Spring Season

[mokenju1]

Well, after watching some episodes I can start dropping some of the animes I started to watch.

- Romeo x Juliet -> The scene of love at first sight with moaning Juliet has convinced me at last. Dropped.

- Lovely Complex -> It seems they are trying to condense one volume of the manga in each episode (15-16 episodes then?). I find it hilarious but I've read the manga first so I don't know if people who hasn't read it can find it rushed. I'll keep watching this.

- Lucky Star -> Just... no. Dropped.

- Darker than Black -> I love it. I would prefere that it was less episodic though.

- Hayate no Gotoku! -> The first episode was great, but I have the bad feeling that the fourth wall jokes are going to grow old too soon. We'll see...

- Nanoha StrikerS -> Are they sure that the story is still about Nanoha?. Dropped.

- Seirei no Moribito -> It's great since the opening till the ending. Drop this?... Are you insane? XD.

- Nodame Cantabile -> It's not the Dorama, but it's nice to see some things of the manga that were not covered by the live action adaptation.

- Emily of the New Moon -> I love old fashioned anime and I love Lucy M. Montgomery works, so yes I must watch this...

- Bokurano -> It's ok. I need more time to know if I actually like it.

- Saiunkoku Monogatari II -> Reverse harem and god plot, I can't really ask for more . If this one had the quality animation its story deserves it would be one of my all times favorites.

- Claymore -> It's like Berserk. But I prefer Berserk so I don't know if it's really worth the time to watch it...

And I have still many animes I just hadn't the time to "check". But I'm watching more anime than I should anyway .

[DaFool]

- Romeo x Juliet -> Characters too damn wide-eyed and cute. Definitely must follow

- Lovely Complex -> Too crappy production values. Dropped.

- Lucky Star -> Overhyped. Dropped.

- Darker than Black -> Epic stuff. Bones + Yoko Kanno = Immediate Winner.

- Hayate no Gotoku! -> Seriously, I am only watching it only to listen to the KOTOKO songs. The content, even the otaku in-jokes, are crap, but who cares. KOTOKO rules.

- Nanoha StrikerS -> It's a bit disappointing, but am still watching.

- Seirei no Moribito -> Production IG's current masterpiece.

- Nodame Cantabile -> still following (by the way, this isn't a 'new' season anime I think)

- Emily of the New Moon -> I don't think there's an English sub of this yet (please PM me if there is). I like masterpiece theater type things, although I rarely finish such series.

- Bokurano -> Cool OP song. But I've had it with grade schoolers and giant robots. Especially 15? 14? damn that's a lot of kids.

- Saiunkoku Monogatari II -> reverse harem not my thing.

- Claymore -> I don't care for emo boy, but them silver-eyed witches keep me coming back for more. It sure isn't going to be Berserk story-wise, but the atmosphere...I love it!

- Heroic Age - mankind's quest to become GOD. I'm sold on the premise. Plus, hot princess alert.

- Monster Princess / Kaibutsu Oujo - really crappy production. bah.

- Sola - If there is one non KyoAni renai port that is actually good, it's this one. I haven't rewatched an anime episode just to go moe over the girls in ages. A winner for me.

- Idolmaster Xenoglossia - It's getting old, but I still like the cute characters. Not dropping anytime soon.

- Overdrive - Main character too much of a wuss. Drop.

- Shining Tears X Wind - Really crappy production. Even the Tony Taka character designs didn't save it from wallowing in its own crappiness.

- Hitohira - it feels hauntingly like a Little Witch visual novel (same character designer? Same color stylist?) Too bad it isn't subbed too often.

- Gigantic Formula - It feels like Kamichu! but with giant robots. Seriously. Well I loved Kamichu (don't like robots) but I'm following this so far.

- Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - Gainax at its best. Never old, the otaku and sexual in-jokes hit hard and often.

- Moonlight Mile - I don't like the main character at all. And too bad it probably won't even match Planetes in scientific accuracy.

- Kamichama Karin - too random. Not impressed.

- Seto no Hanayome - still need to see if I'll like how the premise develops. Mermaids...I'm intrigued.

- Nagasarete Airantou - this is the crappy harem anime I expect in every season.

- Saint Beast ***** - bishounen alert. Avoid like the plague.

- El Cazador de la bruja - was gonna write it off as another Noir knockoff, but the delivery was actually decent. Still following.

- Rocket Girls - F**cking Awesome. Nuff said.

- Kaze no Stigma - Yawn

- Kiss Dum Engage Planet - um, please don't introduce so many characters and end the world just in the first episode. There's nothing left for me to look forward to.

- Koutetsushin Jeeg - this style of big robots is not for me. Didn't even watch an episode of it.

