This upcoming anime season sucks compared to my ridiculously high standards.

The only ones I’m looking forward to is this adaptation of a manga I’m reading that isn’t finished yet so I’ll complain about the adaptation having an original ending, and a sequel.

Is it my imagination, or has every season been getting worse since I started to become aware of every title coming out instead of the single stand-outs each year?

Copypaste this into every forum whenever you see someone complaining about the latest anime season being rubbish. Once you’ve done that, come back here for a less pessimistic and more in-depth surveillance of the upcoming season.

Chihayafuru

Madhouse have had their reputation dragged through the dirt recently. As if the Madhouse X Marvel fiasco wasn’t bad enough, their failure to create something worthwhile from Chaos;Head has been compounded by the quality White Fox have achieved with Steins;Gate (even though the chief director on Steins;Gate is a Madhouse veteran, but whatever). With that tumultuous period out of the way, here comes their latest anime about children playing card games AARRGHHH OK not quite. Chihayafuru is a josei manga about a classic Japanese card game where you match cards to poems. I read a bit of the manga and it feels less josei and more a girlier version of Hikaru no Go, which isn’t really a bad thing. They’ve brought aboard the director of Nana and Chobits aboard, so I’m quite looking forward to this. It’s nice to see Good Madhouse return.

Tamayura ~Hitotose~

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There was an OVA of Tamayura a few months ago and I avoided it like it was the latest issue of Bestiality Monthly. This is director Junichi Sato, guy who did Aria, trying to replicate that feeling of ~healing~ anime, involving a bunch of girls being insufferably nice to each other while doing fuck all. I would probably die if I tried watching this, but good for you guys who like ~healing~ anime. Your only problem is Junichi Sato is directing a few anime this season, so a giant robot/mutant space creature/something fucking interesting might accidentally slip under his radar and into Tamayura.

Last Exile

Fam: The Silver Wing

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Do I need to have seen the previous season?

No. This is going to be set in the same world but with different characters and new story

If I am to believe my own Top 30, the original Last Exile is my 12th favourite anime of all time. So obviously this paragraph should be nothing more than incoherent fanboying at the prospect of a new season, right? Well, not quite. You see, one of the best things about Last Exile was how complete it was. It covered every character, every aspect of the world, and explored the adventure from little kid with big dreams to world changing hero. There was nothing that needed to be added. Gonzo returning to Last Exile strikes me more of a studio desperately scrounging through their backlog to find something of theirs that is guaranteed to turn a profit. Now this obviously isn’t entirely true, otherwise they’d just stick to pumping out Strike Witches iterations over and over. They brought back most of the original staff, and I have faith that those guys wouldn’t return to Last Exile without having a good story to tell us. The trailer looks good too, capturing the fantastical adventurous element to the original I liked so much. Well, it did, until that generic J-Pop song started playing. I know people like Maaya Sakamoto and the prospect of her warbling fills you with so much glee that your ears start melting, but the original Last Exile opening song is one of my favourite of all time. To have that replaced with generic upbeat J-Pop is so… *le sigh* I’m just being nitpicky. I’ll remain upbeat about this new iteration for now. Cautious, but hopeful.

Phi Brain: God’s Puzzle

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When I checked the Phi Brain ANN page, I was shocked to discover how much the original concept creator, Hajime Yatate, had done. Every from Cowboy Bebop to Code Geass to Mobile Suit Gundam to Votoms to Infinite Ryvius to Mai Hime to Escaflowne to…and then it finally dawned on me that Hajime Yatate is simply the name given to that den of pure evil that is the Sunrise boardroom. Anyways, Phi Brain is an original anime by Sunrise airing in NHK’s Educational TV station. That doesn’t means it will be simply educational fluff, the timeslot has previously held Dennou Coil amongst other things. Sunrise original in timeslot that veers away from otaku pandering sounds like a good combo to me. Then why am I not more excited? Maybe it’s the uninspiring trailer. Maybe because it’s Junichi Sato again, and I can’t help shake the feeling he’ll be concentrating more on his beloved ~healing~ anime Tamayura then he will on Phi Brain.

Un-Go

There’s a misnomer in anime fandom that says ‘because it is in Noitamina, it will be good’ (mainly a line touted by myself, but shut up). Un-Go is an anime by Bones with the key staff from the original Full Metal Alchemist, doing an adaptation of an old classic novel with their own modern take on it. I would be excited for this whether it was in Noitamina or not. If anything, the fact it is in Noitamina is irritating because that means it’s stuck to 11 episodes. On the flip side, no Noitamina would mean that these kinds of anime wouldn’t be produced in the first place. Anywho, after a stumbling start to the year with Fractale, Noitamina have regained their strength somewhat with No.6 and Bunny Drop, so I’m hoping they finish this year off with a bang (especially since 2012 gets instant flop status with Black Rock Shooter). Mind you, it’s the other Noitamina show this season I’m more interested in…

Guilty Crown

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I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating again: Guilty Crown is like God came down and asked me what anime I want to see made (but only after he rejected my proposal for a 24 episode TV series by Studio Rikka). A story by the two key guys at Code Geass, being directed by the man who directed Death Note, with animation by Production IG who, by the trailer, appear to be channelling the work they did on Eden of the East. Awesome multiplied by Glorious to the power of Fuckwin. Unless you are the kind of individual who prefers more down-to-earth series with simpler aims, you boring sods. The only problem is this is in Noitamina, and therefore restricted to that accursed 11 episodes again. Or maybe they’ll let Guilty Crown run for 2 cours, seeing as they haven’t announced the second of winter’s Noitamina duo yet. “Hey guys, instead of letting Guilty Crown run for 2 cours, let’s go against the entire philosophy of this timeslot and run Black Rock Shooter!” Yeah, I’m totally not bitter or anything.

Mirai Nikki

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Mirai Nikki is an insanely popular manga about a diary that you can write the future in and YANDERE YANDERE YANDERE. Yeah, the fact that it has a yandere in it is all I ever seem to hear about it. So, for all you Mirai Nikki manga fans, prepare to weep tears of rage as you discover who is adapting it: asread. An animation studio so shit they don’t even capitalise their own name. Previously producers of  Kiddy Girl And, the two Minami-ke sequels and both seasons Shuffle. Oh, and they brought back the director who did all those shows to adapt Mirai Nikki. Yes, the tears of you fanboys are delightful, if it wasn’t for the fact I was actually quite looking forward to this myself.

Bakuman Season 2

Do I need to have seen the previous season?

Yes

[sigh] Bakuman. When making that picture, I thought I would be oh so funny and scribble out that shitty female character. Then I realised I was probably scribbling out the wrong character, and should take my paintbrush and subject it’s digital ink all over Mashiro, the real reason I got sick of Bakuman. But then I might as well scribble out Takagi as well for adhering to Mashiro’s pratty ways. And then keep scribbling over the entire picture until all that’s left is Nizuma. I might as well check out this new season, in case some kind of miracle occurs and the Death Note creator I once knew and loved actually makes his appearance, but I might end up dropping it like an angry hedgehog. That has diarrhoea. And is on fire.

Mashiro-iro Symphony

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Once upon a time, an animation studio with grand ambitions formed and tried to recapture the popularity of Cowboy Bebop, by making Samurai Champloo. Champloo was a pile of fun, ingenuity, wit and sheer unbridled coolness, and one of my favourite anime of all time. That was 2004. In the following years they tried to keep up this ambitious high quality, with anime like Ergo Proxy and Michiko to Hatchin. After 2008 though, they discovered this method wasn’t earning them enough money, so they gave up all pretence of quality and pumped out Sacred Blacksmith, a banal and dull fantasy show with the only redeeming factor being how hot the female characters were. Afterwards they adapted The World God Only Knows, an otaku in-joke panderfest manga with aspirations of  parody but was really just another bland harem. Afterwards they made House of Five Leaves, a laid-back samurai anime for Noitamina, but it sold fuck all so they made another TWGOK. Next season, they’re doing Mashiro-iro Symphony, an adaptation of a visual novel by the man who also wrote Akane Iro Ni Somaru Saka. You are dead to me Manglobe.

Mobile Suit Gundam Age

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Do I need to have seen the previous seasons?

No. This is a totally new story, world and characters

This latest Gundam doesn’t have the Gundam fanbase out there too happy. This is largely because…well no, it’s entirely because of the rather childish character designs. Apparently having a 14 year old Gundam pilot actually looking like a 14 year old boy is license to lose your shit. I couldn’t really care what the characters look like, but that’s mainly because I’m not a Gundam fan. Mind you, I can see where both sides are coming from. From the director of Sergent Frog movies, to the story being penned by the creator of Inazuma 11, to help from the animation studio and staff who made Danball Senki, Gundam Age has a younger audience set firmly in its cross hairs. DVD/BD exclusive Unicorn/IGLOO and fujioshi-bait Seed/00 have obviously not done much to bring in the younger generation. I’m certainly interested in seeing what a Gundam with a younger skew while trying to retain the shows largely serious tone looks like, but I can’t say I’m bouncing in my seat in anticipation either. It is 50 episodes long though, and I always like seeing big ambitious mecha anime. I just wish it wasn’t always more bloody Gundam.

I Don’t Have Many Friends

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Prediction time! ‘I don’t have many friends’ will be touted as a a potential hit by certain light novel fans, while large swathes of the more elitist audience will remain sceptical. However, once the first episode airs, the more adventurous of anime fans will check it out and declare that, apart from a few kinks, ‘I don’t have many friends’ is a quality title about the loneliness of high teenage life and the anxiety and desire to fit in. Soon everyone jumps on the bandwagon, only for little things to start going wrong. As the anime proceeds beyond the first novel material, the original intent of the story starts to get lost. New female characters are introduced, and each one becomes less interested in being friends and more about wanting the male lead’s juicy manpiece. Soon the show starts introducing beach and hot spring episodes, leaning further and further into fanservice harem. The male lead starts accidentally undressing the female characters while falling onto them. Each character falls further away from what makes them unique and delve into cliche and stereotype, until finally the anime ends with some crowbarred attempt at conflict, no resolution and possibly some censored nudity. Call me back at Christmas when I’ve been proven correct.

C³

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Wait! Before you go running off at the sight of Yet Another Shana Clone, take a look at the trailer. The animation is from Silver Link, whose previous outings have only been the Baka to Test series. Not exactly world beating material, but the animation style was certainly imaginative. Silver Link are a spin-off from Shaft, with the director of Natsu no Arashi and ef, so they’re a studio willing to actually use what animation is capable of doing. The other interesting fact is the guy in charge of the script also wrote the script for 8 episodes of Cowboy Bebop of all things, as well as plenty of other quality series like Hare Guu and Big Windup under his belt. Obviously you have to remind yourself that, yes, this is another Shana clone, and bears all the annoying fan-pandering near-pedo tropes that such a series often has. I read the first chapter of the manga, and it included an accidental falling onto childhood friends boobs. That all said, keep your eyes on this. Just in case.

