Category Archives: anime

A Whole New Meaning to “G” Generations: Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX

Posted on by

Where do I even start with GQuuuuuuX? 

I prefer to review shows after they’ve finished, so my plan has always been to wait until the end of the TV series to give my more complete thoughts. However, the way Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX fueled speculation every week with every reveal means that it’s hard to separate it from the hype train surrounding its broadcast. One question I have to ask myself is simply, to what extent do I judge the show removed from the moment when that energy was so important to its release?

Complicating all this is the fact that I can’t pretend that all the nudges and winks at the fandom weren’t up my alley. To that end, this ends up being less of a review and more the ramblings of a long-time Gundam fan who tries not to care too much about the nitty gritty of lore but still gets excited about it nevertheless, especially when GQuuuuuuX is built heavily around that world building. 

The Beginning (Literally)

My introduction to GQuuuuuuX was through the movie from earlier in the year. I went in knowing nothing beyond a few promotional images and one curious spoiler that had me more confused than anything, and I figured Gundam GQuuuuuuX: The Beginning was some new franchise entry. Then an all-too-familiar narration began accompanied by an iconic colony drop deliberately made to evoke a simplistic cel animation, and by the time Char Aznable stole the Gundam, it was clear that we were not working with an alternate universe so much as an alternate timeline. 

Coming out of the theater, my #1 thought was “The world’s biggest Challia Bull fan must have waited decades to pull this off.” The Beginning actually takes a one-off character from the original TV series and turns him into one of the biggest badasses around, a decision that could only come from some incredibly hardcore fans at the helm. To then also make it a show that establishes an alternate history where a Zeon victory during the One-Year-War creates a whole host of different consequences in the lives of characters both new and old, both famous and obscure? That’s some kind of fever dream only a complete nerd could create, and I mean that in a good way. 

With GQuuuuuuX, you have a work that clearly anticipated the whole spectrum of Gundam fandom as an audience. Its what-if nature is catnip for old-school Gundam fans, the female protagonist and other setting elements resemble the wildly popular Witch from Mercury in some ways, and it would only be natural to assume at least some new viewers curious about this Gundam thing or who are perhaps drawn in by the characters and aesthetics. My own love for the franchise runs nearly the full gamut, and this bringing together of generations only made things better in my eyes, especially because that clash of eras is also reflected in the characters themselves.

A Gathering of Generations

When I say the characters are of different generations, it’s not just about some being older than others, or a reference to the fact that the character designs suddenly take on the classic Yoshikazu Yashuko aesthetic when the story jumps from the year UC 0085 back to 0079 and the One Year War. The younger characters feel reflective of our current times in the year 2025, and they behave differently from not just the older vets surrounding them but also the teenage characters of past Gundam series. The main heroine Amate “Machu” Yuzuriha looks for meaning and self worth through illegal mobile suit matches (“Clan Battles”), starts a close yet adversarial friendship with the other major heroine Nyaan (a refugee on the run from the law for illegal entry), navigates a complex love triangle she wants desperately to believe her supernatural psychic connection to the boy Shuji is unique to her, and desperately hopes other characters she meets won’t be trapped by her circumstances. I can’t fully describe why, but the way she takes to the unfamiliar world of mobile suits and Newtypes, excelling in some areas and being frustrated by others, just reminds me of modern-day teenagers and the challenges they face.

The alternate history helped propel a lot of the speculation that accompanied GQuuuuuuX. Every week, more and more characters from Gundam history would make appearances and get people abuzz. Some are fairly well known side characters, like the Black Tri-Stars (fighting in Clan Battles), Basque Ohm (still formidable but with less power and influence), and Sayla Mass (who seems to have become the ace of the Federation in the absence of Amuro). But then you have extremely minor faces show up, like Cameron Bloom (Mirai Yashima’s fiancee) and Gates Capa (a Zeta Newtype), and even figures who are original to GQuuuuuuX but have threads connecting to other figures, like ace pilot (and popular mom character) Shiiko Sugai and Cyber Newtype Deux Murasame. Additionally, undergirding all this is the persistent presence of the distinct refrain of “La…la…” heard whenever Newtype characters experience a psychedelic vision. This sound is all too familiar to old Gundam fans, and the very possibility that this is a series connected to Lalah Sune, the tragic Newtype girl who loses her life trying to protect both Amuro and Char from each other, is uniquely appealing. GQuuuuuuX is brimming with fanservice, and it’s the kind where the fans they’re servicing are often those Gundam otaku running the entire ship. 

Overflow

So here we have an anime packed so tightly with storylines and character threads that it can be difficult to see how all this can all fit into 12 episodes. The answer is that it kind of doesn’t, and that there are potentially many untold or unfinished stories that could spring out of GQuuuuuuX. Also, the shifting emphasis between new and old characters could make it difficult to figure out who the audience should concentrate on the most. Amate, Shuji, and Nyaan are clearly the main trio, but their story gets partly subsumed in the end by the focus on the “Rose of Sharon” and the older characters. The result is that Amate and the others feel as much observers of a greater world as they do individuals with their own agency.

