Is it just me or is Captain Earth a poor man's Star Driver?
Anime/Manga ► Spring Season Anime 2014
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Nyangoro, where do you go to watch Selector Infected WIXOSS? I've been waiting for that one to air, since seeing the trailer. So, if you could direct me to the right place, it'd be very much appreciated. C:
Just watched the first episode of Haikyuu.
Love me a good sports series and it was a great first episode. It touched on a few of the general tropes you'll find in a sports series, but it was the direction and the pep of the main character that kept me tuned in.
Also the soundtrack was wonderful.
I was going to watch Rowdy Wrestler Matsutaro...but I really can't see it keeping my attention.
Love me a good sports series and it was a great first episode. It touched on a few of the general tropes you'll find in a sports series, but it was the direction and the pep of the main character that kept me tuned in.
Also the soundtrack was wonderful.
I was going to watch Rowdy Wrestler Matsutaro...but I really can't see it keeping my attention.
Rather fabulous.
It had flair, some great set pieces and I don't remember ever being bored.
It has been a few years since I saw it though, but I do remember thoroughly enjoying it.
It had flair, some great set pieces and I don't remember ever being bored.
It has been a few years since I saw it though, but I do remember thoroughly enjoying it.
So I watched the premiere of Wixoss per Nyan's suggestion.
Was a decent premiere. I wouldn't say it was necessarily excellent, but there's potential here for sure. Right now there are three main things going for it:
1. The creepy imagery and overall foreboding tone this episode had at parts definitely means we'll get to some dark stuff eventually. just a matter of when.
2. I think I know the anime trope Nyan was talking about now, and I have to say it's pretty refreshing. I could see a lot of Madoka-esque personal drama coming from it, and I'm sure the other characters will have their own issues as well.
3. The animation/art is surprisingly good for such a seemingly irrelevant show. If nothing else, the show looks alright.
I don't really feel like this show is going to end up being much more than a poor man's Madoka, but I guess that's fine considering nobody was expecting much from this to begin with.
Was a decent premiere. I wouldn't say it was necessarily excellent, but there's potential here for sure. Right now there are three main things going for it:
1. The creepy imagery and overall foreboding tone this episode had at parts definitely means we'll get to some dark stuff eventually. just a matter of when.
2. I think I know the anime trope Nyan was talking about now, and I have to say it's pretty refreshing. I could see a lot of Madoka-esque personal drama coming from it, and I'm sure the other characters will have their own issues as well.
3. The animation/art is surprisingly good for such a seemingly irrelevant show. If nothing else, the show looks alright.
I don't really feel like this show is going to end up being much more than a poor man's Madoka, but I guess that's fine considering nobody was expecting much from this to begin with.
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I actually think the combination of Satou and Okada is better than the combination of Shinbou and Urobuchi for this kind of story. The former are better at handling characters and pulling as much out of them as possible. The latter are better at high concept stuff.
That being said, they've still got some potential pitfalls to avoid on the way.
Funimation simulcasts the series every Thursday. If you want to DL the episode:
Download Selector Infected WIXOSS Episode 1 – Anime Take
If you want to stream it:
Watch Selector Infected WIXOSS Episode 1 Online English Subbed
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(I may have had a little to drink as I tried to stomach some of these premiers, so... just a thing to keep in mind.)
Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo Returns: I can't really call this a Detective Conan knock-off. After all, this series came out first. Even so, this premiere screams of the same general formula. There's a plot that drags our quirky sleuthing savant to Hong Kong. His token love interest accidentally gets kidnapped, and now he has to find her while trying to solve a murder that occurred right before his eyes at the end of the episode. It's a Sherlockian style of mystery series in a country dominated by one of the most well-known Sherlockian-esque series. Unfortunately, if that weren't enough, this episode spends so much time on buildup that we don't even get an example of our protagonists abilities beyond a math problem he solved off-camera. I'll probably watch the second episode just to give this series a chance to complete a case; but if you're already watching Conan, then I don't see what this can offer you. And if you aren't, then I really don't see what this can offer you.
Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei: I think... this is the concentrated form of every modern anime trend. You've got vaguely defined yet remarkably overexplained science-magic (which is basically just their "powers" anyway). A high school setting in which to include various high school tropes alongside said science-magic. Endless exposition dialog (and just general exposition). Plenty of archetypal girls to want MC's dick (though they do a better job masking it in this episode than most, I'll give it that). An incest subplot, a pretty heavy one too. A badass, Garry Stu MC who's put in a situation to make him seem not all that, but then immediately shown that he is. It wasn't all bad though. There was one good action scene. Sure, everything else was bad, but it had that action scene. And sometimes it doesn't look like eye cancer. Most of the time it does, but not always.
Kamigami no Asobi: Here's the reverse harem of the season. To its credit, it's much less rapey than Diabolik Lovers. You've got the blank canvas that is the female lead as she stumbles upon a vague fantasy realm thanks to a glowing sword. There, she meets various gods (who are all, wait for it, handsome as diddly), before finally standing before Zeus. Apparently, in order to reestablish the bond between gods and humans, the gods need to learn how to love humans again. That's where she comes in. So she needs to be loved by a bunch of tall effeminate men who run the gambit of otome game personalities. Oh, and every time a new one is revealed, flowers blossom behind their portrait. It's hilarious. Also it's a waste of time unless you just want to aimlessly stare at hot guys.
Captain Earth: The biggest sin of this premiere is that not a lot really happened. Or put another way, its execution missed the mark. When it wasn't tossing its audience into a command center replete with techno jargon that means nothing to them, it spent its time on a flashback of the main character when he met two mysterious people. The problem is that those scenes were rushed and awkward. He just meets a random boy, and he's instantly willing to play a game with his father's present as a price? Why? And the girl barely got one scene the whole episode. I have no idea who any of these people are. Hell, I barely know who the main character is. We see a little of his current self, but it jumps straight to his backstory. We don't get to see him react to anything until the end. Even then, just barely. On top of that, I have no sense of the world that this takes place in. In the end, this episode spent so much time rushing through backstory that we don't get anything else that's important. I kinda dig the bulky robot design though. Even if it does look a little too much like Heroman crossed with Gundam.
Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii: This debut didn't really do anything wrong, per se. It just didn't do anything well enough. You start with a spunky girl who, honestly, could've been a lot worse. She's the fourth princess of some small kingdom, and she was married off to the Sun King in order to save their nation. Before she meets him, however, she sneaks into the city to get a feel for the people there. Hijinks ensue, and then she goes off to meet her groom, who turns out to be a snooty little brat. Here's the thing, I didn't hate the episode. It had personality, which is a lot more than I can say for some of the shows I watched today. I just don't know if the end result is anything more than average. The girl has a gimmick where she can command the weather, but I don't know how long that can remain interesting. Its production is meager, but serviceable, so I can't hate on it too much there either. I can't recommend it now, but I might watch a little more to see where it goes from here.
Abarenbou Kishi!! Matsutarou: This is what I imagine a show produced in the 70s would be if it were in native 720p. In other words, nothing is different other than the fact that it's in 720p. The animation isn't the only thing about this show that's uncomfortably retro. Everything is that way. From the outdated narrative to the woefully unbelievable lead, this is case and point that this type of storytelling just doesn't cut it anymore. I like to watch old series out of respect for their influence and to see what the shows back then were like, but the fact that they've aged is painfully obvious. This show started out aged. It's lost in the land of anime that time forgot. I can't even recommend this to people who really like retro-type series. If you really want to see an old sports series that badly, just watch Ace wo Nerae! again.
Haikyuu!!: Well, this is definitely my replacement for Kuroko no Basuke. This show has the energy, passion, and wild sports animation to leave a strong impression on its audience. It's not an unfamiliar story. A guy falls in love with a sport, but he's not exactly the right build for it. However, he overcomes with perseverance and a single skill that helps him stand above the rest. In other words, its the same setup as so many others. Its gimmick comes from his rival, who he met and lost to in his first and only tournament in middle school. Turns out, both of them decided to attend a formerly prestigious volleyball high school. So now they have to work together as teammates. While I don't think its setup is as strong as Kuroko no Basuke, it still passes. And more importantly, its the execution that matters in a sports series. If there's one thing this episode got right, it was the execution.
Baby Steps: I can already tell that this show's pacing is going to be unbearable. MC didn't play a single game of tennis the entire episode, with the exception of the teaser at the very beginning. I applaud the series for taking it slow, but it makes it hard to get a solid read on the series. But you know, it really wasn't that bad. The lead character is a studying maniac, but they pull it off. His obsession with data actually works and makes him an interesting protagonist for a sports series. The show's designs feel old-school, but the where it really shines is in the tennis animation. It's going for a realistic look, and damn does it succeed. I'd already heard that Baby Steps is the type of sports series that takes a deep look at the sport its about, and you can tell that instantly from this episode. It exudes a certain realism that you can't get from the crazier sports series out there. It won't be as immediately satisfying as something like Haikyuu!!, but I think it'll be a good show for the long haul.
Gokukoku no Brynhildr: Must every single premise shoehorn in potential harem bait? I mean, my god. Whatever. This show is about a guy who accidentally got his friend killed when he was a child (I mean, it's not really his fault, but he blames himself for it). Thus, he dedicated his studies to astronomy in search of aliens, because his friend both believed in and claimed to have seen aliens. In high school, a girl who looks exactly like his childhood friend comes into his life. She's some sort of genetically modified/cyborg/thing/I don't really know, and she has the ability to predict deaths and is also super powerful. Using that power, she saves two people. And that's where the episode ends. It's just hard for me to give a damn about what's going on. The harem-filled opening sequence didn't help, but on top of that, nothing that happened in this episode is enough to make it stand out by itself. This girl shows up and she has super powers. She looks like his friend, but she's not, so who really cares? It's been years since she died, so what's the relevance now? I'm sure these are things answered later on, but the first episode almost goes out of its way to make it seem like they don't matter. If you make it look like it doesn't matter, then how am I supposed to care long enough for you to prove to me that it does?
Isshuukan Friends: Here was probably my favorite premiere of the day. The basic premise is a 50 First Dates story (or ef: A Tale of Memories, if you want an anime example). A girl with chronic amnesia forgets (almost) everything after a week. This serves as a problem for the male lead, who kind of has the hots for her. That premise alone isn't what makes the show work though. That idea has been done plenty of times. It's in the details that this episode stands out. First, I really like the characters. Compared to a lot of anime, their delivery is mellow, which is quite the refreshing change of pace. Better still, their interactions are believable, giving good insight into their personalities. I found myself liking the male lead's friend a lot, who carries himself like he doesn't really care about anything; but when his friend needs help, he's always willing to lend an ear. The other thing that makes it work is that the series is only partly about romance. The story is setup that this guy makes friends with her again and again, week after week. What this means is that you can explore different aspects of friendship that you wouldn't be able to if this was strictly a 50 First Dates narrative. Also, the anime's beautiful. Both the character designs and scenery is like a cross between Usagi Drop and Hourou Musuko. Even the opening and ending themes match that description. It's really easy on the eyes, fits the tone, and is just all around pleasant. Definitely liked this premiere.
Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara: Here's a kinda interesting premise gone down the crapper by being tedious and eye-roll-worthy in just about every other way. Our protagonist has the ability to see "flags," the moments of decision in a visual novel, above the heads of real people. By "answering" the riddle to the flag, he can break them, even changing the course of the person's life in the process. I don't know, to me, that sounded kind of cool. So what do we spend that promise on? Stereotypes, a harem setup, shoehorned character backstory, and suspension-of-disbelief-breaking moments. Oh boy. Please excuse me while I forget that this show exists.
