code in the visual department.

Packaging:

There isn't really anything fancy to report as far as packaging goes for the standard DVD edition. The product comes tucked away in the clear shrink-wrap casing that was have all grown to love. The graphic on the case itself, however, is actually rather detailed and displays Satone, Rikka, and Yuuta under well-designed title text with a cute little heart added onto the end. The back of the case gives a short summary and includes all of the special features as well as few thumbnails of the series. The discs themselves, which are all different from each other, are rather impressive and vibrant. The product looks exactly how I wanted it to -- nearly identical the first season's release. Even though there is no slip cover, this DVD is suitable for an average collector.

Menu:

The menu of the standard DVD edition is one of the unanimated family, meaning the only motion you are going to see during your time spent at the menu will be when you move to make a selection. Each disc's menu is evenly split with a large box including episode titles with the other half being a character picture. Highlighting an episode gives it a bright blue highlight as well as moving a magic circle icon next to it. This make it extremely easy to distinguish what you are selecting, a widely under-looked feature. The menu loops the opening song to the anime and changes songs upon moving to a different section (IE: Special Features).

Extras:

The special features of this release include: Textless OP/ED themes, four trailers for other Sentai Filmworks shows, one OVA episode, as well as all six Chunibyou Lite! shorts. The OVA can be played in both the original Japanese audio as well as English, but the shorts are limited strictly to Japanese. There is no commentary for anything included on any disc. Disc 1 features the textless themes as well as the trailers, while Disc 3 contains the OVA and all six shorts. There are no special features on Disc 2.

Content: 

(Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

Following the widespread success of the original Love, Chunibyou, And Other Delusions (Which I am just going to refer to as Chunibyou/Season one because who has the time to keep typing out that title?), Heartthrob/Ren seemed like an adaptation that would be impossible to avoid. Based on the 2011 light novel series by Torako with art from Nozomi Ousaka, Chunibyou caters to any fan of the slice of life or comedy genre through quick-witted dialogue and a lovable character roster. Being picked up by Kyoto Animation definitely aided it's relevance, and the series has now become a bombshell among the anime community in both Japan and America.

Heartthrob picks up right where season one left off -- with Yuuta and Rikka slowly trying to move their relationship forward. The issue is that Rikka is still extremely shy and has problems even holding his hand. But now, due to unforeseen circumstances, the couple has to move in together as Rikka's sister is moving away. Now, there are certain issues that would typically arise from this situation that we're just going to overlook because it's Yuuta and Rikka we're talking about. You'll understand if you watched the first season. Regardless, this is a slight hurdle for the two of them but essentially allows them to move closer together on an emotional (And physical *wink*) basis. Or at least it should...

Out of nowhere, Yuuta's childhood friend, Satone Shichimiya, waltzes back into his life. Girlfriends don't typically like when other girls do that sort of thing and Rikka is no exception to that rule. What makes it even worse is that Satone is the girl that Yuuta owes his chunibyou to in the first place. Needless to say, Shichimiya (Who is also stuck in chunibyou limbo) becomes not only a rival in love for Rikka, but a rival in the dark realm as well. So now we have sort of two different conflicts: Rikka vs. Satone/Wielder of the Wicked Eye vs. Sophia Ring. The great thing about these conflicts is that they essentially wind up fusing together as the two girls come to terms with themselves and the way they feel. It's like a battle between good and good as opposed to good and evil. Just instead of camouflage, both sides are wearing hair ties and mini-skirts (Which is totally better, in my opinion).

Now, the great thing about this show is the steady build-up of each girl's feelings. Satone, even though she is sort of an antagonist in a way, is just as likable as Rikka. There really is no bad guy as far as this sequel goes, and that just makes the conflict more...conflicting. It's up to the viewer to decide how they want the love triangle to shift. And as I said, it just builds and builds until the two girls can no longer contain their feelings and erupt in emotional supernovas most likely visible from planets we haven't even heard of. If there is anything that Heartthrob excels in when compared to its prequel, it's the strong coming-of-age theme for nearly everyone involved -- but more specifically Satone and Rikka.

