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On paper, Spring 2012 looks like the best anime season since 2007. There are quite a few extremely high-profile projects, several niche series of interest, and a theoretical return to form for NoitaminA after by far its worst season ever. Full previews and detailed analysis are below the fold. As always, please share your most anticipated Spring series in the poll.
As good as the season looks, there is a cautionary note for me. I’ve long been an advocate of the notion that a director is extremely important to an anime’s success or failure, and probably the most underappreciated one. And while Spring looks great based on the synopses, it doesn’t look as great based on directors. The last couple have seasons have featured strong contingents of talented veteran directors, and their shows have predictably been among the best of the season. For Spring, we have a larger proportion of less-known directors, or those whose track record is less than stellar. Among the big guns it’s really Watanabe Shinichiro with Apollon – a question mark as he’s been largely inactive over the last decade – and Nakamura Kenji with Tsuritama, a question mark because his last NoitaminA series was a mixed bag at best. Outside of NoitaminA there’s not much in terms of name directors apart from Mizushima Seiji (who I rank a notch or two below the top level), and his Natsuiro Kiseki is a show whose premise is of very little interest to me.
As always, the preview isn’t comprehensive – it’s just the shows that catch my eye going in. Assume I’ll watch every new series at least once regardless of whether it’s in this preview or not, and assume I’ll blog at least one or two shows not in the preview. With relatively few multi-cour carryovers from Winter I’m going to be pretty open to blogging new series, at least in trial form. No firm plans for which shows I’ll be blogging at Random Curiosity (as you may know that site is making some changes at the moment) but as of now I’ll plan to once again simulcast those series at both sites.
And now, the previews:
Jormungand – White Fox (Tuesdays 24:30, TV Tokyo, Premières 4/10, 12 Episodes)
Director: Motonaga Keitaro Writer: Kuroda Yousuke Preview Preview 2:
I’m a bit worried that Motonaga – director of the abomination School Days – is in charge, but I’m inclined the blame the failure of that show more on the material as the show was technically quite good. Kuroda is a solid writer, White Fox aced it with Steins;Gate, and this story of Jonah, a child soldier who joins a memorable gang of mercenaries, is a really good manga – dark, edgy and difficult. It needs more than one cour to properly tell its story, which could be a real problem. EDIT: Second cour was just announced (3/19) for Fall 2012, so series length shouldn’t be an issue.
Eureka Seven: Astral Ocean – BONES (Thursdays 25:55, MBS, Premières 4/12)
Director: Kyoda Tomoki Writer: TBA Preview PV2:
BONES revives arguably its signature property, and let’s hope more successfully than Gonzo did with Last Exile. E7 was a big series for me as an anime fan, flawed and overcomplicated but compelling as seemingly all classic BONES series were. The A studio is working on this one, with Kyoda and most of the staff back, though the absence of writer Sato Dai is worrisome. The first two manga chapters are out and I like them, though they don’t tell us much. Kudos to BONES for casting a real live boy as Ao. The fans are dismissing this one as a disaster before it even premières, but I see no reason for such defeatism – I’m hopeful this will be a multi-cour series that does the brand proud. If not, I’ll be almost as sad as I am about “Fam”.
Tsuritama – A-1 Pictures (Thursdays 25:15, Fuji TV, Premières 4/12, 11 Episodes)
Director: Nakamura Kenji Writer: Ono Toshiya Preview:
Nakamura returns to NoitaminA to try and redeem himself for C, and this looks like a very interesting series. A real departure for Nakamura, it’s a slice-of-life about four high-school boys in a fishing town, with a seeming ecological bent and elements of science-fiction. Terrific cast is lead by Miyu Irino and Sugita Tomokazu. Hopefully this portends a return to form for both the director and the NoitaminA block, and it’s great to see more of these type of shows featuring guys. It’ll be interesting to see how Nakamura-sensei fares with seemingly gentler and more wistful material than he’s used to.
Sakamichi no Apollon – MAPPA/Tezuka Productions (Thursdays 24:45, Fuji TV, Premières 4/12, Episodes: TBA)
Director: Watanabe Shinichiro Writer: Katoh Ayako/Kakihara Yuuko Preview:
When the director of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo returns to TV, it’s news. I don’t know the manga, but it’s definitely a different vibe than the usual anime fare – jazz-themed, guy-centric yet Josei, with a retro look that reminds me of Taniguchi Jiro. In short, this is exactly the sort of thing that should be on NoitaminA – shows that otherwise wouldn’t be produced. I don’t know if Watanabe-sensei’s presence is enough to prevent this from failing commercially, but it’ll be interesting to find out. Rock-solid cast of unassuming but talented seiyuu.
Ozma – LandQ Studios (Fridays 24:00, WOWOW, Premières 3/16, 6 Episodes)
Director: Ikezoe Takahiro Writer: Takegami Junki
LandQ’s first series as lead studio is an interesting one – a never-produced concept by industry giant Matsumoto Leiji, arguably the most important mangaka of the post-Tezuka era. We’ve got humans dying out in the distant future, clones, mecha, and dystopia. Anything attached to Matsumoto-sama deserves attention, though I’m the first to admit my expectations are fairly modest. 69 year-old stalwart Takahashi Ryosuke is on-board as supervising director.
Uchuu Kyoudai – A-1 Pictures (Sundays 07:00, YTV, Premières 4/1, 48 Episodes)
Director: Watanabe Ayumu Writer: Uezu Makoto Preview:
I sense the potential for greatness here. Four cours, superb source manga, fantastic premise – two brothers see a UFO as children and dream of becoming astronauts as a result. This is a story with everything – sibling dynamics, chasing a dream, sci-fi… A-1 is a studio that can be relied upon to deliver solid production values, and the staff seems fine – Uezu has a striking mix of great and awful adaptations, which tells me he’s as good as his source material (in this case, great) and Watanabe is known mostly for Doraemon. This is going to be all-ages, family friendly material but don’t sell it short because of that.
Ginga e Kickoff!! – TYO Animations (Tuesdays 19:00, BS Premium, Premières 4/3)
Director: Uda Konosuke Writer: Yamada Takashi
I’m a sucker for sports anime, what can I say – even though they often disappoint me. I don’t know the source novel but the premise sounds interesting – middle-school boy is inspired to revive his disbanded soccer club after meeting a women’s professional footballer. There are hints that this could be better than boilerplate – Uda is the director of One Piece, and Yamada’s résumé is loaded with very, very good adaptations.
Kuroko no Basuke – Production I.G. (Saturdays 25:58, MBS/Tokyo MX, Premières 4/7)
Director: Tada Shunsuke Writer: Takagi Noboru Preview:
I’m a sucker for… You know. In this case I do know the manga somewhat, and I rather like it. The story centers on Kuroko, a legendary middle-school basketballer who’s better than everyone on his HS team despite being small, scrawny and nondescript. With a studio like I.G. attached I have to be hopeful, though they’re not the guarantor of quality they once were. Takagi has a good track record as a writer. The stellar cast features three Onos, no waiting (Yuuki, Kensho and Daisuke) and it’s great to hear Ono Kensho again (as Kuroko) after he was so fantastic in Ghost Hound.
