Girlish Number Episode #12 Anime Review (Finale)

That's right. I'm just a damn newbie. No one special. That's exactly why I can be Karasuma Chitose!

What They Say:

No one wants to get stuck in a boring profession, so when college student Chitose Karasuma storms into a voice acting training facility, she thinks that her future is poised for awesomeness. However, this bad-mannered beauty is in for more than she bargained for as she gets accepted into the talent agency “Number One Produce.” Together with her coworkers, including a girl with a Kansai accent and a cunning airhead, Chitose charges into the competitive world of professional voice acting.

The Review:

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

The time has come for Chitose to either get back in the game or take a seat, and what better way to start the episode than with her running behind schedule yet again? As the final dub session for Kusure begins, so does a light snowstorm, setting Chitose behind schedule and delaying her train to the studio. As the entire cast sits around wondering whether or not she will even show up, Chitose starts to panic and, in an unprecedented turn of events, actually starts running for the studio. In the midst of a bombardment of texts from her coworkers, Chitose slips and breaks her phone, disabling any possible communication she may have with the series staff. (I mean, she could just use someone else's phone or something, but this is an anime and that thought-process does not occur within).

Luckily for Chitose, she does manage to make it to the studio, albeit several hours late. In fact, she doesn't show up until that night. Just how far away is the studio from her apartment? And why was Gojo able to make it there so much earlier? Why didn't he wake her up? Anyway, putting aside these various loopholes, Chitose must now face the other seiyuu and the production staff about her future as an actress. Luckily for her, she had nearly an entire day of traveling to formulate a solid speech. Chitose makes it apparent to everyone that she knows she's just a newbie and is essentially disposable. But she also makes it apparent that she is going to do everything in her power in order to get popular. So, at the end of the day, Chitose has decided to just continue being herself -- freeing her from any actual emotion built up in the past several episodes and culminating in her return to 'Chitose Form One'. Of course, everyone is happy and can finally proceed with their dub session after sitting in the waiting room for an entire day.

And what a dub session it was. Chitose and the others, feeling reinvigorated after a hell of a day, carry on with recording a strong final scene that goes on the emphasize the meaning of last several episodes -- fighting for a better future alongside your friends. With this, Kusure comes to a close and everyone carries on with their lives. Queue the minor time skip.

Even though Kusure is over, the promo events are not. Chitose still has to attend several more BD hand-outs and concerts and, of course, she wakes up late for those as well. After yet another frantic sprint to the studio, everything ends on a joyous note as Chitose leads the other heroines on stage for an electrifying final performance. But wait, there's more. After the concert wraps up, the Kusure staff takes a final trip to the bar where it is revealed that they will be commencing work on a new project (Which is either a continuation of Kusure or a new series from the same writer). These final moments do a damn good job at instilling the same sense of false hope that came from the last scene in Shirobako where the producers announced the rights to two new series. And while a second season for Girlish Number is doubtful, the thought and possibility is still there. Which is kind of cool, I guess.

In Summary:

Girlish Number is definitely one of the better shows to emerge from this season (Which doesn't really say much considering it was probably the worst season of the year). But even with that, it has easily been a fun and exciting ride. Girlish Number is most definitely a great addition to the ever-growing genre of industry-based anime that shines light in places that other series have missed. Incredibly witty and sarcastic, Girlish Number can be enjoyed by anyone. And thanks to exceptional performances from Sayaka Senbongi and the others involved in the dubbing, every step of the journey will be incredibly entertaining. This is one of the most consistently enjoyable anime series of the year, hands down.

Episode Grade: B+

Series Grade: A-

Streamed B: Crunchyroll

Girlish Number Episode #11 Anime Review

Surprisingly, it only takes a second to get disheartened.

What They Say:

No one wants to get stuck in a boring profession, so when college student Chitose Karasuma storms into a voice acting training facility, she thinks that her future is poised for awesomeness. However, this bad-mannered beauty is in for more than she bargained for as she gets accepted into the talent agency “Number One Produce.” Together with her coworkers, including a girl with a Kansai accent and a cunning airhead, Chitose charges into the competitive world of professional voice acting.

The Review:

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

Chitose is upset...Gojo is upset...Basically everybody in Girlish Number is upset right now. With last week's episode throwing out various signals of what's going to happen to our pink-haired protagonist's career, Chitose really needs to step up her game this week if she's going to stay in this thing. After all, she has an entire studio staff waiting on her. But instead of lightening up and working harder, she begins to sulk, dragging the entire character roster down with her.

After a less-than-ideal day in the studio, all of the girls begin to worry about Chitose. These worries get even more intense when she does something she's never even imagined before -- turn down going out to dinner. As Chitose begins to fade away, however, the spotlight on Nanami starts shining brighter than normal. In fact, Nanami has made such a good impression on Number One Produce that Kuzu, himself, decides it might be time to change up the Kusure marketing strategy to one more geared toward this up and coming star. The thing with Nanami, though, is that she doesn't really understand any of this. In fact, she doesn't even notice that she's becoming popular. So when the other girls begin to mention that Chitose might be thinking about quitting, Nanami freaks out and goes on an extensive rant about how much she loves Chitose. And even though Chitose wasn't around to hear this, the rant itself goes on to reveal the first 'bright side' we've seen in a while.

