10 Best Anime OP’s of Winter 2018 – Listing Compulsive

For a minute I thought about making a new blog just for this subject but I realised, that just because a lot of my content is reviews in the 20 Question Format and my blog is called Anime Q and A, didn’t mean I couldn’t shake things up a little. So begins the blog posts under the ‘Listing Compulsive’ banner, they will be countdown style lists where I count down from 10 to 1 my best (or sometimes worst) things related to anime and manga. Also it should go without saying but like all lists these picks are subjective, we all have different tastes so if you don’t agree with me feel free to state why in the comments, it’s always interesting to read other people’s opinions!

The subject of this list, as you can no doubt tell is The 10 Best Anime OP’s of Winter 2018, and to make this list as comprehensive as possible I decided to listen to every anime opening credit song from this seasons crop of shows. Obviously I’ll try and divorce my opinions of the show from the ranking of these songs because it is solely about the music, not the visuals of the opening and certainly not the quality of the show attached to it. I’m also only listening to the version of the song as it plays over the credits, not the full-length song! Music is important, especially to anime, a single great song can inspire you to watch it, whether because of how much it pumps you up, or because how cute it sounds, or maybe it’s just an amazing song fullstop. All were the case with the songs that made it into this list and so with those parameters laid out let’s count down the 10 Best Anime OP’s of Winter 2018!

*Note: I tried to be as thorough as possible, however I may have missed some! Excluded from eligibility are shows that have a different opening every episode, or shows that have an opening 30 seconds or under.*

Number 10: “OVER” by Little Glee Monster from Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

Boruto? I love Mexican food!

I gotta be honest with you, I’ve never seen a single episode of Naruto, or Naruto: Shippuden or whatever the hell Boruto is. But this song is a straight up toe-tapper! It’s captures the kind of wonder and spirit of adventure that a lot of great Shonen theme songs have.

Number 9: “Colors Power ni Omakasero!” by Colors☆Slash from Mitsuboshi Colors

“Mitsuboshi JUMP!”

As much as I tried and I mean tried to make this list impartial and not influenced by the show itself, I admit this pick and the number two pick I couldn’t separate from the show. But it’s hard when you have the voice actresses singing the song and so you remember all the good times from the show and you can even begin to pick out their personalities in the lyrics.

Number 8: “FEELING AROUND” by Minori Suzuki from Ms Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles

Anyone else hungry?

The beat in this song is so damn infectious, and then when the chorus hits, just magic!

Number 7: “KISS OF DEATH” by Mika Nakashima x Hyde from Darling in the FranXX

Shame they couldn’t put such a good song in a better show.

Proof of the power of a great song, I dislike the show immensely but absolutely LOVE this song; it’s like a James Bond opening from the future! It’s sexy and stylish and just plain cool.

Number 6: “SHINY DAYS” by Asaka from Yuru Camp.

Partially English chorus? Don’t mind if I do!

Even if the opening few seconds are a bit too close to sounding like a Jackson 5 song the rest of it is pure joy and happiness, it just makes me smile!

Number 5: “OH MY Sugar Feeling!!” by Ayana Taketatsu from Dagashi Kashi 2

This song is a sugar high in music form.

It’s not as much as an earworm as some shows on the list; you won’t be humming it in the shower like SHINY DAYS, but while you’re listening to it is quite literally a high. It’s high speed, high intensity and high fun!

Number 4: “The Girls Are Alright” by saya from A Place Further Than The Universe

Nothing cold about this heartwarming tune!

I love the progression in this song, the fact that manages to fit such a quiet, almost contemplative opening, then build, then build then finally explode into that addictive chorus is pure art.

 

Number 3: “Flashback” by MIYAVI vs. KenKen from Kokkoku.

 

I-spy an anime with a super cool OP.

Such is the power of this particular song that it made me buy an Amazon Video subscription just so I can watch the show that this cool, head bopping song came from. Maybe the show will actually be good too? Either way the song still rocks. Also, the fact that it doesn’t sound like any other opening this year is also a massive point in its favour.

Number 2: “ne! ne! ne!” by STARTails☆ from Slow Start

Kamuri too precious. Must protect at all costs.

