Malala Yousafszai is a young activist and Nobel Laureate who survived being shot in the head by the Taliban in Pakistan. In Davis Guggenheim’s new documentary, “He Named Me Malala,” based on her memoir “I am Malala,” you’ll get to see this girl in an intimate light, but is that light correct?
Gugenheim focuses the documentary on three different timelines altogether to not only discuss Malala, but her family as well. The present day timeline focuses on your typical scenes of Malala leading a pretty normal life. The second is a timeline where she is a global education activist and pushing for girls to be educated. The third timeline is animated, and discusses how Malala got her name. Apparently the origins of Malala come from an Afgani Fable of a young woman who raised her voice to inspire a nation. The name is given to her by her father who is outspoken and wants his daughter to be independent.
Malala, as a teenager, makes the choice to become a critic of the Taliban’s practices in her hometown of the Swat Valley in Pakistan. The Taliban responds to her activism by bombing more schools and spreading a broad message of woman not needing education. Even in the face of certain danger, Malala wouldn’t relent and that act of heroism is one of the most inspiring acts by a teenager, period. Gugenheim’s attempt at using the intertwined storyline is appreciated because the audience develops a stronger understanding about Malala.
However, Gugenheim’s intentions behind this documentary become crystal clear as He Named Me Malala is reality nothing more than a puff piece. Documentaries are meant to not only inform the audience, but push the subject matter forward. For example, In Amy, the brilliance of the documentary is not the subject matter (Amy Winehouse) but that it questioned darkest alleys of fame. He Named Me Malala is nothing more than a biography about the life Malala and will confuse and bewilder audiences.
Did David Gugenheim not see what was so painfully obvious to the audience members? Why didn’t the director focus He Named Me Malala on the need for furthering Woman’s education? This decision is a strange decision from David Gugenheim, a talented documentarian who has already won an Oscar for his work on An Inconvienient Truth. The Director opted to shy away from focusing on a hot button issue such as woman’s education, and instead gave us a general retelling of Malala’s life.
In the end, Malala Yousafszai is an inspiring subject to build a documentary around but the final product is lackluster regurgitation.
I think its fair to say that I watch quite a bit of Anime. Most of that however ends up falling to the waist side to only be brought up later with the phrase, “Oh yeah, I’ve seen that”. But every once in a while a show comes around that I truly enjoy not only on an entertainment level, but on a more artistic and deeper level all together. A show comes along that I can find true meaning in and that I feel that can spark real discussions as opposed to the usual “best girl” or “shit/not shit” comments that plague every anime forum. Don’t let its cute girls and colorful art style fool you, School Live! is such a show that breaks that mundane mold to entertain and inspire.
Yeah Yeah it’s a Zombie Show… Boooring
I think its hard to for someone in the current pop culture loop to get excited about zombies anymore. The markets been too over saturated with zombie content for too long and its starting to get boring and predictable. Even so that doesn’t mean that there can’t be fresh stories that deal with zombies in new and creative ways. It’s just hard.
School Live! is able to break the zombie monotony the same way that “The Walking Dead” was able to climb to the top of everyone’s weekly twitter feed. By having the zombies take a backseat to whats going on with the characters, it gives us something relatable to care about. With fleshed out characters we now have something that can ground the context of the show and have it relate to ourselves. So even while we aren’t being literally attacked by zombies like the characters in the story, we can still feel their struggles as they deal with there zombie infested world. This is where the strength of School Live! shines most bright and marks it as my favorite zombie anything.
Characters that Make me Feel
School Live! makes it’s big reveal at the end of episode one. Where high school senior, Yuki Takeya, is revealed to be in a serious case of denial about the state of the school she and her friends now live in. To her its business as usual and she goes about her daily school life zombie free. In reality, her and her three classmates are held up in the school trying to survive the zombie apocalypse.