Dragon Collection/Hero Bank/Oreca Battle - I'm lumping these all together, because they're the exact same show. I mean, they're kids shows, which is never really something you wanna fall back on as a wannabe-critic, but it just fits so well. All of them are TCG series in one form or another. And it only makes them look worse when they air in the same season that has such a potentially good candidate for the genre already. They all feature a spunky shounen protag with a red/leader card that has to save the day. I'd like to say save the world, but it really isn't that serious. Mostly just bullies or for the hell of it.
Mangaka-san to Assistant-san to: I shouldn't have laughed. I really shouldn't have. But I did. Despite everything in my brain telling me that I should find this to be more of the same fanservice-based comedy drivel that we've seen countless times, I laughed. And then I sat and tried to figure out why in the name of all that is anime do I find this funny? (And this show's only thirteen minutes, so I got to this step sooner.) I think I got it. It's the main character, the male lead who's at he heart of all the jokes. Most of this type of character come in two categories: The asshole who's aware of what he's doing, and the clueless idiot who things just seem to happen to. Neither of these make for particularly funny comedy, but what this show did was combine the two, making a clueless idiot who's completely aware of what he's doing. There's a certain underlying innocence and honesty to this guy. At no point do you ever feel like he's being mean or is a jerk or anything like that. He's just actually that dumb. And it's in this complete idiocy that the character works. An energy bursts forth from him that spills into the one-liners and setup gags. I don't know if it's that great, or if it's easy to recommend; but of this type of comedy, I think it takes home the prize.
Mahou Shoujo Taisen: I feel like studios are finally starting to figure out what to do with small episode lengths. Unfortunately, this is not an example I'd use in making that claim. Rather, this is exactly why people don't like this trend. Four minutes of stupid, pointless nothing that serves only to pander to its audience with a condensed, liquid shot of convention that can be injected directly into the bloodstream. It's cheaply produced, cheaply conceived, the very definition of lazy, and I really don't want to talk about it anymore.
Black Bullet: Kinda boring. I realize I just jumped into it; but hey, that's what the show did. Hell, you see the mysterious underlying villain before you even see the creatures they spend the entire episode yammering on bout. And of course, there's plenty of exposition. It's not as bad as Mahouka, mind you, but it's still there. The art is... well, the music is good. Okay, fine, the art isn't horrible. It's just not that good either. Some of the animation is cool too. Mostly the fight scenes (in fact, exclusively the fight scenes). The characters are dull and seem to operate entirely by the idiosyncrasies, with the only mildly interesting element being the lore behind the little girls who are able to kick all kinds of monster ass. It does have something to it, some element of its style that's kind of working for me. I'm just not sure what it is. Well, I'll give it a second episode if nothing else.
Soul Eater Not!: God, this show is frustrating! Let's start with the obvious. The art direction is completely sterilized. Perfectly serviceable, mind you, but it has none of the spunk of the original adaptation (with the notable exception of some really slick animation during parts, but even that pales by comparison). There's a lot of moe elements that weren't in the original, and even the occasional bit of fanservice.... However... it still has the writing. It's still got the solid shounen writing that helped make the original so popular. It's sense of world building, the tiny details it adds to otherwise checklist scenes, strong character interactions, it's all there. And I love it. The end of the scene where our lead reaches the top of the stairs is exactly the kind of brilliant execution that I expect from this series. And it's annoying, because the art lacks the same charm. Even so, I can't not like this show, not when the writing somehow managed to work so well. Plus, the fight scene was really good.
Dragon Collection/Hero Bank/Oreca Battle - I'm lumping these all together, because they're the exact same show. I mean, they're kids shows, which is never really something you wanna fall back on as a wannabe-critic, but it just fits so well. All of them are TCG series in one form or another. And it only makes them look worse when they air in the same season that has such a potentially good candidate for the genre already. They all feature a spunky shounen protag with a red/leader card that has to save the day. I'd like to say save the world, but it really isn't that serious. Mostly just bullies or for the hell of it.
Mangaka-san to Assistant-san to: I shouldn't have laughed. I really shouldn't have. But I did. Despite everything in my brain telling me that I should find this to be more of the same fanservice-based comedy drivel that we've seen countless times, I laughed. And then I sat and tried to figure out why in the name of all that is anime do I find this funny? (And this show's only thirteen minutes, so I got to this step sooner.) I think I got it. It's the main character, the male lead who's at he heart of all the jokes. Most of this type of character come in two categories: The asshole who's aware of what he's doing, and the clueless idiot who things just seem to happen to. Neither of these make for particularly funny comedy, but what this show did was combine the two, making a clueless idiot who's completely aware of what he's doing. There's a certain underlying innocence and honesty to this guy. At no point do you ever feel like he's being mean or is a jerk or anything like that. He's just actually that dumb. And it's in this complete idiocy that the character works. An energy bursts forth from him that spills into the one-liners and setup gags. I don't know if it's that great, or if it's easy to recommend; but of this type of comedy, I think it takes home the prize.
Mahou Shoujo Taisen: I feel like studios are finally starting to figure out what to do with small episode lengths. Unfortunately, this is not an example I'd use in making that claim. Rather, this is exactly why people don't like this trend. Four minutes of stupid, pointless nothing that serves only to pander to its audience with a condensed, liquid shot of convention that can be injected directly into the bloodstream. It's cheaply produced, cheaply conceived, the very definition of lazy, and I really don't want to talk about it anymore.
Black Bullet: Kinda boring. I realize I just jumped into it; but hey, that's what the show did. Hell, you see the mysterious underlying villain before you even see the creatures they spend the entire episode yammering on bout. And of course, there's plenty of exposition. It's not as bad as Mahouka, mind you, but it's still there. The art is... well, the music is good. Okay, fine, the art isn't horrible. It's just not that good either. Some of the animation is cool too. Mostly the fight scenes (in fact, exclusively the fight scenes). The characters are dull and seem to operate entirely by the idiosyncrasies, with the only mildly interesting element being the lore behind the little girls who are able to kick all kinds of monster ass. It does have something to it, some element of its style that's kind of working for me. I'm just not sure what it is. Well, I'll give it a second episode if nothing else.
