Leap of Faith:

I've been waiting for this opening theme song of Shikkakumon by fripSide ever since I first heard it.  Today the full version has been released and can be found at nyaa.si.

I took a leap of faith and instantly promoted it to my 5-star music hall of fame, which caused a cascade of demotions for everybody else.  Love Call moved down to 4-star, Scholazar Basin to 3-star, Temple of the Five Dawns to 2-star, Beethoven's 6th Symphony Scene by the brook to 1-star, and Horrors of the Night from FF-15 was kicked out entirely.

As always the newly updated details can be found at my Good Music permapost.  It would be nice if I could quickly upgrade my music quality every day like this, but this was the only winter opening that interested me so I doubt there will be any more additions any time soon.

DanMachi has a tearjerker scene of its own, when Wiene dies but is then quickly reborn accompanied by a lovely vocal track and beautiful white light effects, as though justice were being restored to the world.  The whipsaw of thinking all was lost and then the relief of having it all back within thirty seconds really grips the heart.  It isn't like those phony scenes in other series which make you think someone has died and leave off at a cliffhanger for a week or a year.  It brings her back instantly, within the same episode, it isn't messing with you but answering your prayers.  I think this scene earned DanMachi a spot in my top anime rankings even if Season 4 is a dud.  It's good enough as is.  But I don't expect Season 4 to be a dud.  I sure hope it isn't.  I'm looking forward to it and how good it can make DanMachi overall.  Heck I'm hoping for a season 5 and 6 while we're at it.

Sousou no Frieren has made me want to cry a few times too, though with visuals alone it isn't as emotional as the full panoply of animation, music, voice acting and color that the DanMachi anime had.  I feel so sad for what might have been if Frieren had noticed and returned Himmel's feelings.  He tried so hard for her but never complained once that his feelings were unrequited.  What a noble, gentle soul.  I'm only at chapter 31 so there's probably plenty of emotion left in the next 50 chapters too.

Tom Brady really has retired.  The NFL won't be the same without him.  He didn't do it because his production was bad.  He actually had one of his best seasons ever.  He brought the Buccaneers back to a tie game with the Rams when it looked like all hope was lost through sheer determination.  It was a wonderful, amazing last game to remember him by.  There will never be his like.  He won the game of football, everyone else is just playing it.

I'm going to miss all these great old quarterbacks, Brees, Brady, Rivers, Roethlisburger. . . But the new kids on the block, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes are putting up some amazing numbers and great plays too.  Maybe in time they'll have records that can match the hall of famers.  The NFL is still going to be fun without them.

It appears Washington Football Team is going to get a decent name again, 'Commanders.'  That's a clever reference to Commander-in-Chief, so it includes Presidents, as is fit for a team based out of D.C.  But it also refers to great military commanders or just people who show leadership anywhere in life.  Anyone can aspire to be a commander and be proud to play as one.  It's a lot better than 'Football Team' and better than the previous 'Redskins.'  Supposedly Redskin wasn't referring to skin color but it sure sounds like it was which is already bad enough.  Who would want to be called the Yellowskins, the Whiteskins or the Blackskins.  Commanders is an upgrade I can get behind.