Fall Anime 2021 Edition - It's that time again.

[Skull]

Digimon Ghost Game episode 7: This episode was definitely channeling its inner Hitchcock lol. Bird man felt like a wasted opportunity, he didn’t really add anything to the episode and sucked up screen time - probably should have had him possessed by Yatagaramon and used as a mouthpiece so we had a clearer insight into the ‘mons aim instead of just being exposited by Angoramon at the end, also it would have been interesting to see how the crew dealt with a human antagonist instead of just warping away to the digital space which felt like a bit of a cop out. It did feel oddly contrived that *every* birdcage used the same digital padlock which allowed the thefts to take place. The moment that Hiro commented on Gammamon’s flight not being fast enough at the beginning of the episode I should have foreseen KausGammamon arriving. Once again the heroes try to fight an enemy who should be vastly more powerful as Rookies, I can forgive the humans making that mistake but as Angoramon knew who Yatagaramon was then he really should have known better. I get that this was KausGammamon’s debut episode but it really took me out of it that Hiro didn’t try to have him go BetelGammamon first and get his butt kicked because he can’t fly in that form. And then after taking a few licks, Yatagaramon...just flies away - at least last week made logical sense despite how dumb it was that Sirenmon had a change of heart, again Yatagaramon not talking really hurt this episode. Side note, I was bemused when Angoramon starts waxing philosophy about freedom despite the obvious problem that of occurs when you forcibly release captive animals into the wild.

Overall, another episodic episode that misses the mark. Hopefully the main plot will kick in soon and save us from this mire.

[ResidentSeagull]

Agree with NMR that this episode definitely had better animation.

I feel like the current problem with Ghost Game is that these cases could be interesting if they were in the two episode format. This way it feels like they barely have enough time to set up what's going on and then resolve it. It leaves no breathing room for either meaningful character development or even developing a theme or message for the episode. It's like they made them for the sake of existing more than anything else. These episodes honestly feel more like the obligatory monster-of-the-week-before-the-actual-plot-kicks-in, which they are, but here it's blatantly obvious. All of the enemy Digimon surviving also adds to the fact that they're setting up for something big later on. I just hope that time comes ASAP.

[Rafflesiac]

yabai

[Skull]

Lupin III episode 6: Hmm...mixed feelings on this one. On the one hand it wasn't terrible but I can't help but feel that either this shouldn't have been a two parter or that the reveal in the last five minutes should have been the entire episode. Characters like Akechi Kogoro and Sarantuya were cool but didn't really add much and could have been cut. I really did like that in order to prove he was real, Lupin simply calls Goemon by the name "13^th" as I feel like that never gets brought up in the anime in stark contrast to Lupin himself who is always referred to as "the Third". I also did like the bait and switch that Jigen/Fujiko/Zenigata were all red herrings and were not in fact real, just part of the simulation to trick Lupin and Goemon.

Next week is back to the Main Plot^TM which hopefully picks things up.

[Rafflesiac]

Takt: Great episode, great material all around. LMAO at Felix getting obliterated every step of the way. He must've gotten destroyed by the Rooster at a music competition as a kid and never lived it down. Hell quoting Felix dismissing Walkure when he got fired was fucking kino shit, you love to see it. I guess the setup now is Destiny and an eventual Walkure vs. Heaven and Hell.

[Mattias]

This week on Garandoll: Shun Goku Satsu the loli onto your side.

[Skull]

Digimon Ghost Game episode 8: Another day, another episodic episode...but at least this one was fun this time.

Reimagining the old cliché of the Hyakki Yagyō as an impromptu death race a la Redline was very cool. I see that Toei is thinking ahead for localisation by using the Ciel of the Sistermon instead of Noir who would inevitably get censored...though I think the Lockdowns are getting to Ciel as she went absolutely bonkers by summoning the Grim Reaper just for the lolz. I did find the fact that Ciel and the humans were racing in Go-Karts a little silly but I guess you couldn't have the heroes steal a real car or something. Considering all the emphasis on Ruli this episode, I was expecting Angoramon to Evolve this week so I was disappointed by the DEM BlackTailmon doing the Mafuba to seal away MetalFantomon (and Ciel) into the Digital World with a rice cooker. It's one thing to try and solve things non-violently, but week after week of the heroes not being able to beat the enemy Digimon just makes them come across as incompetent.

