Meeting Date: 11/9/2016
Disclaimer: The Herald Anime Club discusses shows as they’re airing. Naturally, there will be spoilers for a given episode. You have been warned!
Mike Ferreira: Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the Herald Anime Club. As always, I’m Mike Ferreira, and our members are Anthony Simpson, L.B. Bryant, and Lydia Rivers.
Anthony Simpson: Evening everyone
L.B. Bryant: Hello all
Lydia Rivers: Hi friends! I’m kind of extra happy to be here tonight. Just a little! A BIG little.
Mike Ferreira: Great to have you all back! As you all know, we’ve officially hit the middle of the season. So, instead of our normal format, we’ll be shortening our discussion time for the latest episode of Drifters before we break off and talk about our personal highlights for the current anime crop.
Mike Ferreira: But first, Drifters. Episode 6 saw some pretty huge revelations come through, so I definitely wanted to bring it up for discussion.
Anthony Simpson: Well the Fuhrer finally showed up and everything made sense.
Lydia Rivers: Hello, and goodbye(?) Hitler. And hellooooo Count St. Germain!
Mike Ferreira: Definitely. Hitler was pretty interesting, actually. “I’ll start this genocidal human-nationalist movement then commit suicide… cause reasons!”
L.B. Bryant: I figured he was going to play a major role going forward. I was a little surprised that he was mentioned in the past tense.
Mike Ferreira: Likewise.
Lydia Rivers: I was so grateful though. This series is uncomfortable enough.
Anthony Simpson: What I found interesting is that the Orte Empire founded was by having the Beer Hall Putsch succeed instead of failing like it did in real life.
Mike Ferreira: That was interesting. A bit of alternate history – probably from Adolf having learned from his experiences in the lead-up
Lydia Rivers: Maybe he was assassinated. They didn’t say for sure he committed suicide did they? They said “apparently” unless I’m misremembering.
Mike Ferreira: They did say suicide.
Mike Ferreira: “He built up the empire, then he killed himself. Nobody knows why”
L.B. Bryant: Also: Easy in pajamas carrying a bunny plush was the best sequence that this series has done so far. Like anything that this series did that I didn’t like up to this point was forgiven as soon as I saw that sequence lol
Lydia Rivers: Not apparent suicide? Oh! Thanks for the direct quote.
Anthony Simpson: true.-Probably also explains his second suicide. My guess was that he either A) realized that history might repeat itself and did want to go through that again, or(less likely) B) He had a “coming to Jesus” moment and realized suicide was his way to redemption.
Mike Ferreira: It’s more a paraphrase than a quote, but that was the gist of it.
Mike Ferreira: My guess is that he killed himself to preserve his legacy at its peak
Anthony Simpson: Speaking of Easy, best girl 2016.
Anthony Simpson: That would make sense Mike I mean my as well go out on top.
Lydia Rivers: I felt that Easy carrying the bunny made up for any sympathetic frustration I feel for Olminu strategically accepting Nobunaga’s sexual harassment.
L.B. Bryant: Part of me wants to argue with Anthony re: best girl of 2016, but I’m honestly having trouble coming up with an alternate choice off the top of my head.
Mike Ferreira: How can anyone hate Easy, am I right?
Anthony Simpson: you can’t hate Easy.
L.B. Bryant: I agree. It’s not possible.
Lydia Rivers: She’s so passionately animated for a loli. I love it.
Mike Ferreira: That’s what really impresses me about her. She’s had… what? ONE minute of total screen time this season, and she’s made such a huge impact
L.B. Bryant: Indeed.
Anthony Simpson: That’s the true mark of a memorable character.
Mike Ferreira: Agreed.
Lydia Rivers: You’re right, and she’s not even helped by a prior knowledge of history like the other characters.
Mike Ferreira: I’m exaggerating, obviously… it’s closer to three minutes now.
L.B. Bryant: Yeah, that pajama sequence tripled her total screen time, heh.
Anthony Simpson: I mean she would still be memorable if she had more screen time.
Anthony Simpson: I’m going to declare this now, I want a spin off show of Drifters where we see the daily life of Easy.
L.B. Bryant: I’d pay good money for an Easy/Murasaki sitcom or dramedy.
Mike Ferreira: I would watch that.
Lydia Rivers: If I wanted to watch a bitter IT guy, I’d just go to the nearest Best Buy and watch one get screamed at by someone who didn’t install antivirus software.
Anthony Simpson: I know Easy isn’t Moe, but god damn the Moe factor is strong in her.
L.B. Bryant: lol
Mike Ferreira: So you’ve seen the IT Crowd then, eh?
