What I'm Watching ... Fall 2016 anime

Been thinking about doing a post like this for months honestly but kept delaying it, mostly not happy with the timing. But I am done with making excuses not to and will go ahead and do a brief list of series I am watching this season and a couple of thoughts about them.

Yuri!!! on Ice

If you follow me on twitter you know I am watching this series, Yuri!!! on Ice. I love this series and I know I will be going back to rewatch it time and time again like my other all time favorites. The story telling is top notch, the characters so genuine and the art can be simply breathtaking. Every time Yuuri does one of his programs I find myself getting completely absorbed in it as each time something new is brought out. Also I love that the relationship between Yuuri and Viktor feels so natural as it is progressing and does not feel like fujoshi-bait but simply a deepening relationship between two people that both happen to be male.

This series is easily my favorite of the season.

As a Uta no Prince-sama fan there was no way I would not watch this latest season of the anime series. The new series director they got for this season has been doing a great job of showcasing the characters despite who massive the cast has gotten.

That said it definitely feels like this season is about refreshing things by going over back stories to give them some progression for STARISH and having QUARTET NIGHT actually show how they function as a unit. Not to mention give a brief introduction for the members of HEAVEN. This is easily one of the strongest seasons for the series and worth checking out.

Kiss Him, Not Me was not a series I thought I would like from the series set up summary. I still think the set up for the series is iffy but the rest of the series is so charming I am willing to overlook it.

With the main character being a fujoshi there is plenty that I can relate to, except for having a reverse harem. But as a romantic comedy it is quite fun and all the characters get a decent amount of development. It also handles tropes rather well so a few that tend to be cringe worthy in other shoujo series are easier to handle.

Touken Ranbu - Hanamaru is my fluff series for the season. Which means I tend to fall behind with it until I just need to watch something that I can turn my brain off while watching. The series is basically cute guys doing cute things with some sword battles thrown in every once in a while. So a nice eye candy series. Also it helps clue me in a bit to one of Kiss Him, Not Me's jokes as this series is spoofed a bit in that.

Usually a series like Magical Girl Raising Project is not my cup of tea but I am glad I decided to give the series a chance. I like the designs and the characters and while death matches are not the usual plots that interest me there is enough on with what I do like about the series.

It also helps that there does seem to be a larger mystery going on and some nice twists that keep it from feeling stale. Even though I know there are a couple of character deaths that are bound to be upsetting I still want to keep watching to the end to figure out what is going on and who all will end up surviving.

Another series that I decided to try even though it is out of my usual interest is Girlish Number. It has an interesting outlook of the anime industry as it has a jaded tinge to it all. In fact the main character may be aiming to become a top voice actress but she hardly is the "give it your all" type. Of course it is still a romanticized version of the industry, it just left the rose colored glasses off.


My standards for short form (the 3-15 minute episode series) shows are rather low, which is basically a good part of why I am still watching Gakuen Handsome. I do like the tongue and cheek humor it has spoofing BL anime and the novelty of trying to get over the fact someone thought a show with such "quality" animation should exist.

The only reason I am continuing with Kiitaru's yokai picture dairy is because the episodes are so short. It is a pity as I liked the first episode and there are a couple others that I like but others just fall flat for me. Or basically when it focuses on being cute I enjoy it but when it strays from that I do not care for it.


There are a few series I still plan on watching eventually from this season: Flip Flappers, Izetta: The Last Witch and Magic-Kyun! Renaissance. But I have not had the time to start them and they may join the massive list of series I need to watch at some point.

On the election results (09NOV2016)

I can now say I know what having my heart completely broken feels like. As 47% of American voters just broke mine.

After a day of travel I could not stay awake to hear the election results so I went to sleep last night praying for the best. When I awoke to the news this morning I wished I had remained sleeping. Or perhaps I was still asleep and this would be revealed to be a nightmare.

Since then I have cried, felt paralyzed with fear, fruitlessly worried, felt rage well up and various other emotions of fear and loathing. But throughout that roller-coaster of emotions a tiny spark of hope found a way to be born and even grow. Until it won out over all the rest. As that is what hope does. It wins.

This is far from the end. The future is more uncertain and unknown than what we humans would like to believe. This may be a dark day but it is not the final day. Light can and will shine again even though the darkness will return as well. But those dark days can be outnumbered if we work together to bring back the light and make this just a bump in the road.

While some may look to 2020 to do so, I will argue that 2018 is just as important. The 2018 elections for the House and Congress can help put the brakes on things at least if the Democrats can take control of them. It may not stop all the damage but it can at least minimize it for two years. Then in 2020 the focus can shift to stopping a re-election.  

I can only hope the Democrats can find a stronger candidate. Though depending on how the future unfolds it may not be that hard.

And even before all of that there is plenty that can be done. As much as others will wish otherwise we cannot be silenced. We can still point out injustice when it occurs and stand up for it. We can still love and accept each other despite differences in gender, race, religious views, backgrounds and even political beliefs. We can protest unjust laws and in the words of Senator John Lewis make "good trouble."

Of course it will not be easy. Doing the right thing is sometimes the hardest thing to do. Especially when the results are not immediate. But stubbornness can be a virtue at times, and history is made by the persistent.

Personally I am usually one to avoid conflict. My anxiety disorder has helped give me plenty of practice with that. But I fear my silence on expressing my personal beliefs is doing more harm than good. So I am vowing to speak up more and to stand openly on my beliefs. I no longer want to be seen as complacent in the face of injustice and want to give what strength I have to the other voices fighting against it.

I am proudly a feminist that wants to see equality for all genders. I have suffered with anxiety and at times depression that came with suicidal thoughts. Since I was able to reach out and get the help I needed to deal with those I want to support others suffering from mental health issues, to let them know there is help. As a veteran of the U.S. Army I want to help my fellow vets by helping the general public know that they are actual people that gain more for being seen as such and not hoisted onto nationalistic pedestals. And I want to be a better ally to minorities by being more supportive of the causes they are fighting for. As it is my firm belief that everyone deserves the right to dignity and respect.

I love this country that I call home. As far from perfect it is I still believe in it. While this election reminded us of how ugly it can get it did not erase how great it can be. We were able to catch glimpses of that with President Obama and this set back does not have to derail it all. Not as long as there are people willing to stand up and do the right thing.

As the saying goes "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." And since I am still breathing, stronger is what I am going to be.