While there are some truly great moments in Stars Align, the series lacks balance and the pacing doesn't really allow any of its concepts to get the full attention they deserve. Also, ending prematurely, without a follow up season this one seems destined to be forgotten. However, I'll give it points for effort at least.
There's magical girls, encounters with witches and the possible memory of a missing sick sister and yet I couldn't help but feel this episode felt a little empty. At least there's plenty of pretty backgrounds to look at.
Having come late to the Haikyu party, I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed the series when I finally got around to watching it. Having finished the three previous seasons and I was kind of looking forward to this season when I heard it was coming. The question is whether the magic will happen one more time.
Magia Record is another entry in the Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica franchise, though apparently it is based off a spin-off game. Having only watch the original anime series and none of the movies and the like, I'm a little out of the loop as to how this fits in the grand story if at all, but I know I am up for some more magical girl antics and so I'm pretty much on board with this anime from the start.
Well that's a cliff-hanger finish for you. Admittedly, the match is done and we can see the growth of some characters. Still, there's a lot left open by this final episode of Stars Align. While there's rumour that the director wants the series to return, without confirmation we'll probably have to accept that this is it for now.
With apparently only one more episode to go Stars Align is moving through things rapidly and yet has almost zero chance of dealing with all the issues it has heaped onto its own plate. Episodes 10 and 11 are enjoyable and offer some solid moments but the overall pacing and narrative are still suffering.
Stars Align continues to want to tackle everything and while it has glimpses of brilliance the whole thing just feels like someone threw far too many ingredients into this pot with all of them fighting for attention and yet none of them really being done justice.
Fun episode even if it doesn't quite seem to make sense of its characters. But I guess everything is better when you throw in a barbecue.
The first practice match against a champion school may be a cliche move for a sports anime but Stars Align at least knows how to put its best foot forward for the characters we've followed so far and how to keep the pace moving. It still ends on a cliff-hanger that was most definitely inevitable.
The stars nearly did align this week as the episode began fairly solidly. However, by the final trope dropped in the post credits scene a lot of the strength of the episode had dissipated. Still, it is nice to see that episode 5 was trying.