To be fair I haven’t seen all of the zombie content there is, but I’m pretty sure this has to be the only zombie story to deal with this sort of trauma. Yuki’s situation sets a tone for the show that is forever looming not only her but the other characters as well. Sure it may be easy to ridicule Yuki for not being able to face reality and come to terms with her situation. This however is the most relatable character if you think about it. Every one of us has had those moments in life where we were shaken to the core and it takes us a while to get back on track. Not always do we get back up right away either. In fact there may be times where we revert back to a previous self to try to protect ourselves from facing something like that ever again. Yuki isn’t weak, she just needs time to deal with the trauma she’s had.
It’s not like she is just some crybaby curled up into a ball either. Having her be in her disillusioned fantasy world helps bring light to some of the darkest parts of the show. She inspires the other girls to stay strong with her uppity attitude and is always there trying her best for her friends. The fact that she is disillusioned almost helps the situation they are in if you think about how the other characters react to her carefree antics.
Yuki isn’t the only character who has a great amount of depth to them that helps sell this cute girls vs. zombies scenario. The whole cast is very relatable and charming. Their conflicting chemistry with one another is great to watch as well, and it really shows just how close these girls have been forced to become given their dire circumstances. Their closeness and relationships with each other is what drives the show, so its redundant to keep saying that it’s great, but it is.
Symbolism of Zombies
While I wouldn’t consider School Live! a horror show I think that its core message is delivered a lot like a horror story. And I’m not talking about horror movies like “Saw” or “Human Centipede”. I’m talking about classic horror films (honestly though I’ve probably seen more of the former). In School Live!, like most horror works, the main threat is an allegory for something else that the characters are facing internally.
In School Live! the zombies represent the inevitability of change and the fact that every one needs to move on with their life even though it seems scary. Sure a plot that’s been tackled before, but still interesting none the less. This running theme throughout the show gives the shows school setting justification because it’s what they ultimately need to move on from. They all know they can’t stay in the school forever because the zombies will get in, but they try to avoid the fact with wacky antics all the while avoiding the problem. This is what made the show feel so real to me because I’ve had that same mindset on countless things in my life as well. It’s message is timeless because until we die there will be things that we have to face that may seem foreign and scary, but we must do them or else we won’t be able to move on, in turn dying in a sense. Even if their circumstances are a little more extreme, Yuki and her friends have to come to terms with graduating, even if that means making decisions that they won’t know the outcome of.
One other equally strong message in the show is coming to terms with loss and mistakes that you have made in the past. To be fair this message plays in a lot with the first message but at the same time holds weight on its own. The girls are constantly regretting things that have happened and can’t seem to get over them. They blame themselves as “could have” “would have” thoughts start to plague their mind, and this ultimately holds them back from moving forward. Its only when they come to terms with the things that have happened and the things that are happening, that they are able to move forward. Personally I think that one of the best things a show that is trying to have depth can do is have overlapping themes, so its fair to say that this hit a major button with me. And I think that it will with most people.
Annoying Zombie and Cute Girl Stuff
While School Live! is as close to a masterpiece as a show like this can be, it still has some stupid things that if dwelled on can ruin parts of the show. One of these things is the fact that the level of danger that the characters are feeling and the show is portraying aren’t always consistent. Sometimes the music and scene composition are trying to make a moment really intense, but when I see a bunch of girls with only one having a weapon and prepared to kill a zombie, it sort of confuses me on how I should be feeling. I’m not expecting that all these girls have sawed off shotguns or anything, but Jesus, you would think you would be prepared to be attacked by zombies when they are literally surrounding your school. Maybe they are overly confident in their barricades but it just seems dumb to me. Most of these scenes are caused by Yuki’s carefree whims in her seemingly zombie free world that everyone is trying to go along with. But it would have been nice to have more scenes where everyone else is nervously trying to stay cautious while wearing a happy-go-lucky face for Yuki.
Another thing is that whenever a character is trying to get away from a zombie, it always seems like the zombie should have got them. Theres a scene where a girl is standing on a piano and its surrounded by zombies that could easily reach up and grab her. But they don’t, instead she just tip toes around until someone comes and distracts the zombies. This happens a few times and I kinda roll my eyes every time. I get that they are trying to make it as tense as possible but don’t put the zombies hand right next to her face, if you do that I expect that person to die. They try to get the zombies so close to make it feel intense but every time it just looks like the zombies are too stupid to just grab them. You can have close calls but there’s a point where you have to say, “yeah there really isn’t any logical way for them to get out of this”. That’s when you know you have to pull back on the reins if you intend for this person to survive this encounter.
