“QUOTE OF THE WEEK”

– An astute observation on the state of Ms. Vampire Who Lives In My Neighborhood. Please forgive me for this massive spoiler.

 

SEASONAL PRATTLE

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai (12)

It strikes me as odd that a decent swath of the community is still genuinely curious to what this work’s strengths are, even after a fantastic episode such as 12 and while we’re this deep into its run. Bunny Girl Senpai’s ability to effortlessly lean on its supporting cast has been a well established calling card for quite some time now, and it’s on full display here. It’s one thing to still find ways to allow Kaede to absolutely shine as an emotional battery, blending her trope with a serious disorder and still hitting home on all the scenes meant to embrace her progress, but it’s a whole different thing to accomplish that even when your episode’s outcome is highly predictable. Good episodes resonate when you don’t see its tonal beats coming. Great episodes resonate even when you do.

 

Irozuku Sekai no Ashita (12)

Not that long ago in a feature on Seasonal Prattle I briefly mentioned that this was the time of year to see what shows had left in the tank. December can be such a make or break month; Those four final episodes for a large chunk of airing titles are absolutely crucial, and a lot of the time a given narrative’s heart is usually found somewhere along the way over that span. With all that said, Irozuku is absolutely making the most out of its remaining shelf life – going from a series with questionable telling around its midsection to a work that’s not only emotionally confident but decisive as well. This episode is very much a stepping stone for the finale in the grander picture, it lays a lot of groundwork with care and isn’t clumsy with the cliffhanger, but it’s still very rewarding with its bigger dramatic strokes.

Yagate Kimi ni Naru  (12)

I love how easy Yuu and Touko dictate this episode’s pace, and Yagate Kimi ni Naru’s tendency to organically sell their relationship really continues to complement the chemistry they generate. Once again the telling is very cared for, presenting a decent bit of dramatic lace that keeps our time spent from feeling too weightless in passive moments, and ultimately ends up making our bedroom fallout land that much more flush. I’ve been very impressed with Yagate Kimi ni Naru’s handling of key beats and thematics, but if it keeps delivering thoughtful character interactions like this in the finale, I’m going to have to think of this one as more than just a very bright Fall work.

Zombieland Saga (11) 

So…so that’s it? After spending the last two and a half episodes watching Sakura be a complete drag while the series physically dragged her narrative out, we get the grand reward of yet another awkward CG performance underlined by a rather conventional idol ending. And “conventional” is really a key word here, as essentially that’s been Zombieland Saga’s mode of storytelling for the majority of its run length and certainly the last stretch of episodes. What was once an Idol series with an engaging angle through its parodies and comedic prowess, just simply sputtered out into a thoroughly standard entry in the same genre space – one that desperately needs a second season as it couldn’t even address a lot of its own questions. Zombieland Saga ultimately ends up as a fairly mediocre work, with an underwhelming at best finale.

SSSS.Gridman (12)

Given that I already alluded to how I felt about this one just yesterday on here, I’ll try to keep this brief so I’m not more redundant than I already have been all season long. This finale really does little to alleviate any of the series’ textual pitfalls over its run, and actually at times, puts them on display even more (*cough* fixer beam *cough*). It’s genuinely hard for me to give an episode any credibility that literally resolves the show’s collective woes in one quick super move from the protagonist and then follows up that schlock with a dream-like ending which makes a plethora of Gridman’s earlier material feel even more inconsequential. I’m sure “magic-super-beam-that-essentially-solves-every-standing-issue-our-cast-has-been-facing-for-the-last-12-weeks-at-the-drop-of-a-hat” is good storytelling and totally not ass-pulley to some folks, but I expect something far more competent.

My Sister My Write (10)

Adding to its streak, My Sister My Writer manages one last poorly conceived episode – a whole spectacle tackling Yuu shyly confessing that he wouldn’t mind getting inside his little sister’s pants, all choreographed with the aesthetic effort of a children’s coloring book. I’m still not sure what anime god the community enraged to deserve such a series, but the punishment is over. We are free.

 

 

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