Spring 2013 Anime Season Roundup

by 81 Comments

Ah, spring. Flowers, sunshine, and a new season of anime. Because the best thing about warmer weather is sitting indoors watching anime with the windows open, amirite? Well, Winter 2013′s anime season was decent, but Spring 2013′s anime season might end up beating it out. There’s actually one show this time that I am more than just excited for. Will you share my opinion? Maybe. Let’s find out.

Suisei no Gargantia

Suisei-no-GargantiaJust from glancing over the shows, I thought this one looked like it could have the most promise. The show takes place in the future, in space. Humanity is in a war against an alien race and the main character gets transported to a strange and distant land during one of these space battles. Confusion ensues, and only good things can happen from there.

This show seems incredibly promising and the visuals are fantastic. I know I say a lot that I think I might actually finish a series, but this time I like, really, really mean it. I want to watch the rest of this series, like right now. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGZokL-tAbM']

Who should watch this show: People who like awesome anime shows that combine action, humor, mechs, and sweet animation.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Crazy good. If I had access to the whole series right now I’d be watching and finishing it today.

Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san

namiuchigiwa-no-muromi-sanAll the characters are drawn with blue outlines in this show. It’s kind of unique I guess. This show only has half-length episodes though for whatever reason. The show is about mermaids and it’s kind of funny, but also kind of stupid. The first episode is all about a fisherman who catches a mermaid and they banter back and forth about silly things. It seems like it’s just a string of gags with no real story going on. Maybe that’s why the episodes are only half length.

I wasn’t a big fan of this one but I can see how some people would get enjoyment out of it. It’s just a bit too goofy for me. I can handle goofy, but I need more of a story to hold things together. There’s very little story to speak of in this anime.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTqBiRLqYXs']

Who should watch this show: People who like mermaids and goofy banter.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Bad. One episode was enough.

Arata Kangatari

Arata-KangatariThe animation in this show has kind of a soft, glowy look to it. I’m not sure how much I like that. The show’s about a high school kid who gets made fun of and bullied all the time. He somehow gets transported to another world where the monarchy gets overthrown by 12 rude dudes and the main guy somehow ends up getting blamed for it. He swaps places with someone from this other world and looks like the other guy to everyone there.

The end of the episode gives a little hope, but overall this show doesn’t really interest me. If it gets rave reviews I’ll continue watching it, but otherwise I’ll pass. I felt like it could be cool, but the way everything unfolded just wasn’t that interesting. It’s not bad, just really average.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQNoI-LsoRU']

Who should watch this show: People who like magic and strife and soft animation.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Pretty bad. Unless this anime blows up and starts getting tons of praise I doubt I’ll watch any more of it.

Karneval

KarnevalThe show is a bit freaky in the beginning with what happens with the characters. It’s hard to tell exactly what the show is about from the onset, but the first bad guy they encounter is really creepy. I’m not sure what the story is or where it’s going, but some people are like monsters and some people have magic powers and they’re all trying to do stuff and things.

I had higher hopes for this show, but it moved along pretty slowly. The animation is nice though, and I like the look of the characters. The show gets a little bit more interesting near the end, but not quite enough to redeem itself. I don’t really know where the story is going but I don’t really care that much either.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7LxjCdr4PY']

Who should watch this show: People who like shows about magic and monsters and prettyboys.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Okay. I might watch another episode just to see if they reveal where the story is going because I don’t feel like they revealed enough in this first episode.

Shingeki no Kyojin

Shingeki.no.KyojinIn the show, humans are living inside a gigantic wall that serves to keep out a giant race of humanoids. The giants haven’t gotten inside the walls for some hundred years, so all the townspeople have developed a false sense of security. And then gigantic, super giants come and unexpectedly invade the town, tearing down the walls.

