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What amazes me is not that we reviewed two very different types of shows that both included time travel. What amazes me is that the time travel made sense.

In this episode of Bakacast, Persona 4 reveals the final final boss, Future Diary acknowledges that sex is a thing that sometimes happens, Fam actually gets some development in Last Exile, Mouretsu Pirates earns itself a second chance, High School Boys continues to crawl very slowly back to what it once was, Ozuma’s potential is held back by poor pacing, and Noein gets placed into that category of rare shows that actually has a satisfying ending.

Please email listener questions to bakacast[at]projectharuhi.net or leave them in the comments below.

Time Index

• 00:11 – OP: Aoi Hana (Casshern Sins)

Reviews et al.

• 1:59 – Chihayafuru 24
• 6:30 – Persona 4 24
• 13:42 – Future Diary 23
• 22:49 – Last Exile 22
• 29:24 – Mouretsu Pirates 12
• 33:41 – Daily Lives of High School Boys 11
• 37:35 – Ozuma 2
• 43:35 – Noein 23 & 24 (END)
• 53:14 – Listener questions
• 1:01:37 – ED: The World (.hack//Sign)

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I suppose it’s appropriate that Nisemonogatari ended with what was essentially a philosophical filibuster from Araragi.

In this episode of Bakacast, Persona 4 lays on the melodrama a bit too thick, Future Diary gives Akise a fantastic sendoff while making a questionable divergence from the manga, Fam actually admits she was wrong in Last Exile, Mouretsu Pirate’s pacing finally gets to us, and the most interesting characters in Ozuma–suprisingly–turn out to be the females.

Good job, Leiji Matsumoto. We’re proud of you. For now.

Please email listener questions to bakacast[at]projectharuhi.net or leave them in the comments below.

Time Index

• 00:14 – OP: Power Rangers Dino Thunder theme

Reviews et al.

• 2:17 – Chihayafuru 23
• 7:45 – Persona 4 23
• 12:49 – Future Diary 22
• 20:30 – Last Exile 21
• 26:53 – Nisemonogatari 11 (END)
• 35:18 – Mouretsu Pirates 11
• 39:44 – Daily Lives of High School Boys 10
• 42:46 – Ozuma 1
• 51:36 – Noein 21 & 22
• 1:00:44 – Listener questions
• 1:10:35 – ED: Nadeko vs Tsukihi (Bakemono- x Nisemonogatari mashup; thanks to Matty for showing us this)

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For once, I’m not the one turning phrases into silly innuendo. You can thank Glen this time.

This week’s Bakacast features Persona 4 tugging at Larry’s heartstrings, Future Diary giving us the best Yunoface since the first episode, Last Exile developing a plot twist all of us suspected was coming but that none of us wanted to happen, Nisemonogatari finally getting on with it, me bowing out of the Nichibros discussion because of an inability to count, and Mouretsu Pirates making us fall in love with Chiaki-chan all over again.

Please email listener questions to bakacast[at]projectharuhi.net or leave them in the comments below.

Time Index

• 00:05 – OP: Project Overlord Combat Theme (Mass Effect 2)

Reviews et al.

• 2:24 – Chihayafuru 22
• 6:19 – Persona 4 22
• 11:44 – Future Diary 21
• 16:37 – Last Exile 20
• 22:49 – Nisemonogatari 10
• 32:22 – Mouretsu Pirates 10
• 40:32 – Daily Lives of High School Boys 9
• 47:35 – Noein 19 & 20
• 54:51 – Spring Preview discussion
• 1:34:53 – ED: Akiiro no Aria (Star Driver)

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We’re pretty hard on The Light Music Club around here, but–looking back on it–we probably would have enjoyed the series if it had electronic warfare and a giant, cyborg, skeleton man. If only Kyoto Animation had had that kind of foresight.

In this week’s episode of Bakacast, Persona 4 gets us pumped for its final episodes, Future Diary continues its unusually long streak of good episodes, Nisemonogatari gets much less shocking (and much more dull), and Nichibros claws its way back to being kind of okay.

Please email listener questions to bakacast[at]projectharuhi.net or leave them in the comments below.

Time Index

• 00:07 – OP: Platinum Disco (Nisemonogatari)

Reviews et al.

• 2:09 – Chihayafuru 21
• 4:55 – Persona 4 21
• 10:11 – Future Diary 20
• 18:42 – Last Exile 19
• 28:05 – Nisemonogatari 9
• 33:35 – Mouretsu Pirates 9
• 39:12 – Daily Lives of High School Boys 8
• 46:01 – Noein 17 & 18
• 54:14 – Listener Questions
• 1:29:22 – ED: Rise (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex)

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Some people like Monet. Some people like Picasso. Others like Bob Ross. And a small subset likes incestuous toothbrushing.

We try not to judge.

In addition to a heated debate about whether the second half of Nisemonogatari was actually good, we get all giddy about the bonus Steins;Gate episode, give Future Diary its first-ever third positive review in a row, pile more love on Mouretsu Pirates, and–against all odds–become optimistic about this new concept called “character development” that appears to be happening to Fam in Last Exile.

Please email listener questions to bakacast[at]projectharuhi.net or leave them in the comments below.

Time Index

• 00:05 – OP: Idea (Noein)

Reviews et al.

