Another season of anime has come once again and again I’ve selected a few of those to watch throughout the coming months. And as always, I wanted to share my first impressions of those series after watching the first 2-3 episodes of each…
Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!
Episodes 1-2 so far
Being a KyoAni title, Chuunibyou has been very highly anticipated among the fandom. Two episodes in and I’m enjoying it. It’s very much a school set, slice-of-life, moe-flavored “boy meets weird girl” comedy…so if you’re into that type of anime, it’s shaping up to be a great addition to the KyoAni family. But if you’re not into anime that mostly involve cute, quirky characters interacting without any major plot, then it probably won’t be your cup of tea. As for me, animation by KyoAni is always a joy to watch regardless of other things, but for the show itself, I think it has potential. It’s already fun to watch Yuuta and Rikka interacting, with the latter’s shameless chuunibyou affliction and the former’s utter embarrassment about it. I also get a huge kick out of hearing Jun Fukuyama do his Lelouch voice for Yuuta’s Dark Flame Master scenes XD The contrasting intentions of the two main characters make for some good comedic moments…though I have to wonder if Rikka really believes the fantastical ideas her chuunibyou has conjured up, or if she actually knows that what she’s doing is childish but she does it anyway, perhaps for a deep, personal reason? Maybe later episodes will address this and more. But whatever it is, I can’t really predict what the characters are going to be doing for ten more episodes, so I look forward to finding out XD
K
Episodes 1-2 so far
The first two episodes of K make it hard to judge what it is, but it’s not hard to see what it’s trying to be; the animation and cinematography quality is top-notch, it has a great seiyuu cast, the music is prominent (though I can do without random background rap), and the story – or what I can barely piece together of it thus far – has the makings of an epic fusion of contemporary action and familiar fantasy elements. But since very little of the seemingly complex plot and decently sized cast of characters has been explained yet, I’m not sure what to think. Episode 1 was a good setup and I was hoping episode 2 would get to needed plot exposition, but all it ended up being was our main protagonist Shiro having a sort-of-serious, sort-of-comedic run around town chasing a space-manipulating naked girl who was actually his cat, while being chased by a mysterious samurai warrior guy who wants to kill him but kind of seems like he might end up in a yaoi-ish relationship with him…yeah, if I was in such a ridiculous scenario as that, I sure wouldn’t be as calm about it as Shiro was XD So hopefully episode 3 will finally give us some answers instead of more questions. At this point, I feel like K could go either way – either become a uniquely artistic title with impressive visuals and an equally impressive story, or try too hard to be “cool” and end up with great quality style but poor quality substance. Whichever way it ends up, I’ll be watching~
Shinsekai Yori
Episodes 1-3 so far
Shinsekai Yori reminds me of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni in that it’s a horror/mystery series that takes place in a seemingly peaceful, rural setting that looks pleasant on the outside but actually hides very dark secrets within (also like Higurashi, Shinsekai Yori’s animation isn’t exactly top-grade). But while Higurashi takes place in the past, Shinsekai Yori takes place a millennium in a very unusual future – a setting that seems anything but futuristic. Since it’s going to be a two-cour series, the main plot hasn’t gotten started yet and they seem to still be working on setting up the characters and setting. From what we’ve seen of the world it’s set in, it’s pretty engrossing. The fact that it’s the future yet everything’s all rural rather than technology-oriented is interesting, and the weird futuristic creatures like the queerats and minoshiro are kind of creative. As for the main characters, they’re okay but kind of bland. Except for Satoru…I’m pretty tolerant, but that kid is just so obnoxious. I really hope the show gives him some good, redeeming qualities soon so his only function isn’t just spewing mean smart-alack comments for everything that happens. But anyway, I don’t think Shinsekai Yori is going to be a fantastic series, but I think it’ll be a good little mystery/horror/drama/supernatural story at least =)
Bakuman 3
Episodes 1-2 so far
The third season of Bakuman starts right where the last one left off…and so far it’s looking to be more of the same, which is a good thing if you’re like me and loved the first two seasons ^_^ Obviously if you’ve already seen (and liked) the previous seasons, chances are you’re watching the third season already, and if you didn’t watch the first two, then you’re not =P
Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun
Episodes 1-3 so far
The first two episodes of Kaibutsu-kun reminded me of Toradora!, not just because of their similar story setup (socially awkward high school girl and guy inadvertently get together), but also in the fact that I wasn’t thrilled with the first episode (and it wasn’t because of that one thing that bothered everyone else) while the second episode brought out a much warmer and charming side of the series that wasn’t seen in the first, mostly due to Shizuku having a change of heart and we get to delve a bit deeper into her feelings. Episode 3 continued that trend of Shizuku becoming more caring, Haru becoming slightly more normal, and the two of them making friends with the other characters. If the series continues getting better (and delving into Haru’s “dark” past that was foreshadowed in episode 3), I’m sure I’ll like it a lot ;) Unlike others, I wasn’t really turned off by Haru’s treatment of Shizuku in the first episode; I knew he wasn’t gonna do anything terrible to her and it’s just a result of him having a heart in the right place but not having a clue about self-conduct with girls he likes. Actually, the couple of things that did bother me is the fact that Haru didn’t apologize for accidentally hitting Shizuku in the first episode, and I thought that the two of them were being kind of mean to Asako (who I think is quite a likable character) in the second episode. But again, I can forgive it for being due to their social ineptitude which they’ll hopefully overcome by the end of the series.
