Anime Column] Midterm Review of Fall 2015 Anime by Anime Writers

The finale of 2015 is in the midst of a great deal of excitement as all of the fall anime have completed the early stages of their productions. In this issue, anime writers who cannot accept the fact that the New Year will be upon us in just seven weeks will give a mid-term review of the fall anime!

We have picked up "One Pan Man," which is bursting with flashy action, "Everything Becomes F the Perfect Insider," which is based on a science mystery, "Dance with Devils," an original musical, "Brave Beats," a Sunday morning dance anime, and "Fist of the North Star: Strawberry Flavor," which features the Holy Emperor. The "Fist of the North Star: Strawberry Flavor," featuring the Holy Emperor, was picked up. Don't miss the hot anime that will blow away the dead of the trees!

One-Punch Man

Saitama is the strongest hero who can defeat any opponent with a single punch. Because a battle is over in an instant when he makes a move, much effort is put into depicting the overwhelming power of the monster and the city that is destroyed. The more the monster destroys buildings and apartments, the more the strength of Saitama, who easily defeats such a powerful enemy, stands out. The scenery depicted in the ending animation seems to be a mockery of the city that was sacrificed in order to express Saitama's power.

Still, we feel a sense of kinship with Saitama, perhaps because he does not have much of a backbone. Heroes basically become stronger in proportion to sad episodes, but the only thing in Saitama's past is his failed job search and the loss of his head of hair. Contrary to other heroes, he is a man who has become stronger than anyone else, but has carried his sadness with him. As he washes his hero gloves by hand in the cramped bathroom, his back is filled with a deep sense of melancholy.

Everything Becomes F THE PERFECT INSIDER

Although this season's anime is full of princesses and ladies of all kinds, they are all portrayed as friendly characters, showing an unusual interest in small townspeople, or becoming servants in the first episode. One of these ladies who has a quirk or two is Moe Nishinozono, the young lady of the film. At a college camp, she does not help those around her, saying, "I've never held a knife before," and she does not even show any sign of putting chopsticks to the yakisoba noodles she said, "I've always wanted to try it once~. The fashion of the stars and stripes, which seems to represent the stars and stripes all over the body, also refuses to allow the viewer to empathize with the characters, but of course this was the intention.

This policy is carried through in the direction of the film as well. The frequent use of head-on shots during the meeting with the genius programmer Shiki Magada gives the impression that there is no room for other people, and the lack of focus on the characters and the plot, in which the past and present intersect, make it difficult to empathize with the characters. The line, "No human being can feel the same way as someone else," is rife throughout the film. Where will the characters, who do not allow themselves to be sympathetic, land?

Dance with Devils

An original TV animation in which Ritsuka Ritsuka, a high school sophomore, is at the mercy of a group of handsome Akumas. The main story is a musical, and the highlight of the show is the inserted songs that are inserted in each episode. Meiji Nannajo, who played the main role in the fifth episode "Dokuson to Dokusan no Brackin," showed off his "Oresama" character in the rap-style insert song "VANQUISH. He also showed his domination of the pyramids in Egypt and bullfighting in Spain, showing a different and unprecedented world from that of the previous episodes.

It is also fascinating that Ritsuka is strong-willed despite her cute appearance. When she is locked in a house by her brother Lind, who is trying to protect her, she does not hesitate to destroy the lock with a crowbar! In the musical part just before, Lindo was singing passionately about his feelings for his sister, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him, wondering if his brother's singing voice didn't reach her. ...... Be on the lookout for this musical animation that offers a glimpse into an unexpected side of the characters!

Brave Beats.

A Sunday morning dance animation following the previous program "Tribe Crucle. The main character, Hibiki Windmill, a sixth grader, combines with Braikin, a robot from the dance world, and transforms into the dance hero Flashbeat. The story is set in a setting typical of children's animation, where a mysterious stone, the Dancestone, causes incidents that are solved through superb dancing. Viewers can enjoy the story of Hibiki and Breakin's growing friendship through dance.

While the worldview is orthodox, Hibiki's shyness about dancing and other scenes typical of elementary school boys are also carefully depicted. The story also reveals elements of chaos, such as a pink stray crocodile roaming the streets, and like "Trakkur," an unpredictable storyline awaits. We can't take our eyes off Hibiki's mother, whose crying face is so charming.

Fist of the North Star: Strawberry Flavor

An anime adaptation of the popular comedy manga based on the immortal masterpiece "Fist of the North Star. The realistic, gekiga-style artwork is retained, depicting the days of Saint Souther, who happily lives out his days at the end of the century. True to the name of the work commemorating the 30th anniversary of the birth of Master Souther, the Holy Emperor is played by the original cast member, Ginga Banjo. At this point, victory is as good as assured. It is no wonder that Souther is funny just by smiling.

In the film, Kenshiro's unceremoniously disfigured chest is covered with light, and his vomit is painted white instead of red. The aggressive direction of the film even evokes a sense of rebelliousness. The animation staff must also be the inheritors of Nanto Hououken, which has no defensive form*. It is also interesting to note that a dubious character named Jibai Sekinyan appears almost every time in "DD Hokuto no Ken 2" in the same frame, but it may not be considered rude since it is treated in the same way as the parody source.

*Editor's note: Nanto Hououken is a one-child transmission.

(Text by Katsunori Takahashi)