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[duckroll]

I think now would be a good time to do an evaluation of the season, since we're halfway through it. Hopefully others also take part in this so we can get a feel on what everyone is still watching and how they feel about the shows. Basically, list the shows you're still watching (not the ones you already dropped), and talk a little about how you feel about the 6-7 episodes which have aired so far.

---

Majestic Prince

I'll say that so far the show is a little disappointing, even though I like it more than most people here. The setting is pretty interesting to me, and it feels like a "bigger" scifi story than most of what's out there. The story canvas is interesting and the cast of characters is huge. The character art is pretty bad, but it fits with the wackier nature of the narrative. The biggest problem with this series so far is the pace. I feel that the first major arc in the story was no only slow moving, but it didn't really go anywhere. Aside from that, I'm rather pleased with the delivery of the humor and the quality of the action on the show. The new arc which just started is already much more promising.



Valvrave

What a surprise. Not only did it turn out to not be a Gundam rip-off, but it prides itself on being crazy, unpredictable, and mostly hilarious. The pace is great, and it's rather hard to see where the show will go next - but usually in a good way. Great music, awesome songs, etc. What's not to like? I guess the designs are pretty bad, but it's just so fun!



Gargantia

One of the most visually appealing shows this season. The director really did a great job with presenting a world which feels bright, cheerful, and just plain attractive to look at. I like what the story is trying to say, and the setting creates lots of opportunities for action and effects which aren't really that common these days - things involving flying gliders, pirate robots, underwater scenes, etc. Ghibli-esque in all the right ways visually. <3



Devil Survivor 2

Not a particularly good show on its own merits, but as a fan of the game I find myself enjoying this more and more each week. The direction isn't getting much better, and the animation isn't really good, but there are lots of Megaten demons every week, and the staff seem to know how to tickle the fanservice desires of fans regarding the various waifus on the show. I'm a weak man.



Attack on Titan

I don't really know if I actually enjoy this show. I've fallen out of love with the manga ever since catching up with it, the production challenges the anime staff face each week just make me roll my eyes, and the soundtrack is pretty much unbearable. Yet I keep watching it, with some expectation that at some point it'll get much better. I don't know why. I know what happens, and I know pretty much what the anime staff are going to do with the material. Maybe I just watch it because the character designs are done in a really unique way with thick outlines, and the action is pretty exciting when it's actually animated. Lol.



Aku no Hana

I really didn't know what to expect from this show, and the initial impression I got from it was really negative because of how strange and inept the rotoscoping was. Yet the stellar direction remains extremely compelling, and this isn't the sort of story you usually see much of in any media. It's not exactly romance, or slice of life, or the normal sort of high school drama. A pretty much a modern dystopic character study. The fact that the show can be extremely ugly and extremely beautiful at different times, or sometimes at the same time, just makes it all the more compelling. Weird how it works out!



Yuyushiki

This is a show about nothing. It was about nothing in episode 1, and it's still about nothing. But in this nothingness are three girls just chilling and doing mundane things while pretending to be lesbians, and googling random data facts to crack silly jokes. Yet it's a pretty good show which seems to be able to sustain itself week after week. Visually creative layouts, good animation for silly gags, and a really naturalistic sense of humor. Good stuff.

 

[Articalys]

Oh, the English Sword Art Online site updated with the box illustrations:

Amusingly enough, the original links now 404 out, a clear sign that this wasn't supposed to publicly go live yet. This was definitely supposed to be their secret Anime Boston announcement tomorrow.

 

[Lollipop Dave]

Gargantia

One of the most visually appealing shows this season. The director really did a great job with presenting a world which feels bright, cheerful, and just plain attractive to look at. I like what the story is trying to say, and the setting creates lots of opportunities for action and effects which aren't really that common these days - things involving flying gliders, pirate robots, underwater scenes, etc. Ghibli-esque in all the right ways visually. <3



Attack on Titan



I don't really know if I actually enjoy this show. I've fallen out of love with the manga ever since catching up with it, the production challenges the anime staff face each week just make me roll my eyes, and the soundtrack is pretty much unbearable. Yet I keep watching it, with some expectation that at some point it'll get much better. I don't know why. I know what happens, and I know pretty much what the anime staff are going to do with the material. Maybe I just watch it because the character designs are done in a really unique way with thick outlines, and the action is pretty exciting when it's actually animated. Lol.



Yuyushiki



This is a show about nothing. It was about nothing in episode 1, and it's still about nothing. But in this nothingness are three girls just chilling and doing mundane things while pretending to be lesbians, and googling random data facts to crack silly jokes. Yet it's a pretty good show which seems to be able to sustain itself week after week. Visually creative layouts, good animation for silly gags, and a really naturalistic sense of humor. Good stuff.

Great summaries, I agree with you on everything, especially the parts in bold.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

The Count of Monte Cristo 1

If this show did not receive rave reviews at the time of its release, I have no words to express my surprise. This show is already a goddamn visual masterpiece, and the Count comes off as so incredibly sinister, yet charismatically magnetic at the same time.

The show pulled off the dangerous charisma of the Count quite well. That Jouji Nakata was his voice actor certainly didn't hurt.

And is it just me, or does it seem like Franz is gay for Albert? He took that "What are you, my girlfriend?" barb just a wee bit too personally.

They're just bros. You can be close friends without having a romantic interest in each other!

Be prepared for god awful quality cgi that you will still love. It waaaas weird. Somehow it fit the series despite the quality of it... Fantastic series.

The only show in which Gonzo CG actually worked, thanks to the heavy stylization of the whole thing. Thanks, Mahiro Maeda.

