[May 2016] Anime Pick

I'm returning to more anime monthly picks than music. Sit back and enjoy another anime themed post!

Sakamoto Desu Ga?

It first came up as a gif on my feed and attracted my attention. Skeptical that it may just be one funny joke in an entire series, I didn't have too much interest to explore the series too much. Yet by the time I finished the first episode, I was sure that the author had an arsenal full of jokes to play on tropes and nonsense. Sakamoto Desu Ka? is a comedy featuring Sakamoto, a transfer student that everyone is going crazy over because of his good looks and charisma. Through his funny and impossible school life adventures, Sakamoto manages to convert everyone into his fan. This show has been a highlight of my anime watch. My only pet peeve with Sakamoto is that its humor doesn't always shine in each episode.

Bungou Stray Dogs

If you are familiar with Japanese literature, then the mere sight of seeing notable authors appear in anime should stir up frenzy for your bookish needs. For those not familiar, the jokes and connections are lost unfortunately and it may just be another supernatural show to you. To give a sense of how important it may be to know the inspiration behind the anime, we'll use one of the main characters. Dazai Osamu is one of the first people the protagonist, Nakajima Atsushi, meets. Both of these names are famous authors. Dazai's supernatural power is called Ningen Shikaku (No Longer Human), a novel that Dazai in our world is famous for writing about the feeling of alienation in society. Now I don't know how it will play into future episodes and I'm hoping it will somehow. Dazai's first appearance in the anime is a failed suicide and suicide becomes the running gag on the show whilst the Dazai Osamu we know in our world used suicide as a recurring theme in his works. The show takes a more comedic turn at its characters and interpretations of real authors.

Sinbad no Bouken

Those of you who are fans of Magi, rejoice! The Adventures of Sinbad have been adapted to anime as well. I've only been able to watch episode one and like the title suggests, this adaptation will be chronicles of Sinbad's travels and how he became the famed ruler of the seven seas. So far it looks like they've kept the drawing and art consistent. We are going to see some familiar characters and look more into how they develop into their current selves in Magi.

Final Fantasy XV Brotherhood

Intended as a web series used to tie in with the game, enjoy the stunning graphics. I mean really, the animators really spent a lot of time drawing things by frame. As of now there are 6 episodes planned for release and one has aired so. They're short and suppose to act as a bit of a precursor to the game's story line. Fans of the game may look at this as a bonus treat.

Ace Attorney

As a disclaimer, I've never played the game before. Ace Attorney presents itself in the format of a game to the audience so it's nostalgic for players. The story follows Naruhodo Ryuichi or Phoenix Wright, depending on which version, and the cases he takes. You as the viewer are cracking cases alongside with him. I have more bad to say about the series than the good. To put it in a nutshell, it feels like a bland adaptation. The art is lackluster and the story is not interesting enough to keep the audience captivated. Characters are exaggerated for dramatic effect and remain flat for the time being. I feel like a casual watcher of this series.