Love Live! School Idol Project Season 2 - Episode 13 (Completed)

The Love Live is over (and there are no prizes for guessing who won), which leaves just the small matter of graduation to be tackled by both third years and the student council alike.

As you might imagine, Honoka's attempts to write a graduation speech to deliver as student council president proved rather torturous and led to some last-minute panic, but otherwise everything is in-hand and organised, leaving Honoka free to offer some comforting words to Eli before delivering that graduation speech, which of course actually turns out to be a graduation song instead.

With all of that done and dusted, there are still some final things to tidy up - literally in Nico's case as she packs up her club room paraphernalia, but also figuratively as the Idol Study Club now needs a new leader... a role to which Hanayo seems perfectly suited despite her protestations.  A final tour of the school for the graduating girls takes in all of their familiar haunts - the stage, the alpacas (who have a surprise of their own, it seems), and of course the rooftop that turned from makeshift practice arena to the group's home from home.  Saying goodbye to all of this is a sad moment, but Honoka eventually realises that, just as she promised at the start, she and her friends followed through on their dream to the very end.  But is this end though? Not when there's a bucketload of cash to be made from a Love Live movie it isn't... place your bets on what that will involve, but my money is on an international Love Live tournament.

So ends (for now, anyway) Love Live - I know I've compared it to K-ON a number of times over this second season, but it certainly sits in a similar position for me as a light and fluffy story with a decent dose of comedy that can nonetheless tug mercilessly at the heartstrings when it really wants to. The proof of quality for a show of this ilk is in its emotional payload, and although it never quite reaches K-ON's level is certainly delivers surprisingly well in that regard in its later episodes including this finale, while still piling up the colourful fun and frolics leading up to those moments, even as someone who doesn't care all that much for the show's music. In other words, even putting aside the obsessive aspects of its fan base, it isn't too hard to see why Love Live has been a major success even in an ever-more crowded market of idol-based anime.

Mekakucity Actors - Episode 12 (Completed)

Now that Momo and company have been rescued, it's time for the gang to make good their escape and take on the "final boss" in this finale of Mekakucity Actors.

With the entire cast assembled, the group has no shortage of special powers to use to get to where they want to go, whether it's Takane's hacking ability (and not an iconic cap in sight) or... well... Takane's abilities with a gun in her hand. Eventually, and again thanks to a spot of special power utilisation - this time from Hibiya - the group finally find what they're looking for in the form of Mr. Tateyama's lair.

Although Tateyama - or at least the entity controlling him - wasn't expecting visitors so soon, he was expecting them regardless, and it seems that he has a few tricks up his sleeve to boot. For starters, he's quick to indulge in spilling the beans about Marry's true nature, suggesting that she's trapped within a cycle of despair that is triggering this entire series of events because of her desperation not to lose her friends. What's more, Tateyama also spies an opportunity to take on the body of the indestructible Haruka to further his plans yet more - however, it seems that he's reckoned without the power of Marry and her friends to remain steadfast in ensuring that his plot can't possibly succeed.

Truly in keeping with the rest of this series, nothing made much sense in this final episode of Mekakucity Actors - it felt like key plot points were missing entirely, with a series that has been dragging its feet for much of its running time suddenly having to race through things at a deeply unsatisfying pace to the point where even its (lazy) resolution felt like an afterthought.  The real shame is that there were brief flashes of what this series might have been on show in this finale - when the Mekakushi-dan are working together as a team it's actually pretty entertaining to watch, and that it's taken twelve episodes to reach that point is just one damning aspect of a show that has made a complete shambles of telling anything approaching a coherent story.  Is Mekakucity Actors the biggest disappointment of the spring?  You know, it almost certainly is.

Knights of Sidonia - Episode 12 (Completed)

Taking the fight to a massive Gauna hive was always going to be a "do or die" mission for Sidonia's Gardes, but as the situations worsens it seems as if only the "die" part of that statement has any chance of coming true.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and with Benisuzume scything through the platoon and an anti-planet missile well on its way, the decision is made to blow a whole in this Gauna hive using Sidonia's Super Hyggs cannon. The only question is whether anybody will still be alive at that point to take advantage of the route this should open to the hive's "master" Gauna, and with this in mind Nagate offers himself up to take on Benisuzume to give what remains of his platoon an opportunity to defeat the Gauna and escape the onrushing anti-planet missile.

Even for a pilot at skilled as Tanikaze, taking on this monstrous enemy with so much "borrowed" knowledge from Hoshijiro, and it all seems about to go awry as he's knocked unconscious in the eschewing battle. Enter a terrified Izana to come to the rescue before he meets his certain demise, only for Izana's craft to be knocked out into space in the resulting chaos. With ammo out, the game looks to be up for Nagate... except he has one last trick up his sleeve, provided to him in the hope that he might exact vengeance in the place of one of the Honoka clones.  Thus, victory belongs to Sidonia as the Gauna is destroyed in the wake of Tanikaze's personal victory, ensuring the safety of those on-board once again and giving Tanikaze an opportunity to try and make peace with Kunato in particular. Even more dangerous threats remain however, which is one way of saying that a second season is on the way later in the year.

