The Ubiquitous What Are You Watching Thread?

Friday episode 9 of Utakata,Keiko gets an e-mail message and decides to invite the rest of the
girls on a trip. On the train Michiru spots her younger sister Rui and decides to get off and go home.
The rest continue on their trip; they go to a famous shrine where lovers leave their hopes and dreams
on slips of papers.
There's also another place where they leave a lock as a symbol of their loves strength.
At the shrine they bump into the boy that dumped Satsuki for Keiko,but now as another girlfriend.
Ichika gets angry and runs away.
She doesn't want to use the Djinn any more...but too late she transforms and Manatsu with her.
The lightning djinn causes serious damage,almost killing a man with a pacemaker before it's all
over.
Afterwards Ichika is shocked that her eyes won't change back; fortunately Sei is there to lend her
a pair he has.
Later he wants to explain things to her.

Saturday episode 18 of xxxHOLIC Yuko has a visitor who gives her a famed ground cherry.
She in turn gives it Watanuki with instructions. He meets up with Doumeki(even though he wanted
to share the expierence with Himiwar but she couldn't be around for some reason or other).
They wait until midnight and witness a parade of monsters. Some of the monsters stop and urge
them to join the long procession.
When they reach their goal it's a large glowing tree.
Yuko warned Watanuki not to loose contact with the ground cherry but at one point he does,
and the monsters realize they're human and go after them.
Fortunately the water sprite who loves Watanuki saves them,temporarily as they fall back to
the ground.
But then the young fox pup demon from episode 5 arrives and vouches for Watanuki and
the crowd of monsters relents.
The tree allows them to gather sap and they find themselves back in the park.
Later after both Mokona and Watanuki are asleep from the nectar, Doumeki asks Yuko
why he's never been invited to her shop.
She replies that it's only those who have a need that may enter and he doesn't have any.

Comment: if this is so then Himiwari must have some kind of need herself because IIRC,
hasn't she been shown in Yuko's shop on at least a couple occasions?

Sunday episode 6 of Wish Upon The Pleiades the situation starts getting worse as the ship
begins to emerge from hiding. The president says that it would be bad if the rest of his people were
awakened.
He also explains that they have the power to travel any where and any time they wish.
The girls insist it's something like magic but he keeps denying it.
They get the piece of the engine, but discover the school as been put into the orbit of the ship!
Later when the school is back to normal and everyone is about to leave Subaru remembers that
she's left her English homework behind and goes to get it.
But the 'horn boy' enters and closes the school off with a magic circle that the girls can't
get through.
Subaru runs until she finds the school observatory and meets Minato for the last time.
He directs her to a path and she's able to find a window to open to let the others in.
'Horn Boy finds himself in the observatory and wants to know what's going on and who
Minato is, but the screen goes blank as Minato gives the answer.
When Subaru returns she finds the place all dead and Minato gone.

Monday for my raw night I re-watched episode 20 of Tenchi Universe: "No Need For Swimsuits" 'nuff said!

Tuesday watched episode 5 of K-ON! Season 1. The girls discover that they are still not an
official club because somebody *koff* Ritsu *koff* forgot to hand in the proper paper work,plus
Nodoka tells them they still need an advisor.
When they find out that Sawako sensei was in the Light Music Club when she was in school,Ritsu
basically blackmails her to be their advisor.
The next thing is getting ready for the school festival,but they need songs and Mio is elected.
And then Sawako sensei tells them they need a singer and Yui is "volunteered" by the others.
Sawako sensei takes her under her wings to teach her everything she knows; but the next
day Yui shows up hoarse and can't sing because of overwork.
So poor Mio is again "volunteered" to do the job.

Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e
To be honest I didn't think much about it reading the description, but still gave it a shot. I got to say it's the most interesting show this season. Even if not the best it certainly deserved second.
It's about the beginning of highschool, in a national supported school & system. Class D being the lowest of all and its members have to struggle to survive.
In short, with this school background the show is in fact a combination of a survival game, a mystery game, game of thrones (the term only), and Liar Game put together. I'm gonna watch it to the end.

Wed. episode 8 of Pilot Candidate this was the most sober episode to date as it involves the death of Ars' older brother in combat. Pretty bittersweet,especially as it happens just as Zero and
Ars have started to become friends.
Ars is then selected to replace his brother as the next Ingrid pilot.
I think this is the first time we see the entire academy represented,as all the cadets are
formed present for Ars departure with his brother's casket.

