Pretty much tried out everything this season that looked interesting, save for
BRS TV, but that's still a while out, so might as well give these some impressions now:
Tantei Opera Milky Holmes Second Season: Actually slightly disappointed in this one. The first episode contained a running gag that ran the entire episode- far too long when the joke stopped being funny the first 2-3 times. And it seems the girls have once again lost/forgotten their Toys and their desire to become detectives, which feels essentially like the writers are putting that aspect of the show on the backburner or using it
yet again as a plot device for the girls. Hopefully the series quickly shapes up back to the wonderful mix of action/short gags/awesome animation that was abound in the first season or it'll be painful being forced to write off a series that holds such charm.
Recorder to Randsell: 3 minute comic shorts juxtaposing wild differences between characters' actual age and their physical age. The premise as well as the jokes regarding the premise were decently funny, but the question is really how long can they stay funny?
Kill Me Baby: Girl who is best friends with another girl who is also happens to be an assassin. The humor was rather disjointed and the pacing was erratic. Which is odd as the 4koma was rather amusing, so this definitely looks like a situation of things being lost in translation to the moving screen. The OP is catchy though in its own way, and apparently one can
dance to the ED if one is so inclined.
Amagami SS+: Another series that seems to be setting itself up for disappointment... built as a sorts of 'after story' to the first season, but utilizing more original material. It actually leaves one wishing the staff actually did take more from the source material instead. Ayatsuji's arc was an original but completely generic story about her running for Student Council, where they tossed in the bathing scene from the game ad fit it in for fanservice effect. Not to mention it seemed the staff focused solely on one aspect of Ayatsuji's personality, the effect being that her character comes off as false, one-dimensional and even
generic in comparison to her original personality. Hopefully this isn't the trend for all of the girls, but it definitely feels like AIC and Tomoki Kobayashi are not off to a good start...
High School DxD: The guilty pleasure of the season for all those young, testosterone-fueled boys out there, for sure. Standard premise, harem-type development, and embarrassing situations all around. The story itself actually seems like it could be interesting and that it might be able to churn out some interesting bits here and there, but really it's a show for those in want of good fanservice this season. But due to its light novel origins, it also has the potential to surprise everyone and turn out to be a pretty decent show despite the fanservice... much like
Ichiban Ushiro surprisingly turned out to be (before the ending).
Senhime Zesshou Symphogear: Idol singers who sing to trigger their transformations and to invoke their battle powers. The first episode was rather bland, the singing and monster designs cliché, despite the heavy-handed plot setup. But the style of the series, which seems to draw inspiration from old-school action shows as well as comic book setups, are what continue to compel me to watch the show, because it certainly ain't for the
animation quality. The second episode was markedly better in terms of execution and pacing, so perhaps the series has yet to grow into itself and may prove good with time.
Zero no Tsukaima F: Not really much to say here. If you haven't enjoyed or been following the previous ones, then there's no real reason to start here. But for those who have been keeping track, it's at least a treat to see Louise and Saito act together now because it's so cute~
Nisemonogatari:
Bakemonogatari with a
much better budget, 'nuff said. The rest will come down to how Shaft will animate
the toothbrush. Will they botch it? Will they succeed? Will they censor it? Will they skip around it? Or will the world come to know the glory of brushing teeth, the amazing wonders contained among 2000 strands of nylon? Stay tuned!
Moretsu Pirates: The most promising show of the season. In a far-flung future where humanity has spread out across the stars, long-standing conflict has existed between the Galactic Empire and the frontier worlds. In order to stand against their overwhelming odds, the frontier worlds have adopted a policy of
legalizing piracy. The main character is a strongly independent young high school girl with so far none of the obvious foils of her kind. The story is light-hearted, while still maintaining good pacing and action. Pretty much the best thing about the series is despite the collection of standard characters, the show has yet to go for any of the usual tropes but instead actually uses the cast to interesting effect. Plus Marika has an awesome mom.