This first episode is pretty heavy. There’s definitely potential here, and the first episode sets up quite the scene. I’m excited to see where this one goes. I really like the animation in this show, it uses lots of thick lines. The action sequences are epic and the production values are great. I seriously got chills from watching the trailer.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKzmOh4SuBc']

Who should watch this show: People who like epic shows with lots of emotion, action, and style.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Great. I’m not as excited about this one as I am about Suisei no Gargantia, but this show is definitely second in line.

Hataraku Maou-sama!

Hataraku.Maou-samaThe story starts back in fantasy medieval times with some knights fighting against the forces of Satan. Satan loses the battle and is forced to retreat into a portal transporting him and a follower into a modern world where they have no idea what’s going on and can’t really use their magic. This makes for a pretty hilarious and interesting premise because they have to learn the language, rent a living space, and get jobs to pay for things.

This show might end up being kind of cool. The first episode is good, but not great. Time will tell on this one, but after a few more episodes it might end up blossoming into something worthwhile. The show definitely had me laughing at parts, but I’m not sure how strong of a story will develop from this first episode.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKaTbXFaRcA']

Who should watch this show: People who like shows about demons trying to adjust to modern day society and the hilarity that ensues.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Pretty good. I think this one’s coming in third place after Shingeki no Kyojin. This show deserves at least one more episode.

DATE A LIVE

date-a-liveThis show starts off with 14 year old panty shots. Promising. The premise of the show is fairly normal high school anime fare except that there are things called space quakes which are basically spherical earthquakes taking place in the atmosphere/earth. But that all changes when a bodacious babe shows up in purple sci-fi fantasy armor. Plot twist! Then some other nonsense happens.

I couldn’t care about this show at all. It was not interesting to me whatsoever. I was okay with it for the first half but when the purple sci-fi fantasy armor girl showed up I was all like, “this is stupid, I’ve had enough.” This show is nothing special.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA66EZPxgVk']

Who should watch this show: People who like space quakes and babes from outer space.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Bad. One episode was enough for me.

Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince

ginga-kikoutai-majestic-princeThis one here is another space/mecha show. The show’s main characters are a team of five pilots known as the Failure Five because they’re so bad and can’t work as a team. Then for some reason they get selected to go into actual combat and deal with the reality of fighting for real.

This show seems really cheesy and kind of juvenile. I’m not really a big fan of the animation style either. This show’s just not that interesting compared to Suisei no Gargantia which is a much better space/mecha show. To be honest it’s just not that interesting in general. I just wasn’t able to care about what was going on.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlZRHDbYYko']

Who should watch this show: People who like sub-par shows about mechs and rooting for the underdogs.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: So bad. Suisei no Gargantia is way better so I’ll be getting my mech fix from that.

Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru

Yahari.Ore_.no_.Seishun.Love_.Come_.wa_.MachigatteiruThis one right here is a high school show. The main character really isn’t a big fan of high school and doesn’t have a girlfriend or any friends either. His teacher puts him in a “Volunteers Club” in an attempt to rehabilitate him. There he talks to one of the most popular girls in the school. They banter back and forth until another girl joins them and then more banter ensues.

The dialogue between all the characters is interesting and occasionally funny, but overall not a whole lot happens. Most all of the first episode takes place in one room. Overall it is of average entertainment and hilarity. I might watch one or two more episodes but I doubt I’ll see this one through to the end. I can see how others would enjoy it though.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsIG2ZYW3tc']

Who should watch this show: People who like shows about awkward high schoolers.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Average. I might watch one or two more episodes but probably not.

Shows that Were Less Than Impressive and a Recap

nekoSurprisingly enough I didn’t shut off any shows within the first 5-10 minutes of watching them this season. This is the first season that’s ever happened. Overall this season had a lot of average shows but two of the ones I watched seemed like they could blossom into amazing shows so that alone makes this season a good one for me.

To recap from last season, I didn’t end up watching any of the shows all the way through. I watched like the first 5 episodes of Maoyuu Maou Yuusha, but I felt like the show wasn’t going anywhere so I gave it up. Nothing else from last season really held my interest either.

