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Anime Review: Shiroi Suna no Aquatope (First Ep)

Thursday, September 2, 2021 / No Comments

Hi everyone! I hope that all of you are having a lovely September ahead.

It's been a while since I have actually sat down and watched a proper anime series in a long time, and after scrolling through some anime to watch, I was pleasantly delighted to stumble upon Shiroi Suna no Aquatope (The Aquatope on White Sand). What makes it even better is the fact that its a recently produced animation from P.A Works! If you haven't known, P.A Works is my favourite animation studio, and I even wrote an article on it before here so check it out if you want to get familiarised with this animation studio first!

Shiroi Suna no Aquatope is still an ongoing series, with only about 9 out of 24 episodes so far that has been released. As such, I will keep this review limited to my viewing of the first episode.

Shiroi Suna no Aquatope presents itself as a slice-of-life piece, with two girls as the main leads. This comes as no surprise as an avid P.A Works fan, as they have always been consistent in their slice-of-life genres. It is even more consistent with the fact that this, as mentioned, is a 24-episode series. Hence, we can all be ready for the slow paced, yet relaxing atmosphere this show will bring us.

In the first few minutes of the episode, we are greeted by a few shots of an idyllic countryside, along with mellow, folk-like sounds in the soundtrack.

Another thing about P.A Works: their attention to the more quiet, yet picturesque setting in the more tucked away corners of the country. It reminds me of Manoyama, the town in Sakura Quest, another of their 24-episodic series they have produced (which I love a lot).

Next, we see a blue-haired girl, Misakino Kukuru, praying by the mini shrine, with a fish head as an offering. She seems desperate for help, and we will know why in time to come.

We see a bit of Kukuru's life, though not a lot is revealed just yet.

Kukuru lives with her grandparents, making us wonder... Where are her parents?

This gives a small clue, but its not enough to know her backstory yet.

Okay but one thing we know about her is she rides a scooter to school, as opposed to the usual bicycles we see in other anime. How cool is that?!

The slow, folk-like soundtrack starts to fade out, as incessant horns from traffic punctuates the atmosphere. We then find ourselves in Tokyo now, as we are introduced to the other half of the likely duo, Miyazawa Fuuka.

After giving up her idol dreams for reasons yet unknown, Fuuka has to move back home to Morioka. It is interesting to note that Fuuka is voiced by Rikako Aida, the voice actress of Riko from Love Live! Sunshine. Hence, it is probably one of the most fitting castings because in Love Live! Sunshine, Riko had to move from the city to a more rural part of the country as well. Another thing about Fuuka: she reminds me of Hitomi from Iroduku: The World in Colours, which is also one of P.A Works creation.

Hitomi from Iroduku

Clearly, Fuuka doesn't want to head home yet. As she glances upon a poster of Okinawa, she decides to maybe take a detour.

Thereafter, she stumbles upon a fortune teller who gives her advice on what to do next.

And so, that's what she did.

Unfortunately, the heat becomes too unbearable for Fuuka, and she collapses. Thankfully, she meets the help of a local, who is actually from a tourism association.

She then introduces Fuuka to a few places, and one of it captures her attention.

The Gama Gama Aquarium

Fuuka doesn't hesitate to make her journey there. Turning off her cellphone to reduce contact with anyone she knows, she decides to take an extended trip instead of heading home.

The Gama Gama Aquarium gives me the same vibes as the Kingdom of Chupakabura. Although they look old and tucked away, it seems like there is still beauty within its compound, and all it needs is for someone to "save" it to ensure a better future for the building.

Kingdom of Chupakabura in Sakura Quest

And of course, what's inside the aquarium is breathtaking. It almost feels like we are in the same waters as the fishes.

It's nice to see that Fuuka also takes note of fishes that may be hidden, feeling a sense of similarity with it. This might be a clue on what has happened to her idol career. Maybe she wasn't seen enough to fulfil her dreams, and that's sadly common in the idol industry.

Suddenly, Fuuka starts to enter a dream-like sequence. She gets engulfed into the same environment as the fishes, almost as if she is breathing through it.