Tasogare Otome x Amnesia – Silver Link (Sundays 24:30, Chiba TV/Sun TV, Premières 4/8, 12 Episodes)
Director: Oonuma Shin Writer: Takayama Katsuhiko
Preview:
If it’s Silver Link it must be Oonuma Shin, and that means this Shinbou protégé’s very distinctive style – which in my experience either works splendidly or results in disaster. It’s an adaptation of a manga about a dead girl haunting a school building, and the boy who’s the only one who can see her in ghost form. I hear pretty good things about the manga, and Takayama’s adaptation work (Mirai Nikki, Ef, Natsu no Arashi) is generally quite good. Possible sleeper material.
Hyou-ka – Kyoto Animation (Sundays, 24:00, Chiba TV, Premières 4/22, 21 Episodes)
Director: Takemoto Yasuhiro Writer: Gato Shouji Preview
Anytime KyoAni ventures into series animation it’s news, especially as they’ve been so quiet as of late. And what’s this, a KyoAni school life series with a male lead and mixed-gender cast? Yes, that was a pig that just flew by your window. It’s KyoAni and the character designs by KyoAni stalwart Nishiya Futoshi are absurdly cute. Takemoto and Gato are KyoAni vets, and both worked on Fullmetal Panic as well. Based on a novel by Yonezawa Honobu, this looks like a lighter mystery theme set in the Classic Literature Club. The cast is full of KyoAni regulars too. In short, expect what you usually get from these guys – great animation, bright and detailed art and a KyoAni feel through and through.
Fate/Zero Season 2 – ufotable (Saturdays, 24:00, Tokyo MX, Premières 4/07, 12 Episodes)
Director: Aoki Ei Writer: Sato Takuya Preview: PV2
A no-brainer. One of the most impressive shows of 2011 returns to finish its run, and I’ll be there. S1 was rock-solid in all aspects – top-quality animation, slick direction and a compelling story by Urobuchi Gen.
Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? Of the Dead – DEEN (Wednesdays, 24:00, Tokyo MX, Premières 4/4, 10 Episodes)
Director: Kanasaki Takaomi Writer: Uezu Makoto Preview:
I’m right on the edge with this one. I liked the first season, but progressively less as it progressed, and I was very close to dropping the series by the end. I don’t really see a need for this sequel, but I’ll give it a chance for at least a few eps to see if can reproduce the edgy yet oddly warm humor of the first half of the first season. Perhaps Uezu Makoto as writer (he did not adapt S1) will produce better results.
Haiyore! Nyaruko-san – Xebec (Mondays, 26:00, TV Tokyo/ATX, Premières 4/9, 12 Episodes)
Director: Nagasawa Tsuyoshi Writer: Kimura Noboru PV:
An anime adaptation of a flash anime about a Cthulhu demon who saves a high school boy from aliens? No, I didn’t hit my head and I’m not drunk – and I pretty much do expect this to suck. But I have that morbid curiosity you get when passing a traffic accident, and I’m curious enough to see how badly Lovecraft is mangled this time that I’ll give it a couple of looks.
Kimi to Boku Season 2 – JC Staff (Mondays, 25:30, TV Tokyo, Premières 4/2, 13 Episodes)
Director: Kanbe Mamoru Writer: Yoshida Reiko Preview:
No changes in the team for this one, so expect more of the same. And that’s generally a pretty good thing, as the first season got tolerably entertaining after Irino Miyu joined the cast as Chizuru. Daily Lives of High School Boys this isn’t – these are shoujo boys, non-threatening, and most of the material could as easily feature in a series starring girls as guys. Still, the humor took on an agreeably quirky tone in the second half of the season and that’s enough to make me think I’ll blog the second, in digest form anyway.
Accel World – Sunrise (Fridays 24:30, Tokyo MX, Premières 4/6, 24 Episodes)
Director: Obara Masakazu Writer: Yoshino Hiroyuki Preview:
He’s baaaaaack… Yoshino Hiroyuki, fresh off the triumph of writing that is Guilty Crown, is writing the adaptation of Kawahara Reki’s popular light novels. I have hopes he’ll do better with someone else’s story as a base, and Obara has worked on some very good shows. I know these LNs are popular, and it’s an interesting premise – in 2046, a fat kid at the bottom of the caste system at his middle school becomes a Knight protecting a Princess through the miracle of VR. I may be crazy to say it, but I get sleeper vibes from this one.
Nazo no Kanojo X – Hoods Entertainment (Saturdays 25:30, Tokyo MX, Premières 4/7, 13 Episodes)
Director: Watanabe Ayumu Writer: Akao Deko Preview:
I was wondering why this looked so familiar to me, as I had never seen the manga as far as I knew. Then I remembered – I bought a doujin of this from Toranoana in Akihabara a couple of years ago, having no idea what this was – I just liked the artwork. Well, I still like the manga art – and it seems to have survived the transition to anime remarkably intact. I’ll be honest, I find the central conceit – effectively, boy tastes a girl’s spittle and becomes her slave – rather gross. But I hear good things about the manga from a story and character standpoint, and I’m curious to see where this goes. Watanabe is also directing Uchuu Kyoudai – and he seems like a very odd choice for this material, indeed.
Medaka Box – Gainax (Wednesdays 25:50, TV Tokyo, Premières 4/4,)
Director: Saeki Shouji Writer: Saeki Shouji Preview:
I’ll be honest, this looks pretty dumb to me – and as you may know, I find pretty much everything written by Nisio Isin to be insufferably self-aware and pretentious. But this is GAINAX, my anime first love, and Saeki-sensei is one of the last of the old guard left – and not only that, a very important contributor to FLCL, which is an anime I admire and adore almost beyond all reason. Out of loyalty to him and nostalgia for GAINAX, I have no choice but to check my distaste for Nisio at the door and hope this seitaokai story surprises me.
And let us not forget…
Game of Thrones Season 2 – HBO (Sundays 22:00, HBO, Premières 4/1, 10 Episodes)
Director: Alan Taylor/Various Writer: George R.R. Martin Preview:
No, it’s not anime – but it’s damn good TV and I’ll be blogging it. At the time I watched S1 I hadn’t read the novels. It was good enough to make me read every page available (and that’s a lot) including the “Dunk & Egg” novellas, and I fear it may have ruined the TV adaptation for me just a bit. But be that as it may, I can tell you that the good stuff really hasn’t even started yet, and I expect lots of gory, smutty, fun in S2.
Will Definitely Blog: Jormungand, Eureka Seven Astral Ocean, Sakamichi no Apollon, Tsuritama, Uchuu Kyoudai, Kuroko no Basuke, Hyou-ka, Fate/Zero S2, Game of Thrones S2
OVA/Movie:
We have an extremely interesting crop of theatrical and OVA releases to go along with the bumper crop of TV series. Here’s a rundown of a few I’ll be keeping my eye on, including a few from March.