Yup! I’m a sucker for songs sung by the show’s voice cast, whether it’s cute girls like in Yuru Yuri or the whole damn class like in Assassination Classroom, I just think they’re so fun, and this is among the most fun this season! Also, hearing Kamuri sing her parts is just too precious for words!

Before the winner is announced here’s a couple of Honourable Mentions: 

Honourable Mention: “Azalea” by Nano.ripe from Citrus

Catchy as hell song, plus I really like the vocalists more rough sound, nice change from all the higher pitched cute girl songs.

Honourable Mention: “Psychomachia” by Yousei Teikoku from The Seven Heavenly Virtues

I don’t watch this show, but I will (pervert, etc), though I admit I didn’t expect death metal for an opening to an ecchi show. I have a soft spot for death metal because of my youth. Also it technically is ineligible because it’s only 30 seconds long, hence why it’s in the honourable mentions.

Honourable Mention: “WiSH VOYAGE” by IDOLiSH7

I’m not sure what boy band this song reminded me of, but I had a good time listening to it all the same, which is strange because I don’t like boy band music, must be because I don’t know what they’re saying that I enjoyed it more. This and “Azalea” just missed out of the top 10 but were worth highlighting all the same.

And now, my favourite favourite Anime OP of Winter 2018 is:

Number 1: “urar” by Chima from Hakumei and Mikochi

When I decided to do this list, even though I said to myself I would be open to songs from shows I wasn’t watching, I didn’t ever think that one would make it to the number one spot. That should go a long way to selling you on the strength of this particular track. I’ve never watched the show and yet it’s OP is Number 1! It’s whimsical but it has a mysterious dark edge to it that I find irresistible. There were parts of the song that reminded me of my favourite band Radiohead, at other times my favourite live action US TV-show Twin Peaks (composed by Angelo Badalamenti) but even without those musical parallels it’s just such a beautiful song, that honestly made me feel something, even though I had no idea what the song or the show it is attached to is about. But that’s the power of music, to be able to forge connections by sound alone.

And that’s the list, but stay tuned because while it is indeed a great season filled with great songs, there’s also 10 more songs to talk about, the worst OP’s of Winter 2018 coming soon!

20 Question Weekly Review Week Ending 4th March 2018

It’s March already! It’s March already! Which means it’s almost April! So many good shows are coming, I can’t waiiiiiii-

Anyway! So what’s new this week my dude? Please don’t.

Ahem, so what’s good in the weekly airing anime world? Lots of things this week. Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles warranted an individual episode review, Slow Start was fan(service)tastic! Citrus was on form and dramatic as heck (until it wasn’t). Yuru Camp was as good as it’s ever been!

So everything was good then? Did I say that? No, I said ‘lots’ not ‘all’.

Oh? Episode 8 of Darling in the FranXX gave me super sized conniption; you can read my frantic ravings here if you feel like witnessing the mental degradation of an anime fan.

Yikes! Remind me never to bring up that show again, yeah? You can ignore it all you want but it will find a way to invade my life even if I did drop it.

And other non-currently anime consists of? I finished ‘A Sister’s All You Need’; expect a review sooner than later. Started and almost finished ‘Yuru Yuri’ season 2 and dabbled in ‘Hozuki’s Coolheadedness’.

Fair enough. So what of the manga scene? “Manga scene”? Please, just stop trying to be cool.

Fine. What books did you read? Better. I read ’12 Beast’ Volume 1 which is from the author of one of my favourite manga’s ‘Monster Musume’. It… it was kind of disappointing! Like I don’t say this to many people, lest writers I like, but just stick to what you know! Action is not your forte!

By which you mean? I don’t get action anime in manga form, I know this is probably someone’s specific kryptonite, but like, wow, I can do romance, I can do comedy, I can do drama, but action just doesn’t come across well in manga form… at least where ’12 Beast’ was concerned. But maybe there are examples of manga that do have well drawn and easy to understand action. Leave a comment below if you have a recommendation!

Anything else you read? Yes! I read volume 1 of ‘Dragons Rioting’ which was a lot more interesting than I expected. I mean it’s not like it’s high-art or something but having a harem protagonist who will literally die if he gets aroused (because of a medical condition of course) is an interesting flip. And the action in it is actually well drawn and understandable so forget that whole comment about action coming across in manga from the previous question!

