Anime post.
Jul. 5th, 2009 04:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elwenIt's a new season . . . and there is absolutely nothing I want to watch! (I am saying this with exultation, not petulance.)
Actually, if I looked more closely, there would probably be something, but considering anime is probably not a very good use of my time right now, it's good that nothing has jumped out. This is excluding sequels of stuff I am already following, of course, like Utawarerumono OVA, Spice and Wolf II, and Hetalia 2.
On top of the boring current season, I didn't end up picking up that many series last time around either, it seems. I ditched Asura Cryin' after the sixth episode or so, when they gave a big background on Shuri, which I decided was about as much as I was ever going to learn from the series: the characters' pasts. As for going forward in time, I still could not figure out where the plot was headed. Not even the barest hint. Are they trying to save the world? Destroy it? Get people out out of the Asura Machinas? The backstory vignettes were nice enough, but I didn't care about any of the characters, and didn't care about what was happening. So I dropped it. Which left me with...
Shangri-La - It's hard to put my finger on what makes me stick with this show. I think half of it is my bemusement at the focus on carbon trading (political commentary, woo!) and half it is how much I adore Momoko-san. There are a lot of characters to hate, and there are a lot of characters to cheer for, and a lot of commentary on human nature in the way a future dystopia show has of doing that. Plus, there's Momoko-san. Brazenly sexual, transgendered characters are the best. :D
Pandora Hearts - Y'know, it wasn't until a few days ago that I figured out that this series is not Shadow Hearts, the PS2 game, but rather Pandora Hearts, a manga. I mean, I knew the title, but I kept thinking it was from the game, and was confused beacuse the plot did not seem video game-like. Now I am a little worried because the manga isn't over, and I hate anime endings for unfinished gensaku. But there's no way I could drop this. First because it has Ishida Akira *kyaa* and just because it's interesting in a fluffy fantasy adventure kind of way. A little dark at times, and sooner or later the Will of the Abyss will give me nightmares, but a fun ride.
07-Ghost - Hands down best series of last season. Refreshingly clear in its plot direction, yet with enough ambiguities (especially about the Ghosts) to not be boring. A good mix of comedy and action, with engaging characters and great interactions. What more could I ask? (Maybe, like with Pandora Hearts, that its gensaku manga be finished, but, well.) I would pick up the manga, but sadly I am not fond of the character designs. And the [spoiler] pink thing looks feral. o_O
Random aside: my sister and I are waiting for the pink thing to turn into Teito's wings, like Wiz does for Daisuke in D.N.Angel. XD
I am technically still following Phantom, but I haven't watched it in a while first because Funimation's video site was down and now because it's just Noir-slow and I haven't been in the mood.
Since last anime post, I picked up two old series at my sister's behest: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Not much to say about Lagann, as I've only watched a few episodes; just that it seems interesting enough to stick with for now. I don't usually follow "big series" like Lagann -- Code Geass was enough for me for a while -- but at least it's only 26 episodes. As for Reborn, I also don't like picking up never-ending shounen series, but my sister likes them, so the more I listen to her, inevitably the more I will collect. It's just so side-splittingly funny, though. I suspect that eventually it will grow old and I will drop it, since I initially had the exact same reaction to Hayate, which I no longer follow. But for now, I'll enjoy the ride.
On the old series front:
Hetalia - Still following, but decided to wait for the HQ version, so am pretty behind. I am a sucker for political humor.
Wagaya no Oinari-sama - The coherence of each arc seems to have been dropping rapidly as the series nears its end. I don't know if the producers just stopped knowing what to do, were out of budget, out of time to actually read rather than skim the novels, or what. But the recent arcs have been ridiculously shallow and resolved in ways that seem like afterthoughts. The werewolf arc was not as bad as the Byakki arc, which like I said showed previews that never happened, as if they were changing their minds about the script constantly, but it was still really random in a bad way. Well, with two episodes left, there's no reason not to finish it.
Kemono no Souja Erin - I picked this back up yesterday. It's a simplistic show, but enjoyable for that. And it's not simplistic because the plot is simple, just simplistic in presentation. I don't really know how to explain it.
CLANNAD ~After Story - The first third or so of the series was just like the prequel: really good and tear-jerking. Then most of the cast started dropping out because the characters had graduated and gone their separate ways, and the focus zoomed in on Nagisa and Tomoya . . . and the angst factor shot up severalfold. You might say that CLANNAD was always all angst, but I like to think of what came before as mere drama. What I sensed coming after watching episode 10 was a brooding angst. Plus, I guess I just don't like the after-graduation trying-to-find-one's-way-in-life setting. (Hits too close to home, maybe.) The high school setting was fun. Now it's not. At least I'm spared the ending that I know is coming, from watching the movie.
