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Catching up on anime

New weekly feature highlights latest episodes

Starting this week, we're helping you catch up on the latest TV anime shows. We'll be providing a weekly synopsis to most all of the current shows available on sources, such as Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu and all the other generally available sources.

Let us know in our Facebook comments what you think.

Ace Attorney Episode 8

Anime News Network says, "The story of Turnabout Goodbyes is far from over, and it will likely get more episodes than Turnabout Sisters and Turnabout Samurai (three episodes each). The question now is whether the gravity and charm of this particular arc will shine through its already speedy pace." Read more here.

Assassination Classroom Season 2, Episode 20

According to Fandom Post, "Assassination Classroom brings out of its most fun episodes in a while as Class E is pitted against Asano and Class A in another sports match. While a lot of it plays pretty similarly to the baseball episode from the previous season, the zanier execution takes things up a notch and it's balanced by some good character moments regarding Asano and Isogai. It’s nice to get a reminder of just how much fun Assassination Classroom can be when it pulls out all the stops, and I’m hoping it won’t be long until its next strong showing." Read more here.

Bakuon!! Episode 8

According to Fandom Post, "Hijiri’s attempt to take the easy road into the biker class fails when Onsa learns that Hijiri’s brand new license was acquired through less than honest means. Attempts to teach her to ride a bike…lead to farcical results, but then that’s what Bakuon!! is all about. Then Christmas and New Year’s come around, leading to more time with the girls and their differing personalities. All in all a fun ride, even if the season in the real world feels far, far off in temperature." Read more here.

Bungou Stray Dogs Episode 8

Fandom Post's review says, "This time we meet Dr. Yosano in a much more extended format, spending the day with her craziness and getting to see how she can kick ass when she means business. There are likable qualities within this, but there’s still little to get overly excited about. The plot at least shows some signs of bringing back the big reveal we got episodes ago, so hopefully that improves things a bit." Read more here.

Concrete Revolutio Episode 20

Anime News Network's review said, "Concrete Revolutio continues a string of promising, thoughtful episodes by finally exploring the big elephant in its late 1960s-early 1970s room: the Vietnam War. "The Never-Ending War" is a fascinating exploration of the motivations behind this war and the costs it had for all sides, in the special fashion of one of anime's strongest authorial voices."

Read more here.

Crane Game Girls Episode 7

Fandom Post saw it this way: "Crane Game Girls is certainly amusing with what it presents here in how the girls react to it as everything has to be compressed due to the run time of the show. The way they’re upset in the final minute or so really does hit what it needs to do in presenting them this way but it was just nice to get them in someplace new than in the arcade for a bit and to see how they are in this area. Still, the show is weird and quirky and I can’t help but to watch at this point to see just what they’ll do with it." Read more here.

Flying Witch Episode 7

Fandom Post said, "I think this has been my favorite episode of Flying Witch yet. The foraging out in the woods gave us a chance to see Nao again, and we got one more wild food cooking lesson. The real highlight was the trip to a very secret café, which introduced a fun new character and an amazing new location. It has the perfect mix of magical realism and comfy wonderment that makes this show an entertaining and relaxing weekend watch." Read more here.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable Episode 8

The review from Fandom Post was: "Yukako Yamagishi Falls in Love, Part 1 maintains Diamond is Unbreakable’s horror aspects and pulls them off perfectly. Seeing the ordinary Yukako slowly unravel into this boy-crazed lunatic is honestly frightening, and seeing Koichi’s peers Josuke and Okuyasu try in vain to help him out of a seemingly impossible scenario provides just the right amount of humor to balance things out." Read more here.

Joker Game Episode 8

Fandom Post saw it this way: "I love the fact that we’re getting more of a story and even though at first I was scratching my head, I think the episode did a good job of being very subtle in managing the reveal. The way Gamou handles the investigation seems kind of crazy and nonsensical all the way to the murder which came out of nowhere by the way. It may be a coincidence but given this series track record with details, I don’t think so. I think it’s meant to show you the difference in methods, for example, forcing someone to cooperate with you under menace, is not the same as getting them on your side; and I think it shows how much more effective D Agency methods are. That is not to say Gamou doesn’t get the job done however, it’s just he’s more of an “any means necessary” kind of guy. Next week should prove interesting." Read more here.

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress Episode 6

According to Anime News Network: "Kabaneri's refusal to take itself too seriously just makes its more thoughtful material all the more satisfying, and I'm glad we got such a solid balance of action and character writing at this midway point. My optimism for this blockbuster remains high. Full steam ahead to the second half!" Read more here.

