Ladies versus Butlers! - Episode 2

I think it's fair to say that I was hardly enamoured by the first episode of Ladies versus Butlers!, so can its second instalment impress me any more? Given the appearance of some breasts within mere seconds of the episode starting, probably not.

After their rather "interesting" first meeting last time around, a lot of this episode makes the most of the love-hate relationship between new transfer student and wannabe butler Hino and upper-class lady of the future Sernia Lori Flameheart - To be fair this actually produces some mildly amusing moments, from Hino's "efforts" to serve Flameheart and her friend which naturally turns into a disaster through to the latter's attempt to save Hino from drowning which goes horribly wrong.


Of course, while all of this is good and well this series wouldn't be what it is without some utterly ridiculous fan service, and thus we're greeted with naked breasts from the off before moving on to some more "traditional" and teasing fan service such as maids in full uniform in swimming pools (no, really), and accidents which somehow involves a girl sitting on Hino's face for a while. "Wait, didn't they do that last episode?" I hear you cry - Well, yes, they did, but that doesn't mean that they can't do it again this time around, and indeed probably for every episode of the remainder of the series to be honest.

Still, for all of its eye-rollingly implausible and utterly predictable fan service, Ladies versus Butlers! does at least have some humour at its core - Sure, it isn't laugh out loud hilarity, but it at least raised the odd smile out of me during some of its more amusing moments. Whether that's enough to prevent me from giving up and finding a more wholesome outlet for my anime watching remains to be seen, but for now the light-hearted humour and my wider interest in just what Saikyou's character is all about is doing just enough for me to persevere.

Dance in the Vampire Bund - Episode 2

Dance in the Vampire Bund's opening episode seemed to get a pretty mixed response from those who watched it, but personally I really rather enjoyed what it did, or rather how it attempted to it. An introductory episode is, however, just that, meaning that this series has to try all over again to keep my interest in this second episode.

This particular instalment shifts our focus somewhat towards Akira Kaburagi, who made a brief appearance in the first episode but has his particular story massively fleshed out as we begin the series proper. Come the start of the episode, Akira seems to be a pretty typical high school student (and how many times have I written that on this 'blog before?!), albeit one who gets a strange feeling whenever the topic of vampires comes us - Something which is happening increasingly often after Mina Tepes rather spectacular introduction to the world on national television.


The reason for Akira's unease soon becomes clear as he ends up face to face with Miss Tepes herself, a meeting which leaves Akira with a splitting headache and Mina in tears - Clearly there is a history to this pair, and of course by the end of the instalment we learn properly just what this relationship is. In the meantime however, this episode delights in building this relationship between Mina and Akira, while also interspersing these moments with brief but intense bursts of action, as shadowy forces make clear their intent to kill Mina Tepes; intentions which only serve to hasten the return of Akira's memories and instincts.

It's actually a bit difficult to know what to make of this second episode of Dance in the Vampire Bund in many ways - In some senses it all feels very typical and run-of-the-mill, but at the same time that (thanks largely to some excellent and borderline break-neck pacing) didn't stop it from being utterly entertaining, helped along its way by those occasional but inevitable SHAFT flourishes that gave the episode a visual edge. Of course, with so many questions about the series and the direction it's headed still to be answered, it's too early to make any real judgement on the value of the show just yet, but if nothing else this episode sets out Dance in the Vampire Bund's stall as a series that should at least keep things moving at a fast enough pace to avoid too many long and protracted periods of boredom.

Kimi ni Todoke - Episode 14

With Kurumi finally unveiled as the "mastermind" behind the rumours which swirled around the school earlier in this series, it's time for Sawako to face up to Kurumi's true nature. But how on earth is this naive girl new to the whole tangled web of human relationships going to react?

