Winter 2010 season thus far

This season probably marks the first time I’m watching fewer than usual number of Animes than usual. I have work, social obligations and other significant activities such as Gunpla, BBPH, and drawing ^^. Forgive me if all the pictures aren’t of the same size DX

Out of all the animes this season I’ve only picked up nine titles which I am faithfully following. There are three other titles which I also am eyeing on, but I don’t see myself jumping on the must-watch train just for these titles at the moment. Before I start reviewing let me remind the reader that I usually try to watch only up till episode 3 to decide if I like it or not. If its not here, then its not within my interest at the moment =D For a larger view, please click here

Infinite Stratos, or IS for short, is what you’d expect out of any harem anime. In fact, its so harem-like the ratio of anyone seeing a character with a Y chromosome is 9:1. The biggest saving grace of the series are the power suits. The suits here are very reminiscent to Busou Shinki and so far the entire fight scenes have been a feast to watch. The character designs are pretty ok, and the relationships within our oblivious protagonist’s harem are interesting that it keeps me hooked.

Fractale has got to be the most confusing anime in terms of character design and I truly wonder how this series should get merchandised (our heroines have different colors with respect to both the manga and the anime). Animation wise, I felt like I was watching something made by Studio ghibli due to the art work and the entire atmosphere of the story. Even the third episode’s revelation didn’t faze me from viewing it as such, due to my exposure with Mononoke-hime, but that doesn’t mean its bound to be epic. The only weakness I see in this story is the multiplicity of characters introduced, then again Eureka 7 did a great job handling that.

This series could have been better (or maybe it already was but it was watered down by the animation studio). I felt like there were so many story elements that was untouched, but so far its pretty decent. Not my favorite really, but its enough to entertain me during dead hours, especially how Kugimiya Rie voices Rose who keeps calling out to our protagonist whose name happens to be Ryuuji, coincidence anyone? Aside from the feeling of lack of depth, Dragon Crisis should change its OP song (personal preference here).

The otherwordly beings of the dream world and that medieval-feel battle music with the flute, makes any viewers of Yumekui Merry curious enough to keep watching. This series also includes your usual level of insightful proses and deep explanations found in light novels (which I hardly found in Dragon Crisis). I actually would say that this anime is BRS done right plot-wise, but I was able to see another anime this season that actually did better than BRS in terms of plot, character, hype, and your weekly dose of “speculah”.

“Kore wa Zombie Desu ka” is a confusingly refreshing anime this season. The adjectives used to describe the title maybe weird, but this series despite having fan service, and your usual amount of slapstick which can make it look clichéd, it actually is able to deliver. The series is able to combine some new plot new elements while making sure the jokes placed within action scenes are all well-placed, much like Needless.

GOSICK, which seems like it was meant to sound like Gothic, is a mystery title set in the 1920s, thus do not expect anything like CSI-ish methods of solving crime. Though this series might involve Victorique solving crimes just by thinking it over, the real mystery of this entire series in my opinion is the Gothic detective princess herself. A very fun series that’ll make you continue watching it just for the mysteries and Victorique’s eccentricities.

Freezing is a fan service title with less substance than Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Girls, but in exchange it has way more action in it (its like being in between Queen’s Gate and Hyakka Ryouran). This series reminds me a bit of Claymore, but with more fanservice than action though. The plot is a bit placid as it only revolves around battles and more battles and a huge dose of clothes being ripped apart, or taken off. I only watch this for the fun of seeing Satellizer instantly go dere whenever Kazuya approaches her and some of the action in it. If you’re looking for plot, this series may not be the best title to stick with.

Now this is comedy. Level E takes trolling to the max and its a good replacement for Arakawa under the Bridge after the second season ended last season. Nonlinear, going over the diagonal, almost unpredictable is what describes this series and I highly recommend that viewers watch this on a weekly or on a one episode a day basis. Watching all episodes in one go might not be the best way to experience this series especially the first three episodes. I’d say this was the best series this season if it weren’t for the next one.

I was actually leaning on not watching Puella Magi Madoka Magica especially after I saw the CMs and the fact that it was a mahou shoujo show, but goodness gracious was I glad I actually tried it out! This series is not your typical mahou shoujo show, in fact it’s a mahou shoujo show that destroys previous preconception on the category! Episode one got me curious, episode three won me over like a little kid being bribed with toys! The Mahou Shoujos of this series are actually more significant and they stand out more as they are pitted within a place that is truly distorted. THIS, is the show of the season.

Then I saw Houkago no Pleiades, and I yawned. If this show aired probably before Puella, I might have found it satisfactory. I would say that the prose in the first 40 seconds of the first episode and the first 20 seconds of the fourth episodes were very insightful though. This might be an example of airing at a bad time, like an action movie being shown at the same time as the Dark Knight Rises (I feel sorry for whichever movie title tries to show up at the same time as that).

I’m also trying to catch up on my Kimi ni Todoke so I can properly watch season 2, or maybe I can just watch the entire thing in one go so I can savor the entire shoujoness of it all.

Wolverine, is an action packed anime from the same studio that brought that disaster called Ironman Anime. Sorry fans, but I really didn’t feel it the series at all. Wolverine on the other hand is another matter. It’s a modern retelling of Logan’s journey to save his fiancée Mariko from her own father Shingen. Expect gratuitous amounts of action and special cameos like Omega Red. Its actually decent watch so far. But I’ve decided to stall watching it in favor of the other titles being aired.

I’m also actually thinking up of trying out a Pretty Cure series for once just to see what the excitement over this series is all about.

