Selebus's Anime Zone: 2017

Monday, December 18, 2017

Re:Zero ~ Chapter 2 Vol. #02 Manga Review

What you forget, I'll always remember

Creative Staff:

Art: Makoto Fuugetsu

Original Story: Tappei Nagatsuki

Character Design: Shinichirou Otsuka

Translation: ZephyrRZ

Lettering: Bianca Pistillo

What They Say:

Working at Roswaal Manor as a humble servant, Subaru had thought he had reached a comfortable new life with Emilia, Rem, and Ram. However, his unexpected demise puts that naive illusion to rest. Alive once more, Subaru works to uncover the cause of his latest tragedy, but learning the truth might be a fate worse than death!

The Review:

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

Okay, so I know what you're thinking. "Why is the worst character in the entire series on the cover of this volume?" Well guys, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the unfortunate truth is that, yes, we do have to put up with a little more Beatrice than normal this installment. But don't worry- everything is going to be A-okay. In addition to the abundance of wise loli goodness (?), there's a plethora of violent fanservice and more than enough Subaru-fatality to push us closer to the non-Beako arc and back into the dramatic, more enjoyable portion of Re:Zero that the vast majority of us have familiarized ourselves with.

The second volume of the second chapter (Which should honestly just be called Re:Zero Vol. #04) picks up right after Subaru's untimely first demise in the Roswaal Manor. Shortly after realizing that he has returned by d- *Begins coughing profusely*, Subaru begins to retrace his steps. Not having even the slightest idea of how or why he died this time, he decides that reenacting his every action prior to the death would be the best way to figure it out. Of course, instead of going to sleep on the fourth night, he decides to just stay awake and figure out what's going on- a move that can be, in no way whatsoever, regretful. One important thing to mention, though, is that Beatrice seems to be the only one with memories of Subaru from the previous timeline.

It becomes eerily apparent at several points in the volume that Beatrice knows something that both the reader and protagonist do not. And while she remains willfully oblivious to the underlying events that actually caused Subaru's last death, she remembers meeting him again. This whole situation leads us to believe that her chamber/library/whatever exists in an otherworldly plane, not connected to Earth or Lugunica or wherever the hell everyone is. And while this may be easy-ish for us to process, Subaru has a hard time deciphering it. Either way, he forgets about it almost instantaneously as Emilia takes up roughly 95% of his brain.

Ultimately, Subaru winds up dying a few more times- uncovering a few more hints with each agonizing demise. Eventually, he uses his big-boy brain to try things differently and, instead of working as a butler, devotes his time to studying and furthering his relationship with Rem and Ram. When it eventually comes time for him to leave the mansion, he commutes to a nearby cliff face with the full intention of watching the manor until someone attacks again. However, instead of the mansion being attacked, Subaru finds himself tossed into a spontaneous battle with none other than Rem- who had apparently been suspicious of him due to his 'witch scent.' Of course, Subaru is brutally massacred yet again, but he finally knows what's going on and that's all that really matters.

When he returns by *vomit* for the fourth (Or fifth?) time, Subaru immediately approaches Beatrice to see if she has any idea of what's happening to him. After an entire platter of 'I wonder...'s, she reluctantly agrees to safeguard him for the remainder of the next four days. With a survival plan finally laid out in front of him, Subaru now faces the challenge of coming face to face with a girl who had killed him in cold blood just a day or two ago. He has put every single one of his cards into the hands of the worst character in the series- and I'm sure that everyone who doesn't already know what happens next is now on the edge of their seats.

In Summary:

While it's less eventful than the first volume of chapter two, volume two still has several high points in terms of both artwork and story. The twins outshine Emilia in this installment (Despite how much that hurt me to admit) and Rem's 'crazy' scene at the end of the book is one of the best the series has put forth thus far. However, with some sporadic mood switches and unfortunately necessary repetition, volume two feels a bit bland in the grand scheme of things. Regardless, it sets the stage for the coming book- which may just wind up being one of the most interesting ones we've seen yet.

Content Grade: B

Art Grade: A

Packaging Grade: A-

Text/Translation Grade: B

Age Rating: 13+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: August 22, 2017

MSRP: $12.99

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Scum's Wish Vol. #04 Manga Review

I'm a creature who can't help himself...It makes me miserable.

