Monthly Log - July 2025

It may be a bit late, but here are some of the stuff I watched or read in the month of July.

Watched

• Watched Shinzō Ningen Casshan episodes 5-22. I'm noticing that although the premise is a war against misanthropic robots, the show's episodic conflicts often involve the hero in conflict with humans, who range from people at odds with his ways of opposing the Andro Force in some ways, to outright traitors to humanity. An episode is critical of the absolutist pacifism a city mayor insists on to survive against the robots, as in the end a genocidal force will find reasons to slaughter people anyway even if they surrender unconditionally. While it may feel heavy-handed, in the context of postwar Japan, there's something to think about such a theme being brought up in a TV show like this.
• Watched Princess-Session Orchestra episodes 12-15. This show is quite capable in making the villains appealing characters. Seeing their interactions is one of its enjoyable points.
• Started April Showers Bring May Flowers. I really enjoy the comedy. The ways the characters interact with each other's misperceptions are really crisp. Also, Uguisudani is a fascinating rival character.

Uguisudani is an interesting character. She might be scheming against Tabata, but still, it's not hard to sympathize with her. Being frequently hit on by guys who think her good looks is a free pass to make advances on her all her life must genuinely be tiresome.#ブスに花束を pic.twitter.com/7PBwqXJTxh

— Hal @ Namihori #4 hype (@HalimunM91) July 20, 2025

• Started Secrets of the Silent Witch. A delightful watch with strong emotional moments, neat mystery-solving action, set ups for a deeper intrigue, and a healthy dose of comedy.

©2024 Matsuri Isora・Nanna Fujimi/KADOKAWA/Serendia Academy Public Relations Department

• Started CITY The Animation. The comedy has some depths that I suppose might fly over some viewers' head, but can be satisfying if you understand what it's getting at (like, one of the demons that tempted Niikura clearly being a high-ranking demon in Ars Goetia implies that not only she gets more and more demons after the shoulder demon appeared instead of a shoulder angel, but the demons have increasingly higher ranks too, even if they ironically still suck). Toyosaki Aki's performance as Niikura is particularly delightful, though.

I'm not nerd enough to precisely identify all the demons here. Though I can understand that they seem to appear in order of increasing rank? pic.twitter.com/KM6TA5vM7W

— Hal @ Namihori #4 hype (@HalimunM91) July 16, 2025

• Started Dealing with Mikadono Sisters is a Breeze. One of the interesting aspects of the story is what it brings to the talent vs hard work discourse. We may think that it's a misleading dichotomy since talented people still need to work hard too to stay on top of their games, while without talent, Yuu just couldn't excel despite his efforts. I've been thinking about this topic again since reading the first volume of Aim for the Ace. At one point coach Munakata berates Hiromi for thinking she has no talent, emphasizing hard work as the real source of excellence. But on the other hand, consider that Munakata has been focusing on coaching *only* Hiromi, and not the other tennis club members. If hard work were the only important factor, he could have coached everyone rather than just focusing on one person, right? The implication is that he actually sees Hiromi has the potential to develop something that others can't even if they're given the same coaching. Though, of course, that potential would not be realized without putting in hard work.Someone actually made a video essay about this topic with the manga Teppu for Pause and Select's NOVID challenge a couple of years ago, but I can't find the video anymore, unfortunately (oops, I end up talking more about Aim for the Ace than Mikadono Sisters).

©Hirakawa Aya/Shogakukan・Mikadono Sisters Anime Production Committee

• Watched The Bold Bank Robbery. I ended up getting fascinated by the appearances of early 20th century urban transportation modes in it.
• Rewatched The Three Caballeros. Now that I think about it, The lyrics of the theme song is such an articulation of the imagination of the Monroe Doctrine for the context of the mid-20th century's global conflict, isn't it? All nations of America, "always together", "through fair and stormy weather we stand close together".
• Watched Wata no Kuni Hoshi. Maybe we can say it's something close to iyashikei? 'Cos we might say that Tokio's adoption of Chibi-neko heals Tokio from his disappointment at missing the university entrance exam, heals Chibi-neko from her abandonment by her previous owner, and heals Tokio's mom from her fear of cats. Also, Wata no Kuni Hoshi is often cited for being a landmark work featuring kemonomimi element, but what the usual mentions perhaps not properly convey is that while the main character is female, most of the cats in this work are tomcats.
• Watched the new Superman film. I wrote down some of my thoughts about the film here.

Readings

• Reread Silver Spoon volumes 6-9, These parts are the turning point, in many ways that determine the course of the remaining story.
• Read Wotakoi volumes 2-6. Seeing how much the media they're fans of are so integrated into their lives (love lives included) is pretty fun, and the books also have plenty of amusing expressions. But seeing how much the characters play video games also makes me think again how games also make up a significant life of 'otaku' fandom life here, and how it's a constant source of some feeling of disconnect for me as someone who doesn't play games that much.

I found Kabakura's the most curious one. Nakoruru first appears in the Samurai Showdown game in 1993, the Nintama Rantaro anime also began in 1993, and Amami Yuki was active in Takarazuka between 1987 to 1995. pic.twitter.com/Hf9SvVpqlb

— Hal @ Namihori #4 hype (@HalimunM91) July 16, 2025

• Reread Mokke volumes 4-8, which, like the Silver Spoon volumes I read above, are also the turning point. Separating the sisters as they continue their respective studies is an interesting development, though it's arguably harder on Shizuru who moves away from town and has fewer familiar faces to turn to.
• Reread Hayate the Combat Butler volumes 3-7. It reminds me again how much I enjoyed Hata's comedy developments, the way the characters lack common sense to various degrees. Also, fun time capsule of fandom and 'otaku' media of the day.
• Read the first volume of Ore, Twintail ni Narimasu. I'm still thinking of it pretty similarly to how I think about the TV series: I'm not a fan of twintails, but there is something admirable that someone really into them can have an opportunity to build and share this kind of fantasy about their obsession. And when I read the afterword, I was still surprised to know that the author took the courage to submit it for Gagaga Bunko's award because Hata Kenjirō, whom he's a fan of, was the judge at the time, and that Hata actually made it his pick. It is too, 'otaku' recognize 'otaku', huh?
• Read Kirsten Cather's proceeding on Okinawan works that received recognition by Akutagawa Prize. It presents pertinent critical points on the politics of prizes/awards.