You okay? I don’t even know, haha! Also I read volume 1 of ‘NTR: Netsuzou Trap’.

What’s that mean? This isn’t a review, you don’t have to ask what the title means.

But I’m curious… It means ‘cucking’, but not in the way racist people on twitter use it.

Oh? Is the book any good? I really like it, I mean I know there was apparently some discourse when it came out among critics that it was dark and creepy. But I don’t get that at all, its kind of like Citrus, except a bit better? I’ve still only read Volume 1 of both so it’s hard to say, but they do feel very similar.

So any manga’s bought this week? Nope.

Oh. Any merch then? Nope!

Well, this is a kind of anticlimactic end to this blog post. Guess you should have asked those questions first, yeah?

Right. Obviously my fault… So do you at least have some news for the blog? Sure! Though some people already know this, but I’ll be reviewing manga on here soon, starting this week in fact!

Great, so how would you rate the week ending March 4^th 2018. The end of the week marked my first month blogging on wordpress about anime and I’m grateful for all the people who’ve continued to support me by reading my reviews, liking my posts, leaving comments and even nominating for awards. It’s been a great experience, a boon to my self-esteem and I look forward to many more months (and hopefully years) of writing reviews for you all and interacting with this wonderful and kind blogging community!

Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles Episode 9 – 20 Question Anime Review (Spoilers)

What’s the show? Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles Episode 9.

Another one? Didn’t expect another single episode review on this show so soon. Nor did I to be honest.

So did the show manage to subvert your expectations the way the previous episode did with the introduction of ‘hot boys’ into the fray? Umm, yes and no.

Do go on. Well there were no more scenes with ‘hot boys’ alas, so the shipping is put on hold, but I’m still holding out that it will become a romance anime at some point. I mean aside from the one-sided ‘romance’ between Koizumi-san and Yu.

So what subverted your expectations this time? Comedy!

Damn ramen zombies.

Oh? I thought it was always a comedy? Well on paper maybe, don’t get me wrong every episode had at least a few humorous moments but this is the first time the show has actually tried to be funny and pretty much succeeded throughout.

I half expected the Yuru Camp ‘narrator’ to appear at this point.

Interesting. Some examples? Well unexpectedly the episode starts in the mountains, and considering I watched Yuru Camp just before I almost thought we were about to have a crossover episode, but no, instead Koizumi is mountain climbing and we’re treated to a famous quote by mountaineer George Mallory, when asked “why do you climb mountains” he replied “because it’s there.” It’s an obvious joke when it comes to Koizumi but it’s well placed and having the screen fill up with the reply like it’s some deep sentiment is very amusing. What’s more it’s a beautifully animated segment, that contrasts with the heavily city based scenes the show is usually set in.

2 deep 4 me.

Seems like a lot of work just for a one-note payoff. Maybe, but the segment is still entertaining, plus there’s fun little moments like when Koizumi sets up a portable stove and begins cooking up ramen on a trail and the people passing her by begin muttering “ramen” like possessed drones at the apparently intoxicating sight and smells. Plus it’s just nice seeing Koizumi interact with other people like the elderly couple who asks her to take their photo.

Damn you Crunchyroll watermark!

Character building? That’s it! It’s character, not so much the characters themselves but the character of the show!

But dat art tho.

What do you mean? Okay so in the second segment, we’re introduced to a middle school boy named Kenta, who enters a ramen shop in order to get “revenge” on a bowl of ramen that defeated him previously and shamed him in front of his school friends. (Basically he couldn’t finish it because the serving is so large and he felt emasculated). Koizumi enters soon after, taking a seat beside him and orders a mega size potion of Buta Yarou ramen. After seeing the petite girl easily defeat her own super sized dish and order a soft serve desert he is motivated and finishes his bowl.

“Oh my god Becky look at her ramen, it’s… so… BIG”

So? Ugh, it’s hard to put into words, it’s a cute scene, besides if you’ve ever been to Japan you know not only the difficulty in finishing ramen but the shame in leaving anything in the bowl.

Synchronised slurping, new Olympic sport?

I guess that makes sense. Also the boy is the younger brother of the beauty-obsessed girl Misa, who is one of Yu’s good friends. So now there’s two brothers who’ve been taken in by Koizumi-san’s ‘unique’ charms, albeit in different ways.