Creative Staff:

Story & Art: Mengo Yokoyari

Translation: David Rowe-Caplan & Megan Denton

Lettering: Erin Hickman

What They Say:

Now that Hanabi has discovered how warped Akane's true self is, she's made a certain resolution to herself. In place of the one she loves, as a substitute for the things that are lacking, there is a warmth that people reach out for. The various feelings of love and desire mix and combine with complicated relationships, and the red string of fate is lost in the tangle.

The Review:

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

With three volumes of exposition and several intimate yuri chapters behind us, Scum's Wish has officially plateaued. Don't get me wrong, it's not like the series doesn't have anything left to give us- but now that the tone and the characters are established, Scum's Wish has fully transitioned into an incessant stirring of dark, lust-filled romance. At the forefront of this volume, however, is Mugi. The fourth instalment of Yokoyari's love-pentagon heavily embellishes on the feelings of the male protagonist, leaving Hanabi on the backburner for most of its duration. And while this might sound interesting and different...it's really not?

Mugi makes it overwhelmingly apparent (Hell, he even says it himself at some points) that he isn't all that unique. He's just a normal guy giving into lust whenever he has the chance to. While he isn't fantasizing about banging his tutor, he's using his time wisely to get off with Hanabi or some random senpai of his that bears a disturbing resemblance to Anastasia from Cinderella Girls (Can not unsee). Now, this is all fine and dandy but it gets kind of boring when you're trying to characterize a protagonist whose personality is literally just sex if it took on the form of a human body. Thankfully, after several confusing time skips and perspective swaps, the book regains its footing, albeit ever so slightly.

While Mugi was living the life of a high school playboy, Akane was off on a date with the object of Hanabi's affections. However, even with her affinity for homewrecking, she's having a hard time dealing with how boring Kanai-sensei is. It isn't until he accidentally utters Hanabi's name that she goes into nympho-mode and basically forces him into a nearby love hotel. Of course, this can't stay a secret forever. In fact, she straight up tells Hanabi that she banged him the next day and just walks right by her- an incredibly rude gesture that I do not condone even in the slightest. This ignites a bit of a spark in Hanabi. She goes from 'playing nice' to fighting her way through an inner struggle that will ultimately determine how 'thirsty' she is going to be from now on. She winds up succumbing to Akane's desires and decides that she, too, will become a homewrecker from this point on...Or at least she'll try.

The one home that Hanabi isn't willing to wreck, however, is Ecchan's. Ecchan has somehow managed to stay neutral despite her best friend and the object of her affection turning into a strumpet before her eyes. When Hanabi approaches her and informs her that she's going to dating Mugi "for real" from now on (Don't worry- I purposely didn't go over this because it changes literally nothing), she even says right to her face that she doesn't care and is still willing to be used. Even in the midst of this emotional and physical war, Ecchan proves to be the shining light in Hanabi's life. Of course, the show must go on. Instead of shooting for the true route with Sanae, Hanabi takes her first step into the world of nymphomania and dedicates herself to ruining peoples' lives from this point on. Or something. Man, I don't know what she's even thinking anymore.

In Summary:

Without beating around the bush, this is the weakest volume of Scum's Wish thus far. Riddled with hard-to-follow perspective switches and time jumps, the fourth entry in this series does not gain its footing until its already too late. While there several obligatory sex scenes, none of them are especially interesting or even different for that matter. Volume four is just more of what we've seen so far- only instead of focusing on the interesting protagonist we have to put up with Mugi and his stupid face for half an hour.

Content Grade: C

Art Grade: B+

Packaging Grade: A

Text/Translation Grade: B+

Age Rating: 16+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: July 18, 2017

MSRP: $14.99

Saturday, December 9, 2017

How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend Vol. #06 Manga Review

I saw the sea today. I'm not afraid anymore.

Creative Staff:

Original Story: Fumiaki Maruto

Art: Takeshi Moriki

Character Design: Kurehito Misaki

Translation: Kumar Sivasubramanian

Translation Consultant: Chitoku Teshima

Lettering: Phil Christie

What They Say:

Tomoya and Megumi have managed to complete the alpha version of their dating sim. However, playtesting has revealed an unpleasant truth: In spite of the talent and effort that went into it, their game is hot garbage! As producer, Tomoya needs to salvage the train wreck, but it's going to require bruising the egos of his staff...and neither Utaha nor Eriri takes criticism well! With the winter Comiket only a month away, can they keep it together long enough to make their deadline?