So Yeah Best Zombie Thing
I think its safe to say that this show did a whole lot of things right. Those things just so happen to fit perfectly in with my tastes, which is why I enjoyed it so much. With that said, I can easily see how someone can take this show and not relate to its meaning as deeply as I did. But even if you didn’t enjoy the execution as much as I did, it’s still a show that can spark a conversation about bigger and important things, and that’s a sign of true art. Which is exactly what School Live! is.
With the release of Spectre just around the corner, Daniel Craig is making the press rounds discussing both the hotly-anticipated new entry into the James Bond franchise, and the future of the character. More specifically, his own future as 007. Well, despite recent reports Craig was on board for at least one more Bond adventure, his recent interview with Time Out London made it seem like the actor was over it all.
In the interview, Craig spews apathy and a hint of disdain for the character and wanting to return. When asked about returning, he had this to say:
“I’d rather break this glass and slash my wrists. No, not at the moment. Not at all. That’s fine. I’m over it at the moment. We’re done. All I want to do is move on… I haven’t given it any thought. For at least a year or two, I just don’t want to think about it. I don’t know what the next step is. I’ve no idea. Not because I’m trying to be cagey. Who the fuck knows? At the moment, we’ve done it. I’m not in discussion with anybody about anything. If I did another Bond movie, it would only be for the money.”
It gets better, especially when the interview focused on who Daniel Craig thinks should replace him in the franchise:
“Look, I don’t give a fuck. Good luck to them! All I care about is that if I stop doing these things we’ve left it in a good place and people pick it up and make it better. Make it better, that’s all… You’ve got to step up. People do not make movies like this any more. This is really rare now. So don’t be shit…Go for it. Embrace it. Some clichéd line like that. But no, just make sure you’re great. You’ve got to push yourself as far as you can. It’s worth it, it’s James Bond.”
Quite blunt talk from Craig, who sounds less and less interested in moving forward with any more James Bond films. It’s a pretty odd new angle, especially since he mentions he’s contractually obligated for another film in the middle of the interview.
Regardless, Spectre looks badass, and if Daniel Craig isn’t interested in hopping back behind the wheel of the Astin Martin, then don’t make him. The apathy can be felt through the screen when actors are over the character.
The trailer for the Sherlock Christmas Special episode starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman has been released!
It was announced yesterday with a 10 second teaser that we would “see a bit more…” today at 9pm UK time. Lots of the fans’ comments on BBC’s Sherlock Facebook page speculated on what it could be, but most of them were far from the correct answer. Obviously, they weren’t about to drop a new episode of the show, guys. And the Special is set to air in the UK and selected international theaters on December 25th… you know, Christmas.
Only a few figured it would be a trailer, and they were right. Here it is!
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK7oLSM7g8w[/embedyt]
During SDCC 2015 in July, a first look at the Sherlock Christmas Special was revealed, which got a very good response. The co-creators of the show, Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, said that the Victorian era the special is set in is the “right time” for the characters, as it is Sherlock Holmes’ canon time. But the changes they’ve made to the show, mainly giving a bigger attention to female characters will most likely make it more interesting. They even introduced Molly Hooper, who’s not a character in any of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories.
“The stage is set, the curtain rises, we are ready to begin…”
I’m still on the fence about the different era aspect, because we’ve already seen Victorian Sherlock before. My appeal for the show is how unique it turned out to be in modern times, but I’ll still watch it in December, no doubt. At least it seems that there is a good reason why they made this change for a special occasion, although Moffat has said that the episode in itself is not set during Christmas holidays.
Season 4 of Sherlock will start filming “Next year, April-ish,” also said Moffat in a recent interview with Collider.
DC Comics dropped Action Comics #45 in your local comic book store today and with it we get a new direction for Clark Kent and Superman. Enter in Archie Clayton.