Rinne no Lagrange: The
other show about an independent young high school girl who is thrust into a situation where she has to become the most vital part of her hierarchical circle- just add mecha. While the mecha designs are pretty nice, and the music is not bad, the story itself is rather slow in pacing and frankly... not really all that interesting. By now we already know what to expect in such shows where the unassuming HS girl becomes the most important character, and there are at least three of such shows this season alone. The problem is Lagrange seems to stick too hard to the standard formula, thus making it completely un-noteworthy. Though the intro suggests potentially interesting future developments, it's a question of whether the viewer will be willing to stick around long enough to see them unfold. But at least the OP is the prettiest and most colorful OP in a long time.
Ano Natsu de Matteru: The most anticipated show of the season, and it doesn't disappoint. Take the artist and writer of the
Onegai series coupled with the director of
AnoHana and the result is a pure romantic comedy/drama reminiscent of a time when such things could still be awesome. With a premise that is essentially
Onegai Teacher: The Remake, one can definitely see that J.C. Staff pulled out all the stops in making this series tug on the nostalgia strings of viewers of series. From putting I've Sound in charge of the music, to having the opening song emulate the musical themes of the original series, to even recreating the key characters that exemplified the original
Onegai Teacher (and in Lemon's case, using the same seiyuu as well!), they made it clear what their objective was. For those who enjoyed those series, it's akin to stepping into a time warp. The easiest complaint that could be levied against the series is that it does nothing new, and is a pitiful attempt at using a blueprint 10-years old in order to replicate its success for the new generation... but who cares? For the old, it's a type of storytelling that has been too long forgotten, and for the new, it is a chance to finally see how the genre is meant to be done.
Another: Based on the horror mystery novel by Yukito Ayatsuji, an author who seems to have penned many of these types of stories, and with character designs by the wonderful Noizi Itou and animation by PA Works, and a live-action movie set to come out Summer 2012, the series certainly appears have some weight behind it. The setup, atmosphere, choice BGMs, and tone all contribute successfully to the suspense of the series, and even in the first episode, there are points that can put one on edge, as opposed to series like
Higurashi or
Ookami Kakushi. The only minus in an otherwise promising package is the pacing, which feels rather slow and drudgy initially for a series that has yet to present a real 'hook' for the viewer to willingly stay invested. But if it can overcome that, it could definitely be the dark horse of the season.
Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou: The superior Nichijou, hands down. A slice-of-life comedy about the antics of high school boys, the most enjoyable thing about the series thus far is it doesn't try to constrain itself to its premise- with gags and skits that can go beyond the basic punchlines and jokes one would expect a couple of adolescent boys would come up with. The show isn't a series one will be watching for the way it looks, due to the average animation, but it sure is one to watch for the way it makes you laugh. And that is something it indeed does well. If only the boys in my high school had been this amusing
Papa no Iu Koto o Kikinasai!: Also known as
PapaKiki, a heartwarming series about 19 year old Yuuta, a college student who's life is about to get a bit more complicated after he finds himself having to take care of his older sister's three daughters, the oldest of whom is a middle schooler who has a huge crush on him. Now normally this would be the perfect setup for a certain
other type of anime, but it definitely seems that this series at least is going for the more wholesome effect of the values of family and love. Though the anime makes it much harder for one to take it seriously with its constant fanservice and maligning of the protagonist as a sort of loli fetishist, but if one can look past the otaku sales filter, there is a genuine family drama to be found, especially later on in the series, that should not be missed.
Inu x Boku Secret Service: Based on the light novel of the same name, concerning the residents of the Maison de Ayakashi apartment complex... protected by the highest security, and rumored to be haunted, where only eccentrics could live. But in reality, it is a place for humans with non-human ancestry to band together. The first episode was a delightful mix of light-hearted content, sparkles, comedy, action, but at the very bottom it is a story about the wonderfully self-aware tsundere, Ms. Ririchiyo Shirakiin and her devoted butler. Definitely seems like it has the potential to be a good all-rounder show much like
Pirates for those who want to experience as much of the season as possible, in as little as possible.
And that's all, hopefully ^^;;