The Review:

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

So after a much-needed break and a 1,200 mile relocation halfway across the country, I'm back in the game and ready to start reviewing again. What better way to break back into the swing of things than with a series that has, at least thus far, established itself as one of my favorite harems in the last several years. With most series, a break this long may diminish my interest or even my recollection of the series most-recent happenings, but with Saekano...well, that's never really an issue. Also, the end of its last anime season still rings true in my mind so that chance of forgetting is all but null as far as I'm concerned. Regardless of any patterns on my own behavior and my less than perfect memory, I'm guessing you want me to just start talking about the actual book now, right?

Jeez, okay. (Cracks knuckles).

Saekano's sixth volume kicks off the same way it always does- each member of Blessing Software is bending over backwards trying to produce Tomoya's dream game. After striking up a bet with Iori about who's game will be the best in show at Winter Comiket, Tomoya has attempted to force his team into overdrive. This, of course, only results in his shortcomings as a producer being pushed out into a more open space than ever before. With the deadline rapidly approaching, Tomoya can't seem to decide on...well, pretty much anything. But the biggest issue he has in this respect is the scenario itself. Not only does Kasumigaoka's script read like a literary novel and not a gal-game, the Ruri route she added into the mixture sends the series down two completely different paths that are equally alluring. So not only does Tomoya demand she redo everything, he demands a third route be added into the picture in which everyone lives happily ever after instead of just one of the girls.

Kasumigaoka scoffs at this idea at first, but is eventually enticed by Tomoya's boyish optimism and naivete. Together, they pull several [platonic] all-nighters and after overexerting and exhausting themselves [again, platonic], they're able to come up with a product that is...passable? This entire exchange is potentially my favorite glimpse into the Utaha route in all of Saekano. Not only is every element and attribute of her character highlighted almost-perfectly, her mannerisms and the way she communicates with Tomoya as a whole add an element of humanity and logic to her that none of the other girls of the series can capture. And while every one of them has one or two high-points throughout the duration of the franchise, this volume really serves to change the game for Utaha, putting her up on a pedestal that every other girl now has to jump through hoops to try and reach.

And with that comes the tsundere. With the story finally being complete, the pressure is now on Eriri to finish the remaining artwork which will, in turn, put the finishing touches on the game. Knowing full well what this means, she elects to retreat to her family's vacation home in the Nasu Highlands in order to better concentrate on the task at hand. Even though he hates the idea, Tomoya agrees and Eriri is off to some remote cabin in the middle of nowhere. Of course, complications arise once she's stricken with writer's block (And some poorly worded emails from our protagonist), leaving the entire group teetering on the edge of scepticism in terms of the game's completion. Things take yet another turn for the worse when Eriri breaks the news to Tomoya that she wants to change the art style as a whole. With only three days remaining until the game's deadline, even Tomoya begins to question whether or not she can rise to the task.

In Summary:

I'm sure I sound like a broken record, but Saekano proves once again that it's not your average harem. Filled with fourth-wall breaking, incredibly developed characters, Saekano rides the coattails of well-timed comedy and satire to levels unreached by most others. And with this volume containing what I imagine is the highest word count for the manga thus far (Trust me, this is more impressive than it sounds), there is no shortage in terms of content. Utaha shines brighter than ever before with a large chunk of the book dedicated to her, so any fans of our beloved senpai novelist are in for a treat if there ever was one. Also, we have officially crossed into long-hair Katou territory. Readers beware, you're in for a scare.

Content Grade: A-

Art Grade: A+

Packaging Grade: A-

Text/Translation Grade: A+

Age Rating: 16+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: June 20, 2017

MSRP: $12.99

Monday, September 25, 2017

NTR: Netsuzou Trap Episode #12 (Season Finale) Anime Review

Two girls in love? It'll never go anywhere.

What They Say:

Yuma, a high school second-year, is enjoying every day now that she has her first boyfriend. After she asks for relationship advice from Hotaru, her beautiful long-time friend who has had many boyfriends, Hotaru teases her for her inexperience and playfully does things to her that even her boyfriend doesn't do. Yuma and Hotaru's secret relationship continues to escalate, and Yuma finds herself unable to deny how it makes her feel. This school drama tells the story of the interwoven lives of these two girls with boyfriends.

