Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!

Truly the best finale we could have gotten. In face of a seemingly unsolvable problem, Asakusa's wild creativity finds an unthinkable solution, which is to rewrite the ending of the short within 24 hours of the deadline. And sure enough, the final product is spectacular, befit of a student film. The perfect conclusion to a love letter to the medium, with spectacular visuals and a heartwarming feeling to top it off. In an era where animation feels like dangerous territory to pursue given the working conditions in both the east and west, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! reminds us why we love it in the first place.

A culmination of all their hard work. Eizouken hits a production snag that they all have to tackle with their respective specialties. The episode is a showcase of how limitations can create moments of pure ingenuity, especially in times of desperation.

Grind, grind, grind. Eizouken sets off to finish their project for the Chamber of Commerce. Roadblocks after roadblocks snag their way, but the group find their way to persevere, whether it's technical and logistic issues, or bureaucracy issues.

Sound hunting is important! An audio visual medium needs its audio as well, and this episode showcases the nuances that comes with making your own sound effects. As always, Kanamori is there to keep Asakusa and Mizusaki on track. Slower episode that focuses more on technical side

Kanamori backstory explains so much about her. Not just a business savant, but a marketing genius as well. We dive deeper into Eizouken's next project and the group has to decide and build the setting said project is going to use. Building a world for a setting is not easy work.

The premiere for their robot anime, and the confrontation Mizusaki needed for her character. It's the school festival, and the Eizouken and Robot Club need to attract an audience for their robot anime premiere. Well paced and the robot anime is amazingly animated.

Grind, grind, grind. It's all grind for the three girls as they chase the deadline. We delve into Mizusaki's mindset on what goes into her mind as she works on her animation. The clashing of creative visions between departments also force Asakusa to learn to communicate.

Kanamori is the boss. The research phase of a project is just as important as the production phase. Without it, production can't run smoothly. The importance of a project manager cannot be understated. As always, Kanamori is the MVP.

Team work makes the dream work, so they say. The girls' first collaborative work. Creative visions clash, compromises and agreements are made, and so it goes with any collaborative process. Working with someone like a client can bring its own set of challenges.

The reality of the production process hits the girls and it's not a smooth sailing. Kanamori is the certified MVP of this episode, hitting the other two with reality checks when they need it most so to not derail the production. Satisfying end with promises of more to come.

Logistics, people, logistics! It's not glamorous, it's not flashy, but it's important for a project to keep running smoothly. This is where someone like Kanamori comes in as the more level headed brain of the team. The team dynamic keeps getting expanded.

An urgent issue appears near the end. Major adjustments are needed to avoid scrapping everything. HAHAHA, Kanamori delivers again. It’s rewarding to see it all pay off. A great watch that leaves a warm feeling. Not sure about top 10 OAT for me, but definitely up there. AMAZING!

They come up with the most random scenes ever HAHAHA, that’s their charm. Oho, a new idea emerges. The scenery in this anime is insanely beautiful, I’d love to explore and photograph such a city. Kanamori being ten steps ahead never stops amazing me. As I said before, underrated.

Subplots start building as the project takes shape. Kanamori is a one-woman army here. I mean, if you’re not helping, at least don’t get in the way. We go on a journey for inspiration. The trio now works like a real team. An important step forward.

Kanamori always working behind the scenes, seriously underappreciated. She’s the brain. After all that tension, the pace slows as they decide on the next project. A cute look into the past, memories being formed. Such a refined mindset from a young age. New project set, let’s go.

We’re finally approaching the big moment, let’s see how all that effort pays off. Another major buildup from the core plot. Bit nervous. We face it head-on. A risky plan at the end raises the tension. Incredibly smart and funny HAHA. Another ABSOLUTE CINEMA, incredibly rewarding.

We seem to reach a more character-focused episode. I like seeing them grow into better versions of themselves. Passion turning into habit is enjoyable to watch. Friction appears, showing there’s still room to grow.

The project continues to grow, and so do expectations. The animation and story begin to take shape. Great to see how they complement each other. More complexity means more cooperation, and new interactions emerge. More fun facts enrich the story.

We arrive at a new theme, curious if this will be the next project. Oho, a new goal is set. Research and worldbuilding kick in at full pace. Back into their imagination again, I wonder if real animators think like this. This negotiation is simply absurd HAHAHA.

The first problems arise rather quickly. Cracks begin to show as each has different ambitions in the project. A glimpse into an animator’s daily life, always grinding. KANAMORI IS AN ABSOLUTE MENACE. She has her quirks but delivers when it matters. ABSOLUTE CINEMA at the end.