Witch Craft Works (John)

Well, the show seems to have something to do with witches and the supernatural. The main characters are a high school boy who is super average and even picked on occasionally by the other students. The other main character is a girl from the same high school who is basically treated like royalty by the rest of the students. She also happens to be a witch. Antics ensue.

The art and colors are very nice in this one, so that’s what first drew me to the show. The animation and action sequences ain’t too shabby either. As for the story and characters, they didn’t really grab me or hold my interest much. I feel like the show might have some potential as it does a lot of things right, but in the end it just doesn’t feel all that satisfying. Plus the school’s unhealthy attachment to the main girl is really annoying.

Watch if you like: Busty high school witches and unpopular boy leads combined with lots of magic.
Chances I’ll watch another: Very low. The show didn’t really grab me.
Rating: 2/5

Space Dandy (John)

This was actually the only one I’d heard of before the season started because apparently it is also coming to American TV. Whether that’s a good or bad thing, I don’t yet know. Anyway, the show is about a dandy in space (surprising, right?) who is super interested in treasure, lady parts, and alien hunting. Everything takes place in a galactic future with robots, spaceships, and aliens.

I really like the opening to this show. It’s groovy. Everything else is really well done too. The colors and animation are great. So is the music. The robots and aliens are original and entertaining. The show has action and it’s also funny. Enough happens in the first episode to keep it interesting but enough to make you want to see more to discover what’s going to happen and where the story is going. I can definitely see why this is already coming to America.

**Note: I only watched the first episode, so reading Koichi’s review below made me really sad :( Damn you, Space Dandyyyy!!

Watch if you like: Funny roguish leads in an interesting galactic setting.
Chances I’ll watch another: Very high. This show is really entertaining.
Rating: 5/5

Second Opinion (Koichi):

This is one of those shows with great art style, great music, and very little depth. Not only is the story itself a cheap way to allow the author to write multiple non-connected episodes with hardly any story at all (spoiler alert: each episode is a separate dimensional thread where anything can happen!), but almost every character decision has no weight to it, and things “just happen” (as you may be able to tell, I’m more of a cause and effect kind of guy).

Even if you judge the show on an episode-to-episode basis it lacks a lot in the way of good cause and effect story telling. The characters are shallow and uninteresting after a couple of episodes and if you were hoping for another Cowboy Bebop… well, keep looking space cowboy.

I will say that I enjoy the art-style and music, though. It’s just about the only thing keeping me moderately interested. We’ll see how long that lasts, though.

Watch if you like: Good art, good music, bad storytelling.
Chances I’ll watch another: Diminishing with each passing episode.
Rating: 2/5

Tonari no Seki-kun (John)

This is another one of those short shows. This first episode clocks in at just under 8 minutes. The show is about two kids in a class. A girl and the guy who sits next to her. The guy doesn’t really pay attention in class and just plays with things the whole time and the girl can’t help but be distracted and often tries to stop his antics.

I actually really like this show. I’ve never liked these short ones before, but this one is really funny. The guy never even talks – it’s just the girl reacting to everything he does. The show feels really smart and well done. Perfect for this sort of small dose short episode style. It’s definitely a pleasant surprise in this season. The ending song is pretty cool too.

Watch if you like: Short and sweet shows that are laugh out loud funny.
Chances I’ll watch another: High. This show is good. It’s funny and doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Rating: 4/5

Hamatora (John)

The show is about a poor private investigator who rents out a table at a bar to use at his office. The characters all have goofy names like “Nice”, “Birthday”, “Ratio”, and “Kitten”. They look for PI jobs to make ends meet and help out the community. The show seems to be mostly about solving mysteries and cases. But there’s some humor thrown in there too. Also some people in this world have special powers, so that mixes things up a bit too.

The colors are really pretty in this show and I like the style. The story and the characters however – they don’t really interest me. I feel like the show is trying to be edgy and cool and interesting, but it just wasn’t appealing to me. I want to like this show, and I feel like it could be really cool, but this first episode just wasn’t all that great in my opinion. Maybe it’ll get better eventually.

Watch if you like: Pretty colors and a potentially interesting concept.
Chances I’ll watch another: Low. While not necessarily a bad show, it just didn’t grab my interest.
Rating: 2.5/5

Noragami (John)

The show is about a high school aged phantom hunting god. He’s poor and his weaponized companion just left him. Since he’s a god, it seems like most humans are unable to see him. However, he runs into a girl who can actually see him, and she becomes the other focus of the story. He has big dreams of becoming the most powerful god in the land, but currently he’s pretty down on his luck. And once the girl sees the god, stuff starts getting weird for her.

This show intrigues me but I’m not sure how I feel about it just yet. I really like the main character and a lot happens in the show that I feel is really cool and interesting. The artwork and colors and music are all really well done too. I’m not totally sold on the show yet, but I have hopes for it. I think this show could turn into something really good.

Watch if you like: Interesting supernatural activity and funny and likable main characters.
Chances I’ll watch another: Pretty high. I’ll give this a few more episodes at least. I feel like it could be pretty decent.
Rating: 3.5/5

Super Sonico the Animation (John)

This show is about a spirited and ditzy college girl and her many cats. She’s really smart and good in school, but she’s always late and absent. She’s also a model. She’s also in a band. The show is all about her and her ordinary daily life. SOUNDS PRETTY INTERSTING, HUH?

This show is not very exciting. It’s very plain and boring and average. It’s a little gratuitous at times, especially during the model shoot. Also the main girl always wears these headphone things that I just don’t understand. They’re never explained. She also has a goofy manager who isn’t really funny – he’s just strange.