Horizon on the Middle of Nowhere

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Between Gundam Age, Phi Brain and this, Sunrise sure are busy this season. Mind you, they’re really only Sunrise in name, with none of the usual Sunrise staff apparently working on this. It’s based off a light novel, but with stuff like giant robots and fight scenes and fantasy setting, I started to get my hopes up. Then the trailer included bouncy boobs, absurdly large spiral twin tails, and a curious lack of noses. Worried, I checked the staff list and found the series was being directed by the people behind Dragonaut, Saki and Strike Witches. The cast of prats who produced Gonzo’s dying breaths! Argh nooooo, fuck these guys and their phobia of animating noses!

Invasion?! Squid Girl

Do I need to have seen the previous season?

Yes. It hasn’t got much of a plot, but it will assume you already know the characters

I’ve seen in season previews that people like to have a little whine about sequels to shows they’ve never seen before. Which always struck me as a bit of a silly complaint. Unless the show is ridiculously long to get through, why don’t you just watch the first season before the new version? You only have the right to complain about sequels when you’ve seen the previous season of unambitious trivial anthropomorphised  moeblob anime and know how crap it is. Ah shucks, I’m joking. I like Squid Girl. It’s nothing special, but it has a good sense of comedic timing de geso~

Kimi to Boku

JC Staff doing an anime about cute boys doing cute things…wait, what? What is this madness!?! Talk about crazy new ideas. However, from checking out the manga, in reality this is less a genderswapped Azumanga and more a generic shoujo with the bland eternally nice/shy female lead removed. It really was incredibly bland, but then I’ve been well documented to dislike shojo so take that with a pinch of salt. Director isn’t half bad, having previously done Elfen Lied and Sound of the Sky (Sora no Woto for you weeaboos out there), so I guess if bland shojo is your thing then you might as well check this out.

Persona 4 The Animation

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And the award to the most stylish anime trailer I have ever seen in my 3 years of season previewing goes to. Wow, does that ever look awesome. Persona 4 is based off a rather popular video game by the same name. No matter how many people try to assure me that the game has a great story, the words ‘video game adaptation’ send warning lights flashing everywhere. Asides from often paper-thin plotlines, trying to adapt the unique story-telling environment in video games to anime is a daunting and difficult task, one that often requires ignoring parts of the source material, much to the annoyance of the fans. So upon whom has this task of adapting this most daunting of games fallen on? Seiji Kishi, previous director of Angel Beats, Sunred, Kamisama Dolls and Seto no Hanayome. Now many people don’t like Kishi for his total ignorance of tone, but to my ADD addled mind, it’s something I’ve never really minded in his works. I personally like him, but I think he’s better suited for comedies, where his leaping between tones is best used for humour. That said, the trailer should show that the man also has a keen sense of style. Give him a game that is already stylish game to adapt and we have one of the most interesting anime of the season.

Ben-To

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Ben-to is about…oh look, I’ll just copypaste the synopsis

Satō goes to the supermarket one day and discovers a bento on sale at half price. Just as he reaches to grab it, he ends up on the floor unconscious. Satō has just entered the fierce, no-holds-barred “supermarket survival battle” for half-price bento

Yeah. It’s one of those nonsense school setting anime, like Baka to Test except without the promise of at least some neat animation. The studio doing this are David Production, whose previous works consist of Level E and Book of Bantorra. Neither of which are bad, I’ll grant them that. But in neither case did I feel they were improved significantly by the anime version. Of course, I’m speaking out of my ass here, not having read the source material for Bantorra or Level E, but whatever. I really have no idea what to make of this.

Fate/Zero

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Do I need to have seen the previous season?

Probably yes. It’s a non-canon prequel, but will probably require knowledge of the characters to understand the importance of their actions.

Now this is a genuinely interesting project. The Fate/Zero novel is essentially a piece of professional fanfiction from the Fate/Stay Night universe. Not that your average fanfiction writer could get their work adapted into an anime with animation by ufotable (Kara no Kyoukai) and music by Yuki Kaijura. It’s written by Gen Urabochi, the Nitro+ VN games writer and recently famous for coming up with Madoka Magica. All this comes together in this one big budget production Fate/Zero The Anime. So in anticipation for this, I started watching Fate/Stay Night and was shocked by how incompetent it was. I lasted a measly 2 episodes. I’ll probably still give Fate/Zero a whirl though. It’s meant to be a prequel of sorts, so you can probably jump in with no knowledge of the canon. Also, Urabochi is a much more succinct and capable writer than nasu, the Fate/Stay Night writer, in my totally biased opinion, so I’d prefer to see his iteration of the story.

Working’!!

Do I need to have seen the previous season?

Yes. Again, not much of a plot here, but it will assume you know the characters

Stop making sequels to anime I don’t like. Why don’t you make a sequel to this anime I like that has nothing to do with the creators of anime that did get a sequel, and didn’t sell very well anyway etc. etc. Yeah, I don’t like Working. Or Wagnaria, if we feel like reverse-weeabooing the name. Funny how the American title sounds more weeaboo than the Japanese title.

Maji de Watashi

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The game I play with eroge adaptations is find out how it is connected to Akane Iro Ni Somaru Saka so I can justify never having to watch it. Right, eroge company is MinaSoft. Their only previous eroge turned anime was They Are My Noble Masters, which I honestly thought wasn’t half bad. How about the animation company? Err, Maji de Watashi is made by Lerche, whose previous productions include nothing else whatsoever. Well huh, maybe this won’t be so bad after all. How about the director Keitaro Motonaga? Aha! Here we go. Director of Akane Iro Ni Somaru Saka, both TV series and OVA. Oh well, so much for that~

Shakugan no Shana III Final

Do I need to have seen the previous seasons?

Yes

Well, at least JC Staff have stopped pretending. Instead of simply releasing yet another batch of Shakugan no Shana clones, they’ve finally gone back and made the actual Shakugan no Shana. I notice they’re calling this Final. I wonder if that means that this will be the end of JC Staff produced Shana clones and they’ll start innovating and producing new and excitin-BWAHAHA ok I couldn’t keep a straight face typing that.

Maken-ki

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So, how many pantyshots did you count? I got 12. Pretty impressive for a trailer that’s less than 2 minutes long. Once you go beyond 3 in a trailer, that says all you need to know about the anime in question.

Hunter X Hunter Brotherhood

Do I need to have seen the previous season?

No. This is a totally new remake

Madhouse took a look at Bones remaking Full Metal Alchemist and though “hey, we can do that too”. Now if you had told me Madhouse were remaking a manga adaptation that never finished, I would have leapt out of my chair and proclaimed “CLAYMORE!?!”. But nope, that would be far too obvious and make them far too much money. Instead they’re giving the Brotherhood treatment to Hunter X Hunter. They didn’t even animate the first season to this. Oh well, at least it’s a remake, which means I can jump straight in. I tried watching the original TV series but I couldn’t get past the first episode.

World’s First Love Season 2

Do I need to have seen the previous season?

Yes

Hey girls, isn’t rape adorable~! Forcing yourself onto a weaker individual is totally OK because they can’t control their emotions, and it’s OK so long as the receiver enjoys it in the end. That’s what true love is all about!

Lupin III Thing

Do I need to have seen the previous seasons?

No. Every Lupin III special is written to be accessible to newcomers

There were some people saying this would be a new Lupin III reboot TV series. It’s not, stop getting your hopes up. It’s just another one of those specials Lupin III has every year. There were some other rumours going around that it would be headed up by a combination of Takashi Koike (the Redline director) and some Gainax folks, but again that’s just more wishful thinking rather than being based off any concrete evidence. I am a Lupin III fan, but the prospect of a new special doesn’t fill me with delight when there’s still 30-odd specials and the TV series I’ve yet to watch. While the good thing about the Lupin III franchise is that every one of these specials are made to be instantly approachable, the bad thing is that which ones are good and which aren’t are total crapshoots. Wait until reviews of this come out before you think about jumping in. For now, just go watch Castle of Cagliostro.

Busou Shinki Moon Angel

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Do you have a fetish for 6 inch high young teenage girls with robot joints wearing one-piece swimsuits? Well Japan has the cartoon for you! Oh Strike Witches, look what you’ve wrought.

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Battle Spirits: Heroes, Digimon Xros Wars – Toki wo Kakeru Shounen Hunter-tachi and Cross Fight B-Daman. I’m including them simply for completions sake. Yeah I know some of you folk out there like Digimon and are probably watching/watched Xros Wars. But I know fuck all about the franchise, so you’re better off searching elsewhere for information on it.

Movies

Normally I devote a measly single paragraph to movies, but this year I want to give some of these a bit more lipservice. Remember, while there are anime movies coming out in Japan this season, the rest of the world won’t see these until they come out on DVD/BD. With that in mind, I’m covering the anime movies that are coming out on DVD/BD over the next 3 months.

Towa no Quon

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This has been out for a while now, but nobody has subbed the blasted thing yet. Towa no Quon is a movie series in the same vein as Break Blade. 6 episodes, each 50 minutes long and getting a theatrical release before being released on home video. Like Break Blade (and Kara no Kyokai before it) these are beautifully animated big budget productions. It’s animated by Bones and directed by Umanosuke Iida, who passed away before he could see the movie reach the big screen. Shame, he was a really talented guy, working on Cowboy Bebop to The Big O to Hellsing to 08th MS Team. Admittedly a lot of the trailer and from what I’ve been hearing about it sounds awfully generic, but deliver tried and true concepts with enough flair and care and you’ll have a quality productions. Now we just need someone to sub the blasted thing…

Mardock Scramble

First Compression

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24th August

Feels like I’ve been writing about this thing’s release for ages now. Mardock Scramble is another one of these movie series projects. 3 movies long, it’s an adaptation of a novel by the same name. I’ve seen the movie already at a film festival and I really wasn’t that taken with it. It was all right, but delved into the unintentionally hilarious and stupid more than once. However the novel it’s been based off has gotten many rave reviews, so maybe I’ll turn out to be in the minority on this one.

There’s also Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha coming out on the 9th December, but that has gotten awful reviews so far, so I’m not particularly looking forward to that. There’s Fafner Heaven and Earth coming out on 21st September. So hurrah for that massive Fafner fanbase that exists out there…somewhere.

I’ll be going through these anime in order of release date. That means when the first episode is shown on TV for TV anime, first video release for OVA’s and when it’s going to start screening for movies. Dates are liable to change but I know a few people inside the industry so I’m pretty confident my information here is accurate. I’m also skipping over kids shows and hentai.