From this week's Jump, a new poster key visual and character designs for the upcoming Gintama Kanketsu-hen movie:

Gintama fans, does this set off your troll sense yet or not quite?
Also, this means the movie's official site will probably update on Monday with the new stuff.

Is that really supposed to be Kagura and Shinpachi? Well, OK then.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

Kanon End
That was great, liked the ending better than Clannad to,
but why is

Spoiler

Makoto the only that doesn't have a happy ending

?

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Oh, the English Sword Art Online site updated with the box illustrations:

Amusingly enough, the original links now 404 out, a clear sign that this wasn't supposed to publicly go live yet. This was definitely supposed to be their secret Anime Boston announcement tomorrow.

Fairly good artwork, I would prefer Asuna to have a different pose than that for Fairy Dance though. But Kirito looks great.

 

[BluWacky]

Is that really supposed to be Kagura and Shinpachi? Well, OK then.

I don't really follow Gintama, so forgive me if this is a complete misunderstanding, but I thought those costumes were parodies of Kirito and Asuna's clothes from Sword Art Online. The covers that Arti's posted seem to bear that out. Surely that's not outside the realms of possibility for a show like Gintama?

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

Being as I've only started Gargantia and Muromi recently, I can't really judge them, although Gargantia's world building is rather appealing to me.

Attack on Titan

This was a show that drilled dread and despair within the first episode, but it's something that goes away after a bit when it becomes a tragic comedy with weird Titan faces as well as strange actions performed by Titans. While the male side is particularily weak, it has a decent female showing, which is a bit of a rarity. Do I enjoy this show? If I am enjoying this, part of me thinks it's for the wrong reasons considering I called this a tragic comedy. But either way, it hasn't made me stop watching it.

Hataraku Maou-Sama

This was quite the surprise when it came out, considering it's a LN adaptation, filled with humor, plot and shades of harem, the last one being pretty inoffensive since it's not entirely the focal point of this show. This also incited more waifu wars, and a reminder that tsunderes are the worst girls, which probably means Emi will win. Bleh. Can't wait for today's episode.

Oreimo 2

I'm not liking this adaptation very much. It throws characters like Sena under a bus considering they're not willing to do straight adaptations beyond a second season. It's like... the first season gave us this character, and then proceeds to do nothing with this character or her brother. Aspects have also been skipped devaluing Kuroneko's confession, such as Kyousuke buying her something at Comiket and other little things. It was particularily rushed here. It also reminds us of how terrible Kirino is, and how I want to pair her with Ayase because they're the two worst characters in the show.

I assume within 8-12, they'll want to rush through the remaining Vol 8-11, 9 and 11 itself if I remember correctly, contained stuff that could just be relegated to Drama CDs.

Yuyushiki

It's a show about nothing. I'd say SOLs are like this so whatever. What initially had a weak showing ended up getting stronger over time, and I'm strangely enjoying this more than I expected (or what I should be, perhaps). It has gotten increasingly lewd, but in a nudge nudge fashion instead of being overly showing with this like panties and stuff. It took the strides to make sure it sticked with me through the season and has earned it.

Doki Doki Precure

This one probably doesn't count, but it is still ongoing. The intro had promise, but has let me down upon seeing how characters behave. It has shades of "Dark and Edgy", possibly edging out Heartcatch when it displays it, but it's so mixed that it hardly feels like it matters when everyone is in love with each other basically. Too many power ups so far, but Butlers continue to be awesome. Regina will give this show a bright spot in an otherwise meh series (so far).

 

[fertygo]

I don't really follow Gintama, so forgive me if this is a complete misunderstanding, but I thought those costumes were parodies of Kirito and Asuna's clothes from Sword Art Online. The covers that Arti's posted seem to bear that out. Surely that's not outside the realms of possibility for a show like Gintama?

Much better then lol

 

[Lollipop Dave]

Oreimo 2

I assume within 8-12, they'll want to rush through the remaining Vol 8-11, 9 and 11 itself if I remember correctly, contained stuff that could just be relegated to Drama CDs.

Wait,

Spoiler

Doesn't 11 explain the reasons why Kirino acts towards Kyosuke like she does?

I would say that should be in the show.

I could be completely wrong, been a while.

 

[Basileus777]

Attack on Titan

This was a show that drilled dread and despair within the first episode, but it's something that goes away after a bit when it becomes a tragic comedy with weird Titan faces as well as strange actions performed by Titans. While the male side is particularily weak, it has a decent female showing, which is a bit of a rarity. Do I enjoy this show? If I am enjoying this, part of me thinks it's for the wrong reasons considering I called this a tragic comedy. But either way, it hasn't made me stop watching it.

It becomes a tragic comedy? Titan's first two episodes are where it lays on the ham and bombastic comedy the thickest. The show at that point wasn't far off from Valvrave in terms of wacky comedy, but it calmed down a bit after that. It's interesting that I've had the opposite reaction and have been able to take the show more seriously as it has gone along.

I don't really follow Gintama, so forgive me if this is a complete misunderstanding, but I thought those costumes were parodies of Kirito and Asuna's clothes from Sword Art Online. The covers that Arti's posted seem to bear that out. Surely that's not outside the realms of possibility for a show like Gintama?

To be honest, I thought the same thing.

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

Wait,

Spoiler

Doesn't 11 explain the reasons why Kirino acts towards Kyosuke like she does?

I would say that should be in the show.

I could be completely wrong, been a while.

It was either in that one or 10. Don't remember. I would expect that to make it in, it might give fresh people another look at

Spoiler

Friendzone Girl.

