Today’s Tub Manga: Aoharu x Machinegun (volume 6)

I have to admit, volume six and its Haru-Haruki arc is my least favorite of the series so far. With the introduction of the twins Haruki and Haruka, the story got unnecessarily moody (moodier?) and convoluted. Neither character is particularly interesting to me; they could be omitted from the series entirely and I don’t think I’d miss them.

I do really like and enjoy this series but volume six was a bit weak for me. Aside from the Haru-Haruki drama, the major game that takes up most of the volume is against Nine Tails…a team that specializes not in guns, but in (fake) blades. And while I know this is manga and not to be taken seriously, I just had a hard time suspending my disbelief. I’ve shot real guns, airsoft guns, paintball guns [I know, they’re called “paintball markers” to try and rid themselves of a violent image], heck, even blowguns…and, well…there’s a reason there’s the saying “don’t bring a knife to a gunfight.”

I can’t imagine bringing fake knives to an airsoft gunfight is any more effective.

However, as a result of this match, Yukki and Hotaru learn important lessons about themselves and what they need to do to compete. So everyone’s happy and isn’t that really what counts? That Hotaru learns–yet again–what she lacks and needs to do to improve?

Anyway, when it’s all said and done, I always enjoy the interactions between Hotaru, Mattsun, and Yukki. And for whatever reason, I also just love the crap out of Fujimoto (who is barely in this volume).

I was just flipping through again to see if I missed anything and holy crap I did not pay enough attention to the very first page, all in glorious color.

I take it all back; volume six is amazing.

Today’s Tub Manga: Aoharu x Machinegun (volume 5)

I think I have a soft spot for manga/anime about survival games because they remind me a little of my paintball days. However, like my paintball days, I tend to lose interest. I love the premise of Aoharu x Machinegun and really enjoyed the anime but did lapse in reading the manga…

However, volume five went by in a flash. We’re about to enter the Haru-Haruki arc which is a bit convoluted but for now, Hotaru is being her relatively simple-minded self and plugging along. The whole “oh no, I’m a girl!” issue is kind of brushed aside early-to-mid volume and I realized at some point that, perhaps because I’ve read so much BL, I don’t really register Hotaru as a girl. It’s no longer an important plot point.

It is the original plot point, though, so it gets resurrected in the final pages of this volume.

Endless Summer 2015

Welcome to my Endless Summer 2015 Wrap-Up! Why is it “endless”? Because it seems like every series I watched for the season ended in the middle of nowhere! *dies*

My most-anticipated series of the summer was Gangsta. I love the manga, I love the drama CDs, and I loved the shit out of the first episode. I loved all the episodes! Even that weird one that the art is kinda screwy for half of it and you’re wondering if the animators went on strike or something (then I read about the bankruptcy of Manglobe and wondered if the two were related). From the very beginning, I knew that it would have to end “incompletely” if it followed the manga closely…but I didn’t expect quite the sudden non-ending-feeling of episode 12. However, for all my bitching about the non-ending, the art was great (overall, forget that one episode) and the acting was great and seeing Worick and Nicholas animated was wonderful. I’m having a hard time letting go.

I’m also resisting the end of The Heroic Legend of Arslan. Daryun kept getting more amazing This show kept getting better as it went, I felt, with more intrigue and plot and characters. I was really looking forward to seeing Arslan take on Silver Mask and reclaim the capital and—well, it doesn’t matter, because apparently the series doesn’t go that far. But I loved it anyway.

GATE was the first new summer show I watched based solely on scheduling reasons. Suwabe-san’s voice sucked me in and the premise made me stay. It felt a lot like Outbreak Company at first but I enjoyed the art and the “military conundrum” aspect of GATE a bit more, I think. Or maybe I’m just shallow and like to ogle animated men in uniform. Episode 12 is titled “What Would Itami Do?” and I bitterly think, “We may never know because…it’s over!” I’d like to think Itami would come back for a second season!

Aoharu x Machinegun was another of my “anticipated shows.” It met my expectations by being cute, funny, crazy, and having hot well-drawn guys that were a pleasant surprise. I’m always on board if the show has a host character or a eromanga character and hey, this show had both! Throw in that girl-everyone-thinks-is-a-guy a la Ouran High School Host Club and you can’t lose. Except we never actually get to the part where the guys find out she’s a girl… But hey, I’d probably watch it again anyway.

Rokka -Braves of the Six Flowers- I was really excited about this anime…up until halfway through the first episode when it got bogged down with dialogue. Still, when we started meeting other characters I thought it could really bounce back but it never did for me. I didn’t care what happened to any of them. There seemed to be so much potential but the show itself fell short. The “reveal” was…validating? except that anyone who’s watched enough Scooby Doo could probably see it coming.

