Summer 2012 General Impressions Thread: Post Your Opinion and Grade...

[Flower]

Well to quote a certain individual:

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

...once again I summon the denizens of Animesuki to share their initial thoughts and impressions on this season and to update them if anything interesting changes.

Initially, I had planned to create an initial and final impressions thread for each season, but they got mixed up last time. So whatever, anything regarding any show that is airing this season can be discussed and updated; when the time comes you can update with your final thoughts as well.

The intention of the thread is mostly to discuss what's hot and new, but any thoughts on carryovers from previous seasons may be brought up, but do make sure you are talking about the most recent episodes (don't come here to rant about fillers in a long ongoing series from last year, for example).

Because it is still early, it may be a good idea to express grades in terms of keep/drop/stall if you're unwilling to give a rating at this point, or something like that. I'm more interested in which new shows are your priorities.

Previous formats went something like this, but obviously you are free to express your thoughts however you want; Your rating can be in terms of letter grades, numerical ratings, facepalms, etc. Or maybe you don't believe in grades.

Name of Series:
Episodes Watched:
Rating:
Comments:
Status (Keep/drop/stall):

Also, I would ask that any specifics be kept in spoiler tags, please.

Nobody will arrest you for violating any formats or anything so post whatever thoughts and try not to comment on other people too much.

****

Well, since I finally finished watching all the shows I was curious about (although with the exception of Ebiten: Kouritsu Ebi Sugawa Koukou Tenmonbu), so I figured it I may as well start out with my own grading.

BTW these are in no particular order here....

****

A List (seriously interested in and actively following):

- Hyouka (carryover)
- Natsuyuki Rendezvous [such a beautiful series that is both reserved and almost elegant in a quiet sort of way]
- Joshiraku [prolly the series I was most curious about before the season began - it has delivered for me in a big way]

B List (interested in and following):

- Accel World (carryover)
- Tari Tari [a good and "breezy" series that is well done]
- Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita [very enjoyable series that is a little ... umm ... out of the ordinary, though in an effective and thought provoking way without being offensive or pretentious - very near to being on the A List]
- Kingdom [unexpectedly enjoying this one, although the cgi annoys me at times]
- Moyashimon Returns [prolly my biggest surprise of the season - I had not watched season 1 and had no idea what to expect]
- Dog Days Dash [I really enjoyed season 1 and season 2 is more of the same]
- Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate [was really looking forward to this one, and it has delivered in a quiet and maybe even ... subdued, in a good way?]
- Kokoro Connect [did not quite know what to expect of this one, but thus far has been pretty good]
- Sword Art Online [another solid series like Accel World]

C List (mildly interested in and following):

- Rinne no Lagrange S2 [more of the same from season 1 - enjoyable but ... oh well]
- Chitose Get You! [cute and not as risque as I thought they would try to be]
- Furusato Saisei Nippon no Mukashibanashi (carryover)
- Shirokuma Cafe (carryover)
- Uchuu Kyodai (carryover)
- Yurumates 3Dei+ (carryover ... of sorts)

Still on trial watch list: Kono Naka ni Hitori Imouta ga Iru

Tried out and not interested: Yuri Yuri 2, Utakoi, Hagure Yuusha no Estetica, Muv Luv Alternative - Total Eclipse [too scary! ], Campione, La storia della Arcana Famiglia, Binbougama-ga

Curious to try out: Ebiten: Kouritsu Ebi Sugawa Koukou Tenmonbu

Older series still being subbed: Hyouge Mono, Showa Monogatari

[Akito Kinomoto]

The only thing I'm currently watching at this point is YuruYuri♪♪. So far I've found myself cracking up more than I was with the first season and it really seems like they're going to play up Kyouko X Yui which is awesome. I'm definitely going to watch Tari Tari and Rinne no Lagrange II when they finish though.

[Lord of Fire]

Name of Series: Arcana Famiglia
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Looks interesting, main girl is hella cute and having Mamiko Noto voicing her is added bonus
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Binbougami ga!
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This show is hilarious
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Campione!
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: 8/10
Comments: This show looks to have a lot of potential. I hope they don't mess this up later on.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Chitose Get You!
Episodes Watched: 3
Rating: 8/10
Comments: If they made this show twice as long, I think a lot of the jokes would come over better. Still, I enjoy it more than RecoRan from last season(though it's ahrd to make something worse than that IMO).
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Falls well within my expectation, which is a good thing.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Dog Days'
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Took everything that made S1 good, and made it better with the new addition to the cast.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Ebiten
Episodes Watched: 1
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Has a very SnI vibe to it, which I liked. Too bad the show is low quality and hardly any group is interested in it (probably for obvious reasons).
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep (assuming the only subber so far doesn't quit).

Name of Series: Hagure Yuusha no Esthetica.
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Nothing really special about this show, but the MC makes a world of difference.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita
Episodes Watched: 3
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This show is weird as hell, but everything in it works very well.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Joshiraku
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Most references fly well over my head, but the girls are funny nonetheless. The ED may very well become the best of this season, if only because it's so damn catchy.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: 6/10
Comments: Though episode 2 was better than episode 1, I don't really know where this show wants to take me.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep (for now)

Name of Series: Kokoro Connect
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: 9/10
Comments: The idea of five teens swapping personalities with each other is a very interesting premise.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Kono Naka ni Hitori, Imouto ga Iru!
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: 6/10
Comments: The weakest of all the Summer shows so far
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep (for now)

Name of Series: Oda Nobuna no Yabou
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: 8/10
Comments: I'm not familiar with Japan's history, but this looks like an interesting show. The main guy does his best to fit in and doens't seem all that bothered to be stuck in the past.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Sword Art Online
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This will probably be THE show to look out for this season.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Tari Tari
Episodes Watched: 3
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I love this show so far. All character are likable and it looks gorgeous.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Yuri Yuri S2
Episodes Watched: 3
Rating: 9/10
Comments: I loved S1, so I doubt I'm going to be disappointed with S2.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep


Continued from last season:

Name of Series: Hyouka
Episodes Watched: 13
Rating: 8/10
Comments: It's gotten more interesting over the past few weeks, but I'm still not 100% sold on it.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Phi Brain S2
Episodes Watched: 14
Rating: 8/10
Comments: S1 was slightly better, but that may just be the novelty wearing off. I do hope Nonoha's role becomes more important, though.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

[ninryu]

I haven't seen all the animes this season, but what I have I really liked. It's a nice season in my opinion.