Bottom Line: Suisei no Gargantia seems like it could be a fantastic show. I can’t remember the last time I was this excited after a first episode so I’m really hoping the show doesn’t let me down. I’m trying to not get too excited so I don’t over-hype the show in my head, but I really think it could end up being a series I really, really enjoy. Guess we’ll just have to find out. You should at least check out the first episode though. It’s choice.

You should also check out Shingeki no Kyojin as well. Probably. It has promise.

So tell me, what shows look the best from this season? Any favorites that I didn’t review? What ended up being your favorite show from last season? Let us know in the comments!

Newer Comments →
  • http://es-la.facebook.com/people/Jorge-Manzanares/632066897 Jorge Manzanares

    Aku no hana is my favorite by now, Shingeki no Kyojin seems pretty good too

  • DAVIDPD

    John, No mention of AKU NO HANA? That one is dividing the anime world up right now because of it’s “radical” departure from typical anime animation style. It’s rotoscoped, think “The Lord of the Rings” animated version, and is pretty out there thematically. Please give it a watch and report back John. // Thank you for your hard work John.

  • http://twitter.com/Stuart444 Stuart444

    Best shows this season: A Certain Scientific Railgun S/To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S followed by OreImo S2 for me :-)

  • http://www.facebook.com/Tanaie Hannah Whittingham

    I’m absolutely obsessed with Shingeki no Kyojin. This anime is so freaking amazing, heck even the trailer alone was enough to get me to read the manga. And by God, this is one of the best series I have ever read. You will NOT be disappointed. Having read the manga up to date, I cannot wait to see how they will animate the action scenes from the manga (as they are extremely well done and intense). This series goes in some many directions that you will never expect, it always keeps you guessing, and has full intention of answering every question that is brought up. I’m so glad they’ll be doing 25 episodes of this.

  • piderman

    I watched the second episode of Suisei no Gargantia but it was… average? The plot was predictable, the characters were 100% stereotype and predictable. I hope it can develop into something a little more unique. Besides that mech is way too powerful so I guess it’s waiting until the Hideauze and the fleet catch up…

  • toyotapride

    I totally agree witb you on Suisei no Gargantia I have have finished watching it if I could so its awesome can’t wait for episode 3 !

  • http://twitter.com/Cupucuups Hamyo

    Wow i was writing about this at my blog too, and with the same header from Suisei no gargantia. what a coincidence! XD But of course your post exactly better than mine :)) thanks for the list John but you forgot to put the epic sequel of oreno imoto ga kawaii wake ganai and the comeback of the legend ninja anime “Ninja hatori – remake” after all really love this list. right choice of Suisei no gargantia, this anime just so epic :))

  • http://twitter.com/Cupucuups Hamyo

    don’t forget about valvrave, lot of epicness from mecha’s anime this spring. XD

    http://okonomikatsu.blogspot.com/

  • Emile

    As a fan of the Karneval manga, I don’t feel the anime is doing justice to the story or characters. Yes, it’s pretty to watch, but the pace is wonky and the deviations from the manga (which, of course, I read first, so naturally will compare it to) are disappointing. Since I’ve been looking forward to the anime adaptation from its announcement, maybe my hopes were too high. It feels sad to say that if I happened across the anime without having first read the manga, I wouldn’t be as interested in it. However, I can say the animation is quite nice, and being able to watch everything ~come to life~ is always fun. I’ll keep watching out of loyalty, and also to hear Vincent Law as Tsukitachi because, well… it’s Vincent Law.