Watch if you like: Ditzy models with curvy curves and their daily lives.
Chances I’ll watch another: Non-existent. This show is not good.
Rating: 1/5

Strange+ (John)

This is another short-style episode. The main characters are trying to catch a thief who stole a golden statue from a rich man’s mansion. The episode is short but the ridiculousness is in high supply. The characters are all goofy and silly.

A bit too silly for me, actually. This isn’t really my kind of humor. Plus, at three and a half minutes, I feel like this belongs on YouTube or something more than an actual television show. Pass.

Watch if you like: Incredibly short and silly anime episodes.
Chances I’ll watch another: Next to zero. Since they’re so short, maybe I’d watch another, but not if I can help it.
Rating 0.5/5

Hozuki no Reitetsu (John)

The underworld is overrun and understaffed. It is up to Hozuki to get it all together. Most all of the characters are demons or spirits of some sort. It’s not that usual of a setting, so the characters feel very fresh and unique. The show is mainly humor based, so I’m not really sure where the story is going, but I imagine it will mostly be Hozuki cleaning up the underworld one episode at a time.

This show is hilarious. Probably the funniest of the season. I really like the animal characters in the show. The story doesn’t really interest me all that much, but I don’t think the story is really the focus of the show. It’s all about the unique characters and silly situations. I was really surprised with how much I liked this one. The colors are also really pretty. I really like the backgrounds.

Watch if you like: Funny shows with unique otherworldly characters.
Chances I’ll watch another: High. This show is really funny. I like it.
Rating: 4/5

Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta (John)

This story is all about airplanes. Siblings have joined some sort of air force division who have set upon a mission to discover the end of the sky. They all hope aboard a floating island and start their search. The main guy meets a girl on his first day and she’s kinda weird, but he seems to like her. There’s also a white haired dude hanging around who seems very shady.

I’m not sure how I feel about this show. I thought the premise was kind of interesting and the bickering between the siblings was entertaining, but once the main guy meets that girl it got kind of weird. It was a bit too awkward and over the top for me. I’m not sure what direction the story is going to continue in though. If this turns into a goofy romance with the air mission as a backdrop, I’m betting I won’t like this very much as it continues. But if it expands on the air missions and all that neat stuff, then maybe it’ll be worth watching more of. Time will tell.

Watch if you like: Planes and floating islands and awkward juvenile relationships.
Chances I’ll watch another: Low. I probably won’t watch any more of this one unless I hear people raving about it.
Rating: 3/5

Nisekoi (John)

The show is about a yakuza clan and the son of its current master. Everyone calls him young master and hopes he will one day take over the gang, but all he wants to do is go to a good school and find a nice steady job and live a normal life. This guy has a childhood friend he promised to marry, but hasn’t seen her since then for some reason. And then, a half American girl transfers to his school and starts causing trouble for him.

The show is a good mix of humor and the mystery of who the guy’s childhood friend might be and what all’s going on there. The main character is entertaining and his interactions with the half-American girl are amusing as well. I like the colors in this show too. A lot of the scenes are very pretty. It kind of reminds me of Love Hina in a way with the long ago promise and all that, but I like it.

Watch if you like: Funny high school romances with the occasional Yakuza diversion.
Chances I’ll watch another: Decent. I like this show, but not as much as some of the others. I might check out another episode or two, but no guarantees.
Rating: 3.5/5

Nobunaga The Fool (Koichi)

In this world there are two planets (no Jim Sturgess or Kirsten Dunst, though), which at one point were connected by the Ama-no-hashidate. That bridge was destroyed, though, so the two planets went on to live separate histories. One planet has united. The other is at war. The story follows Jeanne Kaguya D’Arc of the Western Planet, who was prophesied to be the “savior of the world” and also seems to “see things.” With Leonardo Da Vinci (who makes mechs now, apparently), she travels to the Eastern planet and meets up with Nobunaga “The Fool.” Oh, and did I mention that there are mechs along with all the samurai and medieval age stuff?

First of all, the combination of future tech with the people and history of the 1400s is a… surprisingly good fit. While samurai are battling it out on the battlefield mechs stand along side them, looking like ultra-armored versions of their companions. All of the characters are unique (and there are a lot of them), have their own motivations, and you can tell that each character’s arc is going to conflict / come together in some way as the story progresses (I hope it will, at least!).

The main problem I have is that the storyline seems to be taking the “destiny” approach, at least with Jeanne Kaguya D’Arc. It just takes away a lot of character decision which is what should be driving the story. So far so good, but I’ll need to watch more before coming to a conclusion. The potential for screwing things up with all that “destiny” crap is high and don’t even get me started on all the deus ex machina going on… at least most of it has been character driven… so far.

Watch if you like: Samurai, mechs, good storytelling
Chances I’ll watch another: Okay, fine, I’ll watch another. But I’m watching you carefully, “destiny.”
Rating: 4/5

Wizard Barristers (Cristina)

Yasuomi Umetsu has produced some pretty awesome  cult action series in the past and this time he decided to add magical lawyers into the mix. In the year 2018 humans and wizards live side by side in Tokyo. Wizards are tried by magical laws in special courts. Wizard Barristers defend those who are tried in the Court of Magic. At age 17 Cecile Sudou becomes the youngest barrister ever and begins working at the Butterfly Law Offices.

