Home Stretch, Fall 2011

So here we are with just a few weeks left in the season, and I’m still following a number of shows. Now why would I do that? Well, probably because I want to….but lets look at why. Unless you have anything better to do. I mean, don’t let me stop you — I’ll still be here later. Really.

Fate/Zero — Just keeps getting better and better. Watching Kiritsugu and Kayneth battling each other for the last few episodes has really made the whole Fate/Stay Night series look like the kiddie game it was. The adults have come to play, and the intrigue is so thick you can cut it with Lancer’s Gae Bolg. Despite that, they don’t stint on the action — although I suspect this episode might take a break. I haven’t watched it yet but it’s titled “Rin’s Adventure” which suggests we’re going to get a little moé-service from everyone’s favorite tsundere. Well, my favorite, anyway. Even if she is six, as of this show. Which, don’t get me started on the anachronisms here. Illyasviel was born how many years before the 4th Grail War? So she should be about eighteen during the 5th, not eleven? Maybe she just ages slower…

Mirai Nikki — Not necessarily getting better and better, but it is proceeding nicely. Yuki’s caught between his axe-crazy girlfriend and a sincere desire to survive the madness that his life has become. I note with some approval that he’s not worrying (and in fact has never worried) about “is it ok to kill in self-defense?” or “is it ok to kill?” at all. He’s doing what it takes to survive, and if that means killing a deranged teen cult leader, then he’s only hesitating because he’s a coward at heart, not through some pious moralizing. Unfortunately, they’re now dealing with the least believable diary holder of all, a murderous 5-year-old tyke. Fortunately, there’s only one more “WTF?” holder after this, if I remember correctly.

Ben-to — Last couple of episodes dealing with “Monarch Butterfly” and the aftermath have been sub-par. I think they’re running out of steam. There’s no overall plot; I thought there might be, but it just seems to have been ol’ Monarch trying to look creepy.

Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai — Fortunately, the loli nun hasn’t been a big part of the show, but unfortunately, she’s been around enough to be annoying. The only thing good about her is that she’s a foil for Kodoka’s anime-otaku vampire-imitating little sister. It’s become evident that Yozora and Sena are both after Kodoka, but only Sena seems to have a plan, or even realize it. All the people in this show are so relationship-inept that they don’t even realize that they’ve become friends — perhaps less so between Sena and Yozora, but even Sena was in favor of leaving the pool after Yozora left due to illness. Watching the lot of them discover texting and exchanging addresses was facepalm-worthy. And a hoot — one of the few times I’ve felt uncomfortable about a protagonist being stupid, yet still found it hilariously funny.

Maken-Ki — Sigh. Tanking, as I expected, now that Venus has showed up. All T&A, but the best fanservice was front-loaded. The problem is in the source material, unfortunately; the writer just can’t do a plot worth a damn. And Inaho is a dumb ho.

Maji-koi — Shit just got serious. Second-best fanservice show, better show in general. After taking a couple of episodes off from the plot, it jumps back in the thick of things, with lesbian cyborgs, stupid crooks, city-wrecking fights, and a harem center that doesn’t know when to run the other way. Momoyo is now out for blood, while the rest of the girls lighten the mood somewhat by trying to take advantage of her distraction. (They couldn’t do anything else at the time, anyway).

Mashiro-iro Symphony — Fast-forward. No, wait. How about just “off?”

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