Anime Column] Anime Writer's Choice: 2017 Winter Anime Summary Review! Introducing "Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans," "Kemono Friends," and 5 more!

With spring 2017 anime starting one after another, here is a comprehensive review of TV anime that reached their finale in March. We picked up "Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans," which depicts the war between boy soldiers in 50 episodes; "ACCA 13th District Inspector Section," based on the popular comic from "Monthly Big Gangan;" "Jujo Senki," a visual adaptation of a war fantasy novel; "Kemono Friends," a popular winter anime; and a version for women from April. One Room," which is scheduled to go on air in April.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphens

In anime with two heroines, the focus tends to be on which one will win over the hero. In this work, however, the heroines tag-team each other and engage in a battle of attrition with Gundam Varvatos, who tries to take everything from the hero. The rival for love is not of the same sex, but a Gundam.
Barbados, which bears the name of the devil, is a vicious mobile suit that takes parts of enemy machines and powers them up. The looting extends to the pilots, and Mikazuki Orgas, who has drawn the performance of the machine, loses his eyesight and motor functions. If this continues, Mikazuki may go away. ...... Worried, the heroines begin to desire his children in order to keep Crescent Moon connected.
In the epilogue, a son who looks exactly like Crescent Moon appears, and they realize that those big eyes were there to be inherited. The heroines inherited the same parts as Barbados and won the battle by raising their children together. This is one work that leaves a refreshing aftertaste with an ending that makes no distinction between winning and losing heroines.

ACCA 13th District Inspection Division

The peace of the Kingdom of Dwar, which has 13 autonomous districts, is protected by the ACCA, a unifying organization, and Jean Otus, a member of the ACCA's headquarters inspection division, hears rumors of a coup d'etat during an inspection of each district. He learns that he is suspected of being a conduit to unite the 13 boroughs.
Each borough has its own strong characteristics, so much so that they look like completely different countries. The charm of each ward is condensed in the background art, with the peaceful fields of Farmas, the heavy snowfall of Birra, and the glittering neon lights of the casinos of Yaquala all depicted with a strong sense of presence. Episode 8, the only reminiscent episode, is impressive for its use of uniform colors for each scene. Characters are depicted as if blending into the background, creating a somewhat nostalgic look. The snacks that Jean eats on her visit look delicious, and there are many highlights as a travel animation.

Juvenile Warrior

The dream of anime fans was realized when a businessman in his thirties was reincarnated as a blonde-haired, blue-eyed little girl, complete with the voice of Aoi Yuuki. The story, however, is far from a dream, as the story takes place in an alternate world that resembles Europe during the world wars, where the characters are caught up in a bloody battle to the death. In addition to firearms, magic is a real thing, and the flying mage soldiers create a history that differs from the historical reality.
The main character, Tanya Degrechov, is called "a monster in the skin of a little girl," and her extreme dialogue is one of the film's greatest highlights. God ......, I will cut you into pieces and feed you to pigs!" The ED theme, "Los! Los! Los!" includes Tanya's speech, which is not only sung but also abused. The mad scientist played by Nobuo Tobita is also a masterpiece, and the cast's passionate performances shine through.

Kemono Friends

The charm and intelligence of the characters are inversely proportional. The dumber they are, the more lovable they are. They fall down in the middle of nowhere, forget to do their homework and are made to stand in the hallway, or believe in Santa Claus at a good age. ...... Just looking at these natural idiots and screw-ups is strangely euphoric, and the world moves another step closer to peace. But if they are too stupid, you wonder, "Will this girl have a future?" and unnecessary thoughts come to mind. Our predecessors have been plagued by this fate.
This work is wonderful in the way it clears up such a difficult problem with its setting of "an animal transformed into human form. It does not matter if they cannot read, cannot open the lid of a box, or take a bath in a hot spring with their clothes on, because they are originally animals. Any problematic behavior can be accepted as it is. And it doesn't matter if you can't hunt because you are an animal. They don't have to worry about starving because they have Japariman. For now, I want to continue to immerse myself in the charm of the characters without worry.

One Room

Hanasaka Yui, a student preparing for an entrance exam who moves into the apartment next door, Momohara Natsuki, a junior high school student who comes to live with her brother alone, and Aoshima Moeka, a singer-songwriter who has known the heroine since childhood. The three omnibus animated films, which are fostered in a room alone with the heroine, are mainly composed of subjective shots, giving viewers the thrill of feeling as if they are talking directly to the heroine.
The heroine's detailed gestures are cute and draw you into the world of the work, such as when she falls asleep while teaching her studies or shows a worried expression after failing a mock exam. However, the close-ups of the heroine's breasts and lips while she is talking to the other person make one wonder if the heroine is a lecher. The viewer's mind is also filled with suspicions that the protagonist may be a lecher. The fetishistic scenes of bare feet and thighs are inserted, and the suspicion becomes a certainty. You can't be fooled by such a man! the heroine is reminded that this is a pseudo-experience anime in which "the hero = you". That lecherous gaze is none other than myself.

(Text by Katsunori Takahashi)

(C) Sotsu, Sunrise, MBS
(C) ONO Natsume/SQUARE ENIX/ACCA Production Committee
(C) Carlo Zen, published by KADOKAWA/Yakusei Senki Production Committee
(C) Kemono Friends Project/KFPA
(C) SMIRAL/"One Room" Production Committee/"Room Mate" Production Committee