It could boost Kirino's likability, but it might negate what will happen pretty soon anyway.

It becomes a tragic comedy? Titan's first two episodes are where it lays on the ham and bombastic comedy the thickest. The show at that point wasn't far off from Valvrave in terms of wacky comedy, but it calmed down a bit after that. It's interesting that I've had the opposite reaction and have been able to take the show more seriously as it has gone along.

Well yeah, I did say that it is initially tragic, but it doesn't last for too long as it becomes a tragic comedy shortly after. The comedic elements pretty much offsets any tragedy that occurs in order to keep it entertaining, if not, rather confusing. Is this a bad thing? I am not entirely sure, but it has done enough to keep me involved.

 

[Necrovex]

The Count of Monte Cristo 1

If this show did not receive rave reviews at the time of its release, I have no words to express my surprise. This show is already a goddamn visual masterpiece, and the Count comes off as so incredibly sinister, yet charismatically magnetic at the same time.

Oh yes, I will enjoy this.

And is it just me, or does it seem like Franz is gay for Albert? He took that "What are you, my girlfriend?" barb just a wee bit too personally.

If you think that's bad, just wait until you see more of Albert X Count interactions.

I just realized the only show that I am up to date on is Attack on Titan. I made a huge mistake. Time to power through Gargentia, Valvarie, Hataraku Maou-sama, and Aku no Hana.

 

[NeonZ]

I don't really follow Gintama, so forgive me if this is a complete misunderstanding, but I thought those costumes were parodies of Kirito and Asuna's clothes from Sword Art Online. The covers that Arti's posted seem to bear that out. Surely that's not outside the realms of possibility for a show like Gintama?

I don't think they're specific references to them. The characters in those posters are adult versions of two teenage characters from Gintama, and the SOA characters are teenagers, so it doesn't really make sense to age them for a parody. Also, Gintama is generally much more direct when it attempts to make references like that.

Now, that poster and artwork might be a joke and have nothing to do with the movie, but I don't think they're referencing anything specific outside of Gintama itself - especially due to details like adult Kagura's clothes having some patterns/colors similar to Gintoki's. He clothes there are basically a mix of Gintoki's with her own fake Chinese style.

Edit: Looking at the full pic, the text directly mentions the similarities of her outfit with Gintoki's and wonders about the reason. It also mentions the previous false 2 years time skip arc. I'm pretty convinced now that this is serious, not a joke.

 

[madp]

Heh.
Amazon Japan has their entry up, ready and waiting for Japanese Amazon Marketplace import stores to sell it once it comes out.
http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00BKBCLK0/

haha, wow. I can't believe that we've all been joking about reverse importation so long without ever actually seeing it in action.

I have to wonder what kind of fan even does this, though. It would be easy to just assume "the broke kind", but I wonder if there's also an element of very hardcore buyers wanting the "international edition" of a JP release that they already own for completionist reasons. This kind of behavior is also present among some video game collectors.

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

Smile Precure 34

Fashion Show Victims

So they want to do a fashion show for their class, and there's one asshole whining about not being able to do what he wants.

I really wish that this didn't do a fashion show though. The theme of the fashion show makes sense considering what Smile was about, but the idea of performing it does not really fit well with Smile Precure as a whole, as it only serves to remind me that it shares the flaw of having an uninteresting side cast much like Yes Pretty Cure 5! It also hurts considering Heartcatch did something like this, but to much greater effect since it bothered to make sure we had some form of care for each character participating, as well as it being built up over the course of the series. Here it feels like they tried to give us the conclusion to a subplot that doesn't exist, so "everyone shining" means very little to me because I have no reason to care for them. The only side characters I remember was Miyuki's and Yayoi's hot mothers, because well... they were hot. And I guess Miyuki's grandmother because she was a boss for the short period she was on screen.

Now then back to Yes! It does do something that Yes! 5 had issues with. Candy continues to actually provide for the Cures to the point of using Decors in battle, and it feels like a trend I can get behind with. Unlike the useless princes who only existed to be Fuck Toys for Nozomi and Komachi (I don't know why she gets this treatment since she's not even co-lead material), Candy has been useful ever since we had the Cure Candy scenario, and goes beyond even just being a Power Up Plush. I enjoy that.

 

[Chronoexe]

Smile Precure 34

Fashion Show Victims

So they want to do a fashion show for their class, and there's one asshole whining about not being able to do what he wants.

Now get ready for the next episode, best meca show ever and Yayoi awesomeness.

 

[InsaneZero]

I don't think they're specific references to them. The characters in those posters are adult versions of two teenage characters from Gintama, and the SOA characters are teenagers, so it doesn't really make sense to age them for a parody. Also, Gintama is generally much more direct when it attempts to make references like that.

Now, that poster and artwork might be a joke and have nothing to do with the movie, but I don't think they're referencing anything specific outside of Gintama itself - especially due to details like adult Kagura's clothes having some patterns/colors similar to Gintoki's. He clothes there are basically a mix of Gintoki's with her own fake Chinese style.

Edit: Looking at the full pic, the text directly mentions the similarities of her outfit with Gintoki's and wonders about the reason. It also mentions the previous false 2 years time skip arc. I'm pretty convinced now that this is serious, not a joke.

Kagura's outfit is based upon Gintoki's coat, while Shinpachi's is based on Gintoki's shirt. I doubt that it's a reference to other works.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

I think now would be a good time to do an evaluation of the season, since we're halfway through it. Hopefully others also take part in this so we can get a feel on what everyone is still watching and how they feel about the shows. Basically, list the shows you're still watching (not the ones you already dropped), and talk a little about how you feel about the 6-7 episodes which have aired so far.