D-1 Devastator

Type: OVA

Air Date: 11 Dec

Studio: Dynamic Production

Synopsis: Something about robots and girls wearing not very much on their lower halves

Can’t find much info on this OVA. Not all that surprising since this is the very first anime made by Dynamic Production. So what can I tell you? Well, it has mecha. That’s a plus. It also has the director of Ramna, which is another plus. It has a character who looks like Char in the picture, which I’d say is a plus but I think that’s actually a shine from the camera rather than a helmet.

Apfel Land Story

Type: Movie

Air Date: 12 Dec

Studio: JC Staff

Synopsis: Apfelland is a small but beautiful country surrounded by Russia, Austria, and Germany. Vel is a boy who lives in the capital, Charlottenburg. He happens to help a girl Frid. She was kidnapped because radium mine was found in her grandfather’s abandoned mine. Aiming at the radium mine, various people gather there, for example, an American who wants to make money, a Polish woman disguised like a man who wants to earn money for the revolution, and the ministry of Apfelland who plots to affiliate with Germany. Vel and Frida are involved in their plots, and they know the secret of the mine.

Can’t say the name JC Staff fills me with confidence. They’re a very new studio whose most notable work so far has been 1+2=Paradise, although Apfel Land Story at least looks like it isn’t another ecchi fest. The main reason I’m mentioning it here is because the director was one of the staff on Galaxy Express 999, which has to be worth something I guess.

Ancient Book of Ys II

Type: OVA

Air Date: 16 Dec

Studio: Nihon Falcolm

Synopsis: Now that Adol Christen has saved the land of Esteria from the evil priest Dark Fact, Adol and the two priestesses travel to the floating land of Ys, where evil has an even greater influence on the people and no one has hope. The future of Ys falls to Adol, heir to the powers of the priests and the only one who can show the people of Ys the truth about their world. But, as Adol’s power grows, he may be the one who will save Ys — or destroy it.

I once managed to get my hand on a copy of Ancient Book of Ys. It’s some generic fantasy thing with goblins being killed. At least, from what I saw. I didn’t watch very far because it turns out the fantasy land language the characters were speaking was actually Russian. Yup, I’d picked up a Russian dub. Don’t ask how. Anyway, it was popular enough to get a sequel so I’m sure those of you who watched the first season will be delighted to get their hands on a new season, whether it be Russian or otherwise. Director’s changed this time round. He hasn’t done much before, but maybe Ancient Book of Y’s is his springboard to stardom. lol doubt it

Wolf Guy

Type: OVA

Air Date: 17 Dec

Studio: JC Staff

Synopsis: The story begins with the Homeroom teacher Ms. Aoshika walking home drunk, sees Akira Inugami being jumped by Inugami’s old school rivals. The gang attacks Inugami without mercy and seems beat him to death and yet he keeps getting back up. Ms. Aoshika faints soon after witnessing it and then Inugami takes his true form, the form of a Werewolf and destroys the gang. When Ms. Aoshika awakes, she finds the gang dead around her and is escorted to her school by the police only to find that Inugami is her new exchange student.

JC Staff again eh. Guess that might be a name to get used to seeing in the future. It’s based off a rather old manga and I’m not sure why they’re going back to it now, but I suppose it’s better than jumping in before a manga is finished. The director was one of the directors of Maison Ikkou and also worked on Uresai Yatsura. However I’m not kidding when I say about a third of the directors for any new season seemed to have worked on Uresai Yatsura. It was like the ultimate breeding ground for the next generation of anime staff. Actually I’m quite interested in seeing Wolf Guy myself. Might be worth keeping your eye on.

Fatal Fury

Legend of the Hungry Wolf

Type: OVA

Air Date: 23 Dec

Studio: Nas

Synopsis: Ten years after the death of their foster father, brothers Terry and Andy Bogard return to Southtown to extract revenge from crime lord Geese Howard. They team up with kickboxing champion Joe Higashi and participate in the prestigious King of Fighters tournament in hopes of facing Geese and giving him his well-deserved defeat.

Based off the super popular video game. Because video games have such extensive plots *sarcasm*. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing that it’s only a one episode OVA. That should be enough to cover what measly excuse for a plot the video game will have. But if it had more it might have given the creators more room to exercise their creative muscles. Eh, I guess it’s only meant to milk off the original fans of the game and I’m sure it will be hugely successful at achieving that.

Miracle Girls

Type: TV Series

Air Date: 8 Jan

Studio: Nippon Animation

Synopsis: Mikage and Tomomi Matsunaga are Mirace Girls, they have a telepathic link with each other and can teleport when they link their little fingers. Tomomi is a sports star and has a boyfriend called Noda. Mikage is the smartest student in the school and is in love with her sempai. He moved to London to study but they still kept in touch, that is until a selfish princess called Marie decides that he should come with her back to Diammas. Back in Japan the twins are having various problems of their own. But they soon realise that there is a link between Marie, an ancient legend and a girl they know called Emma.

Oh lookie here, it’s the other director from Maison Ikkou! Oh Rumiko Takashi. What would the anime world be without your manga adaptations. Over half the anime production world seems to have worked on either Ramna, Uresai Yatsura or Maison Ikkou. Mind you, that’s all this series really has going for it. Nippon Animation mainly just do kids shows and this looks more like cute harmless fun than anything else. It’s not that far of from being yet another magical girl show to be honest.

Little Women 2

Type: TV Series

Air Date: 17 Jan

Studio: World Masterpiece Theatre

Synopsis: Nan Harding is the new student at Mr. and Mrs. Bhaer’s school. Everyone thinks that she is a pain in the head, but not Mrs. Jo. Together with the other kids, they all embark on their personal adventures and misfortunes while learning in school.

World Masterpiece Theatre. Adapting famous novels into anime for family audiences. It’s a shame they don’t get much recognition in western fandom. Just finding subs is a struggle most of the time. So if you’re a fan of little women, good luck finding this. Plus it’s a second season. You’ll first have to track down the first series from a few years back. There are French and Italian versions if you happen to speak either of those languages.

Armored Dragon Legend Villgust

Type: TV Series

Air Date: 21 Jan

Studio: Bandai Visual

Synopsis: VIllgust is a peaceful world that exists parallel to ours. However, now an evil deity has been revived and has sent evil creatures to destroy many countries, which left darkness and terror to rule the world. The peoples’ prayers and cries has reached out to the goddess Windina and in order to free the world from darkness she chose eight brave warriors to defeat the evil deity. Although blessed, these warriors are unaware at the path chosen for them, thus the two groups of Kui, Chris, Fanna, and Youta must meet up with Murobo, Remi, Ryuquir, and Bostov before they can follow the path chosen for them and defeat the evil deity.

Woo Catgirls! Based off a game with Catgirls in it, that’s all we need to know! I could tell you about the director but that’s becoming an increasingly useless task. Which one of the Rumiko anime did this guy work on…aha, Uresai Yatsura! Worked on the animation there. Actually he was also the director for Project A-Ko, which is a pretty big title on his resume. Actually, for a game adaptation, this looks pretty cool. It even has Catgirls! Did I mention that yet?

Irresponsible Captain Tylor

Type: TV Series

Air Date: 25 Jan

Studio: Tatsunoku Prodction

Synopsis: Justy Ueki Tylor thought a career in the United Planets Space Force would give him an easy life: enlist, get a desk job, spend the rest of his life in quiet, boring comfort. No sooner does he take the qualifying exam than war breaks out with the Raalgon Empire, and circumstances quickly conspire to land this volunteer off the street in command of the cruiser “Soyokaze.” Now Tylor faces two uphill battles — against the Raalgon fleet that wants to kill him, and against his own crew, who expect him to conform to some standard of military discipline. But as the war rages, Tylor’s easy-going ways might have a better chance of converting his crew than vice-versa.

Based off a Light Novel? Now that’s something you don’t see very often. At least that promises a better story than yet another video game adaptation. Seems to be quite a bit of effort put into this as well. Director was the guy who did Dominion Tank Police and the Dirty Pair movies but, rather shockingly, hasn’t worked on a single Rumiko anime! Actually I quite like the look of this anime. The most promising anime this season? Certainly the most promising TV show.

The Brave Express Might Gaine

Type: TV Series

Air Date: 30 Jan

Studio: Sunrise

Synopsis: Senpuuji Maito is a billionaire crime fighting teenager, taking up his father’s company and assets at the age of only 15. Taking control of the Might Gaine team of robots that his late father created, Senpuuji and his free thinking robot teams take on the crime lords that plague Neo Tokyo City.

Screw Captain Tylor, this is where it’s at next season. A Sunrise production that sounds slightly like Batman with mecha? Sounds awesome to me. It’s part of this Brave Saga thingy, which I’ve actually never heard of. I think I’ll have to check some of these out though because they’re all mecha anime by Sunrise, such as Brave Fighter Exkizer. Umm, actually I might have to rethink my hyping up of this series. This guy seems to be the sucky Sunrise director. Gundam ZZ? Eh, maybe I’ll give the ‘most anticipated anime of the season’ award back to Captain Tylor.

Ambassador Magma

Type: TV Series

Air Date: 25 Jan

Studio: Tezuka Productions

Synopsis: The alien invader Goa plots to conquer the Earth. He first warns the Murakami family (father Atsushi, mother Tomoko, and son Mamoru) of their invasion, and demonstrates his powers by transporting them to a prehistoric jungle and destroying a Giant Dinosaur before their very eyes. But they will not agree to surrender to Goa, so hope comes in the form of Magma, an armored, golden giant with long hair and antennae. He and his human-sized wife Mol, both created by the wizard Earth, are sent to defend the world against Goa.

Just…read that synopsis. What exactly was Tezuka smoking when he wrote this? I mean, I know this guy is the God of Manga and everything, but sometimes you really have to wonder. I wonder if it really is as nonsensical as the plot makes it sounds?

Afterword

There’s always extra things I discover but can’t mention because it was in the future. The guy who directs Ancient Book of Ys, for example, went on to direct Shakugan no Shana, Ikkitousen, Slayers, Boogiepop Phantom and stick his fingers in a lot of other popular series, like Full Metal Panic, Durarara and Angel Beats. I guess Ys really was his leaping board to stardom

I’ll be going through these anime in order of release date. That means when the first episode is shown on TV for TV anime, first video release for OVA’s and when it’s going to start screening for movies. Dates are liable to change but I know a few people inside the industry so I’m pretty confident my information here is accurate. I’m also skipping over kids shows and hentai.

Gokinjo Monogatari

Type: TV Series

Air Date: 10 Sep

Studio: Toei

Synopsis: The protagonist, Kouda Mikako, is a student of “Yaza Gaku”. Specialising in fashion design, Mikako dreams of becoming a fashion designer with her own brand. Living next to her is her childhood friend, Yamaguchi Tsutomu. Even though they have been close since young, they share a platonic friendship. However, Tsutomu has been gaining popularity after he was recruited as the vocalist for a band and somehow, Mikako begins to see him in a different light. This is a story about how youths cope with dreams, love and friendship.

