09-11-2012, 11:37 PM | #51 |
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Watched Episode 18 the other day and watched 19, 20, and 21 tonight. Bit by bit, catching up! Almost there!
Episode 18: This episode was okay but it was honestly the first (and only) kinda dull dud episode since I've started the show back up. The first half was ghost stories which sounds like it could be good but honestly it was kind of a stereotypical "lol let's take turns with each of the animals" sketch that didn't really leave much of an impact. The second half was, well, I won't say what it was 'til you get there, but again it was merely an okay sketch. Not bad but not great like some of the other sketches have been since I started back up. Episode 19: One of the best episodes thus far. Spoiler: show Episode 20: The first half of this episode I didn't care for too much. Sadly, that seems to be a theme with Panda-centric episodes. I don't find him nearly as rage-inducing as bbb seems to but I can't say I like Panda all that much either. Anyway, it wasn't a terrible sketch but it certainly was in the bottom half. But then we move on to the second sketch and sparks fly: Spoiler: show Episode 21: Whaaaaat? After I just complained about it last episode, this episode leads off with a Panda-centric sketch ... that is actually entertaining for once? Don't get too excited now: it was only a decent sketch. But it was still fun. As for the second one, well, it was more than "decent." Much, much more. Spoiler: show Four episodes, four sets of thoughts. In summary, 19 > 21 > 20 >> 18 with 19a and 21b being some of the series' best sketches.
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09-12-2012, 09:34 AM | #52 |
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Episode 22:
Spoiler: show Episode 23: Spoiler: show Two of the weaker episodes I've seen in the 13-to-23 spurt of catching up on episodes. I can definitely appreciate how these episodes back-to-back, coupled with the grind of churning through PBC without taking any breaks at all, might've burnt out bbb's fuse. As for me? Well, 24 should come out tomorrow. I'll watch that, be caught up again and this time for a full week, and then? And then ... who knows. I might keep watching or I might put the show back on hold. We'll see!
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09-17-2012, 05:00 PM | #53 |
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Episode 24:
'Twas okay. The first half of the episode was a Panda sketch. (50˘ if you can guess whether it was a good sketch or not. ;p) The second half of the episode was a bit more fun and actually would have worked kinda nicely as a season finale had that been what this week's episode was. Not much else to say. Seems like this past week+weekend was a lazy week for most anime. ^^;
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09-20-2012, 06:26 PM | #54 |
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Episode 25:
Looks like the trend of weaker first halves and stronger second halves continues this week and on into the next. Thankfully, this week was overall more entertaining than last week's. The first half was decent. The second half was great fan service. Spoiler: show The sneak peek for 26 indicates a Panda sketch for the first half (oh brother) and a Grizzly sketch for the second (all riiiiight). Though I do worry they may be wearing poor Grizzly out! Keep 'im fresh, keep 'im uncommon! As much as we demand him, it's no good if you give him to us too often! But I'll be looking forward to that second sketch all the same.
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10-09-2012, 02:22 PM | #55 |
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Episode 26:
Watched this last week. The first half I've totally forgotten but I remember it being better than I had feared it would be. The second half started off about equally good but by the end of the sketch it had become AMAZING owing to one really surprising, hysterical plot development. Spoiler: show Episode 27: Sure enough, we got a new opening starting with this episode. That all but confirms that we're probably going to get at least another two calendar seasons' worth of episodes. Because if all they had planned on doing was sticking around for one more calendar season and bringing our total to 39, I should think they would have simply kept the old opening. But by going to the trouble of animating a new opening and bumping off the old one, I think we can be pretty confident that Polar Bear Cafe won't be wrapping up any time soon. ^^; If you think of this episode as a "second season" opener, I think it did a pretty good job. It wasn't anything terribly special but it was very solid and did a great job of showcasing most of our friends we've come to know over the past twenty-six episodes. If instead you think of it as just some episode in the middle of the program's run, it still does a decent enough job. It doesn't stand out one way or another. Is it great? Well, no, not exactly. But is it bad? Absolutely not. A lot of smiles are to be had with this episode which sees the Wild Animals face off against Polar Bear's ragtag team of misfits in a game of baseball. Spoiler: show I am looking forward to the series finding its groove again and being super-mega awesome. It hasn't been bad recently but we've definitely been in something of a lull compared with the awesomeness in the late teens + early twenties. Looks like next week's episode features Rin Rin so maybe that'll be just what the doctor ordered, who knows.
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10-15-2012, 01:06 PM | #56 |
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Episode 28:
The first sketch was a Panda sketch. As a result, I had pretty low expectations going in. But the bit at 2m43s was so hysterical and so unexpected that I immediately was willing to upgrade this sketch by a whole letter grade as a result. The rest of the sketch wasn't too bad either. In fact, it ended up being one of the best Panda sketches we've had in a long while. Lots of love to that grandma and the lion. The second sketch was a Rin Rin sketch so I was hoping for some real laughs. The bad news was, it wasn't a very funny sketch or even a very Rin Rinny sketch. More than anything I'd describe it as the first ever Mr. Full Time Panda sketch. It stretched on for a bit too long and was a combination of depressing and annoying. But the good news was that then at the very end the author delivered a surprise that clearly she'd intended from the very beginning -- I would wager that that scene came to her one day and she wrote this entire sketch in order to make that scene possible -- and it was touching enough to make me overall enjoy this sketch too.
