Off-topic reminder: Vote in the poll to decide which (out of a selection of 5 anime series) I should watch next!
I nearly missed this, as it aired on Netflix; I'm used to 'web anime' being flash animated shorts, so never look at that section of the season charts! Even after finding it, I almost dropped it, as that first episode was generic and cliched to the extreme. But, a shortage of other options coupled with the fun songs made me reconsider. I'm glad I did.
I soon warmed to the party of Rin, Al, Pony, Alyu and Monica. The comedy and music just about made up for the still-generic plot. Then there was the directionally challenged and ever-suffering Finis' story running alongside, and the white knight Henry, a character who seemed to be in just the right place all the time. I looked forward to the point when both main characters would meet… then, shock mid-season plot twist. Well-played, Lost Song, very well played. But that's about the only thing that wasn't completely generic.
An anime adaptation of a gacha game, that spent most of the series making its in-game purchase system seem unfairly rigged AGAINST the player, while also warning of the dangers of overspending this magical, otherworldly 'yen'. I liked how self-aware Last Period was, and though there have been tons of other anime in the past that rely almost entirely on parody and references, few have nailed the humor as well as this one, IMO.
I liked the 'villains' Wiseman, quite often they seemed nicer than the heroes (aside from the bright and innocent Haru). And I'm still not sure whether Choco is a person or a pet, but her memes and jokes were on point. The only episode that didn't make me laugh much was the Kemono Friends parody, surprisingly – how do you mess that up? Regardless, an amusing series overall.
Horse girls! They can outrun a car. Their kicks can send a grown man flying several metres. They have weird names. They have pointy ears, and tails… but not long faces. They like to race competitively. And for some reason, after the race is over, the course transforms into a stage, and the girls who finished 1st through 3rd put on an idol performance for the audience. It's all a bit odd… but strangely charming.
Amanchu! Advance went in a surprising direction, with a good 3-4 episodes focusing on the world of fantasy and dreams. 😮 I guess I shouldn't have been TOO surprised – this is an adaptation of an Amano Kozue manga, and Cait Sith also made an appearance in Aria… but then, Aria was about Venetian-style gondoliers on Mars. I didn't really expect the same from a high school diving anime firmly set on our Earth!
In all honesty, I'd say those dream episodes were the weakest. I don't know why I feel that, the variation from the usual slice of life/diving and focus on other characters aside from the main duo (Ai and Katori-sensei) should have been a refreshing change. I guess I just really like Pikari and Teko, and their ridiculous chibi faces. 😛 Aside from that, a good sequel that really focused on the passage of time, and growing up.
Comic Girls is one of those series that I really, really enjoyed watching weekly, but that I could see myself forgetting about quickly as the seasons go by, now that I'm no longer watching it. It didn't have much in the way of originality, it just did the whole 'cute girls being cute' thing exceptionally well with a likable cast, brilliant voice acting and laugh out loud comedy, aided by its interesting manga-creation theme.
I repeat what I said in my mid-season thoughts: Kaos is a great main character. The contrast between her regularly terrified and useless-feeling side and that slightly perverted side of hers was a combo I've not seen before. Her terrible attempts at creating manga provided plenty of laughs, but it was great to see her get her work published in the end.
That said, the second half of the second part of the second series had some highlights: episode 7 (or is it 20? 33? I give up)'s Lord Henjo's mechanical/clockwork offices were nice from a visual point of view, the penultimate ep gave a fun conclusion to the story of the ogres from Momotaro's legend, and then there was Shiro's experience with the Nikeichu… would definitely watch a third/fourth series, or an S2 Part III! I'll stop now.
Not the prettiest series animation-wise, but certainly the most interesting of the season in terms of plot and premise. It gave me the action that I so love from anime, as well as plenty of comedy and ridiculous faces (which felt like an awkward clash with the early episodes' otherwise serious tone at first, but soon became a highlight for me). I'm also glad that Shiraishi stuck around and joined their party, as he's a brilliant character.
Highlights from the second half include the ridiculous battle against Henmi Kazuo (complete with random orca), the more serious showdown between Tanigaki and the Ogata-Nikaidou duo happening alongside it, and ep 11's murder hotel (I do hope we'll see more of Ienaga in the future). 😀 Definitely good enough to overtake a flagging Hozuki, and the announcement of a sequel certainly helped matters as well!