- Nekogami Yaoyarozu (OVA) – 3/21: A real sleeper favorite of mine in 2011, I love this show and look forward to the OVA.
- Rurouni Kenshin Shin Kyoto-Hen Vol. 1 (OVA) – 3/21: Obviously. I’ve heard no reviews of the brief theatrical run of “WTF Were You Thinking Deen-Hen”, but this is RK so I’ll watch it and hope. It’s a big year for RK with the manga return and the live-action, and every true fan hopes this is all leading up to an adaptation of the holy grail of Rurouni Kenshin, the Jinchu Arc. Hopefully Okada Mari hasn’t totally trashed whatever dignity the anime had left after “Reflection” was done abusing it.
- Mirai Nikki Unaired Episode (OVA) – 3/30: No idea what this blu-ray bundled ep is, but of course I’ll be watching with interest.
- Space Battleship Yamato 2199 (Theatrical) – 4/7: If you need me to sell you on this, turn in your anime fan card at the door.
- UN-GO “Episode 0” (OVA) – 4/20: The origin story at long last, and bundled with two new anime shorts to boot.
- Thermae Romae (OVA) – 4/20: An unaired episode of the brief but blisteringly smart and funny 3-episode NoitaminA series.
- Another (OVA) – 5/2012: Episode 0 of the stellar PA Works horror mystery, looks to be a very moe-fied take on the series. I’m thinking this might just be brilliant.
- Niji-iro Hotaru ~Eien no Natsu Yasumi ~ (Theatrical) – 5/19: Toei Animation brings us this tale of a boy who finds himself transported to the lost world of a village flooded by the building of a dam. I love the art I’ve seen, and the story feels like a classic Japanese heartbreaker.
- Deva Zan (Theatrical) – TBA: Not much is known about this film, written, directed and designed by Final Fantasy designer Amano Yoshitaka. But that alone makes it interesting.
Beckett
March 8, 2012 at 7:55 amIt LOOKS like a great season. But then, I thought winter looked like a great season too and, obvious standouts aside, it kind of disappointed, so I will try not to get my hopes up. Kimi to Boku I really liked a lot for some reason (maybe because I overemphathize with Kaname's habit of falling for girls that are out of reach :P) so I look forward to that and Fate/Zero was obviously great so there's that.
In terms of new shows, the GAINAX one will PROBABLY suck, but FLCL was one of my watershed anime moments, so I'll watch it either way and pray for the best. Uchuu Kyodai has got potential, 48 episodes means it has plenty of time to properly develop it's characters and tell a compelling story, exactly the kind of length that a show like this looks to be needs. I just hope someone will sub it, I don't like CR and most fansub groups seem to shy away from long series' nowadays. Sakamichi no Apollon seems like it will either be epic or epic fail, but based on the past works of the director I'm cautiously optimistic. It's an interesting mix for sure, it should be an interesting season regardless of how the shows actually turn out.
Question: For Eureka Seven, I never saw the original. Is this new one a direct sequel or can I watch it by itself with no knowledge of the original required?
admin
March 8, 2012 at 7:57 amSince none of us really understood E7 even after watching it, I think you'd be fine.
As to whether this is a "direct sequel", that opens a can of worms – it's a subject of much controversy at the moment. Some say yes, some no – I'm undecided.
Rayzakk
March 10, 2012 at 1:36 amI've tried to convince one of my friends that E7 didn't make sense and he won't believe me. I enjoyed it, but I thought I was the only person that didn't really understand it.
James
March 16, 2012 at 9:45 amYou're probably going to need to know how it ends to really understand anything that's happening in the beginning. The last episode of E7 actually wraps up the story pretty nicely, with details left unanswered, but the main plot points are answered, I think
Anonymous
March 8, 2012 at 8:12 amnice, I didn't know you did season previews!
admin
March 8, 2012 at 8:15 amAck, I hate to hear that! I've been doing them since I started the site…
Anonymous
March 8, 2012 at 8:25 amI'm sorry, I just started frequenting your site ^^
and you forgot to put Zetman in the poll
Anonymous
March 8, 2012 at 8:29 amZetman, that why i thought something left out.
Ragez
March 8, 2012 at 8:28 ami have expectation for E7 and Sakamichi no Apollon, it's been a long time music theme anime come out since Beck. i hope Accel World would be okay with GC writer.
i think amenesia girl will not be a sleeper, it may replace Another because of it mystery and horror, with romantic comedy.
admin
March 8, 2012 at 8:40 amThanks for responding – I agree, it's nice to see a music themed show by a top director.
You know I mean sleeper as a positive, right? I think it could surprise people in a good way.
Ragez
March 8, 2012 at 9:09 amoh..i thought people would not notice this series.
deafvader
March 8, 2012 at 12:17 pm1. Amensia is not a scary. At least no where like Another.
2. Amensia: please correct this. it is not only the guy who can see the ghost.
Ragez
March 8, 2012 at 12:52 pm1.last time i check, Horror is a genre and scary or not is just a subjective, depend what you watch.
2.*Amnesia
deafvader
March 8, 2012 at 4:03 pmIf you say so. I always it had to be horrifying or scary to be under that genre. As in the normal sense of scary. Cause some people get scared when watching James Bond.
admin
March 8, 2012 at 9:14 amWell, they might not – but it could sneak up on them.
Anonymous
March 8, 2012 at 11:26 amOooh, basically you're blogging all the show I've pegged between ZOMG (Apollon. I hope hope hope) and potentially interesting (Hyouka) bar Zaregoto (I quite agree with your opinion about Nisio's writing. Yet to my own surprise I loved Bakemonogatari a lot, in anime form. Then came Nisemoniogatari and Nisio's self-admittedly fapping with a pen and Shinbo rolling along with it. Oooh boy).
And last but not least you're blogging GoT2 XDD. MARRY ME <3 . We'll make beautiful anime&manga lovers babies. Bilingual too 8D
Thank you for the seasonal preview :D.
Eli
deafvader
March 8, 2012 at 12:21 pmEnzo.
Please reply to the confession. One thing I have learn from anime is not to make a girl wait. 40% chance she is a stalker or a Yandere.
admin
March 8, 2012 at 4:47 pmYuno? Is that you?
Anonymous
March 8, 2012 at 7:57 pmWhere art thou, my Yukiteru? *puts on glowing contacts & pink wig, swings axe around*
Anyway, I'd rather be the moon of your life ;* .
@deafvader: we'll be sure to book a first row seat for you at our wedding ;D. It'll be a glorious thing of fire and blood and tiramisù (I can cook and I'm Italian, I'm a catch XD!)
I consider myself more of a loyal lurker rather than a stalker though. But I can be pretty possessive with my precious.
Will you be mine nonetheless, Enzo ? I'll rub you gently, I promise :p
(Daen)Eli-thy-groupie
admin
March 8, 2012 at 9:22 pmYou'll have to pass a thorough background check…
elianthos
March 9, 2012 at 12:05 pm*bows* That's a very sensible answer and I like it very much.
Be as thorough as you need. Mind if I do the same in case?