It's apparent that no one wants Chitose to quit -- particularly Gojo. In fact, the first scene of this episode even shows him staring at an old photograph from the 10th anniversary of Number One Produce -- the year he wound up quitting. It is also revealed that Koto actually worked alongside Gojo back in the day and that the two have some sort of relationship tracing back years prior. So when Koto approaches Gojo about how he needs to do something before it's too late, we're brought back to the times when Gojo felt like he just wasn't cut out for acting. Taking her (And Yae's) words to heart, he finally approaches Chitose about her situation.

Before he can even speak, however, Chitose bursts into tears. She goes on and on about how she just wants people to like her and how she gets hurt when no one pays attention and it really emphasizes and expands the needy side of her we've grown to love (Or hate) the past few months. Yes, she's cocky, but it seems like she only thinks and acts this way because it normally works out for her. So when she's finally feeling broken for the first time in the series, that ego of hers vanishes and we're left with a surprisingly human, normal girl begging for attention. Gojo, being brother of the year, then explains to Chitose why she needs to stick her chin up and not wind up like he did. Feeling reinvigorated, Chitose sets her sights on tomorrow for a final chance to redeem herself.

In Summary:

With just one episode remaining, Girlish Number still stands tall as one of the most surprising shows of the season. With not a single episode coming off as 'useless' or 'boring' in my book, I'd be shocked if the finale shifted in that direction. I firmly believe that the last episode of Girlish Number will wrap things up neatly thanks to the show's overall exceptional pacing thus far. This week's installment was nothing more than a well-executed set-up for what's to come. We're all cheering for you, Chitose! You can do it!

Grade: A-

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Girlish Number Episode #10 Anime Review

Chitose falls into darkness.

What They Say:

No one wants to get stuck in a boring profession, so when college student Chitose Karasuma storms into a voice acting training facility, she thinks that her future is poised for awesomeness. However, this bad-mannered beauty is in for more than she bargained for as she gets accepted into the talent agency “Number One Produce.” Together with her coworkers, including a girl with a Kansai accent and a cunning airhead, Chitose charges into the competitive world of professional voice acting.

The Review:

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

Having lost her brother as her manager to a younger, more determined seiyuu, Chitose's outlook on the industry begins to slope downward (As if it wasn't already tilted enough). When she meets her new manager, however, things get even worse. Instead of being the laid-back, cynical type, this new guy is forcing Chitose to actually...work hard? Oh no, this can't possibly end well.

As Chitose struggles to fight away the gloom overtaking her career, all of the other actresses seem to be doing pretty well. Yae and Koto have both landed more lead roles for other projects, Momoka and Kazuha (Who are completely absent from this episode) are steadily moving ahead, and even Nanami is beginning to take off. That being said, when Chitose is designated this new manager, she essentially loses all motivation and has to be forced just to do her job. Incapable of dealing with her problems, she begins moping harder than ever before. Surprisingly, her brother isn't much different.

Even though Nanami is clearly a better candidate for him to manage, Gojo can't help be brought down by the fact that his sister might soon fail. After a revelatory discussion at the bar with Namba, Gojo understands that Chitose's time is running out. Everyone knows by now that she isn't exactly a model-actress, but if she doesn't figure something out soon, she will be dropped entirely. One can take a few guesses on how Gojo sees this situation, but nothing is made apparent through any of his actions. More than anything, he just seems pissed off. Hell, he spends 90% of the episode just standing there with his hair in his eyes. Much of this might be due to the fact that Chitose totally insulted him in the last episode, but hey, who knows with these two?

The surprising part of this episode lies in the fact that, even though this is a celebratory episode in multiple ways, the entire twenty minutes of it seems nothing short of bleak and melancholic. With half the cast celebrating and the other half falling into a pit of despair, we're not really sure what to think anymore. Part of you wants to root for Chitose and hope that she makes it out alive, and the other part is probably saying, "Well...You did this to yourself". But regardless of how we're feeling right now, the importance and weight of this episode is really going to be determined by whatever happens next week. Chitose and Gojo are both dispensable, and they both seem to finally realize this.

In Summary:

Girlish Number has somehow managed to navigate itself back to the somber feeling the pilot instilled. Both Chitose and Gojo are having a hard time dealing with their issues and are doing the one thing a professional is never supposed to do -- let that carry over into their work. Anime waits for no one, and if Girlish Number is going to end on a good note, these two need to get back into shape fast. But in order to do that, they're going to have to confront each other instead of hiding behind their sorrows.

Grade: A-

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Re:ZERO Vol. #02 Manga Review

"What you forget, I'll always remember."

Creative Staff:

Art: Daichi Matsuse

Original Story: Tappei Nagatsuki

Character Design: Shinichirou Otsuka

Translation: ZephyrRZ

Lettering: Bianca Pistillo

What They Say:

Subaru Natsuki has been summoned to another world. Now, instead of continuing his normal life as a high school truant, he must find a way to adapt to the parallel universe he's wound up in. While this may seem like every young man's dream, things suddenly turn sour when Subaru gets himself caught up in the dangerous life of a mysterious, silver-haired girl. On the plus side, he's been gifted with a remarkable superpower -- time travel. The only thing wrong with said superpower is that he has to die in order to use it. There's no possible way he would need to use that power more than just once, right?