Needless to say, her first reaction is one of disbelief, as she falls back on her tried and trusted assumption that such problems are simply misunderstandings that can be simply and quickly rectified. However, Kurumi is in no mood to deny her part in the rumours which she spread, nor is she in any frame of mind to go easy on Sawako, and so it dawns on her that Kurumi really was responsible, even if she still finds herself unable to fathom out the rather obvious reason why.


Despite that betrayal, Sawako still asks Yano and Yoshida not to tell Kazehaya about what Kurumi has done, and from here much of the remainder of the episode leaves Sawako continuing to ponder what the entirety of her "friendship" with Kurumi meant - Was it all just a lie from beginning to end, or was there something beneath that cold, calculating exterior that actually vaguely resembled friendship. If nothing else, Sawako decides that she has to at least tell Kurumi that she's fallen in love with Kazehaya, which leaves us with a rather odd (and decidedly tearful) blend of hatred, rivalry and friendship that you'd be hard-pressed to pick apart in all honesty.

Given Sawako's nature, this episode was already bound to be some kind of demonstration of denial, confusion and sympathy on her part, while equally Kurumi's behaviour fitted her as a character perfectly, making this episode a believable progression of the show's story if nothing else. In a way, I suppose that level of predictability almost works against Kimi ni Todoke on this occasion, leaving us almost wishing to see some anger or hatred from Sawako herself - Nobody is so perfect as to not feel such emotions, even if they're the kindest and calmest human on the planet, and this was a perfect opportunity to see something beyond simple naivety and good nature on her part. Then again, I suppose I'm just projecting my own values onto the series now, so I can't really criticise this episode for the direction it took, and at least we're set up for some proper, no-holds barred love rivalry as the second half of the series progresses. No prizes for guessing who everyone will be rooting for on this occasion though...

Hetalia Axis Powers - Episode 50

As Hetalia: Axis Powers hits its half-century of episodes, so it also gets to celebrate having its US distribution license snagged by FUNimation - An achievement that perhaps makes this instalment's focus on Japan's enlightenment once again all the more appropriate.

This time around, most of the episode is spent with America showing Japan the ropes when it comes to the "fortune telling" game that is table turning - A fun distraction that all gets a bit serious when Japan ends up revealing his worries about fitting in with this new world and his new friends, making for a surprisingly melancholy mood for this series compared to its usual fare.


Come the end of the episode though, we're treated to Japan frolicking with a rabbit and a guinea pig, so things don't get too heavy, although once again there's really very little to talk about regarding this series in terms of comedy or anything along those lines. Is this series really going to be a hit in North America? It's going to be interesting to see how it fares.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Episode 39

While the last episode of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood left us with Winry captured by Scar, who is on the brink of escaping his the clutches of his would-be captors once again, you couldn't help but feel that there was rather more to this scenario than first meets the eye.

Come this thirty-ninth instalment, those feelings are confirmed, as we're taken back a little way to see just what happened in that otherwise abandoned building before Scar's "escape". Needless to say those inverted commas are there for a reason, as Scar's big show of carrying off Winry is just that - A show to allow them both, along with Doctor Marcoh and May to escape from Kimblee and company's clutches.


While this plan appears to be successful (thanks in no small part to a rather well-timed blizzard which stops any pursuit Kimblee might otherwise have taken part in), once again that game of chess which has been shifting this way and that across recent episodes means that there's another sting in the tale for the Elric brothers, with news that Scar and friends' promise to escape to Fort Briggs might well be a death sentence in itself given the changed situation there. All hope appears to be lost, with no way of giving chase to let Winry and the like know what's going on... or is there? Sometimes being a soul attached to a suit of armour has its uses, and I guess a blizzard is one of them, although it seems that Alphonse is going to have more on his plate than just snow as he finds himself confronted with a decidedly uncomfortable vision.

While this could be thought of as a slower moving instalment after recent weeks, it is none the less full of fantastic moments - Winry's scene with the captured Scar was played out almost perfectly, the developments regarding Al and his body are a very interesting development, the game of chess between Bradley and his cohorts and the Elric brothers and their supporters never ceases to fascinate and entertain, and we even got a glimpse as to who the main players in the game being enjoyed by the Homunculus and their creator might be. In other words, the New Year break has done little to dim Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood's lustre.

