Tenth week of 2018 edition!
This is a Crow’s eye view of the posts that caught my attention this week. Typically, they’ll be posts that celebrate some aspect of anime, in particular strong characters, intricate plots, or amazing worlds.
There are only two rules:
- I have to find the site to read it. So, if you never see your site mentioned, it might be that I don’t know it’s there! Please feel free to mention your site in the comments.
- The post had to have been published during the last seven days (or so)
You can find a list of the sites I check every week here.
There’re a lot of good posts in the anime space. I hope this post helps you find some of them!
AngryAnimeBitches
DARLING in the FRANXX Episode 9
I watch this show every week, but I never know what to expect. Will it be flirty? Will be it exploitative? Or will it be emotionally cathartic? Episode 9, as the review from AngryAnimeBitches demonstrates, is a solid piece of moving character work. So while I have no idea if the show’s going to address the gorilla in the room (okay, a band of gorillas), if the show can inspire interesting reviews like this, I’ll be happy.
Ani-Dotes
[64] The Prince and the Princess – What Made Yona Great
I think making an effective drama is hard. That’s why I get excited when I read a post like this one from Ani-Dotes that describes how a show like Yona of the Dawn pulled it off. You need more than a solid protagonist, realistic worlds, good supporting characters, and a strong plot. Sure you need those things, but you also need what this article talks about.
Keiko’s Anime Blog
Violet Evergarden ep 9
In my review of The Ancient Magus Bride, I’ve talked about how reviewing a show with an emphasis on character and emotion strains my vocabulary. I’m a science fiction and computer security non-fiction writer, so reviewing something like that show, and more recently a show like Violet Evergarden, is a real challenge. That’s why I’m glad there are reviews like this one from Keiko’s Anime Blog that can say the things I can’t — like exactly why Episode 9 was so amazing!
RABUJOI
Overlord II – 09
Overlord II is a major departure from the first season, which I still think was fantastic. Despite focusing on new or side characters, this season remains fresh and interesting while retaining the character of the first season. This review from RABUJOI of episode 9 highlights some of what makes the show so enjoyable. From new characters like Climb, to previously side character like the combat butler Sebas Tian, this post should give you a good idea of why you should be watching Overlord II.
Random Curiosity
Violet Evergarden – 09
Not convinced you should be watching Violet Evergarden? Maybe this post from Random Curiosity will help! This review emphasized different aspects than the post from Keiko’s Anime Blog, and I think that taken together, they paint a robust, complex, and insightful portrait of episode 9. In the case of this post, I particularly liked the treatment of how Violet’s reactions so realistically track those of soldiers returning from war. Realism matters!
Thoughts that Move
On gatekeeping in the anime community
I’ve written an editorial about how I want Crow’s World of Anime to be a place where anime fans can celebrate their interest. It seems like such a simple idea, yet I see the community too often put up barriers to new fans. Or do something equally as bad: try to push out existing fans. That’s why I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post from Thoughts that Move. Not only was the treatment of the subject balanced, but it was presented in a positive way.