That’s what she said.

Reverse harem? Where’d you learn such dirty words! Also, no I doubt it, but it is slowly expanding the universe of the show, which is fun and interesting even if it will probably amount to little, but I can dream…

Also the second segment takes place in Akihabara, I literally leapt out of my seat in excitement as I stayed on this very street last year!

And what else? Well in the episode’s third segment we see Misa exercising because she’s getting jealous about all the attention Koizumi has been getting from the boys at school. She sets out to “spy” on Koizumi to find out her beauty tricks and by “spy” she just blatantly confronts her and asks what new things she’s been doing? And it being Ms Koizimi the answer can only be one thing.

M. Bison: “OF COURSE!”

Ramen? Back fat!

Baby got back fat? No I already made a Sir Mix-a-Lot joke this blog…

Excuse me?! Well yes, ramen but back fat ramen, and the segment is introduced in such a hilarious fashion like I’d accidentally put in some sort of erotica! See this is the character of the show I was talking about, the sort of personality to the show itself that had been so lacking up to this point!

50 Shades of Ramen.

I think I get what you’re saying. It’s about the way it’s presented as opposed to the content therein? Well the content is important of course, but essentially yes, the show is experimenting with styles and presentation and feeling all the more loose and fun for it!

So how’s this segment. It’s probably the weakest of the three because it is a return to the normal format of ‘Koizumi and one of the other female side characters eating ramen’ but it too has a tad more comedy, in the form of a montage of all things as Misa gets seduced into eating more back fat ramen over the course of a week just so she gets the same “glowing” complexion Koizumi has had recently. Spoiler alert it’s because her face is greasy from eating ramen that’s covered in lard!

You say it like it’s a bad thing?

Ew, not sure how I feel about that. I admit, it’s not at the top of my list of ramen to try from this show but it is at least interesting!

Me at Melon Books in Akihabara.

So wrap this up, will ya? Right, so the first few episodes had the score hovering ‘round the mid 70’s out of 100, peaking in the high 70’s at some more interesting moments. Episode 8 had the score touching the low 80’s, and now, well if things continue this way, it could be a show worthy of mid 80’s by the time the season is done. This is not a weather report FYI. Hopefully the show continues to grow and change in these subtle but important ways, because I’m enjoying it all the more as it goes along.

20 Question Weekly Review Week Ending 25th February 2018

It’s been another week, huh? Yep. Time sure flies when you’re IMPATIENTLY WAITING FOR THE SPRING 2018 ANIME SEASON!

Yikes! What’s got you so wound up? There’s just so much good stuff coming out in April, I can’t wait!

Yeah well you have to wait, so shut up and let’s talk about what you watched this week. The usual is the usual, I’m not going to bother to post every show I’m watching week by week, it just feels lazy, click here if you want a show by show run down of the newly airing anime I’m watching.

Fair enough, but any highlights from those shows? Indeed! Citrus Episode 8 was particularly good, probably the best episode yet in fact, so much drama, it feels like Cruel Intentions except if every character was female and also if it was actually good and not some trash 90’s movie.

Take that movie nobody cares about in this, the year 2018. What else? Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles Episode 8 was so good I blogged about it here. Slow Start Ep 8 was adorable as usual, even if they didn’t continue the juicy plot line they established in the very special episode 7. Pop Team Epic 8 was funny. Darling in the FranXX continued to be heavily flawed and borderline trash. The rest was just the rest for better or worse, mostly better.

Koizumi-san brought some boys to the proverbial table this week and the show was all the more interesting for it.

Cool. And any other shows you started watching? Of course! It’s a big wide world of anime and I’m trying to take it all in!

Heh, so do go on. I watched 8 episodes of Yuru Yuri! It’s phenomenally good, like I’m in awe of how likable they made literally every character on this show, its mind-boggling. Plus it’s just plain fun from beginning to end. And then there’s Vatican Miracle Examiner [SPOILERS FOR THIS SHOW FROM HERE TIL END OF NEXT QUESTION], which I watched 4 episodes of and can sum up with four simple words, ‘Hitler Semen Immaculate Conception’.

