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.

Wizard Barristers: Benmashi Cecil

(ウィザード・バリスターズ〜弁魔士セシル Wizādo Barisutāzu – Benmashi Seshiru)
Watch: Crunchyroll

Episode 9

Cecile is all over town this week, beginning with a departure from the Butterfly Law Offices in Ameya-Yokochō (アメヤ横丁).

Hotaru and Ageha take a breather above the rail viaduct as the Yamanote Line whizzes past.

Cecile and Shimizu meet in Ueno Park (上野公園).

Shinobazu Pond (不忍池)

Tokudai-ji (徳大寺) is a small shrine perched above the steady din of Ameya-Yokochō.

I wish I recognized this little commercial district. Perhaps located in Akasaka? Well-lit shopfronts and narrow streets create a lively environment for evening strollers.

Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Ren

(中二病でも恋がしたい!戀 Chūnibyō Demo Koi ga Shitai! Ren)
Watch: Crunchyroll

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@BloodRambo made a pilgrimage to Hirakata Park in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture; the Kusatsu Municipal Library in Kusatsu and Ichiriyama Park in Ōtsu (latter two Shiga Prefecture) for Episode 10.

@BloodRambo also made a pilgrimage (post 1, 2, 3) covering the Kyūshū story arc in Episode 6 and Episode 7.

Episode 10

Hirakata Park (ひらかたパーク) is an amusement park in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture operated by the Keihan Electric Railway (京阪電気鉄道). In Japan, it is common for rail operators to own and manage real estate assets (or for the company itself to be one of several in a portfolio that includes retail, commercial or residential property) in order to increase return on the rail right-of-way.

Back in Shiga Prefecture, obon (お盆) preparations are underway at Ichiriyama Park (一里山公園) in Ōtsu.

Kusatsu Municipal Library (草津市立図書館)

Blue tiled plaza connecting Ishiyama Station (石山駅) and Keihan Ishiyama Station (京阪石山駅)

Karahashi Park (唐橋公園), along the Seta River in Ōtsu

Ichiriyama Park

Hinokiyama Jinja (檜山神社)

Noragami

(ノラガミ)
Watch: Funimation

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@teo_imperial (post) and @Roan_Inish (post) made pilgrimages to the Nerima Ward Ōizumi Municipal Library in Tokyo for Episode 10.

@teo_imperial also made a pilgrimage to Suehiro Jinja in Chūō Ward, Tokyo for Episode 9.

Episode 10

Hiyori and classmates finish studies and depart from the Nerima Ward Ōizumi Municipal Library (練馬区立大泉図書館), which is nestled in the midst of a dense residential neighborhood.

Hiyori attends hatsumōde (初詣), traveling to the shrine by subway.

A portion of the road leading to the shrine has been converted into a public street, but a large torii marks the entrance to what would have originally been shrine grounds.

Yato, Yukine and Hiyori are drawn into deserted plazas and neighborhood pocket parks as part of trap set by Nora.

Hiyori gets a temporary reprieve with the sunrise. We can see Tokyo Skytree (東京スカイツリー) in the skyline behind her.

Wake Up, Girls!

Watch: Crunchyroll

Episode 10

There is a brief shot of Mayu and Airi boarding a city bus. Mayu readies a transit payment card and prepares to swipe at a terminal that looks more like the actual SKIP/Joy prepaid card systems currently used on Sendai public transit, rather than the IC card shown in earlier episodes.

MACANA

WUG fans gather at famiresu. After almost two years of writing this column, I finally came across a fairly comprehensive explanation for what exactly Japan’s “family restaurants” are, who goes to them, and what you can do there. The food is generally low-cost to begin with, but the fact that it is acceptable to camp out for long periods of time yet order only a small snack or drink (or for some members of a party to not order anything at all) makes it much more in line with the concept of third place compared with conventional restaurants.