Fairy Tail first impressions

Two episodes into Fairy Tail and I definitely feel it has potential, but like other shonen series, it’s going to take time to really tell…

I haven’t picked up a new shonen series in a long time. But since I’ve liked all the ones I’ve watched, and Fairy Tail is greatly inspired by my favorite ongoing series, One Piece, I figured I should give it a try.

One thing I like about Fairy Tail is the casting. I never thought Aya Hirano would take up a role in a shonen series, but so far she’s been hilarious as Lucy. She’s doing a pretty good job of changing her voice as best she can, but every now and then Haruhi or Misa will slip out =P Shonen series can get really emotional, so I wonder how she’ll handle an angst-ridden scene. Rie Kugimiya on the other hand, has created an excellent voice for Happy. I didn’t even know it was her until I looked up the cast. I still have yet to form an opinion about Testsuya Kakihara’s role as the male lead Natsu (he’s probably most famous as Simon in Gurren Lagann). Natsu doesn’t seem as lovable, or just plain awesome, as Luffy but I’ll give him time. Eri Kitamura playing a couple of supporting characters is nice too.

The first two episodes of Fairly Tail introduced us to the setting and the principle plot and characters. So far the fantasy setting and take on the concept of magic, though not incredibly unique, looks promising. Episode two introduced a bunch of characters but we have yet to get to know them. My one complaint is that there seemed to be more gags and comedy in these episodes and less shonen drama and action. But hopefully the silliness will wear off in favor of the intense themes of friendship, determination, and willpower that define all good shonen series. Being the patient anime viewer that I am, I’m enjoying Fairy Tail enough so far to give it time to blossom.

The long-running shonen series have always been some of the most beloved series ever, but unfortunately they all suffer from one big handicap – the fact that it’s impossible to make proper judgments about them unless you take the time to follow them for a long time. I thought One Piece was okay at first, then by episode 50+ it was really good, and now 300+ episodes in, I think it’s one of the most epic, creative, and brilliant works of fiction I’ve ever seen. Shonen series are not just about telling a story – they’re about getting to know the different characters, following them on their many adventures, and watching them grow and change. But of course, all this takes a lot of time, which is why they’re all so long. As such, it will probably take a while for me to feel attached to the Fairy Tail characters and truly care about the plot that surrounds them. I don’t think Fairy Tail will become one of the shonen giants like Naruto, Dragon Ball, or One Piece, but perhaps it will go with the “lesser” shonen titles like D.Gray-man, Gintama, and Konjiki no Gash Bell!!. I have yet to see a shonen series I didn’t like so I’m willing to give Fairy Tail more time =)