• 2:08 – Steins;Gate 25
• 7:17 – Chihayafuru 20
• 12:32 – Persona 4 20
• 19:37 – Future Diary 19
• 28:04 – Last Exile 18
• 37:32 – Nisemonogatari 8
• 45:21 – Mouretsu Pirates 8
• 50:59 – Daily Lives of High School Boys 7
• 56:17 – Noein 15 & 16
• 1:04:15 – Listener Questions
• 1:37:43 – ED: Yoake no Ashioto (Noein)

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Who knew sci-fi McGuffins were so good at healing the mental scars caused by divorce? The Dragon Torque seems way more useful than a silly crystal skull.

In this episode of Bakacast, we express shock at Future Diary having two great episodes in a row, agree on the one true pairing for Persona 4’s Yu, have yet another discussion on the pros and cons of the -monogatari series as a whole, and mourn the loss of Nichibros’ sense of humor. And in a very special listener questions segment, Glen, Larry and I reveal which fictional females directly influenced our taste in women.

Please email listener questions to bakacast[at]projectharuhi.net or leave them in the comments below.

Time Index

• 00:07 – OP: Youthful (Chihayafuru)

Reviews et al.

• 1:51 – Chihayafuru 19
• 8:35 – Persona 4 19
• 16:17 – Future Diary 18
• 20:31 – Last Exile 17
• 28:34 – Nisemonogatari 7
• 43:54 – Mouretsu Pirates 7
• 52:19 – Daily Lives of High School Boys 6
• 1:01:34 – Noein 13 & 14
• 1:17:00 – Listener Questions
• 1:50:16 – ED: Filament (Future Diary)

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Maybe it’s just me, but an antagonist whose primary methods of villainy include goading you into eating baked goods and deliberately falling down stairs doesn’t seem particularly threatening.

In this week’s episode of Bakacast, I use my powers as Podcast God to drop Black Rock Shooter (much to Glen’s disappointment), Mouretsu Pirates gets totally awesome, High School Boys continues its sad descent into mediocrity, and we finally get fed up with Nisemonogatari’s abysmal pacing.

Also, a listener question prompts me to change the header image of Project Haruhi. You’re welcome, Mr. Cambpell.

Please email listener questions to bakacast[at]projectharuhi.net or leave them in the comments below.

Time Index

• 00:08 – OP: Paradise Lost (Ga-Rei Zero)

Reviews et al.

• 3:00 – Chihayafuru 18
• 6:33 – Persona 4 18
• 12:39 – Future Diary 17
• 20:13 – Last Exile 16
• 28:38 – Nisemonogatari 6
• 36:15 – Mouretsu Pirates 6
• 41:12 – Daily Lives of High School Boys 5
• 45:25 – Black Rock Shooter 2
• 51:02 – Noein 11 & 12
• 57:24 – Listener Questions
• 1:17:20 – ED: Braveheart (Black Rock Shooter OVA)

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Oh man, why am I such a lazy jerk? Even with my new job, it shouldn’t have taken me this long to post the new podcast. My only explanation is that I’m basically terrible.

Which means I have at least one thing in common with Black Rock Shooter.

I’ll give you a minute to recover from that sick burn that just blindsided you. Once you’ve dusted yourself off, I’ll inform you that–in addition to discussing the many and varied ways that BRS fails completely–we profess profound disappointment in the Persona 4 anime’s hesitance to follow the game’s lead with Naoto, pile even more love on Mouretsu Pirates, and make a hilarious mistake during our Last Exile review that we don’t even figure out until after the recording stops.

Please email listener questions to bakacast[at]projectharuhi.net or leave them in the comments below.

Time Index

• 00:11 – OP: Komorebi no Contract (Star Driver)

Reviews et al.

• 3:15 – Chihayafuru 17
• 7:48 – Persona 4 17
• 13:49 – Future Diary 16
• 17:16 – Last Exile 15
• 31:28 – Nisemonogatari 5
• 37:10 – Mouretsu Pirates 5
• 44:15 – Daily Lives of High School Boys 4
• 51:22 – Black Rock Shooter 1
• 47:28 – Noein 9 & 10
• 1:06:06 – Listener Questions
• 1:22:09 – ED: Naisho no Hanashi (Nisemonogatari)

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How is it possible for Nisemonogatari to hook us as hard as it has? On paper, it shouldn’t work. Yet even the most dialogue-heavy and plot-irrelevant episodes leave us begging for more. I still haven’t exactly figured out what Shaft’s secret is.

My current theory is mind control rays.

Speaking of baffling, we bring back the news segment to discuss ADV’s ill-advised license purchases, lament Symphogear’s descent into “so bad it’s boring,” and curse whatever anime gods decided it would be a good idea to bring recap episodes back in vogue.

Please email listener questions to bakacast[at]projectharuhi.net or leave them in the comments below.

Time Index

• 00:07 – OP: Dead End (Future Diary)

News

• 2:00 – ADV License Prices

Reviews et al.

• 8:54 – Chihayafuru 16
• 12:19 – Persona 4 16
• 18:26 – Future Diary 15
• 23:05 – Last Exile 14
• 31:16 – Senhime Zesshou Symphogear 4 (PROBABLY DROPPED)
• 32:47 – Nisemonogatari 4
• 38:04 – Mouretsu Pirates 4
• 42:49 – Daily Lives of High School Boys 3
• 46:18 – Noein 7 & 8
• 55:42 – Listener Questions
• 1:21:01 – ED: Rock Over Japan (Mawaru Penguindrum)