This entry was posted on Sunday, July 8th, 2018 at 1:48 pm and is filed under Anime, Uncategorized.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Thanks for the list! I must say I enjoyed Golden Kamuy a lot and I'm very glad is getting a second season this Fall, although I could have done without all the cooking/comedy bits… but, oh well.
Thanks for the reply! It's definitely unusual to see positive comments about Dorei-ku, I may go back to it someday based on what you've said.


A few weeks ago I was invited to learn about Brandy, with Distell. Look I knew Brandy was quite the process to produce, but I didn't know it was such an art. Nic Holdcraft presented the day and everyone hung on every word he said. This short course is for the Brandy appreciator as much as it is to get to know the product.
Admittedly I was not the biggest fan of Brandy, I found it a bit harsh to drink neat. But it is amazing what education can do. By being taught to add a tiny drop of water to the glass of brandy it made it SO much more palatable and I was able to taste distinct differences between the different types.
This course is open to the public and I highly recommend it. This is SA after all, what is more South African than Brandy and biltong?
The global reputation of South African brandy is at an all-time high, with Oude Meester Souverein winning the International Spirits Challenge World's Best Brandy trophy this month.
So what makes South African brandies so well received on the global stage, and what are the differences between a blended brandy, vintage brandy, potstill brandy and French cognac? What is brandy made from? To answer these questions and cast light on the art of brandy distillation and the science of maturation, the Cape Wine Academy holds an 'Introduction to South African Brandy' course numerous times a year which is open to the public.
The three-hour workshop imparts a deeper understanding of the subtleties of flavour and aroma found within the different styles of premium brandy. "Production of brandy is strictly regulated in South Africa and our legislation allows for three different types of brandy; blended brandies, vintage brandies and potstill brandies, each with their own purpose and distinctive flavour profile," said Distell brandy ambassador Nick Holdcroft.
There is both a practical and theory component in the course before participants are tested on their new found knowledge and certificates are awarded to all those who pass. After a brief introduction into the 300 year history and heritage of South African brandy the really fun part of the course starts with a guided tasting.
Klipdrift Export was selected to represent blended brandies; this everyday, accessible style of brandy is created by blending potstill brandy with unmatured wine spirit, and is generally meant to be enjoyed with a mixer of personal preference. The Richelieu 10 Year Old is a vintage brandy which means that it is a combination of potstill brandy and matured wine spirit; both of which has been aged for a minimum of 10 years in oak casks before bottling.
But it is the potstill brandy category in which South Africa really shines on the world stage and participants will learn to appreciate how extended maturation in oak barrels softens the spirit and adds different flavour levels of complexity. Examples include Oude Meester 12 Year Old Reserve and the Van Ryn's 15 Year Old Fine Cask Reserve.
"The time is ripe for South African brandies to achieve the recognition they deserve and this Cape Wine Academy certified course is just the tonic we need. The exceptional quality and value of South Africa's wines are no real secret, and there is no reason why our brandies should not enjoy the same recognition for their excellence, especially here in South Africa," said Holdcroft.
The Introduction to South African Brandy course is run four times a year, in Johannesburg and Cape Town, at a cost of R420 per person. The Cape Wine Academy will also host special courses for groups by request.
Not a fan of brandy – but this post has given me some insight to respecting something I never knew anything about. Nice read Lyds.
I used to only drink brandy up until about two years ago. This was all really interesting to me.


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Every so often a trend looms over the broadcast horizon that gathers pace so quickly it soon becomes the buzzword at every launch and trade show. A few years ago it was MAM and more recently stereoscopic; now the big buzz in town is the cloud. But despite its recent rise to fame in the broadcast sector theres still a lot of confusion regarding how manufacturers can develop and manage cloud computing technologies.
The role of the archive has changed dramatically over the last few years. Every broadcaster in the world, regardless of their size, has the tools at their disposal to unlock their assets, digitise and repurpose their content for renewed monetisation and, in some cases, for the benefit of historic value.