While I’m not a fan of shojo myself, this looks rather promising. The mangaka is meant to be an up and coming lass, Ai Yazawa, although I bet she’ll drop off the map within a few years. The manga only began this February so chances are we’re looking at something that won’t be fully completed. Still, worth a shot if you like shojo I guess. She does have a rather original unusual style.

Galaxy Fraulein Yuna

Type: OVA

Air Date: 21 Sep

Studio: ANIMATE

Synopsis: Yuna Kagurazaka won the interstellar Galaxy Fraulein contest to become the Guardian of the Light. After defeating several threats to galactic peace (As seen in the PC Engine games), old enemies have framed Yuna for attacking and demolishing her hometown. Yuna’s friends now must attempt to rescue her from her pending execution, with comedic results.

Based off a video game. OVA release. Lots of cute girls plastered on any release information. Yup, I think I know what’s going on here. Just your regular release that’s all about selling games and figurines. Nothing of interest to see here.

Hyper Dolls

Type: OVA

Air date: 25 Sep

Studio: Triangle Staff

Synopsis: Mew and Mica are alien androids sent by their boss to defend the Earth. Unfortunately for our planet, they are the laziest superheroines you will ever meet. Now most superheroes would drop whatever they’re doing, transform, and proceed to kick monsters’ butts… but these two would do no such thing. Mew and Mica just can’t let their duties interfere with their ice cream, arguments, or whatever activities they happen to be engaged in at the time. When they are not Hyper Dolls they seem to be just ordinary, rather cute school girls, lusted after by the boys.

We might have a winner on our hands here. Traingle Staff did the excellent Macross Plus OVA, which is a definite plus (hur hur hur). The plot sounds rather ho hum and I haven’t heard anything about the manga it’s based off but I have faith that these guys will pull it off. Plus, the girl in the promo picture do look kinda cute.

Macross 7 the Movie:

The Galaxy’s Calling Me!

Type: Movie

Air date: 30 Sep

Studio: Asahi Production

Synopsis: While investigating a sound anomaly across the galaxy, Basara crash-lands on a snowy planet and receives an unfriendly welcome from the local residents. On the planet, he befriends Pedro, a four-year-old boy who watches the Galaxy Network and idolizes Fire Bomber. Basara also discovers that the sound he’s searching for is generated by Emilia, a lone Meltrandi struggling to make music of her own.

MA-KUU-ROSS! Ah Macross. Not that many people seemed to like Macross 7. Those people are probably better staying away because the same director is back on board. Not much else to say to be honest though. It’s Macross. You all know what to expect.

Idol Project

Type: OVA

Air date: Sometime in September

Studio: Studio OX

Synopsis: Mimu wants desperately to be an idol, like her inspiration Yuri. Various obstacles rise up to keep her from reaching her audition and singing, and she wonders if her dream of being an idol be realized.

Idol fluff. Actually otaku in Japan are going wild over this before of the real life idols voicing the on screen wannabe idols. Now that’s meta. But also unwatchable, unless you truly are a nutter for names like Mariko Kouda and Aya Hisakawa.

Virtua Fighter

Type: TV

Air date: 2 Oct

Studio: Studio Uni

Synopsis: Based on the popular Virtua Fighter video game franchise, this series follows the adventures of Akira, a lone martial artist who has lost his ability to see the mystical constellations that reveal a truly strong man’s destiny. Now, his path of wandering has forced him into the fighting ring with several martial arts champions and into an insidious international conspiracy that he must not only break out of, but find a way to destroy. With the help of Jacky, Sara, Pai, and other characters from the Virtua Fighter games, Akira must find the strength to take on greater powers than himself and regain his lost sense of destiny.

Game adaptation says it all really. Don’t recognise the staff and have nothing interesting to say about the studio either. If you really want to watch a bunch of dudes beating each other up then I suppose you could give it a shot. I doubt there will be much in the way of plot though

Sorcerer Hunters

Type: TV

Air date: 3 Oct

Studio: Xebec

Synopsis: In the continent of spooner, sorcerers, who are the continent’s aristocrats, have begun to abuse their powers. Under the guidance of Big Momma (their boss) Carrot (who turns into a giant monster every time he’s placed under a magic spell), Gateau (a bodybuilder), Marron (a mage), Chocolate and Tira (who can transform into dominatrix’s at will) must stop the evil sorcerers from picking on the weak. However, none of them (except maybe Marron) have a clue to what’s going on.

Will admit I’m mildly interested in this one. Xebec have piled together some interesting staff. The guy who wrote the manga has worked on everything from the most cutey pie to the animation for Genocyber, which is about as non cutie-pie as you can get. So don’t be tricked by this shows pretty cover art. He also wrote the script for Video Girl Ai so we’ve got some semblance of quality on board. Could be worth a shot.

El Hazard: The Wanderers

Type: TV

Air date: 6 Oct

Studio: AIC

Synopsis: Makoto Mizuhara is working on his latest experiment in the school science lab, but when he takes a break his lifelong rival Katsuhiko Jinnai shows up and attempts to destroy the device and discredit Makoto. This overloads the experiment and transports Makoto, Jinnai, his sister Nanami, and their teacher Mr. Fujisawa to the strange and magnificent world El Hazard. Makoto and Fujisawa land squarely in the Kingdom of Roshtaria, and quickly befriend the princess Rune Venus. Jinnai allies himself with the Bugrom, a race of giant insects bent on taking over El Hazard, while his sister tries to eke out her own living in the desert. Makoto searches desperately for a way to return home, all the while fighting off the Bugrom, enlisting the help of the Holy Priestesses, and stopping the demon god Ifurita from destroying everything.

It’s some sort of alternate re-telling of the El Hazard OVA that was released earlier this year. I’ve heard that it’s pretty good but it does beg to question why are they making an alternate re-telling and not, you know, a sequel or something. Heck, the OVA series hasn’t been completed yet. Seems like a strange move. Still, since it’s an alternate re-telling I should be able to jump straight into this one.

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Type: TV

Air date: 10 Oct

Studio: Gainax

Synopsis: At the age of 14 Shinji Ikari is summoned by his father to the city of Neo Tokyo-3 after several years of separation. There he unwillingly accepts the task of becoming the pilot of a giant robot by the name EVA01 and protect the world from the enigmatic invaders known as “angels.” Even though he repeatedly questions why he has accepted this mission from his estranged and cold father, his doing so helps him to gradually accept himself. However, why exactly are the angels attacking and what are his father’s true intentions are yet to be unraveled.

*sigh* I’m finding it hard to care about mecha anime anymore. Macross 7 stuck down the coffin lid and I doubt Hideki Anno and Gainax are going to revive the genre or anything. We’ll just get some elongated version of Gunbuster (which, btw, sucks and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise) with more girls wearing figure hugging suits and boobs and piloting robots. It’s an original anime production so that might bode well but eh. According to my inside sources, Anno got depressed while making this anime. He must have known what a flop it was going to turn out like.

Saint Tail

Type: TV

Air date: 12 Oct

Studio: TMS Entertainment

Synopsis: Meimi Haneoka, 14, is a normal girl during the daytime, but during the night, she assumes the “position” of Saint Tail, a modern-day Robin Hood who steals from thieves and gives items back to their original owners. She is aided by her friend, Seira Mimori, a nun-in-training, and she is chased by her classmate Daiki Asuka.

More magical girl stuff. Really not my sort of thing but I know there’s plenty of people out there who lap this sort of stuff up. Director has been around a bit, working on Magical Knight Rayearth amongst other things. Seems to look pretty well animated as well so I guess if you like your mahou shoujo, this is perfect for you.

Shadow Skill

Type: OVA

Air date: 25 Oct

Studio: Zero G Room

Synopsis: In a war torn world of deadly conflict, one small group of heroes stands against the forces of darkness, armed only with two weapons — their unswerving dedication to good and the superhuman martial art known as the Shadow Skill…

Now this looks fucking awesome. I have no idea who Zero G Room are and I think it’s only one episode long, but this looks like it could pack all the ingredients to become a classic. Fighting, super martial arts and whatnot. Maybe I’m hyping this up too much but I think we might be onto a winner here. Just a gut feeling

Elf Princess Rane

Type: OVA

Air date: 27 Oct

Studio: KSS

Synopsis: Gou has woved to find the legendary treasure of Salamander. Searching for it he meets Ren, a fairy, who is looking for the four treasures of Heart. Gou’s childhood friend Mari is frustrated with Gou running after treasures, but befriends with another fairy Rin. Gou and Ren’s treasure hunt messes with a secret project led by Mari’s father. It turns out Salamander isn’t what Gou thought it was in the first place…

Was there always this much magical girl stuff coming out of Japan or have I just not been paying attention? I guess part of the reason these succeed is they have the duel combo of appealing to both young girls and hardcore otaku. Mind you, this is just an OVA so I have no idea how this is supposed to reach the eyes of young girls. Just otaku then. It is an original anime production mind you, but I find it hard to get excited about mahou shoujo to be honest. Over saturation. I wonder what the next fad in anime will be when this mahou shoujo boom finally ends?

Golden Boy

Type: OVA

Air date: 27 Oct

Studio: KSS

Synopsis: Kintarou Oe doesn’t look like it, but he is a genius who completed all his university courses and then quit before graduating. He becomes a wandering student, going from place to place on his bicycle, seeking to learn what he can about life, the world, and women. He is willing and able to do any job he has to prove himself. His travels take him to a variety of locations and a variety of women, each who learns to love the hardworking guy, but not before he can run off.

KSS with another OVA eh. Golden Boy is a highly ecchi manga. In fact, it’s full on porn in some of the later volumes, but I’ve heard more than enough people proclaim its greatness to get my interest up. Mind you, it’s still a long way off being completed so I dunno why they’re making an anime already. This is probably one of those ones where they make an OVA before the manga ends and then go back and start from the beginning with a TV series. Don’t expect this to be the last you’ll see of Golden Boy.

Gunsmith Cats

Type: OVA

Air date: 1 Nov

Studio: Oriental Light and Magic

Synopsis: Rally Vincent knows her weapons well, while her partner Minne May Hopkins loves to play with explosives. The pair run a gun-shop illegally and one day Bill Collins of the ATF, blackmails Rally and Minnie May into working for the ATF. Little do they know, that they are getting involved in a mission larger than they could imagine

Spin-off from the Riding Bean OVA from several years back and we’re delighted to see it. Plenty of gun pr0n for us all to enjoy with hot ladies wielding them. Oriental Light and Magic are a good studio, albeit with a stupid name. The director was also the director for Otaku no Video (clearly Gainax lost the good director and are stuck with that Gunbuster creating idiot). In short, this looks awesome. Watch it.