There are some things that suffer in this sequel, however. Considering the majority of the characters in the Chunibyou universe have already been established and introduced to us prior to Heartthrob, there is a noticeable lack of character development present throughout this series. Now, I understand why some people will defend that and say that it isn't really necessary for character progression to carry over, but I'm going to disagree. There are plenty of sequels out there where the main characters continue to change throughout multiple courses, why should this go against that? Rikka and Yuuta are essentially the same people they were in season one all throughout Heartthrob. Even when the conflict is resolved there isn't much change apart from Rikka trying slightly harder to come to terms with her feelings. And I mean slightly. Like, so slightly that the ultimate unraveling of her inner struggle is kissing her damn boyfriend on the cheek. As for Yuuta...yeah he's still exactly the same person he was in season one.

With this lack of development in established characters, however, comes one phenomenal use of character development in that of Satone Shichimiya. Even though Rikka obviously has more camera time in Heartthrob, I'd go as far as saying that Satone is the true focal point of this series. She is the sole character whose struggle is relatable and realistic. The final arc places her in a situation that viewers dread for the entire series and it's absolutely heartbreaking. But the tough part is you can't even get upset about it because realistically, we all know that Yuuta and Rikka are the couple that actually belong together. This scenario -- the whole love triangle ultimatum thing -- is something that happens to many people throughout middle school and high school. I know I made various connections to my personal life throughout this sequel. If anything, Chuunibyou Heartthrob does a great job exemplifying that and just that.

In Summary:

Love, Chunibyou, and Other Delusions! Heartthrob is not as enjoyable as its prequel, but it is more emotionally stirring and relatable. The comedy is bright and quirky, the characters are exquisitely memorable, and the addition of Satone Shichimiya is a much-needed wake up call for the Chunibyou series. Though character development in pre-existing characters has been tossed on the backburner, there are still plenty of moments in Heartthrob that fans of season one would be delighted to see. I'd mark both this and the prequel down as essential viewing material for all slice-of-life fans, both new and old.

Features:

Standard Japanese Audio 2.0, Standard English Audio 2.0, English subtitles, clean OP/EDs, The Rikka Wars! OVA, Chunibyou Lite

Content Grade: B+

Audio Grade: B+

Video Grade: B

Packaging Grade: C+

Menu Grade: B-

Extras Grade: B-

Released By: Sentai Filmworks

Release Date: August 25, 2015

MSRP: $59.98

Running Time: 325 Minutes

Video Encoding: Standard 480p Anamorphic

Aspect Ratio: 16x9

Attack On Titan: Junior High Episode #4 Review

Practice sure is important, huh?

What They Say:

It's back-to-school for the cast of Attack on Titan as this spin-off gives us a glimpse into the average school year for each and every one of them. Instead of fearing for their lives, the characters are fearing for their lunches as the titans have a brand new appetite (One significantly less heartbreaking). Based on the manga, Attack on Titan: Junior High brings us familiar faces and memorable scenes in a lighthearted comedic format that is sure to bring a smile to your face. Will Eren and the others be able to survive the school year being right next door to a school for titans?

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

Following the intense dodgeball match that ended last week's episode, it's time for the gang to tone it down a bit. And by tone it down, of course I mean keep the blood pumping with some intense window-cleaning and wall-scrubbing. It only gets worse when you find out that this is going to become an everyday thing now that the gang has joined the "Wall Cleanup Club." With great responsibility comes great power (Yeah, I know that's backwards) though, and as a reward for their intense cleaning of the school, Eren and company finally gets to start their 3D Maneuver Gear (Or whatever they call it) training. Shooting more references back to the original AoT when Eren was having trouble balancing the gear during basic training.

Just when Eren starts to lose hope, Hannes shows up and takes the gear from him, showing him how exhilarating it is to propel across the sky. That is, before he slams into the wall, taking Jean with him. Turns out that Eren wasn't able to properly balance because the maneuver gear was broken. Shocker! His instructor and club official, Rico (That white-haired glasses girl that we saw a little of in AoT), then totally covers up her negligence and makes it seem like Hannes is the reason the gear is broken. Ultimately, Eren is able to balance perfectly the next day, but can't seem to figure out why. Good job, Rico. That was smooth.