[Solace]

Binbougami and Jinrui are great. I can't say that for the rest of the season, which ranges from generic to bleh. Compared to last season there's just so much less to look forward to, but at least there's some carryovers from last season to fill in that gap, like Accel World and Rinne no Lagrange.

[Triple_R]

Name of Series: Accel World
Episodes Watched: 14
Rating: B+
Comments: A very fun and well-paced show with good series concepts, a superb female lead, nice character designs (for the MMO side of things), and good action scenes. The male lead is occasionally a bit infuriating to watch/listen to (he does cry a lot), but he's Ok on the whole.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep


Name of Series: Hyouka
Episodes Watched: 13 (plus 11.5)
Rating: B+
Comments: Typically great KyoAni animation/artistic attention to detail. Good chemistry between the four main characters. Nice atmosphere. Occasionally a bit inane, but nothing too severe.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep


Name of Series: Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita
Episodes Watched: 3
Rating: B
Comments: First two episodes were excellent. Third was a bit more straightforward, and less imaginative/amusing, but it was still a decent watch. Pretty good comedy show.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep


Name of Series: Kokoro Connect
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: B-
Comments: 1st episode felt a bit off to me, but 2nd episode was very good. Excellent series premise. I like Iori and Inaba. Male characters are a bit 'meh' for me.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep


Name of Series: Muv-Luv Alternative
Episodes Watched: 3
Rating: B
Comments: I really liked the first two episodes, but the third was slightly disappointing. Still, a solid sci-fi/action mecha show. In a season where there's not a lot of these, it fills a real niche for me.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep


Name of Series: Sword Art Online
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: B+
Comments: Excellent premise. Excellent BGM. Good character designs and visuals. Good action scenes. It does sometimes give me a sense of unrealized potential, though.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep


Name of Series: Tari Tari
Episodes Watched: 3
Rating: A-
Comments: Lovely, lively show so far. Good main cast. Quirky unpredictability. One of the better "Slice of High School Life" shows, imo. My favorite show of the season at this point, but things could change.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

[creb]

Kingdom - A
I'm generally a sucker for historical fiction, and while I really don't give two hoots about Chinese history, the extreme lack of remotely compelling historical anime in recent years has probably elevated this series higher than it would if I had watched it a few years ago.

Rinne no Lagrange Season 2 - D
I didn't care for season one, and the first episode of season two was essentially season one. This is not the type of mecha show I will ever hold up as a shining example of the genre, though I'm old enough to know this particular amalgam will be a big hit nonetheless.

TARI TARI - C
Maybe if I felt the singing was actually good I'd give it a higher grade, and PA Works seems to have an issue with making the same anime, over and over and over again, visually at least. How boring. Though, I'm sure I'd love the constant repeat if this was my type of thing. Perspectives, eh?

La storia della Arcana Famiglia - C
Fairly generic action/adventure fare. I'll probably marathon it at a later date, when I am at a loss of anything to watch, as it really has no hook at all to leave me waiting in anticipation for the next week to come.

Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita - A+
Hilarious.

Chitose Get You!! - I have absolutely no intention of watching this.

Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse - B
It's incredibly rare for me to give a positive nod towards an eroge-turned-anime. That alone makes this show remarkable. It's too early to say whether this ends up being memorable, but if it can continue to deliver a war story full of death and the least amount of boob-shaking as one can expect from eroge-source material, it could be a winner.

Chouyaku Hyakunin Isshu: Uta Koi - A
If it wasn't for Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita, this would be my favorite non-actiony show of the season, and it came as a complete surprise. For some reason I thought it was a boy's love show (I blame the animation), and had no intention of watching it.

Yuruyuri ♪♪ - I have no intention of watching this.

Binbougami ga! - C
It's moderately funny. Kind of like Ben-To. But, it's also incredibly vapid, and the animation is mediocre, which generally doesn't bother me, but when you're a vapid show, everything counts.

Moyashimon Returns - C-
There was something charming about Moyashimon. At the time, I'd have given it an A. I've had to fight sleep watching this sequel, and am not connecting in any way to the show, despite my own background in microbiology. Yawn.

Natsuyuki Rendezvous - B+
A nice romance that we haven't seen in a while in the noitaminA slot.

Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate - I have no intention of watching this.

Kono Naka ni Hitori, Imouto ga Iru! - Ditto

Joshiraku - ??
Haven't watched this yet. I generally enjoy gag comics-turned-anime though.

Hagure Yuusha no Estetica - ??
Haven't seen it yet, though I can probably guess my reaction towards what looks to be another incredibly generic school/harem/male-lead fighting show.

Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai - ??
Haven't seen it yet, and am not sure if it's another eroge-like anime, or a parody. If the latter, I might be interested.

Campione! - C
Generic. Not much else to say. One of those shows I'll end up digesting anyways, without ever going back for seconds (or thirds, etc).

Tanken Driland - B
That 'B' is from the strength of chibi-power.

DOG DAYS’ - I have zero intention of ever watching this.

Sword Art Online - B
Solid show so far, though the lead needs some backstory fast, because his actions stand in stark contrast to his seeming need to be a loner. On another note, no MMO-inspired/like anime has captured actual MMO players as well as this show has so far. It's certainly not perfect, but it's a far sight better than anything else that has come before. I feel like the writer has actually spent more than just casual time playing MMOs. I also really like the combat system behind this fictional one.