If last week's episode of Knights of Sidonia was all about white-knuckled tension, the series finale was far more about balls-to-the-wall action - something which wasn't quite as gripping as what came before but fare that was deftly accomplished all the same with just enough moments of peril and drama to work into the ultimate triumph which bookends the series. These final instalments are also a study in just how far this series has come from some faltering beginnings - its initial episodes were clumsy at setting up its major characters (although admittedly they did a great job of world-building instead), but somehow events have organically ensured that putting these characters in danger elicits exactly the right emotions from the viewer, and coupled with what feels like some major improvements to its animation quality and a narrative that grew stronger by the week, we've been left with a terrific series which I'm more than happy to know there'll be more of.

No Game No Life - Episode 12 (Completed)

Try as they might to twist the game in their favour, it seems that Blank simply can't be beaten, leaving Izuna on the brink of defeat in the decidedly Japanese virtual world that makes up the game created by the Eastern Federation.

This isn't the end of the matter however, as Izuna has a trick of her own up her sleeve - the rare Warbeast power to surpass her own normal physical limitations. Thus, the game has changed again - Shiro is unable to predict where Izuna will be or what she'll do next, and the pair which make up Blank have nothing left in the tank except to run and run until they can't run any more. Once Sora's last-ditch effort falls flat, the game is up and the Eastern Federation victorious... or are they?  Everyone has reckoned without Steph of all people, who has been cunningly moved into position thanks to some intelligent use of the game's NPCs and other counter-measures to the Warbeast's "mind reading" abilities.

In other words, it is in fact Elkia who have won the game and thus all of the Eastern Federation's territory - a prospect which leaves Izuna inconsolable until reassured that her defeat won't cause any death or distress to her people. There remain issues to iron out even in the wake of this victory for Sora and Shiro however, as the Warbeasts have moved most of their technology and important persons off the continent, ostensibly to lure Elkia into another game in the hope of instant revenge, or at least an opportunity to secure self-government for their people. Tired of convoluted games, Sora's suggestion to resolve this issue is simple - a coin toss, and one that he manipulates into a draw to ensure that Elkia keeps their territory and the Warbeasts keep their self-sufficiency. With all of this resolved, Blank can reveal their ultimate plan to take on Tet.. oh, and call upon the world's number one-ranked Exceed.

Much like Nanana's Buried Treasure last week, No Game No Life ends on a note which has me clamouring for a second season, but even if it never emerges (and let's hope it does) that shouldn't overshadow the fact that this show has been a tremendous success overall. At times is pandering to fandom and fan service has been a little over-bearing, but when it manages to put that to one side or integrate it into the story a little more tidily it's provided easily some of the most entertaining episodes of any series in 2014 via some spectacularly grandiose tales told in a fashion befitting of them. These episodes and the glorious twists and turns surrounding them have been what has won me over here and interesting, colourful visuals and an enjoyable soundtrack have simply been the icing on this devious little cake.

One Week Friends - Episode 12 (Completed)

There may have been no dramatic fallout between Hase and Kaori, but the very obvious cooling in their friendship is visible to all and sundry within their class as time goes by.

Of course, it goes without saying that Fujimiya is more keenly aware of this change than anybody else, and it's Kiryu to whom she turns looking for advice - advice that he can't readily give beyond explaining that Hase is probably worried about inadvertently becoming responsible for her losing her memory again at some point in the future, suggesting that she should talk to him herself is she wants any real answers. Clearly, this issue will be less simple to solve than the awkwardness between Saki and Kiryu, which is quickly resolved by the latter bawling her eyes out while explaining her concerns before receiving an apology from him.

The faltering relationship between our two leads ultimately leads to them both making excuses when the winter holiday rolls around, as they both claim to their friends that they'll be going away with family, leaving them with nothing to do when the time comes. In a pique of serendipity, this decision leads to the two bumping into one another on a random walk, leading to them spending some time together chatting. Eventually, a shrine visit sees Kaori spill out her emotions about how much she wants to spend time with Hase like they used to, while Hase finally realises what an idiot he's been in shunning her out of a determination not to cry again. Thus, all is well once again as the series ends with friendships mended across the board.

Having expected to find One Week Friends filled to the rafters with highly emotional drama from the offset, I've been genuinely surprised and impressed with the quiet, introspective take it has instead had on its characters, using the amnesia plot point carefully and increasingly sparingly and instead using it to simply lead in to adolescent relationship troubles which were far easier to relate to. These more subtle turns were no less impactful for that quieter delivery, and coupled with its gorgeous yet equally understated visuals the series delivered everything that I'd hoped of even if it wasn't in the manner that I expected, to serve as one of the spring's better shows that was well worth watching.