But as soon as things start to wind down, the titans arrive. However, this time they've brought paint -- and lots of it. That's right, instead of dedicating themselves to breaking the wall like they did in AoT Original, the titans now wreak havoc by graffiti tagging it and running away. At least this method is a lot more creative. Needless to say, Eren springs into action and attempts to stop the titans from tagging the wall, but once again fails miserably before crashing into a titanic paint brush. I'm kind of happy he did though, because this gave Mikasa another opportunity to act all cute and rush to his aid. I swear, this girl is so undeniably adorable that it hurts my brain.

Best/Favorite Part:

Though it was very brief, I thought it was absolutely hilarious and random when Sasha just faceplants into the ground out of nowhere and is all like, "OMG TITANS ARE COMING." That's not a direct quote, but it is a very accurate paraphrasing if I do say so myself. Which I do. Sasha has about one or two shining moments every episode, this was that moment this time and it packed a harder punch than everything else in this relatively slow episode.

In Summary:

There really isn't much to be impressed with in this episode. Or really much of anything for that matter. I can see it appealing to those niche fans of Rico just because she is adapted pretty well, but even then there really isn't much to it. I'm noticing a trend of "Really good episode followed by decent episode" that I hope is broken soon. I can deal without some of those decent episodes. But hey, they can't all be knee-slappers, right? All in all, its more of the same from episode #4. There's just less of it.

Grade: C

Streamed By: Funimation

The iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls Episode #25 (Finale) Review

It wouldn't be a bad idea to leave the palace and look up at the stars once in a while.

What They Say:

The idols from 346 Production's "Cinderella Project" are back, and this time they have more work than ever! Following the success of the summer idol festival, the girls have gained an incredible boost in popularity. Their first group album has even launched. There's just one problem though -- the new executive at 346 Pro, Mishiro. This mysterious new boss is now planning on dismantling all of the company's idol-projects. ALL OF THEM. What could possibly be in store for our beloved Cinderella girls now?!

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

After months upon months of anticipation, the Cinderella Ball has finally rolled around. Each girl has, for the most part, conquered their fears and their flaws, resulting in a near perfect 14-piece unit. When that is combined with literally every other girl from 346 Production, how can the outcome not be spectacular? I mean, 346 Production has put together a huge event with multiple stages and skits that seems to go on for an eternity. In fact, the event is on such a grandiose scale that it encompasses the entire episode. And even though the series finale uses a lot of flashbacks and those cheap freeze-frames that we have gotten so used to, it winds up working out to its advantage this time. 

Another great, but expected, portion of this episode, comes to us in another Mishiro/Producer interaction. The only difference this time around is that Mishiro isn't being a total jerk. She essentially winds up saying that even though she and P-Kun have opposite ideals, they wind up becoming parallel in looking toward the same goal. She ultimately acknowledges that his system of belief and methods has proven successful. She even leaves her glass-box of an observation room and attends to ball firsthand, saying that sometimes it's good to "Look at the stars." It's good to see that a character as seemingly static as her can even develop when confronted with the almighty power of smile.

The New Generations arc comes to a satisfactory end as well, with the three girls belting out their most impressive and immersive performance yet. This just goes to show that the prosciutto melon is far superior to fried chicken. (If you didn't watch this series, you will have absolutely no idea what that sentence means). To my (And many others) surprise, there were no issues or problems at all this episode. And for an unstable and sensitive show like Cinderella Girls, that is pretty damn impressive. In addition to New-Gen doing their New-Gen stuff, the other units seem to be successful as well, even though we don't really get to see any of them perform. All in all, the ball was everything it was cut out to be, and winds up being a fitting end to this half-year long ride. But wait, there's more.

After the ball's conclusion, we get to see another animated slideshow of what all of the girls are up to post-ball. Kanako is doing television interview stuff, Uzuki and Rin are carrying on with their other projects, and Ranko has a weird eyeball staff thing and has become an undead king...or something. I'm not 100% certain that all of this is hinting at another possible iM@S movie sequel or something of the sort, but knowing how popular and expansive the series is...well I wouldn't be surprised. This just gives us something else to look forward to.

Best/Favorite Part:

This one is tough considering the episode was a consistent level of good throughout. But, if I absolutely had to pick one part (Which I do, because I've done it for the other 11 episodes), I would have to say that the post-ball scene was the highlight. It was great seeing how each girl has moved onto something new and was continuing down their path of stardom. I also got to see another Mika x Rika moment and I've been waiting for another one of those for a very long time. I will miss you, Mika. 

