First Impression: Shachibato! President, It’s Time for Battle!

Based on the first episode, Shachibato is a generic fantasy adventure story about an utterly bland main cast. In this setting, the world’s infrastructure is sustained through crystals, which are collected by clearing dungeons, which are reached by going through magic gates. Protagonist Minato’s dad was president of a small adventuring company, but recently ran… Read More First Impression: Shachibato! President, It’s Time for Battle!

04.05.2020 jeskaiangelLeave a comment

First Impression: Gal & Dino

Sometimes dinosaurs can be a premise for hilarity, as in this magnificent Calvin and Hobbes strip. Sometimes absurdity can also be a premise for hilarity, as in the literary classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. This is not one of those times. Gal & Dino centers on a so-called dinosaur. The titular gal is Kaede, who,… Read More First Impression: Gal & Dino

04.04.202004.04.2020 jeskaiangelLeave a comment

First Impression: Arte

Set in Florence, Italy, early in the sixteenth century, this is the tale of a young noblewoman named Arte trying to become a proper artist and make a living. Her supportive father died recently, and now her mother is calling the shots: we meet her as she sets ablaze a pile of her daughter’s drawings.… Read More First Impression: Arte

04.04.202004.04.2020 jeskaiangelLeave a comment

First Impression: Listeners

Well. Umm. Huh. The first episode of Listeners was…trippy? Yeah, let’s go with that. I mean, it’s a music-themed, post-apocalyptic, giant robot adventure, so what do you expect? At a concert, a young boy sees a giant robot? The concert gets blasted by the Death Star or something. The boy, now older, is scavenging in… Read More First Impression: Listeners

04.03.202004.03.2020 jeskaiangelLeave a comment

First Impression: Kakushigoto

Kakushigoto looks to be a lighthearted comedy. The title itself is a pun: It’s a story about the “kakushigoto” (i.e., secret) of Kakushi Goto. Kakushi is a mangaka…who usually draws stuff that would qualify as “NSFW.” He lives with his adorable young daughter Hime (his wife / her mother’s fate isn’t stated, but she definitely… Read More First Impression: Kakushigoto

04.02.2020 jeskaiangelLeave a comment

Despising the Shame of Heroic Hypocrisy

I usually read up on anime before watching them, trying to get a feel for the content and whether it’s something I’d enjoy. One show I ending up deciding not to watch, despite the high regard in which many hold it, is Puella Magi Madoka Magica. After reading about PMMM, I still tried the first… Read More Despising the Shame of Heroic Hypocrisy

03.11.202003.09.2020 jeskaiangel1 Comment

Finding God in a Light Novel!?

Gods tend to come off badly in fiction. Really, really badly. No, wait, “badly” isn’t strong enough. Worsely? Worstly? Anyway… There are stories with evil gods. There are stories with insane gods. There are stories where the gods are actually unfathomable horrors misidentified as deities. Going back to ancient mythology, many fictional gods are deeply… Read More Finding God in a Light Novel!?

02.05.202002.04.2020 jeskaiangel2 Comments

First Impression: Infinite Dendrogram (for Light Novel Readers)

As someone who absolutely fell in love with Infinite Dendrogram after being introduced to it through the Light Novel Club, the series’s anime adaptation was easily the show I was most looking forward to this season. And it doesn’t disappoint. While not without room for improvement, it was a strong introduction. If you don’t already… Read More First Impression: Infinite Dendrogram (for Light Novel Readers)

01.09.202001.09.2020 jeskaiangelLeave a comment

12 Days of Christmas Anime: Sword Art Online Progressive, Vol. 3

Day 10: Hope Just as you know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, but may not recall the most famous reindeer of all, you probably know about the Sword Art Online anime adaptation’s Christmas episode, but you may not be familiar with Kirito and Asuna’s first Christmas in Aincrad. Sword Art Online Progressive is… Read More 12 Days of Christmas Anime: Sword Art Online Progressive, Vol. 3

12.23.201912.19.2019 jeskaiangelLeave a comment

12 Days of Christmas Anime: Obsessions of an Otome Gamer

Day 5: Gift Tally ho! The quest for off-the-beaten-path Christmas stories in anime and light novels brings me to Obsessions of an Otome Gamer, volume 1. If you’re not familiar with series, it’s a heartwarming tale of family, friendship, and…classical music. (I can only assume the author is a fan?) Protagonist Mashiro discovers that she… Read More 12 Days of Christmas Anime: Obsessions of an Otome Gamer

12.18.201912.13.2019 jeskaiangelLeave a comment

Beneath the Tangles

connecting anime and belief in open community

Author: jeskaiangel