12 Days of Christmas 2014 #01 – Hunter x Hunter

Thank you for the past three years.

12 Days of Christmas 2014 #02 – Yama no Susume 2 and a Dream to Climb Mount Fuji

Climbing, hiking and camping. These are all things I have not really done outside of more casual occasions, yet those times live on as warm memories inside of me. Despite being years ago since I last did any of these, my fondness remains the same as if it was yesterday. If possible, I would like to give them a try again – especially in the case of climbing or hiking.

12 Days of Christmas 2014 #03 – Welcome to the NHK and Facing Reality

Welcome to the NHK is a special anime. It follows the university dropout Satou as he is forced to face the reality of having become a hikikomori – a shut-in. With neither job nor employment, Satou is living off his parents’ allowance and is slowly growing more out of touch with reality by each day.

12 Days of Christmas 2014 #04 – No Game No Life and Materialization Shiritori

I had a blast watching No Game No Life. It spews energy out of the computer screen and grabbed my attention within the first few minutes and didn’t let go until it ended.

12 Days of Christmas 2014 #05 – Patema Inverted and Falling into the Sky

Yasuhiro Yoshiura is probably one of my favorite anime directors. He has created works such as Pale Cocoon, Time of Eve and most recently Harmonie. What makes his creations so compelling is how they have a rather distinct, almost mundane, style to sci-fi storytelling.

He explores grand concepts by utilizing smaller scenarios, which is especially seen in Time of Eve. It takes place in the future where robots and androids are commonplace, but rather than aiming big the story takes place in a small café bearing the titular name. Here, the concepts of humanity and androids are explored at ease with no right or wrong.

This is why Patema Inverted is such an interesting change from Yoshiura’s typical approach.

12 Days of Christmas 2014 #06 – Kokoro Connect and Understanding Iori Nagase

In November this year I stumbled upon a blog I had encountered once before, but forgotten the name of (it’s excellent and I highly recommend following it!). On it, I discovered a well-written piece about Kokoro Connect and the main character Iori Nagase called “Kokoro Connect: A Glass Half-Empty”.

I found reading this fairly engrossing, as it was the first time someone had discussed the series from Iori’s perspective and shed light on something that may had gone overlooked. The text itself was so interesting it spurred me to rewatch the final arc of Kokoro Connect, which I initially had problems with when released.

12 Days of Christmas 2014 #07 – Honeys, Clovers and Bicycles

Honey and Clover is a peculiar anime. It was one I was almost always recommended and told I would love by avid fans. Years passed and I eventually watched it shortly after having started studying on university level, a very fitting choice as it takes place in a college setting with adult characters. Indeed, I don’t think there ever would’ve been a better time to watch it.

12 Days of Christmas 2014 #08 – The Good and Pointless Sequel called Rebellion

Earlier this year I rewatched Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica for a second time, which just so happens to be one of my favorite anime series. The first time I rewatched it was when it was still airing and the final two episodes were delayed because of the tsunami in Japan. It was still very good.

My second rewatch was in preparation for the third movie titled Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica: Rebellion, a completely new story that would finish of the movie trilogy. As such, I decided to marathon all three movies – the first two recapping the series – in a single day to keep my memory fresh. The result? It was still very good.

Eight months later, however, I am still undecided whether or not Rebellion is actually needed.

12 Days of Christmas 2014 #09 – Inou-Battle and the Voice Acting of the Year

My reaction.

It is rare to see voice acting in anime praised or even mentioned in the first place. At most there will be discussions about the favorite voice actors which is mainly tied to their voice rather than acting. This is not wrong, as everyone cannot be expected to excel in breaking down every aspect of something they enjoy. I, for instance, would not be able to and is the reason I rarely, if ever, touch upon it.

That said, I want to give praise to a scene found in the seventh episode of Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de. Note that this could potentially be seen as light spoilers, as the scene in question is a punch to the gut in how sudden and emotional it is.

12 Days of Christmas 2014 #10 – The Pilot’s Love Song and a Sense of Adventure

If you ever told me Superman would be starring in an anime as a young pilot on a voyage to the edge of the world, then surely I would laugh until being shown The Pilot’s Love Song. Then, I would ask why someone thought naming their protagonist Kal-el was actually a good idea.

Puzzling naming sense aside, The Pilot’s Love Song is a sweet tale about love and adventure. It stars a large cast and an intricate setting, the latter which should be known to those who have seen The Princess and the Pilot as it is set in the same universe. Over the short span of merely 13 episodes – far too few for a story on this scale – it managed to live and breathe a wondrous sense of adventure I haven’t encountered very often in anime.