As this new epic begins, the Man of Steel’s identity as Clark Kent has been exposed. He’s been beaten and pushed to the brink in his quest to regain his powers while his enemies have gathered their forces. And now, Clark must ask himself the ultimate question: Should he even continue as Superman?
As the action begins, a new hero emerges to fight for Justice—and against Superman!
Writers Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder have turned the Man of Steel’s life upside down but this is an interesting twist for our hero. Just because you don’t have the power anymore doesn’t mean Superman is any less of a hero, he’s just going to get hurt now. Be careful Clark, um Archie!
Brian Michael Bendis, the co-creator of Jessica Jones announced the release of a new Jessica Jones one-shot that takes place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel has made the one-shot available as a free download through Comixology.
“WEDNESDAY BOMB DROP! I am so excited to give to you. a BRAND NEW JESSICA JONES comic FOR FREE. By myself, Michael Gaydos and David Mack. It is in the Marvel TV Universe and it celebrates the new show and the connective tissue that will build between the series. And a big THANK YOU to all of you for your support, excitement and enthusiasm for Jessica and everything else,” said Bendis on Tumblr.
The show takes places after a tragic end to her short-lived Super hero career. The series follows Jessica as she rebuilds her personal life and career as a detective who seems to get cases involving people with super abilities in New York City. Marvel’s Jessica Jones premieres on November 20th on Netflix.
The series stars Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones, David Tennant as Kilgrave, Mike Colter as Luke Cage, Rachael Taylor as Patricia “Trish” Walker, and Carrie-Anne Moss. Marvel’s Jessica Jones is Executive Produced by series Showrunner Melissa Rosenberg and Liz Friedman, along with Jeph Loeb, who also serves as Marvel’s Head of Television.
Marvel’s Jessica Jones is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios for Netflix.
If you see one documentary this year, just one, it should be He Named Me Malala. Part humanizing family portrait, part propaganda piece, the film is a fascinating and ultimately inspiring glimpse into the life of a world leader, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, a miraculous survivor of extremist violence and an activist fighting for the right of young girls to obtain an education, who also happens to be a seventeen-year-old girl going to school, worried about her homework, her grades, and her family life. Crafted with a unique blend of documentary footage, archival footage, and painted animation, it transcends expectations in terms of what one might expect stylistically from a documentary, just as it educates and uplifts thanks to the remarkable young woman at its center, and her courageous ongoing fight for young women everywhere.
Director Davis Guggenheim (Waiting for ‘Superman’, An Inconvenient Truth) takes a non-linear approach to Malala Yousafzai’s story, hinting at the outset of the film at the violence visited upon her and her friends by the Taliban in 2013 as reprisal for her outspokenness, but not detailing it, its precursors or its aftermath until much later. Rather, Guggenheim starts audiences with the story behind the inspiration for Malala’s very name, how her father Ziauddin, an outspoken activist for youth education in his own right, came to give her that name and what it means to the both of them. Cameras follow Malala as she introduces audiences to her family members and her life living in exile in England, going to a private school surrounded by girls her age whose daily existences, revolving as they do simply around classes, boyfriends, and gossip, leave her feeling even more isolated. The film juxtaposes moments featuring Malala and her father traveling abroad to speak to girls in schools in Nigeria, or to volunteer with relief efforts for Syrian refugees fleeing the civil war there into neighboring Jordan, with moments where she’s talking about less-than-high marks on school tests and star athletes whose exploits she follows and who she may or may not have a crush on. And in key moments that depict her childhood growing up in the one-building school Ziauddin founded in their home village, or the months and days leading to the Taliban’s effort to permanently silence her, Guggenheim turns the narrative reins over to animation designer Jason Carpenter (The Renter), who brings the scenes to life in bold, vibrant, painted strokes that are evocative of both a child’s watercolor depictions of the world and ancient historical pictographs. The resulting hybrid film, made complete by archival footage covering Malala’s recovery from the Taliban attack to her meetings with world leaders and her historic speech at the United Nations, is as truly unique as its chief subject.