The Review:

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

In the end of our last volume, Subaru had been killed. Being the first out of the many deaths he is fated to have throughout this series, it's safe to say that Subaru is a little shaken up by this one. In fact, he doesn't even realize that he died to begin with. Instead of trying to figure out why he's gone back in time several hours, Subaru begins retracing his footsteps -- only to die again after a few short pages. It is at this moment that Subaru realizes something weird is going on. About damn time, if I do say so myself.

Finally grasping that he is respawning at a certain checkpoint each time he dies, Subaru sets his sights on not only staying alive this time, but returning Emilia's stolen badge..Wait, did I say Emilia? I meant, uhh, Satella. Yeah. Anyway, the first course of action obviously becomes dealing with those pesky, unavoidable bandits. Having already been killed by them once before, Subaru now knows their one true weakness -- the guards. Not having time to deal with these bandits on his own, Subaru screams for help and is soon joined by a master swordsman by the name of Reinhard. Reinhard, being the manly man he is, fends off the bandits and sends Subaru off on his own again. This time, however, he sets out to find Felt and basically just buy the badge back from her.

Of course, this doesn't go as planned. But this time around, instead of Elsa immediately showing up and slicing everyone to pieces, Emil...*cough* Satella shows up and demands justice. And finally, once everything looks like it's going to turn out okay, the bowel-hunter appears and old man Rom's cabin erupts into an all-out battle of everyone against Elsa. This battle, incredibly well-drawn from start to finish, does an exceptional job of illustrating (No pun intended) the harsher, more action-packed side of Re:Zero. Once again though, we run into the same problem we had last volume -- a lot of the action is cut off due to improper page-layouts. Even with this, though, the lengthy fight-scene is still very enjoyable and suspenseful throughout.

Elsa is not one to be reckoned with -- that much has been made clear. In fact, she's so darn terrifying that she's able to not only repel everyone in the room but essentially bring them to their knees. Even Puck has been outlasted by this seemingly masochistic woman. In the midst of the fight, however, Felt somehow managed to escape. And it's damn good thing she did, because as soon as Elsa is about to kill everyone, she returns with Reinhard. Of course, Reinhard is super manly and super strong, so he's easily able to defeat Elsa. Unfortunately, though, he doesn't finish the job and leaves the woman one last chance to kill whoever she pleases. Considering just how unlucky (Or lucky, depending on how you look at it) Subaru is, he gets in the middle of her and Not-Satella and is ultimately struck down. Thankfully, he was able to uncover the white-haired girl's name before this -- Emilia (AKA: Best-Girl).

Instead of reappearing at his normal checkpoint, however, Subaru wakes up in an unfamiliar bed with two loli-twins staring at him. Now that's a wake-up call.

In Summary:

As I mentioned earlier, Re:Zero still faces several editorial problems in how the volume was pieced together. With several panels being cut-off and unfinished, there are a few seldom, yet disappointing moments of the series that go on to take away some of its underlying immersiveness. That being said, the manga is still exceptional in terms of art and story and sports an always-growing and always-lovable cast throughout. Despite its flaws, Re:Zero remains incredibly easy to recommend to anyone interested in action, drama, or fantasy. Get on the bandwagon with the rest of us and give it a try.

Content Grade: B+

Art Grade: A

Packaging Grade: B

Text/Translation Grade: B-

Age Rating: 13+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: October 25, 2016

MSRP: $12.99

Shirobako Collection 2 Anime DVD Review

If you're able to eat doing something you love, it's a wonderful thing.

What They Say:

It's official. Musashino Animation's next production is "Third Aerial Girls' Squad!" In a surprising turn of events, Aoi finds herself assigned as the production manager for the project, but from the very beginning, it looks like she may be overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the project. Of course, her old friend Ema is already aboard as one of the animators, while Midori makes an enormous contribution by taking on many of the program's important research duties. And when Misa's new company contracts to produce CG for the series, all but one of the members of the old animation club are working on the same production! Left out again, Shizuka auditions for a role, but, as a relatively new voice actor, the odds of her being cast in a major part seem highly unlikely. That doesn't break the bonds of their friendship, however, and there are tons of surprises ahead as TAGS's journey to broadcast draws to the finish in the second collection of SHIROBAKO!

Contains episodes 13-24.

The Review:

Audio:

Just as it was in the first collection, Sentai's home-release of Shirobako is [unsurprisingly] brought to us containing only the Japanese dub. This isn't a huge surprise, though, considering it might have been a little stressful to cast over 50 roles had they elected to dub the series. Regardless, the original audio quality remains fantastic. Shirobako features over 60 minutes of original background music as well as several original full-length songs. The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 and does not clip or peak at any point throughout the series. 

Video:

The video specs for this DVD release restrict graphics to the quality of 480i with a basic aspect ratio of 16x9. Of course, not much else is to be expected from DVDs at this point in their lifespan. Despite the video definition, Shirobako still manages to utilize its extremely clean art style in order to keep the series looking beautiful. There are no frame skips, cuts, or jumps at any point in the series. One more thing to note is that the extremely varied color palette is only slightly diluted from video quality. But once again, that's only due to the fact that you can't really get much more out of a standard definition DVD release.