I do feel that the increasing emphasis on old Gundam lore is less surprising to me because I first watched the movie, since it front loads all the flashbacks to the One Year War. I suspect that starting with the TV series might have made this more jarring. Nevertheless, the speculation was fun and allowed imaginations to run wild. And I don’t mind that the anime ended differently from everyone’s expectations, including my own. 

Conclusion

I struggled a lot writing this review (if you can even call it that), but I have come to think of this as a good thing. GQuuuuuuX is a messy work: a 5000-piece jigsaw puzzle where the manufacturer made a few pieces too big, a few too small, and threw in a handful from another box entirely. It doesn’t quite fit together to create a picture-perfect image, but that incongruity is beautiful in its own way. If they ever decide to make more, that’s fine, but I’d be quite happy if they just left it alone and allowed us fans to keep speculating.

Stay tuned for a future follow-up to this review, where I get into all the spoilers and nerd out over all my GQuuuuuuX theories.

[Anime Central 2025] The Anne Shirley Interview ft. Inoue Honoka and Nakayama Yoshiko

Posted on by

Nakayama Yoshiko is the producer of the anime Anne Shirley, based on the Anne of Green Gables novels, and Inoue Honoka is the voice of the titular heroine. This interview was also conducted after I had already attended the Anne Shirley panel at Anime Central 2025.

Hello, thank you for coming to this interview. I really enjoy Anne Shirley; I’m a fan of Anne of Green Gables as well, so I was happy to see this new anime being created, as well as Ms. Inoue’s portrayal of Anne. 

Inoue: Thank you!

Between the beloved 1979 anime and the general popularity of Anne of Green Gables in Japan, as well as the numerous adaptations around the world, was it intimidating to create a new Anne anime? How did you overcome this pressure?

Nakayama: I was a fan of the original novel, and I think this applies to everyone who loves Anne of Green Gables, but I think Anne exists in all of us. As for me, I saw the story a little differently, and that’s exactly why I wanted to make this anime. 

So that’s why I wanted to start this project. I’m aware of Director Takahata’s anime from 1979 but I haven’t seen it myself. When the project was greenlit, I was excited. However, the rest of the production staff was probably a little nervous.

For Nakayama: I believe female anime directors are relatively rare, and female producers even moreso. Do you have any advice for other women who might aspire to do the same thing?

This is my first time as the main producer for the project. As for advice, you need a lot of stamina, a lot of love for the project, and have a strong heart, and to not give up.

My next question is directed towards Inoue-san. I actually interviewed your mother, Inoue Kikuko, back in 2019. Getting to interview you now is amazing, just because I’ve gotten to talk to both mother and daughter over the years. Back then, she told me that she practiced with you at home. Is there any advice that you really took to heart from your mother?

Inoue: I’m honored to meet you as well—thank you very much! My mother always tells me to give it your all. It’s been a while since I debuted, so we haven’t practiced for a while, but with Anne Shirley, it’s different. My mother is a very big fan of Muraoka Hanako-sensei’s translation of Anne of Green Gables, so every episode, she asks if she can watch it with me. I think the Anne Shirley–esque qualities in my mother might be an influence on my performance.

Inoue-san, Anne is such an expressive, talkative character, that playing her must be a real feat. Is there anything you try to keep in mind as you voice Anne Shirley? 

Inoue: I don’t particularly keep anything in mind, and I don’t really have a specific way I go about a role, but I do think a lot about how I want to express Anne’s lines when I perform her role.

This next question is to both: What messages do you think Anne Shirley the show carries for a new generation discovering Anne of Green Gables for the first time?

Inoue: I think the message is to not lose things like your imagination and your hope, and to continue living as yourself. Also, within our daily lives, there’s just beauty everywhere and it all has meaning, and I think that’s what Anne is trying to tell us.

Nakayama: I have a similar answer, but I think if you approach things with imagination and courage, you can make it through even when times get tough or you feel trapped, and you might even change life for the better. That’s what I want to convey through this work.

Those are all my questions. Thank you very much!

[Anime Central 2025] The Anne Shirley Panel

Posted on by

One pleasant surprise from Anime Central 2025 was the presence of the new Anne of Green Gables adaptation, Anne Shirley. The convention had two staff members as guests of honor: Producer Nakayama Yoshiko, as well as the voice of Anne, Inoue Honoka. Inoue is actually the daughter of veteran voice actor Inoue Kikuko (Belldandy, Aina Sahalin, various mom characters throughout the years).

Both guests did commentary over a screening of the first episode, providing a lot of insight into the production process. These are my notes from their Anne Shirley panel, but I will also be posting my interview with Nakayama and Inoue in the next few days as well!