Sora no Woto - Episode 2

After spending most of its opening episode following Kanata, Sora no Woto's second episode naturally takes at least a little time to introduce us to the names and characters of the rest of the squad to which she's been assigned.

So, we have the kindly captain Felicia, sergeant Rio (who we also got a pretty good glimpse of last episode), monosyllabic engineer Noel, and perpetually angry private Kureha. It's Kureha who enjoys a lot of the focus this episode as she's tasked first with giving Kanata a tour of their base, before being sent off on an all-important mission with her later in the instalment.


Kureha's tour also serves to give us something of an idea of just how important the 1121 Platoon is in the grand scheme of this world's military organisation... not very, to be quite honest. Thus, this remote outpost is left without a working tank (they don't even have a manual for it) and a hotline to the capital that never rings, a state of affairs which outwardly annoys Kureha despite her clear inward love for her comrades and surroundings.

Any frivolities are put on the back burner however when Noel claims to have seen a ghost in a disused building on the site, a sighting which Kanata verifies from something she saw herself - This leaves the two privates in charge of investigating these strange goings-on, which serves to further affirm both Kureha's true nature and the rather ramshackle military machine that is the 1121 Platoon.

In a way, this second episode of Sora no Woto serves up a very similar dish to the first in terms of its overall feel - On the surface, it's all fun and frolics, but there are once again definite nods to something a little deeper and more serious going on beneath the surface, most likely with regard to the assignment of Kanata to the platoon. That doesn't stop this instalment from serving up the odd great little visual or verbal gag (the long, and indeed longing stare at the hotline that never rings was a particular highlight), while also proving its hand as the cute and occasionally fluffy show it also claims to be. I have to admit I'm not too convinced by the tired old character tropes exhibited by the main five girls who we'll be following for the course of the series, as they're hardly innovative and I can't say I've particularly warmed to any of them yet, but if the overall elements of the story remain good and actually succeed in building upon the depth they've hinted at thus far then this could still well prove to be a pretty decent series.

To Aru Kagaku no Railgun - Episode 14

After treating us to that "swimsuit special" over Christmas, we still haven't exactly resumed normal service with this fourteenth episode of To Aru Kagaku no Railgun, leaving us with another stand-alone instalment which focuses primarily on Saten.

If anything, this particular episode acts as something of an epilogue to the whole "Level Upper" arc, as all of the students who used said method to gain or increase their powers are called together for a special lesson on what would otherwise be a day off. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Saten herself still doesn't really seem to have recovered completely from her Level Upper experience, and she certainly doesn't appear to be her usual self throughout much of the episode.


While many of the pupils present see this special lesson as punishment for breaking the rules, Saten in particular seems quite determined to give it her all, and even finds herself standing up to some of the delinquents on-hand when it comes to putting her particular point of view across. None of this is enough to make Saten truly find her "personal reality" and thus lift herself above her current Level 0 status during the course of the lesson, but perhaps it's a precursor to her finally "finding herself" in terms of her powers?

Despite that future possibility, I have to admit that this was a rather flat episode of To Aru Kagaku no Railgun - While I can see the point of it, and while it brought forth a couple of nice cameos from teacher Komoe (of To Aru Majutsu no Index fame) and eyebrow-scrawling Jufuku (who has clearly taken quite a shine to Saten), there was no real heart to what it tried to deliver. While the emotional intensity of this series actually surprised me when it came to Saten and Uihara's exchange on the phone a few episodes back, there were no such signs of emotional depth here, leaving an instalment that simply went through the motions with seemingly little interest in the story it was trying to tell or character progression it was trying to bring about. Maybe Saten discovers that she's important to a lot of people here, but sadly the same can't be said for this episode itself, which will doubtless be quickly forgotten.