Going right into Apocalypse Hotel following the first episode of Gundam’s latest, dizzyingly incomprehensible entry was such a palette cleanser you actually have no idea

Arguably the scrimblocore venture du jour, Chiikawa has emerged as a cultural juggernaut, captivating the internet’s collective imagination. Its colourful, critter-shaped cast scamper about a post-apocalyptic landscape in which oversized pizzas dot the terrain and fish serve as modes of transport. Beneath the frenetic escapades however lies an unexpectedly introspective meditation on the importance of relying on robust social support networks during times of adversity. Chiikawa & co. make a deliberate choice to press on within their uncertain world, though the sweet lure of surrender (chimera transformations) and comforting stasis (time loops) often beckons. Bolstered by the strength of their comrades, despite the show’s all-too brief runtime seeing the teary-eyed Chiikawa confront their failings and knowing brighter days are ahead speaks to a universal level that we just gotta keep on trucking. Even if you’re a cute lil scrimblo.

Those who succumb to the call of the void do so through sacrificing their fundamental selfhood as a last resort, lingering vestiges of who they once were dissolving like the candy they may have shared with a former colleague whose face they can’t quite recall.

Others find themselves involuntarily consigned to such a fate, haunted by distant echoes and distorted reflections; jolting awake with a start, they struggle even now to reconcile that their own identity has been twisted beyond recognition in ways they can neither control nor undo. Despite the deceptively whimsical veneer, Chiikawa is a haunting piece that can also warm even the coldest hearts.

im also part of the ANOKO GANG ama :3

- full moon wo sagashite -

Full Moon wo Sagashite’s world is rendered in pastel watercolours, filtered dreamily through the perspective of its twelve-year-old protagonist. Buildings bathed in violet shadows come dusk, cityscapes dotted in pink, and verdant, malachite greenery softened by blue enhance the storybook illustration charm, all youthful flights of fancy.

While the shadow of Mitsuki’s terminal illness unavoidably casts a darker shadow over the wish fulfilment pop star fantasy, imbuing it with an element of melancholy, the anime never dwells too long on the inevitable. Wisely highlighting the joy of all the new experiences that Mitsuki encounters and her enduring optimism, Full Moon makes for quite the sweet watch.

More thoughtful than one would initially expect, given the tawdry gallows its genre skulks around in, fetid and grime-encrusted. Quasi-arthouse direction, all softness and stillness, lends a ruminative quality which enhances the experience tenfold.

With i.cinnamoroll it’s the same long-eared wonder pup we all know and love, albeit contextualized amidst an all-too familiar urban sprawl teeming with untold wonders. No longer a white ball of fluff soaring through the blue blue skies of Sucre town, peals of laughter floating between the clouds, Cinamoroll cuts an unusually subdued figure. Navigating the world with a newfound sense of introspection, he journeys through far-off cityscapes by train, savouring the nuances of lush surroundings at a contemplative pace.

As opposed to magical realist delights involving Milk & co., Cinnamoroll indulges in the simple yet profound pleasures of life: enjoying good food, leisurely strolling through open fields, preparing popcorn for an evening film, and diligently tending to his vegetable garden – each act is met with a satisfied grin as he uncovers the miracles woven into the fabric of daily life.

thoughts pending

really dunno how to feel about this bc we're nearly twenty chapters down by the time episode 2 is finished like... slow down sobs

- loop 7 -

I say I will update this blurb but knowing me, once I do I will just blaze through and finish it lol.

- mobile suit gundam -

Despite having extended an open invitation to the vast majority of otaku-centric behemoths during my time spent watching anime, the Gundam franchise is one that has perpetually rebuffed my attempts; unceremoniously rolling back into space three times faster with a scoff. Not for lack of trying on my bewildered behalf, however. I have struggled through at least one episode of Seed, Wing, MS 08th Team, Iron-Blooded Orphans, Zeta, and Turn A, respectively. And I just, could not manage to stick with any of them.

Even with the gentle, attentive guidance of my partner answering my slew of questions while watching Gquuuuuux together ended in disaster, with my realizing that it was essentially the franchise equivalent of Final Fantasy VII Remake: very much a for fans, by fans series. Another strike, then, followed by an audible sigh.

So why did I turn towards towards 0079, I wonder? Particularly given my diabolical history with the franchise. I wonder that myself, however I found myself unexpectedly taken by its fundamentally humane core, rendering it an altogether more accessible watch. Rather than inundating the viewer with esoteric terminology and presumed familiarity built on decade's worth of material, it opts for revealing the Gundam through a slow, ominous pan accompanied by foreboding music. You're provided with space to reflect on its gravity, its significance. As a harbinger of potential devastation, and what this means for the Federation and the war they're in the midst of.

Amuro piloting the Gundam doesn't feel contrived simply because the powers that be decided he is The Chosen One, rather it emerges as a logical extension of his established technical competence. The first time you see Amuro, he's fiddling with machinery. And then you learn about his father. There's a cruel irony in Amuro being able to successfully interpret what would have otherwise been fairly obtuse material within the manual, and subsequently assuming the role of pilot considering his father was involved with the Gundam's production so that children like Amuro wouldn't have to fight.

Its technical merits are similarly worth highlighting, through all this beautiful, vivid colouring. Red bursting across the screen’s expanse for Char, yellow highlighting drawing our attention to the figure who’s coming to grips with this haunting realization. Rough crayon marks dragged across the screen to simulate motion, all textured paper. The use of highlighting for explosions, cels dragged across the screen – it’s an endlessly fascinating viewing experience in terms of these artistic technicalities.

i cannot BELIEVE the orcanyan partner erasure. 'a couple? more like a couple of besties' - mofusand anime team (probably)

free them

first i was like :( but now im like :)

cute cute cute

Even when Suzuki and Tani find themselves in places that should otherwise be occupied by bustling throngs – parks all dusk aglow, weekend streets, midday cinemas – the world seems to recede and empty, as though it exists only to hold the two of them. In these moments, nothing and no one else matters and it’s a uniquely blissful sentiment we all experience when wandering around with our beloved.

While viewing I’m also smiling, constantly, seeing my skittish behavioural patterns mirrored in Suzuki’s eager nervousness; fumbling and blushing. I also swing my partner’s hand back and forth while ambling about, sometimes.

thoughts pending