So I'm rewatching Shirobako.  Amazingly enough, it might be even better this time around because I understand a lot more of the references right away rather than looking them up after the fact.  For example, the infamous situation where the mangaka learned that her editorial department wasn't passing on the information from the anime team, which pissed her off royally when she found out the real situation.  Real events like that are mixed into the story at every turn.

My favorite is probably the way the director of Shirobako makes fun of himself with the parody of himself in the anime.  In particular, he keeps referencing an anime he directed titled "Jiggly Jiggly Heaven" that went into production hell (probably Girls und Panzer) that made him swear to "never use the internet again".

A tiny sample of some of the people who show up--

It's really like a treasure chest of knowledge for anime fans.  If anyone wants to know more about how anime is made, this is the show.  Even all the bullshit that happens behind the scenes.  One episode has representatives of the sponsors meeting with the anime staff in order to pick the voice actresses, where they reveal that acting ability is a secondary concern to things like popularity or, as one says, "that ass!"

Besides that, it's as funny as hell.

One thing I've really found myself liking is that the cast is at least half male, which is so rare for anime, but almost all of them do an incredible job.  Of course, the main character and her friend are young women and the other women in the anime are awesome, too.

Especially Okitsu-san.  Don't mess around in her office.

Cute?  Hot?  Both?  Both.

Speaking of cute ...

Wow...that's hilarious XD Those seiyu designs are so good!

Mao and I were just talking about the voice acting thing the other day. I remember seeing a chart detailing the production costs for your average anime, and the cost of voice actors was well over half the cost (I wanna say close to 70% but I can't find the graph). I suppose that makes sense when you realize so many main female seiyuus are also popular idols, they don't come cheap. Kinda curious if bigger studios cut deals...maybe if A-1 hires Tomikazu Sugita for 4 anime, the 5th anime is free.

I'll have a make a note of this one, it sounds like it would be a fun watch. I particularly like hearing about the even gender ratio, I kinda prefer casts like that (provided they're all well written anyway).

The best one is the director of the anime himself at the top.  Hideaki Anno, famous for Neon Genesis Evangelion, is second from the bottom.

I hope Mao did a good job explaining things to you.  

That scene with the sponsors talks about "political" casting, where the sponsors push for people signed to a branch of their own company, even if they're not right for the part.  It looked like a real fight for the anime staff to get the people they feel are best.

The thing with the costs of voice acting is that popular seiryuu make a TON of money.  People just starting out are much cheaper, which is why a lot of anime will have one or two stars and then the rest are unheard of.  It's kind of messed up, too, because that leaves out the people in the middle, who aren't famous enough to get work based on their name but still cost more than newbies.  That's why a lot of voice actors end up leaving the field after a couple of years, even after promising debuts.

My Hero Academia is so freaking good...even having read the manga I was glued to my screen the whole last episode. Good bye...All for One...

Meanwhile, Wotakoi introduces a ship, hurray! Tada-kun is probably my favorite romance this season though, last episode had my throat so tight. Having the ED sung by Mitsuyoshi (I think), was a really nice touch. A tad melodramatic, but Mitsuyoshi's reactions to seeing Teresa were easy for me to relate with. This better have a happy ending!

Finally, I can't not smile at Hinamatsuri. Anzu is too perfect.

Ah so bright....*has to look away or find sunglasses*

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Meanwhile in backlog land, just finished Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid. It was good overall, not bad, not amazing. Fun SoL stuff combined with a silly premise, though I found some of the jokes more creepy than funny. Main girl was kinda boring but I suppose the anime needed a straight man (albeit one that's not straight nor a man in this case...hehe...). Tohru and Kanna's bits were always amusing at least.

I just started SKET Dance, which...is really long, but seems pretty funny so far. Kinda reminds of Gintama before it got all serious and unfunny. In fact I'm pretty sure they did a crossover together. Best character is Switch so far, though not just because I like that console. It amuses me how he types in everything into a text-to-speech program..even random interjections during fights XD

Not okay man. You think finals are more important than anime???

Tch.

Hunter x Hunter is amazing though so it's okay. What did you think of the Chimera Ant arc? @_@

Ah poop...gomenosai. What were you watching this season? I thought I remember you mentioning Shokugeki. I love the manga for that, but I couldn't in good conscience put it in the poll with how it's been animated. Feels way too rushed, and key moments are barely even animated, like I'm watching a powerpoint presentation. It's a shame because Saeki Shun is one of the best manga artists out there.

Erina is still my favorite girl of the season though.

1.) Chimera Ant arc seemed pretty divisive, but I really liked it. I thought the over-narration really drove home how little time they had, how literally every step mattered. Also how rather insignificant everything really felt in the end, they planned so much for something that only lasted at few minutes at best.

My favorite part though, was how the Mini Rose Bomb was explained. At some point during the explanation, I realized the narration was no longer even referencing the fictional world, and was directly referencing ours, and I just got chills at the still images used. It was pretty devastating to learn that, no matter how terrible the Ants were, humanity is far greater evil in the world.

2.) Heh...no worries. I guess I'm watching DarFranxx too but I'm not crazy about it. That twist last episode was pretty interesting...don't think I was expecting Anti-Spirals to show up.

And good call on Shokugeki, the RDC goes on forever but the climax made it all worth it IMO.

The Asagao to Kase-san OVA tops Pingu in the City as one of the most beautiful things I have had the joy to experience in this life time.

It looked beautiful, was well animated, the chapters they adapted were well done and the ending was an absolute pleasure, still can't believe this fluffy super adorable manga got animated. Just 10/10.

Amanchu crashed and burned after being run down to the ground by Peter Pan.

Damn it, Hinamatsuri needs another season.  The doki-doki life of normal school-girl Hitomi-san deserves another season.

Not to mention Mao-chan.  We've barely had any Mao-chan at all.

At least we got to see Hitomi's mom.  I don't know why but it cracks me up that she's the cutest person in the entire show.

Also, uh ... what is this? 

Holy shit...this need a 2nd season. Poor Hitomi...how far does that rabbit hole go XD

I was curious about island girl, forgot she appears in the first episode...I think? I should rewatch that cold opening to see if it makes more sense now.

It's a lie mine's way cuter!

Looks virtually identical.

...

That aside, yeah, that was Mao-chan using martial arts at the very beginning of the series.  Also, that was the present.  The rest of the series that we've seen so far takes place starting 3 years in the past.  

Yes, that's right.  Hina is actually a mature and refined high-school girl.