New Game: First Job Versus Now

Watching New Game, or specifically, watching Suzukaze Aoba working at her first job reminded me a lot of the time when I first joined rank as part of the working class. Not unlike Aoba, I was intrigued with the way a company generally works: meetings, deadlines and demanding customers.

Perhaps I’m one of the lucky ones or maybe lazy ones, I have no prior working experience before landing my first job. Yes, I did a three months internship once after completing my studies because it’s one of the requirements to complete my degree. And that’s just about it. So you can imagine my trouble of trying to complete Twitter’s trend: #sevenfirstjobs.

Anyway, back to New Game and Aoba.

Tamayura: A Full Circle

I couldn’t be more happier to finally see the end to one of my most favorite titles of all time. Yes, that’s right. Last week, I finally saw the final installment of Tamayura movies: Tamayura: Sotsugyou Shashin Part 4 – Ashita.

It’s really bittersweet to see this series ends. As I look back on all Tamayura episodes I watched since it first burst into anime scene with a four episode OVA back in 2010, I couldn’t help but to feel I grew with the characters as well. In literal and non literal sense.

ReLIFE: Treasuring Now

There are many anime titles out there focusing on what we would change if we’re given a second chance to relive our past. The best recent example that came to my mind is Boku Dake ga Inai Machi. ReLIFE carries a similar tone except it doesn’t emphasize too much on what the main character, Kaizaki Arata, would change when he was given the second chance to be a high school senior again.

Instead in ReLIFE, while also sorting out his personal issues, Kaizaki remembers to treasure the moments at what is his second time as high school senior.

Be warned though, from hereon there may be spoilers here and there.

Thoughts on Nijiiro Days

Aside from male dominated sports anime, rarely do I pick up a series with male lead characters and actually enjoy watching it. Nijiiro Days, or Rainbow Days, is one of the rare anime series led by four bishounens that I had a lot of fun watching.

So what made Nijiiro Days so special? How is it different from other male led slice-of-life anime?

Thoughts on Yowamushi Pedal: The Movie

For those who watched Yowamushi Pedal anime series and enjoyed the thrills of its inter-high competition might be disappointed with this movie as I did. This movie takes place after the inter-high competition and the different school teams once again gathered to participate in a smaller scale race. Here’s one fact: Not all characters from the series will make appearance in the movie.

Before I go on any further, let me warn you that I don’t attempt to not spoil it for you.

Anne Happy: Handling Misfortunes

Anne Happy is an anime that follows a class of unfortunate students in Tennogofune Academy. They’re deemed to have bad karma and attract misfortune. Among a class filled with such students, Hibari, Hanako and Botan seem to have the worst fortune of all.

While Hibari and Botan are aware of their unfortunate situations, Hanako insists she’s lucky and sees good in everything. Depending on how one handles misfortune, something bad can be viewed as something positive. And that’s how Hanako handles her misfortunes.

Thoughts on Boku dake ga Inai Machi

Endless eight. Steins;Gate. A lot of words relevant only to anime fans popped up in my head when I watched the first episode of Boku dake ga Inai Machi, or also known as Erased. Fujinuma Satoru’s revival threatens to repeat events over and over again since he’s reliving the past with chances of changing them.

Thank goodness none of events were repeated and Satoru’s revival still happens.

Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū: Shin vs Bon

There are two things very obvious at the start of Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku did not live til old age and Kikuhiko did not end up with Miyokichi. And these are the two things that would pop up in my head trying to figure out the how and why as I continue watching the series.

Both abandoned at young age and apprenticed by Yakumo to study rakugo, Sukeroku (Shin) and Kikuhiko (Bon) have a lot in common only on the surface. In reality, these two men couldn’t be more different.

The Quest of Understanding NaruHina

I finally watched The Last: Naruto the Movie after it was released more than a year ago in December 2014. Well, it’s better late than never. I’m interested in this movie primarily because it’s marketed as the story that happened before the last chapter of Naruto manga. Also, Naruto mangaka Kishimoto Masashi plays an important role in the movie production. For the most part, the movie feels a lot like any other Naruto movie in the sense that there are events outside Naruto’s world’s norm.

Personally, I see The Last more of a love story between Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata.

Thoughts On Tamayura: Graduation Photos Part 3 – Akogare

To really appreciate Tamayura movies, one really has to start watching the franchise from the first episode of the anime series. Otherwise, whatever emotions the characters are going through in the movies will have lesser impact.

One of the best things about all the three movies released to date is the focus on emotional struggle the characters are going through. Tamayura has always been focusing more on playing with emotions, but the third movie, Tamayura: Sotsugyou Shashin Part 3 – Akogare, is especially emotional because it’s about uncertainties, separation and longing. Nothing is more conflicted than those three combined, I think.