The Review:

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

Forgive me if this review seems rushed because the fact of the matter is that it is. I have spent twelve dreadful, painstaking weeks putting up with this nonsense so you guys don't have to and, frankly, it wasn't even almost worth it. There is literally nothing about NTR's story or formula that makes it worth watching. Hell, the only reason I haven't given consistent F's to every episode is that the art isn't terrible and Yuma is kind of cute. But that doesn't matter anymore. The point is- NTR is a garbage anime about garbage characters and its a garbage adaptation of a relatively decent manga series.

To sum this "finale" up in a nutshell, Yuma finally harnesses 1% of the common sense it takes to figure out that Fujiwara is an abusive jerk. Hotaru goes through the whole spiel of, "Oh, no, it's okay. He only hits me when I refuse to have sex with him," which is apparently a completely fine excuse as far as everyone in this anime is concerned and, what do you know, Yuma is left unsatisfied and unloved for the umpteenth time in the last twelve episodes. Meanwhile, Takeda continues to literally sit there and serve his purpose as a metaphorical punching bag for Yuma's transition into lesbianism. Within another two minutes or so, it finally clicks in Yuma's microscopic brain that she might just be interested in women. So, after confessing like three more times or whatever, Hotaru finally figures out that Yuma is being totally serious and the two kiss in front of like six million people in Shibuya crossing or whatever iconic Japanese street this particular series decided to end in.

Of course, this happens right after the customary yuri line of, "Two girls in love? It can not be!" and if there was even a drop of justice in this world, these girls would have been hit by a car right then and there. But considering the creators of NTR secretly hate every single one of us, we're greeted by a monochromatic montage of the boring scenes from the last eleven episodes that ultimately ends with an even more boring shot of Yuma and Hotaru talking in an elevator- presumably about how they feel super naughty or how they want to make out or something. Either way, it is a conversation I have no intentions on ever thinking of again, considering that as soon as this review comes to a close I am going to wipe NTR from my memory forever.

In Summary:

I can wholeheartedly recommend NTR to anyone out there that I utterly despise; I think this series would be great for you guys. But for anyone that I do not wish death upon, avoid this boring excuse for a cuckolding yuri anime. You can leech the same amount of thematic content by placing two of your little sister's barbies on top of each other and making them kiss. In fact, I would honestly prefer that -- because at least that wouldn't consume twelve weeks of my life and it could be over within seconds. NTR isn't the type of series that is bad in the sense that it's poorly made or put together, it's bad in the sense that it is not even as fun as a trip to your grandparents' house on Christmas Eve. Think about what it would be like to actually watch paint dry. Good, now think about what it would be like to blow on that paint for hours upon hours until it becomes dry. That is what NTR feels like, and I am so incredibly thankful that it is finally over.

Episode Grade: F

Series Grade: F

Stream By: Crunchyroll

Monday, September 18, 2017

NTR: Netsuzou Trap Episode #11 Anime Review

Love is hard.

What They Say:

The Review:

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

At long last, we're almost done. After three months of endless, lesbian tongue wrestling and off-the-mark fanservice, NTR's less than impressive foundation for a yuri series has crumbled into non-existence. Luckily for us, Yuma has finally come to terms with her feelings, albeit with only ten minutes of runtime until the show ends. Of course, the idea of something actually happening in NTR is abhorrent to its creators, so these feelings are shot down the second they become apparent to Hotaru. I mean, of course she wouldn't reciprocate Yuma's love. It's not like shes been making romantic and sexual advances on her behind the back of her abusive boyfriend for the last eleven episodes or anything.

I apologize for the abundance of passive-aggressive sarcasm in my last few reviews of this series, but I honestly think NTR is actively attempting to make me hate it.

At the end of the day, we're gifted with another scenario in which the lesbian protagonist only understands that she is a lesbian after being told that the butterflies in her stomach are not actual butterflies. What sucks about this is that Yuma winds up figuring this out from the dude she's been cuckholding for an entire school year -- and she essentially rubs it in his face the same day because she's too absent-minded to understand that human beings actually have feelings. I know this idea may be foreign to Yuma who, just five minutes ago was under the assumption that full-grown insects were flying around in her gut, but this is just flat out rude. Takeda is the only character in this show that, at least at some point, had an actual conscience and now he's just some dude that willingly throws himself into chronic depression just so he can play basketball with some girl he thinks is hot.

