Weekly Anime Round-Up (June 7th – June 13th, 2021): Race and Power in the Great Pretender, Elitist anime, and Candy Flurry

Great Pretender‘s animation looks good but I haven’t been able to get into it. A “crime comedy” anime produced by Wit Studio, Great Pretender follows Makoto “Edamame” Edamura as he enters a life of crime. When he swindles a swindler (Laurent Thierry) his life changes for the worst. Beata over at Anime Feminist explores how the series focuses on race, class, and power dynamics.

Makoto takes on a robin hood role, as he steals with the goal of helping others. Beata examines how the series depicts the negative effects of “structural oppression.” The bodyguard of the drug trader Eddie Cassano, Salazar, is trying to escape his life of crime and create a safe home for his son. Eddie exploits the benefit of his privileges or as Beata puts it:

Eddie chooses to continue his criminal activities because his whiteness and wealth give him the power to navigate both the criminal and legitimate world without experiencing many repercussions.

Beata

---

Elitist Anime

Scott over at mechanical anime reviews discusses what he perceives to be “elitist anime.” Basically, elitist anime is supposed to be “intellectual.” These anime generally begin in 2010. Elitist is considered an insult, suggesting someone is out of touch. While Scott doesn’t wish to pass judgment or take things too seriously, he does create a list of the anime he thinks fits the “elitist” label.

Personally, I don’t have an issue with “elitist anime” if it means anime that makes you think. I have an issue with gatekeeping by fans who believe you’re not a “true” anime fan if you only watch “mainstream” series. I don’t know how the two concepts compare and they may overlap. The list includes some anime I’ve seen, some I heard of, and some I’m unaware of, Vinland Saga, Mob Psycho 100, are among my favs.

This is the concept behind this post. I don’t want this list to be taken seriously, ok? Please don’t. Let’s just enjoy anime together and not point fingers at each other at our own tastes.

Scott

---

Candy Flurry

Demon God Thadeus hopes to give the new Shonen Jump series Candy Flurry some attention. A new series with less than 10 chapters, Candy Flurry is written by Ippon Takegushi and drawn by Santa Mitarashi. The corporation called “Cyndy Toy Toy,” sell Toy Toy Candy magical sweets that grant the consumer’s candy powers. There are 100 of each type of sweet. DGT loves the Power System:

I love how simplistic it is in execution- but how much potential it has for strategy and combat. I hear about all of these complex @$$ Nen abilities and these……….ridiculous overpowered Stands, and I end up thinking “Whatever happened to the days where I can just hit someone REALLY hard and they go down?” Seriously; what the h#ll is up with Knuckle’s “Chapter 7 Bankruptcy” and that stupid “Golden Spin” bullcr@p? That……may have just turned everyone who loves the complex mechanics in a power system away, but I can assure you that this is a really cool way of fighting.

Demon God Thadeus

Demon God Thadeus sells the series, making me interested and the art style appeals to me. So I’m going to give the series a read. I hope I like it. I’m always looking for another good manga series. Check out Candy Flurry.