- Koutetsu Sangokushi - characters look like they came straight out from some yaoi.


I'm still awaiting subs for Sisters of Wellber and Dennou Coil

[PyTom]

A couple of series carried over from last season:

- Rocket Girls -> A space-geek's dream. Perhaps even a space-geek's wet dream. Enough said. Anticipating, Watching 1x, occasionally pausing to look things up, or to check the series' math.

- Les Miserables -> It lets me feel all literary-like, without having to read a giant book, or go into the city to watch the musical. So far, nothing about waterloo. Watching 2x.

- Manabi Straight -> A whole lot of fun. Anticipating, Watching 1-2x.

New ones from the spring season.

- Heroic Age - Something like starship troopers meets gundam seed. Feral boy is kinda fun... this one is on the cusp, but I'm still watching 2x.

- Lucky Star - Ep 2 was enough that I'll probably give this one a few more episodes. The OP appears to be a failed attempt at catching the magic that was Haruhi. It's catchy, but you can't bottle success. Watching 2x, at least for a few more eps.

- Overdrive - I had forgotten what this one was about. Bicycling, apparently. Dropped.

- El Cazador de la Bruha - Cowboy action lesbians. And one of them might be a cyborg or magical or something. Girls + Guns == Fun. Anticipating, Watching 1-2x.

- Sola - Looking forward to each episode of this one. I'm not sure where it's going, but I want to see how it gets there. Anticipating, Watching 2x.

- Claymore - Saw the first episode, enjoyed it somewhat. Couldn't be bothered to download the second. Might pick it up, might not.

- Moonlight Mile - If you know why cosmonauts piss on the rear wheel of the van taking them to the launch pad, you might like this one. Otherwise, give it a pass. I do know, so still watching 2x.

- Kami-Chama Karin - Saw the first episode, downloaded 2 and 3. Haven't brought myself to watch them yet.

- Lovely Complex - Not for me. Dropped.

- Shining Tears x Wind - Didn't I see this one already, in some other series? Dropped.

- Gigantic Formula. Kids piloting giant robots in lieu of war. I need to see if any more of this has come out.

- Darker then Black - I don't even remember watching this one, although my computer tells me I did. Dropped.

- Kiss Dum - Engage Planet - Got bored halfway through the episode. Dropped.

- Nagarasete Airantou - I'd like to think that if I was in the male lead's position, I'd learn to make the most of it... several times a day. A fun show. Watching 2x.

- Nanoha StrikerS - Not sure who the show is about, really... or if it's just an excuse to show Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate in bed together. They'd better start the plot real soon now, and stop introducing new characters. Or at least show more of Reinforce-chan, and come out with a 1:1 scale figure. Still watching 2x, for now.

- Gurren Lagan - Cracked the code in episode 2, which is always a fun exercise. Watching 2x, but pausing if I see something I can translate.

- Hitohira - I'd probably be watching 2x, if there was more than one episode out.

- Hayate - Quite funny, just like the manga was. Watching 1-2x.

- Sakura Taisen New York, NY (OVA) - "We saved the world, and New York!" I'm watching mostly to see how much NY name-dropping they can fit in a half hour OVA, rather than because it's good or anything. Watching 2x.

- iDOLM@STER Xenoglossia - I wouldn't have though of turning Idolmaster into a giant robot show... but you know what, it works. Anticipating, Watching 1-2x.

- Touka Getten - If you take a boring hentai, and take the boring h-scenes out of it, do you get a non-boring anime? No.

- Bokurano - I have no idea what's going on. But I want to find out. Watching 2x.

- Romeo x Juliet - I wish they could spell William Shakespeare's name right in the opening. Otherwise, an interesting series. Watching 2x.

Key:

Anticipating - I will download as soon as it becomes available, and watch at my first opportunity once the download has finished.

Watching 1x, 2x - Watching at single or double speed. I watch most series at double speed, since I can take in the subtitles at that rate, and mentally drop the pitch of the music. It's not much of a superpower, but it beats "Aquatic Telepathy" on most days.

[monele]

Nodame Cantabile : I was wary at first but it's actually hella fun!... need more eps ;o;...

Manabi Straight : I never thought I'd go for moe o_O... Mikaaaaannn~ <3

Sola : uhh... wtf?...

Rocket Girls : still have to watch the first ep.

IdolM@ster : hmmm... I don't get why they did what they did. Reminds me a lot of Mai Hime... a bit too much... I *might* get the second episode but I don't know. (and darn, I like mechas! :/)

Mahoraba : probably old by now but hey, it's never too late! XD... Well, a refreshing take on the youth inn harem comedy since... there's no harem! It's good to see an anime where the girls aren't all over the only boy ^^.