Eventually, Yuma goes home and, for approximately the seventy-third time, runs into Fujiwara punching Hotaru in the face or something. But knowing Hotaru, I would not rule out the possibility that she was just being annoying and answering everything Fujiwara has to say in a question or something. Then, in true NTR-fashion, the episode comes to a close on a stupid close-up of Fujiwara's stupid face that will be ultimately diffused in the first stupid minutes of the stupid season finale.

In Summary:

I am so excited for next week's episode that I can't even describe it. Not because I need to know how the series ends or anything, but because I'm excited to never have to talk about this show again. I hope we get some sort of School Days ending where Yuma goes off the rails and just kills everyone -- but I understand that this would require actual writing and its been proven over the last several months that NTR's storyboarding consists nothing more than two girls in cute outfits figuring out how to take off each other's clothes off.

Grade: D

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Top 10 Cutest Anime Girls Of Summer 2017

It's that time again!

Now that Summer has passed its third quarter, I think it's safe to say we've been exposed to a pretty decent amount of adorable waifu material. That being said, can we truly call ourselves otaku without ranking them in terms of their respective adorableness?...Probably. But is that going to stop me? Pfft, not a chance.

As always, here is my warning that your waifu may not be number one. In fact, she might not even be on this list. But on the off-chance that she has been completely omitted from this collection, you probably just have terrible taste. Either that or I just didn't watch the series she was in, but that's even less probable because I have no life whatsoever.

Girls are judged not only on their physical appearance but their personality, voice, and whatever else it is that makes us fall in love. I hope you enjoy!

Now, let's get this show on the road.

10) Shunma Suruga

Anime: Re:Creators

CV: Minako Kotobuki

If anyone on this countdown is a dark horse, its Suruga. Considering the word 'cute' wouldn't typically be associated with a girl as badass as her, it's definitely impressive that she's managed to finagle her way into this list (And also my heart). Despite having minimal screen time alongside characters like Meteora (Who is not on this list- I am sorry), Suruga manages to leave a lasting impression on viewers through her lone-wolf tendencies and seemingly twisted outlook on both life and publication. Oh, and she's hot as hell. I mean, come on.

9) Yuki Minagawa

Anime: Tsurezure Children
CV: Kana Hanazawa

Everyone who watches Tsurezure Children loves Yuki. I mean, just look at her. With arguably the best segment in the series' pilot, Yuki takes an early set as a prospective best-girl for what I'd call the best short-form series of the season. Her overly-playful and overly-cutesy mannerisms and way of speaking go on to create some of the most memorable moments in the entire show. The always-lovable Kana Hanazawa only adds to her overwhelming adorableness.

8) Karen Tendou

Anime: Gamers!

CV: Hisako Kanemoto

I'm sure that I'm not the only one turned on by how much of a stalker Karen is. The popular girl falling for the unpopular guy is an incredibly overused trope in anime, but it isn't often that the female deserves a literal restraining order. Karen, on the other hand, is the type of girl that would break into your house and steal your clothes if you dumped her. If this weren't a romantic comedy, she'd be a flat-out yandere. But considering Gamers! highlights the comedic undertones of young love, Karen will remain both an ojou-sama heroine as well as a box full of comedic relief.

7) Sumire Souma

Anime: Sagrada Reset

CV: Aoi Yuuki

Another unexpected addition to this list comes in the form of Sumire Souma, a character who was barely present in the first half of Sagrada Reset. When she returns to the series in its second cours, she brings along with her some of the heaviest hitting plot devices the sci-fi drama has seen thus far. There is one episode in particular where she lets her true feelings out for the first time and it winds up becoming what I consider one of the heaviest moments of the season. That, combined with the whispy voice of Aoi Yuuki and several exceedingly intelligent monologues creates a girl who would, under normal circumstances, break her way into the top five.