Alright Ill contribute

Karneval - The surprise of the season and year for me. It just has everything I like in series, like Hakkeden had last season and next season, and just looks good, sounds good, and focuses on that which is important the characters. It may not have an award winning plot, but it is just good. The character outfits and designs are lovely too, not just the guys but even also Iva and Tsukubo too.

Valvrave - Just also my type of action show with mechs. Crazy plot that is at times bordering between just plain genius and mindblowing to baffling, and then a wealth of lovely character designs. I do wish it would ditch the fanservice attempts and focus less on less than stellar characters who get annoying as it is starting to keep it from being in my top five anime ever. That being said, I do have hope that the plot will take care of those things, and can we finally know the pilots of the other valvraves? Its like this season's biggest secret! I

Arata The Legend - I think it does have a few pacing issues but otherwise if it was made to sell people on the manga, I believe it accomplished that task for me. I just need to find time to buy it. Genesis Aria is best OP this season.

Uta no Prince Sama Maji Love 2000% - The plot is pretty weak though thats not why I became a fan of both it and 1000%. It has idols that appeal to me and just really good musical direction and talent. The cast has fun and the characters look great on screen, if only they were real (well Syo and Ittoki, and Tokiya). Quartet Night has been under utilized though.

The Devil is a Part Timer! - Best comedy of the season after SNAFU...It may have a few slow moments but the cast really brings it to life. There is just something special about it and capturing the life of the guys and their daily life in their apartment and how everyone making attempts to live in today's world. Action is pretty weak though considering the wide abundance of everything else this season, and it has the weakest OP and ED songs and sequences as well.

Attack on Titan

I think the anime is just vastly overrated and the plot has really been on a rollercoaster ride in terms of quality. It was uphill, then way downhill, and then finally back on the rise. Thus far, probably so far the one I would say that gives me really mixed emotions week after week. It would be a much better anime in the way that I initially thought it would be and if characters I liked were focus on. The part that does keep it pretty high for me are really just Eren and the other stand out high performing and achieving members of the cast and their time together or thinking of each other longingly, some alright musical selections, and just feeling a bit unique.

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU - For a school club show, it lacks the energy and great amounts of fun Ive experienced in a few other ones but something just keeps me coming back week after week. Maybe its just Hiki and his personality, and the peripheral cast, but its certainly not the atrocious white and green shoes they wear with the school outfits. Its really ugly and distracting. SNAFU is fun.

Devil Survivor 2: The Animation - Seven episodes in, or just four days in...and its still good. Unfortunately, I cant get behind any of people's waifus but I could see how they like them (well not Nitta), but then its probably the same sort of situation that make people wonder how I could love Keita the most or even Hibiki and Daichi, Alcor and Hotsuin. The demons and plot sold me on the game and its just enjoyable and relaxing. Some parts of the anime clearly leave a bit to be desired but for characters and their time together the person writing that aspect is doing a good job, and whoever animates it as well really focuses on the MOST important things.


Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet - The least entertaining of the shows with mech of this season as it just, to me, has dull action and has lost and continues to have lost its way. Why would one not want to have made the whole anime just about the high climax action space fight in the first eleven minutes and instead focus on the dull and dreary day to day life on Gargantia? It just doesn't make much sense. Maybe if Ledo could ditch his standard outfit aboard Gargantia it'd be even better. But on a more serious note, it really is not making the best usage of Ledo and Chamber. Recent episode did give me some hope though. I also wouldn't mind Bebel having a larger role.


Majestic Prince - Would easily be the best mech show if Valvrave wasn't running. So far, as having the most fights thus far it really does well on delivering the aspects that I like mechs to have. The cast is good, designs and style is pleasing (probably one of the few that likes the designers character stuff), and the Red one is second best mech this season (after the original Valvrave). Izuru being a hero is something the genre needs and is refreshing. However, I do think it has also suffered from a few dull sets of episodes over the course, but still didnt really hinder my enjoyment

Sparrow's Hotel - its kind of on the boring side
Red Data Girl - Pleasant and Beautiful though nothing award winning.
The Severing Crime Edge - Really just not good but I keep watching for some reason.
Mushibugyo - Standard action shonen with bug twist and great character voice and personality for Jinbei...its always the highlight of my Monday's at 6am.
Flowers of Evil - Rage inducing and awful, only holding on to see Kasuga improve...someday?

 

[PsionBolt]

Detective Conan: The Fourteenth Target

Finally getting back to Conan after a long break. This season just really isn't doing it for me, so might as well chip away at the backlog (mostly Conan) and re-watch some stuff (mostly Precure).

This film was decent enough. I liked the idea, but it deserved a slightly longer movie. I remember reading somewhere (Seacats?) that no good mystery has ever had more than ten or so incidents, but because this one's gimmick is card numbers, the victims are 13 in all. That's a lot to cram into an hour and a half, causing things to become quite rushed towards the end. In particular, the culprit's motivation was pretty pathetically weak, and basically impossible to deduce.

I also seem to have missed something:

Spoiler

Who was the "fourteenth target"? The guy only even intended to kill like four of them in the first place... Though the rest were still 'targets', I suppose. I guess Ran being held hostage at the end was the fourteenth, but she was never really his target - he just took advantage of the presence of a mostly-unconcious girl. I know I'm thinking about this too much, but the title bugs me, haha.

On the bright side, Kogorou got to shine again. Maybe my random selection of films was just unkind to him at first, because he's been fairly cool in the last couple, I think. His flashback added some depth to the relationship between him and his wife, which was nice, and apparently things would often go a lot differently if he was allowed to carry a gun as a civillian.

The running theme of these movies seems to be "not quite as good as it deserved to be". Overall, this one is just another plain-but-solid 6/10. But the next one is a Kid movie, so who knows? It'll probably be at least as good as Magician of the Silver Sky, and that one was pretty great.

 

[Necrovex]

Hataraku Maou-sama! 5

Silly Alciel, movie tickets will always be expensive in Japan, regardless of any sales. I was talking to a friend who lives in Japan a few days ago, and he told me movie tickets cost around $20 a pop. I would never see another film in a theater if that was the case in Florida.

Chiho is still the best waifu in the show. I really dug this episode. Moving that plot along, and building up each character.

Spoiler

I am really happy the show didn't cast away Chiho's memories of what occurred; I would have been furious if that happened. Also, McDonald's is more important than conquering the world. Confirmed.

 

[SDBurton]

I'm confused , SDBurton , you liked Kannazuki no miko , right ?

I love the Yuri

Spoiler

rape

but the ending made me incredibly sad.

 

[Andrew J.]

I love the Yuri

Spoiler

rape

but the ending made me incredibly sad.

Spoiler

You mean where they get reincarnated and meet again in another world? Would you have preferred the manga ending, where they get reincarnated as twin sisters?

 

[SDBurton]

Spoiler

You mean where they get reincarnated and meet again in another world? Would you have preferred the manga ending, where they get reincarnated as twin sisters?

Spoiler

I would've preferred the two not to be separated at all.

 

[duckroll]

Majestic Prince - Episode 8

Lots of big action this week, and most of it was pretty good. The direction is still kinda spotty, but I guess the main director on the show just isn't that good. Storywise, not much happened this week, but the things that did seem pretty important. The moment at the end of the duel feels like a classic "know your enemy" moment in scifi wars where one side isn't aware of who they're really fighting. Next week we should get more answers since I'm sure Izuru will have many questions about what is "really" going on in the war.

 

[Tenumi]

I think now would be a good time to do an evaluation of the season, since we're halfway through it. Hopefully others also take part in this so we can get a feel on what everyone is still watching and how they feel about the shows. Basically, list the shows you're still watching (not the ones you already dropped), and talk a little about how you feel about the 6-7 episodes which have aired so far.

Ok, I'll take part.

A Certain Scientific Railgun S:

I enjoyed Index, Index II, and Railgun. Railgun S actually feels a little different from the rest of them. To me, it feels darker, more actiony. I'm anxious to see where this goes, but it is shaping up to be potentially better than any of the three previous seasons.

DokiDoki Precure (Technically started in February)

Slow going, with few truly great episodes airing. A slow moving plot is expected of a series running for about fifty episodes, though. A lot of people call Mana a Mary Sue, and while I can understand it, I don't really see it myself. Regina has kicked up the quality and entertainment of the most recent episodes. It should be interesting to see if that continues.

Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet

Sometimes, slow and steady wins the race. This had the makings of an actiony series at the beginning, and instead... we get Slice of Life on the sea. Granted, its been good. The characters and the world are interesting, and there is enough questioning there to leave the viewer hanging on. I wouldn't call it a great series so far, but its been alright to watch.

Muromi-San

A fifteen minute comedy show. I can deal with that. The comedy is usually a hit for me, and none of the characters are annoying. It hasn't really done anything to stand out, but it isn't really a bad show either. A good time waster.

The “Hentai” Prince and the Stony Cat

A title like this sounds so lewd and wrong, but the show is good for what it is. The characters are the big strength for this, though, as the plot is rather passable. Out of the shows I'm watching, I'd say this is my least 'favorite', but that doesn't mean I hate it. Its just not my first priority to watch every week.

The Devil is a Part-Timer!

A harem comedy, now there's something nobody's seen before. In reality, its been good at what it is doing. I care about the characters, and I'm interested in seeing where the series takes itself. That's as much as I can ask from any series.

Yuyushiki

Truly the sleeper hit of the season. The daily lives of the three girls of the Data Processing Club. Its like somebody said “We should make a show about girls browsing Wikipedia” and it happened. Yuri undertones for those that enjoy them, and random humor for everybody.

 

[dakkumauji]

And here I thought you'd be jumping at the suggestion.

hopefully dakku won't disappoint me and will actually watch Miracle Train.

It's in my backlog! Which at this point, is pretty much like a black hole so don't hold your breath.

From this week's Jump, what are apparently a new poster key visual and character designs for the upcoming Gintama Kanketsu-hen movie:

Gintama fans, does this set off your troll sense yet?

Also, if this is actually movie stuff, the official site will probably update on Monday.

All my hype.

- Gifûdô!! Naoe Kanetsugu - Maeda Keiji Sake Gatari, the adaptation of a manga about the life of the Sengoku-era samurai Naoe Kanetsugu from the Fist of the North Star artist, has been announced to begin airing in July on TV Tokyo. Daisuke Namikawa will play Kanetsugu and Takuya Sato will play Keiji.

LOVE AND PEACE.

Oh, the English Sword Art Online site updated with the box illustrations:

Amusingly enough, the original links now 404 out, a clear sign that this wasn't supposed to publicly go live yet. This was definitely supposed to be their secret Anime Boston announcement tomorrow.

Lol, that Asuna pose.

Fairly good artwork, I would prefer Asuna to have a different pose than that for Fairy Dance though. But Kirito looks great.

But it is pretty correct in her role during that arc! wwwwwww

 

[PorcellainThrill]

From what I've seen


Yuyushiki>>Hataraku>>>>Shingeki no Kyojin

I am waiting for Flowers of Evil to finish before I watch it and as I liked the manga and dont mind experimental visuals it will probably be my top slot for this season.
Yuyushiki is a surprisingly good show though.

Seriously people rank your shows, otherwise I have to read what you write to extract the crucial information.

 

[Basileus777]

Majestic Prince 8

I enjoyed this quite a bit. The beginning of the episode was a bit tedious, but it picked up once the MJP squad was in on the fighting and the duel started. The ending worked well and it has all sorts of implications in terms of plot.

Spoiler

I like how he immediately made the obvious connection to the white haired girl.

 

[Theonik]

Aim for the Ace! 02

Anno you hack

ezaki Coach is still a dick. Oka seems so sad that her Onee-sama won't gatai with her. Poor Oka. Also more girls getting hit with balls. Dem noses, moustaches and flowers! Poor Oka getting treated like shit too. This has been pretty good so far! Dammit Kochi!

haha, wow. I can't believe that we've all been joking about reverse importation so long without ever actually seeing it in action.

I have to wonder what kind of fan even does this, though. It would be easy to just assume "the broke kind", but I wonder if there's also an element of very hardcore buyers wanting the "international edition" of a JP release that they already own for completionist reasons. This kind of behavior is also present among some video game collectors.

We've been posting these listings for months! Read more of the thread!

 

[darkside31337]

From what I've seen


Yuyushiki>>Hataraku>>>>Shingeki no Kyojin

I am waiting for Flowers of Evil to finish before I watch it and as I liked the manga and dont mind experimental visuals it will probably be my top slot for this season.
Yuyushiki is a surprisingly good show though.

Seriously people rank your shows, otherwise I have to read what you write to extract the crucial information.

1. Gargantia
2. Aku no Hana
3. Maoudonalds
4. Hentai Prince
5. Titan
6. SNAFU
7. OreImo
8. Date A Live
9. Crime Edge
10. Muromi
11. UtaPri
12. Karneval
13. Photo Kano
14. Majestic Prince
15. Arata
16. Yuyushiki
17. Leviathan
18. Sparrow's Hotel
19. Devil Survivior 2

still need to watch valvrave and railgun and a few others.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Seriously people rank your shows, otherwise I have to read what you write to extract the crucial information.

If I were to rank (I think txt descriptions are better, I spent over fifty minutes writing that post even )

1. Karneval
2. Valvrave
3. Arata: The Legend
4. Uta no Prince Sama Maji Love 2000%
5. The Devil is a Part Timer
6. Attack on Titan
7. Majestic Prince
8. Devil Survivor 2: The Animation
9. My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU
10. Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet
11. Red Data Girl
12. Mushibugyo
13. The Severing Crime Edge
14. Flowers of Evil
15. Sparrow's Hotel

 

[duckroll]

Silver Spoon anime TVCM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV23Xl9J8c0

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

Smile RoboCure 35

THIS IS AWESOME, and this was the start of something that was already awesome, a Yayoi episode where she is estatic as fuck, pulling the otaku card hard here.

EVEN BAD GUYS LOVE ROBOTS, THEY KNOW HOW AWESOME THEY ARE. That's more than what I can say for straight players Nao and Akane :l.

IT EVEN HAS DOCKING! IT HAS DOCKING! It's like SHIT last episode wasn't that great, LETS MAKE THIS ONE AWESOME! BECAUSE I'M PUMPED AGAIN! NEVER MESS WITH ROBOT ACTION!

And then I remembered....

Spoiler

Akane's first love appears ;A;

 

[PdotMichael]

Silver Spoon anime TVCM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV23Xl9J8c0

poor chicken...

But it looks pretty neat!

 

[duckroll]

Since no one posted it earlier while I was watching Valvrave...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dIJvZ5UVw4o

noitaminA had a teaser today for their 2013 Line-up Conference on June 5. They'll be announcing the second Summer series, as well as both Fall series for the timeslot, and both Fall shows will be original shows - not adaptations. Looks like they really took their time with it, but noitaminA could be back!

 

[chickdigger802]

Since no one posted it earlier while I was watching Valvrave...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dIJvZ5UVw4o

noitaminA had a teaser today for their 2013 Line-up Conference on June 5. They'll be announcing the second Summer series, as well as both Fall series for the timeslot, and both Fall shows will be original shows - not adaptations. Looks like they really took their time with it, but noitaminA could be back!

duckroll hype

 

[ZachDeKoromaru]

I think now would be a good time to do an evaluation of the season, since we're halfway through it. Hopefully others also take part in this so we can get a feel on what everyone is still watching and how they feel about the shows. Basically, list the shows you're still watching (not the ones you already dropped), and talk a little about how you feel about the 6-7 episodes which have aired so far.

Date a Live

Didn't really expect much from this show as I initially thought it was going to be similar to Infinite Stratos in its dumb harem antics and overall (lack of) quality. The harem antics are still there, but this time I actually like pretty much everyone in both the main and support cast. They convey a bit too well into their typical anime archetypes but I sort of expect that from every show like this. The action bits, character interactions, and soundtrack are pretty nice too, and it's an overall decent show that I'd watch over Infinite Stratos any day.

Hataraku Maou-sama

Was not expecting this show to be as good at it was, it's certainly one of my favorite shows of the season. Most of the main cast's fish-out-of-water scenario work well with the comedy, though I think the introduction of more characters is going to dwindle the quality of the show a bit (I didn't particularly care for neighbor girl or the latest episode).

Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko (Henneko)

I absolutely adore this show. The characters are as adorable as they are completely ridiculous, which is a great change of pace from your normal archetypes. Aside from episode 3, I haven't gone one episode without being entertained and with a big dumb grin on my face. A really great comedy with loads and loads of heart attacks.

Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san

Has its moments where I'm either completely amused or bored out of my mind, but at a 12 minute run time it hardly overstays its welcome (that format worked well with Galaxy Angel's first season) or feels like too much comedy.

Oreimo 2

Season 1 was hardly a work of art, but I'm really not digging this show anymore. It constantly reminds me that I dislike both of the main characters and their interactions with each other and the support cast isn't engaging anymore. Can Shironeko save the show? We'll just have to find out.

Attack on Titan

I'm a little hyped out and I'm sure I don't enjoy this as much as a lot of people seem to, but I still look forward to it every week because I don't ever know what this show is planning to do next (and also because I'm too lazy to read the manga).

Suisei no Gargantia

Plain and simple, I love this show's SOL antics via (surprisingly not the only) fish-out-of-water scenario. Ledo's interaction with an entirely new world and growing accustom to life there feels incredibly fresh, which is a shame that they may be heading towards more action since I didn't care for it much in episode 3 or that fucked first half of episode 1.

Yahari Ore SNAFU yadda yadda.

Not sure how or why I'm still watching this show, as I don't particularly care for any of the characters on the show. They're all just incredibly boring and Hachiman and Yukinon's cynicism do nothing for me. Sensei is best girl.

Yuyushiki

A quite lewd take on cute girls doing cute things, sometimes blatant and sometimes implied. Mostly hit, but a lot of the misses miss by a long shot and are boring as hell. Will look forward to more Mom butt.

Overall rankings:
1. Henneko
2. Suisei no Gargantia
3. Maou-sama
4. Attack on Titan
5. Muromi-san
6. Yuyushiki
7. Date a Live
8. SNAFU
9. Oreimo 2

 

[R_thanatos]

Spoiler

I would've preferred the two not to be separated at all.

OH no way they were gonna stay together . If it was possible it would have been a total disgrace in term fo story since that is what is the problem in the first place.

The solution that was found is sufficient.

 

[Seraphis Cain]

Will look forward to more Mom butt.

In any other thread, this would seem weird.

 

[Chet Rippo]

In any other thread, this would seem weird.

I find it hard to believe that anyone would be against mom butt.

 

[Soma]

Aku no Hana
This show has been somewhat of a paradox for me. I was already not a big fan of the manga and my first viewing of the first episode left a bad taste in my mouth. From the start I was more than happy to harp on it but something kept telling me to give it another chance. So I did and since then I've really done a complete 180 on this show. I honestly don't feel that the source material is all that special but the direction and atmosphere found here is truly one of a kind, not seen almost anywhere else in other anime. The rotoscopping is unfortunate at times but the show has gotten to a point where it's become a non-issue and anyone not watching it because of that is doing a disservice to themselves.

Episode 7 was definitely the highlight so far and I'm hopeful that the show will be able to finish on a good note.

Attack on Titan
All I really asked for, coming into this show, was that this wouldn't be another "Magi" situation. Low expectations sure, but I've actually been really satisfied with the adaption so far more or less. The pacing is pretty inconsistent, unfortunately, and sometimes I wonder if the show would have benefited from using the same timeline structure as the manga. Regardless though, the show definitely has its share of faults but somehow manages to capture the real pivotal moments so well. I think the studio might have been a bit too ambitious trying to tackle this adaption but it's been really faithful to the source material (for better or worse) and as a fan of the manga, I've been happy with it so far.

Valvrave
Definitely the surprise of the season. It went from being one of the last shows I expected any worth out of and has come to being one of the few shows I look forward to each week. It's dumb, cliched, ridiculous and the show is completely unapologetic about any of it. One of the most unpredictable shows airing and definitely one of the most "entertaining".

And it helps that I kinda like the mech battles too.

Gargantia
I'm actually a bit behind on this but this has been a very strong show despite feeling that it kinda peaked at episode 4. I love the unique setting and Ledo's interactions with the Gargantia population has been really enjoyable to watch.

Maou-Sama
Pretty decent. Not terribly funny as I was expecting yet it never really veers into the bad side of comedy. The cast is pretty likeable despite the fact that pretty much every girl introduced so far as been mediocre (the constant waifu wars that has stemmed from this show continues to perplex me but I guess this season is apparently pretty barren for those kinds of discussions). In any case, it's good.

PhotoKano
In a way it's pretty much an inferior Amagami SS and pretty much one of my guilty pleasures of the season. It's romantic anime fluff and sometimes I just kinda like to indulge in that stuff.

Devil Survivor 2
I'm a bit behind on this as well but I'm pretty much watching for all the SMT demon cameos at this point. Otherwise, the show hasn't been particularly engaging or impressive. But hey at least it's not the Persona 4 anime.

tl;dr rankings:

1. Aku no Hana
2. Attack on Titan
(these two continue to fight for the top rankings for me each week)
3. Gargantia
4. Valvrave
5. Maou-sama
(large space here)
6. DS2
7. PhotoKano

 

[Tenumi]

Seriously people rank your shows, otherwise I have to read what you write to extract the crucial information.

Puh... Fine.

1.) Yuyushiki
2.) The Devil is a Part-Timer
3.) Railgun S
4.) Gargantia
5.) HenNeko
6.) Muromi-san
7.) DokiDoki Precure

 

[jbug617]

Yuyushiki 7

This is the strongest SDBurton episode they had.

Spoiler

It's sort of like a harem. All 3 girls (Yuzu, Yukari and Ai) like Yui.

Also for a show that is really about nothing it has become my favorite show this season.