Now, there’s no getting around the fact that He Named Me Malala is a propaganda film, and that alone might potentially be a turn-off to movie goers seeking entertainment that’s less grounded in reality. But make no mistake: the primary message here, the primary intent of the film makers and the Yousafzai family, to all appearances is to rally support around their efforts to lead the fight for girl’s education around the world, to showcase why this cause was important to them long before the bloody incident that made Malala a figure known to the entire world for her courage and fortitude, and why it remains important to them, important enough to suffer ongoing threats to their lives.
Yes, the film can also certainly be viewed as an indictment of extremist elements in the Muslim world, as the Yousafzais make no secret of their belief that the Taliban and those like them have hijacked and tainted the name and meaning of Islam to those both within and outside of their faith. Because Islam and the extremist politics that dominate any conversation regarding the Middle East are such hot button topics in the media these days, it might be easy for Western audiences to simply characterize He Named Me Malala as “anti-Taliban” or “pro-Islam”, but to do so would be dismissive of the film’s more noble and humble aspirations. This isn’t just a movie for those who concern themselves with the politics of the Middle East and religious extremism. This is for anyone who believes that young people are entitled to an education, regardless of their gender or their faith. It’s a film for those who value our children and the future they represent.
What’s probably most striking about He Named Me Malala aside from its stylish approach to its storytelling is just how commanding a figure Malala Yousafzai really is at such a young age. Despite the physical limitations now upon her thanks to the injuries she suffered, she answers questions, tells stories, and makes speeches at all times with tremendous poise, eloquence, and thoughtfulness. Even when she’s at her most girlish, talking about how she handles her brothers, her love and admiration for her parents, or why she likes tennis star Roger Federer, there’s a self-awareness present in her bearing that’s simply remarkable for a teenager, even one who has experienced what she has. If you choose to see He Named Me Malala, no doubt you’ll come away from it admiring the young activist and looking forward to the great things she’s sure to accomplish in the future. But you’ll also be charmed by the warmth, intelligence, and heart of the teenage girl behind the public figure.
He Named Me Malala
Directed by Davis Guggenheim.
Running Time: 87 minutes
Rated PG-13 for thematic elements involving disturbing images and threats.
Joe Quesada, Marvel’s Chief Creative Officer released a Daredevil concept art poster for the Netflix series on his Tumblr account Tuesday. Quesada also stated the posters will be made available at New York Comic Con.
If you want a poster, this might be the panel to attend on Saturday.
The Netflix Original Series Marvel’s Jessica Jones and Marvel’s Daredevil
Sat. October 10 | 5:00 PM – 6:45 PM | Main Stage 1-D Presented by AT&T
Join the cast of the new Netflix original series, Marvel’s Jessica Jones, in their first-ever appearance, as they answer questions and reveal secrets from the hotly-anticipated show debuting on Netflix later this year and celebrate some of the greatest moments from season 1 of Marvel’s Daredevil. Moderated by Jeph Loeb (Marvel’s Head of Television), this Panel promises to be one you won’t want to miss!
You could also checkout the Marvel booth: 1354
New York Comic Con takes over the city starting October 8th through the 11th at the Javits Center.
Daredevil is Executive Produced by Doug Petrie, Marco Ramirez and Drew Goddard, along with Marvel TV’s Jeph Loeb. The series stars stars Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Jon Bernthal, Elodie Yung and Rosario Dawson. The second season of Daredevil is currently filming and will return to Netflix in 2016.
Photo: Daredevil concept art, poster will be made available at NYCC this week! http://t.co/Xt0i4a5oMw
James Gunn the director and writer of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 cleared a legal hurdle Wednesday morning when the legal department at Disney cleared the use of the Sneeper alien race in his sequel.
Why is this a big deal you ask? Sneeper is similar to the word meaning ‘clitoris’ in Icelandic. After countless hours of research on Mickey Mouse’s dime, the legal department has deemed that no one will be offended if these aliens are in a film.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will be in theaters on May 5, 2017.