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10-26-2012, 08:40 AM | #57 |
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Episode 29:
The first sketch was a sometimes cute, sometimes annoying tongue-in-cheek sketch which poked fun at Panda (as a franchise character, not in-universe) by having him ascend the ranks of the business ladder one lucky break after another. Early on I thought it was a cute sketch. Then by the second half I was starting to get annoyed with Panda. But it's pretty clear that this entire sketch was setting up just for that final joke at the end, and the joke was amusing so in the end this sketch gets my seal of approval. The second sketch, with Penguin's dream of experiencing flight, was cutely explored. This one reminds me in many ways of some other Penguin-heavy sketches we've seen in the past, like Episode 15's lawnmowing sketch, where ... Spoiler: show All in all not a bad episode. Neither sketch was particularly great but neither was particularly bad either which on occasion is a refreshing departure from the pattern of a weak sketch coupled with an excellent sketch. Still, I like the latter better simply because I can always dismiss a bad sketch when one comes but I can't always have a great sketch in an episode without any. so yeah. (Why can't we have more episodes where all the sketches are mega-awesome? ^^; ) Episode 30: The first sketch seemed like it would be fun (Hallowe'en) but tbh it kind of disappointed me. It had its moments. But they were all small. The second sketch was an okay sketch but I think they stretched it out much too long. I also don't get how they lumped camels and alpacas in with llamas (which we all do, especially the alpacas) but turned around and said that polar bears and pandas are animals all by themselves in their own animal category. Uhh, what? I'm pretty sure every other bear would like to say hi.
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11-01-2012, 02:19 PM | #58 |
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Episode 31:
First sketch was good but sadly brought about the end of an era. Of course it would be Panda who did it. I felt bad for Penguin in the end though. Spoiler: show Second sketch was a Mama Panda sketch. I'm not usually a fan of these and this one was little better than most. But it was a little better.
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11-09-2012, 03:16 PM | #59 |
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Episode 32:
Two solid sketches. Neither the series' best nor bad. Spoiler: show Next week looks like it might be a bit of a lull with a Panda sketch divide into two and a Masaki sketch in the middle, but I actually do like Masaki (I just feel like there isn't much more to do with him ^^; ) so maybe that'll be good. And the Panda one could be good too!
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12-14-2012, 03:58 PM | #60 |
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This charming little series keeps trundling along. It may not be the greatest anime 2012 had to offer, but it's warmed our hearts (or at least mine: am I the only one still watching this? ) and has been doing decently these past two episodes. Some overdue thoughts for 33, 34, 35, and 36 before I give thoughts on this week's episode. Episode 33: Spoiler: show Episode 34: Spoiler: show Episode 35: Spoiler: show Episode 36: Spoiler: show Episode 37: Spoiler: show Here's hoping the future holds some truly wonderful surprises in store for us.
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12-14-2012, 03:59 PM | #61 |
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>am I the only one still watching this?
I've been watching weekly almost since beginning and haven't stopped. |
12-21-2012, 04:45 PM | #62 |
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Looks like Episode 38 wraps things up for this year given not only the theme of the episode but also all of the "See you next year!" breaking-the-4th-wall stuff at the end. Not too surprising: the vast majority of animes take 2-3 weeks off around this time of year and it looks like Polar Bear Cafe will be no exception.
Episode 38 was cute. The first sketch started off a little slow but with an admittedly grand inside-joke premise that even in its first few minutes catapulted the sketch into minimum good territory. By the end of the sketch, however, the scene had blossomed into something that was pretty good overall. Not great, but rich with lots of little moments that made you smile. The second sketch was a fun combination of "let's look at how the PBC crew celebrate New Year's" and a recap episode. As far as recap episodes go, this was handled really well, and I didn't even feel like I was watching a recap episode at all. It felt very genuine, authentic, even fun or touching. Spoiler: show
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01-10-2013, 05:14 PM | #63 |
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Episode 39 was solid. I'm really diggin' the new OP and ED. You still can't watch it though, Daisy and Yuki, as it contains characters you've yet to meet. (Less than OP2, but still.)
Spoiler: show Sneak peek for next week doesn't instill confidence in me that it'll be good, but this week's was fun so I'm grateful at least for that.
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01-25-2013, 12:28 AM | #65 |
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Episode 41.
First half of the episode, not gonna lie, got on my nerves. ^^; It was a lot cuter when the grandmotherly sensei we had in Japanese 102 taught us "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" than it was seeing the PBC crew bungle it up 7+ different ways. By the time Penguin was halfway through his run as the ogre, I was ready for this sketch to be over and done with. ^^; But the second half of the episode redeemed 41 as a whole. The first half of this second half (so, the third quarter of the episode?) was a slow, "not bad but not great either" development with Sasako and Mr. Llama. And then we hit the cusp between the third and fourth quarters -- we reach the second half of the second half, that is -- and wow, was not expecting that. Spoiler: show It was also surprising to learn this week that: Spoiler: show Next week's episode, Episode 42, looks like it could be the best of 40-42 or 39-42. Here's hoping it will be.