Packaging:

If you read my review for Collection 1, you would have seen me rave about the cover design. Well, this time around, it's even better. The front cover for Collection 2 has Aoi and friends gathered around on a vibrant hill staring off at the horizon (Or something else that we can't see) and manages to mesh all of the colors of the rainbow into one gorgeous original picture that stands out as a gem amongst my DVD collections. The package comes shrinkwrapped and tucked away neatly. The rear cover, just as it was in the first collection, displays various thumbnails from the series and more inspirational Shirobako quotes. The synopsis is displayed on the bottom half of the cover.

Menu:

With last collection's menu scheme remaining loyal to the typical Sentai layout, this one does exactly the same. Instead of Aoi, however, we finally get a hefty dosage of Erika Yano (With Midori appearing on the special features screen). The original character designs once again add to the vibrant color scheme and remain a step up from an average Sentai menu.

Special Features:

The standard release of Shirobako is still lacking in special features, containing only the clean opening/ending songs as well as four trailers for other Sentai releases (Monthly Girls Nozaki-Kun, Locodol, Space Brothers, and Tonari No Seki-Kun). There is nothing else to report on that aspect.

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

Being my choice for the best anime series of 2014, Shirobako really helped open my eyes to the world around me. And, as lame as that may sound, you won't fully understand it unless you watch the series yourself. Picking up directly after the conclusion of Exodus! in the first collection, Musashino Animation's next project comes in the form of an adapted series -- Third Aerial Girls Squad. This series, deriving from an incredibly popular title, is going to be a lot harder to pull off. And of course, with that in mind, it's going to increase the workload of our studio tenfold. Considering how hard it was to pull off Exodus, Musashino is feeling more pressure now than ever before in doing TAGS justice.

Miyamori, being promoted following the departure of Yutaka Honda, has to step up into a role she never imagined herself in -- lead production assistant. And, despite being thrown into the fray unprepared, she does an exceptional job...albeit with a few bumps in the road. But these bumps are to be expected. After all, Shirobako can be seen as a parallel for any job, not just anime. In fact, this series does a better job in illustrating that than anything else I've seen.

Shirobako has attained a dedicated cult following at the same time as boosting the popularity of other industry related shows. And it couldn't have done that without being believable. Deviating from plot points for a moment, Shirobako is packed to the brim with life lessons and inspirational quotes coming from characters that feel like real people instead of just 2D poster-material. As the second half of the show begins to speed up, these lessons become more apparent than ever. One-half of the roster is debating whether or not they want to stay in this industry for the rest of their life or start over, while the other half is doing everything they possibly can to make a home for themselves. Seeing so many different faces work hard in so many different ways becomes synonymous with how we, at times, struggle to find a place in not just the workplace, but the world.

There is an episode in Collection 2 that hits harder than any other moment in the series. Shizuka Sakaki, the only main heroine who, up to this point, hasn't had any luck in Shirobako, walks into the dubbing studio for an audition while Miyamori, her lifelong best friend, sits behind the glass. Unable to keep her emotions at bay, Miyamori is flooded with tears as she tries her best to hold back an intimate outburst that goes on to sculpt an incredibly climactic moment for the series. This single scene demonstrates the idea of hard work and perseverance more effectively than almost anything I've ever seen. Hell, I just watched the scene again as a reference point and it still makes me tear up. Spending so much time with these characters over the course of the series really makes moments like this one break you. I'm still thankful that Shirobako ran for two seasons because, had this been a single-season series, this moment would have lost so much of its impact.

After the Shizuka scene, the ending of the series begins to fall into place. Third Aerial Girls Squad finishes up and becomes a highlight of its respective season. Miyamori has finally discovered what she wants to do with her life, and all of the other girls are beginning to find out where they belong as well. The promise that all five heroines made in the first episode of the series has been fulfilled, and we're reminded that if we constantly work hard at what we believe in, we too will find our place. And, just as it's illustrated in Shirobako, everyone we meet along the way will become an essential part in determining our future. Every single person you will ever meet has their own goals and their own desires -- and one of Shirobako's key points is reinforcing that notion.

You know, it's really hard doing this series any justice in the form of critique. The fact of the matter is that there are so many elements of it that, when put on to paper, lose their feeling. Shirobako is one of those shows that really needs to be seen to in order to be believed. So close out of this review and go watch it as soon. You won't regret it.

In Summary:

Shirobako, exceptional in every conceivable way, is a series that will be remembered for a very long time. With so many important and relatable themes and characters, Shirobako has something to offer every single one of us. This is so much more than just an anime about anime -- it's a story and step-by-step guide on how to lead a fulfilling life and propel yourself past any obstacle that may get in your way. Not only are the ideas raised in the series realistic and important, the characters are as well. You will find a piece of yourself in every one of them -- I assure you. In addition to all of this sappy stuff, the series also boasts a plethora of hilarious moments that would make even your favorite stand-up comedian seem like the quiet kid who sits in the back of the room. I can not recommend this show enough.

Features:

Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 Audio, English subtitles, clean opening/ending songs, Sentai Filmworks trailers.

Content Grade: A+

Audio Grade: B+

Video Grade: B+

Packaging Grade: B+

Menu Grade: A-

Extras Grade: C

Released By: Sentai Filmworks

Release Date: May 24, 2016

MSRP: $49.98

Running Time: 300 Minutes

Video Encoding: 480i Anamorphic

Aspect Ratio: 16x9

Scum's Wish Vol. #01 Manga Review

Apart from my feelings...I'm all yours.