In Summary:

The iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls does not compare to the original iDOLM@STER series. (No, not Xenoglossia. That doesn't count). Some may even say this is like the discounted version of it. However, discounts aren't always a bad thing. Cinderella Girls still has a good amount to give for fans of iDOLM@STER or even idols in general. The cast was super-likable and a lot of the conflict was actually rather interesting, despite some cliche tendencies. I had a good time with this show and I will easily watch any movie/special it may have down the line. I'd recommend this to anyone that likes music or cute girls. But mostly cute girls.

Episode Grade: A

Series Grade: B

Streamed By: Daisuki/Hulu

Attack On Titan: Junior High Episode #3 Review

I'll crush you with all my might!

What They Say:

It's back-to-school for the cast of Attack on Titan as this spin-off gives us a glimpse into the average school year for each and every one of them. Instead of fearing for their lives, the characters are fearing for their lunches as the titans have a brand new appetite (One significantly less heartbreaking). Based on the manga, Attack on Titan: Junior High brings us familiar faces and memorable scenes in a lighthearted comedic format that is sure to bring a smile to your face. Will Eren and the others be able to survive the school year being right next door to a school for titans?

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

This week's episode begins with the best female character in Attack On Titan finally making an appearance. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, this is the moment we've all (But mostly me) been waiting for. Annie Leonhardt has entered the building. Not to mention, she's absolutely adorable as a junior high-schooler (In the most legal way possible). In the beginning of the episode, she is sitting at her desk, totally excited to dig into her favorite lunch, cheeseburger steak. But after hearing the class conversing about how Eren is immature for citing cheeseburger steak as his favorite food, Annie's heart drops. She has found her new arch-nemesis. Just this time around it actually makes sense and she doesn't morph into a titan just for the sake of it. At least not yet.

Obviously, with a looming hint of revenge in the air, this is the best time for the school to host a dodgeball tournament. This tournament not only gives Annie to opportunity to exact revenge, but gives Jean a chance to prove his worth to the girls and one-up Eren at something. Unfortunately for both of them, Eren doesn't show up. At least not right away. This gives Annie and the rest of her team (Including Reiner, Christa, Ymir, and some others) a shot to show off their obviously superior skills. Meanwhile, with Eren missing, Mikasa has fallen into a greyscale depression and is now spending her time curled up in Armin's blanket on a bench. Oh Mikasa, you're such a cute, yet sad-sad girl. But, just when things get down to the wire and the championship match is about to start, Eren finally shows up to school, activating Mikasa's normal superhuman mode as she takes on a nearly endless duel with best-girl Annie.

Just when the duel is getting good though, Annie (As emotionally as she can) opens up to Eren about why she is so dedicated to defeating him. After realizing their mutual love for cheeseburger steak is not something that they should let others laugh at them for, they settle their differences and shake hands. Then, Annie is smacked in the head by a lobbed ball from that damn Connie Springer, who has finally figured out the rules of the game. Damn you, Connie -- every single time. The scene then fades out to Eren having lunch with his two best-buds, just moments before Annie arrives and sits down with them. HAS SHE FINALLY MADE FRIENDS? Or better yet, has she developed a romantic interest in our only relatively likable protagonist? Why is it not me?! I like cheeseburger steak too, Annie!

Best/Favorite Part:

The scene at the end was probably my favorite just because it hinted at a romantic triangle developing between Mikasa, Annie, and Eren. I can see why a lot of people might hate that possibility, but I'm going to be honest here. Most of the reason I watched Attack On Titan in the first place was for the whole Mikasa x Eren childish love thing. It was adorable. Now you're telling me that I get to experience that again but with my favorite girl thrown into the mixture? Yes please. Sign me up.

In Summary:

This episode is going to be a bunch of fun, regardless of whether you like Annie or not. In fact, even if you dislike her, you will still like episode #3 because of the way she is portrayed. We once again get to see an original scene recreated in different context, and the impact is no less than how it was back in episode #1. Mikasa and Sasha get more highlight-reel moments and Christa still gets to be cute. More good times are ahead, I can feel them coming.

Grade: B+

Streamed By: Funimation

Gakkou Gurashi! (SCHOOL-LIVE!) Review

All good things must come to an end...