  • They actually had the full animation done for the recording, a rarity. Inoue couldn’t stop being absorbed by the beauty of the animation.
  • She did the fish-eye lens scenes over and over. 
  • Marilla’s voice actor has pretty much no anime experience before this, and is actually primarily a stage actor. Inoue once worked on dubbing a film with her and felt at ease.
  • Nakayama wanted to convey just how talkative Anne is to both people who are familiar and unfamiliar with her character.
  • They went to a great big lake the day before just like in the show. Specifically, Lake Michigan.
  • When Anne first spots the Cuthberts’ house, the yellow color of it is meant to show how Anne sees the house in her head. 
  • For Nakayama, Anne walking into the house while crying is a really funny contrast. For Inoue, Anne going from crying to not crying all of a sudden left an impression.
  • Nakayama feels bad that Honoka has to keep up with a character like Anne who flips moods all the time.
  • Nakayama: Marilla is kind of tsundere. Matthew is strong and silent but has to go along with what Marilla says.
  • Honoka was told she could do Anne’s gestures while she was recording (like covering her face), which is unusual.
  • Nakayama: Anne’s personality and maturity for her age means she doesn’t try to make fun of anyone even if they are being hard on her. 
    • Honoka: “I couldn’t do that.”
    • Nakayama: “Same.”

The screening was followed by a Q&A, which continued the look into their process.

  • The biggest challenge was finding a studio to actually do the show; the trends right now are isekai, action, and otaku-oriented works. The 1979 version also looms large and studios thought it would be difficult.
  • Inoue watched the old anime as a kid, and in middle school she learned about Lucy Maud Montgomery. That made her really want to land the role. She thought it was as unlikely as winning the lottery.
  • While Nakayama and the staff had to cut a few scenes due to time and money, the basic story remains unchanged. There is one thing she technically changed: adding a stoat. 
  • Inoue prepared for the role by rewatching the 1979 anime. She also read the Japanese translation of the original books by Muraoka Hanako (apparently a very famous and beloved translation), and even reread it again after landing the role.
  • For Anne, Matthew, and Marilla (but not Gilbert), Nakayama had a clear idea of how she wanted them to sound, and Inoue was in top 3 for Anne.
  • At the audition, Nakayama pushed for Inoue. There was someone else who was in the top running but she can’t remember who it was, and another who would have been too busy.
  • A lot of the cast members are similar in age, and they go out for food after recordings, to get Korean food and such.
  • In June 2023, they all went to Prince Edward Island (where Anne takes place). The art director’s suitcase got a large crack, but nothing was stolen.
  • As a kid, Honoka didn’t name everything like Anne does, but she could feel the life force from nature, and thinks Anne is similar. 
  • Some Japanese fans took issue with the color of Anne’s clothing and such, but they have experts who look at this stuff, and they hope the fans understand that not everything can be as they want. 
  • One of the hardest things for Inoue was having to match the lip flaps, but it was fun actually getting to see Anne’s expressions. It’s like she really is in Green Gables.

Afterwards, everyone attending the panel got a piece of promotional art autographed by both Nakayama and Inoue. I noticed how above and beyond Inoue seemed to go to appeal to her fans, and I think she’s going to be a very beloved performer in the years to come.

The Second-Best Time: Medalist

Posted on by

The last time we saw a figure skating anime hit big, it was the sensation known as Yuri!!! On Ice. Medalist takes a different approach, telling a story of both an older coach and a younger skater trying to make up for lost time.  

Medalist follows Akeuraji Tsukasa, a former competitive ice dancer who retired after failing to podium in his final event. As a high schooler, he dreamed of competing, but went into ice dancing after being told he was too old to start in traditional figure skating. When he meets a meek yet oddly daring 10-year-old girl named Iori, he discovers in her a girl who so desperately wants to be a skater that the local rink’s security guard shows pity on her by letting Iori sneak in in exchange for worms. Witnessing Iori’s passion for the sport, Tsukasa volunteers to become her coach, but 10 is already considered a late start in a field where beginning at five years old is typical, and Iori’s own mother is dead-set against it because another daughter of hers was injured competing.

Medalist is originally a manga by Tsurumaikada, and it currently still runs in the magazine Monthly Afternoon: a seinen magazine with more of an otaku appeal aimed more at an older male audience, though it tends to be fairly experimental as well. I imagine this is why Medalist has the structure it does, with a grown man and a young girl sharing the spotlight. As the competitor, Iori has more of the classic sports manga thrust of improving and aiming to overcome rivals, but it’s told more often from Tsukasa’s perspective as a guiding hand. These dual threads are interesting in that sports series tend to place the vast majority of the emphasis on one side or the other. With Tsukasa and Iori, however, you get to see things two ways most of the time: from the point of view of an older person who knows what it’s like to fall short of a dream, and that of a younger person anxious to compete but who dwells on the here-and-now. They’re also both passionate and timid in different ways, creating a fun and frantic dynamic between coach and player.