Lydia Rivers: Ahahaha! Oh right, this is the ANIME Club
Lydia Rivers: Maybe we should write up all the proof we get that Easy is indeed in IT.
Mike Ferreira: …We only have three minutes to work with, so it’s not hard.
L.B. Bryant: By the way, was anyone able to clearly read what was written on her door? I couldn’t make out all the words.
Anthony Simpson: The first word is the only one I could read, after that no.
L.B. Bryant: Okies
Anthony Simpson: I think that was intentional for it to be that way.
Mike Ferreira: Yeah… it’s Eternal “Asldjfdsaljf’adsfjd’sa”
L.B. Bryant: lol gotcha
Mike Ferreira: What really struck me this episode was how conniving Nobunaga is, though..
L.B. Bryant: Yeah, he certainly knew exactly what words to use to get the elves in line behind him and Toyo.
Mike Ferreira: Indeed. And he knew to not sully Toyohisa’s hands in the execution.
Lydia Rivers: And I loved how Toyohisa decked him for presuming to do that.
Mike Ferreira: Damn straight.
Mike Ferreira: So! We’re hitting our time wall. Any final words?
Lydia Rivers: More airplanes vs. dragons!!!
Anthony Simpson: Evil Jesus is back next week.
Lydia Rivers: Dark Jesus!
Lydia Rivers: Honestly I don’t hate seeing Joan of Arc set everything on fire. I loved the last shot of her so much.
Anthony Simpson: Oh Count St. Germain. That was ……something
Lydia Rivers: They certainly captured his reputation of eccentricity haha!
Mike Ferreira: Haha… definitely
Mike Ferreira: We’ll see more of him, no doubt
Lydia Rivers: I completely adored the whole sequence with the lipstick.
Anthony Simpson: Who knew he would be a drag queen in this world.
Lydia Rivers: A genius drag queen. The best kind of drag queen!
Mike Ferreira: Damn straight.
Lydia Rivers: So what’s next, high supreme pizza overlord?
Mike Ferreira: Welp, we’ve finally reached the mid-season point, so I’d like to go around the horn and see what everyone’s top pick is, so far.
L.B. Bryant: I guess I’ll start us off. If I could only pick one show and say that I was enjoying it more than any other this season, it would be Kiss Him, Not Me.
Anthony Simpson: Well for me it is Drifters. But, since we just finished talking about that show, I’m going say mine is a toss up between Keijo!!!!!!! and Kiss Him, Not Me for second place.
Lydia Rivers: There are so many good titles this season! It’s hard to choose. My second place after Drifters is probably Nanbaka. I say that with the caveat that I haven’t yet had time to start Izetta: The Last Witch or Magical Girl Raising Project.
L.B. Bryant: You’re going to flip over Izetta and Magical Girl Raising Project when you do start them.
Mike Ferreira: Izetta’s freaking fantastic.
Anthony Simpson: I do want to check out Izetta. Probably watch it before the Winter season starts. I was going to watch it when it started airing but I ended up not watching it for some reason.
Mike Ferreira: Seriously
L.B. Bryant: It’s a great show, if not a little predictable in places.
L.B. Bryant: But then just when you think it’s going to get a little too predictable, it does something totally out of left field.
Lydia Rivers: I also appreciate Yuri for not being weird about -things-. But I merely appreciate and do not love it.
Mike Ferreira: I’m not far enough into Yuri to form an opinion, sadly
L.B. Bryant: Yuri on Ice is another fantastic show that I could spend a very long time discussing.
Lydia Rivers: Tell us what you like about it!
Anthony Simpson: I’m probably going to wait for Yuri on Ice gets a physical release before I check it out. I’ve heard about some of the animation issues.
L.B. Bryant: Yes, it does suffer from animation issues so if you’re sakuga nerd you’ll probably have issues with the repeating sequences and changes in character designs.
L.B. Bryant: There are some points where the ice skaters suddenly look like they were designed by CLAMP. lol
Mike Ferreira: ouch…
L.B. Bryant: Yeah, it gets very weird in places in terms of design quality.
Anthony Simpson: Hopefully they fix the animation issues come the BD release.
L.B. Bryant: It doesn’t change my enjoyment of the series but I could see how others would be bothered.
Lydia Rivers: It really looks like the skating sequences took most of the budget haha. I find it ok because they did do such a good job on the skates. I imagine that animating those is pretty difficult.
L.B. Bryant: Is anyone else watching March Comes In Like A Lion? If you want to get hit with some hard life lessons in the form of one line truth bombs, that’s a show you really need to give a chance to.
Anthony Simpson: I’m not watching that one. Didn’t catch my interest.