The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behaviour! - Episode 12 (Completed)

Ritsu's new friend has provided her with a journey of discovery as to what friendship is all about, but is it about to lead her into a sticky situation as she's thrust into a karaoke party mixer when all she was actually expecting was a quiet day at the library.

In a blue of frantic worry, Usa opts to borrow Mayumi's phone to check in on whether Ritsu is okay, and although she isn't okay and is enduring a nightmare of a time it's nothing that she can't handle, although Usa's message is both appreciated and gives her a perfect reason to make her excuses and leave. This event, however, is the final straw in Ritsu's budding friendship, and thus she has to find a way to put it to an end - a decision which is it as hard as it sounds, although ultimately it only seems to cause any real emotional harm to Ritsu herself as she finds herself assuaged at sadness that she maybe wasn't considered to be such a special friend after all.

In this situation, there's only one thing for it - to get drunk. Although this probably isn't a deliberate decision on Ritsu's part it's how things end up, and it seems that drunk Ritsu is something of a loudmouth who has no problem telling all and sundry exactly what she thinks of them, or indeed for sulking about a lack of cakes. Ultimately, and in a rather roundabout way, it does seek to close the gap between Usa and Ritsu a little further, as the two finally swap phone numbers of nothing else to give us the closest to a happy ending this series was ever liable to.

Now we're at the end of the series, it's probably fair to say that The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behaviour boils down into two aspects - the bits with Ritsu at their centre, and the rest. Watching Usa and Ritsu's relationship develop (for better or worse) always provided the show's most enjoyable moments, and in these times the rest of the cast did a great job of moving things along with their one-liners and snarky quips. However, when those individuals became the main characters, the series never had quite the same air about it, as the humour became predictable and the entertainment value dipped - not excruciatingly so, but enough to become noticeable and even a little frustrating on occasion. That isn't to take away from the fact that I enjoyed watching the series overall - it succeeded more often than it failed, and even its weakest episodes still had their moments, to make for a fun comedy in a season which didn't really have too much of the stuff to offer as a whole.

Riddle Story of Devil - Episode 12 (Completed)

Haru has survived all of her assailants and passed the test designed specifically for her - or has she? It seems that there is one final peril that has decided to know its face.

That danger is, of course, Tokaku herself, who seems to have taken upon itself to unleash her ability to kill now that it resides within her on her one-time friend. All is not as it seems however, as Haru is saved from impending death by... Tokaku? As her friend whisks her away, confusion gives way to a realisation that it was in fact Nio, not Azuma, who was out to kill Haru, as the overseer of the assassination game has turned assassin herself using her own unique ability.

That isn't to say that Azuma doesn't want to kill Haru as well though, and as the two Azuma's battle it out it becomes clear that they both actually have the same ultimate goal, albeit for different reasons. Unlike Nio, Tokakau wants to kill Haru to prove that she isn't under the control of Haru's ability as a Primer, which she sees as the only way to validate both their friendship and her decision to protect Haru - a rather dire way of going about things, but there you go. Ultimately, all's well that ends well however - Haru survives, Azuma finds the truth she's looking for, and the other members of the Black Class all find happiness. Or run around killing nuns, which I guess is pretty much the same thing.

Trying to end a series like Riddle Story of Devil with a montage of the cast living happily ever after (more or less) is a pretty weird decision, as was its twists surrounding Azuma in this final episode, although it worked reasonably well for the most part in truth. Still, that lingering sense of slight dissatisfaction shouldn't detract from a series that initially looked like being a tired "assassin of the week" story without much to keep it afloat, yet somehow managed to find some surprisingly compelling stories to make its setup work well and deliver drama and even some tears with some genuine heart that surpassed its over-the-top characters. Coupled with increasingly assured animation quality to match the growth in its story-telling and a decent soundtrack, Riddle Story of Devil managed to ultimately present itself as a surprisingly well-told tale that was eye catching in both visuals and story, above and beyond (yet still capable of leaning upon) the silly insanity it initially promised.

Nanana's Buried Treasure - Episode 11 (Completed)

The face-off between the Adventure Club and their former member Ikusaba seems to have taken a dark, violent and decidedly dangerous turn - is there any way out of the mess Juugo and company have found themselves in?

Yes, as it happens, but not before our protagonist is left with a fractured elbow and collapsed lunch by Ikusaba. Of course, the solution comes via our resident master detective, who claims to know the truth behind Ikusaba, threatening to reveal it and thus render it redundant unless he steps away and lets his rivals leave. After some pause for thought, Ikusaba agrees, leaving the Adventure Club members to recover and make good their own escape as it turns out that Tensai was actually bluffing (or rather, making an educated guess) all along.

