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Dated 2 November 2014: Not a bad season for Ayako fans

Sento and Moffle
A gentleman takes off his hat indoors, Moffle.

Kawasumi Ayako is in three shows this season. She returns as the regal Saber in ufotable's adaptation of Fate/stay night, she's back as the not entirely forthright LRIG Hanayo in selector spread WIXOSS, and she voices a surly (male) mascot in Amagi Brilliant Park.

Saber
Saber, that outfit's wearing you.

Ayako's Saber remains basically the same as her previous turns as Saber (excepting the farcical Carnival Phantasm), meaning she's generally pretty good and has some neat battle cries, but doesn't otherwise offer a lot of range since Saber is fairly taciturn. Her Hanayo has been largely absent from the initial episodes of selector infected WIXOSS. The show has thus far been churning through apparently endless amounts of grief involving other (read: inferior) characters. This basically leaves Moffle in Amagi Brilliant Park—an amusing character with occasional mugging, but Moffle is no Nodame, I'm afraid. These days, however, I'll take what I can get.

Dated 10 July 2012: Spring 2012 season wrapup

Rin, Yuka, Saki, and Natsumi
Rin, Saki, and Natsumi realize by now that Yuka
with an idea can be a dangerous thing.

I've already explained why Natsuiro Kiseki is my favorite show from spring 2012. However, I didn't mention how shabby the animation looks at times. I'm really surprised to see such lapses from Sunrise, but the show is otherwise so good I'm willing to ignore those faults.

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Dated 31 July 2009: Kara no Kyoukai 6 is pretty awesome

Azaka, Mikiya, and Shiki
I'm still waiting for ufotable to animate a show entirely via claymation.

It surprises me not at all that the sixth installment of Kara no Kyoukai is excellent—the first five were excellent as well. However, Kara no Kyoukai 6 is awesome in ways I wasn't expecting.

Shiki
Wait, why is Shiki dressed like a nun?

Sure, the music is top notch. The score she is producing for this title may be some of Yuki Kajirua's best work. That I already knew. Likewise, the fights are of the caliber a fan of these films would come to expect. What I wasn't expecting was discovering Azaka is a character from seemingly a completely different show.

Azaka
Kara no Kyoukai ~Only Love~

Much of Kara no Kyoukai 6 feels like parody because the tone is so different compared to the first five. Plus there are those eerie Marimite vibes. And Azaka's moe blob imouto roots. The Hell did that come from? And also Azaka kinda talks like a cross between a Kugimiya Rie stereotype and genki-time Mimiru from .hack//SIGN.

Shiki, Azaka, and Mikiya
Azaka bursts in on Shiki and Mikiya. Don't you ever knock, sis?

"GEH," I shit you not. It works, though, and ufotable wisely minimizes Azaka's and Mikiya's screen time together to duck those very moe blob pitfalls in the most lighthearted installment of Kara no Kyoukai yet. Alas, now my wait begins anew for the seventh movie.

Dated 23 January 2009: Claymation is so fresh

I really hope Datsun Nissan taps ufotable to create a commercial for the new 370Z.

Dokkoida ED
Dokkoida?! ED.

Shinobuden ED
2x2=Shinobuden ED.

Coyote Ragtime Show ED
Coyote Ragtime Show ED.

Manabi Straight ED
Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight ED.

Kara no Kyoukai PSA
Kara no Kyoukai public service message.


Nissan 300ZX commercial (not made by ufotable, as far as I know).

Dated 18 December 2008: Kara no Kyoukai episode four, wherein Shiki does all right for a convalescent

Shiki and Touko
Shiki and Touko.

Just so you know, Kara no Kyoukai IV is fully awesome and I will spoil the shit out of it if you don't go and watch it RIGHT NOW.

[Spoilers: Shiki gets better.]

Shiki
I WARNED YE.

Seriously, though, Kara no Kyoukai is great and you should watch it.

Dated 14 September 2008: Another look at Kara no Kyoukai

Shiki's eye
I should have noticed earlier that the very first image in Kara no Kyoukai is an eye.

Shiki's apartment
I like how Shiki essentially has no possessions.

Tohko's wall-to-wall clutter
It's quite a contrast to Tohko's wall-to-wall clutter.

Dated 27 August 2008: Kara no Kyoukai makes me want to get an eye exam

Shiki
Why are all Shikis so stabby-stabby?

All y'all failed to tell me ufotable is animating episodes of Kara no Koukai. And that Kajiura Yuki is composing the music. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I'm so there.

Touko Aosaki
Nice glasses.

I fully support Girl Shiki's decision to wear combat boots and a red leather jacket with her kimono.

Ryogi Shiki
Yellow raincoats, not so much.

That extended fight scene in the first episode gave me End of Evangelion flashbacks. I could almost hear Sakamoto Maaya saying ERSTE in my head. Moreover, the music backing that fight is exactly the kind of thing I miss so much in My-Otome 0~S.ifr.

Asuka
So that's what happens when you take Asuka off the meds.

Through the first three 50-minute installments, I have to admit Kara no Koukai is a little heavy, but that's to be expected given the subject matter and source material. It's good to indulge in moments like these to balance out the brain-sapping boobery of, say, Kanokon.

Dated 18 April 2008: Futakoi Alternative mugs are real

Futakoi Alternative mugs
Futakoi Alternative mugs.

As spotted on Koshimizu Ami's blog. So much nicer than my own Futakoi Alternative mugs.

[Edit: Pity Kadowaki Mai didn't cross-post the picture on her own blog.]