Watamote: Episode 8

Episode 8: Since I’m Unpopular, I’ll Put on Airs

When Tomoko hears that her younger cousin Kii is going to visit for a few days, she freaks out a bit, realizing that the rather extravagant lies she told the year before might be a bit more transparent now that Kii’s in middle school. Tomoko hurriedly looks for cute clothes to wear and does things with a vacuum that need to be seen to be believed, but that was probably unnecessary, since Kii is pretty gullible. The next day, Tomoko takes Kii to the library to pick up a book, and while waiting she runs into one of the boys she met in episode 3. Kii sees them talking and assumes that he was the boyfriend Tomoko made up, which causes trouble when, the next day, Tomoko and Kii see the boy acting overly friendly with another girl. Tomoko tries to keep up the lie, but naturally Kii figures out the truth. Trying to save face, Tomoko takes Kii to a store where she can show off her skills at a trading card game – by facing off against elementary school children. Kii notices that Tomoko actually cheats to beat a child, and so Tomoko’s attempt to show off backfires. When Kii finally heads home, she still loves her cousin just as much, but her perspective has changed to pity rather than admiration.

Shin Sekai Yori: Series Review

Shin Sekai Yori (or From the New World) is about a girl named Saki growing up in a small town called Kamisu 66 where people all have “Power” or “PK.” * It takes place 1000 years in the future, but doesn’t seem futuristic; if anything, technology seems to have regressed. At Saki’s school, students in each class are divided into groups of about six, and Saki has close, lasting relationship with all of the people in her group. From the beginning of the show, it’s clear that something in the town isn’t quite right. Children suddenly disappear and are never spoken of again. Rumors circulate about dangerous creatures like “Trickster Cats,” and although the adults deny their existence, the mention of them leaves Saki’s parents arguing late in the night. Everyone in town is taught how dangerous the world is outside the town’s Sacred Barrier, that somewhere out there are horrific monsters like ogres (akki) and karmic demons (gouma).

All of that is just the beginning of Shin Sekai Yori. The show follows Saki and her friends as they grow older, and the show grows more complex as they learn more about their world. Under the jump, there’s a spoiler-free review followed by an analysis that I would only recommend reading if you’ve watched the show.

You might like Shin Sekai Yori if:

• You like shows that are creepy, but not necessarily horror. (There is some blood and violence, but that’s the exception rather than the rule.)
• You are interested in moral grey areas where the line between heroes and villains is nebulous at best.
• You like complex plots that develop gradually.

*PK is short for psychokinesis (the ability to move things with your mind), but their psychic abilities actually extend beyond that. They are shown as being capable of creating fire, making mirrors out of the air, putting broken objects back together, and so on. The limits of their abilities are never very clearly defined.

Watamote: Episode 7

Episode 7: I’m unpopular, so I’ll enjoy my summer break

Watamote: Episodes 4-6

With this post, I'm caught up on Watamote. There will be another episode airing later tonight, so I'll do my best to get a review for episode 7 posted sometime tomorrow.

Watamote: Episodes 1-3

Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaete mo Omaera ga Warui* is a moe slice-of-life comedy about the socially clueless high school girl Kuroki Tomoko. She does her damndest to become popular, but since her understanding of the world comes mostly from anime and video games, her attempts are usually hopeless at best. It airs on Crunchyroll on Mondays.

There are currently six episodes of the show out, and I'm going to try and catch up as quickly as I can so I can review episodes as they come out.