We here at oprainfall don’t just love video games: we’re big fans of anime, too. So in celebration of the medium, we’re here to give you our thoughts on what we’ve been watching each week as we watch it. Old, new – anything goes.
Currently Airing:
Sabikui Bisco
Following last week’s arrival at Weeping Child Ravine, Bisco and Pawoo’s long-awaited clash is interrupted by the giant pipe snake that supposedly creates the Rust Eater mushroom. Pawoo is snatched mid-air as she attacks Bisco, and Actagawa and Milo rush to her aid, only to find themselves in trouble. Some quick thinking on Milo’s part gives them an opening for escape, and Bisco finishes off the pipe snake. We get a little more insight into how the Rust Eater actually works, and Milo is able to synthesize a possible Rust cure, but then Kurokawa shows up to steal away the pipe snake and mushrooms, wounding Bisco in the process. It’s a bit of a mixed bag of an episode, honestly. The pipe snake fight felt a bit anti-climactic for the size of the beast, and I really wish we’d been able to see Pawoo flex her battle prowess more, but the hints we get into the truth of the Rust Eater, as well as seeing just how low Kurokawa is willing to go, help buoy this episode. There’s also a great scene with Milo showing his resolve, and Natsuki Hanae does a phenomenal job bringing that to life. Sabikui Bisco still has plenty to offer and I’m along for the ride, but as far as episodes go, this wasn’t my favorite. – Leah
– You can watch Sabikui Bisco on Crunchyroll.
My Dress-Up Darling
Talk about a gorgeous episode – both in its narrative and animation. Picking right up from last episode, Kitagawa, Gojo, Juju and her little sister Shinju discuss their upcoming photo shoot, with careful attention once again paid to the particulars of photography as Shinju waxes poetic about what she finds so beautiful in the hobby. I love how seriously this show takes its subcultures, treating each with respect and buoying the honest passion these characters feel for their chosen art form. We then get to see the abandoned building where the photo shoot is set to take place, learning more about Juju’s fears and dreams. Her talk with Gojo in the stairwell is genuinely moving, balancing the seriousness of her desires with some stellar comedy that really comes together thanks to the animation. The back half of the episode finds Kitagawa and Gojo at the beach, and once again the animation does a lot of heavy lifting, eschewing on-model character designs for more fluid movement, capturing the beauty and delicateness of the moment in palpable ways. And while I suspect the compositing between the characters and photo-realistic backgrounds might be jarring to some, I found them beautiful. For a show that relishes in its fanservice, the amount of emotional maturity every episode brings is consistently astounding, and I cannot get enough of it. – Leah
– You can watch My Dress-Up Darling on Crunchyroll.
Princess Connect! Re: Dive
This week brought in more than one guild and hit on what was a somewhat recent event for the mobile game. The Gourmet Guild ends up meeting Kurumi and Ayane from Saren’s orphanage, then meet Chika from the Idol Trio. Things quickly show to be off when Chika apparently seems to be losing her memory and faints. Bringing her to their usual tavern and having Nozomi meet them there, things really go wrong. Here’s where a lot of the comedic moments happen, such as with Chika influencing another Kurumi to act out a role, and a certain reoccurring character taking many blows for it. The moment with Pecorine and Karyl is nice, especially with how the last few episodes there’s been more going on with them. The final fight was a bit on the short side but still overall good. I have been liking how the other guilds have become more reoccurring. – Walter
– You can watch Princess Connect! Re: Dive on Crunchyroll.
In the Land of Leadale
The episode picks up with the monster from the last one beginning to wreck havoc on the capital. Cayna – who probably would have been taking her time – is notified something was off by her fairy, which shows she does have some usefulness other than just following her around. As Cayna’s children begin to ready themselves to face the monster, it is first attacked by the players introduced in the last episode. They are nowhere near as strong as Cayna, though, and struggle until of course she appears. Once she finds the source of the creature she goes on to have a talk with the two other players. There she hears a little more information from them, though it still doesn’t explain a lot. Thanks to them she also gets information about another tower to visit. She once again has to deal with Skargo, but ends up spending some time with him. It is nice when she does relax with her kids. Finishing off, it was also good to see her head back to what she’s probably going to consider home. – Walter
– You can watch In the Land of Leadale on Crunchyroll.
What anime are you watching? Let us know in the comments!
You can read previous Week in Anime entries here!
