Anime - Spring 2009 Review
Disclaimer: Although I watch a lot of anime there are certain genres I always avoid. (This includes just about any harem show, most mecha shows, and anything with excessive fanservice). So just because I didn't like something doesn't mean it still isn't a good show that appeals to a lot of other people. Remember these are just my opinions.
I liked:
Sengoku Basara - This is the most "boy's anime" show I've ever seen. XD It's all crazy (physics impossible) battles one after another. It's so over the top I find it funny. I'm actually totally psyched they are making a second season (with new bishies, yay!). If you like action shows, but don't have to take them too seriously this is the show for you.
07 Ghost - They got good voices to do the characters and although they've left out some of my favorite manga moments it still has enough of the original shine to keep me going (interesting characters + fun and complicated plot + wide variety of locations and situations). They've added in a lot of filler that isn't in the manga, so I'd definately have to say this is a "read the manga first" series (and keep in mind I almost never feel that way).
Pandora Hearts - Everyone keeps warning me how bloody this one gets, so I'm kind of nervous. Nevertheless, the anime has been just fine on the gore-o-meter so far and I'm really loving the awesome character and the twisty, twisty plot.
Senjou no Valkyria - I find the textures they add to certain things interesting in this show. I'm taking a new outlook on war-ish animes after the last few series. It's one of the best video game turned anime series I've seen. The characters are all really fun and quirky too, and don't worry there are a couple of interesting twists (although it could be debated as to how believable some of them are).
Fullmetal Alchemist- Ewps, this reminds me I dropped it to let it get ahead and forgot to go watch it again. XD Obviously this show is a must see, but I don't have an educated enough opinion to decide if it is better than the previous anime.
Tears to Tiara - This turned out to be one of my favorites this season which really suprised me. Despite being based on a H-game and have a lot of female character there isn't a ton of fanservice nor do most of the girls have any sort of romantic interest in the main male character. I was a little disappointed with how they hinted at this awesome plot for so long and then seemed to rush out an explanation but this is still a top recommendation from me.
It was Okay:
Eden of the East - This one kind of felt like the movie Ocean's 11 where a bunch of stuff happens and THEN they explain how it all fits together. Except the series ended with a lot of unanswared questions. I did enjoy it quite a bit (and it is very funny) but I might have dropped it if I knew how little they were going to explain before it ends.
Hanasakeru Seishounen - This was the show I was most excited about, and now I don't even notice when new episodes are available. The animation is very off, partly because the quality is just plain BAD sometimes but mostly because their clothing is quite often HORRIBLE (think early 90s styles). And it's really hard to watch a reverse harem anime when you want to stab the main girl in the back by the 1/2 way point of the first episode. I hate her so much and although I love most of the male voice actors (and quite a few of the characters they play) I don't know if they can save this show for me. I know I'll end up watching it and some point, but I'm going to put it off until I have no other reverse harem shows to watch.
I didn't like:
Ristorante Paradiso - I kind of want to recommend everyone try the first 2 episodes just because I've never seen anything like it before. But the main girl is SOOO ackward not to mention all the uncomfortable moments when you realize this girl is thinking about guys 20 years her senior as love interests that really I don't think I can recommend it or you would all hate me after watching it. *sudders*
Asura Cryin’ - This screams "Mai Hime ripoff" to me. I don't really like mecha and I didn't really love Mai Hime, nor do I like shows the emphasize bouncing boobs. Plus the first episode made me want to yawn it felt like such a recycled plot.
Arad Senki ~Slap Up Party~ - I had some free time so I decided to check out the first episode. Defiantly not my smartest moment ever. The humor is all "stupid" humor and I didn't find the characters at all endearing. The character design doesn't really appeal to me either.
Basquash! - I watch a lot of sports anime (weird because I don't really watch sports in real life), but I am a bit of a baskeball hater so it's not a big surprise I'm dropping this. Plus I thought it was more of a kiddies show but the fanservice and innuendos in the first episode alone and continuing on with the second episode grossed me out. Those characters are WAY too young to have bodies like that (and thoughts like that). I never even waited around to hear the hot megane bishie guy's voice! XD
Guin Saga - I checked this out simply because I wanted to see what a 125+ volume light novel looks like. I was disappointed. Not only is the art style retro ( I hate the fat face retro style) but the story didn't really appeal to me, although I had to lulz at them making the girl twin the strong athletic one and the boy character the wimpy one that always gets caught by something. I actually watched like 20 episodes of it. And while there are lots of complicated plot trees going everywhere I just really couldn't get interested in the characters and ended up hating most of them.
Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ I can see how this show would appeal to a lot of people, but when I watched the first couple episodes I didn't really find anything that made me want to keep watching. It felt like too much of a Darker than Black rip off to me. :(
Natsu no Arashi! - Well just watching the opening song and you'll figure out why I dropped it. The fanservice and sheer ... pointlessness of it really turned me off.
Gokujou!! Mecha Mote Iinchou - When I picked this one out I somehow missed that it was actually computer animated (bad computer animation). Plus it was just plain... bad. The characters all seemed more like robots talking then actual people. So after mostly fast forwarding through an episode I decided to end my suffering and drop this one.