Eli (my body is ready X,D . Trust my mind will be up to the task)
elianthos
March 9, 2012 at 12:13 pmP.S.: on the tech side of things, finally I can post de-anonymously again. I hope this will last XD, though it was mostly LJ's fault I think .
deafvader
March 9, 2012 at 1:44 pmWell if you want to know how Enzo looks like, you could always search his Japan Trip Picasa photos…
elianthos
March 9, 2012 at 2:01 pm@deafvader: you really want that tiramisù, don't you? 😀
Just to be fair, I think he might be able to check my photos as I faved his LiA page on FB months ago… I'm Elianthos Elmig there XDD.
deafvader
March 9, 2012 at 2:50 pmWell his Picasa has some videos too.
If you are one of those peeps are like the sound of their man….
admin
March 9, 2012 at 5:56 pmDV is way too interested in this thread.
elianthos
March 10, 2012 at 11:12 amSomeone might be having fun playing Cupid, ahah. And thanks but no, I'm not going to hunt for Enzo's voice, DV. Some pleasures are better left for later and more intimate times :PP.
I'm happy with the photos already. Good eye for composition in your snapshots, Enzo :).
—
Anyway… on deviantart I'm slightly less dorky. I mean, I occasionally upload my srs bsnss stuff up there among the fanartsy/fangirly works. For your thorough background checking purposes, you can go here Enzo. You can get an outline of what makes me tick ( outside of your brain of course ;p ) :
http://elianthos80.deviantart.com/gallery/ and in one of my latest deviantart journal entries there's even a mini interview by an acquaintance revealing my dirty(?) secrets. Sooo… um… dig ahead?
Ishruns
March 8, 2012 at 11:30 amYes Shizuka Ito in a protagantist role. Has happened since the somewhat boring Ookami-san. She seems to be having quite a revival since her best days in like 2005-2007.
As a fan very pleased by this.
Looking forward to the return of NoitaminA, spacebros, the S2s and the various quirky romances. Kyoani's shows are always given, but if the moe content, which is calculated by the number of times a girl blushes and cries or walks with their knees bent inwards, is excessive it will be dropped. Not that this one seems to have much of that.
deafvader
March 8, 2012 at 12:18 pmHow do i vote for shows not there? Would you be uploading a secondary vote? for Zetman, Shining Hearts, Sankarea, Koi Ken.
admin
March 8, 2012 at 4:48 pmWell, Shining Hearts is on there. I'll probably add a poll #2 like I usually do in a while.
Kinni
March 8, 2012 at 12:19 pmAs a Medaka Box manga reader, I have to say that it's WAY less… threatening than the Monogatari series. It's still not a thing for everyone, but I think you might be surprised.
Seishun Otoko
March 8, 2012 at 12:43 pmSpeedy preview as usual, thanks Enzo 😉
Will definitely be checking out Jormungand, Eureka Seven, Tsuritama, Ozuma, Uchuu Kyoudai, Tasogare Otome x Amnesia, Hyou-ka, Fate/Zero, Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?, Accel World and Medaka Box.
KoroshiyaKi
March 8, 2012 at 12:44 pmYo sauntered on over here from RC cuz I heard your preview was out. Lets get started.
"I don’t know the manga, but it’s definitely a different vibe than the usual anime fare – jazz-themed, guy-centric yet Josei, with a retro look that reminds me of Taniguchi Jiro"
If I remember correctly the manga got a pretty highly acclaimed award in manga circles. I can't really be bothered to look though.
"It’s an adaptation of a manga about a dead girl haunting a school building, and the boy who’s the only one who can see her. I hear pretty good things about the manga, and Takayama’s adaptation work (Mirai Nikki, Ef, Natsu no Arashi) is generally quite good. Possible sleeper material."
Odds on no, the manga is espodic so it lends itself well to anime adaptation but it wont really wow you persay but then again directing and music are amplifying factors. My bet is it will end on the average to above average scale.
"He’s baaaaaack… Yoshino Hiroyuki, fresh off the triumph of writing that is Guilty Crown,"
No… no… NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! You should really join us on the IRC chat you know, it's not hard (even I figured out how to get on).
Enzo just pointed out something I am now terrified by
the guy writing for Guilty Crown is doing Accel World
?
I now fear for the adaptation
i'm at a point where i don't even care how it ends anymore..
I reached that point awhile ago
what what?!
oh FUCK
nO NO NO NO NO NO
I wouldn't piss on GC to put out a fire.
i still like the art and the music.. but the whole plot dev is really messed up
"I may be crazy to say it, but I get sleeper vibes from this one."
I'm pretty entertained by it but your mileage may vary.
"Out of loyalty to him and nostalgia for GAINAX, I have no choice but to check by distaste for Nisio at the door and hope this seitaokai story surprises me."
It wont. It's maybe amusing for the first few chapters for the novelty then it gets weird and stupid. Your first impression was correct.
"Mirai Nikki Unaired Episode (OVA) – 3/30: No idea what this blu-ray bundled ep is, but of course I’ll be watching with interest. "
Maybe it's Paradox… (we can dream can't we) Or, more likely, Mosaic's first chapter, How Uryuu Minene Obtained Her Future Diary.
Speaking of Mirai Nikki I'm having fun with making my comments in the RC posts, hope I haven't been giving anything away.
KoroshiyaKi
March 8, 2012 at 12:49 pmBleh… Should be
KoroshiyaKi: Enzo just pointed out something I am now terrified by
KoroshiyaKi: the guy writing for Guilty Crown is doing Accel World
Croos_: ?
KoroshiyaKi: I now fear for the adaptation
MrRei: i'm at a point where i don't even care how it ends anymore..
KoroshiyaKi: I reached that point awhile ago
GuardMonkey10: what what?!
GuardMonkey10: oh FUCK
GuardMonkey10: nO NO NO NO NO NO
GuardMonkey10: I wouldn't piss on GC to put out a fire.
MrRei: i still like the art and the music.. but the whole plot dev is really messed up
Znail
March 8, 2012 at 12:57 pmI think both the sleepers will be hits. I am less optimistic about the rest, apart from Fate/Zero and Game of Thrones. Game of Thrones is pretty unique in that it's actually a decently faithful adaptation of a book series and not just inspired by a book and mostly original stuff. Still a lot of details cut out, but what is left is still far above the average TV series when it comes to story and characters.
Anonymous
March 8, 2012 at 2:53 pmEnzo, I can assure you Medaka Box is nothing like the Monogatari series. If I had to make a comparison the character of Medaka is more like Suzumiya Haruhi. I had been reading it for a year before I realized it was the same author. Amnesia will probably make a great 1 cour anime. I'm a bit worried about how Mysterious Girlfriend X will work as an anime, but the manga has been very charming. Really looking forward to the conclusion of Fate Zero as well as all the new shows. I'm always pessimistic at the start of a season, but always wind up liking more shows than I can manage to watch. In closing, thanks for this spring review. This is the first one I've read.
deafvader
March 8, 2012 at 4:07 pmYou speak my words that were unspoken. But I would still try Medaka Box. I did not like it much but anime has a certain way of making things nicer (not always though).