Creative Staff:

Story & Art: Mengo Yokoyari

Translation: David Rowe-Caplan & Megan Denton

Lettering: Erin Hickman

What They Say:

Fake relationships are fraught with unrequited love in Scum's Wish. Mugi and Hanabi are the perfect high school couple... but their relationship is built on a single shared secret: They're each in love with someone else.

The Review:

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

First off, I'm going to preface this by saying that I'm all about the vulgar, risque side of the manga industry. Considering that my current favorite book on the market is Asano's "Goodnight Punpun," I think it's safe to say that I'm ready for nearly anything. That being said, I signed up for Scum's Wish before even reading the synopsis. Shortly after my interest in the series peaked, an animated adaptation was announced. So, at this time, I believe the general consensus is that Yokoyari is most definitely doing something right. And, after actually reading the first installment of this series, I'm going to have to agree.

Scum's Wish focuses on Hanabi Yasuraoka, a relatively popular and attractive high school girl. Hanabi, locked in a relationship with the equally popular Mugi Awaya, seems to have everything going for her. But despite how cool and collected she seems on the surface, there's something lurking within Hanabi that is tearing her apart from the inside out. She is sexually obsessed with her older brother. Mugi, on the other hand, isn't all that different -- he's infatuated with his former tutor (Who is not-so-coincidentally the girlfriend of Hanabi's brother). So, in order to mask their secret desires and force away their feelings, Hanabi and Mugi enter a mutual relationship comprised of nothing but unrefusable physical contact, redeemable whenever one of them sees fit (Which is surprisingly often).

Even though Hanabi and Mugi come into more physical contact an entire professional football team, the two refuse to fall in love with each other. That being said, though, there is still a confusing air of 'property' they hang over one another. An example of this comes into play when Noriko Kamomebata, a childhood friend of Mugi's, repeatedly professes her love for him. Hanabi, fearing that her outlet for unleashing pent-up sexual desires will vanish, refutes Norika and forces her away. So even though our two protagonists have agreed to never fall in love, they hold each other accountable for their own feelings. The only thing that can sever the relationship the two have built up is the unlikely scenario in which their "real" lover reciprocates their unrequited affection.

Scum's Wish has a lingering quietness to it that makes it presence known through abstract close-ups focusing on the physical contact between Hanabi and Mugi. And while these images aren't exactly sexually explicit, they leave a surprising amount to the imagination of the reader, allowing them to sort of "fill in the blanks" as to what's truly going on. The same thing can be said, however, for the minds of our characters. While much of the manga is comprised of Hanabi's thoughts, there still seems to be something missing. Even though she is directly telling us how she feels about everything, there's something she isn't understanding herself. In the coming volumes, I imagine these feelings will be made more apparent. But for the time being, everything is up to us to uncover.

In Summary:

In its first volume, Scum's Wish successfully illustrates the pro's and con's of a purely physical relationship. Backed by simplistic, yet endearing artwork, Mengo Yokoyari brings us into a dangerous and suspenseful world of lust made prevalent through an onslaught of quiet, disturbing sex scenes. It's rare to see a tale of two characters engaged in sexual conflict while not feeling anything for each other at all, but Scum's Wish manages to illustrate the idea exceptionally well and leaves a ton of room for how this story can play out.

Content Grade: B

Art Grade: B+

Packaging Grade: A

Text/Translation Grade: B

Age Rating: 16+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: October 25, 2016

MSRP: $14.99

Girlish Number Episode #09 Anime Review

The youth have every right to dream, and it's our duty to sell them that dream.

What They Say:

No one wants to get stuck in a boring profession, so when college student Chitose Karasuma storms into a voice acting training facility, she thinks that her future is poised for awesomeness. However, this bad-mannered beauty is in for more than she bargained for as she gets accepted into the talent agency “Number One Produce.” Together with her coworkers, including a girl with a Kansai accent and a cunning airhead, Chitose charges into the competitive world of professional voice acting.

The Review:

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

Number One Produce has a new seiyuu! Her name -- Nanami Sakuragaoka. Nanami, coming off as a complete novice right off the bat, still possesses a certain charm that is able to captivate and win over the rest of Kusure's staff in just her first time meeting them. Being what may just be the number-one fan of the series, Nanami is the first person our characters have ever come across that actually loves Kusure. In fact, her love for the series is so real and unpolished that it reinvigorates the entire production crew and gets everyone motivated for the first time in...well, probably the history of the show. With that being said, though, what does this mean for Chitose and the other newbie actors? Now that they're all going to be senpai, they realize they're going to have to step-up their game in order to maintain their statuses as professional actors. Of course, that is much easier said than done considering the history and ego of a certain pink-haired protagonist.

Chitose and the others aren't going to be the only ones that need to do some waking up, however. With season two beginning its production, the staff is noticing a [not-so] surprising lack of Kuzu. In fact, it seems that everyone except Towada has essentially given up on him. But, after running into a former colleague who is significantly more well-off than he is now, Kuzu's outlook on work seems to have changed a bit. Maybe. We're going to have to wait until next week to see how he manages to slack off again. Regardless, Kusure has been proven to function without him thus far so even if he doesn't wind up working harder, it won't make much of a difference. 