Koutetsujou no Kabaneri Episode 7

Fandom Post saw it this way: "It’s been a while since Kabaneri has been truly amazing, and there’s really nothing about this episode that is even exciting. The potential does offer come in its political setups and introduction of human enemies, which always prove to be substantially more terrifying than their mindless counterparts. There is some questionable characterization, which hopefully won’t last." Read more here.

Kumamiko - Girl meets Bear Episdode 8

The Anime News Netork review said, "Kumamiko still has plenty of sharp gags, and its general "quirky people in a quirky small town" concept still works for me. Its bold colors, character designs (both human and bear), and lush country backgrounds make it a joy to watch. Apart from the mockery of its heroine, it can be a surprisingly affectionate show too. I'm just getting a little frustrated at its mean-spirited moments, particularly for how much they're focused on just one character (as opposed to the more spread-out focus of other darker gag anime). Machi's a pretty typical teenage girl. She doesn't need to be constantly picked on for her idiosyncrasies." Read more here.

Mayoiga: The Lost Village Episode 8

According to Fandom Post, "The eighth episode of Mayoiga continues to build upon the mysterious story of the title while still having time to shed light on the backgrounds of its varied character roster. It’s becoming harder and harder to make assumptions about what is true and what isn’t — and frankly, that’s the most important part of the series. Just like the villagers in the show, viewers are tested in their beliefs and left to fend for themselves in terms of choosing sides. I expect the final few episodes of Mayoiga to become relatively faster in terms of pacing, considering the amount of loose ends that need to be tied up before the series reaches a conclusion. Regardless, Mayoiga remains as consistent as always." Read more here.

My Hero Academia Episode 8

Fandom Post said, "The fight may be over, but Bakugo’s shaming continues as between his loss to Deku and witnessing other students who clearly outclass him, he’s forced to acknowledge he’s not as almighty as he thinks. However, this setback now has him motivated to beat them and rise to the top, giving him a bit of room to grow as a person, even if it doesn’t do much to change his attitude. There’s bigger things to worry about though, as there are villains afoot, and with All-Might on their hit-list it’s looking like we’ll get to see our young heroes in action." Read more here.

Naruto: Shippuden Episode 462

The review from Fandom Post went this way: "Naruto: Shippuden is just spinning its wheels in a different way. The story structure of this series is fairly infuriating in how it’s worked as much of what they’re trying to do here are things that really needed to be seeded much further back. I haven’t read the manga so I have no idea if they did a better job of it there, but in this iteration of it there’s just this heavy backloading of important material that comes across as little more than extended and uninteresting infodumps that has killed what little momentum we had – a year ago." Read more here.

One Piece Episode 742

Fandom Post's review said, "One Piece has some good character arc resolution material for Rebecca and Kyros and it really did need to devote most of an episode to it. The Dressrosa arc invested heavily in both characters early on and made strong use of them throughout the main part of the arc. So devoting time like this to bring them closure is a requirement and one that works effectively. The rest of the episode is fairly standard fare stuff as it puts a few things in motion – especially the tease with Law at the end, but is mostly getting us ready for what’s to come." Read more here.

Onigiri Episode 7

Fandom Post had this to say: "Episodes like this are one that definitely have their fun but they’re not exactly going to set the world on fire. That said, Onigiri is not a series that has been truly plot heavy and taking some time for these characters to just sit back and drink works better than it might otherwise. You can easily watch without knowing who is who and just enjoy the bits that play out because it could be any character grouping from any other show. I love the look of the show and quality of the animation and wish there was more story to it, but it works for its intent and doesn’t try to be more than that." Read more here.

Pan de Peace! Episode 7

Fandom Post saw it this way: "Pan de Peace expands its cast just a little bit with Noa’s sister Ami and we get to check out Noa’s room, which is definitely amusing with its bits of bread themed items in the background. It’s not an episode that radically changes your view of the show but it has better bits of humor than I expected overall, making for a cute couple of minutes to spend your time with, like a little tasty treat in bite-sized form." Read more here.

Re:ZERO Episode 8

Fandom Post said, "This episode was a nice follow-up to Episode 7, providing a more relaxing and heartwarming atmosphere while still giving a lot of explanation on magic, curses and the Witch of Envy. Subaru has somehow cleared his mind, earned Ram and Rem’s trust and the three of them are now heading towards the village to face the Shaman. We can only hope that this is truly the final loop for Subaru in the mansion!" Read more here.

Sailor Moon Crystal Episode 34

Fandom Post had this to say: "A few bright moments of levity interrupt an otherwise deadly serious episode of Sailor Moon Crystal. The new transformation and attack lack the splash I was hoping for, but it’ll get the job done. The sins of the past and the danger of awakening the last guardian of the galaxy foretell doom for the present. However, if Sailor Moon trusts in herself she knows that the future should be safe. All of these arguments may be pointless though, as Pharaoh 90’s seed has sprouted into a formidable enemy which strikes at the most venerable among the guardians." Read more here.