I am a huge Yasuomi Umetsu fan; films like KITE and Mezzoforte are some of my favorites. Most of his notable works have more of a cult following because of the immense amount violence and other inappropriate subjects thrown in. I think that Umetsu produces phenomenal fight scenes and so far Wizard Barristers has not disappointed me. Cecil is also a fantastic character and I love that Umetsu includes so many strong, action packed female characters in his work. The regular masses of anime fans will probably overlook this series but a niche group will surely be saying this is the best show of the winter season.

Watch if you like: Action and violence along with cute girls. If you have ever enjoyed series like KITE or Mezzoforte then this is a must watch
Chances I’ll watch another: Very high. In fact I always want it to be Sunday now because I am so excited for new episodes.
Rating: 5/5

Second Opinion (Koichi)

While I haven’t seen any episodes of this series, I just wanted to say that I’d recommend never hiring a 17-year old lawyer. You will probably end up in jail.

Pupa (Cristina)

Older brother Utsutsu is highly protective of his younger sister Yume. One day Yume becomes infected with a virus called Pupa that mutates organisms into flesh eating monsters. Yume turns into a grotesque creature and starts attacking humans and animals. Utsutsu works to find a way to properly restore his sister to human form.

I love horror anime that is done well and I’m excited to see where this will go. The only downside of this anime is that the episodes are only around five minutes long and released once a week. You don’t get a lot from every episode and I am always dying to know what is going to happen next. Luckily this series is based off of a manga so I may end up reading ahead.

Watch if you like: Gore and horror. Some of the scenes remind of of Higurashi (When They Cry) or Umineko.
Chances I’ll watch another: The episodes are so short so why not?
Rating: 3/5

Wake Up Girls (Cristina)

The story revolves around the recently formed idol group managed by Green Leaves, a small production agency in Sendai. The agency is currently in crisis after the president ran away from the company along with all the money. With the debts left in the hands of the producer, they work together to keep the group and agency alive.

I tend to not watch a lot of “Idol Group” series so I was surprised how much I was drawn in when I watched the first episode. It has a little bit less comedy than most “slice-of-life series” and a more serious storyline.

Watch if you like: Idolm@ster or other cute idol group series. The animation and music for series like this are fantastic.
Chances I’ll watch another: Fairly high. If I don’t get bored I will keep watching it.
Rating: 4/5

Shows that Weren’t Up to Snuff (John)

Nobunagun: This show is about a high school girl who is a bit of a weirdo. She always has dreams about Oda Nobunaga and that’s how the show begins. I don’t like this show. I stopped watching after 7 minutes. I did not like any of the characters and even though it seemed to try very hard to be funny, it was not. The show also had a penchant for showing subtitles explaining what was happening on screen. These were unnecessary and silly.
Rating: 0.5/5

Sakura Trick: This show is about some girls just starting high school. The two main girls are best friends and the one girl is pretty bummed out she didn’t get to sit behind her friend in class, but at least they are in the same class. I don’t really like this show. It has a lot awkward girl on girl moments and is a bit over the top for my tastes. You can also tell when the show is trying to be funny, but I just found myself groaning at the show rather than laughing at it. I stopped watching after about 10 minutes. No thanks.
Rating: 1/5

Recaps From Last Season

My two favorite shows from last season were Meganebu and Kill La Kill. I watched a few more episodes of both, but while each had a very strong first episode, I felt like they started to pitter out a bit. Meganebu didn’t really have a strong story to keep it together so I found myself losing interest in that one. I kinda felt the same way about KLK, but I’m guessing I’m not alone in that. Oh well.

Summary of this Season

All in all, this season looks pretty great. Space Dandy is definitely my standout favorite as it has an interesting story, great characters, and tons of laughs. After that, I’d say Tonari no Seki-Kun and Hozuki no Reitetsu are close seconds. They’re both really funny in their own way, but I’m not really sure what to expect from them as far as story goes, so that’s what holds them back from being as exciting as Space Dandy in my opinion.

However, since Koichi watched more episodes of Space Dandy than I did, I’ve kind of lost hope for that show since it sounds like the story won’t be a constant. That really bums me out. That being said, I’ve watched the first three episodes of Hozuki no Reitetsu and they were all great. So Hozuki is probably my top pick, actually.

So tell me, how do you think this season compares to the last one? Any of these new shows look good to you? What’s your favorite one so far? Any good ones we missed? Share your thoughts in the comments please!

To commemorate all the posting we’ve done, I thought it would be appropriate for us to go in and curate our own list of our favorite posts. We all like different posts here, so you’ll get a motley assortment of articles that are worth reading. In this year’s edition, we’ll take a look at favorites from myself (Koichi), Aya, Mami, Viet, and JohnD. Let’s hop right to it!

Koichi’s Favorite Posts Of 2013

It was so hard to choose my favorite posts. I have about twenty more that I wanted to include, but since I limited everyone to five I thought it would be bad if I was the only one cheating. I would have put up posts like “Facing Facts: The Secret Behind Hello Kitty’s Blank Face“, “The Kikokushijo Dilemma: Growing Up Abroad As A Japanese Kid“, “Oh, So You Mean You’re Not Japanese?“, or any one of the “dating series” posts / anime roundups. There was a ton to choose from, but here are the ones that stood out to me or were special to me this year.