What? WHAT!? Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever reacted so animatedly to an anime before, it’s a wild ride and I can only imagine where they go from there considering we had literal Hitler in the first 4 episodes of this show!

Wild indeed, but wow, I await your full review. It’s kind of spoiled now, but whatever, I’ll probably still review it!

Is that it for anime? No, I started ‘A Sister’s All You Need’, continued with ‘Teekyu’ and embarked upon the tit-tastic third season of ‘High School DxD’.

Great, and on the manga front? I got a lot in the mail! eBay sales continue to fund my addiction!

In case it wasn’t apparent, I have a thing for monster girls.

Yep, that’s a lot. But what did you read this week? I read volume one of ‘There’s A Demon Lord on the Floor’ which is cute like Blend-S but super sexy like Yusibu, it’s pretty derivative, I could pretty much call out all the similarities to other manga and anime as I read it but I still enjoyed it a lot.

What else? Finally got around to ‘Bloom Into You’ volume 1, and I’m almost sorry I waited so long, it’s a yuri manga but where the protagonist isn’t really into her love interest and it’s dense and complex but still fun and interesting. But this week’s true MVP is ‘Murcielago’ Volume One, which is a super twisted, violent and sexual manga about a notorious female serial killer who becomes the Japanese government’s assassin, tasked with taking out other serial killers who threaten the piece. She’s also a lesbian and total pervert, and while I’m the first to admit the gore in this anime is off-putting, the characters are terrific, the storylines intriguing and the sex scenes are genuinely erotic. Expect a full review of this manga soon!

I can’t wait? Why the question mark?

No sure if can’t wait. Hmm.

Anything else you wanted to talk about? The 2^nd Annual Anime Awards aired over the weekend. I didn’t watch it because I assumed it would be cringe and I didn’t want to get angry at all the wrong decisions that’d be made, but turns out for the most part the anime community has really good taste and pretty much voted the way I did. Which was a pleasant surprise. Very happy that My Hero Academia, Made in Abyss and my personal favourite show of 2017 Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid got recognition!

Froppy was robbed! Total best girl. But Ochako is okay too I guess.

Cool. And something else? Yes, I’ve had Discord mentioned to me a couple of times and I’m considering it the only thing is and this is embarrassing to admit, but I’m not actually sure what it is, I know it’s something people use to talk with other people but is it like text or is it voice? Or both?

I don’t know, I just assumed it was like MSN Messenger. How old are you?

Don’t pretend like you didn’t have it too and had a totally edgy user name with xx’s either side of your name. You don’t know me!

Well this kinda went off the rails. How would you rate the week ending the 25^th of February 2018? Good, just good. Nothing particularly remarkable happened in the real world, anime was great; blogging was great but otherwise pretty ordinary. Thanks for reading!

Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles Episode 8 – 20 Question Anime Review (Spoilers)

What’s the show? Ms Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles, Episode 8.

Ah, another single episode review, huh? Too great to wait ‘til the end of the season to talk about it? Not quite, while I’m apparently the only person who actually really likes this show, the episode itself wasn’t a standout in terms of quality but rather it did something interesting worthy of a discussion.

Right, so let’s back up a bit and give some context, what’s the show about? It’s about high school girl Koizumi-san and her impossibly deep love, affection and dare I say all consuming obsession for ramen noodles. It’s also about Yu Osawa, and her impossibly deep love, affection and dare I say all consuming obsession for Koizumi-san.

So it’s a? Maybe a slice of life? I’m not sure; it’s not consistently funny enough that I would call it a comedy. And Yu’s infatuation with Koizumi is very one-sided, so it’s not a Yuri or Romance. I think it’s safe to just call it a food slice of life anime until it develops an actual concrete genre.

This show is so ‘gifable’ too bad the gif website wasn’t working for me.

So what’s happened on the show up until episode 8? Lots of food porn. Lots of girls eating food and getting hot and bothered about it.

Koizumi comes with her own snapchat filters. No pun intended.

Like Food Wars “hot and bothered”? Not quite, no clothes come flying off on this show, it’s very grounded, well save for Yu, who over the episodes we’ve seen progresses from school girl crush to almost stalker levels of obsession.

She asked this with all sincerity, that’s how obsessed Yu is with Koizumi she wants to literally become ramen in order to be eaten by Koizumi.