Th. episode 9 of Celestial Method Noel decides to go to the school festival with the others because everyone thinks that Shione will show up. But she has decided to move back home.
The reason being she has figured out Noel's true nature and what will happen once the wish is
granted. She has a hard time trying to tell the truth about Noel to Nonoka,which is why she
tells her she hates her and doesn't want to see her again.
After telling her this (which is a lie as Shione is crying when she is saying it) Shione walks away.
Noel appears,but suddenly collapses in the park frightening Nonoka.

I think Shione is too sensitive to reveal what she knows about Noel to the others,at least not yet.

Friday episode 10 of Utakata Sei gets punished by Saya turning him into a statue before he can
break the rules further and tell Ichika the truth.
Ichika decides to throw away the amulet, but finds even if she does it only flies back to her.
Then she almost falls to her death but Manatsu is in time to save her.After she tells her she isn't
really human.
The next day Ichika,Manatsu and Ichika's parents go to the shrine where Ichika's grandma is buried.
She overhears her parents tell the priest about a dream and realizes that everything that has happened to her has been preordained before she was born.
Manatsu follows her as she runs to the graveyard and activates the next Djinn: the Guardian of the Underworld.
The spirits of the dead come forth,freaking out Manatsu.
Ichika's grandma and dead dog Shiro are among them. But Ichika manages to control herself this time.They vanish and Manatsu remarks on how Ichika has managed to grow.

Saturday episode 19 of xxxHOLIC Watanuki finds an old box and Yuko says he can open it under certain conditions,it ends up being a snow ball fight!
The winner gets to open the box and make a wish.
Besides Yuko,Mokona,Watanuki,Himawari and Doumeki both Ame-warashi and Zareshi-warashi
also show up.
The first thing is everyone has to make a snow sculpture.
Watanuki's is the simplest (a plain rabbit)while Ame-warashi makes the most complex.
Mokona makes a Mokona.
Then the fight begins with the snow sculptures attacking each other and everyone.
Yuko (of course)cheats.
But at the end Watanuki "wins" only to find the "prize" is food he has to prepare!...
btw: according to the Wiki Watanuki is actually the clone or alternate version of Sakura and
Syaoran Li's son. To put it bluntly Watanuki isn't supposed to exist, which is why he has the ability to see spirits.

Sunday episode 7 of Wish Upon the Pleiades it looks like Subaru has joined the gardening club as the others see her weeding the garden.
A boy that looks like Minato later talks to her about the proper way of taking care of the flowers
she was planting.
Aoi and Subaru talk and are called into the club house. They find themselves near the sun.
The president explains that since they have more of the engine now it's easier to transport them to where the next piece is.
They see a comet and it's explained to them that it is the next piece.
Unfortunately it also brings them closer to the sun.
Aoi and Subaru are separated from the others and accuse each other of leaving the other behind.
Then they realize that that isn't true and they'll always be friends.
Once again as they're about to bring the piece in the horned boy tries to interrupt,but fails.
Aoi and Subaru are happy realizing that they're friendship will last.

Monday I previewed School Live with episode 6. This was how Miki became part of the
School Living Club, It was interesting to see how the episode first shows everything through the eyes of Yuki...everything is normal and Megumi-sensei is alive,but then switches to reality,with Megumi-sensei dead and the school all dilapidated looking.
The school sports festival that Yuki comes up with was a fun thing for the girls to do and gave them
some normality.
I think then that the club is meant not only to help Yuki but also the rest of the girls so that they
don't go insane like she did after seeing Megumi-sensei sacrifice herself to save them.
Ok...in the end I cheated and looked up the final episode on the Wiki to see how it all ends, only the
puppy dies..

Tuesday episode 6 of Season 1 of K-on! the school festival has finally arrived and Mio looks for the other girls so that they can practice before the big debut. Unfortunately Yui is helping out with her class Yakisoba shop and both Mugi and Ritsu are helping at their class haunted house.
(Mio is spooked by Mugi in her custome).
Mio goes to the club room alone and starts practicing.
The other girls get off and watch her from outside as she practices the song.
Then they practice together.
Finally it's their turn and Mio gets stage fright but Ritsu reassures her and they end up getting
wild applause from the audience.
Then Mio trips over an amp cord and falls revealing her blue and white stripped panties.
It has two effects:
1.Mio gets her own fan club
2.The poor girl is seen cowering in a corner muttering: "Panties,panties,panties,panties,panties..
Now no-one will ever want to marry me!"
Ah....I bet there are plenty of guys who would love to marry poor Mio despite her klutziness.

Wed. episode 9 of Pilot Candidate for some reason Zero's EX starts to go crazy and he begins
having dreams that appear to him to be real; unfortunately for him his power starts to threaten
GOA..

Th. episode 10 of Celestial Method Nonoka has a talk with Shione before she moves and the
latter tells her the truth about Noel disappearing once the wish is granted.
Later Shione tells the others and they wind up arguing and breaking up since none of them want
to see Noel disappear either.