• Tofugu’s New Body Pillow Dating Site: DatingMakura
  For April Fools this year we released a dating site that allowed people to chat with body pillows (you know, to find your One True Threadcount™. We had a ton of fun building this, writing the chat conversations, and taking the pictures. It’s still up and running, so if you’d like try out DatingMakura.com you can!
• Not Just For Vegetarians- Japanese Soybean Foods
  Many people don’t realize how many ways a soybean can be used. I thought this was a nice and educational post for those who thought soybeans only could be turned into tofu. I even learned a thing or two about this fantastic bean.
• The Difficulty Of Names
  Mami joined us in 2013. She started as a researcher and then started writing. Her perspective is a great one because she’s born and raised in Japan. This post was the start of many great posts by Mami, which is why this one in particular is my favorite!
• The Wildly Complicated Life Of The Japanese Particle ね
  I was so impressed by how this post took something that seems not that complicated (the particle ね), teaches people how complicated it really is (it’s very, very complicated) and then breaks that down into something that’s not all that complicated anymore. Basically, it’s a tough topic that’s been explained really well, and all Japanese learners ought to read this, whether you’re beginner or advanced.
• What I Learned About Learning Japanese From Spending 3 Weeks In Taiwan
  It’s been a while since I’ve started learning a new language. This article goes over my attempt to learn some Mandarin (before a trip to Taiwan). It was so educational to re-experience the things people experience when learning a new language, and I talk about how I’ll be applying that over to our Japanese resources as well.

Aya’s Favorite Posts Of 2013

Aya is the Tofugu Artist. She illustrates all the illustrations you see at the top of pretty much every post. It was fun to go through this year’s posts to see how not only our writing progressed, but how her art progressed too! Here are Aya’s favorite posts of the year – maybe you too will agree.

• Using Japanese Sign Language to Improve Your Spoken Japanese
  It was my first time encountering JSL and I thought that it was such a well-written and researched topic. I also had a great time drawing the Hiragana JSL chart. So many hands to draw yo.
• What It’s Like Dating A Japanese Guy
  I loved reading and working on the dating article series posted in Tofugu (if you haven’t read them, you definitely should), but this one was my favorite. I had heaps of fun working on the spot illustrations for this post!
• The Traditional Colors of Japan: Making Modern History
  It was interesting to read about the Japanese color system and how much meaning a color held when it was used on a piece of clothing, like a kimono. It’s pretty cool that Japanese fashion companies are trying to revive traditional colors through modern fashion design. The Japanese color chart was so fun to look at and read too!
• “Oh So You Mean You’re Not Japanese?”
  When I first read the article, I was like, ‘The feels! For some reason, I KNOW IT.’. Although I’ve never lived in Japan, this question always seemed to pop up whenever I meet a Japanese person. The confusion and surprise that followed amused me at first, but after getting asked 32948324* times by a lot of people (*not exact number), it gets a bit tiring. Reading about living in Japan from a non-Japanese Asian’s perspective was something I’ve been waiting to read more about and I thought that Austin did a great job writing about the experiences and problems he faced.
• Dating A Foreigner (From A Japanese Perspective)
  Two things: Samurai + Matt Cain = YES.

Mami’s Favorite Posts of 2013

Mami of course joined us partway through the year. She’s been helping with some secret projects, doing audio, research, and even writing on Tofugu. Here are her favorite posts of the year:

• I Went To The Real-Life Spirited Away
  Great article from real experience. I’ve never been to Taiwan, though it’s very close to Japan, and have always wanted to visit. This article made me feel as though I was already there and really made me want to actually go there more than ever, at the same time. I was also impressed that Koichi found Uncle Haku. That was my favorite picture among all the other incredible ones taken.
• Sorry for Saying Thank You: The Many Uses Of Sumimasen
  Sumimasen, but I wasn’t very good at explaining the various usages of sumimasen until I read this article. This article explains “sumimasen” really well and I’d like to be sumimasen for saying thank you.
• Visiting Japanese Schools, Or How To Be A Rock Star in Japan
  I enjoyed reading how John became a rock star in Japan :P
• 10 Horrifying Insects That Will Make You Reconsider Ever Visiting Japan
  This article creeped me out to the point that I almost don’t want to go back to Japan to see my family (:o;) Just in the time that it took to read it, I set a new personal record for how many Ewww’s could be said in one year.
• The Kikokushijo Dilemma: Growing Up Abroad As A Japanese Kid
  A very interesting article from the perspective of a real kikokushijo with the accompanying wall paper that Aya made (The Fugu Robot) – This is also one of my favorites.

Viet’s Favorite Posts Of 2013

Viet doesn’t write a ton these days, but when he did he would get really into it and come up with something extremely educational. So, it’s only natural that the posts he chose tended to have some kind of deeper meaning or history.

• The Ainu: Reviving the Indigenous Spirit of Japan
  I’ve actually written a piece about the Ainu a long time ago. I enjoyed Sarah’s piece since it had a broader scope. People who are interested in Japan should be informed that it isn’t a ~100% homogeneous nation.
• A Short History Of Japanese Sign Language
  I’ve always had a faint interested in ASL. Coupled that with me being somewhat of a history buff, this was a great read.
• The Japanese Art Of Making The Strangest Faces [Hengao]
  Just look at the faces. QED.
• The CIA’s 1971 Secret Report On The Senkaku Islands Dispute
  I love learning the little island disputes that is happening out there. Couldn’t they just do a Lost and move the island?
• How To Avoid (Or Even Find) A Stigmatized Property In Japan
  I like the post header art. So mystery. So intrigue.