Kokoro Connect - B+
See, if you're going to do a seemingly generic school club show, you should have a real wrench thrown into the picture, and this show does just that. It's still too early to tell which direction it's going with the whole body-swapping; light amusing distraction, or...the other way, but it's nice to see a school club show not just going through the motions.

Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon II - ??
I never managed to finish the first season, so I doubt I'll watch the second. I almost want to make a second attempt, if only due to the incredibly...rabid fan response to a certain fansub group that pretty much embodies the worst of our community. The response, not the group.

Oda Nobuna no Yabou - C-
Yawn. At least the male lead isn't a whiny emo.

Hakuouki Reimeiroku - ??
I've had trouble with this series' progenitors due to the pretty-boy aspect. I may, one day, finish watching them, and then try this one out.

Ebiten: Kouritsu Ebisugawa Koukou Tenmonbu - I think I'd rather sniff mustard mixed with hot sauce up my nose than watch this.

I'm very, very, very surprised at this season. I had initially thought there wasn't a thing worth watching, and that it would be the worst season of anime ever (or at least rival last winter), but I've been happily proved wrong.

[Dawnstorm]

Continued from last season/second seasons:

Accell World: I don't know what it is that keeps me going, but I'm sort of enjoying it. My interest has vaned fairly quickly after I've been positively surprised in the beginning. Not my genre; not my character types; certainly not my combat avatar style. I think I may stay for the character design. Hm? (6/10)

Furusato Saisei Nippon no Mukashi Banashi: Animated picture book. Cute and charming. I love, love, love the opening. (7/10)

Hyouka: The longer it goes on, the better I like it. That's definitely better than the other way round. (8/10)

Rinne no Lagrange ~ 2nd season: Ah well. I like the characters, so I'm probably going to finish it. Shame I don't like the show much (5/10)

Sengoku Collection: Oddly fun. Very uneven; potentially great, potentially awful. Mostly okay. Style continues flawlessly from the last season, so what can I say? (7/10)

Shirokuma Café: Exactly my kind of humour. (8/10)

Yurumates: Occasionally funny. (7/10)

Yuru Yuri ~ 2nd season: Almost as fun as the first season. Little else to say. (7/10)

New Arrivals I must finish no matter what:

Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita: I love the weirdness, and it's essential to the concept, too. The idyllic pastoral look and soft colours give a nice contrast. Love the snarky lead. The fairies are appropriately creepy. I predict this year's second master piece (after last season's Nazo no Kanojo X).
(10/10)

Joshiraku: Good god, I'm unreasonably fond of this show. I don't get all of the jokes, but when I get them, they crack me up (the dog-kanji joke in the first episode!). It doesn't matter if you don't get all the jokes, either, because the show - as it itself informs you - contains unobtrusive dialogue so you can admire the cuteness of the girls. No complaints from me. (9/10)

Natsuyuki Rendesvouz: A very intriguing romance, actually based on the personalities of the characters. I don't like the male lead, but even he is interesting. (8/10)

New Arrivals I'll certainly finish:

Chouyaku Hyakunin Isshu: Uta Koi: A quirky rendition of love poems and their context. I like it. I sort of think of it as a companion piece to Furusato Saisei; both are very well executed cultural shows. I like that the show doesn't romanticise the period love more than it has to. Good job. (7/10)

Hakuouki Reimeiroku: I liked the first Hakuouki; the second season was a bit uneven, good when good, but boring when not. This is easily my favourite installment so far. (7/10)

Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate: This seems to turn out better than I thought. I like the Amagami-character design. The personalities are stylish and distinctive. The biggest surprise is that all the elements of the title seem to have actual plot relevance. (7/10)

Kokoro Connect: I expected slapstick comedy and got a character study. Something about the K-on character desingn rubs me the wrong way. Tendency: rising enjoyment. (7/10)

Sword Art Online: Has potential, but it's no .hack//sign (even though it, too, has a Yuki Kajiura soundtrack). (6/10)

Tari Tari: Unsure what to think of it. It's fun. It's nothing special, but lovingly crafted, with attention to detail. (I'm Austrian: the German letter actually reads like something someone who's lived in Austria might write.) It's Hanasaku Iroha's less ambitious but more charming sister. (7/10)

New Arrivals I'll probably finish:

Binbougami ga!: The humour is hit and miss with me. I do like the two main characters. Let's see. (7/10)

Chitose Get You: Cute, but not too immersive. (6/10)

La Storia Della Arcana Famiglia: Stylish multi-character fun. (7/10)

*****

No more ratings from now on.

*****

New Arrivals on probation:

Campione: Too generic to be really interesting. Chances are slim.

Dakara Boku we H ga Dekinai: I sort of believe in the potential of the concept, and I think they're doing well with it. But the weekly gratuitious nudity is just so clichéd that it's getting on my nerves. Also, the show skews too much towards monster breasts. A show like this should go for more variety.

Kono Naka ni, Imouto ga Iru!: Nice ecchi comedy, but I don't like ecchi. Depends on how much the clichés will grate.

Oda Nobuna no Yabou: Meh, of all the Sengoku girl's show I've watched this is the least appealing. I didn't get past episode one of the Samurai Girls, so it beats that. Only watched episode 1 so far, but I can't say "dropped" yet.

New Arrivals, Tried and Dropped:

Ebiten (boring), Hagura Yuusha no Estetica (I hate the macho vibes this gives me with a passion), Muv Luv (looks like military propaganda via faceless opponents and sentimental values - no thank you)

[Flawfinder]

Originally Posted by creb

Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate - I have no intention of watching this.

Kono Naka ni Hitori, Imouto ga Iru! - Ditto

What? Aren't you dying to know who IMOUTO is? How can that not interest you?

Anyways, my thoughts are here: http://wp.me/p2vp1c-cz

The only other thing I'll add is that Humanity Has Declined is really unsubtle with its satire and Taichi from Kokoro Connect is such a shit character that anything he does rings as hollow or false. Seriously, I want to like Kokoro Connect like other people, but those two males are just so awful.