Soul Eater Not!: God, this show is frustrating! Let's start with the obvious. The art direction is completely sterilized. Perfectly serviceable, mind you, but it has none of the spunk of the original adaptation (with the notable exception of some really slick animation during parts, but even that pales by comparison). There's a lot of moe elements that weren't in the original, and even the occasional bit of fanservice.... However... it still has the writing. It's still got the solid shounen writing that helped make the original so popular. It's sense of world building, the tiny details it adds to otherwise checklist scenes, strong character interactions, it's all there. And I love it. The end of the scene where our lead reaches the top of the stairs is exactly the kind of brilliant execution that I expect from this series. And it's annoying, because the art lacks the same charm. Even so, I can't not like this show, not when the writing somehow managed to work so well. Plus, the fight scene was really good.
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I actually kinda liked Black Bullet quite a lot. Sure the pacing was weird for me personally, along with the bad guy getting forgotten for the rest episode. Something still pulls me in to re-watch it again and check out the second episode next week. And I totally agree, The Comic Artist and His Assistants was surprisingly funny, especially if we're talking about the MC.
Oh, and Jojo rocks. Thanks Crunchyroll!
Oh, and Jojo rocks. Thanks Crunchyroll!
No Game, No Life: A couple of light novel adaptations with impressive visual merit for you today. Starting with this one, I can only imagine how much they had to pray to the gods of bright neon in order to make this anything but eye cancer (and honestly, it did kinda strain my eyes when I watched it on the big screen). The chief animation director/character designer, director of photography, and color editor for this series all worked on Mamoru Hosoda's Summer Wars; so if you get a vibe similar to the digital world of that movie, there's your reason. The animation is really smooth too, which I didn't expect out of this "heavy" art style. But is the plot any good? Well, more than it has any right to be. This is probably the best "NEET gets trapped in an alternate world" scenario of the mostly rotten bunch. The "heroes" come across more as villains than anything else, but there's something engaging about that. The familial pair works by having one who's adept at analysis, and another who handles manipulation. It's an effective setup, and the honest relationship that they share (even if you can feel the desire to play it up to the pandered audience) helps lessen the contempt for them. And I love the promise of mind games coming into play in later episodes, like a neon Liar Game. Surprisingly, I'm looking forward to the next episode, and it's probably worth a look just on its visual strength alone.
Hitsugi no Chaika: The art style here works more in the traditional sense. The colors are normal and straightforward, but there's no CGI (or at least I didn't notice it beyond post-production effects) to jar the viewer. It's animation is what really brings it on home, not only in its fluidity but also in its direction. This show is surprisingly good at conveying little subtleties while bigger things are happening, such as the male lead desperately trying to keep his food away from his sister, or the general complexity found in his fight with the unicorn. This skill is mostly obviously seen in the opening theme, which uses great color contrast and a tight focus to draw the viewer in (it's easily one of the best "normal" opening theme of the season). I didn't find the story as immediately enticing as No Game, No Life, but there's a lot of room for characters and the lore to grow. It feels like a tale that needs time to flesh itself out, and it isn't afraid to keep audiences in the dark until its ready to deliver the goods. The cast doesn't strike me as bad either, just a little reserved at the moment. I'd say this is another one to give a shot, as it at least has some impressive animation chops to support it.
Hitsugi no Chaika: The art style here works more in the traditional sense. The colors are normal and straightforward, but there's no CGI (or at least I didn't notice it beyond post-production effects) to jar the viewer. It's animation is what really brings it on home, not only in its fluidity but also in its direction. This show is surprisingly good at conveying little subtleties while bigger things are happening, such as the male lead desperately trying to keep his food away from his sister, or the general complexity found in his fight with the unicorn. This skill is mostly obviously seen in the opening theme, which uses great color contrast and a tight focus to draw the viewer in (it's easily one of the best "normal" opening theme of the season). I didn't find the story as immediately enticing as No Game, No Life, but there's a lot of room for characters and the lore to grow. It feels like a tale that needs time to flesh itself out, and it isn't afraid to keep audiences in the dark until its ready to deliver the goods. The cast doesn't strike me as bad either, just a little reserved at the moment. I'd say this is another one to give a shot, as it at least has some impressive animation chops to support it.
Fuuun Ishin Dai☆Shogun: I don't normally call shows bad. Most of the time, there isn't anything necessarily fundamentally or structurally wrong with any random series you pull out of any given season. More often than not, they just executed poorly or suffered from being boring and forgettable. You know, they're just whatever. This anime, meanwhile, is bad. First, the animation. It kinda looks like those 3 to 5 minute flash animated series that aired a couple years ago, while studios were still trying to figure out what to do with such a short episode length. But it's 23 minutes long. So it's four times the amount amount of characters who just cannot be bothered to move more than an arm (at most) in any given shot. Every character movement looks tweened. All of them. I think they spent all their money on fireworks and rainbow confetti. The angle changes and scene breaks are so abrupt that I'm not even sure what this show is about. Though, part of it is that the writer has no idea to string together a single, coherent thought. At first, I thought it was about this guy who was really good at conquering shit and then got bored after he'd conquered the shit. But then, there's this brothel worker who's going around cutting off men's dicks, and somewhere down the road he gets blamed for it instead, so he had to peep on the lady's bathhouse, and the chief police officer now thinks that he's gay because of it. Also, this guy gets treated really badly for someone who is apparently a conqueror. What I'm trying to say is I don't know what's going on in this episode.
Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka?: I think I've said this before after having written up impressions for multiple seasons on this site (which I'll be able to do in more detail next season, since I'll actually have time), but I don't have much of a problem with the moe genre. At least conceptually. It's fluffy and harmless, sure, but it's supposed to be. Here's the thing though, you have to try. It's like how I am with the FPS genre. I can play a good FPS title, but the catch is it has to be good. And a lot of them are not good. Moe has the same problem. Mostly, they forget to give their characters something enjoyable about them. You can base them off an archetype, fine, but then give it a little something. It doesn't have to be much, just a small extra piece to help it stand out. It can be something as simple as good chemistry between the characters. K-ON! had it, Lucky Star had it, Acchi Kocchi had it, Non Non Biyori had it, this show doesn't have it. If I condensed all the nothingness that I felt after this episode into a single, infinitesimal space, a black hole would form and we'd all die. So we're lucky I can't and have no desire to do that.
Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin: I get the feeling this will be like Galilei Donna. A decent enough premise for a grand adventure, only to be crushed under a boulder by shoddy writing. So this guy goes to an island built exclusively for students to pursue their dreams. Then he finds that his room is occupied by the ghost of a girl who was murdered ten years ago. This girl has a secret treasure that they try to uncover, along with the mystery of her killer. See? Not horrible. What irritates me is that this episode deemed it necessary to divide time between that interesting idea and romcom gags. I just don't understand this need for series to waste time on something else when they already have a decent premise. To be fair, they do talk about the interesting bits as well, just not a lot because they wasted time elsewhere. I'd like to give this more of a shot, but the writing really hasn't inspired confidence in me. Oh, and it's an A-1 Pictures production, so you know exactly what it looks like.
Ping Pong: The Animation: I've heard some say that this show is only being propped up by the fans of Yuasa/atypical animation by virtue of the director, and that there'll probably be no actual substance here. Let me just shatter that perception right now, because there's a lot of substance. And I do mean a lot. This is an amazingly reworked version of the classic underdog story. The cast of characters is amazing, and the dynamic between them is even better. We meet three of the five promo characters. Peco, our lead, is a smug little punk who believes himself to be god's gift to ping pong. Smile, his best friend, is noncombative to a fault. China, the Chinese player who had to move to Japan, feels like he's being punished, sent to a country of benchwarmer-tier players. It's when the three of them meet, and the exchanges between them, that you can tell you are in for an amazing sports series. Now, Yuasa has clearly been limited in terms of budget. The opening animation was sped-up footage from the episode itself, for crying out loud. But when they get to the important matches, the animation comes alive and shows what his style can do for the genre. If you can only watch one sports series, I'd make it this one. Hell, this is a good one to watch in general.
Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka?: I think I've said this before after having written up impressions for multiple seasons on this site (which I'll be able to do in more detail next season, since I'll actually have time), but I don't have much of a problem with the moe genre. At least conceptually. It's fluffy and harmless, sure, but it's supposed to be. Here's the thing though, you have to try. It's like how I am with the FPS genre. I can play a good FPS title, but the catch is it has to be good. And a lot of them are not good. Moe has the same problem. Mostly, they forget to give their characters something enjoyable about them. You can base them off an archetype, fine, but then give it a little something. It doesn't have to be much, just a small extra piece to help it stand out. It can be something as simple as good chemistry between the characters. K-ON! had it, Lucky Star had it, Acchi Kocchi had it, Non Non Biyori had it, this show doesn't have it. If I condensed all the nothingness that I felt after this episode into a single, infinitesimal space, a black hole would form and we'd all die. So we're lucky I can't and have no desire to do that.
Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin: I get the feeling this will be like Galilei Donna. A decent enough premise for a grand adventure, only to be crushed under a boulder by shoddy writing. So this guy goes to an island built exclusively for students to pursue their dreams. Then he finds that his room is occupied by the ghost of a girl who was murdered ten years ago. This girl has a secret treasure that they try to uncover, along with the mystery of her killer. See? Not horrible. What irritates me is that this episode deemed it necessary to divide time between that interesting idea and romcom gags. I just don't understand this need for series to waste time on something else when they already have a decent premise. To be fair, they do talk about the interesting bits as well, just not a lot because they wasted time elsewhere. I'd like to give this more of a shot, but the writing really hasn't inspired confidence in me. Oh, and it's an A-1 Pictures production, so you know exactly what it looks like.
Ping Pong: The Animation: I've heard some say that this show is only being propped up by the fans of Yuasa/atypical animation by virtue of the director, and that there'll probably be no actual substance here. Let me just shatter that perception right now, because there's a lot of substance. And I do mean a lot. This is an amazingly reworked version of the classic underdog story. The cast of characters is amazing, and the dynamic between them is even better. We meet three of the five promo characters. Peco, our lead, is a smug little punk who believes himself to be god's gift to ping pong. Smile, his best friend, is noncombative to a fault. China, the Chinese player who had to move to Japan, feels like he's being punished, sent to a country of benchwarmer-tier players. It's when the three of them meet, and the exchanges between them, that you can tell you are in for an amazing sports series. Now, Yuasa has clearly been limited in terms of budget. The opening animation was sped-up footage from the episode itself, for crying out loud. But when they get to the important matches, the animation comes alive and shows what his style can do for the genre. If you can only watch one sports series, I'd make it this one. Hell, this is a good one to watch in general.
Just a couple more.
Escha & Logy no Atelier: Tasogare no Sora no Renkinjutsushi: Based on the PS3 title of the same name, this anime revolves around a couple of alchemists trying to rediscover lost alchemical techniques for the sake of the future. It's a very slow, easy-going show. It spent most of its first episode with the two lead characters chatting and getting to know each other, all the while showcasing different aspects of the world (especially alchemy). It's deliberate almost to a fault, as the interest in the show hinges entirely on the weight of its alchemy component. The characters themselves are of your basic types, so they don't seem like they could carry the series. And, unfortunately, I don't think the alchemy can either. For as much as they try to setup the world and how alchemy effects it, the alchemy in and of itself and how it works is never really touched upon. That makes sense, of course. In the game, it was essentially a recipe system, which is how its treated here. Unfortunately, especially since we can't interact with it ourselves, we're left with little more than a magic pot that can whatever you want it to so long as you have the ingredients. That just doesn't make for an interesting show, if you ask me.