After several minor changes are made to the dubbing and streaming processes, things slow down a bit. We're taken from the studio to Gojo and Chitose's apartment where Namba Shachou reveals just what Number One Produce plans on doing with Nanami. This decision, however, winds up being a bit surprising. As it turns out, Gojo will no longer be managing Chitose -- he will instead be taking care of Nanami and ensuring that she gets off to the same kind of start that Chitose did. As for Chitose, her new manager is still up-in-the-air. But even though said new manager hasn't been decided yet, Chitose is visibly and semi-expectedly opposed as she realizes exactly how much she wants to work with her brother. After Namba leaves, Chitose starts throwing passive-aggressive remarks at Gojo about how he should stay with her that ultimately culminates in a backhanded insult about how her brother threw away a promising career as an actor. Clearly upset by this, Gojo walks away in silence and Chitose is left on the couch in the most melancholic state we've seen her in yet.

It gets even more upsetting when Gojo walks back into his room and the camera pans over to Chitose's birthday present.

In Summary:

This is one of the more eventful episodes of Girlish Number thus far. With the last several focusing purely on character development, we're getting back into the swing of things and moving the story forward at a faster-than-ever pace. The clock is now ticking for not only Chitose and the other newbies, but Kuzu-san as well. But will the shockingly positive youngster, Nanami, be enough to completely reinvigorate both sides of the production staff? Despite playing such a small role, the addition of Nanami has created a spark in Kusure that is either going to catch fire or fizzle out in seconds. The main issue now is how Chitose and Gojo are going to deal with their being apart.

Grade: A-

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Girlish Number Episode #08 Anime Review

If you're truly an actress, don't belittle a project you appeared in.

What They Say:

No one wants to get stuck in a boring profession, so when college student Chitose Karasuma storms into a voice acting training facility, she thinks that her future is poised for awesomeness. However, this bad-mannered beauty is in for more than she bargained for as she gets accepted into the talent agency “Number One Produce.” Together with her coworkers, including a girl with a Kansai accent and a cunning airhead, Chitose charges into the competitive world of professional voice acting.

The Review:

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

Woohoo! Road trip! In last week's episode, it was decided that Shibasaki and company would be paying her parents a visit in order to make up for Kuzu's less-than-professional rant about their daughter's swimsuit shoot. And while mostly everyone manages to show up for the train's departure, Chitose oversleeps making this the first Chitose-less episode of the series thus far (And I use the term 'Chitose-less' because she still has a few lines, albeit less than ten). Either way, this episode expectedly centers almost entirely around Shibasaki as she returns home for the first time in years. When she gets there, however, things aren't as bad as we'd expected them to be.

Her father, though dismissive, is very classical. He pushes his ideals onto other people and speaks only when necessary. However, he isn't really opposed to his daughter's life as an actress at all, contrary to how it seemed in the last episode. In fact, it is revealed by Kazuha's mother that her father actually spent hours upon hours of researching voice acting when his daughter decided on that as her career. As it turns out, he just has a hard time expressing his feelings -- which is very common for many older Japanese men considering their culture. The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree as Kazuha is essentially the same exact way. Regardless of the similarities between father and daughter, it is incredibly apparent that Kazuha isn't fond of her hometown in the slightest. Instead, she feels more at home in Tokyo where people don't throw affection and gifts at one another every day. On the other hand, Momoka is the exact opposite. She wishes that she had strict parents that would act more like parents than professionals, and she wishes she were from an area where things like that were typical.

While on the topic of Momoka, I think it's pretty important to say that she kind of just tagged along on this trip without really telling anyone. In fact, her agent spends the entire episode repeatedly calling her only to have her calls dodged by the seventeen-year-old actress. And while both Momoka and Kazuha aren't exactly in the best state of mind throughout this trip, we begin to see their relationship flourish as they confide in one another about their problems at home. Even though these problems are on completely different sides of the emotional spectrum, connections can be made between them as the two seiyuu become outstanding complements to each other. At the end of the day, both girls reconnect with their parents and allow for the story to move on as they return to Tokyo. The only problem is that they forgot to buy Chitose a souvenir. Oh boy, that's sure to end well.

In Summary:

The first Chitose-less episode of Girlish Number goes surprisingly well thanks to some excellent chemistry between Kazuha and Momoka. This episode, though lacking in comedy compared to the others, does an exceptional job at illustrating the familial relationships of the two veteran seiyuu. Kazuha's hometown in the Yamagata prefecture is remarkably well-drawn and scenic in various parts throughout the episode, becoming a complete contrast to the Tokyo landscapes we've become accustomed to in the weeks prior. With our heroines returning to the city next week, I'm excited to see how Girlish Number carries on from this point.

Grade: B

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Girlish Number Episode #07 Anime Review

Your father's not always going to be well, you know.

What They Say:

No one wants to get stuck in a boring profession, so when college student Chitose Karasuma storms into a voice acting training facility, she thinks that her future is poised for awesomeness. However, this bad-mannered beauty is in for more than she bargained for as she gets accepted into the talent agency “Number One Produce.” Together with her coworkers, including a girl with a Kansai accent and a cunning airhead, Chitose charges into the competitive world of professional voice acting.