6) Yoshino Koharu

Anime: Sakura Quest

CV: Ayaka Nanase

Yoshino, who also appeared in last season's countdown at number four, has managed to maintain her endearing characteristics in Sakura Quest's second half. With a short arc centered around her relocation to her hometown and a sort of journey to find herself, Yoshino returns to Manoyama cuter than ever and even more determined to make a difference. Even though she sits at number six this time around, I'd still go as far as calling her the best-dressed girl in the entire list. And, thanks to PA Works being a studio essentially centered around attractive female characters, we get to see her in a plethora of trendy outfits that only add to her modernistic beauty.

5) Maki Midorikawa

Anime: Sakura Quest

CV: Chika Anzai

Perhaps the most impressive addition to this countdown comes in the form of Maki Mirdorikawa, who sat in 19th place last season. However, with a hefty amount of screen time set aside to embellish her past and the rebellious attitude that goes along with it, Maki has become a much more dynamic and interesting girl. A big part of Sakura Quest's allure is how its protagonists go through immense changes in terms of their outlooks. Maki is no exception to this at all. One more thing to note is that she has really nice hair and would probably be the best girl out of all of these to introduce to your friends at a party or something.

4) Kana Iijima

Anime: Tsurezure Children
CV: Akari Kito

I fell in love with Kana the second her segment showed up on Tsurezure children. Not only is she absolutely adorable in terms of physical appearance, but she's friggin' hilarious. Kana seems like the type of girlfriend who would be unconditionally loyal to you no matter what. And with how determined she is to take her relationship to the next level, you can tell just how much love she has to give. Personally, I'd appreciate it if some of that love could be redirected to me- but seeing just how happy she is with her current situation makes that quite doubtful, to say the least.

3) Misaki Takasaki

Anime: Love And Lies

CV: Kana Hanazawa

Misaki Takasaki is the upgraded, dere-dere version of Hanabi Yasuraoka from Scum's Wish. Much like Hanabi, she's an underdog. It's clear that she's head over heels for Yukari, but the fact that their love is destined to fail from the pilot ignites a spark within her that, over time, begins to inflame. While Misaki isn't necessarily as physically attractive as the other girls on this countdown (Of, course, that's a direct result of my own taste), her personality and outlook shine brighter than the rest combined. On one final note, she probably has the prettiest eyes ever. Look at them.

2) Yun Iijima

Anime: New Game!!

CV: Ayumi Takeo

It's not secret that Yun Iijima is my favorite character in New Game! In fact, she took home the crown for best-girl back in Summer of last year. And while this may be a slight fall from grace for the Kansai cutie, Yun remains one of the most adorable and endearing characters in all of anime. Even with her immense self-consciousness, Yun carries herself as an elegant young girl who still has time to look after her brother and sister. Even though her screen time has been cut down this time around, she's just as precious as she used to be- only being eclipsed by one girl in this beauty-filled Summer.

Summer 2017 Champion: 1) Ririna Sanada

Anime: Love And Lies

CV: Yui Makino

Let's get one thing straight -- I don't want Ririna to win. I ship Misaki x Yukari harder than you can imagine. But that doesn't change the fact that Ririna Sanada is the physical manifestation of 'cute'. From the way she speaks to the way she acts, from her sheltered life at home to her desolate life at school, Ririna is so gorgeous that it's almost cringeworthy. Mix that with how inclined she is to impress Yukari and how incapable she is of understanding her own feelings and you have a girl that was destined to top this countdown from the get-go. She is the perfect blend of elegant and endearing, and for the above-mentioned reasons, she is truly this season's best-girl.

And there you have it, everyone. The 10 cutest girls from the past few months. Now, go ahead and change your desktops, wallpapers, etc. You know the drill.

See you again at the end of next season for another "Cutest Girls"

Feel free to browse the rest of The Fandom Post until then!

Sunday, September 10, 2017

NTR: Netsuzou Trap Episode #10 Anime Review

What exactly is our relationship?

What They Say:

The Review:

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

While last week's episode may have seemed like a chance for NTR to finally regain its footing, it wound up being nothing more than yet another farce as the conflict is dispelled yet again in the first few seconds of this week's episode. Takeda has gone from being the only character in the series with a shred of actual humanity to nothing more than a running joke, mimicking the density of a cookie-cutter harem protagonist. Yuma, on the female side of things, goes back to being normal non-Yandere Yuma and simply starts fantasizing about boning her best friend as much as she used to. Meanwhile, Hotaru and Fujiwara's [boring and nonsensical] pasts are brought up and, what do you know, they remain just as disinteresting as they were episodes ago.