One of the basic questions of the series is “Where do you find your inner strength?” Is it built up as you stack blocks of experience bit by bit? Does it come from desperation to do all you can with what you have? Is it about “believing in me who believes in you?” One of Tsukasa’s greatest strengths is his ability to recognize what others do well and give them the encouragement to keep at it, such as when he lights a fire under Iori. At the same time, Tsukasa has no confidence in himself, which seems to consign him to a fate of being a great coach and a mediocre act were he to ever compete again. 

Yet, when another ex-skater sees Tsukasa, he points out that it’s a flaw for one to assume they’re the underdog even when they’re not. As the series progresses, we get to see conundrums not just Tsukasa and Iori but also an ever-expanding cast of friends and rivals have their own takes on such challenges. They show the complex feelings that come with competition, and knowing that the people you’re facing bring their own strong convictions and desires to make it to the top.

Medalist is a great work, and it’s worth checking out in anime or manga form. As for which is preferable, it really depends on what you’re looking for. The anime has the advantage of being able to portray figure skating in full motion with sound, replicating the feeling of watching and experiencing competitions. The manga is further along in its story, and the intensity of the art makes it feel as if the characters are radiating energy when they compete. Certain characters can give a very different impression as a result of the stylistic differences: Kamisaki Hikaru, the #1 skate in Iori’s age group, looks aloof in the anime but sometimes seems to border on sociopath in the manga. But no matter the medium, Tsukasa and Iori are a wonderful and endearing duo who work together to tell a story about striving for a dream while also trying to give hope to the next generation.

Return of the Mackerel: Ogiue Maniax Status Update for July 2025

Posted on by

I can’t believe the summer anime season has arrived! I’m already behind on the spring shows, so I may be stuck in a perpetual state of being behind on everything.

I’m looking forward to the return of Panty & Stocking, as well as a chance to finally see what Hell Teacher Nube is all about.

Thank you to this month’s Patreon supporters!

General:

Ko Ransom

Diogo Prado

Alex

Dsy

Sue Hopkins fans:

Serxeid

Hato Kenjirou fans:

Elizabeth

Yajima Mirei fans:

Machi-Kurada

Blog Highlights from June

[Anime Central 2025] An Ultimate Triumph, Nine Years in the Making—Thunderbolt Fantasy: The Final Chapter 

Reviewing the finale of Thunderbolt Fantasy!

[Anime Central 2025] Thunderbolt Fantasy Red Carpet Gala and Q&A

Also, check out this follow-up post about the Q&A at Anime Central 2025!

Tardy with the Tardis: I Finally Checked Out Doctor Who

It’s about time.

Kio Shimoku

Kio Shimoku Twitter Highlights June 2025

If you want to see Kio’s rough manuscripts, this is a good month.

Closing

We got a new fish in town! I feel like we might see big moves from her soon—including with many other big names, like Dooby3D, Nimi Nightmare, Mint Fantôme, and Dokibird.

Kio Shimoku Twitter Highlights June 2025

Posted on by

If you’ve ever wanted to read the entire manuscript for Kio’s Sister Wars: Episode I, this is your chance!

Kio watched the movie Eiyuuden, and was impressed by the fight scenes. The movie consulted with an actual martial artist for them. The organization that provided the consultation thanked Kio.

https://twitter.com/kioshimoku1/status/1929539683203289454

Kio bought a complete version of the manga Roca.

Kio feels that he should be starting to think up a new idea for serialization (that is not porn). This is easier said than done, because he often starts having ideas for new ero manga instead. When one fan asks if he’ll do fantasy, Kio responds that all he can say is that he won’t say anything.

Kio knows what he’d like to work on, which is more Sister Wars. Last time he was working on a proper draft, he stopped one page short of introducing Anakin. However, he also feels that instead of doing a full draft, he should be working on the rough manuscript for Episode II.

The arm for his smartphone holder broke, but he managed to get it fixed.

The man is a fan of the Harta manga Akitsu.

https://twitter.com/kioshimoku1/status/1931639998232904037
https://twitter.com/kioshimoku1/status/1932725181228986613
https://twitter.com/kioshimoku1/status/1932807751690039323

Chapter 2 and on of Sister Wars: Episode I. The first few pages are fully drawn and inked, while everything that follows comes from the rough manuscript. Note: This is around 150 pages of work.

A reader, seeing Sister Wars, can’t help but think that everyone in it is “packing,” regardless of gender. Kio apologizes in response.

https://twitter.com/kioshimoku1/status/1933806961201643710

Having read the Perfect Edition of the manga Mujina, Kio comments on the final volume being intense.

[Anime Central 2025] Thunderbolt Fantasy Red Carpet Gala and Q&A

Posted on by

Anime Central 2025 was home to the United States premiere of the final Thunderbolt Fantasy movie. I reviewed the film, but because there was so much other stuff, I didn’t want to cram it all into one post. So here we are with Part 2, which covers things that happened both before and after the screening. Note that much of what’s written below contains SPOILERS for the finale.