I decided to start Himouto! Umaru-chan after I am done with Celestial Method
so I switched the last Monday of October to Sakura Wars.

Friday episode 11 of Utakata the second to last episode and after that the OVA.
It's only a week left before Ichika and her parents move to Italy. She gets a call from Satsuki
inviting her and Manatsu to a swim party; since the party is at a pool Michiru gets to show off
her swimming skills (it's salt water that she has problems with).
Saya is watching.
When Ichika starts to tell Michiru about moving,Saya thinks she is about to violate the rule about
not telling (but she doesn't).
Later Ichika gets depressed and runs off with Manatsu chasing her; the Ocean Djinn is activated
causing a tsunami that Ichika tries to stop.
When Manatsu interferes Saya steps in and punishes her with near drowning because it's
against the rules.
Later Michiru volunteers to help Ichika take Manatsu home.
Saya says to herself: "Only one Djinn left now."

Sautrday episode 20 of xxxHOLIC Valentine's Day and Yuko makes Watanuki bake the
chocolates. They get a female customer who gives Yuko a mysterious package that she says
has cursed her. When she leaves Yuko opens it to find a picture of a woman with her back turned.
The next day Watanuki goes to school to give Himawari his chocolate, but Dooumeki takes a taste
of one (his bag bulging from all the candy girls have given him).
When Watanuki gets to work he sees that something odd is happening to the picture.
Yuko enters the room and says the picture frame was supposed to act as a seal but isn't
working.The woman in the picture turns her head and is shown smiling.
The client returns and is near tears when she sees the picture.
Then they watch as they see a mini version of the client enter the picture and the other woman
is shown waving happily to her; they appear to talk and then the client pushes the other woman
to her death.
In real life she is muttering:"Even the police said it was an accident!"
Then Yuko agrees to get rid of the picture for her the price:the woman can never be photographed
or captured on any video device ever again or the scene will be replayed in public so everyone will
know what she did.
When she leaves Watanuki protests about letting her off too easily, but Yuko reminds him of the
prevalence of cameras and other video recording devices..

Sunday episode 8 of Wish Upon The Pleiades Nanko's story (finally).
The next piece of the engine is at the edge of the Solar System. Someone has to volunteer
to go there to act as a scout and then call the others when she finds it.
Nanako volunteers.When the other girls ask about school she says it'll be ok since the president
will take her place.
Nanko takes off the next day.
As she travels she remembers the past when her parents broke off and her mom took her younger
brother away and she began staying only with her father.
On Earth 3 months go by before Nanako spots the engine piece.
It's near an undiscovered planet.
Back on Earth the president's imitation of Nanako is going hilariously wrong!
The girls finally get the message to come and are surprised about the planet.
Just before they can capture it the horned boy shows up again.
Fortunately he can't get it as it goes into the gravity well of the planet and the girls are able
to capture it.
The planet is ready to turn into a second sun, but everyone gets home safely.
When they do they are shocked to see it's the day that Nanako left!..
But as the president points out this was one of two possible times for their return..

Monday I watched Robin of Sherwood instead of anime. The episode was part 2 of a 2 parter
and featured the iconic shooting contest. It was also the introduction of Najib, the Arab who joins
the Merry Men.

Tuesday saw episode 7 of K-ON! Season 1. The beginning was just as bad but even worse
than the second half of episode 8. I think a full minute or so. I guess the only real solution to the
problem is to wait and upgrade to a BD player so I can replace it with the BD version.
Any ways this was the Christmas/Winter episode.
The girls decide to have a party and by default wind up back at Yui's. Lotta fun as they
try to buy each other presents.
Then on the day of the party Sawako-sensei shows up unannounced during the middle of things!

She invents a game where they have to keep passing the presents around until she stops
singing.
Poor Mio gets Ritsu's present! (Gotta love Mio for all she goes through with her best pal and all!)
Yui and Ui wind up with the presents they had bought for each other.
Later on the episode goes into New Year's and shows the girls at the local shrine praying.
Mugi and Mio are worried because they both gained a whole kilogram during the holidays and
feel fat and are jealous of Yui who doesn't seem to have gained anything!

Next episode is episode 8 and poor Mio separated from the rest of the crew!
(Azusa joins the club in episode 9)

Wed. episode 10 of Pilot Candidate, which is in reality episode 11 since it starts with episode 00.
Ikhny gets jealous of Kinza's relationship to Zero as both repairer and friend because Hiead acts like
such a dick to her. In the end she decides to sabotage Zero's practice mecha to give Hiead an
advantage in the next testing round.
Unfortunately at that moment GOA gets a call from the Ingrids to reinforce because of a massive
Victim attack...