Prince of Tennis - I'm just about halfway through the TV series now, go me!
Kaleido Star - Also picked back up recently, I just really love this series. The animation and character designs are so clean, and story is somehow compelling. Even if the plot for the last disc has been something like this: in the first episode, the Kaleido Stage has a new production, and Sora works hard to try to justify her role, and finally Leila kind of acknowledges her; then in the second episode, opening day is nearing, and more challenges pop up, but in the end they are overcome, and the episode ends with a successful production. And then the preview is like, "Next episode, a new production!" But it's fun to see the different costumes and the little glimpses of the acrobatic routines that we get, so I'm not complaining.
Slayers TRY - Whee Slayers. Almost at the fillers now.
And the finished series:
Saiunkoku Monogatari - I finally brought myself to finish this, and the last arc was so good. Damn salt and counterfeit seals that kept me too bored to keep going. Now I want to read the novels to know how things keep unfolding. But I don't think they are going to answer my pressing questions anytime soon, so not big hurry.
Kyou Kara Maou - I called the big revelation, yet things didn't go in the direction I expected at all. I didn't come out hating some of the characters as much as I expected to, which was good. But I have to lodge a complaint about the fact that the series ended in exactly the same way the first series did, namely thus: *highlight for spoilers*Oh noes, Yuuri has lost his maryoku and is now stuck in whichever world he ended up in after the big climax... *someone pushes Yuuri into a pond* Just kidding! Seriously, WTF?
Tytania - Totally sucky non-ending, but I knew it was coming. Still a good series for what it has, as long as you're prepared for a lack of resolution. I wonder how much farther the novels got? (The novels were never finished either.)
Koihime Musou OVA - Fun and fluffy for the same reason the series was, though I get sick of arguments between Kan'u and Chouhi. The best part: since the series is premised on all of the male characters of Three Kingdoms being redesigned as cute/hot girls, they had the signature hot girl of the original, Diao Chan, cast as a big muscle-man! XD And, he was voiced by Chiyo-dad! XD XD
I think I will leave you with that image. Back to studying!
Actually, if I looked more closely, there would probably be something, but considering anime is probably not a very good use of my time right now, it's good that nothing has jumped out. This is excluding sequels of stuff I am already following, of course, like Utawarerumono OVA, Spice and Wolf II, and Hetalia 2.
On top of the boring current season, I didn't end up picking up that many series last time around either, it seems. I ditched Asura Cryin' after the sixth episode or so, when they gave a big background on Shuri, which I decided was about as much as I was ever going to learn from the series: the characters' pasts. As for going forward in time, I still could not figure out where the plot was headed. Not even the barest hint. Are they trying to save the world? Destroy it? Get people out out of the Asura Machinas? The backstory vignettes were nice enough, but I didn't care about any of the characters, and didn't care about what was happening. So I dropped it. Which left me with...
Shangri-La - It's hard to put my finger on what makes me stick with this show. I think half of it is my bemusement at the focus on carbon trading (political commentary, woo!) and half it is how much I adore Momoko-san. There are a lot of characters to hate, and there are a lot of characters to cheer for, and a lot of commentary on human nature in the way a future dystopia show has of doing that. Plus, there's Momoko-san. Brazenly sexual, transgendered characters are the best. :D
Pandora Hearts - Y'know, it wasn't until a few days ago that I figured out that this series is not Shadow Hearts, the PS2 game, but rather Pandora Hearts, a manga. I mean, I knew the title, but I kept thinking it was from the game, and was confused beacuse the plot did not seem video game-like. Now I am a little worried because the manga isn't over, and I hate anime endings for unfinished gensaku. But there's no way I could drop this. First because it has Ishida Akira *kyaa* and just because it's interesting in a fluffy fantasy adventure kind of way. A little dark at times, and sooner or later the Will of the Abyss will give me nightmares, but a fun ride.
07-Ghost - Hands down best series of last season. Refreshingly clear in its plot direction, yet with enough ambiguities (especially about the Ghosts) to not be boring. A good mix of comedy and action, with engaging characters and great interactions. What more could I ask? (Maybe, like with Pandora Hearts, that its gensaku manga be finished, but, well.) I would pick up the manga, but sadly I am not fond of the character designs. And the [spoiler] pink thing looks feral. o_O
Random aside: my sister and I are waiting for the pink thing to turn into Teito's wings, like Wiz does for Daisuke in D.N.Angel. XD
I am technically still following Phantom, but I haven't watched it in a while first because Funimation's video site was down and now because it's just Noir-slow and I haven't been in the mood.