Red Carpet Gala

Before the screening, ACen actually set up a red carpet of sorts and allowed photographs of the puppets. Some cosplayers were also there—one who later turned out to be PILI puppeteer Osmond Pi Ting, and a couple who were just really dedicated fans.

Live Demonstrations

After the screening, the staff also put on demonstrations of the puppets as they went around the room. Music and sound of different characters played, and the puppeteers moved the puppets with grace and beauty.

Osmond (cosplaying as the Enigmatic Gale) also participated, and at one point even “fought” the Demon Lord.

Panel Q&A Notes

PILI also provided lots of fascinating information about their process in a Q&A section. 

  • Audio is recorded first, and then the puppeteers at according to the voices and sounds 
  • The giants and monsters (such as the gorilla mecha and the emperor made of magical swords) are played by live actors in suits
  • They actually only use one camera to film for the most part. Two cameras are utilized for explosions and such, though. 
  • The sage who created the swords is actually based on a famous character from PILI’s shows. One of his appearances is in the 2000 film Legend of the Sacred Stone, where he was voiced by Koyasu Takehito in the Japanese dub. Koyasu reprised the role for Thunderbolt Fantasy.
  • Some puppets are heavier and can be harder to puppet. In some action scenes, three people might be needed to puppet
  • Traditionally, PILI lets the sculptors do the creating and go straight into making the puppets. Thunderbolt Fantasy was different because they got the designs from Japan. Simple puppets like Shāng might need two weeks, while more complex ones like the yandere princess might need two months because of all the 3D printing for her accessories.
  • There were two puppeteers among the guests. One was Osmond (the aforementioned cosplayer and puppeteer), who is one of their newest recruits. He likes to handle the female characters because he’s adept at conveying softer movements. The other was Yu-Che Hsieh, a 30-year veteran. He likes to puppet action scenes.
  • Who decides the signature gestures of characters? They’re designed by the puppeteers based on the script, and then go about trying to get their personality down.
  • TM Revolution definitely liked working on the series. In one of his music videos, he had Làng come out to interact with him. Làng allowed him to play a character who actually survived [as opposed to dying quickly like his Gundam SEED characters], which he was happy about.
  • PILI staff sometimes had to come out covered in fake blood when making trips to the convenience store. Bystanders wondered whether they should call the cops.

That’s it for this post! Stay tuned for Part 3: An Interview with the staff of PILI and Thunderbolt Fantasy!

[Anime Central 2025] Kobayashi Hiroyasu, CGI Director on Rebuild of Evangelion and Gundam GQuuuuuuX

Posted on by
A photo of two men presenting on stage. The person on the left is Kobayashi Hiroyasu. The person on the right is Dan Kanemitsu.

At Anime Central, I attended the panel for Kobayashi Hiroyasu, CGI Director at Studio Khara, and I learned a lot.

Kobayashi has worked on titles such as the Rebuild of Evangelion films and Gundam GQuuuuuuX, but until I came to this panel, I didn’t have a good sense of what his job was. While one might imagine a CGI Director as a person in charge of 3D animation or models, his job along with the rest of the digital production team is to create assets and enhance scenes by adding details and intricacies so that the final product has the right character and feel. Along with translator Dan Kanemitsu (who is on the right in the photo above, and who also works for Khara), they described how one thing that sets Khara as a studio apart is the accumulation of small details.

Some examples of his work include the following.

  • Superimposed staff credits and lightning effects in the GquuuuuuX opening. 
  • Monitors, logos, etc in Rebuild of Evangelion. 
  • Superimposed textures like decals on model kits.
  • Making a scene better by adding a mesh walkway onto the floor.
  • Making things look dingier.
  • Dan Kanemitsu also mentioned that he’s charged with finding English assets to avoid “Engrish” issues.

Kobayashi also mentioned that sometimes, they’ll put in a bunch of work into a really nice and detailed background, and then it’ll be almost entirely obscured by extra graphics in the final product. 

They also provided a lot of information about what it’s like working for Director Anno Hideaki.

  • Anno Hideaki used to add details in sharpie to cels, but now that’s Kobayashi’s job to do it digitally. 
  • That attention to little details is characteristic of Anno.
  • Kobayashi and Kanemitsu told a story about how Anno sent them a post-it note with a message about adding locking holes to a scene similar to the ones used on aircraft carriers to anchor the planes. Anno thought it would be an easy copy/paste job but they actually had to create a locking hole model in CG to get the perspective right. 
  • Anno generally wanted all monitor graphics to convey what is going on, which made their job harder. For example, in a scene depicting massive needles injecting EVA-02, they changed it so that the monitors showed the injected liquids going through the EVA’s entire body. 
  • The glittery, shimmering water one used to often see in anime back in the cel animation days is called backlighting cel, and it was something Anno was especially good at. They wanted to recreate that feel for digital animation.