The Review:

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

After last week's episode ended with Kazuha slipping into an alcohol-induced coma, this week's episode picks off the same exact way! And what makes being drunk for an entire week even better? A sporadic visit from your mother! Once Kazuha returns home (Escorted by Momoka and Chitose), she's unable to find the key to her apartment. Just when it seems like all hope is lost, good ole' mama-san shows up and welcomes the three girls inside. After saying a bunch of mom-like things like, "Where are the tea cups you use for guests?" Momoka and Chitose leave and Kazuha is left to fend off her mother all by her inebriated self. It's immediately evident that the reason Shibasaki has been so off-putting of her mother is simply because said mother is such a...well, mother.

The next day begins just like all of the others -- our heroines are promoting Kusure with yet another fan-oriented segment. This time, however, Shibasaki's mother tags along as well. The only catch is that she wasn't necessarily invited. Now, the conflict becomes the difficult task of Kazuha hiding her embarrassment while performing in front of her mom. Of course, this doesn't work, but Shibasaki trudges through anyway because she's such a professional. That is until her father's disapproval of the swimsuit shoot is brought up. And who is better to soothe the worries of a concerned father than...Kuzu-P? Oh god, this isn't going to end well.

And, of course, it doesn't end well.

In order to remedy this entire scenario, the Kusure staff devises a plan to send Shibasaki back home in order to smooth things over. This seems like a completely normal, logical plan...until Kuzu-P decides that it would be best if he came as well. And with Shibasaki's home city being the hot spring capital of Japan, you can bet your bottom dollar that Chitose wants to come as well. And thus begins Operation: Meet Shibasaki's Dad. Unfortunately for us, that's going to have to wait until next week.

On the opposite side of the playing field, things for Momoka aren't going all that well either. Anytime anyone even mentions parental relationships, you can basically feel her cringe. The thing is, the relationship she actually has with her mother isn't necessarily a bad one. I think Momoka's problem is that she wants more of a relationship. Throughout all of her life, Momoka has viewed her mother as not only a star but a sort of consult for her own seiyuu-related doings when all she really wants is just a mother. It isn't the whole 'living in her shadow' thing after all. She simply wants her mother to treat her like a daughter and not another professional voice actor.

In Summary:

This incredibly mom-oriented episode of Girlish Number successfully furthers character development for both Shibasaki and Momoka. With Shibasaki's family being remarkably traditional and Momoka's family being remarkably untraditional, we get to see two completely different sides of the seiyuu-spectrum that ultimately winds up shaping a consistently entertaining and diverse seventh episode. As is the norm for most recent industry-based anime, the characters of Girlish Number are going to be the driving force for the success of the series. Considering how much care is being put into each of the heroines' backstories (With Yae and Koto still on the backburner), I'm very excited to see more Girlish Number in the future. Thanks to an onslaught of subtle, sarcastic humor and an increasingly lovable roster, this is easily one of my favorite shows this season.

Grade: B+

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Top 10 Cutest Anime Girls Of Fall 2016

Greetings and salutations, avid readers. Now that we've passed the halfway point of the season and given plenty of different heroines sufficient time to shine, it is time for us...well, me to rank them! As you can see, I've switched back to the Top 10 format because frankly, last season just had way too many cute girls. But can the girls from this season harness their respective cuteness and surpass those from last time around? Probably not! But let's do this thing anyway!

Girls will be judged based on appearance, personality, voice, and random other aspects of them that I see fit.

I also want to thank everyone for the very limited hate mail regarding the omission of Rem from last season.

Let us begin!



10) Hinata Kawamoto

Anime: March Comes In Like A Lion

CV: Kana Hanazawa

So, like always, Kana Hanazawa has found her way into my seasonal top ten. This time, however, she plays a someone exceedingly more innocent than last season's Kagari from Rewrite. Hinata isn't the type of cute where you're like, "Yo, I hope she gives me a love letter." But instead, she's the little sister type of cute where everything she does basically makes your heart melt into a puddle of weird organic mush on the floor. And while much of her appeal comes from Hanazawa's performance, she's adorable nonetheless and surprising addition to this season's roster.

9) Makoto Noro

Anime: Trickster

CV: Ibuki Kido

Makoto is a little...odd. And if you've watched Trickster, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't watched Trickster...well, honestly, don't bother. Anyway, if you've read any of my other countdowns you will know I'm a sucker for girls that rock pink and red. I'm also a sucker for thigh-highs. Well, as you can see, Makoto adheres to both of these tastes and, when you toss in the fact that she is a literal shut-in a super tech-geek, you've got yourself a contender for not just my heart but a plethora of sweaty otaku hearts out there. It's too bad that she's a part of such a mediocre anime. That might have hurt her score a little bit. Either way, I'd date her. We could, like, Skype call each other and stuff.

8) Aria Kurenaino

Anime: Occultic;Nine

CV: Miyuki Sawashiro

Okay, back to little sisters. Despite that adorable headband and cute little Santa coat, Aria's a complete psychopath. This, of course, makes her even more attractive. The fact that her obsession with her brother was so immense that, even after his passing, she kept his body in her house...well, I mean, how can you not be turned on by that?...No? Is it really just me? Anyway, Aria's sections in Occultic;Nine are definitely some of the more interesting ones -- and it wouldn't be that way if she weren't such a great character. And while she didn't lock in the best position on this countdown for Occultic;Nine (Insert drumroll), she's got a tight hold on second place.