[Guardian Enzo]

Spoiler for Long:

The Best of the Best



Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita

Episodes Watched: 4

Grade: A

Comments: This was the series I picked as the likely standout of the season, and it’s actually exceeded my expectations. The first two arcs have been stylistically very different but both brilliant – the most recent episode (a blistering dissection of the manga industry) was peerless satire, and one of the best anime episodes I’ve seen in years. So far this is a flat-out great series – visually striking with it’s storybook art, hilariously funny, energetic, and stunningly smart. Any season with at least one great series can’t be a total loss, and thank goodness for Jinrui.



Natsuyuki Rendezvous

Episodes Watched: 3

Grade: A-

Comments: Right in the NoitaminA sweet-spot. The start has been subtle but involving, with the emotional impact ramped up significantly in episode 3. This one has a “tortoise vs. hare” quality that I think is going to serve it well as it gradually builds in impact, with the potential for a huge emotional payoff at the end. Nothing exactly blows you away, but the overall package is very effective.





The Best of the Rest



Sword Art Online

Episodes Watched: 3

Grade: B

Comments: The most-anticipated and discussed series of the summer by far. I’m trying very hard not to get dragged into the ugliness with the angry LN readers and the general SAO haters (not easy) and focus on the show itself – which so far is quite good. It’s not an especially original conceit but the premise does have some bite to it, and A-1 has done a pretty good job of world-building in the first three eps. The premiere was the best of the three, which isn’t the most encouraging sign, but I’ve found all the episodes entertaining and competently produced.



Tari Tari

Episodes Watched: 4

Grade: B

Comments: If Hyouka is pure time-wasting fun and Kokoro Connect is pure plot and character development, Tari Tari is trying to be Goldilocks and get it just right – and so far, mostly doing so pretty well. It’s not as lavish as HanaIro but still has that lovely stylized P.A. Works look, and the overall tone is whimsical with just enough story to keep you hooked. I don’t see anything all that complex or challenging here, but there’s enough edge to this familiar premise to make the show entertaining.



Kokoro Connect

Episodes Watched: 3

Grade: B

Comments: I was pretty pessimistic after the first ep, but the last two have been much, much better. There have been stumbles and the visuals from Silver Link are average at best (though refreshingly free of SHAFT imitation), but this has the makings of a pretty interesting character study. And there elements here that are potentially quite original, which is always a plus.





Worth Watching



Kingdom

Episodes Watched: 8

Grade: B-

Comments: If the animation were even average, Kingdom might rank much higher. As is, the first few eps were almost ruined by the overuse of bad CGI – which has thankfully been less of a problem since – and the animation in general is very lackluster. And that’s a shame, because it’s a good show – very well-written, with a good old-fashioned historically epic quality to the story of empire-building and betrayal in ancient China.



Chouyaku Hyakunin Isshu: Uta Koi

Episodes Watched: 4

Grade: B-

Comments: It’s no Chihayafuru, but Kasai Kenichi’s 100 Poets adaptation has had some very fine moments as it takes a turn at interpreting the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu through a cast of nobles at the Heian Court. I’m not crazy about the animation and the ED may be the worst of 2012, but on balance there’s a lot of good here if the subject matter is of interest to you.



Binbougami Ga!

Episodes Watched: 3

Grade: B-

Comments: This is the show that takes on Haiyore! Nyaruko-san’s mantle as the screwball, fourth-wall breaking comedy of the season. I ‘d rank it about on par with that show so far – it hasn’t made me laugh quite as hard, but it seems to have a better grasp of the character dynamics when it chooses to go into “serious” mode.





On the Fence



Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate

Episodes Watched: 3

Grade: C+

Comments: I don’t like it as much as I did Mashiroiro Symphony at this stage, but there’s enough that’s unpredictable in Koichoco to keep me interested, at least for now. Interestingly for a VN adaptation, the plot is more interesting than the characters (and non-existent romance) so far.



Moyashimon Returns

Episodes Watched: 3

Grade: C+

Comments: I didn’t like the first season as much as I feel like I should have, and I don’t like this season quite as much as the first. Something about this premise and cast just doesn’t quite click with me – the comedy is only mildly amusing and I don’t really feel anything for the characters. It’s an interesting conceit and that keeps me watching, but I never miss it when it’s over.



Oda Nobuna no Yabou

Episodes Watched: 3

Grade: C

Comments: It’s better than I expected, but – and I know this sounds odd to say in a medium where selling shows about cute girls on Blu-ray is the primary creative imperative – I find Oda Nobuna oddly sexist, or at least chauvinistic. I dislike the notion that if the Sengoku warlords were kawaii girls – even the ruthless Oda himself – they’d be prone to crying and unwise decisions driven by emotion, and that it’s up to a modern male to make sure things don’t go off the rails. It’s better than most Sengoku alternative histories and “cute girls as…” shows, but it just doesn’t sit right with me.



Ebiten

Episodes Watched: 1

Grade: Incomplete

Comments: Subs are a dicey proposition, the only available versions are horrendously bad quality, and the first ep was a mixed-bag comedically. But at least it didn’t come out of a cookie-cutter, and it does have those great Inugami Kira (Seitokai no Ichizon) character designs. I want to see at least one more episode before I decide.





Dropped



La Storia della Arcana Famiglia



Campione



Muv-luv Alternative



Kono Naka ni Hitori



Joshiraku



Hagure Yuusha no Estetica



Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai

[creb]

I have to change my 'C' for Binbougami ga! to a 'B'. Yes, it's sophmoric humor, but I hope I never become so crusty with old age that I can't find that enjoyable.

[Archon_Wing]

Decided to put anime on hiatus; no anime isn't bad or anything, but I just didn't feel like going for a full load this season.