Ghost in the Shell

Type: Movie

Air date: 18 Nov

Studio: Production IG

Synopsis: In the year 2029, the barriers of our world have been broken down by the net and by cybernetics, but this brings new vulnerability to humans in the form of brain-hacking. When a highly-wanted hacker known as ‘The Puppetmaster’ begins involving them in politics, Section 9, a group of cybernetically enhanced cops, are called in to investigate and stop the Puppetmaster. The pursuit will call into question what makes a human and what is the Puppetmaster in a world where the distinction between human and machine is increasingly blurry

The totally obvious hit of the season. Director of Patlabor and Uresai Yatsura. The mangaka is a genious. The whole thing looks awesome. There’s no way in hell this won’t rock the world. Which is why I’m a bit wary. Everything looks so perfect, surely something will go wrong. I should stop being so pessimistic though.

Afterword

I doubt any of you had heard of  Gokinjo Monogatari before. However the name Ai Yazawa should ring a few bells with some of you. She is the mangaka who later went on to write Paradise Kiss and, more importantly, Nana. It was rather surprising to find one of her series lying back in 1995. If you’re a fan of either of her other works then it might be a good idea to check out Gokinjo Monogatari as well.

You can expect more of these false season preview posts. I’ve got a few more lined up already.

Also 400th post get~!

There is no such thing as drop­ping an anime forever. When I use the term ‘dropped’ that does not mean that’s the last I’ll see of that anime in my life. Drop­ping a show means that I don’t have the enthu­si­asm to watch this show cur­rently and at a later date I’ll return to that anime. This later date may be the time when I’m trapped on a desert island with noth­ing other than a dvd player and a ‘Lucky Star’ box­set, but I will one day return and give the anime another shot. With this in mind, com­bined with the fact that I’ve passed the 100 anime mark on my MAL account for anime I’ve dropped, I’ve decided that I’m going to take a look back at all those series I’ve dropped, recog­nise why I dropped them and eval­u­ate when I should give them another go.

Texhnolyze

Dropped After: 2 episodes

Why I dropped it: Interesting fact: This is the only anime out of the 66 I’ve listed so far that I dropped for being pretentious. Even Lain I was quite interested in the parts people would call pretentious.. The problem was simply summoning up the enthusiasm about the rest of the show in order to care about these parts. I suppose this is as good a proof as any that I’m a raging elitist who loves DEEP anime. However Texhnolyze was too much even for me. The deep breathing into the mic got on my nerves. Long stretches of just the main character limping through the streets that were probably supposed to symbolise the characters suffering and whatnot just annoyed me. Far too wrapped up in itself and the idea of trying to prise it open and make sense held no appeal to me whatsoever.

Rebirth Chances: Below Average. The music was great. I’ll give it that. But my reaction to what I saw was far too negative for me to feel any urge to pick it up again. Plus I watched less than a year ago. I don’t think my opinion is going to change much in that short a time.

To-Love-Ru

Dropped After: 10 episodes

Why I dropped it: I’m still a bit amazed that I watched 10 episodes of this show. The power of an addictive opening and hot girls compelled me to continue. In fact, I think it was only when they started introducing lolis that I dropped the show.

Rebirth Chances: Low. Look, let’s be honest here. This show has no redeeming factors other than the hot girls. It knows this as well and simply spends its time reproducing largely the same episode over and over again, possibly introducing a new hot girl to spice things up. The manga got cancelled because readers ratings were so low, the story was going nowhere, the comedy was repetitive and unfunny and the characters had as much depth as a frying pan. Anyone who tries to say there’s any other appeal to the show is lying. I think I’ve graduated beyond watching generic fanservice crap…although I am still watching Highschool of the Dead, so…

Tokyo Magnitude

Dropped After: 5 episodes

Why I dropped it: Me dropping a Noitamina anime? What has the world come to! But Tokyo Magnitude managed to tick a lot of boxes of stuff I really don’t enjoy watching in my anime. Hyper rational characters often don’t interest me. Neither does sob stories nor human struggles. Hmmm, I’m finding this hard to verbalise. It was the realism of the show I guess. This was not meant as entertainment nor was it meant to have deeper meaning. It was an honest study of what would happen in the event of an earthquake in Tokyo. Human struggles and so on. Some people love that stuff. I don’t.

Rebirth Chances: Average. I know the big spoiler that happens in this show and that doesn’t make me any more or less interested in picking up the show again. Also, it has only been a year since this aired and I doubt my opinion is going to change that much.

Stellvia

Dropped After: 5 episodes

Why I dropped it: Oh dear, not another one of these ones. I can remember very little whatsoever about Stellvia. I vaguely remember something about Hogwarts in space and the characters going on adventures on the spacecraft only to be caught by Severus Snape or some other pilot teacher hotshot. There was also sweets in a big jar. And body-hugging space-suits, although they’re pretty much a given when it comes to those sort of series. Otherwise I’m afraid I’m at a loss as to why I dropped it. However I must have dropped it for a reason though, right?

Rebirth Chances: High, as is always the case with shows I can’t remember a thing about. It’s decently rated, if admittedly not all that highly. I never hear anyone talk about the series at all, whether it be with disdain or praise, neither or which is exactly a good sign. However people also don’t talk about a lot of other early 00’s shows that are excellent so eh, maybe I passed over a gem that gets better I swear!

Umi Monogatari

Dropped After: 3 episodes

Why I dropped it: It’s ZECXS so you know what that means kids? Yup, it was the absolute pinnacle of averageness! Remember, being average doesn’t mean you’re bad. I wouldn’t call Rental Magica or Legendary Legend bad shows. I even gave this show a B– after the first episode. But it pretty quickly became clear what was going on with this show. Pure pure magical girl transformation sequences with cute girls being insufferably nice to each other with plenty of yuri undertones and humour innocent and fluffy and involving giant talking turtles. When you add all those together, I’m actually amazed at how much I failed to hate the show. ZEXCS and their power of averageness is truly outstanding.

Rebirth Chances: Low. The little I read from positive reviews afterwards came from the type of fan who love shows with names like Magical Musical ~Chu~ ~Chu~ Lyrical Heart and Soul Puni Puni Girl SOS, a genre that never particularly interested me as you can probably tell from my aloof and degrading attitude towards them. If I’m going to step outside my comfort zone when it comes to these sorts of shows, I’ll watch something a bit more highly rated. Like Cardcaptor Sakura or Princess Tut…oh wait…

Valkyria Chronicles

Dropped After: 6 episodes

Why I dropped it: Ah I remember this! I was instantly dismissive of the show because it was a game adaptation, and we all know they are never any good. But Valkyria Chronicles insisted on not being bad. It had a hot female lead, a tank, a bit of invention gone into the world design and a strange style of animation that gave everything the texture of wood. Around episode 3 there was a tank driving underwater. You know, pretty cool stuff. But this was all just staving off the eventual turn to crapness that was always hiding just out of view. What pushed me away was a plot twist to rival the stupidity of Alison to Lillia. When attacking a base, the main character came up with the daring plan to attack from the side! I know, he’s like the second coming of Yang Wenli.

Rebirth Chance: Above average. As you can probably see, I was more than a bit harsh on the series. All I was really doing was looking for an excuse to drop the series at the first available opportunity. Heck, Cowboy Bebop also had a miserable episode 6…wait, did I just compare Valkyria Chronicles to Cowboy Bebop? Yikes, I guess that means I should end these posts here and now.

Fantasy Anime League (FAL). Predict what will be the biggest hits of the season and earn points based on their popularity. Out of 186 competitors I came in second place. So yeah, I like to think I’m pretty good at this prediction thing.

I com­pletely encour­age any­one to link this pre­view on a forum or wherever but for gods sake do NOT copy and paste the entire thing onto a forum or your own web­site. I swear, this hap­pens more often than you might think.

Senko no Night Raid

Click here to view the embedded video.

Stu­dio: A-1 Pictures

Addi­tional Info: Second anime to air in the Anime no Chikara timslot, a timeslot devoted to anime original projects

Syn­op­sis: The story is set in Shanghai in 1931, when the Imperial Japanese Army has been dispatched to mainland China due to the relatively recent First Sino-Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War, and World War I. In this cosmopolitan city of intrigue, there is a special military spy organization called “Sakurai Kikan” that has since been buried in history.

Thoughts: Really looking forward to this myself. A-1 and Aniplex have had a slow but relatively successful start with this Anime ne Chikara project of theirs with Sora no Woto but this show looks to be much more up my alley. It’s going to be interesting to see how well they sidestep the potential dangers of positive portrayal of this period of history seeing as how the Japanese did some pretty horrible stuff. Now the staff behind this don’t exactly fill me with joy but anime original projects are always worth keeping an eye on.

Ironman

Click here to view the embedded video.

Studio: Madhouse

Additional Info: Based off Marvel Comic Book. 12 episodes long

Synopsis: Guy builds suit and whoops some badguys ass. Pretty cool stuff eh~

Thoughts: Probably the best part of this project is that Madhouse have been given total freedom to adapt this story as they wish. Now I wasn’t that big of a fan of the movie but the story was indeed an interesting one. Plus just watch that trailer. After a miserable 2009, this is Madhouse back on form with some slick animation. There’s not a whole lot of info on this out there but the name Madhouse combined with the promise of action always gets my interest up.

Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei

Stu­dio: Madhouse

Addi­tional Info: Airing in the Noitamina timeslot. Based off novel and directed by Masaaki Yuasa (Kaiba, Mind Game)

Syn­op­sis: The 2005 novel follows a nameless protagonist who is a third-year college student. The protagnoist looks back at the earlier years of his college life and his adventures with a particular circle

Thoughts: Yuasa is a nutter. Watch his anime and you will see a crazed mind at work. But with each project he makes he gradually gains control of that clearly brilliant mind of his. I personally thought we’ve seen the best out of him with Kaiba and that was his own creation. What makes me interested in this project though is that he is restricted by both the fact he’s been given source material and the fact it’s a slice-of-life series. This is normally a negative strike but restrictions is exactly what the guy needs. Give him restrictions and he’ll crate a masterpiece. I’ve also heard that this novel is a damn fine book as well. Plus it’s Noitamina! In fact, this is my most anticipated anime of the season, although I’m certain that the wacky art style will turn off most people so I’m sure you’ll see plenty of elitist blogs complaining that nobody is watching this. And you should watch this because there is nothing greater than obscure Madhouse anime. Ah, isn’t it great to see Madhouse back on form~

Arakawa Under the Bridge

Stu­dio: Shaft

Addi­tional Info: Based off manga by the same author of Saint Young Men

Syn­op­sis: The story is about the strange courtship of a successful executive in life called Kou and a mysterious woman called Nino who lives under a bridge. It all begins when Kou almost drowns in a river but is saved by Nino. For saving his life, Kou fulfills Nino’s desire to have a boyfriend. Thus, Kou becomes her boyfriend, but has to live with her under the bridge…

Thoughts: On one hand, I’m getting kinda sick of Shaft. Bakemonogatari is looking more and more like a one-hit wonder. On the other hand, fuck that, this is going to rock! I’ve read a few chapters and this is one of the most bizarrely hilarious pieces in existence and one of the few pieces out there that could probably improve with Shinbo and Shaft at the helm. I hesitate to say this because Shaft have let me down in the past, but this could just be the next great anime comedy.