What They Say:

Slice-of-life meets horror in the latest manga adaptation from studio Lerche. After surviving an earth-shattering zombie outbreak, the new and aptly-named "School Living Club" must find a way to survive amidst the unending chaos of being hunted by those they used to attend class with. This only gets harder when one of the girls comes down with PTSD after the event occurs. Now, on top of surviving an onslaught of zombie attacks, the School Living Club must find a way to keep Yuki Takeya from mentally decomposing in front of them as they try to uncover the reason everything they know has become a nightmare.

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

Summer was certainly a busy season for Lerche, seeing as this is just one of their three shows to air during it's course (The other two being Monster Musume and Ranpo Kitan: Game Of Laplace which I also reviewed right here). Out of them all though, School-Live! quickly became the most critically acclaimed, boosting sales of the manga by a massive 1000% following its animated premiere. This becomes even more impressive when you consider that director, Masaomi Ando, only has a couple other directorial credits to his name (Muv Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse/White Album 2). But does School-Live! live up to the hype? (No pun intended, I swear.) That's of course up to you decide -- but I'll weigh in on it in just a few minutes.

The anime, and a hefty portion of the manga, is mainly centered on the pink-haired, bubbly Yuki Takeya, who is so torn up by the event of a zombie outbreak that she has created a world in her head where literally nothing has changed. The first episode sets the stage for this anime absolutely perfectly, disguising the entire episode just how it would look from the perspective of Yuki. It isn't until the very last scene where we find out that everything we just watched was a gigantic hallucination and that the majority of the characters we saw were dead and...well, not gone. But you know what I mean. Everything from that point onward takes on a complete tonal shift. This is no longer the bright, joyous show we expected (Considering you went into blind, without any knowledge of what it really was). Instead, it's a psychological mess of how teenage girls handle being the last few people on what could be the entire planet. We don't really know yet.

Each member of the School Living Club plays an important part in keeping the group a well-oiled machine. Take one of them away, and everything starts to fall apart. Yuki keeps the group motivated and hopeful. Yuuri is the wise, motherly figure that everyone looks up to. Miki brings reason and logic into the mixture. And Kurumi kills zombies with a shovel. (Needless to say, she is best-girl). The girls are dependent on each other for this entire series. I mean, how can you not when your friends are trying to kill you and eat you? That dependence, however, is great under these circumstances because the result winds up being packed with wonderful chemistry and sort of developmental paradox where each girl helps the next find something out about themselves. Not to mention, each one's style and attitude is so well-contrasted with the others that all viewers will be able to easily choose their favorite. There's none of that whole "Otaku-Inner-Struggle (OIS for short, which is a disorder I just made up)" where we have to fight between girls to decide on who the superior one is.

The story starts off as just a tale of survival, but slowly builds up until more and more backstory in uncovered. The pacing, as far as this is concerned, is spot on. We get a ton of exposition and learn a little bit about each character before things start to get really weird. And I mean really weird. Not to mention, each doubt that viewers have -- each "Well why is there still electricity?" type question will not go unanswered. The story is well-written with those concerns in mind. I don't know if I've ever watched something before where literally every single loophole is filled in. It's actually quite spectacular when you really think about it. There are so many skeptical notions you think up while watching this series, and all of them come to a satisfactory close just episodes later. In addition, the usage of suspense and subtle details hidden in the background will keep you on the edge of your seat for the entire twenty-something minutes of each episode.

This paragraph might get spoiler-heavy, so skip it if you haven't watched the series and still intend to do so. Up until the halfway-point of this series, when we find out that Megu-Nee has been dead this whole time (Which I totally called, by the way), the show is just pretty good at best. But when we find out that some of society knew this was coming, that's when this show gets great. It's not just school girls trying to survive and fend off zombies anymore. It's a thought provoking tale of how we might handle a situation like a zombie outbreak -- what we would do if we had reasonable suspicion that one might occur. And that raises thoughts like, "Well, if we knew this might happen, why didn't we prevent it? What happened to everyone else? Why these four girls?" Life or death situations in anime are great no matter what. But when those situations involve adolescents in a world where adults aren't even there for guidance, those are the times when that life or death stuff really shines. Seeing adolescents forced into growing up quicker just to conserve and fight for their own lives is significantly more impactful than having some huge, burly mech-fighter dude fighting another giant mech-warrior with his life on the line.