Mike Ferreira: I can see the production meeting on Yuri: “We have $80,000 for the skating sequences!” “That’s great! What about the rest of the episode?” “Five dollars and some pocket lint. Oh! And a gift card for MOS Burger”
L.B. Bryant: lol
Mike Ferreira: That said, haven’t seen March Comes In Like A Lion. It’s on my radar, but I’m juggling 8 shows poorly as is.
Anthony Simpson: I can see that also being said for a Roger Corman film.
L.B. Bryant: MCILAL is very good but it’s not going to be for everyone. It’s a very slow paced and sometimes depressing slice of life series that has the animation style of Bakemonogatari (without the rapid fire text sequences).
Mike Ferreira: Well, it is an Akiyuki Shinbo show.
L.B. Bryant: He’s only assisting the director.
Mike Ferreira: Still – his fingerprints are there
Lydia Rivers: I’ll probably wait until a slower season to get March Comes In Like a Lion. Slice of life series have to tickle something specific for me or I get bored though.
Anthony Simpson: I’m juggling 6 new shows 1 that is continuing from the summer season, 1 backlog title, and too many rewatches to count at the same time.
Lydia Rivers: I also watched 6 episodes of Poco’s Udon World, only to drop it.
Anthony Simpson: I was going to watch Poco but I decided against it.
Lydia Rivers: I thought there would be more movement in the story, but it’s actually mostly just “Lookit this cute tanuki and all the guys who are cute too, cute things make guys act cute 8D”
Lydia Rivers: Which is cool if that’s your thing. I just get bored with that sort of gimmick when it’s predominant
Mike Ferreira: 5 minute episodes?
L.B. Bryant: Speaking of cute; are you watching the latest season of UtaPri, Lydia? :)
Lydia Rivers: UtaPri, aka “It’s dead, why won’t you let it die already.”
Anthony Simpson: I didn’t drop any shows this season, but I did place Magic-Kyun! Renaissance on hold for now.
Mike Ferreira: I’m kind of working through my backlog slowly but surely… only show I’ve kept 100% up-to-date with, save Drifters, is Nanbaka
Mike Ferreira: The others I’m about an episode behind.
L.B. Bryant: I sampled about 20 shows and am keeping up with 8 (plus 1 broadcast dub and am currently about 50% through a rewatch of Code Geass)
Lydia Rivers: I watched the last season for the songs, but even the songs are totally meh. Which is really sad because I simply adore all of the voice actors in UtaPri! Anthony, Magic-Kyun is fairly well done for a mixed media title. It’s not bad. I’m not going to sing about it, but it’s cute to relax or veg out with.
Anthony Simpson: I haven’t watched most of the latest episodes for the stuff I’m watching. Yesterday my other big hobby ate up most of my day.
Lydia Rivers: Let’s talk about NANBAKA!!!
Mike Ferreira: YES!
Anthony Simpson: I like what I saw of Magic Kyun, but I just need to put it on the side for now.
Lydia Rivers: How awesome would a live Nanbaka musical be?!?!
Mike Ferreira: I would totally watch that. Especially if they got someone who could pull off that warden
Anthony Simpson: I started watching Nanbaka last week myself because I was waiting for the Simuldub on that one to watch it.
Lydia Rivers: Oh my god. I love everyone in it. So Nanbaka is basically every trope you can think of thrown into a prison setting, and zany hilarity ensues.
Mike Ferreira: Plus random Gintama-esque humor
Mike Ferreira: The episode with the Ninja killed me
Lydia Rivers: The prison warden. The prison warden. I’d fall in love with her despite how straight I am. I simply would not be able to help myself. That is how great she is.
Mike Ferreira: I’d fall in love with her despite how gay I am! She’s a treasure
Lydia Rivers: Haha! We’re the same! …kind of.
Mike Ferreira: She’s just amazing – mistress of the resting bitch face, but just so adorable despite that
Lydia Rivers: The colors cheer me up if I’ve had a bad day too. They’re so bright and stupid!
Anthony Simpson: So while I’m not quite as far as you guys as are, but my favorite person so far is Seitarō.
Mike Ferreira: He never misses training day which is every day
Mike Ferreira: I’m not sure who I like best, really… the entire cast is just so charming
Lydia Rivers: Yesss. I’m amazed at how well they arranged all those tropes to highlight them in a fresh, fun, and funny way.
Mike Ferreira: They also ding the American otaku, too. I loved that. “WOW! JAPANESE SO AWESOME! =D”
Lydia Rivers: “JAPANESE NINJA!” Clapclap
Mike Ferreira: That was just amazing.
Lydia Rivers: I’ve giggled so hard during this series that I’ve made my roommate come check on me. He wears a headset all the time.