Hayate no Gotoku! Can’t Take My Eyes Off You
Episodes 1-2 so far
Not sure what the reasoning behind making a new Hayate series is when the first two seasons seemed to be fan favorites, but oh well. Overall I liked the first Hayate series though the episodes were hit and miss, while I loved the second season a lot. Two episodes into this new series and…it’s okay so far. I didn’t see Manglobe’s Hayate movie so this is my first look at the new character designs. They’re not too bad – I’m just glad they got the old seiyuu to reprise their roles =) The humor is still good, hyperbolic fun, though I don’t know why there’s such emphasis on a new character (Ruri) when the series already has such a large cast of lovable characters to work with. But I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and say that they’re really trying to give the series a rehash, and Ruri does seem like another funny character to add to the cast =P It also looks like this Hayate series might have a bit more story to it too. Well, since the original manga-ka himself is working on it, I’m optimistic it’ll be at least a good watch.
Little Busters!
Episodes 1-2 so far
Along with Chuunibyou, Little Busters! is one of the most anticipated anime of the season (enough has been said about the whole J.C. Staff versus KyoAni thing so I won’t go into that). I’ve seen all of Jun Maeda/Key’s anime and what I like about them is their way with gut-wrenching drama and tear-jerker moments. Their comedy however doesn’t usually work with me…and the first episode of Little Busters! was nothing but comedy. Usually the fist episode of Key series are kind of light but have some hinting of whimsical drama and tragedy – but I didn’t get any of that in the first episode of Little Busters!. It was just silly slapsticks throughout with just a brief gentle moment where Riki reflects on the past history of the Little Busters. So I can’t say I particularly liked the first episode. The second episode finally had a bit of the ol’ Key drama and mystery with the strange notes tied to the cat and Riki’s sleep disorder. The comedy was still the biggest emphasis, but at least I did get a couple of chuckles that time. Since LB! is going to be a two-cour series, I’m hoping it won’t be long before the familiar Key drama will surface and the characters and story will be better developed. I just gotta be patient with this one.
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In addition to these, I’m also on the fence about Robotics;Notes. Not sure if I’ll have time to add another series to my list. I’m also watching the very short Chuunibyou Lite episodes as well as continuing Sword Art Online, Space Brothers (how long is it gonna be?), Kokoro Connect (when will the rest of the episodes come out anyway?), and Poyo.
Anyway, I hope you’re all enjoying the fall anime season too. And thanks for your patience with my new blogging schedule ;D My post next week will most likely be coverage of the Madoka movie event that I’ll be attending in LA this Sunday. Hopefully I’ll be able to get that up by Monday or Tuesday of next week, but it all depends on my work schedule. As always, I’ll let you know how things are going on Twitter. See you soon~!
From what i saw in the second preview of Shinsekai, this show will be a bit “hardcore”
That’s good to hear. I look forward to seeing if that’s true ;D
Psycho-Pass > Robotics;Notes
I read a bit about Psycho Pass and it sounds good. I might try it out instead of Robotics;Notes, again if I have the time.
There is no surprise that Kyoto Animation will impress us like they always do. While some people had mixed feelings with Nichijou back in 2011, I enjoyed it… Besides Hyouka, I think they will do a good job with Chuubyou.
As for Little Busters, JC Staff’s effort on the story front meets expectations. The animation may not have the shine that Kyoto Animation has and there were a few voice actor changes, but everything looks pretty good so far… and I might buy the port they have for the Vita.
For now, I’m only watching two shows. Seitokai no Ichizon 2nd Season is in limbo because nobody is subbing it and there are no raws… so I might need to pick up another show since blogging two isn’t sufficient enough.