In Summary:

This is a damn good show. It's much better going into it like I did (Without any idea of what it's about) than going in with the knowledge that it will turn into a psychological thriller, but I guess that is now impossible considering you just read this review. Regardless, this easily snuck its way into my "Top 10 Anime Series 2015" just as I'm sure it will for a lot of others. So to answer the question of "Whether or not it lives up to the hype," the answer is yes. Yes it does. Pick this or the manga up, and allow yourself to go on a journey filled with cute-girls on the brink of death and lots of bloodshed. Lots and lots of bloodshed.

Grade: A-

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Attack On Titan: Junior High Episode #2 Review

It's the wings of freedom!

What They Say:

It's back-to-school for the cast of Attack on Titan as this spin-off gives us a glimpse into the average school year for each and every one of them. Instead of fearing for their lives, the characters are fearing for their lunches as the titans have a brand new appetite (One significantly less heartbreaking). Based on the manga, Attack on Titan: Junior High brings us familiar faces and memorable scenes in a lighthearted comedic format that is sure to bring a smile to your face. Will Eren and the others be able to survive the school year being right next door to a school for titans?

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

We've got more ground to cover this week as Eren and the gang need to figure out which clubs they are going to be joining. After all, there can't be a club dedicated to killing titans, could there? And on top of that, Eren and Mikasa are now also responsible for getting Armin to come to school. Turns out, that instead of being afraid of everything in general, the Armin of Attack On Titan: Junior High instead has an intense fear of the cold. In fact, the fear is so bad that he has to cloak himself in a blanket and surround himself with space heaters in order to function. Despite his extreme reclusion, everything seems to be going fine for Armin. That is, until Levi randomly swoops in and steals his blanket, leaving behind a pin depicting the well known "Wings of Freedom". Eren decides then and there what club he is going to join and sets out with his pals to retrieve the blanket and find out what club Levi is in.

Obviously, recruiting everyone else along the way is the best method to track down Levi and the scouting corps. And after several minutes of searching for this secret club that initially appeared impossible to discover, Eren and friends stumble upon a club room proudly displaying the wings above it. It is within that room that we are re-introduced to characters like Petra, Hanji, and those other scouts that no one really cares to remember the names of. Levi still isn't there though. But don't worry, trusty Hanji knows a way to make him show up: improper recycling -- the bane of all that is Levi. This blatant play on the whole clean-freak persona that was cultivated by the AoT fandom concerning Levi really hits the mark. He becomes the caricature of tidiness and all things sanitary and strict. It's so over-the-top that it literally has to be funny. And it only gets better when you mix him in with everyone else, who are still acting like themselves for the most part.

We've got a lot more subtle humor in this episode, and most of that lies within the facial expressions of Mikasa. Several frames scattered throughout the episode will have her somewhere in the background with a face totally contrasting the mood of whatever is going on. One example would be the look of relief she has once Levi busts into the room and steals Armin's blanket (Resulting in the temperature dropping), while everyone else's reaction is pure shock. It's more and more of what made the first episode a blast, just this time the impact is a little less considering it was significantly more expected. I wouldn't go as far as saying it's stale or dull, but it's not as side-splitting as the first episode. It was also good being slowly reintroduced to more of the original cast. (It was also good seeing them alive). I just hope we get to see Annie again soon. That's what this show needs.

Best/Favorite Part:

The part of the episode where the freshmen finally find the scouts' club room really brought forth the most laughs, at least from me. The re-introduction of Hanji and Petra's perfect reactions to her antics were absolutely fantastic. In addition, when Levi finally showed up and lectured Eren about not throwing away recyclables in normal trash cans, the hilarity level skyrocketed and created possibly the funniest moment of the episode (Apart from the faces and expressions of our dear Mikasa).

In Summary:

Though not nearly as good as the first episode, this installment gives us a ton of what we experienced last week and will most likely continue to experience as this series goes on. The characters are still spot on and the flakes of subtle humor highlight a once-again enjoyable twenty-something minutes. There was also no Annie and that isn't a good thing.

Grade: B-

Streamed By: Funimation

The iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls Episode #24 Review

I'll sing with all of my love!