In fact, Tensai's efforts involve a lot more than simply diffusing this situation, as she also procures the piece of the Nanana Collection to return to Nanana herself, which in turn leads to a bet as to whether Juugo would use the piece if presented with it in spite of his previous promise to her. As it turns out, Juugo does have some morals and does in fact turn down the opportunity presented to him - what's more, he seems to be decidedly worried about what Nanana really wants for her future; an issue made all the more important than her attempts to avoid answering that quesiton until forced to do so.

So ends a series that teases us with the possibility of future events that we'll never get to see (unless we're lucky enough to be granted a second season), but one that was nonetheless incredibly entertaining for the most part - it had a great roster of characters (including Juugo himself, who blows your average run-of-the-mill anime protagonist out of the water), some excellent action and great animation to depict both this and the show's intricate, Uncharted-esque puzzles. Some of the treatment of its characters and their personalities was a little inconsistent, and its pacing waxed and waned on occasion, but that doesn't detract from the fact that Nanana's Buried Treasure most certainly exceeded my expectations and then some on every count, and I certainly wouldn't say no to more of it.

Selector Infected WIXOSS - Episode 12 (Completed)

Ruko has, to all intents and purposes, decided her upon her wish, but will having to face up to a determined Hitoe and LRIG Yuzuki quickly derail her plans?

As their part in Iona's "battle royale" rumbles on, it becomes clear that Hitoe is fighting against the very curse that afflicted her thanks to her last round as a Selector - her memories of her friends has returned, and in spite of the pain its causing her she's fighting to regain those friendships no matter what. Its this heartfelt dedication that only serves to further spur Ruko on in her convictions that her wish to save all of her friends could effectively break the system, and she's more than willing to beat Hitoe to do it.

With this duly done, it's onwards to face Iona herself, who seems more than a little pleased that it is indeed Ruko that is her final opponent. A daunting prospect she might be, but Ruko's demeanour is ice cold throughout - she isn't even having fun any more, she simply has to win. It seems that somebody is none too thrilled with her plan however, as the mysterious girl previously encountered by Yuzuki pays Tama a visit, trying to persuade her that Ruko's plan would leave her in the cold and that she should seriously consider not completing her oath with Ruko to avoid her friend becoming an Eternal Girl. It seems that this is a plot which also plays directly into Iona's hands, bringing about some seismic shifts as this first season of WIXOSS comes to a close.

As I'd suspected, this finale to Selector Infected WIXOSS was ultimately a massive cliffhanger to lead us into the autumn and Selector Spread WIXOSS - then again, I really don't mind as this series has become stronger by the week, and from wondering whether it has the legs to be a split-cour show I now find myself very much looking forward to it, especially given the shifts and changes brought about by the end of this season and its potential suggestions that the world of Selectors is about to have a whole lot more impact upon the real world than simply messing with the wishes of some teenagers. Admittedly this finale had ti break some of its own rules (particularly pertaining to Hitoe) to get there, but all in all Selector Infected WIXOSS has provided an impressive bout of story-telling that harboured all of the drama and emotion that it required, wrapped up in a compelling overall package.

Ping Pong the Animation - Episode 11 (Completed)

Hoshino's defeat of Kazama has sent reverberations not only around the arena in which the tournament is being hosted, but also the wider world as word spreads online via the media and social networks.  For those involved however, this is all ancient history already, as our focus zooms in on the final between Peco and Smile.

Amidst worries about Hoshino's knee, Tsukimoto remains adamant that he'll happily play to his opponents physical weakness, perhaps buoyed by his tutor's experiences which had previously been relayed to him. After wondering whether he'll even show up at all, Peco finally makes his grand entrance, and the match begins at the kind of blistering intensity you might expect given the skill level of those involved.

Put pressure on his week knee Tsukimoto might, but Hoshino is still no slouch as he struts his stuff. In a way though this doesn't even really matter to either of the competitors involved - all that is important is that they're having fun, and for perhaps the first time in a long while Smile finds himself feeling alive and defying his nickname as the intense game continues against a backdrop of flashbacks to his and Peco's youth.  When the game is done, we skip forward in time to see what has become of the main player's in the cast, to provide us with a happy yet grounded ending to events.

So ends a series that wavered very occasionally but was for the most part utterly fantastic, with this episode once again justifying its animation style as it came to the fore in depicting the speed and passion of the game it seeks to represent. There's more to Ping Pong than "just another sports anime" however - while most series use a sport either as a mere background to other events and dramas, as some kind of super-powered spectacle or as a passion above all else, Ping Pong treats table tennis as both an intensely personal journey of growth and maturing into adulthood as well as a piece analysing the driving forces behind these sporting endeavours.  The result is touching, fascinating and occasionally thrilling, and although its presentation falters at times it ultimately delivered a wonderful series that is memorable in terms of visual, audio and story.

Nisekoi - Episode 20 (Completed)

Kosaki's ankle injury has put the class performance of Remoe and Juliet in peril - desperate times call for desperate measures, and having managed to uneasily rebuild bridges with Kirisaki it's she who takes on the leading role as Juliet herself.