Sneeper update. A couple weeks back I told you how the Marvel legal department advised against using Sneeper as an alien…
Every anime season brings with it a number of shows that only clock in at about 4-12 minutes an episode. Sometimes, that even includes opening and closing songs, so the actual content is even shorter. Many of these shows have staff or cast members with very little work under their belts, and some are never picked up by a streaming service. Here’s a quick rundown of the shorts that are out thus far this season, aside from sequels to shows that I haven’t seen yet and those I can’t find legally streaming (which are all noted at the bottom).
Hackadoll the Animation
Director: Ikuo Geso Animation Production: Creators in Pack TOKYO (Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers, Rail Wars), Trigger (Kill la Kill, Little Witch Academia) Streams on:Crunchyroll
Hackadolls 1, 2, and 3 are part of a social media news app, and have very bad performance reviews. If they don’t start “advancing” human life, they will be deleted. Their job is to gather a person’s interests and through those help people to “advance”. Hijinks ensue when one girl is embarrassed about her interests and everything the hackadolls try backfires. The show is a bit ecchi and there’s a bunch of breast shots (and grabbing, right in the opener). It’s not great, but it’s alright, and the fact that it’s based off a real news app amuses me.
Hakone
AKA: Onsen Yousei Hakone-chan Director: Takeyuki Yanase (Himegoto. Has also done a lot of animation director work.) Animation Production: Asahi Production (Himegoto, Million Doll, Sugar Bunnies), Production Reed (Supernatural: the Anime series, Nijiiro Days) Streams on:Crunchyroll
Touya’s job is to maintain and make offerings to the well/hot spring in his back yard. One day he accidentally drops his steamed bun into it while making a wish. Hokone, the spirit who guards the spring, eats the offering and makes fun of his wish (which was to be closer to a girl called Haruna-nee). She promises not to tell anyone about the wish for more food. Then she meets Haruna-nee and decides to honor the wish with less than stellar results.
I was disappointed in this show because Hakone looks sweet and cute, and I was hoping for it to be a nice slice of life as they try to build her powers back up. But Hokone seems like a “tsundere” character instead of a sweet one, and it looks like there’s going to be ecchi hijinks, so I’m not really as interested anymore.
Kagewani is a horror anime. The characters look like watercolored paper cutouts which makes the realistic backgrounds seem eerie. Also, the characters themselves look real when the “camera” pulls back.
This particular episode was about a film crew who goes in to a forest to film a fake dinosaur sighting, and they all end up being killed by a giant reptilian monster one by one. At the end, our science protagonist Sousuke Banba shows up, and something is clearly wrong with him. It’s wonderfully creepy. Some of the scenes reminded me of The Blair Witch Project.
Komori-san is unable to refuse to help someone who asks her for help. The trade-off is she supposedly has superpowers because of this flaw, but those haven’t shown up yet. The episode sets up Komori’s inability to refuse and the enjoyment she gets from helping others. Her friends try to think of ways to make Komori more unnoticeable so she isn’t taken advantage of, but nothing works. It’s kind of cute, but Komori has giant breasts for some reason, and the director makes sure you see them jiggle over and over again, which ruins the cuteness for me.
JK-Meshi!
Director: Mitani Yasumichi Animation Production: Kyotoma, Office Nobu. Neither have any other credits as far as I can tell. Streams On: Crunchyroll
The episode starts out with three girls studying for a history test. Then they get bored of that and one of them decides to cook for the others. They discuss all the ingredients and how they’re good for you. Then they eat the food. I would like the 3.5 minutes of my life I wasted back, please…but also, I kind of want to eat that tomato-miso-soup.
Lovely Muuuuuuuco!
Director: Romanov Higa Animation Production: DLE Inc. (Did a number of shows I never heard of, and the ending animation for Seiyu’s Life, which changed each week.) Streams on:Crunchyroll
Muco is a shiba inu who belongs to a glassblower named Komatsu-san. Komatsu-san is trying to set up a new website for his wares, and he is told to make his dog the company mascot to help attract people to his online storefront. The show is mostly watching Muco do dog things and a bit of actual plot, part of which is still seen through Muco’s point of view. It’s the cutest show this season by far. It seems to be the third season of the show, but the first two aren’t streaming anywhere and frankly aren’t needed to enjoy this season.