Same reason I will try out Accel World.
Kinny Riddle
March 8, 2012 at 3:12 pmhttp://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Hyouka
Now please pardon any self-aggrandizement, but if you people are intending to follow Kyo-Ani's newest adaptation Hyouka, you may be interested in knowing Baka-Tsuki has just started working on translating the first volume.
Currently recruiting committed translators (though you'll have to figure out how to get the raw yourself).
Sign up at the Baka-Tsuki forums and inform the mods today.
http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/
Murkel
March 8, 2012 at 4:05 pmLots of manga adaptations this season so let me share my opinion on those I've read. No spoilers, of course.
Tasogare Otome x Amnesia: the manga is good. It's mainly a mystery series in a school setting, with a (not forever stalled) romance subplot and which can be occasionally creepy. As someone mentioned, it's episodic but still manages to tie all the mysteries together. I think they could fit this one reasonably well in one cour.
There has been a preview out for months. It doesn't really show much but there is an interesting tease for those that pay close attention.
Nazo no Kanojo X: a rather peculiar series. Not your typical romance for sure. I think you might have gotten the wrong idea, Enzo, there is no slavery or abuse in any way; actually, it manages to be a rather cute, innocent and laidback story. Just in a pretty weird way and I can understand how that may gross some people out.
I'm not the biggest fan of the art (those noses). I feel the manga gets stalled later on but that shouldn't be a problem in the anime.
Sankarea: I'm a little sad you didn't mention this one. I like the manga quite a bit. It mixes comedy, drama, mystery and romance well and can also be occasionally creepy. The ecchi levels might be too high for some, though.
What worries me about this adaptation is that it's being made by Studio Deen.
Zetman: another one that didn't make your list but still a series that I bet will surprise more than a few. It's seinen and I'd say every aspect of it is solid: characters, plot, mystery, action, romance, but fails to really excel at any one of them.
The preview looks awesome and this one looks like an ambitious adaptation so I'm looking forward to it. I have no idea if this is one or two cours. Still, even with two cours I have trouble seeing this adaptation including everything the preview promises.
Accel World and Medaka Box: I recall reading the first chapter(s?) of both and was left unimpressed. I'll give Accel World another chance since the manga itself is an adaptation and I've heard good things about the series as a whole.
As for my overall impression of the upcoming season: if it doesn't become one of the best in the last few years it's at least guaranteed to be incredibly solid.
deafvader
March 8, 2012 at 4:09 pmSame sentiments. But Sankarea's manga end does seem a bit far off. Unlike Otome Amnesia. So I wonder how the anime would be.
Why is no one talking about Shining Heart?
admin
March 8, 2012 at 4:58 pmThanks for the link to that Amnesia PV, Murkel.
Zetman was probably the last cut from the preview. I just wasn't impressed with the staff and concept, but who knows, it might surprise me.
leokiko
March 8, 2012 at 5:11 pmEnzo, you should check Accel World's manga. There are just a few chapters, it's very good, it went from ''might watch'' to ''anticipated'' for me.
My most anticipated anime though, is Uchuu Kyoudai, the manga is absolutely brilliant, and I hope the anime will be too.
About Medaka Box: It turns an complete 180 afterwards, going from normal activities to HOLYSHIT OVERPOWERED CHARACTERS. I still don't like it too much, but with it might change for me in anime form.
deafvader
March 9, 2012 at 3:13 amHmmm. i still prefer Sword Art Online to Accel World. But then again I might be biased since I read SAO Novel and AW manga.
leokiko
March 9, 2012 at 5:48 amThat's one I might check it out. But this is 2-cour, I bet this is gonna be fun….unless GC director butchers it -.-
Znail
March 9, 2012 at 3:15 pmMedaka Box does what is mentioned in Bakuman, turn into a battle manga when it starts to fail. It didn't find it that interesting as battle manga. It was OK before that, but it seemed like the author got into a rut and couldn't keep the story going without repeating the same thing over and over.
admin
March 9, 2012 at 5:58 pmit seemed like the author got into a rut and couldn't keep the story going without repeating the same thing over and over.
Nisio repeat the same thing over and over? Never!!
deafvader
March 10, 2012 at 5:28 amHaha I dropped it before I got to the battle part. Since the first few chapters were repeating over and over again already.
It was like reading Sket Dance. Kaichou goes solve problems of students. I did hear about it becoming a fighting manga but the male lead ticked me off too much that I won't even want to see him in a shounen fight.
Anonymous
March 11, 2012 at 8:40 amWell, if there's one thing Medaka is NOT, it's repetitive. Mostly because it keeps changing genres. However, it is insufferably self-aware and pretentious. So I don't think you'll like it much.
leokiko
March 8, 2012 at 5:14 pmAbout Hyouka: I'm not betting on this BECAUSE it's by Kyouni, which I hate. I hate that cutesy style they have with passion. An mistery anime shouldn't have that character design.
All I'm saying is speculation though, it might surprise me.
Kinny Riddle
March 16, 2012 at 2:15 pmHaving read 3 volumes of the novel and in process of translating the 1st one, I can tell you that Kyo-Ani is now going back to adapting good ol' stories rather than mindless moe-blobs or absurd humour.
Compare this work more of their earlier collaborations with Key, like Air, Kanon and Clannad, which relies more on story than cuteness,
admin
March 16, 2012 at 4:50 pmI'm not a fan of Maeda Jun, but maybe it's time for KyoAni to finally do the long-demanded Little Busters adaptation. Seems like it'd be a good chance to reconnect with their core fans.
Lizzie
March 8, 2012 at 5:41 pmYou know enzo I'm continously going to remind you to watch the last three episodes of ayakashi japanese classic horror stories the bake neko story and mononoke because I feel you are truly missing out on what nakamura is truly capable of and can understand why I was so disappointed with C.
admin
March 8, 2012 at 6:31 pmI watched Ayakashi and I'm about halfway through Mononoke right now!
Lizzie
March 8, 2012 at 7:11 pmwow I cant wait to hear your response to it in a post what did you think of the first bake neko story?
Anonymous
March 8, 2012 at 8:21 pm'I watched Ayakashi and I'm about halfway through Mononoke right now!' Ahhh, Enzo. Good thing I live one continent away. I feel like serenading you right now XD
'Te voglio bene assai, ma tanto tanto bene sai…' (Google it. It's a beautiful song titled 'Caruso')
Eli (still thy groupie)
admin
March 8, 2012 at 9:26 pmI liked Bakaneko quite a bit, as well as the first Mononoke story, but they've all been good. The animation style takes some adaptation, but it's certainly distinctive. It's fascinating if sometimes a bit remote.
Nakamura is a real talent, no doubt – I don't judge him solely by "C".
Lizzie
March 8, 2012 at 10:09 pmthe animation style is very ukio-e woodblock painting which i loved it was like seeing them move around >_<
jebnemo
March 9, 2012 at 2:24 amMysterious Girlfriend X: all I can say is PANTY SCISSORS! Actually, I think this is the least strange of any of the manga by Ueshiba Riichi. He also did Yume Tsukai, which was adapted in 2006. As others have pointed out, it really is a rather sweet romance.
