What we are seeing – November 26, 2023

In short, we talk a little about what we saw and leave the invitation below in the comments to say what they saw and played in the last week.

Captain Tsubasa It’s more than a sports anime, it’s a true drama series that often manages to be more relatable than some works within this genre. In the work of Yoichi Takahashi sport was a catalyst for something bigger in some segments. This episode was a true testament to these words, as it placed a very relatable family drama in our current times between Misaki, her parents, paths to take and which family we sometimes have to choose. Weeks ago I reported that Misaki was a character that needed more work, fortunately it seems that the production was attentive to my criticism and decided to dedicate an episode to developing the other side of Nankatsu’s golden duo.

Shangri-la Frontier (08)

Closing a cycle is what I felt in this episode of Shangri-La Frontier, as Sunraku has completed its initial development journey. This last confrontation was also the most qualitatively exciting. The animation in the confrontation against the cursed spirit was incredible, the camera angles and the direction were two elements that contributed to raising this bar. It was also very interesting to witness how a bad experience can condition a good one and Vash’s absurd power. The second part of the episode was almost like a reverse of this frenetic action, as Sunraku and Emul walked around the village and gave the series a softer, more comical tone.

Jujutsu Kaisen -Second Season- (18)

“Roller coaster of emotions, sensations and animations” these are the words that best describe another episode of this controversial anime adaptation. It was really difficult to quantify and qualify because in these 20 minutes we had a mix that ranged between incredible and mediocre. It is certain that Jujutsu Kaisen is taking a lot of liberties in its visual component and a few weeks ago I praised and mentioned how original it is by using camera angles like a first-person shooter. This week he did more or less the same thing again, the problem was his execution. I think the idea of ​​having Yuji run on a subway in a CGI environment could have been a good way to ease the work and coffers of the Studio Mappa, but for the spectators it produced a very artificial effect. Throughout the episode and during Mahito and Yuji’s fight I saw incredible animated moments sprinkled with the studio’s traditional fight choreography. Also, during the episode we had some very interesting philosophical metaphors. However, once again, I watched a series of ups and downs that went from 10 seconds on a silent blue screen to fluid moments where they even took care to introduce lip synchronization. Due to this dizzying rise and fall of elements and situations, I find myself thinking that Jujutsu Kaisenlike games, is an unfinished product, which supposedly will have a definitive physical version known as Blu-ray Box. In a series focused on curses, it is ironic that the greatest ambition of Studio Mappa is proving to be your greatest Curse.

Dr. Stone: New World (20)

Dr. Stone’s emotions are on the surface again with another explosive episode. Along the way we had the conclusion of a confrontation that made many battle shonens blush and that in a very original way managed to preserve the scientific identity of the series. I loved how in the end both poles respected each other without entering that realm that was too rosy or fanciful, in fact I even felt it was quite relatable for many of us. But this great episode was not just about moments of battle and the exchange of pennants. As in each of the armies the only members standing are the leaders, the final part of the episode was the most intense, strategic and mental, a real delight for the viewer.

Rurouni Kenshin (2023) (21)

Similar to Dragon Ballthe adaptation of Rurouni Kenshin is one of those that achieves the rare feat of using fillers to improve its narrative and, consequently, characters. If you were paying attention to this space last week where I reported on the previous episode, I indicated that these “fillers” had neither a voice nor a vote in this adaptation. Nothing could be further from the truth, because through these supposed “fillers” we discover not only the first souls saved by Kenshin’s benevolence, but also why he decided to stop his life – momentarily – as a wandering samurai. The way he did it was quite intelligent and organic for both the character and his world. As usual we had another moment of trivia, this time it was about Smallpox, which along with tuberculosis was one of the most feared diseases in the 16th century. Saito will finally make his debut next week.

SPY x FAMILY II (08)

Last week I indicated that SPY x FAMILY is a work with a family nature, well, this statement somehow aged like milk in this episode. Don’t get me wrong, the episode was the most fantastic both in terms of production and animation, in fact I label Garden’s confrontation with the other assassins as one of the most intense and well-animated moments in the entire series. They reached moments that I didn’t think would be included in this animation, such as a lot of blood, deaths, spectacular maneuvers and a very interesting metaphorical choreography of fireworks. Once again Yor challenged his path in this life and revealed a little more of his past. If it weren’t for the “intervention” of the Forgers in his mind he would have succumbed to the most dangerous of these assassins, I really think for myself that Yor and Loid are much more invested in the Strix operation than they think, and that in the future they will have to face each other , the possible climax of the series. Of course it wasn’t all deaths, the author managed to sprinkle a little comedy through Yor’s concerns about how he will look when he returns to his family, and cleaning up liters of blood on the deck with a mop.

Goblin Slayer II – (08)

Finally, Goblin Slayer decided to dedicate an episode to recovering its identity and inundating viewers with confrontations full of emotion and a lot of violence where the blood of Goblins stained rooms of a dungeon. When the Goblin Slayer group was created I felt it was too dysfunctional and a little out of context, so it was a delight to watch its growth and the dynamics of each member, everyone has a role and a highlight inside and outside of it, a an extremely rare effect in works of this nature. Along the way, Goblin Slayer continues to reveal to us a little of its contoured past and without us realizing it, some pieces of the puzzle begin to fit together without exposing it too much. If you are fans of the “Soulsborne” games, this effect is similar. What will be the relationship between the mysterious group that appeared in the final part and Sword Maiden? mystery.

Frieren: Journey’s End (12)

Frieren, is a series that is in absolutely no rush to advance its plot and prefers to “waste” its time developing its characters. Himmel is possibly no longer the hero that everyone thought he was, which also automatically means that the Demon King is not the calamity of the legend, which leads me to believe that Frieren’s trip was just a prologue. Another element that the episode focused on was Stark’s birthday, customs, Frieren’s perversity, due to her master, and Fern spreading “pervert” everywhere, how tiring. Another effect that I loved in this episode was Eisen’s quote “Those who strive are all warriors” I wanted to try that giant hamburger in the form of a cake!