Kotoura-san
 

http://i.imgur.com/V0AiG.jpg

Original creator : Enogizu
Director : Masahiko Ohta
Series Composition : Takashi Aoshima
Character Designer : Takaharu Okuma
Animation Production : AIC Classic
Plot summary : The school fantasy story follows Haruka Kotoura, a girl who recently transfered to a new school. Kotoura happens to be able to read people's minds, and she joins the school's ESP club.

Any anime comedy with Ohta directing (and this is basically the whole Mitsudomoe team) gets a look from me.

Im watching this anime only because of the guy with the glasses on the far right.

Despite hearing bad things on it on SeventhStyle, it looks outstanding for a slice of life show by introducing a subtle amount of supernatural and some romance. It strongly reminds me of Acchi Kocchi, so maybe it might becomes another hidden gem of the next season.

Oh wow ... sign me up! This one looks right up my alley! :D

I'm not fond of the art style with those massive heads, but I'll probably try this out because it's a comedy directed by Oota Masahiko.

Looks like its pre-airing began airing tonight.

Rubs hands together in glee....

Art style.. dropped.... but will still read the thread that might change my mind....

The Secret of Haruka Kotoura 01 - Bad End?/Peace

For something that I was expecting to be a comedy, it had probably the single most dramatic most of the first episode of anything I've watched this season. Until the tumbleweeds and the dancing whatthehellisthat showed up and the color palette literally cracked its facade and became the show the promo art had promised. That's a hell of a way to play with my expectations.

Once Yoshihisa was introduced, then the ball got rolling. He's an idiot... but I mean that as a compliment. Because he's the kind of idiot this show needs. A perfect foil to Haruka, who comes across as more like Yui than Yayoi here. (Even if she did have a scene where she played rock-paper-scissors. I wonder if little Haruka also had the three-in-one combo hand that can win any game.) It had enough comedy to keep me entertained, and enough drama to keep the people who are into that entertained, though the second half of the show is likely closer to the tone the rest of the series is going to have than the first.

The two Megumi Nakajima songs are nice and easy to listen to. Next week, though, is where the real fun begins. The rest of the clubmates, Haruka's circle of friends, make their debut. And then we're off towards hijinks and fun times. Mostly. I think.

Holy hell, that was a depressing, upsetting first 10 minutes! I wanted to cry myself to sleep after the first half because of how sorry I felt for the main character :(

Thank heavens for Manabe coming into the picture and making everything all cheery and fun :)

damn, the first 10 minutes was pretty grim. Then its actually kind of a school life comedy.

I'm kind of interested how the series would be if it went the other path, and its just about the lonely path of a girl growing up with the mindreading curse.

I don't think she could handle such a path, especially because the way her parents shunned her. I wouldn't be too shocked if she committed suicide if things continued like that. Good thing she met Manabe to change that though.

Oh wow ... that was great. :D

I was right to look forward to this one this season.

Just ... great!

Though the art style doesn't bother me at all. :)

I esp appreciated the realistic first ten minutes - and felt so sorry for Kotoura, as other posters have mentioned.

Wow i didn't expect it do be gloomy. Glad Manabe showed up to lighten things up. Thought this was just going to be comedy, but its a lot more than that. It definitely surprised me.

Whoa. Incredibly bleak start, Kotoura's mind-reading power being definitely not a blessing but a curse.
Then suddenly comedy!

Much better than I'd expected, all will depend on where it goes from here.

Character design is a big turn-off, but I really like the story premise. I love relationships that gradually progress from strangers, acquaintances, friends to perhaps something even more special. Looking forward to them getting to know each other.

Wow, that was a surprising entry episode. Best I've seen from this season thus far. From the first 10 mins I was worried they were gonna go all gen urobuchi on us.:heh:

fock yeah, best first episode in a show I have seen for years, the graphisms are very well done, Kotoura is somehow cute, and the seiyu are perfect.

Even that baka manabe kun has a good baka hentai attitude, a good male lead.

10/10, no above 10, somehow it's + infinity!

Not bad first episode, although the introduction about Koutora's problem dragged on for way too long.

Starting off the 1st ep with such a heavy, depressing atmosphere really bowled me over. I'm expecting some kind of comedy, and they start it off like that. After that lady got rid of the cat, I was only wishing that somebody, ANYBODY, would give her a hug =0(. I don't think I've ever been won over on a 1st ep like this since....I can't remember when :heh:.