Lydia Rivers: Yeah
Mike Ferreira: Side note: Anyone who likes Nanbaka but hasn’t seen Gintama, watch Gintama. It’s the same manic sense of humor
Anthony Simpson: So since I’m watching the dub of Nanbaka I want to talk about that. I liked the fact that they didn’t give anyone accents.
Lydia Rivers: But it’s interspersed with pretty gravitous themes, so watch it even if you don’t like Nanbaka.
Anthony Simpson: I tried to get into Gintama. I just couldn’t.
Mike Ferreira: I actually haven’t seen the dub for Nanbaka.
Mike Ferreira: It’s one of those shows where I just can’t imagine it working due to how, well… Japanese it is
Anthony Simpson: It’s directed and scripted Aaron Dismuke.
Anthony Simpson: I enjoy it. I think they could have gone crazy with the script or accents but they didn’t which I think works at least so far.
Mike Ferreira: That’s a plus.
Mike Ferreira: I’ll have to check it out
Lydia Rivers: Nope. Tomokazu Seki is the only one who can play Hajime. I can’t even think about the dub
Mike Ferreira: He is just so perfect for that role
Anthony Simpson: So I take it I’m not the only person who is watching Kiss Him, Not Me?
L.B. Bryant: Nopes, that’s one of my fav shows this season.
L.B. Bryant: I giggle like a loon every single weekend when I see the new episode.
Anthony Simpson: I’m enjoying that one as well.
L.B. Bryant: I’m having far more fun with it than I ever expected to.
Lydia Rivers: How so?
Anthony Simpson: Its getting better each week. That said I hope episode 6 is the last time we hear of Sae fat voice. I cringe when I hear.
Anthony Simpson: Thank god the dub only gives her one voice instead of two different ones.
Anthony Simpson: I’ll give my two cents now.
Mike Ferreira: Sounds good.
Anthony Simpson: Kiss Him, Not Me so far is what I could put under the “don’t judge a book by its cover” group.
Lydia Rivers: Sounds interesting. In what way?
Anthony Simpson: At first glance, a fujoshi who gets hot and bothered by Boys’ Love might be a turn off for most.
Anthony Simpson: at least those who aren’t into Boys’ Love.
Lydia Rivers: Ok, that’s true! How does it differ from its “cover?”
Anthony Simpson: The BL over tones are not overbearing.
L.B. Bryant: Kiss Him, Not Me is a great series for anyone who is even vaguely interested in reverse harems. My only point of contention with it is that it is not a gateway series and the otaku level of entry is pretty high.
L.B. Bryant: If you’re not a fan of reverse harems though, this series isn’t going to convert you.
L.B. Bryant: Not IMO at least.
Mike Ferreira: That’s why Fushigi Yuugi exists.
Anthony Simpson: I think the biggest thing I can say why not to judge the show by its cover comes from its cast. Kae might be a fujoshi, but she isn’t obnoxious about it. I what also really made gain an enjoyment for it was the fact that her group of dudes don’t have an issue with that. To them it is no big deal that she is a fujoshi. That said I do have two issues with the series. First Kae’s voice when she is overweight is terrible. Second I’m not crazy about the whole “Guys won’t be attracted to you if you overweight, but if you thin they will be” parts of it.
Mike Ferreira: The whole “fat Sae” thing sounds pretty damn cruel
Anthony Simpson: I mean she isn’t ugly when she “fat” but her voice in fat girl mode sounds like she had cotton balls in her mouth. She sounds real dopey.
Anthony Simpson: That is why I’m glad the dub just gave her one voice for both versions.
Mike Ferreira: Ah, gotcha.
Mike Ferreira: Aniwho, we’re reaching our time limit for the night. Any final thought?
Anthony Simpson: I have nothing else to add except I can’t wait for Evil/Dark Jesus to return. Oh and more Easy please.
Mike Ferreira: Amen to that.
Lydia Rivers: Thanks for explaining why people who got scared off by the description might enjoy Kiss Him, Not Me! Watch Nanbaka if you need a manic and zesty pick-me-up! Watch it after Nobunaga has fun planning poo-trocities.
Mike Ferreira: Nobunaga loves his poo
Anthony Simpson: Thank god smell-o-vision does not EXIST.
Mike Ferreira: It does… it just didn’t take off
Mike Ferreira: Thankfully
Mike Ferreira: Aniwho, that’s all the time we have this week. With half the season down, there’s still a lot of potential for fun times ahead. ‘Til next time, remember: Everyone loves a Japanese Ninja. Have a great night, everyone!
Lydia Rivers: I’ll remember that behind every resting bitch face, there might be a badass girl blushing hard at her crush!
Lydia Rivers: Stay shiny everyone!