Lucky Star : I'm curious... been recommended by someone too... I'll probably get the first and second ep

(ne, what's "watching 2x" ? o_O...)
Ok... just read the desc XD... Wow... watching 2x..... no wai o_o

[DrakeNavarone]

Hayate no Gotoku -> Well, since Lucky Star isn't really bringing in the lulz, this is the forerunner for me in the comedy department. Plus Rie Kugimiya for my tsundere fix. Watching it and loving it.

Lucky Star -> The real reason I'm bothering to watch this is Lucky Channel. Though I'm sure the novelty of the joke will wear off eventually, probably even soon. However, the second episode was funnier, so it could be inversely proportional... Watching now, dropping later maybe.

Sola -> I'm enjoying it. Nothing special so far, but it's still a nice show. Waiting to see where it'll go. Watching.

Darker than Black -> I've only gotten around to seeing one episode, but I was intrigued by what I saw. I'll definitely keep watching this one.

Lovely Complex -> I don't know why, but this one just hit me. I can't explain it, even to myself, but I like it, a lot, and I've only seen the first episode. Initially, the character designs reminded me somewhat of Bokura ga Ita, until I saw the two leads standing next to each other, hahaha. The pace was kind of fast, but this is a show that can benefit from a high-energy approach. Watching.

Nodame Cantabile & Manabi Straight -> Lumping them together because I'm dropping them for the same reason. I'm not one to complain about slow subbing, but if you add the leftovers from last season to the new ones from this season, it adds up. I have to cut some strings if I'm ever going to get work done, I'm such a slow writer... (though I just have to keep watching Hidamari Sketch. I love it too damn much). Both Dropped, regretfully.

Claymore -> Only watched about a minute of it. It's not really my thing, but I could've grown to like it. But I'm making cuts, trying to keep my number of shows small, and this just didn't meet the cut off point. Dropped.

Kami-Chama Karin -> No, but I did like the opening. Yes, all Ali Project songs do sound the same, but I'm pretty tasteless... Dropped.

Shining Tears x Wind -> I know I downloaded the first episode, but deleted it before I even watched it. I haven't been hearing great things anyway. Dropped before given a chance.

Nagarasete Airantou -> I actually liked this one, despite it's genericness. We've all see it a thousand times before, but still, I liked it. However, I still cut it due to its genericness. Dropped to make room for better shows.

Hitohira -> I lasted five minutes with this one. It didn't leave enough of an impression to keep. I'm probably not being very fair to some series, but I know how easily distracted I can get, so it's best to limit my options. Dropped.

Nanoha StrikerS -> Uh, I actually haven't finished watching the first season... (What?! Blasphemy!!) so there's no interest. Not even bothering to download.

I've got two episodes of both Bokurano and El Cazador sitting on my laptop, but I haven't watched them yet. Actually, I've tried to watch Bokurano four times already, but can't make it past the OP without rewatching it a hundred times. And unless there's a real epic out there, the only other show I'm gonna bother looking at is Seirei no Moribito, since I've heard good things. Oh, and since monele's bringing up out of season anime we're just getting around to watch, I've decided to give Simoun another try. I only watched the first four episodes while it was still airing, but at the time, I just wasn't up to watching it. But even going back over what I've already seen now, I'm looking at it differently. Might actually finish it.

[mokenju1]

You are right, Nodame Cantabile isn't from the Spring season. But I've included it in my list because the 11th episode is the first one I have actually watched (I think the voice of Nodame in the anime is a little disgusting, thus I've been waiting that they showed something that wasn't covered in the dorama.)

And about Emily of New Moon there's no English subs yet. And I find it rather surprinsing bearing in mind this anime has plenty of lolis, mechas and dancing openings .

[Scout]

I'm kinda surprised by this season in general. There's a whole lot of stuff I thought I wouldn't like and almost didn't bother with, only to be surprised.

Romeo x Juliet -> I have pretty high expectations for this, and so far, they've absolutely been met. It's far too early to say so far how well it works as an adaptation, but on its own merits, it's great.

Sola -> It's... pretty not compelling. Not bad enough for me to immediately drop, but I don't think I'll end up watching much more.

Idolmaster Xenoglossia -> Probably another that I won't see through, but I was pleasantly surprised by the first episode. It doesn't seem like it should be good, and I can't quantify what is enjoyable about it in any way... but somehow it is anyway. I'll give it a chance.

Hayate no Gotoku -> Absolutely hilarious. I like it.

Heroic Age -> If only the rest of the first episode could live up to the premise introduced in the first five minutes. Definitely dropped.