Name of Series: Sword Art Online
Episodes Watched: 4
Rating: B
Comments: They did a really good job of world building. The author, who also did Accel World, sure manages to make a lot of characters that are interesting and also look nice as well. The music is very solid as well, though at times the anime does seem like it's going too fast, so certain events that should have an emotional impact, don't have as much. But I think it's showcased an MMO world far better than any other anime I've seen around.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Muv-Luv
Episodes Watched: 1
Rating: ?
Comments: It seems ok, the intro episode also showcased the world it was in, however it wasn't enough to hold my interest. The characters feel too throwaway, and me being spoiled by stuff like Char's Counterattack and Gundam Unicorn means that my standards for mecha will be unreasonably high for a while
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Stall

Name of Series: Binbougami ga!
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: B-
Comments: Well, mostly for the Hanazawa voicing, but the Gintama team really knows how to throw in slapstick and humor in. It's not the kind of series I'm intent on following, but I have no objection with watching it to kill some time.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Tari Tari
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: B
Comments: The uglier version of Hana Iro proves to be the one with the more solid storytelling, and contains a fairly decent cast. The script is solid, and the comedy is spot on. Wakana in particular draws my interest, since her character seems to have much more to be explored. It's just those character designs are kinda meh. I said a slimmer, more tightly written version of Hana Saku Iroha could be anywhere up to a 8 or 9/10 anime for me, and let's see if they can do this. Oh PA, don't botch this I didn't know you can get so far without that perv of a writer on your staff.
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

Name of Series: Jinrui
Episodes Watched: 2
Rating: B-
Comments: It's umm.... a very creative and original series. The fairies are kinda like the showstealers the penguins were in Penguindrum. A few chuckles there, but no major lols were to be had. Yea, it's supposed to be subtle and deadpan, but everything, including the lead is a bit too deadpan for my tastes. Then again, I seem to have really high standards for satire too, so YMMV
Status (Keep/drop/stall): Keep

[Kaioshin Sama]

Title Binbogami-ga!:
Episodes Watched: 5
Rating: B
Comments: Of the two comedy shows I'm following this season this one is definitely the more laugh out loud funny. It also manages to do the whole "perfect chick" trope well for a change by making her not actually perfect at all, just really really lucky. The show often feels like as much of duel between it's two principle characters seiyuu Kana Hanazawa and Yumi Uchiyama for most silly possible voices, which only adds to the pretty amusing feel of it all. Still some jokes like the S&M dog and perverted priest are a little worn and don't add much to the shows humor quotient.

Title: Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita
Episode: Watched 4
Rating B/B-
Comments: The hipster anime of the season without a doubt and a pretty recent addition to my watching list, but ultimately does manage to speak to my inner love of social commentary and deadpan humor pretty well if only very recently. Episode 04 was by far my favorite and the first time I really became intrigued by an episode in how it both a visual and metaphorical satire of the whole quest for ratings and popularity that absolutely plagues the creativiton process of multimedia in the modern area. This was the first time the show ever felt like it really managed to address the nature of it's title in that humanity has declined in some manner culturally since the turn of the millenium, something I hold to be absolutely 100% true.

Title: Sword Art Online
Episodes watched: 5
Rating: B-
Comments: Originally Anime Jesus, then the biggest disappointment since Guilty Crown, then just a good show with some major early pacing issues. So far SAO has failed to capture that "must watch the next episode" and almost pinpoint perfect pacing that it's sister series Accel World has, but I think that owes to the nature of it's episodic early chronologically ordered story arcs more than the quality of the narrative itself. It's hard to really get into a show when every episode is it's own self contained entity while I'm finding each individual story pretty solid and it's jarring to see the situation appear to completely change every week, though here unlike Guilty Crown which had the same problem it's at least somewhat forgiveable because of the time skips inbetween episodes and not because of just indecisive plotting and character development. I just hope that we're out of the side stories soon enough because as I said I was pretty invested in this shows sister series by episode 4 and so far this one is looking like it's going to take a little longer yet. That said it's not exactly uncommon for me to not find myself more invested in a show until into it's second half, I just hope a) it manages to really hook me sooner than that and b) it doesn't leave me just at the cusp of being truly invested in it's narrative from beginning to end like a certain series about Penguins and Diaries.

Title: Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse
Rating: C+
Comments: Has some interesting ideas like race relations and humanity making it's last stand against a seemingly insurmountable foe, but ultimately wastes a lot of it on cheesy characterizations and near constant fanservice and silly dialogue when not in combat sequences or whenever anyone other than Yuuya and Yui are talking. Fortunately they do tend to be talking a lot and are slowly revealing themselves to be motivated by more than just petty notions of nationalistic pride, but rather the scarring events that shaped them. I wish I could say the rest of the cast shared the same level of depth, but alas so far they mostly make for opportunistic gag/fanservice objects and seem to be there strictly to fill the necessary national stereotypes and fanservice/personality tropes. You've got the feisty South Asian, the busty blonde Nordic chick, the busty icy Russian, the outgoing loli Russian, and the horndog Italian playboy by my count. If any of them is likely to get a more in depth character arc later on right now it seems most likely to be the Scarlet twins cause of the huge veil of secrecy surrounding their misison and abilities. Also this show suffers from some pretty brutal issues with keeping it's character art on model a good junk of the time, which is kind of unnacceptable for a 26 episode series that clearly should have a budget. I'd be lying if I said I didn't expect that out of a Satelight effort though.

Title:Tari Tari
Rating: C+
Episodes Watched: 1
Comments: Watched an episode of this with someone, which is basically the only reason I watched it since this is normally not my thing and as is usual with the cute girls doing cute things shows I found it safe and harmless, but for a nice change not entirely soulless. The show is pretty consistent in it's excpected laid back tone, but the characters and the setting felt more alive than I'm used to seeing from this kind of show and it doesn't feel like it was commercialized or trying to be more meaningful or poignant than it is. It didn't grab me like Chihayafuru did with the careful and deliberate intense emotional investment it built for it's cast even early on amidst an otherwise pretty laid back atmosphere, but then again I only watched one episode and for all I know it gets more dramatic, but alas it's just not my thing and I don't have time for it now so I'll wait and see if I ever want to pick it back up.

