 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
It’s a bit tough on me as a blogger, but by Summer’s usually low standards this season looks quite good so far.
After what can only be called a fairly disappointing Spring, Summer 2013 has a chance to make up some of the lost ground. Spring tends to be anime’s strongest season and Summer its worst, so “strength” is relative, but this past season was wholly mediocre both in terms of great series and in the number of really good ones. It wasn’t bad and it did offer a welcome burst of sci-fi, but most of the worthwhile series were better in their first half than their second, and probably only one show (Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge) would have made my Top 10 list for Spring 2012.
Summer, on the other hand, has a surprising number of shows than transcend the usual summer fare of bad sequels, moe and fansevice. I’m not sure I can point to anything yet that stands out as a likely masterpiece, but I see several offerings that have the potential to land on the year’s 10 Best list (the hard part is yet to come, of course). It’s a strong season for comedy and slice-of-life, a definite change of pace from Spring’s focus on blockbusters and mecha. Still no new series from BONES, sadly – it’s getting a bit worrisome at this point – but most of the other big studios are represented by at least one good series.
My biggest gripe with Summer so far is that there are an unusually large number of shows hovering right around my cutoff point for blogging, and not at all unusually they (and most of the good shows) are clustered on the same couple of days. It makes my blogging decisions difficult, but there are certainly worse problems to have.
On, then, to Summer 2013:
The Elite
Gin no Saji
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: A
Comments: This is the show that seemed like the safest best going into the season, an adaptation of a blockbuster commercial and critical hit manga by a beloved mangaka. And Gin no Saji hasn’t disappointed – it’s lived up the billing and provided three rock-solid episodes out of the gate. There’s not much flash here, but Arakawa-sensei has delivered a witty and engaging portrayal of the rural Hokkaido life she grew up on, one that looks back affectionately but isn’t completely unsparing in showing the less pleasant realities of farm life. Given the topics she’s chosen to attack Arakawa can’t possibly please everyone here, but I give her credit for not trying to. This is a subtle and deceptively deep series that – like Fullmetal Alchemist – take a fare more meaningful look at existence than many of its fans will realize.
Watamote
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: A
Comments: Watamote is the biggest surprise of the Summer so far. I was interested, but didn’t expect it to be nearly as good as it is. Make no mistake, it’s a painful experience to watch sometimes – this is a black comedy that looks at social disorder in stark and sometimes ugly terms. If you have clinical depression or social anxiety disorder somewhere in your close family you’ll recognize all the little signs in Tomoko, and watching her – and laughing at her – will get very uncomfortable. And it’s not as if the series is especially lush visually. But Oonuma Shin is doing his best work in years here, creative but not too busy, And Kitta Izumi is delivering a knockout performance as Tomoko.
Uchouten Kazoku
Episodes Watched: 4
Grade: A-
Comments: Uchouten Kazoku took about an episode and a half before its magical qualities really ensnared me, but it has its hooks fully under my skin now. This is like no other P.A. Works series, far more surreal visually, yet it also offers a conventionally beautiful look at the beautiful city of Kyoto. Despite the fact that it’s a fairy tale about tanuki and tengu what really sells the story is how recongizably human the emotions are, the wonderful family bonds and the stunning realism of the character interaction. That combined with the whimsically lovely and relentlessly creative imagery make this a memorable and unique experience, more emotionally approachable than the whip-smart but self-referentially clever Tatami Galaxy.
Outstanding
Rozen Maiden: Zurückspulen
Episodes Watched: 4
Grade: B+
Comments: Both shows in this category would probably be “A” ranked if it weren’t for one off episode. The premiere of Zurückspulen was a rushed recap episode, an attempt to summarize the entire Rozen Maiden mythology in 22 minutes. That was a false start, but the series has been a revelation since then. This is my favorite RM series to date – somber, reflective, and psychologically penetrating. With Mochizuki Tomomi writing and Hatakeyama Mamoru directing this was always likely to be really good, and it’s not disappointing.
