Final stretch. Everyone is gearing up for the big confrontation/final battle, most series are all set for their final episode. Unfortunately at this point I doubt it will really change my opinion of any of them.
I for one am going to be glad this season is over in general, although there isn't that much I'm really looking forward to next one either. The only things I will truly miss are Maria and Log Horizon. You can expect an orderly wrap-up from me at the end of the season though. Now on to the commentary!
Go Princess Precure: Well, this episode made Haruka a little more endearing to me. She's a hard worker at the very least. Otherwise a pretty mediocre episode, personally I would have liked to see that tennis match for real. One thing that actually has me bothered is the balance of talent between the three. Whereas Haruka is somewhat clumsy and not really good at anything, the other two are pretty much perfect, perhaps too perfect (just look at how they can even play soccer and basketball so effortless, the former having me more baffled!). I hope this will not impact this season negatively in the long run.
Absolute Duo: I still think K and Smith are in the race for most simplified stock villain with no story or appeal ever. A lot of that has to do how they were just practically thrown into the story like a wedge. But really, where are we? In the 80s? Even simple, evil villains can be done brilliantly (see One Piece), these two are just terrible and the fact that they have to fight K AGAIN for the final just makes it worse. With such a weak and undefined antagonist, I do not see any graceful way for this show to save what it has messed up since Episode 3 or 4 or such. Otherwise I AM glad that it was Tomoe that stopped Miyabi. Of course that ended this already horrible plot device far too quickly and I really would have liked to get this a more dramatic and worthy sequence. Of course, the show has wasted too much time in between to find time for anything but rather short and weak battles at the end. I'll eagerly await next week, only so that I can finally lay this show that has become a big disappointment after its initial appeal to rest.
Yuri Kuma Arashi: So... wait. Lulu is done? Back to the other side, just like that? Aww, man, I actually kind of liked her. At least she was honest enough to talk it out with Kureha and help her remember. Of course now remains the question what is Ginko up to now and how will Kureha face... her trial? What?!
Shinmai Maou no Testament: For the supposedly big confrontation with the villain, the action was really lacking. In fact, on that front Rebecca already nailed it well. There was a lot of teasing in terms of powers, only for it to dwindle off into posing and talking. It was a decent episode but really this late in, one should expect a little more than decent. I am really running out of ideas of what to say here unless repeating myself over and over about the one thing I shall not mention this week. Hah!
Kantai Collection: It's become really predictable, really. Which is rather sad. Somewhere around the midpoint, I thought KanColle at least genuinely tried sometimes but it's been slowly pattering downwards. There isn't enough interesting going on for anyone that is not invested into the whole franchise. Prove for that is that I was puzzling all episode about Akagi's words at the beginning and if that might have been a deliberate attempt at fourth wall breaking. In the end I probably gave that too much credit. And Paul from ANN... If this episode was a B, then I honestly wonder about the standard. If this was a B, then all of Strike Witches deserves an A+! Just saying...
Assassination Classroom: A decent filler/bridge episode. Nothing much more to say. Compared to the last weeks, this anime clearly was taking a breather before the final stretch. That's okay... I can deal with one of those in awhile and after Fairy Tail's filler suicide stretch, I can certainly deal with this level. Just not really anything memorable here.
Fairy Tail: The moral of the story... Don't mess with Laxus... or maybe you can? ^_^ As we seem to be hitting the final stretch of this endless-seeming filler arc, the episodes are actually getting better! Again, this would have been a very nice filler episode if it wasn't buried under all the rest.
Rolling Girls: I'm getting more questions than answers out of these revelations. The sudden upending of plot points in one big swoop certainly leaves some disorientation. I'm afraid nothing can save this anime's pacing at this point.
Dog Days: Finally some cool battle scenes again! Now I know what I missed... For all the sweet interaction, the battle scenes are definitely one of the cornerstones of this anime and there were surprisingly few of them this season. This episode was somewhat better than what I expected. Yet, Milihore finally singing but without lyrics was a letdown, especially knowing this series can do better music-wise. And the flying pig turned into a Pegasus (or something)!
Log Horizon: It was certainly strange seeing Shiroe falter but being thrust in a conflict of interests can do this to the strongest of people. Sometimes all you need is a good-old slap (the cure all for indecisive anime characters (tm) ^_^). Now we are all set for a grand final, before we wait for another season... hopefully. After all the source material is exhausted at this point. Despite the weird plot bunnies in the last episodes, I would hate to find this great series just be stuck unfinished like so many anime before. Opinions seem to differ about this ep, I am stuck somewhere in the middle. I wouldn't call it a straight-out A, that's a little much, but it certainly wasn't a bad way to (start to) go.
One Piece: Only Luffy, only Luffy would think about riding a fighting bull up a giant stone man's arm while it is trying to crush him. Don't. Ever. Change. Next up Zorro VS Pica Round 2, I'm excited about this one.
Seiken Tsukai no World Break: And we've come full circle. I still laugh and enjoy this even while the anime lurks in the shadow of all the mediocre or potential-wasting harem series this season. The whole Metaphysical thing is still rather unexplored... but then again that is the norm in many series of this kind. I've seen worse or at least just as worse. At the moment I'd rather see a second season of this than of Testament...
(Careful, big SPOILER ahead, despite the fact that this never was meant to be spoiler-free)
Nanatsu no Taizai: Oh. My. God. They killed Hawk! Hawk! Our poor beloved pig, we shall always remember your noble sacrifice. Go hide in a corner, Happy, Hawk has just transcended you by virtue of martyrdom... or something like that. Elizabeth's power was also awesome. And as much as it pained me for the above, it was a good thing this didn't go overboard and revive the dead too. Now we are all set for the final confrontation. They've already been pulling out a lot of stops in the last episodes, so I hope there is still some breathing home for the last battle. I find it ironic that we have neared the end and it's still just the Five Deadly Sins (+ 1 known and briefly appearing at least).
(End big spoiler)
Maria, the Virgin Witch: I wasn't quite sure what I expected here, but it wasn't quite that. Not saying it was bad, on the contrary. One of the most interesting moments was when Maria demonstrated that her greatest strength is not her magic but her will, going up barehanded against Galfa. But what will happen next, I wonder?
I also watched the second episode of Strike Witches: Operation Victory right now. What can I say... Even that made me more excited than anything KanColle has thrown at us so far. What really has me bothered – besides the fact that it is taking up time that should be used for Season 3 – is that there are only 3 specials, right? I mean we had Minna, Erica and Trude in the first, now Shirly and Luccini, the next one will have Perrine and Lynette....... Where are Eila and Sanya, Yoshika and Lynette aside they are my favorites and they are even in the opening. I feel betrayed. In fact, this is really an outrage! I demand a redo... ahem.
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