I’m also watching other titles from the previous season such as Star Driver, To Aru Majutsu no Index, and a bit of Bleach and Kamen Rider OOO. Here is the list for Spring 2011 (click pic for larger view), and I certainly have a good amount of titles that I want to check out (such as Stein’s;Gate) next season

 

9 replies
  1. Fabienne
    Fabienne says:

    I’m planning to watch only a few shows in this season, like…

    Dragon Crisis turned out pretty predictable and medicore, but still entertaining
    This shy girl who has love interest in Ryuuji annoyed me a lot XD

    Fractale is a very nice looking show the story is interesting I hope it will fit into 11 episodes.
    I like Gosick a lot some nice old school detective stories, the two are a nice team.
    It’s a shame that the opening spoilers a lot 🙁

    I enjoyed Houkago no Pleiades, but it was very short.

    Kore wa Zombie Desu ka is interesting because of the setting, but so far the show wasn’t that good in my opinion it’s too weird, I don’t like how the comedy disturbs the serious moments.
    I also dislike this harem setting where all of them seem to hate the main character (like in Seitokai no Ichizon ) I only like the Hellscythe girl 😉

    Puella Magi Madoka Magica is really great, but also scary, nevertheless the depressing and dark atmosphere is very well done
    Yumekui Merry is also a very good show,Merry has such a great outfit 😀
    the twist in episode 5 was cool.

    from the old season I started To Aru Majutsu no Index II two days ago

    Reply
  2. Miette-chan
    Miette-chan says:

    Before anything else watch Heartcatch Precure, really recommend that one. Also if you do watch a Precure show, regardless of which one remember that it’s mostly episodic in nature. One last thing Precure is more Kamen Raider like that typical magical girl fare. Wait…. you like Kamen Rider, yeah watch Heartcatch I think you will enjoy it.

    Now then, lets see out of the shows that I’m watching from this list I find that I ended watching

    IS: I don’t understand people’s opinion on this show. I’m genuinely happy all of the involved parties are relatively reasonable and not some over reacting idiot.

    Dragon Crisis: I like it so far, Ryuji and Rose expressed their interest in each other so it gets rid of my biggest peeve with these type of shows.

    Madoka Magica: It’s Shaft, so it’s bound to be different. My only annoyance is for being the titular character Madoka is sure taking her sweet time becoming a magical girl.

    Kimi ni Todoke: Same goodness as the previous season so I’m happy.

    Finally I need to catch on Yumekui Merry and Zombie.

    Reply
    • Duqs
      Duqs says:

      Our hero in IS isnt an overreacting idiot but a really oblivious one instead XD
      Madoka Magica is written by Urobochi Gen, same writer for Fate/Zero, so I’m guessing that Madoka might be a Puella magi by ep6 or maybe near the last episode.

      I tried watching Suite Precure, and I dont think i’m the target market for it. I’ll try to watch the next 3 episodes until i decide to drop it and try heart catch XD

      Reply
  3. Yi
    Yi says:

    “Only” nine titles? For me, four would be a lot. I’m only watching 2 this season (not counting sequels). Agreed that Madoka is probably going to be the show of the season. I’m glad I picked it up. Gosick is nice too, but kind of just cute.

    Reply
  4. ishokuosero
    ishokuosero says:

    I’m watching all the titles you’re watching and then some. I’ll say this first off though, while it’s in my mind – if you’re wanting to watch any of the Precures, PLEASE try the first series – Futari wa Pretty Cure. That is, hands down, my favorite magical girl series and I think it really envelops everything a magical girl show should be. If there’s ever one single magical girl show anyone watches, I’d say it should be that one!

    I like a lot of the series this season, but nothing’s really honestly stood out to end up being in my top ten of 2011. I couldn’t count the new season of Kimi ni Todoke or Mitsudomoe (eight episodes being counted as a season is PATHETIC ) since they’re both second seasons. I’m decently enjoying a lot of the titles, though.

    My only real complaint is one I should’ve known about before I even picked the show up though – I hate Shaft with a bloodthirsty raging passion, but when I saw the pictures for Madoka I thought it’d be animated much like Hidamari Sketch (considering, thankfully, they didn’t butcher the third season after all that mess with Bakemonogatari and Vampire Bund just prior to that ), but I ended up being hugely let down by the sub-par animation for the ‘action scenes’. Story’s great, characters are great… but overall this goes in the bottom bin of my 2011 watches at the current moment. Now I’m just left to lick my wounds and hope that the second season of Maria Holic that’s set for next season will go over much like the first without this ‘creative styling’ being shoved in.

    Kore wa Zombie is definitely a breath of fresh air! I love a lot of the aspects of the show, including the ‘mahou shounen’ and his disgust in having become such. Vampire ninjas and hilarious characters galore, that’s definitely a show that I was expecting a lot less from.

    I LOVE Infinite Stratos. Of course, this is coming from a girl that loves all things mecha, even mecha suits rather than the typical giant robots. Animation is clean and fluid even during the fights and the storyline, while leaving a little to be desired (I’m sure we all know what gender the person was that came up with this story was ), is decently entertaining.

    I suppose I won’t go through all the shows, but I’ll add in lastly here that when I read “Level E”, it went directly on my to-watch list for Winter 2011 because I mistook it for the BL manga “Level C”. Whoops. At least the mistake turned out to be a great watch!

    Reply
    • Duqs
      Duqs says:

      Hahaha i’m also waiting for mariaholic as this is one of the lolest and trollest animes i’ve seen before level E came into the picture. Nowmy curiousity is nagging me to check out that level C just once

      Reply

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. […] I’ll be doing some introductory stuff again for Spring’s anime titles after watching the usual “three episodes before judging”. YOu can check out my post from the beginning of this season here. […]

  2. […] I’ll be doing some introductory stuff again for Spring’s anime titles after watching the usual “three episodes before judging”. YOu can check out my post from the beginning of this season here. […]

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply to ishokuosero Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *