First off, happy holidays to all of you! I hope you’re all enjoying December and that you’ve got snow where you’re at (or at least not the muck and sludge that I get here from an overabundance of rain…). ^^
Anyway, having just finished finals, I’ve found myself with a bit of free time before my flight home tomorrow (or later today, really). I should be packing, but it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything here, so I figured I’d just do a short update on various things.
I actually stopped watching anime for a while during the last two seasons, partly because I was sick of seeing certain types of shows (they weren’t bad, per se, just very stereotypical), partly because I was still recovering from my untimely visit to the hospital, and partly because I got caught up in gaming. The only shows that I watched in the last two seasons were Soul Eater and Kurenai (which was already well over and done with by the time I saw it).
All that aisde, I’ve quite happily made a return to the world of anime with a handful of shows:
Soul Eater
Still one of my favourite series, I’m waiting patiently for the day that Maka goes absolutely insane. Somehow, I don’t see it happening, but I still wish it would.
Anyway, it’s a zany sort of show with wacky, unique, and rather lovable characters. Incredible animation, solid music, good voice acting (though some will debate this, I think Maka’s voice actress fits her perfectly), and a steadfast adherance to the manga material has so far made this a fun show to watch.
An important note here, though, is that the show is rapidly catching up to the manga, so it may very well diverge towards the end of its 52-episode run and go for an alternate ending. Not so sure how well that’ll work out, but I’m hopeful that it’s well-executed.
In any case, it’s fun and I’d suggest watching it if you have a chance.
Bamboo Blade
Not a new show, no, but definitely a fun watch. I was iffy on watching this one for a while, because it seemed like nothing more than a new plot for yet another harem show, but I was quite happily wrong. It turns out to be a fairly well-paced show (for the most part) with solid characters and pretty good writing.
I actually decided to give it a shot after reading a few chapters in the Yen Press monthly magazine, so I guess there’s something to be said for manga magazines.
To Aru Majutsu no Index
A decently interesting series so far, I’m rather curious to see where it goes. It’s a bit borderline on my watch list right now, as it’s been doing fairly random things and giving lame, pointless reasons to back most of them up. The show can’t yet seem to figure out what it wants to do (and I’m assuming this is exactly how the light novels are, too), and if it doesn’t figure it out soon, I might not be able to keep watching it.
For the time being, though, it’s still interesting enough for me to keep watching.
Kannagi
This show seems to be this season’s star player, with an interesting story, fairly unique (but also occasionally adorable) characters, solid animation, and a daily-life approach to something that in many ways is bigger-than-life (a goddess living in your house while fighting off evil things?).
It’s been fairly well executed so far, though the number of references is actually beginning to become a tad annoying, and some parts of the latest episodes drag a little. I imagine this is because the pacing of the story is a little off, likely because the big plot twists or dramatic moments are being saved for strategic episodes, but we’ll see.
In any case, this is one series that I’d suggest you give a watch. It has yet to disappoint.
Toradora
Yet another school-life romance show, this time with the tsundere Taiga and misunderstood Ryuuji playing the main girl and boy roles, respectively.
Honestly, I’m watching the show for Minori, Ryuuji, Yasaku, and Ami. I could care less about Taiga, even though she’s the main character. Her voice actress can’t seem to shake the shadow of Shana and Louise, or is channeling them on purpose, but whatever the case, she sounds exactly the same in almost every show she voice acts, which is fairly annoying. I’d like to see a tsundere character who doesn’t sound exactly like every other popular tsundere character.
To be honest, I’d actually like to see that voice actress (Rie Kugimiya, for those of you who don’t know who I’m referring to) to VA a non-tsundere character in a popular show.
Anyway, the show is fairly fun, and if nothing else, Minori’s random comments and eccentric behavior are always fun to watch.
Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka
Oooh, what can I say about this series?
Though it’s a typical harem-styled anime based on an h-game (which is getting a non-h PS2 adaption that I might pick up), I’m enjoying it very much right now. This may be in part due to the fact that for most of the show, only Yuuhi is portrayed as having feelings for the main character, but I’m pretty sure that Minato (the other romantic rival, though she only becomes one in the last few episodes) is one of the largest reasons that I’m watching this show.