Gurren Lagan -> I don't usually like mecha, but this is too crazy NOT to watch. Definitely digging it, pun not intended.

Rocket Girls -> I can't believe I nearly didn't watch this, brushing it off as something stupid. It's GREAT. And in case I wasn't completely sold by the first episode ("It's so easy, even a monkey can do it!"), it gets better. It's like someone sat down and tried to produce the perfect series for me. Absolutely yes.

Moonlight Mile -> This, on the other hand, I was actually excited about... I don't know HOW you manage to screw up something about unlikely astronauts and nuclear power on the moon by making it too macho, but somehow they did. Bleh.

Darker than Black -> Again, nearly didn't watch this, and I'm glad I did. I figured it would be boring action-y, but the premise is actually fascinating, and I'm definitely curious as to what's going on.

Lovely Complex -> I only watched this because it kept being mentioned here... and wow, it's great. I absolutely LOVE Risa (possibly because she reminds me of myself? Nah...), I can't believe I nearly missed this.

El Cazador de la Bruja -> I figured it would be pretty generic, but the characters seem great (although I'm not nearly as hopeful as PyTom) and the setting is really interesting. I have the strong suspicion that it's not going to continue to be worth watching as they delve into the main story, but as it stands right now, I really like it.

Nanoha StrikerS -> Okay, I lied, I'm not actually watching it; since I still have to go through the second series. I'm just not even sure if that's worth it.

All in all, I've been really impressed. I think I need to start looking into stuff that sounds uninteresting more often.

[PyTom]

Added another series:

- Seto no Hanayome - A mermaid yakuza romance comedy. When a mermaid saves a man, she must die. Or he must die. Or they must get married. At least one of them is the mermaid yakuza way.

[EwanG]

No one else is watching Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann?

Yes it is mecha, but it's good mecha from some of the same folks who brought you Fooly Cooly. Not to mention a fight on 2ch between the producers and some fans got one of the GAINAX folks to actually resign.

How many series can make that claim?

[mikey]

- Seto no Hanayome - A mermaid yakuza romance comedy. When a mermaid saves a man, she must die. Or he must die. Or they must get married. At least one of them is the mermaid yakuza way.

Mermaid yakuza romance comedy... I'm trying to picture how they made their pitch to the producers with this one...

Where is my Aika, actually? Is it out yet? That was the only thing I wanted to watch.

[monele]

Gurren Lagann rocks my socks ^.^... But eh, I'm a sucker for Gainax's over the top robot animes XD...

Not to mention a fight on 2ch between the producers and some fans got one of the GAINAX folks to actually resign.

Nyeeh? What happened exactly? ô_o

[DaFool]

monele >> I suggest heading over to heiseidemocracy.com for the links to the best write-ups regarding the affair (I would point directly to the write-ups but am too lazy right now gomen ^_^)

mikey >> I think it's an OVA. I did see what I thought was a raw floating around, but am still waiting for a sub.

[EwanG]

The link I have over the controversy:

http://animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-0 ... rom-gainax

Now reports of a (possibly fake) directorial change for Lucky Star as well:

http://kurogane.animeblogger.net/2007/0 ... or-change/

Seems like the productions are almost as dramatic as the series...

[monele]

(sorry to hog the thread with this but I'm curious... I'd also like multiple people to be able to reply... if it goes for more than a few posts, still, I'll just make a new thread)

So, I don't really get it... 2ch people thought Gurren sucked... and then someone from his staff tried to understand and did not (makes sense... I mean... 2ch...), and then they actually change the way it's done (@_@) and 2ch think it's even worse and the original director now steps back??... Uhh... eh?...

[GLACIER]

So, I don't really get it... 2ch people thought Gurren sucked... and then someone from his staff tried to understand and did not (makes sense... I mean... 2ch...), and then they actually change the way it's done (@_@) and 2ch think it's even worse and the original director now steps back??... Uhh... eh?...

Gainax didn't change anything. Ep. 4 featured a guest director (who is apparently known for experimental, non-mainstream work), so the animation style turned out quite differently from the first three episodes. Many viewers disliked the new style and/or were put off by how inconsistent it was with the rest of the series.

Keiko Mimori's original blog entry (and the response by Takami Akai) didn't garner much attention. However, once her Ep. 4 comments (which basically implied that lay otaku are too stupid to appreciate the director's art) were quoted, more people read and were offended by the former.

The producer of the series (Akai, who is probably best known for his work as a computer game creator. Recent Princess Maker games were trashed by otaku, so some frustration possibly stems from that) resigned from Gainax's board of directors over the incident. The anime market depends greatly on the support of otaku, so the company was probably compelled to appease those folks.