Ushio & Tora

[Spark Of Spirit]

We got a new ED, and it is actually really cool. The music in the show is really well chosen. Also the OP added some new scenes and swapped out some old ones which are also really good. Here's the second ED on its own.

The episode was another great one, the show just gets better and better. Some good focus on both Ushio and Tora this time and a bit of a cliffhanger to leave us off.

[gunswordfist]

I watched a few seconds of the new ED. Was scared to watch more due to spoilers. The OP did have changes.

A lot happened in this episode. Two of the 4 would-be spear wielders showed up and posed questions to Ushio and Tora respectively. Also, I did not expect Hakumen to send forces at all.

[LumRanmaYasha]

Back in July, U&T ranked only 18th in a poll of the summer 2015 anime fans were looking forward to. But guess which show was #1 when all was said and done?

Glad the show has really won over more of an audience in Japan, as it seems to have in the U.S. Here's hoping it continues to do so as the show keeps getting better and better!

[gunswordfist]

It would be Christmas if UaT, JoJo and HXH all got on Toonami next year.

[VLordGTZ]

Yeah, I've noticed that it's overall popularity has risen on Crunchyroll as well.

It would be Christmas if UaT, JoJo and HXH all got on Toonami next year.

It would be pretty cool if Ushio and Tora replaced Parasyte when it ends since they're both modern adaptions of classic manga. 

[Spark Of Spirit]

I'm surprised it jumped to #1, but not so much that it's been getting more popular, more that I didn't expect so many people to be into it. As someone only familiar with the OVA material, even I was surprised how much better the story got after that point ended.

Of course I also think a lot of the appeal is that they don't really make anime (or manga, honestly) like this anymore. It's refreshing to see a shonen hero that is legitimately heroic yet has faults without being the typical ones you see nowadays (massive idiot, eats a lot, doesn't have any actual motivation) and a buddy comedy relationship with a character who is actually tough and cool without being brooding or unnecessarily jerk-ish (Ushio and Tora always end up one-upping each other). There's also the adventure-style story of going from one place to the next instead of being locked to a school of some kind which is a definite nice change.

Some complain about 90s shonen tropes and, sure, they're there. The series is 25 years old and came out before Yu Yu Hakusho, for crying out loud, any tropes it has were not tropes at the time. You can complain about tsundere-ness if you want, but U&T handles that style of relationship in the only way I like it. Just like Yusuke and Keiko, or Ranma and Akane, as characters who are the same but coming at it from different angles. You could fault the "harem" aspect, even though, again, the way it's done here is not as blatant or in your face about it. The way they present it is just as him making new friends on his journey, which is very much the case. The monster-of-the-week thing (which is pretty much done now) might have failed if they didn't all link to the overarching story. That has always been my issue with those stories, not that they are formulaic. It's a formula barely used, and it's used really well here. As far as I'm concerned, none of these aspects bother me.

I'm just thankful it's being made finally. Watching recent events have made me question if this ever would have been made in the 90s. If it did, I bet it wouldn't be directed half as well. Trying to imagine Toei animating the bus sequence in the last episode is pretty cringe-inducing.

It would be Christmas if UaT, JoJo and HXH all got on Toonami next year.

Wow, I might consider watching it for the first time if it did.

[gunswordfist]

You never watched Toonami? Or do you just mean since they have returned?

I finally was able to watch the most recent episode. The show just keeps grabbing my interest. I don't know where I'd rank it but it would be in a good spot.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Yep, it's definitely the anime I most look forward to each week.

You never watched Toonami? Or do you just mean since they have returned?

The latter. There's not anything airing there right now that would make me go out of my way to watch it.

[gunswordfist]

It was the only anime I looked forward to but Lupin is apparently on CR now so 

I watched Toonami here and there...when I had it. I watched it almost religiously at the end of last year, of course.

[Avaitor]

Right now, all I'm watching is Parasyte. Which is good, but I'm not crazy on the dub so far.

[gunswordfist]

I dropped that after I watched the first episode on CR. Not bad, I just had mixed feeling and didn't feel the urge to continue.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Another great episode. Izuna is a great new character.

Spoiler

That ending, though. Oh man, we gotta wait a week to see what happens next? Brutal.

[close]

[gunswordfist]

Brutal, indeed.

I also liked Izuna

[Spark Of Spirit]

Spoiler

Wow. Just about every character and plot point from the first half of the season just came back around again. Was NOT expecting that. Giving everyone he saved a chance to save him was an awesome twist I didn't see coming.

[close]

I just can't believe it's another cliffhanger. Man, so mean.

[LumRanmaYasha]

Damn, does this show know how to end episodes at just the right moment. These cliffhangers have been just killing me. Another great ep, next week just can't come soon enough.