Sidonia no Kishi: This premiere delivered all that I could have wanted in a sci-fi series right now: Just a solid opening episode. All 20-odd minutes were spent giving an initial look at all elements of the story. You see the lead as this strange, homeless orphan who gets thrust into a world under military control. You see the Gauna and feel the threat that they pose. The students at the military academy, along with the types of mobile suits available are given a brief, inferred description as well. Plus, the ruling authority behind it all makes a brief appearance. It touches on enough parts to give you a broad overview, but doesn't overwhelm the viewer with heavy exposition. At the same time, it leaves plenty open to be explored. Can't go wrong with that. Regarding its CGI, the studio is taking a "less is more" approach, and they seem to have struck a good and consistent balance. The scenery (except for the set pieces for the mecha sorties and battles) is done in traditional 2D animation, and they are stunning. Its equal parts grungy and immaculate, from the pristine academy to the dirty underground, from the neat new mech models to the worn cockpit over the older model. The details are beautiful. The characters, meanwhile, are entirely done in CGI, no matter the scene. They aren't perfect, but they move better than the characters in Arpeggio a few seasons ago. Mechs are usually rendered in CGI, since they are usually in action, and the same can be said for them. I think what helps it work is that the color scheme and environments for the CGI mech scenes are kept minimalistic. In doing so, they've been able to keep the animation more fluid since it has less to deal with, along with forcing them to focus on camerawork to make up for the monotone scenes. The end result, while not perfect, is better than I expected, and the Gauna are absolutely horrifying. By the by, the opening theme that Angela wrote for this show is too good.
Escha & Logy no Atelier: Tasogare no Sora no Renkinjutsushi: Based on the PS3 title of the same name, this anime revolves around a couple of alchemists trying to rediscover lost alchemical techniques for the sake of the future. It's a very slow, easy-going show. It spent most of its first episode with the two lead characters chatting and getting to know each other, all the while showcasing different aspects of the world (especially alchemy). It's deliberate almost to a fault, as the interest in the show hinges entirely on the weight of its alchemy component. The characters themselves are of your basic types, so they don't seem like they could carry the series. And, unfortunately, I don't think the alchemy can either. For as much as they try to setup the world and how alchemy effects it, the alchemy in and of itself and how it works is never really touched upon. That makes sense, of course. In the game, it was essentially a recipe system, which is how its treated here. Unfortunately, especially since we can't interact with it ourselves, we're left with little more than a magic pot that can whatever you want it to so long as you have the ingredients. That just doesn't make for an interesting show, if you ask me.
Sidonia no Kishi: This premiere delivered all that I could have wanted in a sci-fi series right now: Just a solid opening episode. All 20-odd minutes were spent giving an initial look at all elements of the story. You see the lead as this strange, homeless orphan who gets thrust into a world under military control. You see the Gauna and feel the threat that they pose. The students at the military academy, along with the types of mobile suits available are given a brief, inferred description as well. Plus, the ruling authority behind it all makes a brief appearance. It touches on enough parts to give you a broad overview, but doesn't overwhelm the viewer with heavy exposition. At the same time, it leaves plenty open to be explored. Can't go wrong with that. Regarding its CGI, the studio is taking a "less is more" approach, and they seem to have struck a good and consistent balance. The scenery (except for the set pieces for the mecha sorties and battles) is done in traditional 2D animation, and they are stunning. Its equal parts grungy and immaculate, from the pristine academy to the dirty underground, from the neat new mech models to the worn cockpit over the older model. The details are beautiful. The characters, meanwhile, are entirely done in CGI, no matter the scene. They aren't perfect, but they move better than the characters in Arpeggio a few seasons ago. Mechs are usually rendered in CGI, since they are usually in action, and the same can be said for them. I think what helps it work is that the color scheme and environments for the CGI mech scenes are kept minimalistic. In doing so, they've been able to keep the animation more fluid since it has less to deal with, along with forcing them to focus on camerawork to make up for the monotone scenes. The end result, while not perfect, is better than I expected, and the Gauna are absolutely horrifying. By the by, the opening theme that Angela wrote for this show is too good.
Shit that aced the test:
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders
Mushishi Zoku Shou
Ping Pong: The Animation
Sidonia no Kishi
Shit that passed the test:
Baby Steps
Haikyuu!!
Isshuukan Friends.
Selector Infected WIXOSS
Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii
Shit that's still being graded but could pass:
Akuma no Riddle
Hitsugi no Chaika
Mekaku City Actors
No Game No Life
Soul Eater Not!
Shit on the verge of failing or already did:
Black Bullet
Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou
Captain Earth
Gokukoku no Brynhildr
Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo Returns
Mangaka-san to Assistant-san to
Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin
Shit that bombed:
Abarenbou Kishi!! Matsutarou
Blade and Soul
Dragon Collection
Escha & Logy no Atelier: Tasogare no Sora no Renkinjutsushi
Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka?
Hero Bank
Kamigami no Asobi
Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara
Kenzen Robo Daimidaler
Mahou Shoujo Taisen
Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei
Majin Bone
Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers
Oreca Battle
Seikoku no Dragonar
Only other shows that I plan to check out that haven't aired yet are M3 (in about a week) and Hanamonogatari (in about a month and a half).
Saw Captain Earth's second episode. It tried. It really did. Then it fell down again. Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii, on the other hand, did a fantastic job with its second episode.
A little too much Okada bled into the script for the second episode of WIXOSS, but it was still a solid episode. Just need to balance out the two new characters with something next episode.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders
Mushishi Zoku Shou
Ping Pong: The Animation
Sidonia no Kishi
Shit that passed the test:
Baby Steps
Haikyuu!!
Isshuukan Friends.
Selector Infected WIXOSS
Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii
Shit that's still being graded but could pass:
Akuma no Riddle
Hitsugi no Chaika
Mekaku City Actors
No Game No Life
Soul Eater Not!