Servant X Service
Episodes Watched: 4
Grade: B+
Comments: Coming from the writer of Working!, this was another series that figured to be really good – and another that isn’t disappointing. The second episode, however, was a clunker – completely commandeered by an annoying imouto character (increasingly, those are the only kind) who seems totally at odds with the rest of the series. Apart from that, though, S x S has been consistently hilarious and every bit as accurate about the absurdities of office life as you’d expect – even with the Section Manager being a stuffed bunny. I’m especially fond of the main pairing of Lucy and Hasebe, one of the quirkiest and most interesting potential couples of the year.
Very Good
Blood Lad
Episodes Watched: 4
Grade: B
Comments: I started out comparing Blood Lad to Hataraku no Maou-sama because of the very obvious superficial similarities. But while those have indeed proved skin-deep, the shows share a more important link in that both are extremely simple in terms of appeal: likeable and interesting characters that are fun to watch. Blood Lad just delivers rock-solid comedy week after week with it’s superb cast, clever visuals and snappy script.
Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi
Episodes Watched: 4
Grade: B
Comments: It feels like a new series started with the fourth episode, so it’a hard to say just where I stand with Kaminai. For the most part the first three episodes were interesting, despite occasional pacing problems (especially with the mad rush of the third) riding a terrific performance by Namikawa Daisuke and excellent world-building to an all-around engrossing experience. The latter is still intact, but it remains to be seen how Kaminai will fare without Hampnie Hambert’s huge presence at its center. This lovely portrait of a dying world, perpetually at sunset, is one of the most imaginative LN adaptations I’ve seen in many a season and I’m really rooting for it to survive the transition without losing its magic.
 |
 |
 |
Worthwhile
Gatchaman Crowds
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: B-
Comments: I’m not ready to apply the word “disappointment” to Gatchaman Crowds yet. But it would be fair to say that of the series I had the highest aspirations for going into the season, this one has the biggest gap to what’s actually been delivered. Nakamura Kenji and Oono Toshiya’s staggering levels of imagination are showing through, but so are the obvious budget limitations. A bigger problem is that none of the characters is really engaging yet, and the series as a whole feels sloppy and confused in narrative terms (which is Nakamura-sensei’s most common trip-wire). There’s still time to turn it around, but right now Gatchaman Crowds is just a pretty good show, and from this writer and director that’s less than I hope it will eventually be.
Hakkenden: Tohou Hakken Ibun
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: B-
Comments: This series deserves more attention that it gets, but it suffers from being a DEEN show with a lack of cute girls (though not of cute boys). It’s an ambling, episodic fantasy that offers some of the best looking artwork DEEN has delivered in years, with a solid cast and a deceptively subtle and dark thematic structure. A classic under-the-radar series that I myself take for granted, but always seem to really enjoy watching.
 |
 |
 |
Still Watching
Free!
Episodes Watched: 4
Grade: C+
Comments: Possibly the most talked-about series coming into the season, Free! has certainly been revealing in terms of the anime audience if nothing else. It’s not bad by any means – it has a classic KyoAni look and fine animation (especially in the water) and is agreeably honest about its prime directive to offer fanservice to the female audience. I don’t find the characters especially believable or the humor especially side-splitting, so my interest in the show itself has waned considerably. What’s really striking, though, is the confidence KyoAni has in their formula. For all the controversy and debate, Free! is an astonishingly conventional show – it offers almost no departure (perhaps upping the fanservice a bit) from the K-On! formula (right down to the exclamation point) that’s proved a financial bonanza for the studio. It’s not for me, but I’m still glad it was made.
Danganronpa: The Animation
Episodes Watched: 4
Grade: C+
Comments: Kishi and Uezu are at it again, and I really wish they would choose to devote more of their time and considerable talents to something besides game adaptations. That said Danganronpa is my favorite of the ones they’ve done, both for its simplicity and its gleeful wallowing in just how sick it really is. There’s no real horror here – the violence is camped up to the point where it doesn’t make much emotional impact, which is probably a good thing. It’s a sadistic show that seems to play to the sadistic side of the audience, but a relatively entertaining one most of the time.