And how’s the show treat this behaviour? It’s a source of almost all of the shows jokes, which for some people might be a reason not to watch the show. Though in Yu’s favour, she’s never creepy about it, and she states her intentions to follow Koizumi from ramen store to ramen store. If Koizumi did ever feel threatened by Yu, she’d have no problem standing up for herself, and Yu would probably back off… probably… At the moment Koizumi doesn’t really acknowledge Yu’s presence, in fact she’s friendlier with Yu’s other two friends, which I think is an important bit of characterisation.

Who are they? Misa and Jun, popular fashion type girl and nerdy bookworm type girl respectively.

Misa, Jun, Koizumi and Yu.

So I think that gives us enough context about the show, what makes episode 8 particularly interesting? Well the first half of the episode plays out like pretty much every other episode does, Koizumi goes to a ramen place, one of the three girls ends up tagging along for whatever reason, Koizumi goes into a long spiel about whatever type of ramen they’re eating then the two girls eat said ramen while blushing and moaning. There’s always a bit of character development thrown in so it’s not just watching girls slurp noodles, but, well… yeah it’s almost entirely that every time.

Close up slurp action, for those who are into that kind of thing. Not that there’s anything wrong with that!

And the second half? Suddenly hot boys!

Me too.

Right, can’t say I saw that coming. Who are they? Well save for the dark-haired one on the right who’s Shu, Yu’s older brother, the others are all new characters. Shu appeared briefly at the start of Episode 6 and got entranced by Koizumi’s beauty as she passed him on the street. But having an entire half of an episode completely focused on four different characters, and male ones at that was so unexpected and genuinely refreshing. Within minutes their characters archetypes are established and you want to see more of them and hopefully have them interact with the four girls in future episodes.

Why do I feel like they’re about to start a boy band?

Four girls, four boys. Are we assuming the show is lining them up to be love interests? Maybe. I mean, I will admit a passing sadness for the idea of Koizumi and Yu not getting together, but if the show does go the whole romance route I wouldn’t be opposed. It’s just hard to think how a show that’s been so food-centric will suddenly pivot into another genre. Granted, the boys only talked about food too, so it’s not like I’m expecting a massive upheaval it’s just interesting to think where it will go.

And you’re not bothered about a bunch of as you put it “hot boys” appearing in your otherwise clear broth of cute girls. Well it’s not a ramen without meat!

*childish giggle*

You could have also said “noodles”. I could have also said noodles, yes, that would also have been correct and a sufficient innuendo for penis.

Thick and firm.

Thanks for explaining the joke. But really, why so okay with it, I’m just surprised as all? Well, at the risk of sounding shallow, the girls on this show aren’t that cute, I mean in comparison to other shows I’m watching, don’t get me wrong still cute in the context of this show, but those boys are hot.

“I’ll have what she’s having”

Should I be asking who is ‘best boy’ instead of ‘best girl’? Hahaha. Totally long fringe purple hair boy on the end, his voice is so deep.

I was kidding, but thanks. Should I be worried about you? It’s fine. I’m just excited something different is happening in this show. I was a bit worried it would go stale if it didn’t shake things up, so hopefully they continue with this!

If you were starting to feel like it could go stale why keep watching? Because I think it’s a good show, it could be nostalgia for when I visited Japan clouding my vision; I love seeing all the attention to detail in the ramen shops. It just gives me such a warm feeling watching this show, almost like all those bowls of ramen I ate over there.

“Itadakimasu!”

That’s fair enough. Plus it’s not like there haven’t been glimmers of hope for some more interesting plot developments. Yu cooks Ramen for Koizumi at her house in episode 3, Koizumi helps a little German girl who gets lost in episode 6 which reveals her softer side plus the aforementioned brief encounter with Yu’s brother. But this episode marks a paradigm shift into some real potential for drama, can you imagine how Yu would react if her brother started dating the object of her obsession!

There wasn’t much actual stalking in this episode as Yu was at the beach so this image was taken from the opening credits.

Drama indeed! So final recommendation? If you’ve already dropped this show this season, perhaps this will be enough to get you to come back? If not I totally understand, it’s a very niche show and I can understand why some people would get bored of it. Either way I’m happy that things are starting to progress towards something different and look forward to the remaining episodes!