Things start swimmingly too - despite having not learned the script, Chitoge is rolling off lines like a pro... for about thirty seconds, anyway.  A request for "Romeo's" help in picking up these forgotten lines soon turns into an unintentional comedy skit as the two end up quarreling on-stage - much to the delight of the audience - and this reaction leads to Maiko turning the whole production into a harem romantic comedy where every girl is chasing after Romeo (sounds familiar...), leaving the cast to ad lib their lines.  By the end of it all Claude is trying to stab Raku and the whole set comes toppling down to make for a spectacular finale before Romeo and Juliet finally manage to deliver some iconic lines to close things off.

In the aftermath of all of this, Kirisaki is one decidedly happy girl having come to terms with her feelings and reconciled things with Ichijou, but the man himself still feels the need to try and cheer up Onodera (albeit after a nudge from Ruri) given how much her place as Juliet had meant to her, going to some lengths to allow her to at least partially fulfill her dream.  And so they all lived happily ever after, or something...

Having talked about how predictable much of Nisekoi has been, it was a lot of fun to see it finishing things off by tearing up the script and having some fun with its school play - it was utterly silly but it reveled in the fact and delivered some great moments out of the back of it.  There was also something rather touching about Chitoge's story across these final episodes as she got in touch with her feelings, even if it did ensure those cheering on Onodera were left to take a back seat.  Still, this was an entertaining end to a hugely entertaining series - incredibly unoriginal but still an example of hitting all of the typical notes of a harem romantic comedy and playing every one of them just right with some aplomb.  We all sometimes complain about the lack of original and unique story ideas in certain genres of anime, but Nisekoi has delivered a handy reminder that sometimes originality can be over-rated, and sticking with a good, old-fashioned formula that works is the way to go.

Nagi no Asukara - Episode 26 (Completed)

Another Ofunehiki has brought with it yet another potential disaster, with Manaka all set to be swept away once again only to be saved by, and her place seemingly taken as another Ojoshi replacement, by Miuna.

While Manaka is rescued and whisked to the surface, only for Chisaki and Kaname to discover that she's regained her Ena, Tsumugu and Hikari puzzle over how to save Miuna from her place as a hostage of the Sea God - an effort that seems to be impossible.  This prospect is what gives Hikari the clarity to realise how much pain his feelings for Manaka, and the way he's shown them, have wrought upon Miuna, and it's this regret that finally stirs the Sea God into action thanks to this scenario which resembles one from his own past.

Thus, the lull in the sea comes to an end, the people of Shioshishio slowly but surely awaken, and those beneath the surface and reunited with those above to create a happy ending all around - even for Miuna, who manages to move on from her feelings towards Hikari with both a new confidence and a new appreciation for the lifelong friends that she's made.

Although it was somewhat filled with supernatural guff, the character-centric elements of Nagi no Asukara's finale were still provided with enough space to breathe to make for a satisfying climax - its ultimately feel-good ending didn't really feel forced and left things in a good position to bring the show to a close, and as per every other episode of the series it looked sumptuous.  In that sense, Nagi no Asukara as a whole would probably have worked pretty well just as a weekly visual treat, but after an unsure start it also managed to provide some of the best character-driven romantic drama we've seen in a long time - its second half in particular was unceasingly on the nose in making great use of its time skip to good effect, and week by week the series became more and more of an emotional rollercoaster that it became impossible to tear yourself away from.  With enough standout moments to also be worthy of viewing again in the future, and a surprising place in my heart as one of my favourite shows of the last six months (no mean feat given the quality of some of the competition), I guess it's time to start saving up the cash to pick up the show when it hits the US on Blu-Ray...

Wizard Barristers - Episode 12 (Completed)

Wizard Barristers hasn't exactly been a series with a realistic eye for legal proceedings, but surely even in this world a defendant asking the subject of his crime to be his defence barrister is highly irregular?

Regardless, this is exactly the position that Cecil finds herself in at the behest of Makusu, although to her surprise he reveals that the reason for this is that he wants to make amends and admit all of his crimes, including those surrounding her death and her mother's subsequent trial, while she looks on.  If this sounds too good to be true, then you'd be exactly right, and it soon becomes clear once the prosecution enter the scene that they're keen to push for many of the charges to Makusu to be dropped, to the point where they're even claiming that a fine would be sufficient punishment.

All of this comes to a head when he reach the trial itself, with Makusu insisting that he knows nothing of summoning magic, or why Cecil was unconscious in his apartment - when push comes to shove the true extent of his malice is revealed as he tries to frame Cecil for his son's death into the bargain, in the knowledge that there are no other reliable witnesses.  Thankfully for our protagonist, Butterfly Law Offices have an ace up their sleeve, and in time-honoured courtroom drama fashion they burst in at the last moment to reveal this trump card; the one man who knows everything of Makusu's plan, starting six years previously.  Then we have a courtroom battle sequence to close things out because heck, why not?!