John’s Favorite Posts Of 2013

John has been writing with us for a long time. You may remember him from “Mondays,” where he would post every Monday. He also is the one who writes the anime roundups, as well as the infamous “John’s __________” posts. Here are “John’s ______ posts of the year”:

• “Gaijin”
  Gaijin is a complicated word that can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Hashi did a really great job of exploring the word and its uses and just about everything you ever wanted to know or wondered about is somewhere in this post. The discussions it inspired in the comments are great too. Plus I just really miss our pal Hashi.
• These Words Are English, But You Won’t Understand Them
  All these loan words Koichi selected for this post are really useful and interesting. Some of them are funnier than others, but this post is a great example of edutainment.
• Keanu Reeves and the 47 Ronin
  While the movie didn’t quite live up to the hype, the story of the real 47 Ronin is awesome. This tale truly exemplifies the spirit of Japan. If you don’t know the story behind the 47 Ronin, do yourself a favor and read about it!
• The 7 Odd Things I’ve Missed About Japan / The Things I Do Not Miss About Japan
  These two posts kind of go hand in hand, but they’re a great introduction to some of the great (and not so great things) about being in Japan. Whether you’re traveling there for the first time or just looking for some nostalgia, these posts are great.
• My Japanese Education
  Having Mami on the team has been awesome. This post of hers was really interesting and informative. It was great to have a detailed and personal explanation of how all that learning nonsense works over there in Japan. Mami’s had a lot of great posts since this one, but this remains one of my favorites.

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Those were our favorites! What were yours?

Thank you all for such a wonderful year. We have a lot planned for 2014, so slap those suspenders a few times and look out the window, because neat things are afoot.

Strike the Blood

The show is about a high school kid who’s also a powerful vampire. The world in Strike the Blood is a world of magic and demons. They don’t live in secret though, so that’s pretty interesting. The main characters all live on a man-made island crafted by the government to contain and research these demon creatures.

The show has some really nice colors and an attractive art style to boot. The music is pretty pleasant as well. I was surprised with the first episode of this show – it was definitely better than expected. It’s interesting on its own but it also reveals just enough mystery to keep you guessing and curious about what’s to come. It seems very well done and I’m looking forward to seeing more and figuring out what’s going on.

Who should watch this show: People who like cool, new age vampires and demons.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Very good. I liked this first episode.

Strike the Blood (Second Opinion by Koichi)

Vampires, demons, and other fantastical beings live on a man-made island that was built to protect and research them. One particular Vampire, The Fourth Primogenitor, appears on the island but… he’s just a regular high school student. Or is he? I don’t ask that to be mysterious, I have no idea. So far I feel like there’s potential for this series to get good.

The groundwork has been laid and I like how they don’t really try to explain why all these creatures live here. I don’t think I’ll keep watching this one, but I can see why a lot of people would like it. Not your normal “Let’s get those Twilight fans watching!” series, so it’s not bad.

VERDICT: 3 Coke cans of blood.

Kyoukai no Kanata

The opening sequence to this episode was a huge surprise. I thought the show looked cool just from the animation but then I was just like, what? I was under the impression that this was just a normal high school type anime, but I was very wrong it seems. Anyway, the show has spirit warriors and youmu. The spirit warriors are responsible for containing and defeating youmu, but the main spirit warrior girl is having issues with hunting and battling them.

The main character is half youmu and as a result, he is immortal. The other main character is the last of a spirit warrior clan with the ability to control blood and form it into weapons. The show is pretty entertaining and the interactions between the two main characters are often hilarious. I feel like Strike the Blood piqued my initial interests more, but since this show was funnier, I imagine I’ll be more entertained with it as the show progresses.

Who should watch this show: Those who enjoy humorous anime with an otherworldly twist.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Great. This show really stuck out to me and I look forward to seeing more.

Sekai de Ichiban Tsuyoku Naritai!

The story centers on two girls from an idol group, similar to AKB48. These two members end up getting involved in a pro wrestling league for women. So basically the show is filled with busty girls in revealing bikinis rolling around in a ring together. The main girl ends up converting to an idol to being a full-time pro wrestler in order to beat the girl who humiliated her and her idols friends.

Do not, I repeat – do not watch this show with anyone you would be embarrassed around. The gratuitous shots and noises are abundantly frequent in this show. It’s ridiculous and the story just seems like an excuse to have these pro wrestling girls wiggle their ample jigglies about.

Who should watch this show: Those who like boobs. And gratuitous moaning. And jiggly wigglies.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: No. No more of this please.

Meganebu!

This is a very colorful show with a striking style that immediately stands out. It’s magnificent. The show is about a handful of guys in a glasses club. They are very passionate about glasses and are striving to create a genuine pair of x-ray glasses (in the first episode at least). The things they do don’t sound that exciting when described, but the animation style and the timing of everything really makes this show stand out.

You really have to see this show to fully experience it. The trailer does not do it justice at all. I haven’t seen a show quite like this in a long time. It’s incredibly unique and highly stylized. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much during an anime. I really like all the transitions and visual representations that occur during the show. I’m not really sure where the story is going to go here, but it’s so funny that I don’t really care.

Who should watch this show: People who like glasses and the hilarious antics of those who wear them.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Fantastic. This show is hilarious.

Log Horizon

This show takes place in a MMO, kind of like Sword Art Online I guess. Actually, yeah – it’s a lot like that since the characters in the game are stuck there and unable to log out. A small party is formed and the characters try and figure out what’s going on.

The show is a little silly and kind of funny, but I didn’t find myself caring much about what was going on in the show. See Koichi’s thoughts down below for more details. This show just didn’t stick out to me at all.

Who should watch this show: Someone who really, really likes shows along the lines of Sword Art Online.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Bad. I didn’t feel this show was anything special.

