(L) Princess Principal

[Flower]

Ep 01

Wow. So totally sold! This is definitely one of the strongest premiers for me this season - excellent on so many levels in terms of entertainment.

Totally followed. ^^

[serenade_beta]

Spoiler for ep1:

Spying -> Okay
All are girls -> Because it wouldn't sell otherwise (it still won't sell)
Magical powers and ninjas -> Huh...
Princess is also playing spy -> Nobles these days seem to have too much free time

Anyways, it was bearable, though I think I'm my handle for this season's anime has dropped too low. Not particularly interesting, but I think it did a good job for a first episode, at least, as far as what they wanted to do. Not exactly sold on the setting, but anything that won't kill me from boredom, I guess.

Oh, and annoying English(I supposed it was?) singing.

[HandofFate]

reminds me a lot of Gunslinger Girls

[Stark700]

Poor Amy...I feel bad for her. But then again, the first episode establishes a principle premise of spies. Music imo is a highlight in this show though even it's somewhat different. For what's worth, I think this series has potential as an original series. Ange is also a clever girl so far. I'm also eager to learn more about that Eric guy.

The theme songs (in particular OP theme song) is good. Looking forward to more!

The fictional setting is also interesting, definitely something that caught my attention so far.

[Kazu-kun]

I wonder why the princess is helping the commonwealth. She should be on the monarchy side. I guess I've gotta keep watching to find out.

[Side-streetdog]

Good start, I want to see more

[Dop]

Yeah, that was entertaining and I liked the nod to H.G.Wells.
Interested to see where this goes.

[~Yami~]

easily the best one in this season so far... since it is original anime, I think it holds lots of potential for speculation war
I got those Gosick + Youjo Senki vibe... they have ESP things as well
it is always pleasing to see lolis become spies and assassins although I'm afraid one of them might get killed in the future
I used my brain a lot just to find out which one is a lie and is there a truth behind Ange's word
The conclusion is pretty nice though as that troublesome imouto got cured in the end

and Yuki Kajiura's OST just made this anime become godly

expecting more in the future.. hopefully it would end strong as well

[Drake]

First ep showed great potential in my view. I love the period steampunk setting.

[Harry Dresden]

Seriously though the setting is just fascinating.

London Wall is literally Berlin Wall happening somewhere ELSE rather than germany. The comparison to "roman empire" also leads me to believe that British Empire basically played same role as Nazi Germany in this world.

I do wonder what did Commonwealth separate for? Is other side run by monarchy or is Commonwealth the one similar to current british commonwealth with monarchy headfigures?

Also I guess Duchy of Normandy never fell apart in this version?

[Kazu-kun]

Going by the kanji, the Commonwealth is the republic. Basically, anti-monarchy. Which is why it's strange the princess is on their side.

[BBOvenGuy]

Ange is one stone cold moe-fo.

[Applehell]

I thought this was pretty good start. It doesn't do anything new as far spy fiction goes even with all female child assassins cast, but it was entertaining enough. Setting design is the most standout aspect, but it hard fuck up steampuck. At same time I can't but feel this could go south very easily, but probably stems from fact I know who writer behind this is.

It's bought itself at least 3 episodes from me at least.

[ScrewySquirrel]

Originally Posted by BBOvenGuy

Ange is one stone cold moe-fo.

I see what you did there

[BBOvenGuy]

Originally Posted by Applehell

I can't but feel this could go south very easily, but probably stems from fact I know who writer behind this is.

Can you elaborate on that? Different people have different ideas about what it means to "go south." For me, it means a lot of gratuitous killing off characters and other "tragedy porn." But for others, a show "goes south" if that kind of stuff doesn't happen. What is it about this writer's history that concerns you?

[bakato]

Originally Posted by Darthtabby

I was thinking more of how much stuff they revealed to the supposed defector. Like the location of their hideout and the princess being among their number.

Originally Posted by BBOvenGuy

Can you elaborate on that? Different people have different ideas about what it means to "go south." For me, it means a lot of gratuitous killing off characters and other "tragedy porn." But for others, a show "goes south" if that kind of stuff doesn't happen. What is it about this writer's history that concerns you?

He's probably referring to this.

Sorry, Mr. Okouchi, but this one's just not my aesthetic.

While the writer doesn't always matter on anime projects, especially when so many of them are adaptations of other work, it definitely matters for Princess Principal, whose screenwriter is one of the two most notorious names in the business for some of the absolute dumbest nonsense in original anime work. (And he used to work with the other name!) For those unaware, the duo of Hiroyuki Yoshino and Ichiro Okouchi, after jointly creating one of the biggest modern anime franchises in Code Geass, then moving on to confound audiences with the fantastically stupid Guilty Crown, have since split apart to wreak separate havoc on the world of anime screenwriting in the years that followed. Yoshino is mostly known for writing elaborate-worldbuilding-masking-basic-horny-stupidity in works like Seikon no Qwaser and Izetta: The Last Witch, while Okouchi prefers elaborate-worldbuilding-masking-narratively-ambitious-stupidity in works like Valvrave the Liberator and Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress.

Judging by their record, I'd say Okouchi is the lesser of two evils.

[BBOvenGuy]

Originally Posted by bakato

He's probably referring to this.

Ah, thanks! I'd missed that.

Izetta is the only one of those shows I'm familiar with. It wasn't the greatest story I've ever seen, but it was decent enough.

[seiftis]

My type of anime this one, though i hope it doesn't go all the way downhill (like baka kabaneri did). No bouncy moe is good.

[SeaDoor]

I enjoyed the first episode. Kept my attention all the way through. At times I was reminded of Lupin and other times Indiana Jones. The ending song reminded me of Spice and Wolf. Looking forward to following this one.

[Liddo-kun]

Watched episode 1:

Surprisingly good. Reminded me of the old James Bond movies filled with spies. Feels like there would eventually be someone with a bladed hat - just kidding.

In the hospital, the girl that was killed with lethal injection to the neck.. was that girl also a spy? Would have been terrible if she killed a normal patient.

--- will be staying at this thread... and eagerly waiting for next week episode