Gifuu Doudou!!: Kanetsugu to Kenji
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: C+
Comments: Yet another re-imagining of the Sengoku Era, this time from Fist of the North Star writer Hara Tetsuo (also directing). This is your basic bromance, a GAR story about GAR guys doing GAR things, drinking sake and playing the shimasen. No wheels being reinvented, but it’s fun – and as usual, Namikawa Daisuke is a blast as Kanetsugu.
Kimi no Iru Machi
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: C+
Comments: While this Gonzo adaptation of the legendary “Town Where You Rage” manga is obviously cheap and idiosyncratic director Yamauchi Shigeyasu’s style takes some getting used to, Kimi no Iru Machi is a series where the whole is more than the sum of the parts. Even a relative novice to the material such as myself gets the sense that the Hiroshima arc is probably where the most interesting part of the story is, but the unapologetic romantic drama of the Tokyo section has some appeal too. There aren’t a lot of romance dramas in the anime world anymore, especially from a shounen perspective, and this one has the novelty factor going for it at the very least. It feels old-school in more ways than one.
Senki Zesshou Symphogear G
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: C+
Comments: I’m definitely not as engaged in Senshogear as I was in the first season, but in truth I don’t think the series has declined in quality. It’s more a matter of the appeal losing some of its punch for me – I just don’t feel it like I did last year. Symphogear is still just as earnest and puppy-dog eager to please as it ever was, but I think I got everything I wanted to get out of it in the first season.
Dropped:
Makai Ouji, Brothers Conflict, Tamayura: More Agressive, Genshiken Nidaime
It’s unusual for me to have multiple “maybes” a month in, but so it goes – it’s just that sort of in-between season. Here’s my best guess for the schedule as of right now:
Monday:
Definitely Blogging: Watamote, Kingdom Season 2
Tuesday:
Definitely Blogging: Mushibugyou
Wednesday:
Definitely Blogging: None
On the Bubble: Free
Thursday:
Definitely Blogging: Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince, Gin no Saji, Rozen Maiden Zuruckspulen, Servant X Service
On the Bubble: Danganronpa: The Animation
Friday:
Probably Blogging: Gatchaman Crowds
Saturday:
Definitely Blogging: Shingeki no Kyojin, Uchuu Kyoudai
Probably Blogging: Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi
Sunday:
Definitely Blogging: Hunter X Hunter 2011, Uchouten Kazoku, Blood Lad
On the Bubble: Kimi no Iru Machi
Watching for now: Hakkenden, Gifuu Doudou, Senki Zesshou Symphogear G, Recorder to Randoseru Mi
Croos Cruz
July 30, 2013 at 3:03 am@_@
For the first time. I agree with Enzo's taste.
And oh, pls continue Gatchaman Crowds, I get the feeling that the series introduction isn't finish yet.
ishruns
July 30, 2013 at 3:08 amI don't think I'll rank shows for a bit after watching the Character Poll Arc in Gintama. Let's just say there are a lot more shows I like in Summer than in Spring. Enough to hopefully reach 500 completed on MAL, something my reduced free time and pickiness have kept me from achieving for a year now.
Ronbb
July 30, 2013 at 3:13 amI just noticed that I am watching more shows this season than the last — this tells how much the Summer season is better than Spring.
Uchouten Kazoku is my favourite of the season, but I also love Gin no Saji, Watamote, Kingdom, Rozen Maiden, and Servant x Service. I am still watching Love Lab, Kimi no Iru Machi, and Free!, and together with the two long-running series — Uchuu Kyoudai and HXH — I am watching 11 shows, which for me is quite a lot for a Summer season. Oh well, I am just glad that most of the shows that I am watching fall under your "Definitely Blogging" list.
p.s. Your Thursdays and Sundays look busy.