Th. episode 11 of Celestial Method, with Noel about to disappear Nonoka rallies the others
so that they can fulfill Noel's own wish of seeing everyone 'Smiley" one last time during the
meteor shower.
It takes a while but she even manages to encourage Shione to come.
When everyone's gathered they re-enact the first time they all met at the observatory seven
years ago.
Then Noel disappears after saying she won't forget everybody...

....yeah this episode has all the feels!

Also yesterday got my copy of Monster Musume, interesting didn't even get a single
confirmation in e-mail but it still arrived.

Friday episode 12 of Utakata the finale and now only the extra episode to go.
Ichika faces Saya who reveals herself as Mirrora the final Djinn. Her duty is to test the
chosen child by submitting them to the final ordeal,this is being pinned to the mirror and asked
whether they will chose to destroy themselves or humanity.
Ichika refuses to choose,saying that Saya doesn't understand humanity.
Saya is about to penalize her when Sei breaks free. Then Manatsu intervenes as well.
Saya tries to punish her but no good.
In the end both Kei and Manatsu return to being shards, but as she dissolves Manatsu promises
she won't forget Ichika and Ichika promises the same.
Ichika and Sei collapse unconscious and Saya makes another call telling the mystery man at the
other end that Ichika was another failure.
Epilogue: Ichika's mom is going off to Italy to visit her father for a week.Ichika says she'll be ok.
At the doorway she is met by Keiko, Michiru and Satsuki and they walk to school together.
Ichika sees Sei standing by himself and then looks at the train station, thinking she sees something or someone on top of the roof.
Camera fades in to show Manatsu watching with her back turned.

Comment: Really lovely done series, but still a lot of questions left unanswered such as why
the ordeals in the first place and who is it that Saya reports back to. Though I think it has to be the priest at the shrine that Ichika's family went to since it all seems to be connected in some way (
Ichika's parents had their dream about the mystery girl...Manatsu(?) when they went to the shrine
14 years ago).

Saturday episode 21 of xxxHOLIC Watanuki is rejoicing becaue Yuko finally gave him a paid day off. He spends it in bed and then reading manga. During lunch he's shocked when Doumeki
appears from nowhere and insists on making the food Western Style. They get into one of their
patent arguments but finally eat.
Doumeki pisses Watanuki off by reading his manga as Watanuki lies on the floor.
Doumeki reminds him of an old Japanese superstition about turning into a cow, but Watanuki
laughs it off.
The next day he is feeling bloated and listless until Himawari walks by but her ribbons make
him feel like charging like a bull.
At work he is still feeling listless and Yuko tells him to spend the night.
He decides to clip his toe nails,but as he does so he gets a sense that there's something there.
As he continues to clip the toe nails the room grows dark and a large pair of ghostly clippers
come from no where threathening him. Yuko shows up and throws her robe around him defeating
the apparation.
The next day she tells him that supersitions are simply reminders of the past when people
encountered things that they couldn't understand but that the reason for them over the years
began to fade away and be forgotten.

Sunday episode 9 of Wish Upon the Pleiades The cultural festival at the school is only days away and the girls have to decide what to do as a club.They finally settle on doing something
about astronomy since Subaru is also in the Astronomy Club. She goes to the observatory to
set things up with Minato. Back at the club room the other girls decide to run Subaru and
Minato in the cute couple contest.
Subaru and Minato are working on the windows when they decide to test the globe.
Subaru says it's like being in outer space and Minato uses his power to give her a tour of actual space.
she tells him this reminds him of the time when she was small and visiting her mother in the hospital and got lost one day;she met a boy who did the same thing as Minato.
Minato realizes that she's talking about him.
Before going back he tells her they will forget what they have seen, and when she asks he tells her because otherwise they wouldn't be able to go home.
Back at the school the other girls only need to con Minato and Subaru until doing an interview but
when they break into the observatory it's empty.
When Suabru and Minato leave the room after they get back,Subaru realizes she left the key
behind and is about to go get it when Minato stops her.
He picks up the key and is about to go when the globe opens revealing the engine parts.
They dance around him and he says: "Subaru, it looks like we will have to say goodby for good
now."

Code Blue has ended a while ago. I gotta say it's better than before. The only part that's not are the new scrubs failing to shine as much as the former bunch, now the seniors.