It's a beautiful scene, and I can't help but once again strike a similarity with another of P.A Works work, Nagi no Asakura, where the characters literally live under the sea. It is a visual delight.

Kakichan the boy oyster playing hide-and-seek with Hammerhead

A still from Nagi no Asakura

And then Fuuka is brought back to reality. There, she is then approached by a friendly Kukuru, who explains that the phenomenon can only happen to some people who see it. Although maybe, it might have just been a rumour by her grandfather.

She then introduces herself as the Director of the aquarium, which is an interesting feat for a young high-schooler. This then sets up more things between the two girls, and we are left with the excitement of seeing where this will go in the next few episodes.

Overall, the first episode of Shiroi Suna no Aquatope has been wonderfully paced. With backstories that are still withheld from us, we are geared into knowing more about the aquarium in the next few episodes. The soundtrack is calm and beautiful, much like its visuals. Coming back to a P.A Works series is always amazing, and I am not left disappointed. Although the series isn't complete yet, I am willing to wait for more episodes to release so that I can binge it all at one go. If you like warm slice-of-life series like this with interesting main leads, you should try this out!

Written by: kimizomi

It's a Day for a Feel-Good show

Saturday, August 21, 2021 / No Comments

An anime a day keeps a bad mood away 一 especially if it’s a feel-good one. Comfort anime are my favourite to binge. If that’s the same for you, here are some wholesome watches for you.

Gakuen Babysitters

I can barely go five minutes into this anime without squealing. This show, in a nutshell, is about a group of students in a babysitters club, taking care of babies. Our protagonist is a kind-hearted boy, Ryuuichi, who comes with a little baby brother of his own named Kotaro.

Quiet, well-behaved sweet Kataro paired with cheerful and gentle Ryuuichi make the most wholesome duo. Their interactions can melt the most cold-hearted person into a gooey mess of “Awwwww, that’s so cute!”.

As an episodic series, this show lets you accompany the students and babies while they face their ups and downs together; particularly Ryuuichi’s interactions with the people around him and how they impact each others’ lives. Other characters include the stone-faced handsome Kamitami, his tsundere baby brother, and many more.

With Gakuen Babysitters, it is simply a lighthearted anime meant to watch without much thought or worry. So sit back, enjoy the pastel visuals and prepare to get bombarded by cuteness.

Handa-Kun

Sometimes when I find a binge-worthy anime, it surprises me how little people know of it. Handa-kun is one of them. A prequel of the anime Barakamon, this can easily be watched as a standalone series (that’s what I did).

Handa is the most popular student in his school. Looks and fame 一 he has the two traits anyone would yearn for. What’s the issue then? Well, he doesn’t believe he possesses any of that. Instead, he deeply believes that he is the most hated student in school.

And that, my friends, is the highlight of this anime. It also makes up 90% of the show’s comedy, the remaining 10% being the absurdity of the people around him.

Convinced that his entire school hates him with a burning passion, Handa goes to extreme means to cope with this mindset. From jumping into alleys to avoid schoolmates to treating a love letter as a challenge letter, you will be guaranteed a hearty laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.

For some reason, despite his deep insecurities and abnormal behaviour, Handa has unknowingly crossed paths with and made a memorable impression on some rather… interesting people.

Introducing the Handa Squad: We have an obsessive and uptight class president, a “painfully average” boy, a flashy model, and a former-femboy-turned-gangster. Not enough? There’s also a borderline yandere and an extreme-feminist student council president to add to the spice.

Watch this anime without expecting anything and you’ll have the time of your life. Side effects include the desire to watch the original series, known as Barakamon.

Saiki K

Saiki K is hands down, one of my favourite animes ever. And in my opinion, it’s also one of the funniest. I’m not sure if I can bring justice to how great this series is, but I’ll try my best.

Saiki Kusuo, a deadpan high school student, is a powerful psychic who thinks his powers are a curse. Psychokinesis? You bend spoons all the time when you try to eat. Telepathy? You hear the nonsense that everyone at a certain distance from you is thinking. X-ray vision? You see everything as just bones and flesh.

One of his main goals is to stay lowkey and prevent anyone from finding out about his powers. However, despite his stoic and quiet character, Saiki attracts a variety of the most unusual and unique people.