Ronbb
July 30, 2013 at 3:17 amWhoops, I forgot about AoT…that adds up to 12 now. Summer is supposed to be more quiet, but it doesn't seem to be the case this year. Oh well, it's all good.
cc9342ba-b603-11e2-aa71-000bcdcb2996
July 30, 2013 at 3:22 amI think I'm the one of the few people in the "noitamina" crowd that actually dislikes Silver Spoon and was disappointed in it. I'm finding it too much like the early episodes of FMA:Brotherhood in execution whereby there's exaggerated comical faces and reactions to jokes/moments that aren't really funny, the budget is surprisingly low considering how popular the source material is (curse of A-1, some shows looks amazing, some shows look quite bad. JC Staff is another studio that comes into mind) and I can't help but compare this anime to the first season of Moyashimon which frankly did the whole "farming" gimmick better imo.
Otherwise, I largely agree with Enzo's view, though I would knock down Watamote from A to B and Servant x Service from B to C. An ommission from this blog that caught me completely by surprise was actually Railgun S2 (though it's a Spring Carryover) Coming from a person that thought of Index S1/S2 and Railgun S1 as "one of the overrated/popular LN adaptations that was gonna sell well but ultimately was mediocre", it completely blew my expectations and is actually one of my favourites right now. Imagine taking a certain arc from Index S1 (which was 4-5 eps), fleshing it out so its 16 episodes without making it seem filler whatsoever and tone down the stupid antics (like Kuruko), ramp up the production values, story telling, narrative and the action scenes.
Anyways, I agree with the general consensus that Summer has been a lot better than Spring which is quite abnormal. I still think Shin Sekai Yori is going to be my anime of 2013 as nothing has come close to it in quality. Unless Uchouten Kazoku somehow becomes mindblowingly amazing in its 2nd half (it's my current favourite of the season).
pocarisweat88
July 30, 2013 at 3:22 amMan, I have no idea WHY it keeps doing that :/
Salmon
July 31, 2013 at 2:26 amWow, SSY was 2013? Crazy, feels like I watched that awhile ago now.
pocarisweat88
July 31, 2013 at 2:33 amStarted in Fall 2012 and ended in Winter 2013.
admin
July 31, 2013 at 3:02 amWhich means (hint, hint) it's eligible for the "Best of 2013" list.
Ronbb
July 31, 2013 at 3:55 amYeah…! It maybe too early to say, but so far I still love SSY the most.
Luxorcism
July 31, 2013 at 4:47 pmYeah, nothing quite comes close to SSY in the past few seasons, not even our beloved Tsuritama (though it's a different breed of series that doesn't strive to elicit the same kind of fan devotion).
Ronbb
July 31, 2013 at 8:50 pmI initially thought that Chihayafuru season 2 would make a good contender, but it turned out not as impactful as season 1 and therefore still consider SSY the best. That's just my personal opinion though.
Croos Cruz
July 30, 2013 at 3:28 amActually in Servant X Service, High Schooler or should I say teenager tend to be smart and know a lot of things but being knowledgeable doesn't mean you're good at doing work. In work you must know how to interact and adapt to the situation specially in civil service. If people in the civil service always follow rules and don't check what other people legit error(remember Lucy 【omitted】), machine should be built instead of humans. I guess they just used imouto high schooler with bro-con so as to make things more comedic.
ilikepopcans
July 30, 2013 at 5:44 amYeah, I agree with Enzo here, but taking down Service X Service some. Not watching Watamote so I guess I need to get on it…
9 shows so far this season for me.