Rainbow

Stu­dio:

Addi­tional Info: Based off manga

Syn­op­sis: The story of are seven teenagers in 1955, who have to learn to live together in the same hold in the reformatory of Shio. Confined in a hall where suffering and humiliation are daily, they are waiting for a ray of hope in a dark, incarcerating world. It follows their life together and how they move on afterwards.

Scamp: I’d say there’s a 50/50 chance of this airing this season and even if it does then there’s a 50/50 chance of it getting fansubbed. So I’m not getting my hopes up too high for now. The manga is one of the all-time best selling mangas worldwide and I assume there’s a reason for that. If it does air I’m going to assume the elitists of the anime world are going to sing its praises and whine that it’s not more popular. Meh, I have rather strong elitist tendencies so I’m moderately excited.

House of Five Leaves

Studio: Manglobe

Additional Info: Airing in Noitamina timeslot. Based off manga

Synopsis: The manga follows the lives of the House of FiveLeaves gang members in Edo-era Japan during the height of the shoguns rule. In particular, the masterless samurai Akitsu Masanosuke finds himself desperate for work after being let go by one lord after another for his naïvety. He becomes the bodyguard of the House of FiveLeaves gang’s charismatic leader Yaichi and discovers there is more to the gang leader than his criminal activities would suggest.

Scamp: First of all, it’s Noitamina. Anything in Noitamina deserves to be looked at after its track record. Secondly, it’s Manglobe animating Samurai’s. Hmmm, where have we seen that before? This isn’t going to be as action packed as Champloo though and the animation looks far from conventional. After their blip in the road of Sacred Blacksmith, it’s good to see Manglobe doing something proper for a change. I hesitate to get my hopes up too much for this because the author also wrote Ristorante Paradiso, one of the most yawn-inducing anime of recent times. Still, this is Manglobe X Noitamina. Must always remember the Noitamina tag.

Heroman

Stu­dio: Bones

Addi­tional Info: Based off manga by Stan Lee (Spiderman and x-men creator)

Syn­op­sis: The story will center on a boy named Joey who discovers a toy robot near the west coast of the United States. Then, the toy becomes Hero Man, a giant robot that Joey pilots against evil threats.

Thoughts: I can’t be the only one out there that can’t take this seriously, can I? I mean look at that robot. It has the star spangled banner tattooed on everywhere and a plot description that sounds like the most generic piece of crap ever made. Why the hell are you working on this Bones? Are they trying to appeal to an American audience here? Please don’t tell me Americans are gullible enough to buy into this shite.

Angel Beats

Click here to view the embedded video.

Stu­dio: P.A Works

Addi­tional Info: Original Anime Production by Jun Maeda, writer of Key Visual Novels (Air, Clannad)

Syn­op­sis: In a world after death, angels fight for their fate and their future. Yuri, the leader of the Shinda Sekai Sensen, rebels against the god who destined her to have an unreasonable life. On the otherhand, Tenshi, the chairperson of the student council for the world after death, battles against the SSS members. SSS members utilize armed weaponry to battle it out against the angels harnessing supernatural powers.

Thoughts: In a season where I’ve found myself laughing in the face of moe fans because of the relative lack of moe shows this season, this is the one that moefags are placing their hopes on. To be honest, I don’t blame them. Even I’m kinda excited about this after reading the synopsis. Most importantly is that this anime isn’t trapped by having to stick to a VN (I’m not fully sure about this but from what I could gather, Angel Beats is being released on several different mediums at once) and anime original productions always spike my interest. OK, Key Dorama isn’t really my type of anime, but this has a pretty epic sounding plot synopsis and has a Haruhi cosplayer with a gun. I can’t help but feel a little bit excited about this.

Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou

Click here to view the embedded video.

Stu­dio: Artland

Addi­tional Info: Based off light-novel series

Syn­op­sis: The story of “love, magic, and battles” revolves around Akuto Sai, a boy who aims to become part of his country’s highest order of magicians and contribute to society as one of its clergy. On the day he is admitted into the Constan Magical Academy, his aptitude test predicts the following: “Future Occupation … Devil King.” Thus begins his severe school life in which he is resented by his studious female class head, desired by a girl with mysterious powers, and guarded by a beautiful female android.

Thoughts: So, have you watched the trailer yet? Did you see the amount of tits ‘n ass? Yup, this is one of those fanservice action harems with as much T&A as possible. They are actually a dying breed in the anime world with only the occasional Ikkitousen or Queens Blade per season and you’ll rarely get more than 2. There used to be way more but it was overtaken by the moe boom around 06/07. Which is a good thing. The lack of these types of anime that is. Not the fact that moe took over.

Working!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Stu­dio: A-1 Pictures

Addi­tional Info: Based off 4-koma

Syn­op­sis: Set in a family restaurant in Hokkaido, the northern prefecture of Japan, 16 year old high school student Takanashi Souta works part-time along with his strange co-workers: Taneshima Popura, a high school girl who’s a year older than Souta who’s easily mistaken for a elementary/middle schooler, and Shirafuji Kyoko, the 28-year old store manager who doesn’t bother to do any work at all.

Thoughts: It’s utterly impossible to tell how well a 4-koma will adapt into anime form. I flicked through a few chapters and I was totally incapable of summoning any enthusiasm for it (maybe that’s just compared to the fantastic Arakawa manga) but, like every single thing in existence, will work better in anime form (mwahahaha, go my biased views, go!). How well it will adapt I have no idea and the staff are a mixed bunch. It’s worth giving a shot I suppose but it won’t be a world beater or anything.

Giant Killing

Stu­dio: Studio Deen

Addi­tional Info: Based off manga

Syn­op­sis: In Giants Killing a ragtag bunch from East Tokyo are struggling in Japan’s top football league. The team is going through an abysmal spell right now where they are nearing the bottom of the table and have lost 5 matches in a row. The loses haven’t done much to team moral, because it was already low. Fan support, on the other hand, is looking bleak. In the world of football, once the fans turn on a team the end is near. Teams don’t recover. Coaches are fired, players are sold, and teams drop to smaller divisions where profits often prevent them from ever being successful against even mediocre top division programs. East Tokyo United, ETU, can only blame their coach right now. And Coach is ready to give up this next game to prove to his team and fans, that against the biggest club in the nation he can make this team win

Thoughts: A football anime (to any Americans out there, this means rest-of-the-world football kthxbye) where the focus is actually on the coach, something that’s gotten me pretty damn interested in this. I love football and this is all about tactics, which is even more awesome. I’ve heard some very good things about the manga it’s based off  but best of all, I’ve heard the main character being described as similar to Jose Mourinho, which is a guaranteed way to ramp up my interest in anything. OK, Deen are hardly as good as Madhouse but I’m still looking forward to this

B Gata H Kei

Stu­dio: HAL Film Maker

Addi­tional Info: Based off manga

Syn­op­sis: Yamada is a virgin high school student who dreams of having 100 casual sex partners. However, she ends up targeting and pursuing only one boy

Thoughts: I thought the synopsis was actually kinda funny myself. I mean, if you were to swap the gender around and it’s a guy aiming for that would people still be as put-off by it? On the other hand, the staff are crap and the manga is meant to be crap so I don’t have any real hopes for this anyway.

Kaichou wa Maid-sama!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Stu­dio: JC Staff

Addi­tional Info: Based off manga

Syn­op­sis: A romantic comedy that centers on the student council head named Misaki Ayuzawa who despises the mostly male, slovenly population at her school, which was once an all-boys school. However, Misaki’s most handsome schoolmate just discovered her secret — that she works afterschool at a maid café.

Thoughts: A very popular shojo manga being adapted, rather oddly, by JC Staff. Now I don’t know about you but I can already sense that there’s some pretty annoyed fangirls out there by how JC are adapting this. Judging by the promo art and trailer, they seem to be trying to spread the popularity of this show by highlighting the hawt maids as well as the bishies, drawing in both a mail and female audience. This could backfire and appeal to neither audience so it’s going to be interesting to see fan reactions to this. Now I couldn’t care less about shoujo so I’m not really bothered about this but most other people do so keep an eye on it.

Hakuouki

Stu­dio: Studio Deen

Addi­tional Info: Based off PS2 game

Syn­op­sis: The protagonist, Yukimura Chizuru is the daughter of a doctor who works in Edo. The father leaves Edo to work as a volunteer doctor and moves to Kyoto without his daughter. As time passes by, Chizuru starts worrying about losing contact with her father, so she decides to go to Kyoto in search of him. On the way, Chizuru is attacked by few criminals and witnesses a fight between an oni and the Shinsengumi. Taking her into custody and saving her, the Shinsengumi debate on what to do with Chizuru when they discover that she is the daughter of the doctor they are also looking for. So they decide to become Chizuru’s protectors and help her look for her father(the doctor). Lots of events happen while she stays with the Shingensumi, as they discover mysterious secrets and also fight against the Bakumatsu group. The story is overall romantic with a historical and political background.

Thoughts: Based off a game. Interest in anime practically non-existant. Game based anime have a 98.5% chance of being rubbish and they are odds I’m willing to bet on.

Uragiri wa Boku no Namae o Shitteiru

Stu­dio: JC Staff

Addi­tional Info: Based off manga

Syn­op­sis: Sakurai Yuki is a mysterious boy with a mysterious ability. He was found in the bushes as a baby and adopted by his current family. Because of this, Yuki strives for independence. The last thing he wants is to be a burden to anybody. Furthermore, when he touches others, he can feel their emotions. Unable to control his ability, he often made insensitive blunders in the past. With death threats and his abilities increasing, what will happen when a man claiming to be his older brother appears?

Thoughts: Just because I love Hetalia doens’t mean I have now developed an interest in gay anime. Plenty of angsty bishies in this one with lots of yaoi to masturbate to (I guess you don’t call it fap when it’s women). Knock yourself out fangirls.

Mayoi Neko Overrun!

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Stu­dio: AIC

Addi­tional Info: Based off light novels

Syn­op­sis: The story revolves around Takumi Tsuzuki, a boy who lives with his older “sister” Otome, although the two have no blood ties between them. Otome manages a run-down confectionery store called Stray Cats. One day, Otome picks up a mysterious beautiful girl off the streets.