Monster Musume I don’t really know why I watched this–let alone twelve episodes of it. But I did and I might’ve actually enjoyed it more than Rokka.

Junjo Romantica I’m not gonna lie, my rotten friend and I were too excited for season three. “It is what it is”–and I say that with love. Three seasons in we still have major miscommunication, denial, and misunderstanding between beautiful boys in love. What more do you people want?! Well, if you’re like me, you want another season or OVA with the story of that dark-haired guy you always see around Ijuin-sensei. But that aside, Usagi was hilarious, Misaki was neurotic, and everything is right in the BL world.

Prison School ended up being one of my favorite shows of the season. I almost didn’t watch it because that girl’s huge boobs were a turnoff but I am soooo glad I did. Pretty sure I laughed til I cried every episode. Also, contrary to most of the summer shows, the last episode felt satisfying to me, like we’d actually reached a reasonable “end.” Typing this writeup is hard, though, because I keep thinking of different scenes and just start shaking my head. Prison School definitely gets my “Fucking Hilarious” endorsement.

Man, I love Durarara!!. All it takes is two seconds into the opening theme and I fall in love all over again. Every damn episode. It’s so twisted and complicated and strung out and strung together I almost have a little headache from watching it but it’s so good. Thank goodness for the blip at the end telling me Chapter Three is coming in January before I threw my computer across the room in frustration. Now instead of being furious I’m just…full of Durarara happiness and patiently waiting for January…

MY love STORY!! This was adorable. I’m sure I’ve mentioned that I love the manga and about died from happiness when the anime started. It never disappointed, staying adorable and funny all the way through. The final episode was appropriate and satisfying. I totally recommend this one.

Okay, I think that’s it for the shows that ended this summer. There are a few I still have to finish that probably won’t make it in this post like Gatchaman Crowds Insight, Shimoneta, Actually, I Am, and Snow White with the Red Hair. I will finish them sometime…I just got too far behind. 😦 And I’ve been saving up makuranodanshi because I didn’t want it to be over!

And of course I have my ongoing shows…Fairy Tail, One Piece, Ace of the Diamond, Naruto Shippuden, Ushio & Tora, and my all-time favorite GINTAMA!!!!! Gintama Gintama Gintama…

So what’s coming up for Fall 2015?!

Woo! Summer 2015!

What new stuff did I watch? Will I keep watching it or did it suck? Let’s see!

GATE: I didn’t even know this show existed, no hype, knew nothing about it. But I wanted to watch Summer Season shows and this was one of the new ones on crunchyroll so I thought I’d try it. Originally I actually just planned to have it on in the background while I did some other stuff but then this happened in the first two seconds: “Is that…is that a normal-sounding, non-playboy-type Junichi Suwabe?!” Turns out, even his normal, non-sexified voice makes me drool! But I do want to say that while his voice was the hook for me to actually pay attention, I think the show has merit. The general concept reminds me of Outbreak Company, which I initially really enjoyed. So I’m excited to listen to see the next episode.

Aoharu x Machinegun: This was actually way more satisfying than I expected. I enjoy shows with survival game themes (maybe from my years paintballing?) and I love girls dressed as guys and I love hosts. So what was not to love about this? The show is nice to look at (both the boys and the art in general) and had a few laugh-out-loud moments. I’m actually kind of excited about this one.

Durarara!! x2 is BACK! Did I get goosebumps during the opening theme? Of course I did! No lag, no boring, just jumped right into Durarara goodness. Typical of my previous experiences with this show, I sat the whole time thinking, “Man, I fucking love this show.” SO HAPPY!

Rokka-Braves of the Six Flowers- I loved the look of this and the costumes and locations really drew me in. However, the prison scene was…way too talky and boring. I understand we need some context, some backstory, and this sort of characters verbally rehashing old lore thing is pretty typical for a fantasy/quest setting like this one. I do think that as we get more of the crew rounded up and meet more characters it’ll regain the initial oomph from the beginning. I hope.

Ushio and Tora this show has a very “shonen” feel from the very beginning and I mean that in the best of ways. Very upfront, relatively simple, and enjoyable.

SHIMONETA: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn’t Exist is pretty much exactly like it sounds and is totally hilarious. This is a show I was really excited about going into the summer season and the first episode does not disappoint.

GANGSTA my most-anticipated show of the season and OMG I LOVED IT! IT WAS PERFECT! The voices and the art and the voices and the music and the voices…totally wonderful and amazing and I can’t wait for more. I love the manga and it makes me so happy to see it get an anime.