Samurai Flamenco Episode 19 “The Quiet Life” Preview Images and Synopsis

“Suddenly is not cool at all… Yeah, I’m waiting!!” Something like that.

“We’re in disguise! Please avert your eyes!”

A duel with Alien Flamenco. A talk with the Will of the Universe. It’s an experience that goes a little beyond the normal human mind. The Earth waits for Masayoshi to return home. Evil has been completely eradicated from this world, and peaceful, quiet days are here. But with evil gone, what is there for a Champion of Justice to do? As he contemplates this, Goto gets a text message saying it’s time for a date. Masayoshi and Mari get together, and it’s time to tail him.

Well, it’s time to start winding down I believe. The show’s supposed to be somewhere in the area of 22 episodes, so either finding out who Goto’s girlfriend is will take 4 episodes, or she’ll be the next big reveal of what Hazama has to punch leading to the ultimate conflict between best friends. At least the apparently for some reason highly anticipated reveal of her identity is finally coming around.

How many ADs do you think we have this time? The answer will be of no surprise at all. Having 5 ADs is one of the more predictable things about the show. 4 returners and 1 new guy. The returners are Katsuhiro Kumagai, Hitomi Hasegawa, Masaiku Tayori and Kazuyuki Igai. The new kid is Tomokazu Shimabukuro who has only one AD credit, Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere, but tons of key to back him up. And crazy AD amount is starting to leak because we also have two directors this time. Yosuke Kuroda is returning alongside yet another instance of someone who could be one of two people. He’s either Tagatsugu Kobayashi, young pup with only an assistant director on Kino’s Journey to his name, or Kouji Kobayashi who has a little bit more including being a director on Kino’s Journey. And of course Katsumi Terahigashi is storyboarding, and Takahiro is screenwriting.

(Images from Samumenco.com © Fuji TV, Aniplex, Manglobe, and Project Samumenco)

Samurai Flamenco Episode 17 “The Strongest Prime Minister” Preview Images and Synopsis

Masayoshi goes to Goto as his last, final, ultimate resort, and he’s relieved that Goto just welcomes him in with no question despite him being Public Enemy #1 with pursuers hot on his tail. The two are being chased down, but they’ll show their strength when backed into a corner. The Flamengers have been framed as criminals. The citizens are giving more and more support for the Prime Minister. It’s time for Masayoshi to go up and kick the Diet Building’s door in.

This is my entire commentary on where my mind goes thinking about this:

I wasn’t going to say it until that last picture with the punch burning with Flamenco spirit, but that combined with whatever happened to Aoshima leads me straight to this. I don’t know that that would be a good thing for the show to do, but it is what it is.

We’ve got the big team again. Our old guys are screenwriter Takahiro, director Yusuke Onoda, and ADs Akane Umezu, Yuuji Hakamada, Hitomi Hasegawa, Saka Ikeda, and Akane Umezu. Our new guy is storyboarder Atsushi Wakabayashi, a storyboarder on a few things like Hell Girl and Noein but also a key animator on Mad Bull 34 and Violence Jack 3, and AD. Now that’s a reason to hope. For what I don’t know. I guess it depends on how comfortable you are with this show having a punch that blows someone up.

(Images from Samumenco.com © Fuji TV, Aniplex, Manglobe, and Project Samumenco)

Samurai Flamenco Episode 15 “Imitation Justice” Preview Images and Synopsis

Masayoshi now looks upon a man with his own face who calls him “older brother” and himself “Beyond Flamenco.” As Masayoshi trembles before him, “Beyond Flamenco” starts to talk about what “From Beyond” intends. And their goal is…!Meanwhile, the Flamengers, the government, and the police are continuing to fight. What will be the final outcome of this battle with “From Beyond?!”

Well, I can’t say the show doesn’t have my attention. It feels like this twist exists only to give the next twist more weight, and since twists are the fuel this show runs on, I can’t say it isn’t working. To what end, I don’t know, but I’m still here, I guess. The staff this time is almost all old crew. Screenwriter is Takahiro. All five of the ADs, Manabu Nii, Michio Hasegawa, Naoaki Houjou, Masaki Takasaka, and Hitomi Hasegawa, have been on the show before. The new guy is the director and storyboarder, You Satou. Mostly key animation, he has done some episode direction for Mitchiko and Hatchin and House of Five Leaves. Does this mean good things for the show? Answering that would imply I understand what direction the show intends to go in.

(Images from Samumenco.com © Fuji TV, Aniplex, Manglobe, and Project Samumenco)

Attack on Titan Episode 23 “Smile ~Raid on Stohess Ward Part 1~” Preview Images and Synopsis

Hey, look what came out in time enough to be useful!

 

 

 

 

The 57th Outside the Walls Expedition was always secretly a strategy to capture titan shifters. Specifically to lure out titan shifters who may have already been living inside the walls. Due to the failure of this mission, Chief Irwin and the rest of the returning Scouting Legion that went on the mission are being called back to the capital with the decision of what to do with Eren looming darkly over them all. As they must pass into the central capital, their movement will be watched and guarded by the Military Police, and there we will meet and old friend.