Log Horizon (Second Opinion by Koichi)

A bunch of people are stuck inside of an MMORPG. That’s like every WoW players’ dream, right? And, before you say “omg, this is just Sword Art Online” let me stop you there… Okay, fine, the basic premise is the same, and I have no idea where the story is going to go after the first episode, but I can say there’s definitely a difference.

SAO was about relationships and romance. Log Horizon seems to be more about action. If you loved SAO you may or may not like Log Horizon. If you didn’t like SAO you might like Log Horizon a lot more. The world in this one feels a lot more mysterious and has a lot more potential for exploration which makes it more interesting to me, though just barely not enough to keep me watching.

VERDICT: LEEEROOOOOOY JENKINS.

Yozakura Quartet – Hana no Uta

This is a show about youkai. There are youkai, half-youkai, magic, and otherworldly things. The main characters are using their abilities to keep the town safe from those who would do it harm.

The show gets off to a pretty slow start and doesn’t get much better from there. It has pretty colors and all, but the show itself is just not that gripping. There’s some neat things going on, like “Powerspeak” to create and control the size of objects, etc, but it’s just not enough. I’m not really sure where they’ll be taking the story in this one, but I don’t really care.

Who should watch this show: Anyone who really likes youkai and magic and action.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Bad. This first episode was really boring to me.

Gundam Build Fighters

This is not your traditional Gundam show. It’s more like Yu-Gi-Oh, but with Gundam models. There are no real Gundams, just model Gundams that fight each other in a VR arena. The better put together the model is, the better it will perform, but you still need a skilled “player” to control it. The main kid is really good at making models, but pretty terrible at “piloting” them. But then he runs into a mysterious boy who can.

This show is a little silly. It reminds me too much of a kids show (which it no doubt it), and I don’t really care or relate to any of the characters. The mysterious kid who pilots the Gundam really well is kinda cool, but other than that, the show was kind of boring for me.

Who should watch this show: Kids, or those who really love all things Gundam. Or those who wish to feel like a kid.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Not so great. I couldn’t get into this at all.

Nagi no Asukara

In this show there are sea dwellers and surface dwellers and the sea people start attending school on land. When this happens, there is some conflict and racism, and everyone is uncomfortable and no one is happy. The physics and underwater stuff makes no sense at all and no effort is really made to explain how all this silly business works.

Well, the show does have some really pretty colors to look at – other than that, the show is really drab. It didn’t grab me at all. I’m not really sure what to make of it and I don’t know what to expect from the story either. It was a fairly lousy viewing experience.

Who should watch this show: Those who can suspend their disbelief and enjoy the lives of sea people.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Not good. I don’t get this show at all.

Kill La Kill

Remember how I said Meganebu! was unlike anything I’d seen before? Scratch that. Kill La Kill is unlike anything I’ve seen before. It grabs you right from the start and does not let go. Koichi does a good rundown of the story below, but the story isn’t even that important in my opinion. It’s just acting as the glue holding all the absolutely ridiculous and over the top hilarity you’ll be experiencing in this show. It’s marvelous.

Who should watch this show: Anyone who likes anime. Seriously. This show is crazy.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Absolutely. No Doubt.

Kill la kill (Second Opinion by Koichi)

Things start out like every single anime ever made. There’s some kind of school/academy. Then there’s a transfer student (of course, the hero of the story). Then, above mentioned transfer student reveals she is searching for the other half of a giant pair of scissors that was left behind by her father’s murderer, does battle with members of the academy (who are wearing special “Goku suits” that give them powers), and… well, you’ll have to watch and see yourself, won’t you?

Kill La Kill is quite possibly the most ridiculous show I’ve seen in a while and I can’t tell if it’s trying to parody other anime or not, though that ends up making it a bit fresh in my opinion. I’ll be watching episode two as soon as I finish writing this paragraph.

Unexpected things happen over and over again in quick succession, like someone spamming the jab button on Mortal Kombat. WAWAWAWAWAAACHA!

VERDICT: 12,000 Johnny Cages.

Recap

I didn’t end up abandoning any shows after mere minutes this season but there were a handful of shows that I thought looked interesting but I just didn’t have room for in this post. Some of these I’m just going to wait and see what the rest of the internet thinks before I get into them, but I’m very interested in hearing more about the shows I didn’t get around to.

And as usual, there were also a handful of sequels that I never watched the original for (sorry!).

Last Season’s Recap: I didn’t end up following any shows from the last season. None of them were strong enough in my opinion.

This Season’s Bottom Line: This season is looking pretty awesome. Kill La Kill and Meganebu! are definitely my two top picks and I’m really excited about both of them. After that, Strike the Blood and Kyoukai no Kanata seem the most interesting I think. I’m excited to hear more about any potential gems I missed though.

So tell me, how do you think this season compares to the last one? Any new shows look good to you? What’s your favorite one so far? Any good ones I missed? Share your thoughts down in the comments!

Love Lab

This is a slice of life show about girls practicing romance with, on, and for each other. The show takes place at an all-girls school with most of them showing some amount of infatuation towards one another. The main character attempts to show a classmate how to act around boys. She shows her things like how to meet boys and how to hold hands by playing the part of a potential mate in practice.

This show is definitely a weird one. It’s entertaining enough, but it really doesn’t seem like my kind of show. I can see how other people would enjoy it though. Slice of life shows usually don’t do it for me, and Love Lab is no exception.

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

Who should watch this show: People who like awkward high school girl-girl romance interactions.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Not good. I can’t see any reason I would want to continue this one.

