Welcome to this week’s review of notable instances of transit, place and culture as rendered in anime currently broadcast in Japan and simulcast internationally via the web. For a detailed outline of the approach, please refer to the explanation in the inaugural issue. Links to streaming sources are included when available, though not all may have current episode available at the time this column is published.

Regardless of My Adolescent Delusions of Grandeur, I Want a Date!

(中二病でも恋がしたい! Chūnibyō Demo Koi ga Shitai!)
Watch: Anime Network

The @lidges map:

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Episode 11

This week is packed with great examples of walkability and transit oriented development in Ōtsu (大津).

Yūta and Rikka’s commute to school includes a walk across the Seta River and through town via a portion of the Tōkaidō (東海道 East Sea Road).

The JR West Biwako Line (琵琶湖線) also crosses the river. The line name refers to the portion of the Tōkaidō Main Line between Kyōto Station and Maibara Station.

High, solid railings separate the pedestrian lane from traffic.

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The sidewalk continues into the central business district.

Snack break on the walking path under the Tōkaidō.

Biwako Line

Looking east from the platform at Keihan Ishiyama Station (京阪石山駅).

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Yūta sees Rikka off from Keihan Ishiyama Station on a trip to her hometown in Fukui Prefecture.

Keihan 700 series train

The cabin looks like that of the 681 series and 683 series trains, so this is probably a Shirasagi (しらさぎ) or Thunderbird (サンダーバード) limited express.

PSYCHO-PASS

(サイコパス Saiko Pasu)
Watch: Funimation • Hulu

Episode 10

Ten episodes in and I’m finally noticing a very important background detail. The water under the elevated highways isn’t there intentionally, it’s the result of sea level rise. If you look closely you can see the ruins of a building jutting out from the water. I’m thrilled to see a realistic depiction of climate change adaptation in popular culture. Now, if I could only get my government to stop debating about whether or not the problem exists.

Low lying areas like Shinbashi (新橋) have been left to rot.

Here comes the water.

Old entrance to the subway. Interesting that the sign says 新新橋駅 (New Shinbashi Station), which doesn’t exist in present day.

Kōgami is lured into a trap, which turns out to be the defunct Tokyo Metro Ginza Line (銀座線).

A while back I griped at how, even in the setting of future Tokyo, it was disappointing to see still so many cars and elevated highways cutting through the city. But if you consider that rising sea levels will render many components of coastal urban infrastructure impracticable, especially subways, then the outcome is understandable, if unsatisfying.

Code:Breaker

(コード: ブレイカー Kōdo:Bureikā)
Watch: Funimation • Hulu

Episode 10

This week is all about the dote (土手). These are earthen embankments intended to provide flood protection. Here in Code:Breaker, as in many anime, it’s strongly associated with childhood, innocence and playfulness.

Hitomi comes to the dote to remind himself of the purpose of his sacrifice and personal peril.

Pursuing a criminal on the streets

Mourning the loss of a colleague at a cafe

Another criminal pursuit. This time in an underground passageway, most likely connecting a train station with buildings in the vicinity. It’s dark, but you can see the closed shutters of what would be assorted vendors during operating hours.

Did you get enough dote for the week?

Flashback to several years in the past. Ogami and Hitomi watch the construction of the Tokyo Skytree (東京スカイツリー) from a nearby bridge.

Look at that sidewalk.

Present day Tokyo Skytree

Shinjuku (新宿)

The Studio ALTA building

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Kamisama Kiss

(神様はじめました Kamisama Hajimemashita)
Watch: Funimation • Hulu

Episode 11

Mizuki arrives in Shibuya (渋谷) en route to Toranomon (虎ノ門) to find Kurama.

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Shibuya 109. This shot is also used in the end credits to Code:Breaker.

Shibuya Koen Dori (渋谷公園通り). Watch a live webcam feed, 24/7

TV Tokyo headquarters in Toranomon

Nanami drags Tomoe to an amusement park. What Nanami wants most is to watch the city lights at night from up high with Tomoe. One of these weeks, I’ll dive into more background about Ferris wheels in Japan. If seeing these animated is something that tickles your fancy, I recommend watching Honey and Clover.

My Little Monster

(となりの怪物くん Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun)
Watch: Crunchyroll

Episode 11

Yamaken walks up to the bus stop queue, only to hail a taxi, while playing through an inner monologue in which he can’t understand why he comes off as elitist.