If you are the type to go on YouTube and watch other people’s dogs do cute stuff, you should consider this show. It also seems to be family-friendly. It’s always nice to have something you can show to kids or to people a bit wary of anime.
Miss Monochrome the Animation: Season 3
Director: Yoshiaki Iwasaki (Hayate the Combat Butler, Love Hina) Animation Studio: LIDEN FILMS and SANZIGEN Animation Studio (Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, The Heroic Legend of Arslan) Streams on:Crunchyroll
This show is simply continuing straight from the summer season. Miss Monochrome is an android who is striving to stand out and become an idol so she can get closer to KIKUKO, her role model and rival. She is still busy gathering up crew and resources for her first concert tour. In this episode she finds a DJ in the most unlikely of places, which is basically how she finds everyone.
Miss Monochrome definitely needs the background of the previous seasons to understand what’s going on. Fortunately, they are both on Crunchyroll. If you enjoyed previous seasons, this is more of the same kind of deadpan comedy, relying more on quirkiness of the characters and comedy of errors than any fabulous storytelling.
Aya Tachibana is a 6th grader who doesn’t really talk to anyone and thus has no friends currently. After having an embarrassing run-in with some popular boys from the KZ Soccer Team at her cram school, she ends up in a special class with them. This class is supposed to help people with grades that are outstanding in one area and poor in another, but if the show’s description is anything to go by, they are going to form a team and solve some mysteries together. First up will be finding team member Wakatake’s bike, which apparently has been stolen.
This is a typical shoujo show with a reverse-harem. We have the insecure female lead Aya, who at least seems able to stand up for herself, and we have our motley crew of boys so that fans can decide who to they want Aya to fall in love with depending on their tastes. Choose from surly Wakatake, flirty Kuroki, stoic glasses-wearer Uesugi, and fun-loving Kozuka! Despite its formulaic characters and plot, the show is cute and I found myself a bit disappointed that it is a not a full-length anime. It would have been nice if mystery was solved within the episode instead of just freshly revealed at the end.
Other Fall 2015 Anime Shorts
If watching a bunch of short shows is up your alley, here are some others which are airing this season. Not all of them are streaming, and there could be more since some shows don’t air until next week.
Teekyuu Season 6 – In theory, about girls in a tennis club. I hear this is debatable. Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Kyoufu! Zombie Neko – A cat rises from its grave but manages to make the townsfolk love it anyway. I would watch this one if it was streaming anywhere.
Neko Nanka Yondemo Konai. – This is a series of animated shorts about a boxer who becomes a manga artist after being injured. It is meant to commemorate the live-action movie which is coming out next year. Streaming sites haven’t picked it up, which is a shame because I would watch it.
Kowaban – A horror anime using the rotoscoping technique. If this is streaming anywhere yet, I haven’t found it. I promise you I looked, just because horror anime is so hard to come by.
Ameiro Cocoa: Rainy Color e Youkoso! – Season 2 of Rainy Cocoa.Funimation has it listed but so far hasn’t released episode 1 yet.
Bottom Biting Bug Season 4 – I don’t even want to know. This is on Crunchyroll.
Neko no Dayan: Nihon e Iku – Season 2 of Dayan the Cat. It hasn’t aired yet but season 1 isn’t streaming anywhere.
Fushigi na Somera-chan – follows the life of a girl who has mysterious powers. This show hasn’t been picked up for streaming.
Diabolik Lovers More, Blood – I haven’t seen season 1. It involves a girl who ends up living with sadistic vampire guys, and you can watch it on Crunchyroll. That extra comma is driving me nuts.
Attack on Titan: Junior High – This is a parody of Attack on Titan in which the characters are all in junior high. It’s actually amusing, so if you are a fan of AoT you should give it a watch over on Funimation. It’s a bit too long to be considered a “short”, clocking in at 17 minutes, but it’s still worth a mention.