Other than the fact that Rie Kugimiya’s voice acting for the tsundere Yuuhi irritates me, this show is good. One of the latest episodes had a strange overabundance of chest bouncing that wasn’t in the previous episodes, but other than that, this show has been solid all the way through, and the random very short cuts to the James Bond-style operations being carried out by the main character’s parents are all entertaining.
I’m rooting for Minato, the kind, gentle younger sister of the male protaganist, especially since she reminds me of Nanoha. Worth noting is that while her voice actress does a fairly good job, her voice just seems a little off at times. It’s probably not something you’d notice that much, though, so it’s alright.
In any case, pick this series up if you want a cute, fun, and also somewhat dramatic romance series this season.
Tales of the Abyss
Not much to say here, I guess. It’s an animated adaptation of the video game, and having not played the game, this is the first time I’ve been exposed to these characters and this story.
First things first. The opening song is, to put quite frankly, awesome.
Anyway, I took a look at the opening to the game after watching the first couple episodes of the anime, and I must say that the anime characters seem a bit more chubby than the game’s version of them. Not necessarily bad, but I think I prefer the older designs.
The main character of this show is incredibly annoying, but he supposedly improves soon, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
I can’t really suggest this series as it is now, though. There’s just not that much going for it yet. Every good character (Jade, Anise, Ion, Guy) is counter-balanced by a fairly annoying character (Luke, Mieu, Van, half of the six god-generals). If you’re willing to stick it out, though, the story apparently makes a great turnaround at some point.
I’ll probably watch this one on and off when I remember or get bored.
Shikabane
This is a weird series that’s been very minimally fansubbed.
I watched the first two subbed episodes, then the raws up to episode 7 or so before finally dropping the series (due to language barriers, mostly). It seemed to have a somewhat interesting plot, though it, admitably, was just a rehashed boy-meets-girl type of plot in a new setting.
Animation quality wasn’t the best, but the voice actors all seemed pretty solid. The show itself was a weird sort of horror-action mixup, which might have worked better if not for the monks who lounge around with skimpily clad girls for some weird reason or another.
I might come back to this series if it gets fully subbed, but who knows if that’ll happen? I sure don’t.
Bounen no Xamdou
Fun watch, this one. Fairly well written, though it’s all a bit predictable after the first couple of episodes. It’s has a simple plot, but is executed well, and the characters are all believable (though I admit one of the main characters becomes something of an antagonist for the sake of advancing the plot).
I was scared it was going to be all about mecha and aliens, but it’s more about the characters, which is a nice change of pace.
If you have a chance, I’d give this show a whirl.
Nabari no Ou
One of the shows I watched this season that’s already over. I’m not quite done with the show yet, but I definitely am enjoying it. Enough so that I may well pick up the manga series for the alternate, continuing story (with hopes that Raimei and Miharu hook up!).
Fairly somber, good story. If you don’t like that sort of thing, stay away from this series, but otherwise, I definitely suggest you pick it up.
Oh, also, there’s a fairly heavy emphasis on the relationship between Miharu and Yoite. If you’re totally not a fan of brother-type relationships, stay back as well, but this show doesn’t do anything that even approaches yaoi. It’s very solidly in the bounds of brother/family relationships, which makes a lot of the scenes in the show that much more touching, in my opinion.
Macross Frontier
Fairly fun show to watch. Not the greatest, but definitely not the worst. Some parts could’ve been executed better, and the ending was a bit corny, but it sticks true to the Macross name and delivers impressive 3D space battles and a lot of flashy explosions.
Worth watching if you’re a fan of the genre, but if you’re not, don’t bother. The character development and overall story isn’t anything amazing.
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In any case, there you have it. That’s what I’m watching right now, along with my suggestions. Sorry about the lack of images, but I’m writing this up in one shot, and didn’t take screenshots of the shows while watching. I’ll have images for my episode reviews and whatnot, though.
In any case, I’ll try to post here more often, now. ^^
-Tari