Title: Horizon on the Middle of Nowhere
Rating: B
Episodes Watched: 3
Comments: Still bizzare as all hell but still as entertaining as all hell and never really lets up on being itself. This season brought a new and expectedly zany cast of colorful (this almost feels like an understatement) characters into the fray in the England faction which in a twist that is somewhat remiscent of G Gundam actually lives on a floating sky island shaped pretty much like the U.K and in buildings remiscent of what you'd expect to see in a movie based on a Charles Dickins novel. In short it's like retro-future London. The animation quality is definitely above average, easily rivalling and arguably topping pretty much every other action anime this season in terms of things happening on screen per second per episode. It's still plagued by IMO unfunny and just plain raunchy/gross fanservice scenes that could potentially make the screenplay writers of Muv-Luv blush, but it still has that surprising level of depth to it's narrative even if the manner it which it usually creates said depth is pretty much silly in and of itself if that makes any sense. In short this show is definitely one that works better if you don't take it all that seriously and accept that most things that happen in this show happen because they are amusing and bizzare but ultimately grounded in the shows own internal logic, like say the main character having been naked since the start of the season because he literally is not capable of nor allowed to feel shame or he'll die.

[ImperialFlameGod8190]

After this week of the new season i bring interesting thoughts about 4 of the harems from this season. I cant play H, Kono Hitori, Campione, and Hagure Yuusha. Each of these harems take extremely interesting ideas and if u didnt know the stories you'd expect one thing but each has lost the point that made it interesting.
Disclaimer: info from the LN isnt really used so there are elements missing so i apologize for that but this is mainly an anime review with small LN usage.
1st is Campione. If u didnt read the LN or know the story based on only the previews its about a young man thrust into the world of a God Slayer by mere coincedence. After watching the first episode you see he becomes a campione and his job is to stop Heretic Gods from causing chaos. However after that the story takes a massive drop in effectiveness. Instead of a youth well ready for his role as God Slayer Godou quickly becomes mule to the plans of the sultry Erica Blandelli. Whose attitude about Godou took a total 180 after he gained his power. Instead of Gods all he gains is women who each have a painfully irritating quality. Mariya Yuri a Hime-Miko whose beauty is supressed by the fact she's so painfully pure she cant even tell what her feelings are and is made awkward from the fact her nagging is nothing more then jealousy towards somebody able to show her affection unlike her. Liliana Krancjar is next. While she's a rival of Erica's she is a polar opposite. For those who havent read the LN ignore this

Spoiler for Lilana Future moments:

She becomes nothing more then a girl afraid to take a stand and comfortable with the way things are now

. The worst part is he doesnt gain authorities and cant even use 1 properly i give it 3.5/5
2nd is dakara Boku or I cant play H.
This one is by far the biggest letdown of the entire summer series IMO. You get Ryousuke a normal boy visited by Lisara a lovely demon whose trying to find the legendary hero. This story would normally be extremely interesting but we run into 5 distinctive problems. 1st. Ryousuke's power is believed to come from his perverted nature which is surprising since the strongest trigger for the series seems to be affections towards a girl whose lacking in breasts which surprises everyone. The 2nd is Cule. Cule is shown to be a rival of lisara. Now at first Cule seems to want to defeat lisara and show her strength which i was okay with. But after her defeat she's taken that role off the table completely. Now she's merely a girl charmed by the oddities of our Main Hero and seems to have forgotten about lisara completely. 3rd is Iria. Now iria is shown to be another rival of lisaras but her role has lacked also. At first Iria was shown to be an idol in the human world who was revealed to be a shinigami much like Lisara. Other then her attempts to make Lisara angry and steal the special target she's brought nothing but another big breasted girl to the harem. Hopefully her role continues but so far nothing really interesting as happened. 4th is Miina. Miina is a complete shocker in this series as the childhood friend of Ryousuke's. So far miina's role has been a complete debby downer. While it is revealed only recently that she has confessed her feelings for Ryousuke she not only doesnt seem bothered by Lisara's affections for Ryousuke but Cule the girl who was originally using her has fallen for her also and has seemingly taken the last place role. Her only shining moment was getting kidnapped . The final distinct problem is the storyline itself. Okay so the fanservice and the harem route arent a big deal. But the whole special target thing is. First off Ryousuke gets power and is shown eventually to be somewhat interesting. But after the revalation that Ryousuke has both halves of a legendary sword that could save the underworld from disaster HOW DOES LISARA NOT REALIZE RYOUSUKE IS WHO SHE WAS LOOKING FOR.:frustrate d:
This gets a 3/5 but could easily jump if the last few episodes are done well.
Now Kono no Hitori. This was easily one of the worst harems i've ever seen but not because of the storyline which was interesting but because of what they've done with the episodes. Okay so Kid inherits massive company and must go to school to find his ultimate wife okay that might be interesting but here comes the twist. dun dun dunnnnn. His little sister whose identity is unknown also goes to the school and wants to marry him. . So now he doesnt know if the girls that fawn to him are after him cause of his money or cause he's her brother and she wants to marry him. Add in that two of them are admitted childhood friends 1 girl knows the answer but wont reveal it and cross-dressing guard who pretends he's a guy in school and is butt naked at home and im left going .
Kono hitori gets a 2/5
Finally hagure Yuusha.
This series is refreshing at best but controversial as well.
Ousawa akatsuki has come back from another world after slaying the demon king and goes to Babel Academy a place where many students who've also returned from other worlds goes. He quickly makes an enemy in the student council (specifically haruka and Kyouya) and an ally in Kaidou. But there's one other interesting element. Myuu the daughter of the demon king has come along and she's made friends with the lesbian Chikage and the class rep Kazuha. Now Ousawa was a rogue hero so his ethics are a bit in question.... scratch that he has none. From stealing underwear from girls around him to sleep groping Myuu its clear he has an interest in the ladies. That is the refreshing part. Most harem leads of the recent few years are pansy's including a few from this season namely godou of campione. But whats ironic about all of this is that his harem has actually grown the class rep Kazuha seems to have interest as well as the supposed lesbian Chikage. Even Haruka a student council member whose constantly the victim of his attacks has been charmed by him. Even myuu the girl who is suppose to be playing his sister (Nobody other then him knows the truth) seems to be gaining affections for our badboy despite his perverted nature.
Now to the controversial part. Its amazing with all the censorship on air that a character is allowed to do many of the things akatsuki does. Even myself who has little problem is surprised Japan would air a show on Television with this kind of activity. While it is borderline hentai with many of the things it does most people are furious that a character does what he does. While some are pleased that for once we have a character who can do incredible things and doesnt flinch at the sight of bare boobs. Hagure Yuusha is refreshing and disturbing at the same time 4.5/5
So there you have it tell me what you think and i hope to bring more interesting stuff soon. By the way can we get a social group for Hagure and dakara or at least a sub-forum for each since they have plenty to work with.