They also talked about working with Director Tsurumaki Kazuya on GQuuuuuuX.

  • Tsurumaki wants everyday life in GQuuuuuuX to resemble modern real life, which is reflected in the choice of cell phones and other details.
  • Spattering is an art technique used in the original Gundam, and the’re incorporating it into GQuuuuuuX as well.
  • The colony Side 6 is a facsimile of current Japan mixed with other cultures
  • In the world of GquuuuuuX, Anaheim Electronics is a glorified appliance maker.
  • Trains are primarily Tokyo style, but the station names take from different cultures.
  • On the subway maps, the stations have very different names. There’s a lot of British station names, and this might be because Tsurumaki is a big fan of British soccer.
  • A particular green subway line is a representation of Tsurumaki’s old defunct train route from his home.
  • The police wear uniforms that say “Military Police” in Japanese, but just “Police” in English because the director wanted signage to be readable at a glance. 
  • There’s a travel book that purposely replicates a series of guides called How to Walk the Earth.
  • Stickers on a particular laptop are from drag racing in current day Tokyo.
  • A box of tangerines alludes to a tangerine box that Tem Ray was using in the original Gundam.
  • The activation key common to mobile suits resembles the Tem Ray circuit, which was a piece of junk in the old series.
  • Kanemitsu was asked to come up with elements to make Pomeranians trading card more MLB-ey
  • Saturn Doughnuts: “I told you I don’t like sour stuff” is a reference to FLCL.

Overall, I came away with an appreciation for another aspect of working in animation, and I hope I can convey that feeling to everyone reading this.

[Anime Central 2025] An Ultimate Triumph, Nine Years in the Making—Thunderbolt Fantasy: The Final Chapter 

Posted on by

In 2016, I was looking at a preview of the new anime season with friends, as was our custom. We talked about the shows we thought had potential, the ones we were more skeptical about, and anything else of note. But there was one series that seemed to come completely out of left field. A Taiwan-Japan co-production that wasn’t animated but rather performed using puppets, and it was written by Urobuchi Gen of Madoka Magica fame?! Even if we potentially did not end up liking it, we had to at least give this Thunderbolt Fantasy a chance.

Nine years later, and this series has become one of my absolute favorite works of fiction ever. The novelty of its puppetry never actually wears off, and it’s backed by solid writing and charismatic voice actors giving some of their best performances, as well as a sense of tension and excitement that had me coming back for more. So when I found out that they would be doing the North American premiere of the feature-length Thunderbolt Fantasy: The Final Chapter, I made it my mission to attend the convention. 

This is my review of the movie, but since then, the movie has come out on Crunchyroll under the name Thunderbolt Fantasy -The Finale-. I recommend you just get straight into watching it, but feel free to proceed if you want my thoughts. Note that there will be a MAJOR SPOILERS section at the bottom.

The Basics

Thunderbolt Fantasy is set in a world once ravaged by a war against demonkind, which humanity barely won thanks to the help of a series of divine weapons. In the long years since this War of Fading Dusk, the weapons have been sought after by the righteous and the evil alike. 

Master of Puppets: Thunderbolt Fantasy

When we first see the two main characters of our story—no-nonsense vagrant swordsman Shāng Bú Huàn and white-haired pain-in-the-ass illusionist Lǐn Xuě Ya—they have just met each other for the first time, and both are holding their own respective secrets. At the end of the first season, we learn that Shāng is not only a ridiculously powerful swordsman who can wield a wooden stick like it was real steel, but that he’s also in possession of the Sorcerous Sword Index: a special scroll designed to house all sorts of supernaturally powerful weapons. Shāng carries it to prevent the weapons from falling into the wrong hands, notably the Order of the Divine Swarm, a clandestine organization seeking to conquer the world. 

Here’s Your Reminder to Watch Thunderbolt Fantasy

But Lǐn the “Enigmatic Gale” has been far more, well, enigmatic. Throughout the prior seasons, he appears to just be an elusive trickster who finds joy in aggravating the powerful. But in the penultimate chapter, we finally learn a truth even he didn’t know: Lǐn is actually a kind of “offshoot” of the Demon Lord who rules the Demon Realm, cast away and abandoned to remove any of the leader’s weakness. Lǐn thus has a revelation that the greatest target to torment would be essentially none other than himself.

Thunderbolt Fantasy 4: Now with More, Well, Everything

Three other major plot points help create the backdrop for the end. First, the leader of the Divine Swarm, Huò Shì Míng Huáng, turns out to be the Emperor of Xī Yōu, the land which Shāng was trying to leave. This means the emperor was playing both sides of the law the entire time. Second, one of Shāng’s old allies, a bard named Làng Wū Yáo (voiced by rock star TM Revolution!) is actually half demon and is being forcibly transformed into an infernal god by his long-lost father. Third, the armies of Dōng Lí and Xī Yōu (the East and the West) are on the verge of coming together to fight a new war against the demons, though the former doesn’t know a thing about the latter’s true identity.