Shit on the verge of failing or already did:
Black Bullet
Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou
Captain Earth
Gokukoku no Brynhildr
Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo Returns
Mangaka-san to Assistant-san to
Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin
Shit that bombed:
Abarenbou Kishi!! Matsutarou
Blade and Soul
Dragon Collection
Escha & Logy no Atelier: Tasogare no Sora no Renkinjutsushi
Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka?
Hero Bank
Kamigami no Asobi
Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara
Kenzen Robo Daimidaler
Mahou Shoujo Taisen
Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei
Majin Bone
Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers
Oreca Battle
Seikoku no Dragonar
Only other shows that I plan to check out that haven't aired yet are M3 (in about a week) and Hanamonogatari (in about a month and a half).
Saw Captain Earth's second episode. It tried. It really did. Then it fell down again. Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii, on the other hand, did a fantastic job with its second episode.
A little too much Okada bled into the script for the second episode of WIXOSS, but it was still a solid episode. Just need to balance out the two new characters with something next episode.
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I'm watching Haikyuu and Akuma no Riddle. Haikyuu is a volleyball Anime, I'm not good at sports but love it XD!! >> Animewind.tv - Watch Haikyuu!! Online English Dubbed / Subbed Episodes
- Joined
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- Messages
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- Age
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I happen to actually like No Game No Life and Soul Eater Not.
Soul Eater Not:
My only real complaint about this anime is the way the characters looked in the first episode. Its like someone else messed up the way Maka, Black Star and Tsubaki looked. I don't want to believe this side story is canon, since I'd be disappointed if the characters grew older to look like this. Way too realistic for me. Moving back on track, I thought each episode was done well, and I happened to grow a soft spot for all three girls. Sure this has a lot more fluff to it, and that be a bit of a turn off. However I can look past that because of the fight in the first episode was promising enough for me to keep watching.
No Game No Life:
I wasn't sure what to expect as I started to watch this. I was taken by surprise upon seeing Shiro and Sora for the first time. I'm impressed with their skills in video games, and something about their eyes are downright creepy and cool at the same time. To think they're almost unbeatable. The world they land in feels so right for them, that I can't really complain about them being there instead of the real world. I couldn't stop laughing at the reactions Sora and Shiro had from being separated from each other. I don't feel like this is incest or anything at all, since its just a typical close brother/sister relationship. Furthermore, I think the rules of that world is pretty hilarious, if your request is 'fall in love with me.'
Selector Infected WIXOSS:
I did feel sort of let down upon realizing this anime was set around a card game. I kept watching it, hoping what I saw in the trailer would give it the edge I was looking for. I suppose you could say Tama is the edge I was looking for. Considering how unusual she is by not speaking in sentences, and having quite a bit of blood lust. I'm not sure this will be expanded on, and after the third episode, I hope it does. I think everyone's wishes so far are quite more interesting then the MC is.
Soul Eater Not:
My only real complaint about this anime is the way the characters looked in the first episode. Its like someone else messed up the way Maka, Black Star and Tsubaki looked. I don't want to believe this side story is canon, since I'd be disappointed if the characters grew older to look like this. Way too realistic for me. Moving back on track, I thought each episode was done well, and I happened to grow a soft spot for all three girls. Sure this has a lot more fluff to it, and that be a bit of a turn off. However I can look past that because of the fight in the first episode was promising enough for me to keep watching.
No Game No Life:
I wasn't sure what to expect as I started to watch this. I was taken by surprise upon seeing Shiro and Sora for the first time. I'm impressed with their skills in video games, and something about their eyes are downright creepy and cool at the same time. To think they're almost unbeatable. The world they land in feels so right for them, that I can't really complain about them being there instead of the real world. I couldn't stop laughing at the reactions Sora and Shiro had from being separated from each other. I don't feel like this is incest or anything at all, since its just a typical close brother/sister relationship. Furthermore, I think the rules of that world is pretty hilarious, if your request is 'fall in love with me.'
Selector Infected WIXOSS:
I did feel sort of let down upon realizing this anime was set around a card game. I kept watching it, hoping what I saw in the trailer would give it the edge I was looking for. I suppose you could say Tama is the edge I was looking for. Considering how unusual she is by not speaking in sentences, and having quite a bit of blood lust. I'm not sure this will be expanded on, and after the third episode, I hope it does. I think everyone's wishes so far are quite more interesting then the MC is.
Alright, so, first thing:
M3: Watching this show reminded me of early-2000s series, particularly mech series like Rahxephon and Soukyuu no Fafner. It's got a cryptic world with enemies as metaphor. It's got a dark and serious tone, replete with unsettling imagery, accompanied with an undoubtedly tragic history for its characters. While I tend to like things like that, does that mean I like this show? Um, maybe. This is going to be a show that requires a second episode. It's got some interesting components (and a bitchin soundtrack) and enough breathing room to grow into something solid, but nothing in this episode itself made me think it was a surefire excellent series. Also, I wish the series were a little better looking. Now, I should point out that I watched the rip from Daisuki, and the video encoding was awful, which no doubt contributed to the visuals underwhelming appearance. That aside, nothing about the visuals really stood out regardless, everything slathered in a washed-out color palette. I highly doubt better encoding would have saved the CGI mechs either, though the enemies looked kinda nice (of course, I might just think that because they actually had some color). I'll have to watch it again with a better encode to know for sure. Either way, it's not a bad first episode, and it certainly could be a great show, but I'll need to see its second episode before I can make a better call.
On another note, I found myself more willing to give certain shows that I'd otherwise written off a second chance. Why? I have no idea. Just felt like it for some reason. Anyway, Captain Earth remains not that good on any sort of serious level; but, in all honestly, it is fun. Stupid fun, yes, but fun nonetheless. So, I guess if you just want a mecha anime that's entertainingly goofy, this'll probably work. Otherwise, there's been no significant improvement in anything else after three episodes. Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou has been steadily improving; not because the writing has improved, but because the characters have had more time to interact. There's a lot of chemistry between the cast, which makes the show far more entertaining than it probably should be. The art is still gorgeous.