While Wizard Barristers started quite strongly and certainly had its moments, it ultimately didn't really succeed in making the impact it might have hoped for - its take on courtroom drama was mostly terribly written to the point of being laughable (as depicted by this episode, which was ludicrous on many levels), some of the build-up towards its main story was equally bad, and its big action set pieces were too few and far between to save it.  I don't want to be too harsh on the series as it did have a certain charm to it, and in places its action was stunning, but its intriguing premise could clearly have been so much more compelling given some a better plot and writing.

Wake Up, Girls! - Episode 12 (Completed)

Where there's blame there's a claim, but no amount of compensation is going to help Yoppi overcome the ankle injury which looks all set to ruin both her and her group's chance in the Idol Festival final.

Naturally, Yoppi herself tries to put on a brave face and hide her injury from her colleagues, but it quickly becomes clear that something is wrong during the group's rehearsal, and there's nothing for it but to reveal the truth to them as they're about to cotton onto the problem anyhow.  The only question from there seems to be whether the group should pull out entirely or soldier on without Yoppi, but of all people it's a member of I-1 Club that comes to the rescue, bringing with her members of the group's medical staff to patch up and strap up Yoppi so that she might at least be able to survive her performance.

So, the day is saved, and with a little tweaking to their routine it's time for the Wake Up Girls to strut their stuff... something which they find themselves doing in front of a decidedly hostile audience filled with disapproving murmurs based mostly upon Mayu's appearance as part of their unit.  This soon starts to dissolve as their performance goes on however, winning over the crowd to an unbelievable extent to leave them with a standing ovation come the end of their routine, even if standing seems to be beyond Yoppi at this point.  It isn't enough to lift the Idol Festival trophy, but in the eyes of some at least it's an utter victory, and a performance that looks set to propel them on to greater things.

Given its starting point as a demonstration of everything that's wrong with the idol industry, it's been decidedly odd to watch Wake Up Girls morph into what it initially seemed determined to avoid, and come this final episode the show was effectively just another idol series geared to provide a feel-good ending and a drive to buy copious amounts of merchandise.  This isn't a terrible thing in itself - a good idol anime can be a lot of fun to watch - but between its rickety animation, lack of any defining characters and inability to follow up on some of its initial promise the result is a forgettable one.  For a show that seemed dead set on being anything but forgettable, that's the biggest disappointment of all.

Sakura Trick - Episode 12 (Completed)

It's nearly time to say goodbye to Mitsuki and those in her year as graduation time rolls around... but not before a farewell party at her house!

Although this whole event is supposed to be a surprise party, Mitsuki is already very much aware of what's going on, even if she perhaps wasn't expecting for herself and Sakai to be provided with an entire bucket filled with green tea pudding.  As the festivities continue, Yuu disappearing into the kitchen where Haruka is already present and cooking sees Mitsuki's concerns as to what they might be up to flare up, and although (for once) the pair of them aren't kissing it somehow manages to end with a tug-of-war over Haruka between the two sisters (which Haruka seems to be enjoying far more than might be appropriate) before Mitsuki confesses her love for Haruka.  This girl doesn't mess around, it seems.

In fact, Mitsuki really doesn't hang around, as she's arranged to meet Haruka after her graduation ceremony to receive her response - a response that, surprisingly, confirms that Haruka loves Mitsuki.  Although this sounds great, the trouble is that it soon becomes clear that Haruka really doesn't know or understand what love is (at least, not Mitsuki's definition of it), and once this dawns on them both it's obvious that the relationship Mitsuki is looking for with Haruka is one already enjoyed by Yuu.  Then again, maybe Mitsuki has other admirers to consider, as one school year ends and another begins to round out the series.

Although it sagged a little for a week or two in the middle, Sakura Trick has proved to be an entertaining weekly distraction throughout the winter season - funny often enough to be worthwhile and rather sweet at times, while bolstered sufficiently by its Hidamari Sketch-lite visuals to give it some aesthetic flavour... the azuki beans hidden within the show's proverbial bucket of green pudding, if you will.  This may not go down as one of those much-loved slice of life comedies that lives on in viewer's hearts for years to come, but it's nonetheless a proficient series that moved its characters and their circumstances forward enough to make up for some of its elements which might otherwise have become repetitive.  I'd like to say that lesbian proclivities have rarely been this much fun, but that probably isn't true - that isn't a statement that should detract from the fact that Sakura Trick has been an enjoyable viewing experience though.

Samurai Flamenco - Episode 22 (Completed)

Sawada seems to have Samurai Flamenco on the rails, but can he break Goto to fully realise his plan?

