Clannad - Episode 24

I had completely forgotten about this, actually. It seems like an absolute age since Clannad “finished”, so this long-awaited twenty-forth episode kind of hit me from out of the blue. This episode focused around Tomoyo in what I’ve gathered is an alternate version of the Clannad universe, following her path from the original Clannad game. As such, the story mainly focused around the difficulties faced by the now dating delinquent-and-highschool-president couple as they sped on towards their graduation. More…

Zero no Tsukaima: Princess no Rondo - Episode 2

As if we weren’t already very well aware, those crazy Japanese animators just thought they’d make absolutely sure we know exactly what Zero no Tsukaima: Princess no Rondo is all about. Just in case you might have thought it had a centrally cohesive plot, or something exotic like that.

On that note, I’m not going to be quite so harsh as I maybe came across in my last post about the series. There were some sweet moments in episode two, for sure. Take the re-summoning ceremony-chant thing, for example, which ended in an all too natural kiss between Saito and Louise. The dynamics in that relationship really are insane! One minute Louise is chasing the poor fellow around with a wooden stick, the next she’s hugging him from behind and pledging her adoration - as indirectly as possible, albeit. Still, that tsundere personality is one of the main reasons for Zero no Tsukaima’s popularity, so who am I to bad mouth those bipolar outbursts of affection? More…

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu - Episode 1

Awr, man… I was determined not to like this!

Calling a spade a spade (because, y’know, it is), Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu is grade-A manufactured rubbish. Ever since reading about the show’s original premise, it was painfully obvious that this anime would be constructed meticulously from well-known tried-and-tested components with the aim of checking every tick box on the anime fan’s wish list. Clumsy, moé, sweet, gentle, good-at-everything, admired-by-all female lead who loves Akiba’s produce as much as we do? Check. Dweebish, uninterested, dorky-yet-assertive male protagonist? Check. Every frame’s a fanservice frame!? Check. Reason for aforementioned cute female lead to rely upon aforementioned boring guy? Check. It’s all there, laid out like a delicious smorgasbord of 2D niches ready to be devoured by a pack of salivating otaku with thick-rimmed glasses and pockets stuffed full of Suzumiya Haruhi bunny-girl figurines. Yeah, really. More…