Anyways, next week looks like it might be interesting with Clockmon finally returning.

[bassgs435]

I think seeing this as a battle shonen where defeating enemies is always the goal is wrong. This is more like Kitaro, with the digimon being yoaki-like in acting according to weird logic. Sometimes violence is needed when they're truly malicious, but most of the time the solution is trying to get them to understand and stop their trouble. The episodic nature fits with the Kitaro comparison, since even when Kitaro had a main on going plot, there were still episodic stories. In this sense, I don't see the characters as incompetent since they manage to make a difference even if not completely through battle, by making the troublemakers stop for now. Of course, some like Clockmon and Dracmon aren't completely stopped but we'll see how that goes with Clockmon's return

[Skull]

Yes, I'm well aware of the GG staff's love of "GeGeGe no Kitarō​" with how much they gushed about it as an inspiration in pre-release interviews. However, I'm afraid that trying to ape Kitarō's style just doesn't work as GG just ends up coming across as a poor man's Kitarō.

[Rafflesiac]

[Mattias]

Wait. Are the Vampires in Irina just Jews? I know anime tends to not care about insensitive racial depictions and all that, but it's still way too JK Rowling level of unsubtle racism.

[bassgs435]

This is as much of an stretch as saying the goblins in GS are suppossed to be jews. And even if they were, I fail to see the racism when the show stands against the anti-vampire racism.

[LegalLoliLover]

Did anyone read the Boy who cried Wolf?

[Mattias]

This is as much of an stretch as saying the goblins in GS are suppossed to be jews. And even if they were, I fail to see the racism when the show stands against the anti-vampire racism.

In GS it's a bunch of literal dungeon dwellers. In Irina it's a oppressed Russian subculture that has been dehumanized, occasionally purged, and also immigrated to the US where they continue to be the poor lower class. Who also happen to drink peoples blood, one of the more classic anti-jew myths. The show is about combating that intrinsic racism, but to take an analog of a historically oppressed group and lean into the fear mongering rumours is pretty odd.

[bassgs435]

The vamps in Iirina are some of the most harmless vamps ever. Irina only drank blood from Lev with his consent in an emergency situation and has stated that otherwise, her people don't drink blood. Only animal blood in a ritual once in their lifetimes. I fail to see the racism. Like, you watch a show about vampires and don't expect blood drinking, which is one of the basic vampire traits?. Only because you decided the vamps here are supposed to be jews?. By the way, you're the only one I've seen connect the Irina vamps to jews. Not 4chan, Not reddit. Not ANN comment sections. Your post is literally the first time I've seen this connection mentioned. So again, I don't see it.

[LegalLoliLover]

Is Mattias being the boy who cried wolf or the old man who cried death? And yes, Simpsons reference:

[Rafflesiac]

Takt: Yeah, of course it wouldn't be that easy. Sweet family moments, though. Hopefully Cosette doesn't neck herself to save Takt. Also the Madhouse & Mappa thank you note to the audience was sweet.

[Skull]

Lupin III Episode 7: Okay, back to the main story. We find out that Lupin obviously didn't kill Watson and my money is on it being Lestrade as he's literally the only other male in the show who Holmes would recognise as "the killer". Speaking of Sherlock, more Holmesian characters come out of the woodwork with no prizes for guessing who the "Colonel" and the "Professor" are. A shame that Zenigata turned out to be Holmes in disguise as the Lupin/Zenigata team-ups are always immensely entertaining.

Next week is a Jigen episode which will be interesting to see his new actor hold up an entire episode by himself.

[Rafflesiac]

86: What a cute cat.
Jahy: RIP Saurva lmao. Those horns have to mean something; maybe the glowy lady's some kind of offshoot of the Demon Lord?

[Pendant]

I gotta get in there and give Shin's emo ass a good licking