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02-02-2013, 03:30 PM | #66 |
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Episode 42. First part meh but not bad. Second part ...
Spoiler: show Looks like next week's episode'll be three sketches and the middle one will be the return of Masaki. Could be good! We'll just have to wait and see.
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02-07-2013, 02:36 PM | #67 |
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02-22-2013, 02:47 PM | #70 |
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Episode 45. The first sketch was amusing. I quite liked it. Nothing really worth writing home about though, I suppose, but it was nice. The second sketch was dull for me though. [/shortest PBC Talon post ever]
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03-01-2013, 10:27 AM | #71 |
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46 was surprisingly entertaining for what it was. A return to form, whether that's good or bad, with mellow atmosphere, bad puns from Polar Bear, and various cameos.
Spoiler: show Next week's episode looks like it will be ... Spoiler: show
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03-21-2013, 10:45 PM | #72 |
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Episode 49. The second to last episode of the series did not disappoint; but given what we saw this week, it's just crazy to think the show won't be airing any more come April.
Spoiler: show Rumors abound of a "second project" based on the manga. Whether it means a second season, whether it means a manga-faithful reboot, or whether it means something else who can say. Manga-faithful reboot, you ask? Well, I had thought that that's what this was, especially since the mangaka went on strike last May after she saw the anime doing things with her characters she hadn't approved of. I figured that that incident would've meant that PBC the anime and PBC the manga lined up 99.9% of the way. But according to some posters on ANN's forum, the PBC manga ... (prepare to have your mind blown; click at your own risk!) Spoiler: show
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04-03-2013, 07:26 PM | #73 |
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Episode 50. The series (or, if it's renewed, the season) finale. The entire time I watched this episode (both sketches), all I could keep thinking was "This is so clearly a sendoff." The first sketch was one of those "we've been saving this for last" deals, while the second sketch was one of those "let's go around the room one last time and each say our farewells" sort of sketches. Neither struck me as spectacular, but both were entertaining to watch, a touch emotional, and made sense that they showed up in the final episode. Spoiler: show As for final impressions of the series ... Plot: 9/10 when it had it, but it has to be said that this show largely had no plot and so a more honest score would be N/A. I can't go into details here without spoiling things, so I'll just vaguely say that the big running plot threads regarding such things as Mr. Penguin's love life, Panda's employment at the zoo, and Polar Bear's past were all wonderful. Characters: 8/10 in general, 10/10 for a children's television series (if we can consider it that; honestly, I dunno what to call Polar Bear Cafe). What holds me back from giving the 10/10 generally is that, admittedly, the characters are rather caricaturish at times, i.e. they fall back on stereotypical behaviors we the audience expect of them almost as if they're comedy gags in a joke rather than living, breathing people. But I'd say this only happens occasionally, and the rest of the time they are living, breathing people. That's the magic of Polar Bear Cafe: each of these characters feels like someone I feel like I know in real life. I see Penguin (especially by the end of the series) and I'm like "Holy embarrassing fuck, that's me. " I see Polar Bear and I'm reminded of people I know. Grizzly, same. Sasako, same. Handa, same. On and on it goes. Everyone in PBC feels like an authentic human being ... which is deliciously humorous given that 90% of the cast consists of animals rather than humans. A message from the author, maybe? ^_- Animation: 6/10. It was fine. It suited the series well, don't get me wrong, but it has to be said that the animation felt very low budget / very plain. Repeat: it fit the series very well, but I can't score this animation on par with most of the anime of 2012 that we watched here on UPN. Music: 7/10 in general, but it has to be said that there were a few 10/10 endings including Mei Mei's (10, "Bamboo Rendezvous") and Polar Bear's (12, "My Dear"). Indeed, what also has to be said is that while the OST in the series proper was fairly limited for a 50-episode program (20 songs? 30 songs max?), there was no shortage of OPs and EDs. Three openings (most series would give us two, three, or four for this length) coupled with twelve endings (again, most series would give two, three, or four) for a total of fifteen different songs that played during opening or ending credits where most series would give at most only half that figure. Many of the songs were silly, playful, and had lyrics that tied them too closely to the series for you to be able to blast them from your iPod in public , but a few were just so good period that they overcame such hindrances. Really looking forward to the full-length version of "My Dear" which apparently hits store shelves May 15 or thereabouts. Replay Value: Mid-High I don't want to rewatch the series again any time soon, but this is true for me of just about any anime these days. That stated, I would tentatively assess that the partial replay value of this series ranges from mid-high to high. What I mean by "partial replay value" is, if you don't force yourself to watch the entire batch of 50 but instead allow yourself to pick and choose which episodes (or sketches within episodes) to watch again and which ones to skip. Do that, and I'd say it's gotta be high. Don't do that (and force yourself to sit through the bleghs along with the bravos) and obviously I think it'd hurt the score. OVERALL: 7/10
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