1) Gin no Saji: Silver Spoon 2) Uchouten Kazoku 3) Ro-Kyu-Bu! SS
4)Monogatari series second season 5) Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu
6) Blood Lad 7) High School DxD NEW 8) Gatchaman Crowds 9)Servant x Service
dirty water imp
July 30, 2013 at 5:45 amI'm in line with your top 5, though I'd give Uchouten Kazoku a solid A. I do find Gatchaman Crowds fairly entertaining. It hasn't disappointed, but my expectations weren't all that high since there aren't many superhero themed (if we could call it that) animes that I've gravitated towards. I dropped Genshiken as well. After watching the first episode, I was left wondering why I had liked the first two season, save for the fact that it was set in college.
q u a c k
July 30, 2013 at 5:51 amEnzo, do you have any idea what's up with BONES? They have been alternating releasing series in a 3-2 pattern annually for about 6 years and this year was supposed to be 3 series. They have come out with 0… There was a rumor that they are working with Shinichiro Watanabe on a series, and there that "Space Dandy" rumor (not sure if related). Just seems a little odd for them. They either downsized or have a huge, high-budget production in the works.
q u a c k
July 30, 2013 at 6:00 amAnd there's that Tenkai Knights thing that is supposed to be animated by Bones. Apparently it's based off some toy that's coming soon, so it will probably be worthless…
admin
July 30, 2013 at 6:30 amHonestly don't know, but I'm getting worried. They were also supposed to be working on a sequel or reboot of one of their classic franchises but I haven't heard anything on that for ages.
ishruns
July 30, 2013 at 10:15 amSoul Eater? I'd love a remake of that since the manga's gonna end soon.
admin
July 30, 2013 at 10:22 amMany names were speculated on – I personally guessed Darker Than Black. But I haven't heard bo peep in quite a while.
pocarisweat88
July 30, 2013 at 10:50 amIf they indeed picked up Darker than Black, for the love of god please don't get Ms. Mari Okada again. She completely destroyed the 2nd season.
Ronbb
July 30, 2013 at 12:22 pm@pocarisweat88: I agree…I enjoyed the first season but was displeased at the second.
q u a c k
July 31, 2013 at 7:51 pm@Enzo, the sequel/reboot you're talking about is the Space Dandy series. Nothing has been revealed about it except its name and general genre categories it falls under. I have a strong feeling that it has something to do with Cowboy Bebop because Watanabe-san revealed the series was a "space science-fiction comedy."
admin
July 31, 2013 at 9:23 pmMost sources I've read seem to think the Watanabe thing is a different project than the sequel or reboot.
q u a c k
July 31, 2013 at 11:29 pmWell the second series he's working is with MAPPA, a new studio, so I doubt there would be a sequel/reboot with them. Also, I've read that it's not supposed to be a direct sequel/reboot of a specific series, but just have similar qualities and characters. I'd imagine it would be a little more closely aligned to what Silver Spoon did with FMA characters.
admin
August 1, 2013 at 12:54 amWho says Watanabe is associated with the reboot at all?
q u a c k
August 1, 2013 at 2:28 amIt's basically an assumption because BONES' two upcoming series are Tenkai Knights and Space Dandy. Since Tenkai Knights is a brand new thing based off a toy, Space Dandy as the reboot (which Watanabe is rumored to be working on) would be logical.
There could be a third series involved here that wasn't leaked at all. But I feel because we've seen nothing from BONES for almost a year, they don't have funding to release 3 shows all at once (Tenkai Knights and Space Dandy have been confirmed for a 2013 release).
admin
August 1, 2013 at 2:43 amBut Tenkai Knights is a co-production, and it going to air in NA before Japan anyway. I have to think BONES' financial exposure on that is pretty limited.
In any event, the fact that we've had nothing since ZnT and we're left to guesswork for so long is worrying indeed. The most logical assumption is that BONES is in trouble, and that would be a bad sign for the industry as a whole as well as for fans of their work (of which I'm one).
sonicsenryaku
August 1, 2013 at 1:56 pmI sure hope BONES is doing okay as they are one of my favorite animation studios; on a side note, supposedly i heard there was a tweet from one of the staff involved in E7 Ao that a sequel for that series is in the works. If that's the case I couldnt be happier as i was a fan of E7 Ao and I would love to see that story continue. On the other hand, I would also love a third season of Darker than Black as that is a favorite of mine and i have been itching for a third season
admin
August 1, 2013 at 2:09 pmI would love that, but I haven't heard anything to that effect.