After flashing through Goto's experiences immediately following the disappearance of his girlfriend to explain why he messages himself as her and - more importantly - why he cherishes one particular message of hers, we reach the crux of Sawada's plot.  Put simply, he wants either Goto or Hazama to kill him in the hope of creating a new, "dark" back story for Samurai Flamenco.  Y'know, like Batman.  Although Goto is initially having none of this insane idea that he might shoot Sawada, his tune soon changes once that precious message is deleted from his phone.

Right on cue, this is also where Hazama puts in appearance, and it seems that he too has a plan - to combat Sawada as himself rather than his superhero alter-ego.  A naked Hazama grappling with him certainly undermines Haiji's plan, and once Goto frees himself it seems that our star has a similarly unorthodox method of talking Goto out of shooting Sawada.  With a little help from Flamenco Girl, this menace is apprehended, and all is well again... but is Hazama going to make good on his proposed plan to marry Goto?

After the bonkers majesty of its earlier story arcs this finale was never going to live up to those lofty heights, but it still made for a suitably silly and entertaining way to close out the series at least.  On a wider note, Samurai Flamenco was a show that started out as a lot of fun, and just as it threatened to turn repetitive suddenly seemed to imbibe a whole lot of illicit substances, locked itself in a room with nothing but a TV and a pile of tokusatsu DVDs, and then started churning out its rather unique form of genius.  Here is a show that was dumb, knew it was dumb, and poked fun at both its own dumbness and that of its influences and parodies, all while keeping an utterly straight face from beginning to end.  In that sense, it's the delivery of Samurai Flamenco that is the key to its success - it never let on that it was being knowingly stupid in the assumption that if you really had to ask what it was doing then you weren't in on the joke in the first place.  Of course, that served to alienate those who didn't get the jokes, or wanted a return to its earlier, more sedate episodes, but for those who embraced the series and came along for the ride (and what an utterly terribly animated ride it was too), the rewards were rich and many.  Not many other recent shows have made me laugh as long and hard (and more importantly, as consistently) as Samurai Flamenco, and that alone marks it out as something worthy of praise.

Kill la Kill - Episode 24 (Completed)

The Original Life Fibre's journey might have been brought to a grinding halt, but the final battle is still a daunting one, with both Ragyo and Harime determined to see their plan to subjugate humanity succeed.

Not only that, but they also seem to hold a lot of the cards - with these "final bosses" seemingly unassailable and the mechanics of their plan protected by a vast barrier, is there any way to stop them?  Once the massed ranks of Goku uniform wearing students are stripped of their powers and effectively disabled by Ragyo's "Absolute Submission" power provided by Shinra-Koketsu, it seems as if the answer is no, with no human possibly capable of standing up to the villain of the piece.  A good job, then, that Ryuko isn't exactly human.

Thanks to her efforts, and even more importantly those of Senketsu as he comes to a major realisation about his purpose in life, Ragyo's power to blunt the Goku uniforms that might be use against her is disabled, meaning that the counter-attack can begin.  The gang has reckoned without Harime however, who appears to be an ideal backup plan to relaunch this attempt to instruct the world's Life Fibres to overthrow their wearers.  Cue an epic finale fought just outside of the Earth's atmosphere, as Ryuko takes on all of the powers of her friend's uniforms, and more besides, to ensure that her mother's plan ultimately ends in failure.

Having worked itself into a position where it seemed impossible to screw things up, this was absolutely the rip-roaring finale of Kill la Kill that we expected, and exactly what the show deserved - pushed along at a lunatic pace with a constant spirit of one-upmanship, with some actual animation this week (which is always nice), and with some surprisingly touching moments in the midst of its insanity, one of which was then re-purposed for hilarious comedy within seconds.

Its fan service occasionally crossed the line into discomfort, but this is pretty much the only negative I can throw at Kill la Kill, a show that started off great and then just got better and better every week.  At one point I was convinced that its wider narrative wouldn't be able to match its moments of one-off action and comedy, only to be proven utterly wrong as it provided a plot that perfectly fit the show's goals and desires like... well, like a well-tailored outfit.  You will see better looking anime this year, let's not kid ourselves about that, but will you see anything so brashly, confidently, enjoyably in your face and as assured in its delivery as Kill la Kill?  I would wager that we won't.

Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! REN - Episode 12 (Completed)

Rikka and Yuuta's "contract" might finally be settled and set in stone now Shichimiya is out of the picture, but it seems that this isn't the end of the matter for Rikka.

After some puzzlement as to why she isn't acting like her usual self around Yuuta, it's Satone who breaks the news to Dekomori and Nibutani - Rikka wants an "enhanced" contract with her boyfriend.  As it turns out, this isn't quite as lewd as some might initially think from its description; in fact, Rikka just wants to advance to kissing Yuuta.