[XFire]

In defense of Campione, Hagure, and Dakara (haven't seen the last one), they are all 12-episode anime trying to shove in several volumes worth of content. The major selling point of harems is the antics of the girls surrounding the MC, so they try to rush things to get all the girls onto the scene at once.

Spoiler for About LN (rant):

This is just for the people who judge LN off of their anime: Don't. The closest thing to an accurate representation of a LN in an anime was TMnI, which was written by the author of the novels, and even that fell short.

The only novel mentioned that I've read is Campione, but in response to the above comments, you're wrong. Lilliana tries, and sometimes succeeds, at turning the tables on Erica, such as going behind her back with her bet with Godou.

Yuri gradually becomes more comfortable with her relationship with Godou, and at one point effectively tells the leader of her organization that if she has to choose between Godou and letting the world burn, she'll be bringing marshmallows.

As far as Erica, she is a Mary Sue at first, plain and simple. Unfortunately for her, and fortunately for us, this starts to fall apart as the series goes on. She gets jealous, she gets hurt, and she gets trolled to hell and back by Ena. Who, incidentally, is my favorite of the girls.

Finally, the battles in the LN are much, much more involved than in the anime, and by extension far more satisfying.

[ImperialFlameGod8190]

fair enough XFire

[Flawfinder]

Here are my updated thoughts for the summer season as of the end of August: http://wp.me/p2vp1c-lT

[Arabesque]

I've stopped watching anime for about two months due to some turns my life took about two months ago, but now that I sort of gotten back into the groove of things (somewhat) and I thought I would writer down some of my thoughts on the shows that I've been tuning in to (and the shows that managed to stick along for the ride). Also, with the majority of the summer line up coming to an end in a month or so (along with some longer shows) I figured it might just be the best time to do this.

Excluding long running shows that I'm still catching up on (Saint Seyia Omega, Kingdom, Sapce Bros and Sket Dance (which I'm sad to hear that is about to end soon D: ) )

Name of series: Hunter X Hunter
Episodes watched: 44
Rating: A++
I've been an avid, long time fan of HunterXHunter. I had gotten into the series via the '99 anime, and from there on gotten into the manga and never looked back. Yoshihiro Togashi always had the talent necessary to take simple storylines and concepts and transform them into engrossing tales of complex events and lovable characters. I've seen it happen with YuYu Hakusho, and I've seen it again in HunterXHunter, only this time it's amplified in a way that makes the former, a great series, look amateurish.

I was a little concerned about how the quality of the remake early on, but week after week it has continued to prove to me that all those past concerns I had were misplaced and now, almost a year in, not only has the remake managed to make me remember all the great things I loved about this series in the past, but also make me fall in love even harder with it.

Superb on all accounts.

Name of Series: Tari Tari
Episodes watched: 10
Rating: A-

The biggest draws for me when it came was that it had Ayahi Takagaki and had a musical focus, and it's similarity to Hanasaku Iroha. Needless to say, I ended up enjoying it a lot thanks to it being similar to the latter, though the lack of Takagaki-san singing had been something on a loss for me. Still a pretty good and enjoyable show on all accounts, and I'm really liking the character driven nature of it.

Name for series: Hyou-Ka
Episodes watched:19
Rating:A+

When I first started watching this show, it was due to how beautifully animated and vibrant it looked. After a while though I started to notice that it wasn't all that badly written either! After some more time I realized that I was really loving it to the point where I was tuning in every Sunday to see the newest episode, and thinking about importing the series.

The one series I had no idea I would like this much back when I first checked on it. Excellent audiovisuals, tightly written and surprisingly engaging story despite it not being grand, and a likable cast. The show has many great draw points, but the one I think I will remember always is for Orikei's development throughout the show from a smart but anti-social student into a more healthy, normal teenager with a good head on his shoulders.

And DEM EYES

Name for series: Eureka Seven AO
Episodes watched: 18
Rating: A+
I've been liking AO since the moment it started, for all the reasons I liked the original Eureka Seven and what it managed to present to me. The political intrigue, the mecha battles and designs (well, the secrets are kinda not all that well designed ...) and of course for Ao and the journey he was making throughout all this mind-boggling time/dimensional traveling adventure.

The show still manages to remain interesting and fun even this late into it, and I'm having a blast trying to figure what is going on and how does it make sense.

Name for series: Mobile Suit Gundam AGE
Episodes watched: 44
Rating: D+
It's been a long journey. There were a lot of rough patches when it comes to my relationship to AGE, mainly when it comes to the writing. Let's just say that my earlier assessment of Level 5 being great game creators but piss poor story tellers a year ago proved to be more than true, much to my disappointment since I had wished they would've managed to come out proving every person who wished them failure wrong, but so it goes.

It's not all bad, I guess, but I was expecting something better than this. It might have been foolish, since I was already knowledgeable about the story ''capabilities'' of Akihiro Hino, but I really hoped that he would manage to rise above all the illogical and stupid hatred the show had gotten. Disappointingly, he did not manage to do that.