The list contains a 16-year-old who thinks he has hidden powers meant to save the world, a girl who deems herself to be “perfect” both inside and out, a tough-looking guy who’s so dim-witted that Saiki can’t even read his thoughts, and many many more. Despite having a bunch of characters, you don’t get tired of them and each of them is memorable (and weird) in their own way.

Every episode is only around five minutes, which is perfect for those with short attention spans like me. Despite being a comedy taking place in a school setting, every episode keeps you on your toes and cracks you up in its own way. Its humour is extremely fast-paced so by the time you’ve registered the joke, it hits you with yet another one, leaving you in a constant laughing state.

To fully understand the gold of this anime, you have to give it a try yourself. If you find yourself rewatching it obsessively for the next few weeks… you’re welcome.

P.S. A bonus anime: Tanaka-Kun is always listless

I think the title explains the show itself. Top it off with an adorable boy and off you go!

Written by Potato.

Tears of Themis

Sunday, August 15, 2021 / No Comments

Heyheyhey my little nuggets! Today I bring you a somewhat newly released game I've been completely obsessed with: Tears of Themis!

I actually came across Tears of Themis (ToT) for pre-reg during an ad on another of my games and man, the art? Exquisite. A bit of googling reveals that my favorite Japanese VA is the voice of the character I was most drawn to, so how could I not sign up??

So starts my life in ToT. Personally, I think the plot is quite interesting. In essence, MC is a lawyer alongside one of the main four love interests, and is ultimately recruited into their group (NXX) where they solve various cases and investigate an abnormal surge in mental health cases.

The complete storyline has not been fully released yet, so there are periodic updates, which I think keeps things interesting.

There are four love interests~

Luke, the childhood friend who went off to study and is now a PI who feels like a spy.

Artem, your superior and the youngest senior attorney ever, who is incredibly bad at expressing his emotions.

Marius, heir of just the largest corporation ever, who has a reputation as a playboy but is really a sensitive artist at heart.

Last but not least we have Vyn, the top psychiatrist who I believe is meant to have an elegant and calming vibe but really just kind of gives me the creeps.

my first and only ssr!!!

marius summer sr

I was obsessing over Artem in the beginning, because, firstly, Suwabe Junichi?? Chef's kiss. Secondly? His aesthetic is impeccable. I got his SSR as the guaranteed, yay! But now, after progressing through the story and interacting with the rest of the love interests.. Marius' personality is growing on me. I also have the most of his cards, so I guess that's fate.

Gameplay wise, I think it's pretty simple. You would collect cards of the main love interests, with rarity ranking SSR, SR, and R. Each card will have an attribute assigned to it, Logic (Blue), Empathy (Red), and Intuition (Green).

It's a gacha system, but there is a guaranteed SR usually within ten pulls of each banner. So far we've had three banners, and a permanent one. The current event banner is summer themed and IT IS SO CUTE.

weekly stage! so cute~~

There are skills to be leveled up for each card, and evolving a card nets you a new piece of artwork. There are also daily stages for in game money and exp chips, along with weekly stages for gems that can be used for gacha.

NXX Headquarters is unlocked after chapter 04-02, and there are helpful resources you can gather, like exp chips and items for card skill leveling. Increasing the level of the NXX Headquarters also provides additional stat gains across all cards.

There are different types of game mechanics as well, Debate is more "fight" based with your cards,

Questioning, which is something like an interrogation, asking a character certain questions till you find key evidence.

Clue Analysis displays an item in 3D that you can rotate and revolve and click on different parts of it to unlock clues.

Inspection presents you with a character, where you can click on certain suspicious parts of them like a burn mark or stain to look for clues.

Investigation will put you in a room, where you can click on different items to unlock clues and search for evidence.

Trials are usually held at the end of each story chapter, and MC will present all evidence and attempt to win the case for the client.

I think the variety of mechanics keep the game interesting, and I find myself constantly logging in to play. It isn't time consuming either. As long as your cards are sufficiently leveled, I think the chapters are pretty easy to progress through as well. I personally love the art and soundtracks, and I appreciate the fact that there are three languages to set depending on your preference.