There's also a new SKorean show: The Hospital Ship that had gained tremendous popularity over there. But imho it has too much of an ordinary drama less the special part of interest (ship). And in comparison to Code Blue I feel it's a waste of time. In any case, the passenger ship was actually bought by the TV channel and converted for the show. I can't say with certainty the inside shown is actually the inside of the ship. But it's certainly well designed and arranged. Every things fits neatly into that small space. It's just not quite ready for the sea imho. And the obviously old design lacks safety measures.

https://i2.wp.com/www.kdramapal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Hospital-Ship-Highlights-Episode-3-4-Trivia-4.png
https://www.kdramapal.com/hospital-ship-highlights-episode-3-4/

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Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e
Has ended with a feat in turning around the tables. It leaves a lot of room to continue. It has not failed to deliver but I feel it's a bit too forced, working out too smoothly.

I just found out fans are releasing subs for the whole Captain Future series. And I can say the original is better than all abridged, modified and official translated versions. Although old, Scifi at it's best.

Monday re-watched episode 26 of Outlaw Star raw. The ending with the Tronlike
sequence inside the computer. Can't help but love the very end when Gene,Jim and Melfina
discover what or rather whom (who?) was in that crate!

Tuesday episode 8 of K-ON! season 1. The girls try to get more members for the Light Music
Club during Welcome Frosh Week. They also do another concert.
Yui is excited that Ui will be going to school with her; unfortunately poor Mio is left defend for herself as the others wind up in another class. Though Nandoka ends up being in her class.
Asuza decides to join the club....

Ok...so it was a bit worse technically than the last time I watched. And to make things worse
the audio dropped out after it corrected itself,which was fortunate that I had the sub on!
Just episode 9 left to see and then I will see about if I can replace it(disc 2 as I think the others
aren't too bad. Thinking of e-mailing Sentai about it to let them know).

Curriculum 11 which is episode 12 of Pilot Candidate Wed. Ikhny's little sabotage almost gets Zero in trouble. A really pissed Kizna yells at the instructor to send help or face a court martial (yeah
don't ya love the way Michelle Ruff can play characters that can go to piss off mode in 0 seconds
flat! )
hmmm....guess that makes Kizna the series tsundere then.
Any way Zero manages to extract himself from his problem only to wind up in the middle of the
Victim horde and manages to get yelled at again!
Poor guy is having a bad day of it.
Then Hiead shows up against orders because he's trying to do a Vegeta type thing and make sure
that Zero knows he's the better of the two.
Finally Teela arrives and takes care of the Victim.
Later at GOA Hiead and Zero both get called on the rug for their behavior as does Ikhny who is
defended by Kizna.Later the two of them talk as Kizna fixes Ikhny's sabotage.
Elsewhere at the infirmary Teela says that she and Zero were in sync for a bit there...

Thursday episode 12 of Celestial Method After last episode everything rewinds to the beginning of the series with Nonoka and her dad moving back. Nonoka is surprised that her
dad doesn't remember Noel,but he said it was a long trip and she was probably dreaming.
Looking up into the sky when they get out of the tunnel she is surprised not to see the Disk.
She asks her dad to leave her off at Koharu's family store and he asks if she knows the way
to the house and she says yes.
Koharu remembers Nonoka but not Noel as she can only remember the Nonoka of 7 years ago!
as can Yuzuki and Sota. For none of them the events of the past few months have ever happened.
When Nonoka goes to find Shione she finds a total stranger living in her apartment.
Later at school she learns that Shione and her family moved when she was still in elementary
school.
There is something they aren't willing to tell her though, so it must mean the Shione of the
altered time line must've died not too long after her family moved.
Nonoka tries to get everyone to remember Noel but Sota replies that perhaps her dad was right and she was dreaming it all.
At the end Nonoka is shown talking into her phone recording her thoughts.
Then her eyes brighten and she turns around to see Shione!
This is the Shione from the original time line since she reminds her that Noel wouldn't
like to see Nonoka cry.Nonoka runs to her and hugs her crying...

Note once again Shione is the only one who can remember both Noel and Nonoka.

You might be interested in Rewrite . I haven't seen it all yet, though.

Joker Game
Is a spy fantasy series about Japanese spies in WWII in Europe. Obviously inspired and based on various lesser commonly known real stories. Each episode is a story; in a way with a different kind of genre. Overall it's so-so, and closer to a detective story. More about how to deal and solve a problem than just actions and adventures.

I'll have to look it up. Right now I have just sent in my order for Flying Witch
but since today is Columbus Day I don't think it will go until tommorrow.