Apparently, Hotaru and Fujiwara struck up the same deal that Hanabi and Mugi from Scum's Wish did -- just this time there's more physical abuse and less incest. If you are unfamiliar with Scum's Wish, this essentially means that these two rambunxious, young whippersnappers have decided to use each other to fulfill their sexual desires without actually forming a romantic partnership. Of course, this ultimately leads To Fujiwara punching Hotaru in the face whenever she's not in the mood. Slowly but surely, the lesbian ship sets out for its second voyage and, what do you know, now Yuma and Hotaru are making out in public. In order to instill yet another sense of imaginary conflict, Fujiwara witnesses it and uses it against his [fake] girlfriend in order to get laid for the fiftieth time this week. At the end of the day, we are back to square one. Hotaru and Yuma totally want to bone each other but neither of them has the mental capacity to understand that no one is trying to stop them. But hey, at least Yuma and Takeda can play basketball or whatever again.

I'm so tired of this.

In Summary:

NTR reverts back to its usual, boring self but manages to bring back the fanservice that drew people into watching it in the first place. Now that we have finally established that none of these characters have actual ambitions or even thoughts for that matter, we can get back to what this series is at its core -- trash. But hey, at least we'll get to see two hot girls almost make out for the millionth time next week. At this rate, the series isn't even going to end in the next few episodes. I mean, the plot hasn't even been introduced yet. How are you supposed to put an end to a show that has technically never even started? If you really want to check out a dark, lesbian anime just go watch Sakura Trick or something. Even that is more messed up than this nonsense and at least that show has dancing.

Grade: C-

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Sunday, September 3, 2017

NTR: Netsuzou Trap Episode #09 Anime Review

It's not easy to forget someone you've fallen in love with.

What They Say:

The Review:

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

So within the weeklong gap between this episode and last week's, Yuma has decided to become a yandere. Set off by the fact that her best friend may be purposely avoiding her, Yuma has gone as far as skipping cram school and borderline making out with her best friend in front of a group of middle-aged dudes. Of course, the writers wanted to see their orange-haired protagonist reprise her role as a maid, so Yuma has returned the cafe (As if that wasn't already given away by the featured image of this post). Unfortunately, she's only there for a day or two more as she gets sick from overworking herself. In addition to that, her mother catches wind of her skipping cram school (With a little help from Hotaru) and gives her a bit of an offscreen earful. It's made apparent later on that Hotaru sort of planted the seed for this, clearly set off by Yuma's sudden infatuation (If you can even call it that) with dressing risque in public.

Perhaps the most interesting part of this episode comes when Yuma decides to make the first move on Hotaru for once. I'm not talking about a cutesy peck or anything like that, either. Yuma straight-up grabs the back of her best friends head and pretty much mouth-rapes her. Being totally into non-consensual make out sessions, Hotaru obliges and, what do you know, Takeda shows up. And while it isn't apparent whether or not he actually witnessed them locking lips, he's definitely caught onto things for the first time (Only took him 75% of the series). Even though this will most likely be dispelled within the first few minutes of next week's episode (As is customary for NTR), it's actually interesting seeing things heat up for once. Yuma has strayed from her typical static tendencies and finally experienced some...growth as a character? I'm not sure if growth is the correct word or not, but she's finally graduated from being a passive, run-of-the-mill yuri protagonist. Hotaru, on the other hand, has been sort of stopped in her tracks. Finally, as soon as she's starting to drift away, she's reeled back in and has taken on a new role -- that of the submissive type? It's unclear how things will play out from this point on, but it's great that the series has finally given us something different.

In Summary:

NTR finally breaks away from its plotless tendencies and greets us with a new look at Yuma and a conflict that may wind up lasting more than half an episode. Takeda finally catches on to the relationship between the girls and Yuma has finally learned how to have feelings, even if they're borderline yandere ones. For the first time in over two months, I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next. However, I'd advise against getting your hopes up considering just how much of a letdown the rest of the series has been up to this point. Regardless, this fresh take on the main characters and the darker sides of this series goes on to reinvigorate it, even if only temporarily.

Grade: B

Streamed By: Crunchyroll