 

[madp]

Kannazuki no Miko 01:

am i kawaiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

These fucking uniforms. These eyes. ANIME

Okay, so I was about ready to bail on this a few minutes in when it was shaping up to be an awful Strawberry Panic-esque 1% school drama full of suffocatingly-polite girls all saying GOKIGENYOU, GOKIGENYOU, GOKIGENYOU, GOKIGENYOU, GOKIGENYOU while they all quietly fawn over some oujosama demigoddess. I seriously hate this kind of premise as much as the most derivative otaku LNshit, and I was ready to give up when Himeko was so perfectly emblematic of the above character type that she apologized to a rose bush for taking a shortcut through it.

Fortunately, I stuck with it. I mean, I knew that there was going to be some kind of sueprnatural element because of the

Spoiler

shrine on the moon

at the beginning and everything, but I knew absolutely nothing else about the series going in. Nothing. Expectations weren't just zero, they were negative at this point. So, then, imagine my awe when, at the halfway point,

Spoiler

THE SKY GOES BLACK, THERE ARE GIANT BOULDERS FLOATING IN THE SKY, THE BISHOUNEN LOVE INTEREST GETS POSSESSED BY A DEMON, TELEPORTS SOMEWHERE AND PULLS A SWORD OUT OF A STONE, AND WINDS UP IN THE COCKPIT OF A MECHA. A MECHA! THIS SHOW IS A FUCKING MECHA! I CAN'T EVEN.

And not just a mecha, but a really really cheap-looking 2D mecha with awful design sense, which under normal circumstances would be a complaint but it's totally in line with the QUALITY aesthetic of the show. It's already going to be impossible for me to take anything in this show seriously, and I'm fine with the way it looks reflecting that. Yami, for instance, wouldn't have been nearly as endearing without the extreme uguuuuu faces and janky animation.

There's not much else to say at this point, but if I can make any sense out of this, I guess that there's some kind of crazy-ass mecha war between Catholics and Shinto or something like that, and, of course, a SHRINE on the MOON. And two girls having to fulfill their DESTINIES. Sounds like a trainwreck waiting to happen. Yes, I am on board.

 

[Chronoexe]

Kannazuki no Miko 01:

am i kawaiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

These fucking uniforms. These eyes. ANIME

Okay, so I was about ready to bail on this a few minutes in when it was shaping up to be an awful Strawberry Panic-esque 1% school drama full of suffocatingly-polite girls all saying GOKIGENYOU, GOKIGENYOU, GOKIGENYOU, GOKIGENYOU, GOKIGENYOU while they all quietly fawn over some oujosama demigoddess. I seriously hate this kind of premise as much as the most derivative otaku LNshit, and I was ready to give up when Himeko was so perfectly emblematic of the above character type that she apologized to a rose bush for taking a shortcut through it.

GOKIGENYOU

Where are your impressions about the awesome OP and ED?

It's been years since I watched the show, and they are still my favorites.

KOTOKO <3

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

Smile LoveCure 36

Conflicted, not something I'd want to follow up, for once, Engrish was utterly painful and whatnot. I assume that is is the opposite of what happened in Yes! Pretty Cure 5 and GoGo. In those two, Rin was the only one without a partner. She was effectively forever alone. Here, Akane is the only one who gets a love interest, which probably makes her the most normal in comparison to every in Yes Pretty Cure 5. Needless to say, this sort of killed the image that I had of Smile, where love interests be damned, it's always the girls.

Should mention that Nao apparently had trouble practicing saying I like you to Akane, so there's that. The amount of efforts that her friends put in to make it possible for Akane to see Brian off one last time showed true friendship, and Akane's struggle to make it to the airport as a depiction of love, but this isn't something I came for, and I didn't need Toei to come in to sink one ship. It may not have been every viable ship like in Yes! and GoGo, but it was still a ship we've lost. I seriously hope they don't remember having magic bookcases to retain our untainted gardens.

 

[Defuser]

huh, Ryohei Kimura and Marie Miyake is vocing Hachiken and Aki of Silver Spoon. DESSSTIIIIIIIINYYYYY!!!!

edit:

Does Sugita ever change his jacket? He sure love to wear that jacket.

 

[firehawk12]

Smile LoveCure 36


Conflicted, not something I'd want to follow up, for once, Engrish was utterly painful and whatnot. I assume that is is the opposite of what happened in Yes! Pretty Cure 5 and GoGo. In those two, Rin was the only one without a partner. She was effectively forever alone. Here, Akane is the only one who gets a love interest, which probably makes her the most normal in comparison to every in Yes Pretty Cure 5. Needless to say, this sort of killed the image that I had of Smile, where love interests be damned, it's always the girls.


Should mention that Nao apparently had trouble practicing saying I like you to Akane, so there's that. The amount of efforts that her friends put in to make it possible for Akane to see Brian off one last time showed true friendship, and Akane's struggle to make it to the airport as a depiction of love, but this isn't something I came for, and I didn't need Toei to come in to sink one ship. It may not have been every viable ship like in Yes! and GoGo, but it was still a ship we've lost. I seriously hope they don't remember having magic bookcases to retain our untainted gardens.

Hey, the Jexhius episode!

 

[madp]

Conflicted, not something I'd want to follow up, for once, Engrish was utterly painful and whatnot.

GOKIGENYOU

Where are your impressions about the awesome OP and ED?

It's been years since I watched the show, and they are still my favorites.

KOTOKO <3

ep. 1 doesn't have an OP, but since you've asked, I went ahead and watched it. Honestly, I felt like the OP and ED were both pretty average for their era.