I think J.C. Staff is doing fine with the LB! animation. I’m just not thrilled with all the comedy it’s had so far…I hope we get to the drama soon!
I was thinking about Seitokai no Ichizon, but since nobody’s subbing it I’m glad I didn’t decide to watch it. I thought the first season was okay but I didn’t really like it enough to want to watch more.
Chuunibyou is just so funny! I really did not know what to expect, and just looking at the promo art, it looked like a super power/fantasy type anime. I was so surprised when I started watching it, and just could not stop laughing. The short 3-4 minute skits that show the characters past also adds quite a bit to she series. I also noticed the dark flame master voice, but I did not know it was Zeros voice! Very nice :)
I agree with that assessment of K. It’s so up in the air. I liked the first episode, was good for an intro, and the 2nd episode just went on a tangent. So It’s one of the wait and see I guess. At least they did not focus much on the naked girl part, so it does not seem to be a fan-service only type of show.
Shinsekai Yori is a mistery so far. I love the first part of each episode that depicts a bit of the past, and the music during that part is outstanding. Also, it is interesting to note, that the anime has no intro. No intro of the usual kind at least. I find the animation to be very good actually. It may not be high tech, but the attention to detail, the eyes, clothing, etc is very well done. Let’s hope it stays consistent :)
Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun is another one I did not know what to expect, and another nice surprise. The pace went really fast, but it seems the show will center around the romantic (or anti-romantic?) relationship of the main characters. So getting there in 1 episode is really good. I’m liking the characters so far, they can be pretty funny. It seems things will just get really complicated from here, since each character seems to have quite an emotional baggage on their shoulders. I did not have any problem with the characters. I understand they are both socially awkward, so all the bumps they had on the 1st episode I saw them as pretty normal.
Hayate, I’m not sure what to think… This is only manga I read, and while the anime could take from so many interesting arcs from the Manga (I want to see A-chan!), they decided to go in a new direction. It is also unclear on the time-frame when this is happening. They are in the mansion, but the apartment complex is still there (and full of tenants)… So it’s just hard to place. And no Hinagiku yet!!! It’s good, and I think they want to make it appealing to both readers and non-readers, so I’ll have to keep watching to see where it goes.
Little Busters is a Key work? wow… Ok, my expectation meter just went up too many notches to count… I actually liked the 1st and 2nd episode. I’m more focused on characters, and they seem pretty quirky so they caught my attention. 2nd episode went a lot better, with the sleep disorder, the extreme shyness of Rin, and the cat-delivered notes. Too early to judge, but I liked the first 2 eisodes and the characters so far.
I’m watching a few more, but can only remember Magi from those. Which is pretty good so far. The other titles, I cannot remember much, so they are not really notable. This season does have a few good titles, so should be good :)
Glad to hear you’re enjoying Chuunibyou!
Now that you mention it, I didn’t even notice that Shinsekai Yori has no OP. And I don’t really mean the animation is bad so much as I think the character designs are kind of bland – things like shading and coloring just don’t stand out to me like other anime characters.
I have a feeling we’ll see Hinagiku in the new Hayate soon. They wouldn’t leave out one of the most popular characters XD
To answer some of the little questions at the end, Space Brothers should be a one-year show, so somewhere around 50-52 episodes or so. The extra episodes for Kokoro Connect will arrive for sure with their Blu-Rays/DVDs in March and April, but they are likely to announce some online streaming before then.
I knew if anyone would answer my quick questions at the end, it would be you XD Glad to hear Space Brothers is just gonna be 50-ish episodes; I’m enjoying it, but if it went on for hundreds of episodes that would be a big commitment XD And I look forward to seeing the rest of Kokoro Connect.
Compared to the last several anime seasons there are a lot more titles I’m watching than usual, which makes me very happy. :) Currently I’m viewing Code:Breaker, Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun, Magi, K, Sukitte Ii na yo, and Psycho-Pass. I dropped Kamisama Hajimemashita after the first two episodes and it looks like I’ll probably be dropping Code:Breaker as well, and possibly K if they don’t hurry things along a bit – that second episode struck me as fairly pointless, and at this stage I’m only continuing for another episode because of the gorgeous animation. I think Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun, Magi, Sukitte Ii na yo, and Psycho-Pass all show a lot of promise though – particularly those last three. That’d be a nice mix, too – a shounen fantasy adventure, a shoujo romance, and a dark and gritty thriller sci-fi series.
Kamisama whatever is funnier than Tonari whatever.
Zetsuen no Tempest is going well, but Code:Breaker is a massive pile of genericness.