7) Koto Katakura

Anime: Girlish Number

CV: Yui Ishikawa

Ahh, Girlish Number -- Yet another anime about anime. Koto Katakura is a bit older than that of the average on most of my countdowns, coming in at a still-young 26. It isn't often that a girl older than me earns my love, but when you've got cute Kansai accent and great fashion sense, that doesn't really matter, now does it? Not only do these attributes land her at a decent rank, but look at her hair. What kind of shampoo do you guys think she uses? Aussie? I do have a question about Katakura, though...Why is she wearing three hoodies? It's brave wardrobe choices like this that make me fall for girls...You heard it here first.

6) Ortfiné Fredericka von Eylstadt

Anime: Izetta (The Last Witch)

CV: Saori Hayami

And the award for longest name on the countdown goes to...yeah. So, Princess Ortfiné (Or just Finé for short) is just as badass as she is utterly adorable. Being the figurehead of the principality of Eylstadt's army, Finé is no stranger to harsh circumstances. But even though she is locked in a losing battle, she never gives up hope. OH, and she is probably the only person in the world who can wear a fedora and not look like an idiot. I'm really never the kind of guy that goes for the princess-type, but Finé is different. Instead of being a typical princess, she's like this tomboyish, queenlike crossbreed that gets cuter and cuter as the series goes on. Also, I love Saori Hayami. That is all.

5) Miyuu Aikawa

Anime: Occultic;Nine

CV: Hitomi Yoshida

(Drumroll from earlier ends). If there's anything that says, "I make a great girlfriend," it's being able to tell the future. Okay, maybe not really, but that's not a bad quality to have. Miyuu (Or Myu if we're going by Internet aliases) isn't really as bizarre as her outfit makes her seem. In fact, she's pretty darn normal apart from her freakishly long hair. But it's these average girl qualities and above-average looks that make her so down-to-earth that it's hard to look past her. She's just flat out cool, there's no other way to put it. Being cool scores attractive-points. We all went to high school -- we know that by now.

4) Chitose Karasuma

Anime: Girlish Number

CV: Sayaka Senbongi

So here we are at the Final Four, where Chitose Karasuma makes her debut as a still-untalented seiyuu with an ego the size of the Empire State building. However, that ego is exactly what landed her so high up in this ranking. Chitose is not only the most sarcastic and oblivious protagonist this season, she's the funniest. And even though she isn't necessarily trying to be funny when she thinks she's the greatest thing since sliced bread, it's still a complete joy to watch. Mix that in with, you guessed it, pink hair and you have a fiery bundle of cuteness that you'll want to stuff inside of your pocket for three hours before remembering that the bundle is actually a total bitch and must be thrown into the nearest trash can. In a good way.

3) Izetta

Anime: Izetta (The Last Witch)

CV: Himika Akaneya

"Wow, this guy really does like red hair". You're damn right I do. But don't worry, Izetta here is the last girl on the countdown with that hair color. Being the counterpart and best friend of Finé from earlier on in the countdown, Izetta manages to bust her way in here during the latter stages of her aptly-named anime series. And while she isn't as headstrong and direct as Finé, she can 'effing fly. Think about the places you'd be able to go together! Apart from the whole magic thing, I'd probably go as far as saying that Izetta is the most physically attractive girl of the season. But cuteness isn't skin-deep, guys. And while Izetta's personality doesn't necessarily work against her, the next two girls really had her beat in that aspect. It's okay, Izetta. We still love you.

2) Momoka Sonou

Anime: Girlish Number

CV: Eri Suzuki

You know, I was almost 100% certain that Chitose was going to be my favorite heroine in Girlish Number after the first couple episodes. But honestly, Momoka is just perfect. And even though she also has an incredibly large ego, she's at least polite about it -- something Chitose can't even fathom. Momoka, being an established seiyuu at such a young age, still has her own inner struggles in living in her mother's shadow. And even though the wait of said shadow gets her down at times, she still puts on an energetic and composed front at all times, making her an ideal choice for the runner-up of this season's countdown. Also, twintails.

Fall 2016 Champion: 1) Kumiko Oumae

Anime: Sound! Euphonium Season 2

CV: Tomoyo Kurosawa

This is something I never saw coming. In fact, back during the first season of Sound Euphonium, I didn't even put Kumiko in the countdown -- it was Asuka that represented the series. But now that Kumiko's character has developed and she's given various hints at her borderline yuri outlook on Reina, Kumiko has surpassed all expectations in the field of cuteness. Apart from just that, though, she's so damn chill. Normally, you'll look at anime character and they'll be...you know, animated. Kumiko, however, wears her head on her shoulders at all times and isn't just doing so in order to get by. She feels like an actual character with actual opinions on things instead of just a copy/paste Kyo-Ani heroine. The fact that she's held her ground and worked so hard at improving herself [easily] makes her not only the cutest girl of the season but the best girl of the season.



And there you have it, guys! These are your ten cutest girls of the Fall 2016 season. I'm sorry to anyone that had their favorite heroine omitted this time around, but maybe next time they'll wind up making it in! I mean, they probably won't, but there's still hope! Never give up. Believe in the me that believes in you!

Don't forget to check me out on Twitter @DJNOSTYLE and browse the rest of what this glorious website has to offer. You might just find something awesome. In fact, you will find something awesome.

Adios!