An American Writer's Thoughts on Japanese Animation

Seasonal Selection – Shikizakura Episode 2

“The one where we actually integrate the main character into the setting” is an important plot beat for a lot of shows, particularly ones in the Urban Fantasy spectrum where there’s a whole world that the character needs to get used to. It’s not restricted to that genre – any scenario where you have a relative unknowing newbie as your lead could involve the plot beat – but it is fairly ubiquitous here since the element that requires the beat is close to universal.

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Wherever You May Roam – Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina Spoiler Review

So, this is a show that seemed to be custom tailored just for me. On one side, I love anime witches. Call it a personal appeal but making the robe-and-pointy-hat combo look goodis a plus, along with the usual combo of impressive magic and decent cunning. On the other side, I typically enjoy travelogues, stories that focus on a person’s journey through a number of other engaging scenarios. So, a show about an anime witch going on a journey through a fantasy world encountering a variety of wonders and threats? This should be really good, or at least really appealing.

Of course, looking at things with a critical eye, I can’t just let a show get away on a couple of themes alone; this has to be fairly considered for what it achieves, not just want the pitch is.

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