Hiroshi Seko! It’s been so long since I’ve had to type your name for the Screenplay credit, but there you go. Even in this late stage, we still get to pull in new people. Storyboard is by Daizen Komatsuda, who’s done storyboards on Eva 2.0 and 3.0, two episodes of Panty and Stocking, and two episodes of ROBOTICS;NOTES. Not just him either. Episode is directed by Hirokazu Yamada, director of four episodes of Cowboy Bebop. And we have an absurd amount of animation directors, 7 in total. People you have seen before on this show: Hitomi Hasegawa, That’s it. Everyone other than her is totally new to this game. Youko Satou, animation director for Gintama. Masayuki Fujita, episode animation director on a number of things including Majestic Prince. Yuka Sugisaki in her first AD gig, but she has a few Key Animation jobs from episodes here and there. Masashi Nomura, occasional AD for Da Capo but also a Key Animator for JoJo’s: The Animation. And they’re just the people I can find things about. There’s also Sera Kouta, but all I find when I look up the name is a listing for Highschool DxD New, and Kim De Hoon who I can’t find anything on at all. That’s a lot of people being pulled in for this episode.

(Images from Shingeki.tv. © Hajime Isayama, Kodansha, WIT Studio, Production I.G., and The Attack on Titan Production Committee)

And don’t forget to check out this week’s “Training Corps” 4koma. Also last weeks because I forgot to mention it. Last week’s is part of a running gag, so look through the archives if it doesn’t click with you.

Attack on Titan Episode 20 “Irwin Smith ~57th Outside Expedition Part 4~” Preview Images and Synopsis

Finally, after many sacrifices, the Scouting Legion has managed to capture the Female Type Titan in the forest of giant trees. Since the original plan was based on the idea that the Female Titan may be a member of the Scouting Legion, Irwin can now reveal what exactly has been going on. But the Female Titan is stirring, and shelets out a ghastly scream….

It’s been a bit since this came out soon enough for me to really do these. Will you remember all the crew names? Crew is all regulars save one. Screenplay is Yasuko Kobayashi. Storyboards are by Sakomi Yajima. Episode director is Shintaro Itoga back from Episode 12. Animation direction is where we find our new face. We have the regulars Hitomi Hasegawa and Satomi Miyazaki, but they’re working alongside Satou Michio. Michio is usually key animation but has a number of AD credits including episodes across things like P4 The Animation and being the full on AD of Tokyo Majin.

(Images from Shingeki.tv. © Hajime Isayama, Production I.G., WIT Studio, and The Attack on Titan Production Committee)

And don’t forget to check out this week’s 4koma over in the collection.

Attack on Titan Episode 14 “Still Can’t See the Eyes (Evening Counterattack Number 1)” Preview Images and Synopsis

Damn it, Eren, You couldn’t get cleaned up for the actual new episode?

Man, that’s a long title. Lots of dramatic faces too. But hey, new episode and this is when Rivaille puts his foot on Eren’s face, so cool.

How do we handle a person like Eren? He was already a murderous, violent ball of crazy, and now he can turn into a giant murderous ball of crazy that we usually see eating people. Human society is split. The people who live closer to the center, the aristocracy, want Eren dead, and the people who live closer to the outside see Eren and his new powers as a potential savior. He’s now been brought to the capital in chains so that the military police and the scouting legion can vouch for either killing or keeping him to the central government.

Depending on how fast this goes, this is going to be a talky episode. That’s why I think it’s odd that they gave the screenplay job to Yasuko Kobayashi, Miss Tokusatsu. I figure you’d save her for the action heavy episodes, but whatever. Storyboard is by Sakomi Yajima back from episode 12. Two Episode Directors this time. First off, the new guy Keisuke Onishi, episode direction on Star Driver and Red Data Girl that I didn’t watch from last season. Second is the old, reliable Ezaki Shinpei. And a triple team is doing AD. Hitomi Hasegawa and Yuko Yamamoto who were in a 3 AD team before, and bringing the new member Tomoe Nishio, entirely key animation on some really strong projects, Star Driver, FMA: Brotherhood, Chihayafuru.

(Images from Shingeki.tv. © Hajime Isayama, Kodansha, Production I.G., WIT Studio, and The Attack on Titan Production Committee)

And I’ll get back to you with the 13.5 4koma right now.

13.5

Panel 1

Eren: I got into the Scouting Legion so I could kill every titan.

Panel 2

Rivaille: Huh? And why do you think you’ll get out of here?
Eren: Wo- Wouldn’t it be really weird for the main character to be in an isolation cell until the end?

Panel 3

Rivaille: Don’t worry. In the next “4koma Training Corps” I’ll be the main character!

Panel 4

Eren: No waaaaayyy!
Mikasa: Eren, why are you crying?

Attack on Titan Episode 8 “I Hear a Heartbeat” Preview Images and Synopsis

Despite the pictures, I’m pretty sure this episode isn’t about Marco.

Mikasa is saved by the strange, rouge titan. Armin, Connie, and she meet up. Because Mikasa doesn’t want to abandon Armin, he comes up with the plan to raid the building where the resupply team is under siege by titans. Connie carries him while Mikasa provides cover. Meanwhile, Jean and his unit also make their way to the same building. All together, form a plan to gather the supplies necessary to get out of this battleground and survive.

Crew has a few new kids this time. Screenplay this time is by Noboru Takagi, the Series Composer and Storyboarder for most of the episodes of Baccano! Storyboard is by Tomohiro Hirata. We’ve got a whole host of Directors and Animation Directors this time. The Directors are Tatsuya Minamikawa, Satoshi Kikuchi, a guy I had trouble finding any info on because he’s doesn’t have a ton of credits but who does have a direction credit on an episode of Hachiken: Eight Dogs of the East, and Ezaki Shinpei back from episode 5. Animation directors are Satoshi Kikuchi again, he actually has more experience in this field having done a few shows including Blood+, Ayumu Yamada from back in episode 2, and Hitomi Hasegawa, a key animator from last episode and on the OP.

(Images from Shingeki.tv. © Hajime Isayama, Kodansha, Production I.G., WIT Studio, and the Shingeki no Kyojin Production Committee.)