Thoughts: The order of these anime is how they appear on Chartfags Amazing Chart. He has a habit of ordering them in the order he is interested in them. Chartfag has fairly similar taste to me. Neither of us are that interested in this anime. Try watch the trailer with all those bleeding nyaa~ sounds going off the whole time.

Kiss x Sis

Stu­dio: Feel

Addi­tional Info: Had OVA series before anime. Was made specifically to attract incestious pedophiles

Syn­op­sis: Keita has two older step-sisters, Ako and Riko, but since they aren’t related by blood, they love him in a lustful way. After a mishap at school, Ako and Riko finally confess their love to him. Keita dislikes the thought of seeing them other then brother and sister, but as he tries to enter the same school as his sisters, he slowly becomes attracted to them.

Thoughts: Apparently not a hentai, even though I’m pretty sure thats a wet camel toe I can see. Actually I take that back. Two wet camel toes.

Sequels

Ookiku Furikabutte 2

Studio: A-1 Pictures

Thoughts: I still haven’t gotten around to watching this yet although I certainly plan on doing so sometime soon.

K-ON! 2

Studio: TrollAni

Thoughts: *decides to keep quiet this time around*

Ring ni Kakero 1: Shadow

Stu­dio: Toei Animaton

Thoughts: .…has anyone ever heard of this?

Movies and OVA’s

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Gundam Unicorn OVA is out already but the next one isn’t out until Autumn so a bit of a long wait there. Black Rock Shooter is something many people were excited about, including me, until I found out it was only an OVA. Hence, I’m not expecting much more than a glorified music video. For movies, it generally takes 3–5 months from screening in cinema’s to dvd so anticipating any movies coming out in theatres now is pointless. I’m the most excited about Eden of the East: The King of Eden myself, which is coming out on BD on 24th March. But that’s the only date I know. The Macross Frontier movie should be out soon. There’s also upcoming Fate Stay/Night Movie and Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha movie, neither of which I have any interest in but I’m sure have their fans. Unfortunately, we probably won’t see The Dissapearence of Haruhi Suzumiya until the summer though.

Sources

ANN, MAL, Moetron, Chartfag’s amaz­ing chart, Manga­fox, Mangaupdates, Animesuki for­ums and a whole load of other places I can’t remember. For other worthwhile season previews, there’s Metanorn (fangirly but with plenty of info and I got most of my trailers from them), Star Crossed (who has finally returned to doing season previews again), Bokutachi no Blog ( I miss doing those joint season previews…), THAT (the guys who I originally moddled my season previews off), Rabbitpoets (2 people chipping in this year) and Caraniel (there’s always a newbie each season that surprises me). I’ll update this every now and then whenever a worthwhile season preview comes along.

Overall Thoughts

Unusual lack of moe anyone? Something I’ve been seeing quite often when people are talking about this upcoming season is the moefag response of ‘K-ON 2, Angel Beats, Black Rock Shooter and nothing else’. Frankly, I’m delighted at that. There’s a limited amount of moe but the very few that are being produced are of the highest moe quality. K-ON is the absolute highest in terms of light ‘n fluffy moeblob while Angel Beats is serious moe that even I’m quite excited about. Toss out an experimental OVA or two like BRS and you have moe the way it should be: A niche genre rather than the market flooding we’ve seen in recent years. That doesn’t mean I’m enthralled by this season either. There’s no obvious big wide-audience hit like Durarara even if the spread of titles is even. There’s easilly enough to keep one interested no matter what genre of anime you like but nothing for all of anime fandom to go wild over.

Anyway, some final rankings:

Highly Anticipated: Senko no Night Raid, Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei, Arakawa Under the Bridge

Anticipated: Ironman, House of Five Leaves, Angel Beats, Giant Killing

Possible: Rainbow, Working, Kaichou wa Maid-sama!

Uninterested: Heroman, B Gata H Kai, Hakuouki,

Crap: Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou, Uragiri wa Boku no Namae o Shitteiru, Mayoi Neko Overrun!, Kiss X Sis

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

I’ve been waiting for ages for an oppertunity to post this

Yes, the new season of FMA is on it’s way!

Full Metal Alchemist Season 2

Studio: Bones

Synopsis: Humankind cannot gan anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value blah de blah you know the drill.

Neon Genisis Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, Full Metal Alchemist, Death Note and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. These 5 shows are what I consider the ‘Big 5′ of anime. Nearly everyone has seen them and they are the 5 you will see most often in different people’s favorite anime. You can probably judge what type of person someone is simply by which of these they include in their top anime.

So what I’m trying to get around to here is that Full Metal Alchemist is BIG. There is nothing really new I can say about this series, bar the fact I’m 99.9% sure that this series will follow the manga version of events. You’ll have made up your mind long ago whether you are watching it or not so there really is nothing I can see. Am I watching it myself? Of course I’m bloody watching it!

Shangri-La

Studio: Gonzo

Synopsis:The story takes place in the middle of the 21st century when global warming has turned Tokyo into a tropical city. To reduce the temperature at the heart of the city by 5°C (9°F), the city is being reborn as the world’s largest forest city. However, despite the flow of refugees to the new city of Atlas, there are not many residents who can actually live there. Moreover, anti-government guerrillas are attempting to stop the forestation

Yes, I know it says Gonzo, but I think this may be their return to glory. They’ve got some fantastic staff behind the show and I already love the promo pictures, as little as I’ve seen. So whatever you do, do NOT dismiss this because of the Gonzo tag, I think this might just be their ticket back into supremacy. Remember, they made Last Exile, anything is possible

K-ON!

Studio: Kyoto Animation

Synopisis:K-ON is about four girls trying to save their school’s music club; despite being total noobs at playing musical instruments or reading music

Sorry, but I am not a fan of much of Kyo-Ani’swork, except when they decide to work on something comedic. Thankfully, that is exactly what K-ON seems to be. It’s a story about a music club full of people who can’t actually play any music. On the other hand, I can’t find much info on the actual manga itself so I have no idea if it’s any good. Still, I’d be slightly optimistic for this one.

Eden of the East

Studio: Production IG

Synopsis:On November 22, 2010 ten missiles strike Japan. However, this unprecedented terrorist act, later to be called as “Careless Monday,” does not result in any apparent victims, and is soon forgotten by almost everyone. Then, 3 months later… Saki Morimi is a young woman currently in the United States of America on her graduation trip. But just when she is in front of the White House, Washington DC, she gets into trouble, and only the unexpected intervention of one of her fellow countrymen saves her. However, this man, who introduces himself as Akira Takizawa, is a complete mystery. He appears to have lost his memory. and he is stark naked, except for the gun he holds in one hand, and the mobile phone he’s holding withthe other hand. A phone that is charged with 8,200,000,000 yen in digital cash

When you do a preview, you check each anime’s source material. So Eden of the East is based off a novel by Nobel Prize winning author JonhSteinbeck in 1952. You know, John Steinbeck, the fellow who wrote Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath, pretty big stuff. Anywho, according to Wiki,  ‘According to his last wife Elaine, he considered this to be a requiem for himself—his greatest novel ever’. So I don’t think there’s a problem withthe source material then! The staff working behind this are…epic. I mean, Ghost in the Shell, Death Note, the music behind Gundam 00. They even planned to make a movie and everything. Production IG seem to think this will be a hit. The summary looks damn interesting, the promo pictures look…odd. Actually I’m not so convinced on the promo pictures but otherwise…wow. Keep this on your to-watch list

Guin Saga

Studio: Satelight

Synopsis:The story centers around a mysterious warrior named Guin, an amnesiac with a leopard mask magically affixed to his head. Remembering nothing but his fighting instincts and the word “Aurra”, he confronts a world laden with danger, intrigue, and magic.

From that good old reliable source of ‘a post a read in a forum’ said that the mangaka from Beserk got a lot of his inspiration from the original Guin Saga novels. From ANN  ‘100 volumes in length, Kurimoto’sGuin Saga has sold over 25 million copies and regularly made Japan’s best seller list’.On the other hand, Satelightare a bit of a hit-or-miss studio but they seemed to have picked up a potential winner withthis. The style and studio tell me ‘meh’ but you don’t sell 25 million copies without being pretty damn good. It’s worth a pop at least but I hope they make it long enough to properly cover the full story

Sengoku Basara

Studio: Production IG

Synopsis:Sengoku Basaratakes place during the Sengoku Period, or Warring States Period, during which Japan was split into many minor states battling over power and land. The game features two historical warlords as the main characters: Sanada Yukimura and Date Masamune.

This is another one of those game franchises that never turns out into a decent anime but pleases the fans of franchise. Game-based anime very rarely ever (the only reason I’m not saying never is because there must be well over 100 anime based off games and at least one of them must be vaguely enjoyable) become a good anime, so I don’t think I’ll bother with this one at all.

Gallian Chronicles

Studio: A1 Pictures

Synopsis:Valkyria Chronicles is set in a fictitious continent reminiscent of 1930s Europe — divided in two and ruled by the Empire and the Federation. The Empire has set its sights on invading a small neutral country called Gallia, which is situated in the middle of the two great empires. The story follows a hero named Welkin and his fellow soldiers of the Federation’s 7th Platoon as they engage in a series of epic battles.

Another game-based anime. I prefer the synopisis to Sengoku Basara but otherwise this really doesn’t inspire much confidence. The staff are rather inexperienced. But A1 are a good studio so we might get some fancy desert battle scenes. Heck, what am I doing, this won’t be great. Why am I trying to say a game-based anime will be any good? It will please the fans of the game and do very little more

Pandora Hearts

Studio: XEBEC

Synopsis:Oz Bezarius, heir to one of the duke houses, has just turned fifteen. His life is rich and carefree, darkened only by the constant absence of his father. At his coming-of-age ceremony, however, everything changes. For no reason that he can discern, he’s cast into the prison known as the “Abyss”, only to be saved by a “chain” known as Alice, the bloodstained black rabbit. Why was he cast into Abyss, how does Alice factor into it all, and what does the organization known as “Pandora” want with him?

Urgh…XEBEC.  I watched the trailer and it looks like Soul Eater if Soul Eater wasn’t done by Bones. Which basically means you take away the best thing about Soul Eater and you’re left with a rather pointless mess, that being Pandora Hearts. Sorry, but I really don’t like XEBEC

Saki

Studio: Gonzo

Synopsis:Miyanaga Saki is a very skilled mahjong player. One day she gets dragged into the Mahjong Club and surprises some of the other members by being able to break even after every round, a play style that developed due to the fact that her family would get mad if she won whenever they played so she would carefully lose on purpose. But here’s the catch, she hates mahjong.