Tsuki
March 9, 2012 at 5:01 amI might join you in blogging Game of Thrones S2. I think it also airs on the same day as Fate/Zero, which just means that day is going to be awesome for a good 12 or so weeks >:D
admin
March 9, 2012 at 5:34 amAwesome but busy!
belatkuro
March 9, 2012 at 5:29 amDidn't know you were also reading Kuroko.
That manga really needs more loving and I'm glad that you're
covering it. Lol at 3 Onos.
Nazo no Kanojo X. I still prefer to call it in its English name.
It's a good read so don't let the synopsis turn you off. The studio may turn others out as well.
Medaka Box. As one who has read it from when it was a oneshot until it serialized, and as one who knows and likes Nisio's works, it's by far his weakest work. It's a combination of his wordplays and pure ridiculous shonen antics. You have been warned.
TOxA. The manga's art and characters are amazing. The problem is that it has limited materials. That and it's pseudo-SHAFT and Shinbo2.0 doing it.
Looking at how his previous works with Silver Link is, I'm a bit afraid of how it will turn out *points at how colorful C3 is when the manga has the amazing combination of lighting and shadows*
And lastly, Fate/Zero. Anime of the year, you heard it here first. I'm pretty psyched for it. Wonder how the BD boxes sold. I heard it was around 40k-50k in the presales numbers.
I'll be watching all of the shows you mentioned, except for E7(haven't watched s1 yet), Ozuma and Ginga. Still not sure about Uchuu Kyoudai.
Doesn't quite interest me. Might pick it up when it gets good review or when it finishes.
tl;dr Spring is an amazing season. Is it April yet?
admin
March 9, 2012 at 5:35 amBut Belat, if you're a Nisio fan and don't like Medaka Box, and I hate his stuff, maybe that means I'll like it?
belatkuro
March 9, 2012 at 5:41 amDidn't think about that…
*head explodes*
leokiko
March 9, 2012 at 5:49 amThat's because Medaka Box is f*cking insane. Nisio goes nuts over shounen tropes, seriously haha.
belatkuro
March 9, 2012 at 6:00 amhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCBgp_5s-q8
A better PV for Fate/Zero 2. The actual preview for ep1 of s2(ep14 of the show, whichever you want to call it)
hikari
March 9, 2012 at 2:48 pmWohoo…definetely going to be busy next spring w/ F/Z, Sakamichi no Apollon, Tsuritama, Uchuu Kyoudai, Jormungand, E7 AO, Hyou-ka, Kuroko no Basuke, Accel World, Ozuma, TasogarexOtome Amnesia, & totally thrill that you're going to blog most of the series on my watch list next spring^-^ Well, i'll definetely checking other series first few eps to see if there's something interesting other than my def watch above. I just can't wait for spring to come >_<
Anonymous
March 9, 2012 at 2:54 pmHmm, I like the monogatari series but I found Medaka Box rather dull despite Nisio's use of exaggerated Shounen tropes. He just couldn't pull it off like TTGL. I ended up dropping it at ~chapter 97 and probably 97 chapters too late.
But hey, you liked Mirai Nikki while I disliked it. I came across Mirai Nikki a few years ago, read a few volumes, dropped it, eventually came across your high praise of the anime so I forced myself to read it again from start to finish but my initial impression never changed.
Anonymous
March 9, 2012 at 3:46 pmA lot of the shows this season look so retro. Honestly not many pop out to me other than the continuations. Maybe it's just another one of those seasons where I think I have nothing to watch but then I just end pup watching everything lol.
Stereoman
March 10, 2012 at 1:27 amfjsdkfjdskfjsfj
Why are all the shows I want to watch so damn short? q_q
Anyway, looking forward to your Spring season entries, especially Game of Thrones s2! *_*
Luxorcism
March 10, 2012 at 3:33 amWhen you said you remembered the art from Nazo no Kanojo X (Mysterious Girlfriend, in the english version), I suddenly remembered reading the oneshot for the drool-swapping manga back in 2007. While I promptly dropped it then, the premise is unique enough to be unforgettable.
-And YESSSS Game of Thrones S2!!
-Congrats on getting included in the Aniblog tournament.
deafvader
March 10, 2012 at 5:29 amEnzo what position are you aiming for in the Aniblog.
Let's be realistic here, looking at the number of voters on your polls… 200 followers??
admin
March 10, 2012 at 5:45 amWell, the vast majority of visitors never vote in the polls. My unique visitors daily is many times the total number of votes I get in the life of any poll.
Realistically? I'm happy if it gets me a bump in hits. I obviously hope some of the readers of the site will vote for it, but winning rounds would be a bonus.
Izumi
March 10, 2012 at 9:20 amThanks for the preview, Enzo! I'll be checking out 8 confirmed series (after some deliberation) and might check 4 more (at least I'll watch the first few episodes before deciding whether to add them to the list).
In no particular order (the confirmed list) – Uchuu Kyoudai, Zetman, Kuroko no Basuke, Tsuritama, Sakamichi no Apollon, Fate/Zero S2, Hyouka, Kimi to Boku S2.
The undecided list – Jormungand, Sankarea, Tasogare Otome, and Eureka Seven Ao.
And I think I'd watch Zetman for the seiyuu (Miyano Mamoru, Paku Romi, NamiDai, SuzuKen etc.)
admin
March 10, 2012 at 11:29 pmI didn't notice Paku Romi was in Zetman, hmm.
Elliot
March 10, 2012 at 5:22 pmThe way my face lit up when I saw Game of Thrones on the list, aha… still, despite my bias towards GoT, I'm really looking forwards to this season. There are some things I've been waiting for for ages, and I'm realizing now that I still haven't finished some first seasons, and I really need to get to that.
I can't wait to see what you have to say about this seasons material once it's out.
staticology
March 10, 2012 at 8:33 pmGame of Thrones!!! Definitely my number one for the season. No box on the poll for it? 😉
Definitely watching:
Hyou-ka
Kimi to Boku 2
Kore wa Zombie 2
Sakamichi no Apollon
Zetman
Will try:
Accel World
Acchi Kochi
Jormungand
Sankarea
Tasogare OtomexAmnesia
dv
March 11, 2012 at 7:34 amHmmm, now that is a first. No FZ
Arabesque
March 11, 2012 at 11:01 am''Watanabe Shinichiro with Apollon – a question mark as he’s been largely inactive over the last decade ''
That's how Watanabe rolls tho. He takes time off for a number of years thinking/ working on his next project, and then once all the pieces are in place he gets on actualizing it. So rather than a question mark I'd say it's more of a reassurance.
''Mizushima Seiji (who I rank a notch or two below the top level), and his Natsuiro Kiseki is a show whose premise is of very little interest to me.''
I don't know man, I have a feeling you might end up surprised …
In any case, today is the first time I actually took a look and read the upcoming season's list. I'll write something more substantial later on, but what caught my eyes aside from the same things that caught your eye was Saint Seyia OMG DEM SEXY COLLARS Omega. Also, Cardfighter Vanguard is getting a second season alongside Phi Brain, and next season Sket Dance is getting also a second season. Woot.