Saki Episode 7

For its review, Fandom Post said, "As the preliminary rounds of the tournament are finished, Kiyosumi achieves its goal of reaching the Finals, but there in front of them will be Ryuumonbuchi and Kazekoshi, two teams that have their own issues to work out. The tournament setting works well, though we don’t get to see too much in terms of gameplay: just Nodoka’s completed hands. This is likely for the best, since watching a complete (and time-consuming) mahjong match right now might not be as entertaining. The drama level is being ratcheted up a notch too, however, as we are given quite a bit of time with Kazekoshi near the end of this episode and learn why they are hell bent on revenge for their defeat last year. Will Kiyosumi be collateral damage in the all-out war about to commence between Ryuumonbuchi and Kazekoshi? Or will Hisa the Strategist see an opening to seize the victory for Kiyosumi?" Read more here.

Shonen Ashibe GO! GO! Goma-chan Episode 6

The review from Fandom Post said, "Sakata’s nameless older brother steals the show here but it’s the kind of material that makes you cringe for the future when he’s interested in girls. Yes, it’s cute and funny now, but you can see how this behavior is a huge red flag to be dealt with and instead we get Sakata just trying to give him what he wants. Goma has some cute bits in this to be sure and Ashibe certainly does as well. It’s cute but at the same time parts of it just make me cringe." Read more here.

Shonen Maid Episode 6

It was reviewed this way by Anime News Network: "All in all, this was one of Shonen Maid's better efforts. While the show still refuses to step too far outside of its comfort zone, its overarching story took a small step forward this week. If we can expect this level of quality moving forward, Shonen Maid's second half is sure to prove consistently entertaining." Read more here.

Space Patrol Luluco Episode 8

Fandom Post saw it this way: "Space Patrol Luluco has a cute episode overall as we get a bit more on the journey to find Ogikubo here in the “third season” of the show. The focus on just Luluco and Nova for the bulk of it is very welcome after some of the recent busier episodes that we’ve had and the use of the witch academy is certainly cute as we get the kind of witch character we don’t see often these days. I love that Luluco does step up here with her impending doom, but damn if Nova isn’t a hard nut to crack." Read more here.

The Lost Village Episode 8

Anime News Network said, "Overall, this was definitely a less entertaining episode of The Lost Village. The only scene that consistently hit its usual note of clever self-parody was the interrogation - everything else here was fairly grounded, and even though it all essentially worked in a narrative sense, the show isn't nearly as much fun when it's playing things straight. There were great moments here and there, like Mitsumune only perking up when he heard Masaki might have been dating Reiji, or Hyouketsu's sudden appearance as the bow-wielding man of the forest, but a great deal of this episode could have been mistaken for any other horror series. The Lost Village is better when it's being crazy, and it's at its best when it's being crazy and exciting, so hopefully this episode was just a lull between greater peaks." Read more here.

The Asterisk War Episode 20

It was reviewed this way by Anime News Network: "I can't justify giving this episode a high grade because the main fight lacked punch. As much as I adore Julis and Ayato as a fully supportive pair, too many of their fights have come up short on dynamism and this is one of them. I am beginning to wonder if the lackluster musical score is hindering them, or is it that their battles are more prone than Kirin and Saya's to have unwieldly pauses? Whatever it is, that factor is a major part of what's holding the series back from stepping up to a higher level." Read more here.

Twin Star Exorcists Episode 8

Anime News Network reviewed it this way: "According to Crunchyroll, Twin Star Exorcists could be set for a 50 episode run. If that is indeed the case, we need as many weeks like this one as possible. It was funny and suspenseful in equal measure, and it sets forward a trajectory of potential for the show that I'm genuinely excited to see play out." Read more here.

Ushio & Tora Episode 34

In Fandom Post's opinion, "Tora’s backstory is finally here, and while this may seem an odd time to tell it, the timing couldn’t be more appropriate as it ties in pretty heavily with Ushio’s breakdown last week. His story ended on a much similar note, and both send a pretty clear message about how futile hatred can be. With only a few episodes remaining, though, it likely won’t be much longer before the show puts that message into practice." Read more here.

Wagamama High Spec Episode 6

Fandom Post said of the episode, "Wagamama High Spec continues to feel like it’s really not taking advantage of its existence well though I do find some mild amusements to be had with it from time to time. As we hit the halfway mark here the characters still haven’t made much of an impression beyond their hair colors and perhaps a touch of personality and that’s not a good thing. It’s simple school-based comedy with girls that eliminates the male lead from the game itself and that can work. And it does work here in a most basic way but you know it could be more." Read more here.

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