Friday: episode 13 of Utakata this was the special episode that is really the epilog.
It's Christmas time,which also happens to be Ichika's 15th birthday. Her mom flies to Italy to be
with her dad for a week; Ichika and her friends have plans for the holiday/birthday celebrations.
At one point Michiru tells Ichika that she saw Manatsu.
Later Manatsu does show up at first pretending to be her 'twin sister Manatsuyu'!
But Ichika sees through her.
The girls have one last few days of fun together,each knowing that it's the last they will see of
each other and neither wanting to say aloud what's on their minds.
In Germany Sei has also been surprised by the re-appearance of Kei and like the girls it's also
the last time for the two boys to be with each other.Each knowing that it's the final goodbye.
Manastu is sad when she is finally about to leave a sleeping Ichika but Saya,finally able to show
her caring side reminds her that they're really part of each other.
The series ends with a smiling Ichika on her way to school.

Saturday episode 22 of xxxHOLIC when Yuko's not around she gives Watanuki time off but
warns him to be careful. He meets a woman at the shop gate and befriends her. Later Doumeki
reminds him about the pipe fox but Watanuki completely forgets about it.
He starts to see the woman(who claims to have lost her son)after school on a regular basis.
But then he starts developing a fever for some unknown reason. Even his new friend tells him
he should go home and spend time in bed but he rejects all advice,claiming it's just a cold.
Things start going from bad to worse.
Even Yuko on the telephone can sense something is wrong...

Sunday episode 10 of Wish Upon The Pleiades this is basically Minato's backstory.
It is interesting as it also reveals that before Minato decided to use the magic the Pleiadean
gave him the Pleiadean was able to take human shape(before becoming the blob we all know and
love! :lol)
Minato at first helps the Plieadean out of appreciation that he gave him the ability to go from his
room and move around,even fly; later though when he learns the truth he rejects the Pleiadean's
warnings of using the engine parts for his own selfish purposes.
This corrupts Minato's soul turning him into 'horned boy' the girls have come to know.
It's also interesting to note that only Subaru is able to reach him; so when she reveals herself
to him in space he is concerned because she is endangering herself. Reflexively he protects her..

On Monday I watched episode 4 of Gunslinger Girl for my raw night. This was an Triela episode.
It's the one where they have the assignment to go to pick up an informant that has information about the Mafia.
It almost goes south at the very start when he is nearly abudcted,but Triela arrives in time.
Later he attempts to escape by using the window in the men's room while she is stationed outside
the stall.
She eventually re-captures him but allows him to go after he tells her about his own family...

Tuesday episode 9 of K-ON! Asuza officially joins the Light Music Club as the newest member
but is unaware of what is in store for her.From the daily tea time to being dressed as a cat(with
Sawako sensei adding the maid costume! )she learns that the club isn't what she thought it
would be like.
Fortunately Mio is around to provide a bit of sanity.
Asuza asks her why she doesn't play with other bands but at first Mio can't answer.
Then when Asuza goes to a club she realizes that the Light Music Club isn't as good as some of the others and gets discouraged.
She decides to resign but Mio encourages her to stay when she finally admits that the reason
she only plays with the Light Music Club is because they have fun together...even when they're
goofing off instead of playing music.
Asuza decides to stay after all.

Note:Asuza is way better than Yui on the guitar and Yui tries to hide the fact she's only a novice,
whereas Asuza has been playing for years.

Also unlike the last two episodes there was no problem with episode 9,so I think that I will
hold off reporting the problems to Sentai until I finish the series and see about the third disc
if there are any problems with it or not.
I do not think that it would be worth wanting to get a replacement if the only problems are with
the first minute of episode 7 and the last minute of episode 8.
As long as no other problems arise they seem to be livable.

Wed. and Th. finished off both Pilot Candidate and Celestial Method. Pilot
Candidate basically told the story from Ernest's POV. It starts with the current Ingrid pilots
when they were still raw recruits and ends shortly after his death.
The big reveal at the end is that the memories of the pilots live on in their Ingrids.
It was also interesting that he notes that Zero was the most unusual candidate for pilot.
Unlike the other episodes it is sub only.
Overall not a bad series but if someone wants to see a lot more action of the Gundam
or Macross type they would be disappointed since it only details the training aspect.

Celestial Method well I was totally wrong in my thinking about Shione from last time.
Still for some reason only she and Nonoka remember Noel.The early parts of the episode were
the two of them trying to convince the others about the existence of Noel. They wind up going
back to the observatory and calling for Noel again.
Eventually they go their separate ways again but are all led to the center of the sunflower field,which looks like the center of a maze.
Shione's hat flew off while they were at the observatory but comes flying back.
Then Noel picks it up and end credits after which she proclaims she's back as she and
Nonoka rush into each other's arms.
The end credits were interesting as they looked like a child's crayon paintings.
Overall this was sweet and at times bittersweet. I love the fact that Shione and Nonoka end up
reconnecting and it was Shione that made Nonoka not quit.
Also Yuzuki making that "Welcome Disk" sign far cry from the old Yuzuki!