Danganronpa

This show is based on a game of the same name. The game is sort of a Persona/Ace Attorney hybrid as I understand it. Like a murder mystery type thing with day/night cycles. Anyway, the main characters are all trapped in a high school and the only way they are allowed to leave is if they kill one of the others gathered there. There is no time limit, so they can all live together in the high school for the rest of their lives if they wish.

This show has some pretty interesting character designs. I like that. The premise is pretty interesting too. It reminds me of Battle Royale in a way, only it’s confined to a high school and there is no time limit. I have the feeling it’s going to be kind of like the drama Liar Game. Good, but a bit too drawn out for my liking. It’s hard to tell at this point. This first episode was basically just setting the scene for everything, so I feel like it deserves having another episode watched before I pass full judgment.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al9e3NuNgi0']

Who should watch this show: People who like murder/survival/mystery shows and interesting, diverse characters.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Pretty good. The first episode definitely intrigued me.

Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi

God has forsaken humanity and the world he left behind is one without birth or death. There are beings called Gravekeepers who are tasked with laying people to rest once they have finished living their lives and the only way to attain eternal rest is through a Gravekeeper.

The premise of this show is pretty interesting. I like religious alternate-reality type things so this speaks to my interests. However, I’m not really a fan of the characters so far, at least not the main girl. The main guy might end up being kind of cool though. I feel like the show might eventually blossom into something worthwhile, but the first episode here isn’t very strong.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsl6wUiRXm8']

Who should watch this show: People who like religious alternate-reality type things.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Average. I feel like a lot was left unsaid in the first episode so this show probably deserves another episode or two.

Silver Spoon

The reason most people are excited about this one despite its premise is the fact that it’s based on a manga by the same person that did Fullmetal Alchemist. This is your standard high school anime setup, only the high school is a farm school. As far as I know, there aren’t many (if any) anime shows centering around livestock like this one.

The characters themselves are all okay enough, the premise of the show just doesn’t really interest me. If you have any interest in farming or livestock type stuff though, you’ll probably find this show more interesting than I did. I could never get into Fullmetal Alchemist, but this show has pretty much nothing in common with it from what I can tell.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eMOcbGRFPs']

Who should watch this show: People who like livestock. And farms and stuff.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Not good. If it starts getting a lot of attention later I might come back around to it but right now I have no desire to watch any more.

Free!

This show is probably the most anticipated one this season. At least it’s the one I’ve heard the most buzz about, anyway. It seems to be mostly geared towards girls as all the main characters are high school swim club pretty boys, and they can also at times be a bit too affectionate towards one another.

The animation and the sound effects and music are pretty great in this one. I usually don’t take much notice of the music in shows, but the soundtrack playing through most of this show was actually quite pleasant to listen to. The characters are all funny and likable, but I’m not entirely sure where to expect the story to go or develop. The show is definitely well done and I’ll probably watch another but I’m not too sure if I’ll want to see it all the way through. It’s really a very well done and polished anime.

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

Who should watch this show: People who like pretty boys, cool music, or swimming.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Pretty good. I know this show is geared towards girls, but the production values are just so good in this one that I might end up following it anyway.

Uchouten Kazoku

The main characters in this show are all shape shifting creatures (tengu and tanuki). They coexist with humans and occasionally eat one another. Compared to the other shows this season, this one seems to have a decent amount of uniqueness to it.

That being said, this show is a little odd. The animation is a little goofy and I don’t like how some of the character’s ears and noses look, but overall the show isn’t too terribly exciting. I highly doubt I’ll be watching any more of this one. I don’t know where the story is going but I also really don’t care. Some parts of this first episode were pretty amusing, but the in-between parts were pretty dull.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zi12pqs7ok']

Who should watch this show: People who like tengus, tanukis, and transformation!
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Not so good. I might come back to it if people start gushing over it, but right now it’s not doing anything for me.

Servant x Service

This show is about civil service office workers and the show seems to take place almost exclusively there. The main character’s reason for working there is to seek revenge on the civil servant who allowed her parents to bestow such a ridiculously long name upon her.

Everything about the show seems pretty average and not all that interesting. The show wasn’t bad enough for me to want to shut it off, but I definitely do not plan on watching any more of it. Even though I work in an office, I felt like I couldn’t relate to this show at all. It’s not good.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WQzmAk6Zi4']

Who should watch this show: People who like sub-par office comedy involving civil servants.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Bad. This show interests me not.

Inu to Hasami wa Tsukaiyou

This show stars a domineering lady author and one of her obsessive fans who happened to be reincarnated as a dog. She abuses him with a pair of scissors. It’s unclear from the first episode where they plan on going with the story, but the show seems pretty shallow overall from my first impressions.

This show is about a dog that used to be a human. It’s also about books. The show is pretty goofy, but it has its amusing moments. The best parts probably are the ones involving the dog and his wacky expressions. His counterpart is a strange girl who is capable of reading his thoughts for whatever reason. The dog is kind of funny but I don’t really care about the show as a whole.

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

Who should watch this show: People who like abusive scissor wielding women and human souls trapped in wiener dogs.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Bad. One episode was enough for me, thanks.

Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou

The show centers around some tarot card fortune tellers. The main character is really into it but her cousin is not at all so they have kind of a strained relationship. It’s all about magical girls and the sort of stuff that magical girls find themselves getting into.

There’s a lot of supernatural stuff going on in this show. I feel like the show could be cool, but the way everything is executed is not that cool at all. Everything just seems kinda cheesy. I dunno, it’s just not for me. I don’t really care about any of the characters either.