Now before anyone misconstrue what I'm writing into just mindless bashing of the show, I need to say that the show had it's moments. Some episodes were really good on the emotional front, the battles had gotten a lot better by the end of the first Generation after being somewhat armature looking early on (though the show does suffer a little from some quality control here and there), to the point where the latest episodes are really nicely animated. The music, while not exactly up to the high standard that the franchise established for it's audio work, is still pretty fantastic and the usage of the tracks in the show had been top notch. So overall, there isn't anything wrong from the technical side of matters, and the show doesn't fall flat all the time (just most of the time).

Still, disappointment is really the word that seems to be the one on my mind when it comes to AGE, since when I first started the show I had high hopes it would be a really solid series. At most a good series, at the least a decent one. Instead I ended up with a really mediocre show in general with some good moment scattered here and there, a really interesting concept/premise and a lot of potential for greatness that it never managed to capitalize on.

Name for series: Horizon S2
Episodes watched: -
Rating: C+

I've been pretty carefree when it comes to this show, since it's not one of those shows where I'm that passionate about, but it and Accel World (which I had fallen behind and is now on my back burner for the time being) had proven to me to be generally really entertaining shows that I could tune in and come out being satisfied most of the time.

The last episode was I thought the best so far and I'm sort of looking forward to the conclusion of this season. Should be a lot of fun.

Name for series: Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita
Episodes watched: 10
Rating: A

Seiji Kishi's anime of the season, and also a comedy so I had the feeling it was going to be great, if not decent at least since the man's forte had always been comedy. Hearing that it was a dark comedy made it all the better, since I've always loved dark comedies, and so when I got this recommended to me I already figured out that I would love it.

What really impresses me about this show is how profound it really is, on different levels that makes me enjoy in more ways than I thought I could've. I'm bracing my self for a final episode twist where everything goes to hell here.

Name for series: Joshiraku
Episodes watched: -
Rating: B

This show is simply hilarious to watch I don't know why, but it manage to tickle my funny bone in a way that makes me want to rewatch it again.

Not much to say on it other than I just think it's really funny lol

Name for series: Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate
Episodes watched: -
Rating: B+
Something of a late arrival, since I sort of passed on it on first glance but then I heard some good things about it (and mentions of similarity to Mashiroiro Symphony) and looking at how nice the art was in the game (like, that was some really nice designs) I figured I might give it a try. So far, been liking a lot, and I can see it as being a really good romance series.

Spoiler for Shows on the back burner:

Hyouge Mono
Smile Precure
Cardfighter Vanguard
Ginga e Kickoff
Accel World

[Kmos]

All I've listed is what I've been watching up to the current episode and will continue to watch. So it's title - rating and comment if any:

Arcana Famiglia - 4/10
Nothing of interest happens and I don't feel anything for the characters. I'm not sure where this is going, I misread this as something with shonen action I guess. Watch in spare time which is a lot in the summer's dead air.

Hagure Yuusha, Campione, Dakara Boku wa H ga Dekinai - 6/10
Nothing makes them really outstanding. They're all decent watches with decent entertainment. Just decent.

Chitose Get You! - 6/10
Funny, short, but I feel they waste precious seconds away sometimes. I enjoyed the other 3 minute shows Morita wa Mukuchi and Recorder to Randoseru more than this.

Muv Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse - 6-7/10
First 2 episodes reeled me in but I was disappointed with the lack of beta after. I'm sticking with to see if it'll get interesting frontline action, which seems to be starting up again.

Kingdom - 7/10
Story's good, characters are driven, interesting enemies, and nice gritty fights/battles = good shounen. Good OP & ED songs. It's a pity the CG animation is pretty bad and probably turning off viewers.

Tanken Driland - 7/10
Still in the introductory phase and it's looking good, so we'll see.

Binbougami Ga! - 8/10
Lots of comedic efforts by Binbougami and parodies aplenty.

Sword Art Online - 7-8/10
Storytelling's frustrating but the concept is very good. Things are picking up currently so it looks like it's getting better.

Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita - 9/10
Easily the most amusing show of the summer. Catchy OP & ED. A great show and deserves the attention it's getting.

Carryover
Eureka 7: AO - 8/10
Lots of things to puzzle over and keeps me watching.
Accel World - 8/10
Story's smoother than SAO.
Kuroko no Basuke - 9/10
Hunter x Hunter - 9/10
One Piece - 6/10
The animation quality of recent arc is lacking in action and appearance. Extended shots of and panning of still shots and too many off scene chatter makes the pacing of each episode just tortuous. I already wait to watch in batches and it still feels like it's dragging on and on. I wish they'd stop prolonging the arc, finish it and take a break so they can return to better quality.

[Lord of Fire]

I made some changes compared to last time. Arcana Famiglia, Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai, Koi to Senkyou to Chocolate, Hagure Yuusha no Estetica, Campione! and Kono Naka ni Hitori, Imouto ga Iru! are Stalled until I can either find time to watch them again, or when the Blu-Rays come out to relieve me of the pointless censorship.

Shows I"m still actively watching:
- Binbougami ga! (even with the added drama, it's still great)
- Chitose Get You! (getting better, now that the focus is back on Chitsoe trying to seduce that office worker again)
- Dog Days' (still enjoyable to watch, maybe eve m ore so than the first season)
- Ebiten (low quality, but good for a laugh every single time)
- Hyouka (has been growing on me long since, will be sad when it's gone)
- Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita (will probably end up as the best show of this season for me)
- Joshiraku (despite hard to follow at times, I still love it)
- Kokoro Connect (also still going strong)
- Oda Nobuna no Yabou (I don't particularly care about the historical side, but what I see, I like)
- Phi Brain 2 (originality has worn of long ago, I doubt they can make more of it this without it getting old)
- Sword Art Online (not as good as I hoped it would be, though I like the growing relationship between Kirito and Asuna)
- Tari Tari (am a bit behind on this, but will have little trouble catching up soon enough, as I liked it up till where I left off)

I'll make a more detailed post, including ranking, when the season is over.