Next week: School Live and Himouto! Umaru-chan begin.

Friday started Bubblegum Crisis,Tokyo 2040 so it seems at least at the beginning Linna is
the central character of 2040 as it starts with her eagerly beginning a new life in Tokyo. Things
start going down hill though as she is nearly run down by a motorcyclist. When she does get to
work the office manager (who happens to be a Boomer) punishes her for her attitude by making her
mop the rest rooms!
Later she goes out on a date with a superior who tries to put the moves on her...and THEN
the Boomers attack and the guy tries to run out on her.
Linna is unfortunately caught in the center of things and is forced out on to a shaky fire escape.
Fortunately the Knights Saber are there and they save her.
Later she searches for Priss claiming she knows she's a Knight Saber and wants to become one
too!
Funniest moment:Nene running out with only her bathrobe on!
poor girl always seems to get the emergency message when she's in the shower!

Saturday episode 23 of xxxHOLIC despite everything Watanuki decides to continue to see
the woman,even though she's infecting him some way. Doumeki also makes the choice to follow
him and shoots the arrow that kills her. Later,after Yuko returns she reminds Watanuki that both he
and Doumeki made a choice but the question is how will he treat Doumeki from now on.
At school Watanuki gives Himawari another lunch and Doumeki walks by.
Watanuki reluctantly asks him to join them and then they get in another argument over
rice balls!
Afterwards shows business as usual.
Comment: I think that this is really the ending to Season 1 as episode 24 is called a side story.

Sunday episode 11 of Wish Upon the Pleiades Subaru can no longer see the President or
transform so the others have to go and find the final piece without her. It'll take longer since
it's further away.When the rest go Subaru mopes around because Minato isn't there any more.
The juice machine only give banana milk.
Later a boy from Minato's class meets Subaru and comments that he has seen them weeding
that patch before.This gives her hope and she rushes to the observatory room.
She tries several times before the magic works.
Meanwhile the others have jumped from place to place until they reach the limits of the universe.
There seems to be no catching the last piece.
Back on Earth Subaru is finally able to meet Minato again and she's able to transform
but her costume and drive shaft are different now.
With Minato's help she is able to catch up and find the others..

Monday re-watched the finale of Eva for my Raw Monday Night. I think I'm in the minority in that I really love the ending and don't think it was necessary to add anything to it.
Also this was probably the only time we get to see Rei look and act like a real dork!

Tuesday episode 10 of K-ON! basically the same as episode 4 except with the addition of
both Asuza and Sawako sensei. Asuza's evaluation of the other girls in the band when Ui asks
her about them at the end was spot on.

Looks like another season of Meh show. So I won't bother with many except:

Evil or Live
Another prison/survival show about a camp for kids with net addiction a la scandal chinese camps.
Don't expect much.

Kekkai Sensen & Beyond, Season 2
Looks like it could be better than the first season. The first was so-so.

Code Realize
Another damsel in distress show. A girl who has been infused with her father's invention of an infinite source of energy. It causes her body to become extremely dangerous to the touch.
Looks like a combination of Cutey Honey and your regular damsel show. Could be interesting.

There's always one or two that sound interesting.

Wed. watched episode 1 of School Live. This was a day in the life type of episode, with
Yuki getting up late and meeting the other girls for breakfast (they had spaghetti?!...guess
that's what happens when you have the Zombie Apocalypse(tm) hit while you happen to be in
school)and then off to 'class'.
Taomaru meanwhile gets loose and Miki volunteers to go after him.
She interrupts 'class' and Yuki asks to go to the nurse's office.
They chase Taomaru all over the school building and meet Kurumi who has been doing her usual
patrol for zombies but tells Yuki she was helping with the garden club.
Taomaru runs outside and Ri is made at him for messing up the garden. She has Yuki recite
the club's rules but she forgets halfway through.Taomaru runs back into the building and shocks
both Miki and Yuki by showing them he can open doors!
They finally catch him and Yuki goes back to 'class' where she tells her 'friends' about it.
Miki returns to take her back and we see for the first time the reality they are living in: as there
is nothing but an empty room.
On the way back Yuki says that a window needs closing as she does we get a glimpse into the
courtyard with the zombiefied students and staff milling around.
And Yuki says the hardtack they had for dinner is "delicious" which really shows how delusional
she has to be!
Also twice she mentions she almost went home...which is a bit chilling...

