SEASONAL PRATTLE
Once again, Adachi to Shimamura executed an episode that’s tightly in its genre’s wheelhouse with a fair amount of tact and grace. Episode nine primarily has “charming” going for it, with plenty of its base writing and immediate conversational flows constantly pushing just how sweet Adachi’s Nagoya trip is. For that, the time spent here has no problem reaching its tonal goals – actively staying firm with its intentions and never really dishing out content that takes you away from its patterned beats of adorableness. The execution throughout is a cherry on top of a sweet cake, smoothly keeping Tarumi in the fold with dedicated vignettes and keeping the door open on her narrative thread for looming drama. Nicely done.
Jujutsu Kaisen (10)
“Efficient characterization for Junpei all while smoothly working its way into its biggest strokes”
Jujutsu Kaisen whipped up another good showing, maintaining its general quality from last week, and even at times, coming across as more inventive in the process with Nanami’s sequences. That said, this episode matches the previous job of accomplishing efficient characterization for Junpei all while smoothly working its way into its biggest strokes – Mahito and Nanami’s clash that is accompanied by another applaudable visual outing. Mappa’s efforts in providing a kinetic production are clearly still one of the series’ best calling cards, having no trouble engaging the aesthetic attributes needed to land its action and it shows.
Akudama Drive (9)
“Easily boasts the craft capacity, from stark layouts to a very good voice acting effort, to hit it out of the park”
Ninth episode of Akudama Drive has passed, landing as another reliable indication of the show’s nature, for better and for worse. On the bad side, patches of writing here and there are a bit dopey in conception, at times feeling like there could have been distinctly cleaner alternatives to go down the course the episode was heading. However, on the good side, its composition is stout and decisive enough with what it wants to be to apply ointment to that wound. Much of Nine’s weight is centered around Cutthroat’s encounter and chase, which is favorable both because it isn’t particularly text demanding, and also because this episode easily boasts the craft capacity, from stark layouts to a very good voice acting effort, to hit it out of the park. Akudama Drive has no problem being visceral when it matters and it certainly mattered in this one.
Tonikaku Kawaii (10)
“High adherence to typicality and lack of risks”
Two episodes left, yet Tonikaku Kawaii’s latest affair is still ending up with more stagnation than progression when dealing with the overarching narrative or specifically Tsukasa and Nasa’s relationship. Much of the material that we get in Ten is mild at best, with little embellishment in its craft or storytelling to raise it beyond that threshold – making it actively tough to legitimately find beats like apartment shopping interesting or fun as the wrinkles to it are fundamentally unimaginative. Even the episode’s climax, a quiet walk at night that has our leading pair by themselves, is hamstrung by awkward Nasa interactions and the sound of deflating air as the show refuses to pull the trigger on a kiss scene that was practically gift wrapped – settling for a sporadically cheesy hug instead. Remaining mediocre seems to be the prevailing goal of Tonikaku Kawaii, a goal that it accomplishes with ease with its high adherence to typicality and lack of risks. Lukewarm in its romance and linear with its outcome – Tonikaku Kawaii continues to be an unremarkable show dipped in a “wholesome” bucket of paint.
Kimi to Boku no Saigo no Senjou, Aruiwa Sekai ga Hajimaru Seisen (9)
“A bluntly boxed-in resolution, with our usual character groupings essentially going through the motions of a hasty fallout and recovery”
Kimisen remains unchanged, returning with a ninth offering that’s basically a reskin of a bunch of the series’ recent hurdles, all done in a manner that falls short of compelling. There are two general avenues that our content takes here, and not one of them is worthwhile: Iska vs. Salinger never lives up to its billing on paper – amounting to a few spells and sword swings that often don’t even hit their target, and ultimately upstaged in terms of disappointment as viewers never see a true Alice x Iska team up and are served a conclusion that has no real winner. When the episode finally ceases to underwhelm with that, it turns to a bluntly boxed-in resolution, with our usual character groupings essentially going through the motions of a hasty fallout and recovery that closes the opportunity for this episode to even be mediocre.
Kamisama ni Natta Hi (9)
“Failing to articulate intended tones in a way that resonates”
Kamisama ni Natta Hi pulled off an episode that was both a sloppy narrative culmination and a reminder of how emotionally artificial the core of its cast and scripting can be. Almost the entirety of Nine’s run lands as an unearned forced mess – dabbling in an abrupt, poorly conceived attempt to construct sympathy for Suzuki and then stumbling downhill through Hina’s chip reveal until it completely crashes rock bottom at a limply built confession and cliche confiscation of Hina. “Execution matters” is a universal and ever-relevant truth of media, and Kamisama ni Natta Hi plain doesn’t have it – failing to articulate intended tones in a way that resonates, and deeply lacking the textual intelligence to nail the thematic makeup this series so desperately want to thrive on. Easily a bad episode.