q u a c k
August 1, 2013 at 7:58 pmI came across an Otakon greetings video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oTC88n9KXw. BONES had co-founder Masahiko Minami speak, saying that there will be a big announcement coming from them at Otakon. With Shinichiro Watanabe, Yoko Kanno, and BONES all in attendance, I think something big will come out of the convention 🙂
Zeta Zero
July 30, 2013 at 6:51 amWho cares if Bones don't have anything out? If Kyoto Animation took a break for a year life will still go on.
yause
July 31, 2013 at 7:04 amIt isn't life or death. However, lack of output (which may stem from project cancellations) can severely impact a studio's financial well-being.
q u a c k
July 31, 2013 at 7:48 pmWhy are you comparing Kyoto Animation to what is arguably the best studio for anime in Japan…
pocarisweat88
August 1, 2013 at 5:59 amEh?
I donno who you are calling the "best studio" but neither Kyoani nor PAW fits that bill. The former severly lacks diversification whilst the latter has consistency issues. Favourites? Yeh, PAW is a favourite of mine but "best" and "favourite" are too different things.
pocarisweat88
August 1, 2013 at 6:13 amNvm you meant bones. That's an arguable case if it was referring to the early to mid 2000s, but I definitely can't say that now :(.
q u a c k
August 2, 2013 at 12:56 amBrotherhood came out in 09 and is one of the best Shounen series to date, done by BONES…
Maxulous
August 2, 2013 at 2:36 amI think that was more to do with the material than BONES' adaptation of it (the team working on the same show in 03 would have made it superior imo). 09 version was competent, but I'd hardly go as far as to say one of the best.
Riliane
July 30, 2013 at 8:53 amSo far 2013 didn't really have that many outstanding series.
The winter season was one of the weakest in years (except for chihayafuru and those shows that carried over from fall 2012) and many shows from spring were just good but not great or fell flat in their second half.
So far I actually like the summer the most (although to be fair we're only one third into it, so the shows might still fall flat).
pocarisweat88
July 30, 2013 at 9:13 amYeh, two of the best shows this year were Fall 2012 carryovers that aired their 2nd cour in the winter season – Shin Sekai Yori and Psycho Pass. Aside from Railgun S2 (I never thought I will ever say this seriously) which is carrying over thi season, there wasn't anything outstanding from the Spring Season though there were a couple of good ones (Suisei no Gargantia, Yahari and possibly even Valverave in terms of pure goofiness).
sonicsenryaku
August 1, 2013 at 2:03 pm"Aside from Railgun S2 (I never thought I will ever say this seriously) which is carrying over this season, there wasn't anything outstanding from the Spring Season" I dont think anyone ever thought those words could be used in a sentence but lo and behold, the railgun team put their best foot forward and stepped up their game in terms of story-tellng, writing, and animation; I was truly surprised by what i have seen.
CheshireBae
July 30, 2013 at 9:13 amSo glad to see WataMote make it to the top. ^_^
Good black comedy used to be so hard to find, liking this growing trend of black comedy themes in so many mediums. Also, Tomoko is too adorable…
Other than that, I'll only be following Kamisama, Silver Spoon, and Blood Lad. The latter two only because I read the manga.
The former because the idea of a non-apocalyptic zombie world is a concept I find incredibly fascinating. Zombies make the perfect antagonists because they instill fear well while also being great punching bags. But does their intellect have to degrade? I'm finally getting my answer.
Those aside…
/rant
Seeing Makai Ouji in the "dropped" list almost made me sequel. That series steps on a personal pet-peeve of mine: The word realist, it's being misused…
I know it's unfair to nit-pick one word, but I hate the author for that.
The word "realist" has a very specific air to it that really sets the tone for anyone going into it, and conflicts with the first chapter completely.