  • Emile

    As a fan of the Karneval manga, I don’t feel the anime is doing justice to the story or characters. Yes, it’s pretty to watch, but the pace is wonky and the deviations from the manga (which, of course, I read first, so naturally will compare it to) are disappointing. Since I’ve been looking forward to the anime adaptation from its announcement, maybe my hopes were too high. It feels sad to say that if I happened across the anime without having first read the manga, I wouldn’t be as interested in it. However, I can say the animation is quite nice, and being able to watch everything ~come to life~ is always fun. I’ll keep watching out of loyalty, and also to hear Vincent Law as Tsukitachi because, well… it’s Vincent Law.

  • Chessir.

    I’m pretty excited about that new Katsuhiro Otomo movie, Short Peace! Some animation styles just make me so hyped.

  • Inkfect

    Been following Shingeki no Kyojin from the beginning in the manga. I’ve been dying for this to be turned into an anime. If they follow the manga series closely at all this will seriously be a series to watch out for. The characters and story are beautifully crafted. Still wondering about the gore factor, if they keep it in I think it will easily top some of the darker animes that come to mind like Gantz or Elfen Lied. What does anyone else think?

  • John

    Is Valvrave good? I didn’t check it out.

  • John

    I just checked out Aku no Hana and I wasn’t a big fan of it. I’ve never really liked rotoscoped stuff and I didn’t really like it here either. I felt like it moved very slowly which I didn’t like. The ending had me intrigued but since I’m unfamiliar with the series I don’t really know what to expect. Maybe I’ll check out the next episode to see what happens next, but so far I’m not really interested :/

  • http://twitter.com/SactoMan81 Raymond Chuang

    From what I’ve seen on Crunchyroll (they now have the fist two episodes), Suisei no Gargantia looks _really_ good. I may get it on Blu-ray if we get a US domestic release. :-)

  • http://twitter.com/kima_siksin Kima

    I think we might have similar taste in anime, because I would have rated them the same way XD I wish I could tell you something more interesting in this comment, but really, I totally agree. Shingeki no Kyojin and Suisei no Gargantia seem the coolest. Thanks for the article, I can’t wait to watch them now 8D *ignores piles of homework*

  • John

    Haha cool – glad we share the same tastes! And good luck with that homework :)

  • http://twitter.com/Cupucuups Hamyo

    you have to XD it’s so epic, this spring is a bless for any mecha’s fans :))

  • http://twitter.com/Cupucuups Hamyo

    you have to XD it’s so epic, this spring is a bless for any mecha’s fans :))

  • Gregory Moore

    Review Valrave: The liberator.
    its amazing

  • Mari G.

    Spice and Wolf, Sword Art Online, Mahoromatic, just to name a few of my favorites. I’d love to see your opinion on one of these ^_^ Good or bad, I’ll still enjoy them either way!

  • John

    I really liked the first half of SAO but I thought the second half was kind of a let down :(

  • John

    It’s next on my list!

  • Cenon Lumabad III

    not sure about Suisei no Gargantia. When i looked at the NEREGATE calendar, the story is original (not based on manga or novel) I’m not a fan of Original Animations. e.g Railgun S

  • Rin

    You didn’t post about Devil Survivor 2 The Animation =(.

  • Henro 88

    Do they ever explain where the 4-D gear came from? Or the 60 meter walls? Because that bugs me like crazy. My wife is making me watch this anime, and I’m enjoying it. But, seriously. You don’t just conjure explosive-powered grappling guns that operate without human input without that technology being used or developed somewhere else first. Not to mention that they are mass-produced, and NOTHING else in this anime appears to be manufactured. I will actually be very disappointed if it isn’t addressed, because the author of the manga seriously wants me to believe that these people can develop MIND-POWERED GUNS, but they can’t get past the muzzle-loaded cannon with non-explosive shells? They have grappling guns that can hit a tree branch at 50MPH, but they don’t have rifled cannon?

    I just…it’s too big a suspension of disbelief. Is that explained later in the manga, or do I just have to accept it?

  • Henro 88

    Why didn’t you finish Polar Bear Cafe?

