Akagami no Shirayuki-hime | The Chuuni Corner

October 10, 2016

Banjo’s Top 10 Winter 2016 Anime

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans / Episode 1 / The first appearance of the Gundam Barbatos

And the winners of Winter 2016 are…

Not too long ago, I had a conversation with one of my uncles about films. We were watching Pixar’s Up at the time, and he said something that caused us to get into a (calm) argument.

“Animated stuff will never make for top-tier experiences.”

It is his belief that films like Schindler’s List and Rain Man will always be better than something like Toy Story or Finding Nemo — simply because the former are “real” while the latter aren’t.

Obviously, I disagreed.

How could I not? While the conversation was geared at computer-generated animation, my mind instantly went to anime. It’s the same principle. Yes, anime about giant, metal balls or high-school kids competing with hover boots may not be the next All About Eve. But anime has the capacity to tell intricate stories. The rationality to explore relatable characters. The ability to simply be downright fun.

I could not change his viewpoint (which I tried to do), but, through our small debate, I grew even more fond of this medium that I have come to adore so much.

So it is that, on this day, we look back on the Winter 2016 anime season to reflect on the best of the best, those that prove anime (and other animated media) can be and are top-tier experiences.

This time around, twenty-two anime showed up to fight for a spot. Ten succeeded, but only one claimed the title of Best Anime of Winter 2016.

Before diving into the list, it is important to know two ideas: what counts and the reasoning behind everything.

First, I am an advocate of an anime counting in the season in which it completed. Meaning, whether it is fantastic or not, something like Assassination Classroom Second Season has no place here despite starting in Winter 2016. On the opposite end, an anime like Utawarerumono: Itsuwari no Kamen does have a shot since it concluded in Winter 2016 despite starting the season prior.

Meaning, if you do not see Utawarerumono: Itsuwari no Kamen here on my list, that means I either did not see it or it was simply not good enough. (It’s the latter!)

I’m going to repeat this statement one more time: An anime counts if it completed in Winter 2016.

Some of my wonderful readers miss this important detail that I adhere to, so, now having said it twice, I get to call them goofballs should that happen again (here and forever after).

Second, each anime has a personalized review that demonstrates why it deserves to be here in the first place. Simply click on an anime’s name to be linked to its review to read my complete thoughts on it. For every review that I wrote for this season, follow this link to my Winter 2016 Reviews page!

With all of the introductions, formalities, and rules out of the way, it is time to get to my Top 10 Winter 2016 Anime!

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August 14, 2016

Review/discussion about: Akagami no Shirayuki-hime 2nd Season

Akagami no Shirayuki-hime 2nd Season / Episode 2 / Zen saying goodnight to Shirayuki the night before she leaves for Tanbarun

Not quite ripe

I’ve never liked apples.

Sure, their outer casing is both shiny and biodegradable. But it’s a literal chore to completely peel the skin off (if one does not have a utensil or does not like the taste). Plus, they hurt my teeth. The acidity has always ruined any chances of me eating anything more after consuming these “toxic” fruits.

Akagami no Shirayuki-hime 2nd Season features an apple of sorts. But, thankfully, it is an apple that is far from toxic.

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March 8, 2016

Banjo’s Top 10 Summer 2015 Anime

Rokka no Yuusha / Episode 1 / Adlet declaring his need to be one of the Braves

Who are the winners this Summer 2015?

I finally finished reviewing every anime (that I was watching) from Summer 2015!

What this five-month-long journey has taught me is that anime is timeless. It does not matter when you watch an anime. Be it while it is airing, several months after it finishes, or ten years down the line, that anime will still be itself. An anime about a boy trying to become king or an anime about a world where everything lewd is censored will not change. They will still hold the same stories, the same characters, and the same messages. And that is pretty awesome.

Today, however, we are concerned with the best of the best from Summer 2015. After reviewing twenty-nine different anime, ten have proven their worth more so than the rest, and only one has earned the title “Best Anime of Summer 2015.”

Before diving into the list, it is important to know two ideas: what counts and the reasoning behind everything.

First, I am an advocate of an anime “counting” in the season in which it completed. Meaning, whether it is fantastic or not, something like God Eater has no place here despite starting in Summer 2015. On the opposite end, an anime like Kyoukai no Rinne does have a shot since it concluded in Summer 2015 despite starting the season prior.

So, if you do not see Kyoukai no Rinne here on my list, that means I either did not see it or it was not good enough to make the list. (It is the latter!)

With all of the introductions, formalities, and rules out of the way, it is time to get to my Top 10 Summer 2015 Anime!

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January 6, 2016

Review/discussion about: Akagami no Shirayuki-hime

A fairy tale beginning

(As supplementary material for this review, please refer to my writing on the similarities of this anime, Shirayuki and Snow White Similarities)

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall. Who is the fairest of them all?” This iconic phrase is most often credited to the animated, Disney-made film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. That is actually a pretty difficult question to answer, no matter what is being compared.

I would consider myself a big Disney fan. I like Goofy and Donald – mostly thanks to my extensive time playing the Kingdom Hearts series – but I have an affinity for its fairy tales, too. Tarzan, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin are among my favorite animated, fairy tale films (which, coincidentally enough, are also within the Kingdom Hearts series…). There is just something about the blending of the real and the magical, the budding romance, and the supremely happy endings that fills me with pure joy.

Akagami no Shirayuki-hime, otherwise known as Snow White with the Red Hair, is not technically a Disney-made anime, but it is a fairy tale. A tale that instills similar feelings of joy.

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January 4, 2016

Shirayuki and Snow White Similarities

Just how similar is Snow White to Snow White?

Akagami no Shirayuki-hime, or in English, Snow White with the Red Hair. A peculiar title since half of it is not even its own. Of course, this anime’s title is derived from another animation, and quite the famous one at that: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Most people have heard of the movie. Snow White, a maid working for the Queen, evades her demise, helps a group of dwarfs, and lives happily-ever-after. [1] For those that do know of the movie, they most likely ask themselves a simple question when the name of the anime is heard. Exactly how much is Snow White with the Red Hair similar to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?

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