Clearly, this isn't something she can progress to alone, leaving it up to Nibutani to get at least some admittance of what Rikka wants out of her before agreeing to assist her in her quest to kiss Yuuta while ensuring that she doesn't run away at the last moment.  This proves to be easier said than done, as even when Rikka has come out with her desires to Yuuta she still does everything in her power to back out at the last, before circumstances conveniently intervene anyhow.  Not that any of this seems to matter to Yuuta, who is still happy to take things at a glacial pace without a care in the world.

This closing episode of Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions' serves up both the best and worst of the series in microcosm - it's occasionally funny and can be sharp with its physical comedy, but what feels like an increasing over-reliance on its "chuunibyou" angle is both irritating and frustrating, and only serves to ensure that its main relationship between Yuuta and Rikka goes nowhere.  For all of the talk of progression, the two of them really haven't moved forward in their lives at all (if anything, they've regressed), ensuring that the already tenuous thread of their relationship feels even harder to believe.  Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions can certainly be funny and deliver entertainment - it's just a shame that it can't do so more often, and that the very core of its premise compromises so much of the story that it wishes to tell.  Cut the delusions out of this series, and it could probably deliver something far more compelling than the marketing tag it saddles itself with in the name of Blu-Ray sales.

Golden Time - Episode 24 (Completed)

Just as he'd expected, Banri Tada's memories are about to vanish as if they were never there, and the end of the school festival sees all of his life since his accident simply dissolve as he returns home with his mother, leaving nothing more than a distraught group of friends in his wake.

Although Banri has plenty of notes from his "other" self, upon returning home he seems more than happy not to pursue any recollection of those missing memories - after all, what's the point of trying to rebuild something you can't even remember, and what would the use of that be?  Thus, the only carry-over from that period of his life is Linda, who continues to see Banri even if she, too, seems to be stuck in time from the moment of his accident and her missed meeting with him.

If Banri isn't going to chase after his recent past though, perhaps it might just chase after him instead?  A knock on the door as the New Year approaches sees Koko paying Banri a visit under the auspices of returning a DVD.  Although Banri has no idea who she is, and makes a (mistaken) blind guess at who she might be, a certain effect upon her person seems familiar, and upon further inspection Banri's memories of his former girlfriend come flooding back.  It seems that this is the moment to make good on his promise to her, if he can only catch her before she leaves town...

Having made what seemed like such a final statement of intent in last week's episode, I have to admit that I wasn't really expecting to be served up a happy ending here, but I can't really begrudge it for going down that path rather than just shrugging off the past six month's worth of viewing as forgotten memories.  In a sense, this finale was a good representation of Golden Time as a whole - something funny, sometimes hugely emotional, sometimes a complete mess in the delivery of important elements of its plot, but somehow just about coherent and entertaining enough to remain satisfying.  Make no mistake, this is no Toradora, but it does manage to rise above its use of the tired old amnesia cliche to bring life and purpose to such a concept, and with some characters who you couldn't help but root for into the bargain.  It may not be one of the highlights of the past two seasons of anime, but Golden Time is still a worthwhile show that had plenty to offer viewers willing to forgive its moments of insanity.

Silver Spoon Season 2 - Episode 11 (Completed)

Hachiken's dreaded return home to pick up some of his brother's study notes for Mikage all seems to be going smoothly - he's bumped into and managed to impress some former schoolmates, and it seems that his house is empty leaving him free from bumping into his father.

Of course, a boy's luck can only run for so long, and before leaving he finds himself not only meeting his parents but being implored to stay for a meal - a delicious meal at that, but one soured by one of Yugo's father and another of his brusque remarks, this time regarding Hachiken's attempts to help Mikage study despite having failed an entrance exam himself.  To his mother's surprise, this cause Yugo to flare up and argue back to his father, suggesting that treating failure as an absolute and the end of the road would make him less important than livestock before storming out of the house.

Recounting this story back at Ooezo nets him plenty of sympathy, with the exception of Tamako who suggests that perhaps Hachiken's father had a point - rather than getting back on the proverbial horse and risking failure again, is he actually simply living vicariously through Mikage by helping her study?  It's a prospect that rocks Hachiken to the core and leaves him racked with guilt, although his apology to Aki proves that it isn't as big of a deal as he thinks he is.  Then again, this all comes at a time when there's joviality all around, as a surprise visit from Yugo's mother so that she can find out at least a little of what his school life is like turns into something of a feast of locally-sourced produce.  It's the kind of evening that leaves all and sundry pondering their future with positive thoughts in mind, leaving us with a happy place to end this second season of Silver Spoon on.

Well, at least it's as happy as you can be when a series that you really don't want to end comes to a close - once again, Silver Spoon has been an absolute joy to watch this week and unceasingly brilliant in its execution.  Its comedy continues to be pinpoint accurate almost without fail, and its drama and emotion is so measured that it can be subtle when it needs to be but hit you with the force of a sledgehammer when it wants to, thanks in no short part to its wonderful cast of characters.  It would be criminal for this anime adaptation not to continue in the future, and I for one will doubtless be missing this show hugely until it (hopefully) returns.