This Week's Hot Moments in Anime [06/18/2019]

This week is

Jun

12

to

Jun

18

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The season's almost over. Just another week or two. How do we feel?
honey-happy2 This Week's Hot Moments in Anime [06/18/2019]
BUT ARE WE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SHINGEKI NO KYOJIN?
honey-happy2 This Week's Hot Moments in Anime [06/18/2019]
Shhh Bee-kun, there are other shows on air.
honey-happy2 This Week's Hot Moments in Anime [06/18/2019]
Like Sarazanmai!


Contains Spoilers

Friends With Money

Rod Locksley

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Hitoribocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu is one of those anime that a lot of fans of the school slice of life genre love, but maybe it went off your radar because it feels like more of the same. Be it as it may, this 11th episode left us one of the best scenes of its run, not only because it's hilarious but also because it's a powerful piece of social criticism.

It all starts with Bocchi trying to find her place among her friends, looking for a 'group' she can join. Failure after failure, she ends up meeting Ojousa Mayo, an innocent but rich girl who is also in her class. Sweet as she is, now Ojousa tries to help Bocchi to keep her friends together once the school year ends. And how? Well... by buying the whole school! Although it's indeed a brilliant idea and nobody would object whatever the plans of the school owner are, there's a moral lesson here guys!

In any other context, Ojousa would be taken as the evil girl who only thinks about money, but HOW she thinks about money just makes her the cutest girl in the world: first, she can only find a job for Bocchi as an origami artist; then, she doesn't know where to buy the school using those freshly earnt 500 yen!! After all, you can't buy friends with money, but apparently, money definitely can help you make new friends. Right, Bocchi?

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Money can’t buy you friends… but I could use some friends with money, though!

Island Grind

Aaron

honey-happy2 This Week's Hot Moments in Anime [06/18/2019]

I won’t lie folks, the Cal Mira Archipelago arc in the light novels of Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari were...boring. Level grinding and talking about basic MMORPG themes for a whole volume was just tiring and felt unnecessary. Luckily, the anime adaptation of Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari fixed things by speeding up the level grind of Cal Mira and made things feel much better paced. Our heroes gain an insane amount of levels thanks to the EXP bonuses and we even see L’arc and his teammate use their skills--L’arc is a beast with his scythe--which was a real treat! Though, the biggest whoa moment of the episode occurs near the end where Naofumi and his party go underwater and find a hidden temple. When the doors open and they enter this strange place they find a giant hourglass similar to the ones that teleport them during the waves! To make matters worse, the island clearly can be affected by the wave since the hourglass is there and the next wave is approaching...TWO DAYS! Naofumi will need to race against time to save those on the island and prepare for another wave. In the meantime we have to prepare for the possible last few episodes of this season!

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Two days till the next wave!?!? Are Naofumi and the other heroes ready for this!?

The Beginning of a Desperate Battle

Meghan May Dellinger

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After trying almost every option they can think of, Ranpo and most of the Detective Agency decide to attack the Port Mafia to kill their boss. Meanwhile, Atsushi and Kunikida place their final hopes in Katai, but when they enter his room, they discover that he has been shot by Fyodor and is nowhere to be seen. The Detective Agency and Port Mafia have a few interesting face-offs, but everyone soon discovers that both Mori and Fukuzawa have left their respective sickbeds, to face off in a one-on-one duel against one another!

There were so many interesting fights this episode, even if not a whole lot ended up being resolved. Perhaps the most crazy challenge was Ranpo facing off against Chuuya--after all, we all know that Chuuya is one of the most powerful gifted, while Ranpo actually doesn’t have any abilities. Yet Ranpo proved himself yet again, locking himself and Chuuya into the new mystery novel! The fight with Kyouka and Akutagawa was also a definite highlight, as Kyouka’s former comrade acknowledged her growth and congratulated her on her newfound happiness in a rather sweet moment. And of course, Motojirou makes another hilarious but brief return, with an exaggerated yet threatening plan that is simultaneously hilarious and somewhat terrifying! I love how seamlessly Bungou Stray Dogs always blends its characters’ backstories into the web of the main story plot, and I’m excited to see the outcome of the Mori and Fukuzawa duel next week!

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Ranpo never ceases to amaze!

It’s Freaky Friday!

Mary Lee Sauder

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Okay, so the first thing we absolutely have to talk about is the new and improved opening. Dio and Kira set the precedent for villains invading the OP when they reach their final form, but Diavolo outperforms both of them by emerging from Doppio, skipping time to predict Giorno’s next move while delivering a chilling monologue in Italian, and unleashing King Crimson on our unsuspecting protagonist. With only a few episodes left in part 5, this gets us extra hyped up for the finale!

But before Giorno and Diavolo can fight face to face, it’s Silver Chariot Requiem’s turn to wreak some havoc. With Polnareff’s body dead, he’s unable to stop his stand from lulling everyone in Rome to sleep and switching their souls with the person closest to them: Narancia swaps with Giorno, Trish swaps with Mista, and Polnareff swaps with the gang’s trusty turtle. Hilarity inevitably ensues, with voice actors imitating each other and Mista and Trish bickering over how uncomfortable their new bodies are. Golden Wind doesn’t indulge in comedy very often, but the absurdity of this “freaky Friday” scenario is priceless. Polnareff desperately pleading his case as an ally while the gang stares in slack jawed disbelief that their turtle suddenly started speaking is a scene that seems straight out of Pop Team Epic, but here it is in the prelude to the final battle. It’s JoJo – just accept it!

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I never knew I needed to hear Izuku Midoriya’s voice actor summon Gold Experience, but now it exists and I’m happy I lived to see it.

Mabu’s Desire

Robby

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Reo finally learns the truth about Mabu only to lose everything he cared for in an instant. Reo tracks down Kazuki, Enta, and Keppi hoping to find the Dishes of Hope, the group heads out to find Otter and find the dishes once and for all. After Otter tricks Enta into almost giving up one of the Dishes of Hope, Mabu gives in to his desire and turns into a Zombie. In order to bring Mabu back, Reo allows Keppi to turn him into his kappa form and as he heads off to face Zombie Mabu. Reo is able to remove Mabu's desires and learns that Mabu wasn't a clone, but that Otter had placed a bomb to blow up Mabu's heart if he ever told Reo how he felt. With Reo now knowing the truth, Mabu tells him he loves him and blows up, leaving a grief-stricken Reo. Luckily, he doesn't have long to grief thanks to getting shot in the back by Toi.

This week's Sarazanami was a wild ride. There was a lot going on with Kazuki, Enta, and even Toi, but Reo and Mabu stole the show. They have been such good antagonists throughout the series it is sad to see them go. They have such a tragic story, you can't help but feel bad for them. Everything about this moment was done exceptionally well with all of the Mabu and Reo moments building up to this climax. Even though it wasn't unexpected, seeing how torn up Reo was and the way he was killed, the scene really hits you hard.

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The moment Mabu tells Reo he loves him is so sweet, but also so heartbreaking.


Finale

That's all for this week! Tune in next week!