Th. episode 1 of Himouto! Umaru-chan Umaru's brother talks about how everyone thinks she's
so kind and pretty and nice and polite,and then reveals what she's like when she gets home.
She plays video games and complains that the fried rice is too cold. Then she wonders why they aren't having bread,to which her brother reminds her it's Monday.
So she ends up whining and crying and throwing a tantrum until he goes and gets the latest
JUMP magazine so she can read Jun Piece (aka One Piece she seems to love
Chopper!)
At school we see her doing various activities: she gets 100 on a test,wins a swimming contest
and wows her classmates and teacher with her piano playing (and where does she have the
time to practice?)
But back home she reverts back to obnoxiousness.Her brother says they have to go shopping and
she throws a snit.She keeps at it while shopping and only behaves once he promises her ice cream,
but it falls out of the cone and she goes back to snit mode.
She also decides she wants to earn a million yen by posting a video of her hamsters.
Though to be honest it's "Big Brother" who bought them and cleans their cage.
Plus she gorges herself on junk food before dinner while watching anime,so is no wonder she's
full!

Ousama Game = King's Game
Students of a class get messages on their smartphones carrying the King's orders. If they fail to carry it out they will be punished (mostly a death sentense). A death game with no real chances of winning.
Meh, poor characterization and imitation of Mirai Niki/Future Diary.

Inuyashiki
Two people are crushed to death by an UFO which restores them as machine weapons (curtesy of Gantz).
The 58 year old man tries to use his newfound power for good. The intelligent student who's like a pyschopath. An inevitable war starts.
Not interesting yet...

Gosick
Finally, came out in May of this year after having aired 6 years ago. Overall it's a good show and very well done, except Koju, the main male characters is imho the worst part of it. If his character was more like in Spice and Wolf I have no doubt it would have come out far sooner and been much more popular. As far as the cases go, they aren't much; more like beginner level.

Gosick was one show I was interested in ever since I read the review of the light novel
at Anime.com when Anime.com was still around.

Friday episode 2 of Bubblegum Crisis,Tokyo 2040: Leon and his squad get yelled at for
allowing the Knight Sabers to interfere again.We also get our first intro to this series version of
Mason.
Meanwhile Linna has traced Priss to the hall where she and her band are practicing and demands
to be let in.
Priss smirks and asks if she wants to be part of the band but Linna yells that she knows Priss
is a Knight Saber and she wants to be one too!
(The guys in the band totally ignore what's going on figuring that Linna is just another country hick
who has a girl crush on Priss.)
Priss leaves and Linna follows.
(Earlier she had tried to hack into the AD Police files on the Knights Sabers but Nene had
intercepted..)
After tailing Priss,Linna finally arrives at Slyia's and follows inside.
Slyia says they were expecting her and starts putting Linna through some drills to see if she's
Knight Saber material...

Saturday episode 24 of Season 1 of xxxHOLIC basically an epilog episode dealing with
Watanuki when he was in Middle School.
He's chased around by mysterious hands until he meets a boy sitting on a tree. The boy advises
him to throw salt on the hand and it dissolves.
They become friends and spend the time together. From the mystery boy Watanuki begins to learn a lot about different spirits,which ones are harmful and which are harmless etc.
Then on Watanuki's birthday the boy reveals that the place where they met is where the hands
have taken children until the other world and he was one of those children.
He explains that this is his last day and he's glad he's been able to spend it with Watanuki before
vanishing.
Yuko surprises Watanuki out of his daydream and tells him they came to help celebrate his
birthday.
But of course Watanuki is the one who ends up doing all the catering!

Sunday episode 12 of Wish Upon The Pleiades the girls find that the final piece of the engine has fallen into a Black Hole and there seems to be no way of getting to it in time.
Subaru spots Minato and goes to him deciding he should be the sixth member of their group.
The President resumes his human form when he meets Minato again and the spaceship is finally
revealed.
They use it and the remaining engine parts to create six miniature black holes to counteract
the larger one.
It works and the engine is complete.
Then the President shows them the universe where the Pleidean ship was headed.
He says farewell and they find themselves in ship filled with their own possibilities.
They follow a single thread down until they arrive at the beginning of pre-history a billion
years in the past.
Each of the girls in the hand states what she is most jealous of one of the others but
concludes she rather be herself.
At the end Subaru and Minato are left by themselves as she falls asleep...
....she wakes up on the day of the meteor shower and hurries out.
Seeing Aoi she runs across to greet her. This time Aoi admits the only reason she went to the other school was because of the uniform.
Aoi agrees to come see the meteor shower with Subaru.
At the school gate Subaru runs into Hikaru and her leaflets for the meteor shower get blown
away.
Hikaru, Itsuki and Nanako all help her pick them up and agree with some others to meet to see
the meteor shower (Nanako has a pony tail in this version).
The last screen shot is of the cast holding up: THIS IS THE END signs in chibi form!