A realist does not deny anything. *pouts* They accept whatever they encounter calmly, keeping the alternative possibilities in mind while awaiting and looking for new information. (All without suppressing their emotions or personality. They aren't psychopaths or detectives, just mature people who know what's what.)
/end rant
I've been keeping that bottled up for a while. =w=
Antony Shepherd
July 31, 2013 at 10:01 amYeah, Makai Ouji should be called 'Devils and Sceptic' instead…!
kandda92
July 30, 2013 at 12:06 pmHey Enzo, did you check out Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma? I was pretty surprised by it, not that it's that great, but still entertaining and definitely worth a try!
admin
July 30, 2013 at 1:02 pmI couldn't quite bring myself to do it, no. Maybe I'll look at the premiere if I have a slow day.
kandda92
July 31, 2013 at 7:57 amHaha ok 😉
foon
July 31, 2013 at 8:43 pmI was also pleasantly surprised by the quality of Prism Ilya. But then, I'm a TYPE-MOON fan (not fanboy–I wasn't expecting to like this), and as far as I can tell, Enzo isn't partial to their works like I am.
It's a pretty entertaining show, but I would skip it if you don't consider yourself a TYPE-MOON fan. You have to know Fate/stay night pretty well to enjoy it, and it would definitely also help if you liked Fate/Zero and Carnival Phantasm.
Everaldo Júnior
July 30, 2013 at 1:45 pmNo comments about Inu to Hasami wa Tsukaiyou?
Highway
July 30, 2013 at 1:59 pmI don't know if there's much to say about InuHasa. I like it, although it's been really widely panned in general. To me it works like an 80's US TV misfit mystery team thing, written by Stephen J Cannell or something. But there's a reason those aren't on TV much anymore, so it doesn't really appeal to many people.
Everaldo Júnior
July 30, 2013 at 2:55 pmI see similarities in this show with Binbougami-ga. But, I was talking about GE's blog post. Enzo, no comments about this show?
admin
July 31, 2013 at 12:12 amHated it.
ishruns
July 31, 2013 at 9:24 amIt feels so long ago that I liked anything Inoue Marina did. She sang my favourite song in anime and is now just a sadistic bitch.
Highway
July 30, 2013 at 1:56 pmI think the best shows this season so far are Stella C3-bu, Love Lab, Rozen Maiden, DxD New, and Uchouten Kazoku. The next group of very good shows include Gin no Saji, Kami-Inai, WataMote, SxS, Monogatari, Prism Illya, and DayBreak Illusion. And Tamayura is still mighty enjoyable even though I cry every episode.
I'm pretty cool on Blood Lad. I don't care for the art that much, nor do I find it particularly funny. Free, InuHasa, Fantasista Doll, Genshiken, Brothers Conflict (gets into the 'so bad it's enjoyable' category), KinMoza, Kitakubu, TWGOK are all still on the watch list.
I'm still watching about 23 shows, but I've dropped both Danganronpa and Kimi no iru Machi. I'm not really into a sadist bear's snuff film, and knowing that KnIM will not really go anywhere makes me not want to watch it.
sudachi
July 31, 2013 at 4:56 amSeems like summer has a fair amount of sleepers, I feel bad for slacking off on some of these. So far I'm just doing a relaxing re-watch of Aria, and following Monogatari, Uchouten Kazoku, and SxS. I guess that needs to change soon!
q u a c k
August 1, 2013 at 7:15 pmAfter watching ep. 4, I feel like Silver Spoon is going to be this summer's Sakamichi no Apollon.
John I.G.
August 4, 2013 at 6:58 pmI am all over Uchouten Kazoku, its been awhile since I've watched an episode of a show, and instantly wanted more of it. That's happened every single time now since the second episode. Can't wait for more and to see where it goes.
Your other top-ranking ones just don't grab me from the description, so I think this is the summer anime I'm sticking with.
Yennyenn
August 10, 2013 at 10:15 amRegarding RM 2013, how does it differ from the previous 2 seasons?