  • Henro 88

    The anime is playing up the horror element a lot, I think. It’s conveying a real sense of mindless brutality in the Titans, and that’s…well, it’s not NICE, obviously, but it’s good storytelling. But I’m finding the characterization bland because the characters just kind of scream at each other about how STRONG THEIR EMOTIONS ARE. The whole first two episodes are basically Eren just screaming about how passionate he is, and everyone screaming back at him about how powerful THEIR emotions are counter to his, and it’s tedious – and so painfully typical of Japanese drama.

    The violence is really the part of the anime with the most emotional impact, because instead of telling us how horrible the Titans are, (the way they’re doing with Eren’s emotions), they’re showing us. But what I think is great is that they AREN’T showing us the gore – they’re stopping just short, so we see the person go into the Titan’s mouth – we see the blood on the ground…but…what happens in between is all left to our imagination.

  • http://www.facebook.com/christopher.peregrin.stilson Christopher Stilson

    I wasn’t expecting to like Date A Live, since I don’t generally like harem series that don’t involve junior wizards, multiple personality disorder, or Mizuki Nana, but it had my wife (who usually ignores anime) in stitches in the second half so we’ll stick with it. I’m also enjoying Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge for the schizoid style (melodramatic music over comic moments, art shifts during serious ones, etc.) and Red Data Girl and Karneval for the pretty visuals and music.

    Shingeki no Kyojin I’m iffy on. It’s dramatic and visually exciting, but my first impression of it was “steampunk’d Evangelion,” and not in the way that would have been awesome. The main character already had a pretty good motivation for becoming The Hero, and the extra helping of angst isn’t really necessary except to declare ‘ooh, look at us, we’re gonna be dark and edgy’ – as if having a giant with no skin in the promo pics isn’t enough.

  • John

    To be honest, I never started it, lol xD

  • http://twitter.com/kima_siksin Kima

    Thanks, I managed to take care of that on time XD And I watched the first two episodes of Shingeki no Kyojin. I almost cried and I don’t cry that easily. I think I had a dream about it later too, and when I woke up, I was all paranoid about titans and kept looking at the sky to check if there’s going to be a giant red head sticking out from behind a building somewhere. It’s the first time an anime messed with my brain this much… and it’s probably very unhealthy… but I like it! It’s so intense and beautifully drawn.

  • tonton101

    Suisei no Gargantia is hands down the anime of the season. I am impressed by its handling of high sci-fi concepts and the animation is top-notch. Better yet, the storytelling hitherto is excellently paced and intriguing.

  • Henro 88

    You missed out, big time. Definitely one of the best “kawaii” type anime out there. It’s one of those anime that wouldn’t work if the author didn’t commit to it, and the author does commit to it. Talking animals living among people? Sounds simple, but Higa gives the animals a lot of depth, which makes you like them, and it makes the show work.

    It honestly breaks a lot of typical anime conventions that turn people off to anime, so it should be really accessible to your non-Japan-fan friends who don’t “get” anime. Aloha Higa is a woman, so she makes solid characters without all the screaming. Your mom and your girlfriend will love it, so you can share it with anyone.

  • http://www.facebook.com/Tanaie Hannah Whittingham

    Oh don’t worry, it’s all explained. (Which is one of the reasons why I love this manga, the author created a fully functional world. I have yet to run into any plot holes.)

    The wall is incredibly ingenious, but I won’t tell you anymore because it’s a major spoiler. But it will be explained. Currently in the manga it’s not 100% explained yet, but I can already begin to connect the dots. It’s a very important aspect of the story.

    In regards to the 4-D gear, this isn’t a major spoiler, but the Titan’s cannot be killed through regular means. The people do in fact have cannons, and guns, but it can only stall the Titans. The Titans are invincible, except for a small area on the back of their neck. That is the only way to kill them, which is why our heroes require the gear, for swift movement to avoid getting eaten and attacking the area on their neck.