The Final Chapter

I’ll admit that I don’t have the most rigorous grasp on the full story of Thunderbolt Fantasy. There’s a lot I’ve forgotten over the years among all the different plot threads, and I suspect many coming into this movie would be in a similar situation. However, I actually don’t think you need to have an encyclopedic knowledge of all that has transpired to enjoy the film. In addition to just being incredibly entertaining, the characters all have such bombastic designs and larger-than-life personalities that it’s easy to identify what roles they each serve in the overall narrative, even if the details are a little fuzzy.

That said, the movie is (as expected) not meant to be watched without any prior exposure to the show, and it does little in the way of actively filling in the blanks for the uninformed. It feels very much like the conclusion of a long-running TV series than a work meant to stand entirely on its own legs. Things happen fast and furious, not only in terms of the pace of the storytelling but also the action. The fights are more complex and relentless compared to what is typically seen in Thunderbolt Fantasy, and rivals even the greatest martial arts fight scenes in history.

In a certain sense, this is PILI taking off its weighted clothes and unleashing its full potential. The studio has a four-decade history of creating action-oriented puppet TV shows in Taiwan, and if you compare Thunderbolt Fantasy to their other works, the latter often turn into such never-ending frenzies of stylized violence that the notion of “breathing room” is a suggestion at best. But action in Thunderbolt Fantasy is slower and more deliberate, emphasizing the drama over a fight choreography built on countless details. In The Final Chapter, we get the best of both worlds.

Battles truly feel like the characters are fighting with everything they have, while the narrative and the characters’ individual motivations provide context to give their movements meaning and weight. Lǐn fights his doppelganger, the Demon Lord, and they naturally match each other move for move. Làng’s travel companion, a sentient pipa, has turned human and fights with strings befitting a former instrument. When he runs into a yandere princess puppeting two magical corpses at the expense of her own life force in order to take on Làng’s demonic father, the three-way back-and-forth is nonstop but also relatively easy to follow. And when Shāng finally gets the chance to wield a non-wooden sword after nine years of avoiding it, his assault is all the more special.

The plot twists and dramatic turns are all really satisfying in a way that screams “epic finale,” and the respective fates of all the big villains provide perfect bookends to all their stories. The film even touches on the origins of Shāng himself, and it was the last thing I could have ever predicted. That being said, I want to discuss some of the details of the ending.

SPOILERS SECTION

There are three major spoilers I wanted to write about in greater detail. 

The first thing is Shāng being in the same company as Marty McFly (Back to the Future), John Connor (Terminator), and Philip J. Fry (Futurama). Essentially, he turns out to be the son of Lāng and the blind harpist Mù Tiān Mìng, both with whom he fought side by side before the start of Thunderbolt Fantasy. They realize their baby is somehow the Shāng they know, and the couple gives him up to the sentient pipa-turned-human, who apparently comes to raise him in another realm so that he will be ready to fulfill his destiny.

I definitely did not expect that, and based on the audience reaction, I don’t think anyone did. I also genuinely thought he had romantic feelings for Mù, but I guess it turned out to be more filial. They hinted at Shāng being a time traveler of sorts in Season 4, and possibly before that as well, but it implies the source of Shāng’s unparalleled swordsmanship: the fact that the man has trained across time and space and dimensions since he was a child. So he was the child who saved everyone, and also got his own parents together, to an extent. At least he did not sleep with his own grandmother.

The second thing is the way the leader of the Divine Swam is defeated, and the aftermath of his loss. There’s something a little hokey but absolutely wonderful about him using all the divine weapons of the Sorcerous Sword Index to transform into a gigantic armored demigod. A part of me wishes he was vanquished in a more conventional manner, but I think what happens fits the story incredibly well. 

Shāng uses the one remaining blade, and while it seems to have no effect on Huò, it seems to be opening up a rift in the sky. Realizing the true nature of the weapon in his hand, Shāng proceeds oto summon Bái Lián, the sage who originally created the weapons (and whom he met in Season 3). Bái Lián proceeds to forcibly bring the emperor into the void beyond and back home to his own world where the weapons came from, and where they are now rusted and lifeless. The emperor tries to use his dark magic to threaten Bái Lián but finds that he can’t form spells. Bái Lián tells him that had he arrived in this realm as himself, he would have retained his powers, but by tying his very being to the weapons, he is now as inert as they are, and the only thing he can do is live like any other average person. His precipitous fall from world conqueror to commoner breaks him.

I love this so much. Not only is it rather cathartic given the state of the actual world right now, but I really find pleasure in seeing someone who believed they were untouchable be laid low and made to feel vulnerable. The villain really thought he was inherently superior and deserving of ruling over his entire world, and the fact that he can’t handle the idea of fending for himself the way everyone else does is the justest of deserts. (See also JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 5: Golden Wind). Bái Lián is also based on a popular recurring character in PILI’s Taiwanese puppet shows, so his presence at the climax is also a way to pay homage to the studio that made all this possible.