Erif
March 11, 2012 at 9:59 pmI actually don't think this season looks great at all opposed to previous one, and Apollon, Tsuritama, and Uchuu Kyoudai are about the only one's I'm looking forward. The season is unpredictable, and a lot of the other stuff doesn't appeal to me.
Fortunately, you preview has somewhat piked my interest Jormungand, so that's good. However, I didn't know Accel World had the creative genius who wrote Guilty Crown working on it. That's dampened my interest ever so slightly.
admin
March 11, 2012 at 10:47 pmWell, I'd feel better if one of the top-line directors was working on Jormungand, but I think the creative team should be good enough – and you have to believe in this studio. If they don't screw up, I think it would be almost impossible to make an adaptation of Jormungand that isn't at least interesting.
leokiko
March 12, 2012 at 12:23 amOnly 12 episodes for Jormungand won't work. That manga should have been adapted into an 2-cour.
I'm not looking foward to it anymore, unless they announce an second season.
JustFR
March 12, 2012 at 12:28 am"And let us not forget…Game of Thrones"
LOL!!!!!!
You can be DAMN sure I'll be here to read your blog regarding that, Enzo! Loved the first season (unfortunately haven't found the time to read the books), and I'll be eager to watch the next chapter of this epic unfold!
Kamion
March 12, 2012 at 3:17 pmFuck yes, Game of Thrones.
In anime though:
– Fate; because I liked S1
Only Series I will watch no matter what. Everything else I will sample.
Medaka Box, Hyouka, Tsuritama, Accel World
Dunno about E7. I liked the first one and the movie was fine as well. But just like Aquarion I feel strange watching these revival shows 🙁
lynlyn
March 12, 2012 at 3:19 pmThis is my first time commenting so tell me if I do something wrong.
Anyway, I first found you on RC when I was looking for a good Chihayafuru blogger. After reading the first post, I became a fan and subscriber of your Taichi Tuesdays in RC.
I also am looking for a good Natsume Yuujinchou Shi blogger (I found one at SeaSlugs) and it is a little disappointing to know that it will not be blogged in RC. But I saw you write about the previous season so I thought maybe you write something about it. Turns out, you do!
And then this. In your recent survey, I voted for E7, Kuroko no Basuke and Saki: Achiga Hen. Like you, I am a sucker for sports anime (Adachi sensei's manga are fabulous, specially Cross Game) I assure you I'll be reading the blog on Kuroko no Basuke, I love the manga and I hope the adaptation will be good.
To sum it up, you are a great blogger. I love the ideas you present on every post (I actually watch the episode again when you point something that I missed xD) and I am truly looking forward to your future posts. Thanks and more power.
PS: Are you going to blog Hotarubi no Mori e? 🙂
admin
March 12, 2012 at 4:12 pmHi lynlyn – welcome to LiA. You certainly didn't do anything wrong (hint: saying nice things about Enzo is always right) so please feel free to comment often!
I already blogged Hotarubi – check the sidebar or the labels dropdown. Liked it very, very much. Saki seems like the odd choice among the others shows you're planning to watch – maybe you can convince me why I should watch it?
lynlyn
March 13, 2012 at 12:36 pmI found it! Hotarubi is under your February label which is why I didn't see it earlier, silly me.
About Saki… apparently I have this odd fixation on characters that either hides/does not know of/ignores his/her insane abilities. This also includes characters with unappreciated ones and those who are good in the past but decides to abandon it and then something happens that makes him/her use said ability again.
Examples are:
Miyanaga Saki of Saki, Fujiwara Takumi of Initial D, Ryoma of PoT(I stopped watching tho, it became too ridiculous for my taste), Mihashi of Big Wind Up, Kou of Cross Game, Hiro of H2, Dan Doh of Dan Doh, Shizuku of Baggataway (manga about lacrosse), Chihaya of Chihayafuru(the hearing thing), Train of Black Cat and others that I seem to have forgotten.
Apparently there is something about underestimating the main character then said character unleashes his/her ability and everyone goes 'WTF?' that amuses me.
I seem to have the knack of writing long comments. Sorry about that and I'll try to lessen them to some extent. Also, I appreciate writers who reply on my post so thanks a lot.
PS: If you know any character that falls under said category, please tell me. Thanks!
Murkel
March 17, 2012 at 10:06 amOh, then you would love Tower of God, although that's a manhwa/webcomic.
leokiko
March 12, 2012 at 9:02 pm1-cour for Sakamichi no Appolon????! O.o
admin
March 12, 2012 at 9:46 pmThat's not official yet, but I've never seen a 2-cour NoitaminA not confirmed as 2-cour this close to air.
Beedle
March 12, 2012 at 10:55 pmMedaka Box is odd. There are some chapters which are brilliant and some that make you want to drop it. I will be watching it though, if only to see if the anime explains why one of the current manga characters, the fourth-wall breaking Ajimu Najimi, wants to end the manga before the anime airs.
And, I don't know if this counts as a spoiler or not, but she seems to be on the road to success :/
Still though, seeing the shows you blog, I don't think you're gonna enjoy MB, Enzo.
admin
March 12, 2012 at 11:11 pmI suspect you're right, Bard-san. The only reason I'm giving it a trial, TBH, is the director and the studio. Too much residual respect from me to do otherwise.
belatkuro
March 13, 2012 at 3:09 pmNah, Nisio just doesn't know what to do with it anymore.
The latest 5 or 6 chapters are a big mess even for Medaka Box standards. It's going nowhere really.
He's just using Ajimu to say that to make it sound like he knows what he's doing but I doubt he is. I doubt it will even happen, the manga ending before the anime will air. If it will, then I've lost hope on Nisio now.
Though I may attribute it to him getting bored and tired of Medaka and just want to focus on the Monogatari projects with SHAFT. Plus he still has 2 or 3 more volumes before it ends(the Monogatari novels I mean). So yeah.
Seishun Otoko
March 13, 2012 at 1:25 pmWow… I didn't know Sakamichi no Apollon was that popular. Might just have to add it to my list (which is already too long) D:
Anonymous
March 13, 2012 at 11:44 pmMany of my friends (myself included) considered C to be among the best anime of the decade so far. I don't know where on earth you're getting that kind of hatred where you believe it requires "redemption." Even many other blogs sing its praises — sure, I understand that it may not have been your cup of tea production-wise, or you disagree with it on a moral level or something, but to talk up "attempts" for this fellow to "redeem" himself for what is arguably a very divisive but powerful work and some supposed "return to form" is baffling to me and many, many others.
I take it if the new series he helms is anything like C you'll balk at the prospect of even sitting through it?
admin
March 14, 2012 at 1:19 am"Anything like C" is about as broad as you can get. I certainly have no moral objections to C – I simply don't think it was a very good series, easily the weakest of Nakamura's career. It was a good idea, but poorly executed – terrible pacing, and the last third was a muddled disaster. I've seen a lot worse, but it was an artistic failure as far as I'm concerned. When good directors made mediocre series, there's a certain onus on them to prove it isn't a trend.