What They Say:

The idols from 346 Production's "Cinderella Project" are back, and this time they have more work than ever! Following the success of the summer idol festival, the girls have gained an incredible boost in popularity. Their first group album has even launched. There's just one problem though -- the new executive at 346 Pro, Mishiro. This mysterious new boss is now planning on dismantling all of the company's idol-projects. ALL OF THEM. What could possibly be in store for our beloved Cinderella girls now?!

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

Okay, so I was wrong. The Uzuki problem didn't end after last week's exchange of tears. In fact, it might have even gotten worse. It's time for the New-Gen Christmas reunion show and Uzuki is still being consumed by her anxiety. And what's even worse is that Mishiro is losing her patience with Producer-san. Now he has to find a way to turn Uzuki back into a smile-robot before Mishiro takes it upon herself to fire the damn idol and get it over with. So think of this week's episode as a typical sad episode of Cinderella Girls, but with a time bomb attached to it that states the problem needs to be solved within twenty minutes (Which normally wouldn't be a problem for this show).

So the good and bad part of episode #24 is that it's another entire episode dedicated to the inner struggle of Uzuki Shimamura. This is bad because, well, it's exactly what we watched last week. However, it's also good because this time around it feels a little different. Instead of isolating herself, Uzuki [reluctantly] surrounds herself with the rest of the Cinderella Project, creating some emotional relief for her as all of the other girls reminisce and look back on when they were all starting up six months ago. This scene is also great because it allows us to see what was going on in the minds of some of the other girls back when this series was basically all about New Generations. For example, Miku stated at one point that she was always acting out early on because she was afraid that the other idols were going to overshadow her. And, I mean, that's basically common sense if you take the time to deeply analyze the emotions and psychological states of each girl, but who has the time for that. That quick validation from each girl gives the audience a break from exclusively experiencing Uzuki's emotions.

So, it comes time for the concert and Uzuki is still not ready. In fact, she's basically crying in the back of Producer's car. That is, until he brings her to a venue that she worked at before she was even an idol so she can have a look around and basically see how far she's come. After a quick tour and a few "We might have crossed paths" from Uzuxi x Producer, we have another one-on-one feelings-session where P-Kun tells Uzuki that he would still choose her because of her smile. He extends his hand to her and essentially gives her a choice: "Stay here and cry forever or try to move on." Surprisingly enough, Uzuki chooses the latter and the two pack up and head for the reunion show.

Rin and Mio have been sidelined for most of this episode so they can wallow in each other's misery. But when Uzuki arrives, that misery transforms into anxiousness, seeing the huge leap that Uzuki is about to make. And that anxiousness turns into jubilance when she finally takes the stage and (After a few Uh's and Um's) busts out in an emotional comeback performance that sends the crowd into a burst of excitement. This scene was actually kind of reminiscent of Chihaya Kisaragi's "Aoi Tori" performance back in regular iM@S. It's actually become quite interesting to see just how many of these situations from original iM@S translate back to Cinderella Girls. In the end, Uzuki wins over the crowd, the rest of the idols, and even Mishiro as her performance is simply too heartfelt to overlook. It was actually kind of a tearjerker seeing how hard she was trying to change her outlook on her career.

Best/Favorite Part:

The comeback performance easily takes the cake as the highlight of this episode. This is the first time we get to hear Uzuki's voice isolated from New-Gen and it's actually quite wonderful. This was a great first way to experience that. Having the last two episodes, and even some chunks of episodes earlier than that, come to a close in this one song was one of the most powerful parts of this series. Uzuki might even be in my top 5 Cinderella Girls after this. Hmmm...maybe that's foreshadowing another potential countdown?...(Ominous music/Fade out).

In Summary:

This is one of the best episodes of the series so far. The much needed set-up from the episode prior to it created a feeling that was both familiar and intriguing. This is one of the few times where viewers actually get a satisfactory conclusion to a problem that is above-average for a show like this. It is also one of the few uninterrupted solo-performances that fans of the actual iM@S music get to witness. It doesn't matter whether or not you care for Uzuki, this episode is one that you absolutely can not skip.

Grade: A

Streamed By: Daiuki/Hulu

Attack On Titan: Junior High Episode #1 Review

That titan...took something precious away from me!