The third thing is Lǐn taking over as Demon Lord. Hilarious. We get that silly moment where Shāng sees through his disguise and refuses to duel to the death with the Enigmatic Gale (“Of course it’s you. I’ve never even met the Demon Lord, so why would he want to fight me?). We also get to think about just how a Demon Realm ruled by the most egregious troll in all of existence would turn out. 

SPOILERS OVER

Concluding Thoughts…and More

What a fantastic ride. I’ve been told that this movie was originally supposed to be a full season, and it does show to a degree, but I still think this was a wonderful way to close the book on Thunderbolt Fantasy. It was the essence of this whole international creative endeavor boiled down to a clean 90-ish minutes, and had me coming away grateful to have learned about it nearly a decade ago. 

So those are my thoughts on the movie, but this is actually just the first part of my Thunderbolt Fantasy coverage from ACen 2025. There was a “red carpet gala” to show off the puppets before the screening, as well as a Q&A afterwards with some live puppet demonstrations. Even more exciting, I got the chance to interview the PILI staff and even try out one of the puppets! 

I hope you’ll look forward to it.

Heartcatch Precure! and the Dueling Dreaded

Posted on by

I’m not a big fan of obsessing over tropes. The way people might try to fit everything into a TVTropes category bothers me, and even when asked questions about what kinds of character pairings I prefer, it always greatly depends on context and execution. Despite this, I do enjoy occasionally watching Overly Sarcastic Productions’ Trope Talk, and after watching their recent episode about the “Dreaded,” I found myself wondering what might be my favorite example.

The answer, as with so many things, is Heartcatch Precure!, the 2010 entry in the Precure magical girl franchise.

According to TVTropes, the Dreaded is “a character or a single, unified group whose primary characteristic is the fear the other side has of them.” Examples include Darth Vader, All-for-One from My Hero Academia, and perhaps even Uncle Iroh from Avatar: The Last Airbender. In terms of narrative the way the character’s reputation precedes them adds to the sense of anticipation for when they do show their full strength, and as the Trope Talk video points out, a character can also lose their “Dreaded” aura if they are overused or mishandled.

The reason I love Heartcatch Precure!’s version of this is that there are two “Dreaded” characters, and the way the series handles them both is just magnificent.

WARNING: SPOILERS

The series begins not with girls who would become the main characters, but a clash where a warrior named Cure Moonlight is defeated by a formidable foe named Dark Precure, who seems to mirror her abilities. Before all hope is lost, Moonlight’s companion mascot, Cologne, sacrifices himself and creates an opening that will allow a new generation to take over the fight. In the first two minutes, Dark Precure is established as this overwhelming entity who crushed Cure Moonlight, but then Heartcatch! does something important: Dark Precure doesn’t show up, at least for a long time.

And so the new heroes, Cure Blossom and Cure Marine, discover their new abilities and find their footing as they repel the enemy’s minions and monsters time and again. Then, Episode 10 hits, and Dark Precure appears, beats them down, and makes all their efforts and progress look hopeless. The first episode established her as a dangerous foe, but this just shows superior she is compared to Blossom and Marine. It does a great job adding to Dark’s aura of dread.

But when nearly all hope is lost, a high school girl they met earlier shows up and does the seemingly impossible, blocking Dark Precure’s finishing blow. This girl, Tsukikage Yuri, is actually the former Cure Moonlight, and she’s using the broken remnant of her transformation stone as a shield. This is when Heartcatch does something that pushes the Dreaded trope to the next level: Upon realizing who it is standing before her, Dark Precure reacts with a caution so different from her previously stoic attitude that it immediately makes clear what a force Yuri is. With just a fraction of her strength, she makes a seemingly unstoppable villain hesitate. 

Heartcatch Precure! thus establishes its Dreaded characters: one on the side of evil, and the other on the side of good. What’s more, both their stories play important roles long term in various ways. Relative to each other, they establish a deep sense that they are each others’ true arch enemies. To the main heroines, Dark Precure acts as a litmus test: As the series continues, the girls go from being outclassed to being able to at least hold her off—not enough to diminish Dark’s status as a Dreaded. Yuri, for her part, is part of a vital part of the story: It’s through the efforts of the others that she slowly regains her conviction to fight and to stop blaming herself for the death of Cologne. When Yuri finally transforms into Cure Moonlight again, all the anticipation that comes from her reputation pays off in spades.

The presence of a trope does not make anything inherently good or bad, and 90% of its effectiveness comes from execution. They’re descriptive rather than prescriptive, and Heartcatch Precure! uses both its Dreaded characters to both entice and reward its audience over time. It’s just one of the million reasons I still love this magical girl series so much.