Since last anime post, I picked up two old series at my sister's behest: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Not much to say about Lagann, as I've only watched a few episodes; just that it seems interesting enough to stick with for now. I don't usually follow "big series" like Lagann -- Code Geass was enough for me for a while -- but at least it's only 26 episodes. As for Reborn, I also don't like picking up never-ending shounen series, but my sister likes them, so the more I listen to her, inevitably the more I will collect. It's just so side-splittingly funny, though. I suspect that eventually it will grow old and I will drop it, since I initially had the exact same reaction to Hayate, which I no longer follow. But for now, I'll enjoy the ride.
On the old series front:
Hetalia - Still following, but decided to wait for the HQ version, so am pretty behind. I am a sucker for political humor.
Wagaya no Oinari-sama - The coherence of each arc seems to have been dropping rapidly as the series nears its end. I don't know if the producers just stopped knowing what to do, were out of budget, out of time to actually read rather than skim the novels, or what. But the recent arcs have been ridiculously shallow and resolved in ways that seem like afterthoughts. The werewolf arc was not as bad as the Byakki arc, which like I said showed previews that never happened, as if they were changing their minds about the script constantly, but it was still really random in a bad way. Well, with two episodes left, there's no reason not to finish it.
Kemono no Souja Erin - I picked this back up yesterday. It's a simplistic show, but enjoyable for that. And it's not simplistic because the plot is simple, just simplistic in presentation. I don't really know how to explain it.
CLANNAD ~After Story - The first third or so of the series was just like the prequel: really good and tear-jerking. Then most of the cast started dropping out because the characters had graduated and gone their separate ways, and the focus zoomed in on Nagisa and Tomoya . . . and the angst factor shot up severalfold. You might say that CLANNAD was always all angst, but I like to think of what came before as mere drama. What I sensed coming after watching episode 10 was a brooding angst. Plus, I guess I just don't like the after-graduation trying-to-find-one's-way-in-life setting. (Hits too close to home, maybe.) The high school setting was fun. Now it's not. At least I'm spared the ending that I know is coming, from watching the movie.
Prince of Tennis - I'm just about halfway through the TV series now, go me!
Kaleido Star - Also picked back up recently, I just really love this series. The animation and character designs are so clean, and story is somehow compelling. Even if the plot for the last disc has been something like this: in the first episode, the Kaleido Stage has a new production, and Sora works hard to try to justify her role, and finally Leila kind of acknowledges her; then in the second episode, opening day is nearing, and more challenges pop up, but in the end they are overcome, and the episode ends with a successful production. And then the preview is like, "Next episode, a new production!" But it's fun to see the different costumes and the little glimpses of the acrobatic routines that we get, so I'm not complaining.
Slayers TRY - Whee Slayers. Almost at the fillers now.
And the finished series:
Saiunkoku Monogatari - I finally brought myself to finish this, and the last arc was so good. Damn salt and counterfeit seals that kept me too bored to keep going. Now I want to read the novels to know how things keep unfolding. But I don't think they are going to answer my pressing questions anytime soon, so not big hurry.
Kyou Kara Maou - I called the big revelation, yet things didn't go in the direction I expected at all. I didn't come out hating some of the characters as much as I expected to, which was good. But I have to lodge a complaint about the fact that the series ended in exactly the same way the first series did, namely thus: *highlight for spoilers*Oh noes, Yuuri has lost his maryoku and is now stuck in whichever world he ended up in after the big climax... *someone pushes Yuuri into a pond* Just kidding! Seriously, WTF?
Tytania - Totally sucky non-ending, but I knew it was coming. Still a good series for what it has, as long as you're prepared for a lack of resolution. I wonder how much farther the novels got? (The novels were never finished either.)
Koihime Musou OVA - Fun and fluffy for the same reason the series was, though I get sick of arguments between Kan'u and Chouhi. The best part: since the series is premised on all of the male characters of Three Kingdoms being redesigned as cute/hot girls, they had the signature hot girl of the original, Diao Chan, cast as a big muscle-man! XD And, he was voiced by Chiyo-dad! XD XD
I think I will leave you with that image. Back to studying!
no subject
Date: 2009-08-04 01:50 am (UTC)