What They Say:

It's back-to-school for the cast of Attack on Titan as this spin-off gives us a glimpse into the average school year for each and every one of them. Instead of fearing for their lives, the characters are fearing for their lunches as the titans have a brand new appetite (One significantly less heartbreaking). Based on the manga, Attack on Titan: Junior High brings us familiar faces and memorable scenes in a lighthearted comedic format that is sure to bring a smile to your face. Will Eren and the others be able to survive the school year being right next door to a school for titans?

The Review:

Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

I had one thought going into this show, "This is either going to be the greatest thing I have ever seen, or a plague upon the anime industry as we know it." Oh man, if I only knew what I was about to watch.

The show starts off just like 90% of school based slice-of-life shows start off -- with the cute childhood friend (Mikasa Ackerman) waking up the main character (Eren Yaeger) and telling him he is late for school. This is of course followed up by the stereotypical "Oh god! We need to hurry!" spiel as the two dart out of Eren's house to begin their journey. Oh, and good news! Eren's mom is alive! AND she made breakfast! That's a double-dose of some of the best news you will hear all month! Of course, what would a frantic run to school be without the much-needed bumping into a side character? Okay, what about FOUR different side characters being half-trampled by Eren within two minutes of each other? It doesn't get better than that. Well, I mean five would be better than that, but you get what I'm saying. What a hilariously innovative play on the genre and a wonderful way to re-introduce some familiar faces.

Needless to say, the show goes on from there, carefully poking fun at its super-serious parent show. And I mean relentlessly poking fun. Mikasa is still obsessed with Eren, just now it's even cuter and more obvious. Connie is still aloof and out of place, Christa is still super cute and desirable, and Sasha Braus is still hungry. Hell, she's literally eating a watermelon on the way to school. There is no one else on Earth that would do that. So, after many necessary collision/introductions, a good sum of the characters wander as a group into what they believe to be their new school. Turns out, it's a school for titans. Who knew? Don't worry though, because good ole' Hannes shows up shortly after and does his job of once again escorting the kids to a safer place. It's just a lot less traumatic this time.

The only thing left to throw into the episode at this point is a titan attack. Obviously enough, we get one -- from the Colossal Titan, no less. This time though, he isn't after human flesh. He is after Gyoza, hamburger, and other cliche anime bento combinations that the kids brought to school. (This has to be even worse for Sasha than the normal Colossal Titan). Eren, being Eren, decides that he must do something to stop this attack and figures out that the best course of action is jumping off the top of the school in an attempt to scale a 50-foot wall and mount the largest titan known to man. And it almost works! And by that I mean it doesn't come close to working at all.

This is going to be great, I feel it. I laughed more at this show within the first ten minutes than I laugh at most other anime overall. I mean, I'm not a comedy anime buff. Drama has and always will be my forte. But that doesn't mean I don't know funny when I see funny. If you watched Attack on Titan (Which you did, don't even lie) you are going to think this is fantastic. They are literally remaking the most dramatic, gut-wrenching scenes into classroom shenanigans. They barely even change the dialogue. It's genius. I'm not kidding. If you're one of those people that thinks, "This show is a fallacy and shouldn't exist because Attack on Titan is an essential part of anime as a whole and can not be turned into a joke," then you better think again...because this joke is one most well-executed pieces of comedy/satire that I have seen in a very long time.

Best/Favorite Part:

Sasha is going to be the highlight of this show, I can feel it already. With that being said, the scene in the classroom where she is caught eating onigiri (Which is a play on the infamous potato scene) was easily the best part of the episode. Not to mention, when she broke off half of it and stretched it out toward the oh-so-familiar homeroom teacher, my heart melted due to sheer adorableness. Also, I'd like to pay my respects to her watermelon. (RIP Watermelon: 2015-2015).

In Summary:

This should be an absolutely essential watch for those (Everyone) that watched the original Attack on Titan. The jokes are executed with the fan-base in mind and are loyal to what the viewers want to see. There are a total of zero dull moments and the dialogue is witty with splashes of subtle humor set there to increase enjoyment even more for those that catch it. However, if you didn't watch Attack on Titan, there is literally no reason for you to watch this. You will have no idea what is going on or why it is hilarious. I have incredibly high hopes that this show stays as excellent as the pilot episode.

Grade: A

Streamed By: Funimation