Strike Witches with Mahjong. Actually no, Strike Witches apparently had a fairly good story behind all the lolita fanservice. But if Shangri-La shows the good side to Gonzo then this will show their crapside. On top of all that, the director also directed that well known masterpiece, Dragonaut…

Cross Game

Studio: ?

Synopsis: Cross Gameis the story of Kō Kitamura and the four Tsukishima sisters, Ichiyo, Wakaba, Aoba,and Momiji. The Tsukushimafamily runs a batting center with an attached coffee shop, and Kō’s father runs a neighboring sporting good store.^[1][2]Wakaba and Kō were born on the same day in the same hospital, and have been close friends since childhood—close enough that Wakaba treats Kō as her boyfriend, even though nothing is officially declared.^[1]Aoba, who is one year younger than Wakaba and Kō, doesn’t like how Kō is “taking” her sister away from her and claims she hates him.

This mangaka is one of those legendary fellows who makes practically every single good sports manga there is, such as Touch. Unfortunately he had to make it out of effing baseball! Seriously, why Baseball? You could pick soccer, rugby, basketball, Australian football, Olympic handball, hockey, ice hockey, gaelic football, anything but baseball (except golf). But if this mangaka is so legendary it’s certainly worth checking out anyway. One Outs has given me a slight tolerance towards baseball, at least more than I originally had. Otherwise, there doesn’t seem to be any info on this show at all, not even what the bloody studio is or even a website

Queens Blade

Studio: ARMS

Synopsis: A competition to decide the next Queen. The strongest warrior will rule the country and expand it. The contestants need to be older than 12. They need not be human, intelligent or even of that country. The rules for the tournament: murder is allowed. Any weapon can be chosen.

From the creators of Ikkitousen comes the next great masterpiece. Like a cross between Cowboy Bebop, Mushishi and Akira comes Queens Blade. All anime from here on will simply be known as pre-Queens or post-Queens. The next masterpiece is on it’s way and it’s name is…lol, can’t keep a straight face anymore. It’s based off a set of hentai manga  and figurines, what do you really expect?

Hayate no Gotoku 2

Studio: JC Staff

Synopsis: Hayete is a terminally debt-ridden teenage boy currently trying to pay off his debt by working as a butler.

One of the very few sequels to air this season, the first series of Hayate was fairly funny for about 12 episodes then it got boring very quickly. However for some people, 50 episodes of this debt-ridden butler wasn’t enough(!?!) so JC Staff pop along a make a sequel.  It has it’s fair share of fans though so a sequel is probably justified, unlike other seasons where they seem to make sequels out of practically anything.

Tayutama ~Kiss on my Deity~

Studio: Silver Link

Synoposis: The story centers on Yūri Mito, a student at the Sōsei Academy and the only son of the man who runs the Yachimata shrine. At Yachimata, there is a legend of a deity named Tayutayu-sama who protected the area, but this deity and other so-called “Tayutai” have been lost in time. Mitoand his friends discover a relic on the school grounds with mysterious patterns on them. Then, at the opening ceremony of the new school year, an equally mysterious girl named Mashiro appears before Mito. Mashiro is somehow tied to the relic and the legend of Tayutayu-sama.

Look, I won’t even bother insulting this one. It’s just for little girls and really creepy otakus.

Asura Cryin’

Studio: Seven Arcs

Synopsis: The semi-serious school action story revolves around Tomoharu Natsume, a boy who has been haunted by a ghosty girl who was a childhood friend

I wasn’t all that sure what to expect of this until I looked at what else the director has directed. Inukami and Sekirei. Now Inukami isn’t what you’d call your typical fanservice by any stretch of the imagination but they both fall roughly into the same category. I doubt it will be any good but I’ll probably check it out to see if there’s any worthwhile comedy. But the phrase ‘semi-serious’ turns me off a bit

Hatsukoi Limited

Studio: JC Staff

Synopsis:The manga depicted many vignettes in the everyday lives of a junior high school girl named Ayumi and seven other junior high and high school girls

Back when I first started watching anime I generally looked towards anything that had ‘ecchi’ listed as one of it’s genres. AS a result I ended up watching an awful lot of rubbish. However one of the few good manga’s I read during that time was…wait for it…Ichigo 100%! Now the anime may have been a disaster but the manga was actually very enjoyable. Anyway, my point is that this is done by the same Mangaka. I’m going to watch it, out of respect for the Ichigo 100% manga (this is actually the only time I’ve ever said or written how much I liked that manga) but I’m certainly not going to guarantee you a good anime. It will probablydefinitely have a fair amount of ecchi

07 Ghost

Studio: Studio Deen

Synopsis:Set in a gothic fantasy world, this is the story of Teito Klein, an orphaned slave who became the top military academy student. However, an unexpected turn of events left him pursued by the forces of the Barsburg Empire. Now an escaping convict, Teito’s sheltered by the church and it’s law of sanctuary. Here, he discovered many mysteries surrounding himself, the church, and the Empire itself. The fact that he might be connected to a dethroned king and the mystical stone of god, ‘The Eye of Mikhael’ made him the target of the empire more than ever. Fortunately the church is under the mythical 7 Ghost protection. But who are the Ghosts really. Will Teito be free from the military’s clutch, And what of his said mission to uncover the history. And who is the military’s Chief-of-Staff Ayanami exactly. Teito’s future seems to have spiraled into an unexpectedly perilous path.

Sounds vaguely promising, but surprisingly these Harry Potter styled shows never quite appeal to me. However the manga has some decent ratings and Studio Deen are a fairly reliable studio. I’m most certainly not expecting a masterpiece but it may be enjoyable enough to escape my vicious dropping routine.

Tears to Tiara

Studio: White Fox

Synopsis: In a world resembling the middle-age. A girl, Riannon, is set to be sacrificed to appease a resurrected demon lord, Arawn. As her brother Arthur attempts to rescue her, Arawn defies those who resurrected him and frees Riannon from her captors, which leads to Riannon admiring him

Well, it’s the same game company that made Utawarumonononoonowrumono and the premise sounds similar and they even have the same director. Utawarewhatever actually got a fair amount of good reviews, which is amazing for a game-based anime. So it would be foolish to write this off. Mind you, chances are it still won’t be any good. When I went to the website they showed me some loverly luscious girl witha cookie in her mouth with’Happy Valentines’ written beside it. And judging be that skirt-less girl in the promo picture, this may be sticking slightly closer to it’s eroge form. Although Tears to Tiara has a nice ring to it, kinda rolls off the tongue

Hanasekeru Seishounen

Studio: ?

Synopsis: A very powerful industrialist directs his daughter to pick a husband from three candidates he have chosen for her. They are to come into her life, and their uniqueness would cause her to recognize them immediately. The story evolves alone the lines of a power political mystery involving a small middle eastern country.

Oh dear lord…reverse harem, bishies, sparkles and roses. RUN AWAY, FAR AWAY!!! At least I will. Maybe some fangirls will be all over this but frankly I despise these shows, I couldn’t stand Ouran for christ sake, do you really think I’d like this?

Basquash!

Studio: Satelight

Synopsis: Basketball played by giant robots. Need I say more?

The guy who wrote Macross decided to take a wee break from all that serious stuff and make this. Look, it’s giant robots playing basketball, what’s not to like?

Requiem for the Phantom

Studio: Bee Train

Synopsis:A spate of mafia assassinations occurs in America, the work of the mysterious organization named Inferno. “Phantom” is their most strongest and capable assassin, however a lone tourist witnesses Phantom’s latest act of murder. He unwittingly exposes the top assassin’s true identity, a young girl named Ein. Witnesses are usually killed, but the man is captured and taken to be brainwashed into “Zwei”, Inferno’s newest assassin, with no memory of who he is. From this point on, Zwei is drawn into a world of conspiracy, deceit and violence.

If you’re a well-versed anime fan, you should know by now whether you like Bee Train or not. Beautiful, melancholic yet completely devoid of  humour or any sense of urgency is what you would associate with Bee Train. Stuff like Noir, Madlax, .Hack//Sign and so on. Even if you haven’t heard of Bee Train, any title (anime or not) with the word Requiem in the title should make you think of that sort of stuff. I actually have watched very little Bee Train but I did enjoy Noir so I will certainly give this a shot.

Natsu no Arashi

Studio: SHAFT

Synopsis: Thirteen-year-old Yasaka is a boy staying at his grandfather’s house during his summer vacation. One day he entered a store and met Arashi, a beautiful sixteen-year old girl working there. After trying to protect her from a man who claims to have been hired by her family to take her back by force, Yasakaran away withher and now she stays at his grandpa’s place with him. It didn’t take much time for Yasaka to figure out that his new friend is far from an ordinary girl, as she possesses mysterious powers. The plot thickens when he finds a sixty-year-old picture of Arashi and another girl named Kaja, and to the surprise of all Kaja suddenly appears, and just like Arashi, her appearance hasn’t changed at all since then

Take the Mangaka fom School Rumble. Give him lots of angry letters from fans saying they wished he concentrated more on the romances he created rather than being a gag manga. Now tell him to make a new manga.This time he focuses more on the relationships yet you can keep his ability to create amazing character and his knack for the hilarious. Now combine this with Shaft, who I amn’t a huge fan of but even I notice quality animation when it hits me in the face with a wet fish, and what you get is this: Natsu no Arashi. Keep your eye on this

Ristorante Paradiso

Studio: David Production

Synopsis:The manga’s story is set in a restaurant in Rome that the heroine Nicolettavisits from the countryside. Her parents divorced when she was young, so her grandparents raised her while her mother tried to remarry. Unfortunately for Nicoletta, her mother abandons her even after remarrying. Nicoletta goes to the restaurant that is now owned by the new husband of Nicoletta’s mother, and ends up apprenticing there among a kitchen staff of colorful characters

I can’t find much on this at all and David Production…? I do like the artwork and it’s about fantastic Italian food, which may I just take a moment to say is by far the best in the world. I’ll check it out any, it’s only 11 episodes long.

And so on…

There’s a bunch of other shows, most of them are just kids shows. There’s a few OVA’s as well which may delight but more likely will dissapoint. Also soon enough the new Gurren Lagann movie will come, as will the Eureka Seven movie so there’s always a few more stuff to look forward to.

Final Ratings:

F:Tayutama ~Kiss on my Deity~, Queens Blade

E:Hanasekeru Seishounen, Saki, Sengoku Basara

D:Tears to Tiara, Asura Cryin’, Gallian Chronicles, Pandora Hearts

C:Ristorante Paradiso, 07 Ghost, Hatsukoi Limited, Guin Saga, K-ON

B:Natsu no Arashi, Requiem for the Phantom, Basquash, Cross Game,

A:Eden of the East, Shangri-La

(FM)A: Full Metal Alchemist!

To all those folk who actually read down this far, I just have one question for you:

What are you going to watch?