    The gear is actually pretty simple, it’s just powered by air pressure(?) (If my memory serves me right) Or something like that. And the gear does in fact run out of air/gas fairly quickly. So it is by no means this super, limitless powered thing. In fact it is far from perfect, as many people get eaten regardless of the swiftness of it.

    In my opinion it’s a brilliant piece of machinery, as it’s really well thought out, and looks freaking awesome.

    Not only is it used to fight against the Titans, it’s also used to climb up the 60M walls.

  • http://www.facebook.com/Tanaie Hannah Whittingham

    In a few cases the Titans may eat a person hole.
    But they typically just rip the person apart…It’s extremely gruesome.
    I honestly kind of wish the anime was as gruesome as the manga, because it really hits you even harder.
    I sympathize with the fear these characters have even more because of it.

    Watching Eren’s mom get eaten was bad in the anime…But looking at it in the manga, holy freaking crap, it was even worse. The author lets you see EVERYTHING.

  • Henro 88

    Well, right, but it’s still way more advanced than a rifled cannon with explosive shells. I think that’s a major plothole that the 4-D gear exists, but they never bothered to make a cannon that can just blow the vulnerable spot off the Titan’s head, or pierce through the skull to hit it directly – but they have pneumatic grappling hooks. Technology doesn’t work that way. You don’t just have mass-produced pneumatic gear without going through other inventions first.

    I did read the Titan wiki, so I know what the wall is made of and all that. That definitely helps explain how they made the wall without cranes or anything – wooden scaffolding might be sufficient if you had a thing to build the wall around.

  • MangaTherapy

    Attack on Titan is amazing. If you get a chance, you can check out the manga some time.

    Also, just wanted to leave this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDHCLjuOzXY

  • MangaTherapy

    It sometimes asks more interesting questions too! XD

  • John

    Hahahahaha!! Thank you so much for this.

  • MangaTherapy

    Nico Nico seems to have more. But this is the best parody by far. XD

  • Aya

    DUDE, SAME. I checked out the trailer for Shingeki no Kyojin and chills ran down my spine. I had goosebumps watching the PV. It was THAT GOOD. Well, I think I know what I’m watching this weekend. :) And I’m going to check out the manga too, it looks promising. Thanks for the rec, John! :Db

  • John

    :D

  • Isa

    I just finished the first 3 episodes of Hataraku Maou-sama, and I really think it’s brilliant and hilarious. Also the drawings are really nice.
    Looking forward to next episodes, in the meantime Karneval and Arata Kangatari keeps me busy :)

  • MrsSpooky

    I’m on episode two of Aku no Hana (Flowers of Evil) and I am LOVING it! It’s a very strange show, kind of creepy. Very strange, not like anything I’ve seen before (well, since A Scanner Darkly). I love this stuff anyway, and the story, music and staging adds up to a rather unsettling atmosphere. I would say if you like atmospheric, eerie stories, you might like this one.

  • kass22

    what about aku no hana?

    and btw devil survivor 2 the animation was a huge disappointment, not that i was looking forward to it though but still as a big fan of the smt series i felt it was crap.

  • http://www.facebook.com/shasha.c.joseph Shasha C. Joseph

    Is there Kaichou Wa Maid sama? I heard theres season 2

  • Laura

    I haven’t seen Suisei no Gargantia yet but from that trailer it does seem interesting.
    However, I’m totally in love with Shingeki no kyojin! It might even become an all time favourite for me (having read the manga as well – I couldn’t possibly say that after watching three episodes).

  • http://twitter.com/mngalaxy ＭＡＩ☆彡

    Did you what AKB0048? What did you think about it?

  • Fikern

    Why are all the females wearing cloths that show off skin? I was enjoying the story until I realized every single female had the same fashion style.

  • Kiseki

    You missed Kamisama Hajimemashita >.< It's the best romantic comedy anime to come out in a while xD Whlie it definitely won't appeal to most guys, this is a must watch for all girls!

Newer Comments →