Akuma no Riddle has gotten better as well, more clearly settling into its crazy action thriller groove. The rampant psychopathy that it borrows from Mirai Nikki has strengthened with each episode, making it a surprisingly good romp alongside batshit characters, though it's been holding back the gore a bit. Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo Returns actually has a fairly decent mystery, lasting four episode on it alone. It has high stakes and a lot of moving parts. It's just a shame that everyone involved in the mystery is so bland and boring that shounen tropes look exciting by comparison. So yeah, wasted potential.
Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei... okay, let me be clear here: This show is bad. There's no getting around that. It's a horrible show that somehow managed to feature a protagonist less interesting than Kirito. At least he could emote on occasion. I don't even know why I watched three episodes of it. I guess just watching a character be badass is mildly entertaining, but I've squeezed that well dry. The exposition is worse, the setting is worse (and really just makes no damn sense), the events are worse, its more masturbatory; it is in nearly every way, shape, or form a worse version of Sword Art Online. I don't know what I was expecting.
Gokukoku no Brynhildr, on the other hand, has also gotten better. Though I remain unimpressed by its characters, it managed to create a lot of intrigue in its witch concept and with its surprising brutality. Sure, it could just be shock value at the end of the day, but it convinced me to watch episode four if nothing else. Black Bullet is in the same boat, though I do like its characters more. They work well together, and each have their fair share of personality-forming past that binds them together. It feels like the two leads genuinely give a shit about each other, which is conveyed a little less often in anime than it really should be.
No Game, No Life and Hitsugi no Chaika are both still on the positive side of the needle, with the latter edging it out over the former due to a more interesting protagonist. Soul Eater Not! is still the same show it was in episode one. I mean, yes, the content changed from high concept fantasy to something more along the lines of moe fantasy; but as I said, the writing is still there, making it probably one of the best written series in the moe genre. And I like it. Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin focused more on the mystery and adventure, though I'm still not convinced, especially if its going to be just an eleven episode series. It could be decent though. Maybe. But only if the puzzles get tougher and tougher.
M3: Watching this show reminded me of early-2000s series, particularly mech series like Rahxephon and Soukyuu no Fafner. It's got a cryptic world with enemies as metaphor. It's got a dark and serious tone, replete with unsettling imagery, accompanied with an undoubtedly tragic history for its characters. While I tend to like things like that, does that mean I like this show? Um, maybe. This is going to be a show that requires a second episode. It's got some interesting components (and a bitchin soundtrack) and enough breathing room to grow into something solid, but nothing in this episode itself made me think it was a surefire excellent series. Also, I wish the series were a little better looking. Now, I should point out that I watched the rip from Daisuki, and the video encoding was awful, which no doubt contributed to the visuals underwhelming appearance. That aside, nothing about the visuals really stood out regardless, everything slathered in a washed-out color palette. I highly doubt better encoding would have saved the CGI mechs either, though the enemies looked kinda nice (of course, I might just think that because they actually had some color). I'll have to watch it again with a better encode to know for sure. Either way, it's not a bad first episode, and it certainly could be a great show, but I'll need to see its second episode before I can make a better call.
On another note, I found myself more willing to give certain shows that I'd otherwise written off a second chance. Why? I have no idea. Just felt like it for some reason. Anyway, Captain Earth remains not that good on any sort of serious level; but, in all honestly, it is fun. Stupid fun, yes, but fun nonetheless. So, I guess if you just want a mecha anime that's entertainingly goofy, this'll probably work. Otherwise, there's been no significant improvement in anything else after three episodes. Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou has been steadily improving; not because the writing has improved, but because the characters have had more time to interact. There's a lot of chemistry between the cast, which makes the show far more entertaining than it probably should be. The art is still gorgeous.
Akuma no Riddle has gotten better as well, more clearly settling into its crazy action thriller groove. The rampant psychopathy that it borrows from Mirai Nikki has strengthened with each episode, making it a surprisingly good romp alongside batshit characters, though it's been holding back the gore a bit. Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo Returns actually has a fairly decent mystery, lasting four episode on it alone. It has high stakes and a lot of moving parts. It's just a shame that everyone involved in the mystery is so bland and boring that shounen tropes look exciting by comparison. So yeah, wasted potential.
Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei... okay, let me be clear here: This show is bad. There's no getting around that. It's a horrible show that somehow managed to feature a protagonist less interesting than Kirito. At least he could emote on occasion. I don't even know why I watched three episodes of it. I guess just watching a character be badass is mildly entertaining, but I've squeezed that well dry. The exposition is worse, the setting is worse (and really just makes no damn sense), the events are worse, its more masturbatory; it is in nearly every way, shape, or form a worse version of Sword Art Online. I don't know what I was expecting.
Gokukoku no Brynhildr, on the other hand, has also gotten better. Though I remain unimpressed by its characters, it managed to create a lot of intrigue in its witch concept and with its surprising brutality. Sure, it could just be shock value at the end of the day, but it convinced me to watch episode four if nothing else. Black Bullet is in the same boat, though I do like its characters more. They work well together, and each have their fair share of personality-forming past that binds them together. It feels like the two leads genuinely give a shit about each other, which is conveyed a little less often in anime than it really should be.
No Game, No Life and Hitsugi no Chaika are both still on the positive side of the needle, with the latter edging it out over the former due to a more interesting protagonist. Soul Eater Not! is still the same show it was in episode one. I mean, yes, the content changed from high concept fantasy to something more along the lines of moe fantasy; but as I said, the writing is still there, making it probably one of the best written series in the moe genre. And I like it. Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin focused more on the mystery and adventure, though I'm still not convinced, especially if its going to be just an eleven episode series. It could be decent though. Maybe. But only if the puzzles get tougher and tougher.
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