DragoZERO
March 14, 2012 at 2:00 amFate/Zero… Fate/Zero… and Fate/Zero.
Tasogare looks good too.
Tai
March 14, 2012 at 2:15 pmThe only anime's I'll be watching from this list would be Fate/Zero, and Kuroko no Basuke (since it's the only sports manga I've ever enjoyed) I might go for Accel World if I have the time.
Natsumi
March 15, 2012 at 1:50 amPlease blog about Tasogare x Otome! It's has a goog story so please! 🙁
admin
March 15, 2012 at 2:43 amIt's definitely in the "maybe" category. If it grabs me, I'll cover it.
PocariSweat
March 15, 2012 at 2:30 amHell yea, Game of Thrones S2. Despite a fantastic year for anime in 2011, Game of Thrones was better than any of the big anime titles be it Madoka, Steins Gate, Anohana, Penguindrum or Fate Zero.
Vicious
March 15, 2012 at 9:05 pmSo, do you plan to watch the BD versions of Fate/Zero Season 1 before Season 2 comes around? They contain a respectable amount of new footage which they'll probably take for granted that the viewer is aware of during Season 2, so in my view and as a fan of your reviews of Season 1, you totally should, but of course, it's up to you.
admin
March 15, 2012 at 9:19 pmI would really like to, but it's a time issue for me – I just don't know when I'd be able to fit in effectively an entire series viewing. It's also not the cheapest blu-ray out there, though the packaging is certainly top-notch.
Samurai Jack
March 16, 2012 at 2:25 amWait, is Legend of Korra seriously coming out on April 14th? If that's true, then that is definitely my number one most anticipated series for the whole year!
admin
March 16, 2012 at 3:00 amWhat, you think I make this shit up?!
Samurai Jack
March 16, 2012 at 3:15 amHeh, I haven't been keeping up with any news or updates for the new Avatar series. When I saw 4/14 on your new poll, I was really happy.
Of course I don't doubt what you say, I just really wasn't expecting it to come out so soon. Only a month away!
admin
March 16, 2012 at 4:16 amNo worries, I'm just giving you a hard time.
Samurai Jack
March 16, 2012 at 4:55 amWell, before I found out about Legend of Korra's release date tonight, I was mostly looking forward to Nazo no Kanojo X. Mostly because out of all the animes coming out next season, it's the only one which manga I've read up to the latest translated chapters and enjoyed overall.
Jormungand looks really awesome too. I like Black Lagoon, so if it's anything like that, this will be an interesting series to watch.
I haven't seen Fate/Stay Night and it's prequel Fate/Zero yet, but I definitely plan on watching it.
Then I'm definitely looking forward to episode 0 of Un-Go. More Un-Go is always good. I wish Un-Go could have been 22-26 episodes, or more.
Btw, will you blog Legend of Korra?
Also, you got me interested in watching the first season of Game of Thrones.
admin
March 16, 2012 at 5:07 amI imagine I'll blog Korra, if I like it as much as the original Avatar.
Murkel
March 18, 2012 at 7:06 pmThe Hyou-ka preview looks fantastic and extremely pretty too. Reminds me a lot of Haruhi for now. Extra points for using Bach's cello suite no.1 (albeit a bit unfair).
I bring some more previews.
Sankarea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SB_jgLYAIs
Just a CM but it looks nice.
Tasogare Otome x Amnesia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDeQ2YYeINI
Major disappointment here. Animation looks average at best and the manga's very distinctive art was reduced to typical character designs.
admin
March 18, 2012 at 7:30 pmHeh, there's massive fanrage over that Hyouka PV. Looks fine to me, too.
Murkel
March 18, 2012 at 7:39 pmFanrage? How so?
Couple more previews.
Accel World: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fCTotQgWcYk
Nazo no Kanojo X: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=q4cqqGThHTY
Justin
March 18, 2012 at 11:57 pmNoooo…Zetman should be on your list. Probably.
But I mention: there's just a lot of shows coming out this spring, so getting around to everything's gonna be tough…but I generally like your list. BTW, did you get a chance to watch Ozma yet?
Anonymous
March 19, 2012 at 1:52 pmA second season for jormungand is scheduled for a fall release. 24 episodes in total.
admin
March 19, 2012 at 4:45 pmCan you cite a source? I haven't seen that info anywhere.
admin
March 19, 2012 at 4:55 pmNever mind, just found it. Thanks!
SingerOfW
March 20, 2012 at 7:23 pmRedeeming himself for [C]? Why? [C] was good, aside from being animated by the studio that got hit by the tsunami pretty hard and having some loose ends even after the final episode.
Niana
March 25, 2012 at 7:33 pmThank you very much for your season preview. (And by the way thank you for all your other previews, reviews, first impression and series posts, even if I don’t comment on them, I read and appreciate them very much)
Spring really looks good. For me it is not overwhelming great (I liked the “weak” summer 2011 better) but still so much potentially good looking anime and so little time.
I will check out:
Tsuritama and Sakamichi no Apollon
Yeah, noitaminA is back. I don’t know if these shows are my cup of tea but they look like they definitely belong to this wonderful timeslot.
I think I will either love Tsuritama or drop it soon. It looks like one of these shows that you have a connection with or never will. I’m hoping for the best.
I don’t know if I will like Sakamichi no Apollon because music themed anime are not really something I like, but I will definitely watch some episodes. I don’t know the manga, but the current scanlation group translates some other really good mangas, so I’m curious.
Tasogare Otome x Amnesia
OK, I almost skipped over the description, but then I saw Oonuma Shin’s name and I still haven’t give up hope. Plus an episodic horror anime sounds nice.
Nazo no Kanojo X
I really like this manga, though I would say that it is the odd one on my reading list. I can only repeat what murkel previously said. It is really a bit weird and not everyone will like it, but there is no slavery. If you can get over their drool bond thing you will see that it gives the possibility of inside views you normally won’t get.
Next on the list I will try (if I find the time), Uchuu Kyoudai, Jormungand, Hyou-ka, Ginga e Kickoff!! and maybe Accel World.
I switched to reading Kimi to Boku (I like it better as a manga)
I haven’t seen Eureka Seven, Fate/Zero Season 1(I will, but not now), Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?, so I will not watch the sequels.
dan
March 26, 2012 at 11:54 pmNazo no Kanojo X
Agreed, this is really echhi in its way but it's still most definitely on the PG side of the fence. The "bond" is what is important, not the mechanism by which it is established imho. It moves slowly, but there's nothing wrong with that in that it treats the romance and the feelings of the characters with a bit more care. I know I was a myopic teenager and this series is determined to allow its characters to grow slowly and accept their feelings in such a fashion that is very compelling. Hope they got the casting right because that will probably make or break this anime is the how the emotions and the wonder of discovery are handled.
belatkuro
April 1, 2012 at 12:41 pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4a68z7bCoQ
Fate/Zero 2nd Season Trailer.
Something to get your body ready.