The dynamic relationship that starts off between Kotoura and Manabe is compassionate, yet entertaining in a funny way. Manabe really reminded me of Inukami's Keita; generally funny and silly, but strongly kind and understanding(minus the extreme pervertedness =03). I think such a character is perfect for penetrating Kotoura's defenses and insecurities, and is able to give her the companionship she needs and deserves.

Totally agreed frubam ... very effective first ep indeed!

Am so happy the series delivered like it has, and only hope that it will be able to keep things up! ^_^

I'm gonna be real disappointed if they just go for cliche comedy nonsense and don't elaborate or develop the grimdark stuff or develop the characters from this point on.

Making people laugh is just as difficult as making someone cry, so what's with the bias against comedy? A comedy can still explore the issues brought up in the first episode, it'll just do it in a different way.

wow
didnt expect the first half to be that depressing story

I saw the mother is in OP so I hope Kotoura can rebuild her relationship with her

Allow me to join the chorus. Great first episode. The sadness pierced me to the bone. Excellent work by Kanemoto Hisako as Kotoura.

The only hint for me that this was by the director of Minami-ke and Mitsudomoe was the Mitsudomoe-like character design. I didn't enjoy the few episodes I watched of either of those, but the nice flow and feeling here made me think I might have missed something.

I thought this was going to star Fukuyama Jun. It turned out to be Fukushima Jun, who has been doing voice work for 14 years, but hasn't done that many roles.

The OP by Nakajima Megumi was okay, but I loved the ED, for which no credits were given. I wonder who sings it?

Without a doubt the best premiere of the season (along with Ohta-sensei's alumnus, Minami-ke Tadaima). Directors really do make all the difference.

And yes, you did miss something with Mitsudomoe! I didn't like the premiere either, and grew to love both seasons. Hilarious and even occasionally touching.

Oh wow, those were very depressing first 10 minutes. I felt like smacking several head there!

Though Kotoura should have tried to change her approach once she realized what she can do... try to ignore the thoughts. Hard thing to do but worth a try instead of just pushing everyone away.

Nice comedy though I do hope that we still will get some heavy moments. Like that we will have a nicely balanced show.
If only designs were slightly better...

And then suddenly... TUMBLEWEED!

I intend to follow this one very closely for a while. It has potential. Not my type of character design, but storytelling is good so far. Things are developing very quickly, but I assume their relationship will be sidelined by the group dynamics starting next episode.

http://0-media-cdn.foolz.us/ffuuka/b...7864580463.jpg

...at least for the first ten minutes.

Cheers to the best first episode I've seen in the last two seasons yet.

The question now is: how will this show follow up? The first episode set an amazing first impression, but I can't help but feel that it'll be a very tough act to follow, especially since the focus of the show is apparently going to be on comedy from here on.

Without a doubt the best first episode of the season. I'll be disappointed if there's only comedy from here on out, we all want the drama the first 10 minutes gave us and hopefully they'll deliver.

It's been a while since an anime surpassed my expectations to the extent that it became a 12 episode must weekly watch anime than a anime i would watch if i was really bored.
Anime logic tells me that the parents will come back later in the show and the drama that plagued the first 10 minutes of the anime will come back.
Manabe, please yell at the parents when/if they come back and end it with a "Please let me marry your daughter" line and that will be the epic LOL of the season for me.

The drama in the first half is extremely effective but undeniably it's played pretty broadly. But there's a subtler message behind it, and that's the fact that the reason Kotoura-san is such an outcast is because of the gap that exists between people's desires and what they say and do. Of course no one likes to be reminded of that gap, and that makes Kotoura a threat.

Enter Manabe. If I would describe him in one word, it would be "transparent". He says what he means and he's not ashamed of his thoughts (even the ecchi ones) and that makes Kotoura no threat to him. She's like Diogenes, searching with a lamp for an honest man for her entire life - and now she's found one. That's a fascinating basis around which to build a romance.

Agreed Enzo, exactly what I was thinking - and well expressed. :)

actually the problem is not the mind reading ability
just kotoura cant shut her mouth

Not so easy when she is a child.... :\

But yeah ... I was thinking so too. But maybe later it was a mini way she could somehow defend herself and/or protect herself.....

Kotoura isn’t just an esper, she’s also naïve and honest – perhaps as a direct result of her ability, she initially sees no reason why what people think shouldn’t be what they project to the world. It’s the truth, so why hide it?

That, of course, makes Manabe an even more perfect match.