Still haven't seen:
Cross Game - another sports anime ^^; I want to at least check it out though
Souten Kouro - I find these Three Kingdom series hit or miss.
I liked:
Sengoku Basara - This is the most "boy's anime" show I've ever seen. XD It's all crazy (physics impossible) battles one after another. It's so over the top I find it funny. I'm actually totally psyched they are making a second season (with new bishies, yay!). If you like action shows, but don't have to take them too seriously this is the show for you.
07 Ghost - They got good voices to do the characters and although they've left out some of my favorite manga moments it still has enough of the original shine to keep me going (interesting characters + fun and complicated plot + wide variety of locations and situations). They've added in a lot of filler that isn't in the manga, so I'd definately have to say this is a "read the manga first" series (and keep in mind I almost never feel that way).
Pandora Hearts - Everyone keeps warning me how bloody this one gets, so I'm kind of nervous. Nevertheless, the anime has been just fine on the gore-o-meter so far and I'm really loving the awesome character and the twisty, twisty plot.
Senjou no Valkyria - I find the textures they add to certain things interesting in this show. I'm taking a new outlook on war-ish animes after the last few series. It's one of the best video game turned anime series I've seen. The characters are all really fun and quirky too, and don't worry there are a couple of interesting twists (although it could be debated as to how believable some of them are).
Fullmetal Alchemist- Ewps, this reminds me I dropped it to let it get ahead and forgot to go watch it again. XD Obviously this show is a must see, but I don't have an educated enough opinion to decide if it is better than the previous anime.
Tears to Tiara - This turned out to be one of my favorites this season which really suprised me. Despite being based on a H-game and have a lot of female character there isn't a ton of fanservice nor do most of the girls have any sort of romantic interest in the main male character. I was a little disappointed with how they hinted at this awesome plot for so long and then seemed to rush out an explanation but this is still a top recommendation from me.
It was Okay:
Eden of the East - This one kind of felt like the movie Ocean's 11 where a bunch of stuff happens and THEN they explain how it all fits together. Except the series ended with a lot of unanswared questions. I did enjoy it quite a bit (and it is very funny) but I might have dropped it if I knew how little they were going to explain before it ends.
Hanasakeru Seishounen - This was the show I was most excited about, and now I don't even notice when new episodes are available. The animation is very off, partly because the quality is just plain BAD sometimes but mostly because their clothing is quite often HORRIBLE (think early 90s styles). And it's really hard to watch a reverse harem anime when you want to stab the main girl in the back by the 1/2 way point of the first episode. I hate her so much and although I love most of the male voice actors (and quite a few of the characters they play) I don't know if they can save this show for me. I know I'll end up watching it and some point, but I'm going to put it off until I have no other reverse harem shows to watch.
I didn't like:
Ristorante Paradiso - I kind of want to recommend everyone try the first 2 episodes just because I've never seen anything like it before. But the main girl is SOOO ackward not to mention all the uncomfortable moments when you realize this girl is thinking about guys 20 years her senior as love interests that really I don't think I can recommend it or you would all hate me after watching it. *sudders*
Asura Cryin’ - This screams "Mai Hime ripoff" to me. I don't really like mecha and I didn't really love Mai Hime, nor do I like shows the emphasize bouncing boobs. Plus the first episode made me want to yawn it felt like such a recycled plot.
Arad Senki ~Slap Up Party~ - I had some free time so I decided to check out the first episode. Defiantly not my smartest moment ever. The humor is all "stupid" humor and I didn't find the characters at all endearing. The character design doesn't really appeal to me either.
Basquash! - I watch a lot of sports anime (weird because I don't really watch sports in real life), but I am a bit of a baskeball hater so it's not a big surprise I'm dropping this. Plus I thought it was more of a kiddies show but the fanservice and innuendos in the first episode alone and continuing on with the second episode grossed me out. Those characters are WAY too young to have bodies like that (and thoughts like that). I never even waited around to hear the hot megane bishie guy's voice! XD
Guin Saga - I checked this out simply because I wanted to see what a 125+ volume light novel looks like. I was disappointed. Not only is the art style retro ( I hate the fat face retro style) but the story didn't really appeal to me, although I had to lulz at them making the girl twin the strong athletic one and the boy character the wimpy one that always gets caught by something. I actually watched like 20 episodes of it. And while there are lots of complicated plot trees going everywhere I just really couldn't get interested in the characters and ended up hating most of them.
Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ I can see how this show would appeal to a lot of people, but when I watched the first couple episodes I didn't really find anything that made me want to keep watching. It felt like too much of a Darker than Black rip off to me. :(
Natsu no Arashi! - Well just watching the opening song and you'll figure out why I dropped it. The fanservice and sheer ... pointlessness of it really turned me off.
Gokujou!! Mecha Mote Iinchou - When I picked this one out I somehow missed that it was actually computer animated (bad computer animation). Plus it was just plain... bad. The characters all seemed more like robots talking then actual people. So after mostly fast forwarding through an episode I decided to end my suffering and drop this one.
Still haven't seen:
Cross Game - another sports anime ^^; I want to at least check it out though
Souten Kouro - I find these Three Kingdom series hit or miss.