Domo Arigato Gozaimasu!

Everyone here at RABUJOI wish to express our gratitude to you for taking the time to visit us. RABUJOI’s philosophy has been, and will always be to deliver timely anime reviews for your reading pleasure, and read you have: November’s traffic numbers absolutely obliterated both the blog’s previous two months of existence, as well as our most optimistic expectations.

We are cognizant that his fall has been rather unique in the sheer volume of reviewed series, and that numbers may settle down come winter, when the number of series worth reviewing will be halved. Regardless of how many people visit or read or come back for more, we cannot look at the future of RABUJOI as anything but bright. Thanks again!

-RABUJOI STAFF

Soredemo Machi wa Mawatteiru 8



Chiaki Omigawa‘s often shrill, whiny voice should be extremely annoying. So why does hearing it have the opposite effect? Her expressive, electric turn as Hotori Arashiyama is one of the better voice performances of the season, and I never tire of it. Anyway, we had two stories this week, both excellent. Let’s break it down!

Part 1 cements Japanese vending machines as the great monuments of their time, alongside earlier wonders like the Sphinx, Nazca lines, and Macchu Picchu. Hotori appreciates the “fun factor” of these complex, seemingly futuristic (yet old-looking)  machines that make hot udon, hamburgers, and other hot food with the press of a button. I have to agree with her that food and drink procured taste much better than they have any business to, due to the entertainment value. The novelty value and relative wonder trumps the crappiness. Like astronaut ice cream!

The second half finally answered a question I asked myself every week up until now: what’s with those lyrics in the ending music? Now they make sense, as the lyrics contain a lot of the dialogue and events of this half. The deal is, Kon (NOT K-on) recruits everyone for her band. Turns out, they’re all good musicians. A band with a bass, drums, accordion and violin is actually a pretty novel combination, and Rieka Yazawa (another fine seiyu in her first anime) belts out some bitchin’ vocals. Rating: 4