Little busters is criminally underrated due to J.C.Staff preconceptions.
This was not intended to be a reply to Artemis, I misclicked
Unfortunately I can’t correct your comment placement on my end but it’s no problem.
I have no hard feelings towards J.C. Staff for getting LB! instead of KyoAni. My gripes about the episodes so far would have been the same even if the animation was KyoAni quality. But since it’s going to be two-cour, I’m pretty sure I’ll grow to like it eventually =P
I wouldn’t have thought the second episode of K was kind of pointless if the series wasn’t going to be only 13 episodes. With such a seemingly complex plot and a lot of characters, they really can’t afford to waste anymore time.
I might check out Psycho Pass. I’ll have to see how much time and motivation I have =P
I’m gonna have my eyes on Chunnibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!, Shinsekai yori, and Little Busters!. As for series not listed in this post, I am also planning on looking into Robotics;Notes.
I might also check out K if I have time.
Also, is it me, or have there been more anime with horror/mystery themes lately? Because I’m liking it!
There may be a slight increase in horror/mystery anime…and maybe a slight decrease in blatant harem/fan service anime – which is a good thing XD
When/If you decide to check out those new series, I hope you like them.
Chuunibyuo is my favorite of the season so far. The first episode did well, and the second episode blew my mind. All my friend who watch it with me enjoy the cute and comedic side of it (And I think we can all relate to Rikka, even now lol).
Tonari is also a favorite. I read the post you linked to and I can agree with a lot of the stuff E Minor said. Haru is a character of controversy. While some of his behavior is funny and over the top, his comment about rape put a bad taste in my mouth. However, when you payed more attention to the rest of his behavior, you do start to notice he doesn’t have the best role-models. He seems to be a reader of yakuza or delinquent stories which may explain his violent behavior. And as cool as Mi-chan is, it’s painfully obvious he’s given Haru terrible social advice, like preparing himself for sex by strip butt naked at the mention of gym class. Speaking of Mi-chan, is he Haru’s guardian? And where is Haru’s parents? Who’s the twin/brother/parent/relative of his that we see at the end of episode 3? The root of what makes Haru behave this way has yet to be discovered. In the end, I grow eager to see this dramatic love story go deeper and deeper.
Btooom! has been a total dud (just like it’s main character). Not only is the main character a total scumbag and idiot, but the story just… stinks. I braved episode 2 knowing full well what was coming… it was worse. I was wrong, the only heroine in the show did not get raped, her friends did (which may have been the reason she on ‘Hunger Games’ island now. The worst, she gets horribly molested before finally attempting double suicide with a timed bomb, then throwing it at the molester as he retreats, and finally leaving us off where episode one ended. Disgusting. Btooom! has absolutely no appeal in character or story, and while the third episode preview promises story progression and more characters, I can’t choke down another episode of this.
I can’t say I was impressed by the first episode of Little Busters! It felt too average, but not slice of life average. I didn’t feel there was anything unique about it, sadly, especially since I had such high hopes for it. I won’t give up though, and I’ll sit back down for episode two and see how I feel about it then.
Even with only one episode so far, I like Robotics;Notes. Doesn’t sound like much since almost next to nothing got accomplished other than the introduction of characters. What won me over was the enthusiasm of Akiho. She’s hardworking and inspiring, unlike the male protagonist, Kaito, but I expect his time to shine will come. I respect Akiho’s character drive and love her funny side comments. Plus, I’m terribly bothered by the mysterious girl at the end and I need to find out more!
Otherwise, I’m continuing Space Bros., SAO, and Kokoro Connect (where you go other episodes?). I’ll see if I can look into K because a few other friends of mine also recommend it. Can’t wait to see the Madoka Movie this weekend too!
Nice points about Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun =D I look forward to finding out more about the characters too. It’s only gonna be 13 episodes so hopefully they’ll be able to fit everything in nicely. I also feel the same about Little Busters!…I’ll definitely give it a chance but the first two episodes just seemed “average” to me too despite the hype.
Glad I didn’t decide to watch Btooom! XP
You should give Suki-tte Ii na yo. a chance. It is quite a solid shoujo romance.
If you are still thinking whether or not to watch Robotic;Notes I must say it bears a striking resemblence to Little Busters! It’s hard to describe this but both series will have the club/team members scout for new talents and than create their dream club/team. Right now I’m watching both series an is a bit dissapointed by Little Buster! (watched 3 episodes thus far). So in essence if you’ve been waiting for Little Busters! I do recommend you give Robotics;Notes a chance as well.