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

Who should watch this show: People who like magical girls and tarot cards.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Bad. This show left no impression on me. Very forgettable.

Kiniro Mosaic

The first episode takes place mainly in London, so the main character speaks Japanese and the girl in the homestay family she is staying with hardly speaks any. This makes for some pretty entertaining situations. It looks like the rest of this show will be taking place exclusively in Japan, so the hilarious English situations will probably be much less from here on.

I like the music in this one. It’s very soothing and pleasant. The show is hilariously over dramatic at times and takes cutesy to the max. Also, the English dialogue in the show is not authentic sounding at all. It’s highly entertaining in the “so bad it’s good” kind of way. This is the kind of show I would watch with a friend to laugh at, but it’s not a show I would want to continue on my own. I also have no idea what to expect from the story. Probably not much.

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

Who should watch this show: People who like lolis and Brits in Japan.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Average. I would be willing to watch and laugh at this show with someone else, but I won’t be watching it solo.

Below Average Shows and a Recap

Hyperdimension Neptunia: Jiggly boob overload right here. This show seems a bit too juvenile for my tastes. I couldn’t find the strength to watch more than 5 minutes or so.

Gifuu Doudou!!: I’m not a fan of the art style at all in this one. It reminds me of older style animations. I gave up after about 5 minutes or so because nothing in the show appealed to me. Sorry.

And as usual, there were also a handful of shows that I just didn’t check out and a handful of sequels that I never watched the original for (sorry!).

Last Season’s Recap: As predicted, Suisei no Gargantia and Shingeki no Kyojin were the ones to watch for me. I’m not current on either one at the moment (mostly due to them not being quite as awesome as I was hoping for), but I do still plan on seeing them all the way through eventually.

This Season’s Bottom Line: Free! and Danganronpa stand out the most to me, I think. And then maybe Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi and Kiniro Mosaic. Free! is definitely the most polished and best looking anime out of the bunch in my opinion, but overall I feel like this season is pretty weak. Too bad.

So tell me, how do you think this season compares to the last one? Any new shows look good to you? What’s your favorite one so far? If you’re a guy, how do you feel about Free? Share your thoughts down in the comments!

Suisei no Gargantia

Just 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

All 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

The 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

The 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

In 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!

The 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

This 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

This 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

This 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

Surprisingly 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!

Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru

Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru is a long name for a show. Anyway, it’s about a kid studying to get into a public medical school. He seems to be living with his aunt and he has a little girl sidekick who follows him around. She’s his childhood friend. He’s very serious about his studies and not looking for romance at all but he ends up having his classroom seat reassigned right next to the most beautiful and popular girl in school.

As far as production values and style, everything is pretty solid, but nothing really stands out either. It’s good, but nothing really unique or different. The turning point in the first episode is pretty hilarious and after that point the show becomes a lot more interesting. It seems like this one could be good for at least a few more episodes, but past that we’ll just have to see. Pretty solid, this one.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNN8FaC1UDM']

Who should watch this show: People who like shows about atypical romances with funny surprises.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Really good. I might not finish this series, but it deserves a few more episodes at least.

Cuticle Detective Inaba

This show is off to a pretty strange start. It’s about a pseudo-werewolf detective who takes down criminals and solves crimes by using strands of hair. I was expecting a different sort of show based on the first scene, but the show is surprisingly weird. The main characters all have some sort of goofy fetish. For example, the main dude the Cuticle Detective has a hair fetish.

I think the show is funny, but it’s more like a way over the top this is too ridiculous to believe kind of funny. It’s just lolwtf all over the place here. For me, this is not really a good thing. I don’t think I would be able to handle any more episodes of this show, but I can understand how some people would enjoy it.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB_l2qYBwy8']

Who should watch this show: People who like shows about weird fetishes, unexpected characters, and hair.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: No thanks. One episode was enough for me.

Maoyuu Maou Yuusha

I saw a captioned picture of this anime and that was what reminded me that it was about that time of year again. Anime roundup time! However, the scene they used was a bit questionable, but I try to go into these shows without too many preconceived notions. Anyway, I like the animation and colors in this one. It’s one of the better looking shows this season from a purely artistic standpoint I think.

I was expecting more action from the show, but the first part of the first episode was pretty much all about the benefits of war, in this case between demons and humans. It’s actually more interesting than you’d think, so I was pleasantly surprised. The negotiations that take place are pretty funny. There’s definitely a lot of wiggly boobs to be seen here though, so be prepared.

This show seems like it might actually be pretty cool. The whole first episode was all talking between the two main characters, but it was still really interesting. I’m actually pretty excited to see what happens once they get out into the world and start adventuring and stuff. This show might be one to follow.

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

Who should watch this show: People who like shows about the economics of war, or demon/human romance? I’m actually not sure what direction this show is going in.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Most certainly. I don’t know what to expect from the next episode, but I really like the feel of the show so far.

Senran Kagura

Haha, boobs. No, but seriously, fanservice all over the place right from the get go. There are plenty of “OH COME ON” sort of sexual innuendos to be found in Senran Kagura. Anyway, the show is about five busty modern day ninjas and their day to day lives.

This show has lots of female on female boob grabbing. There’s actually so much fanservice in this show that it made me a little uncomfortable. Definitely do not watch this show if there is any chance of someone walking in on you. The animation is fine and the characters are pretty. The story is vaguely interesting, but the over the top fanservice is actually a bit distracting. I don’t plan on following this one, but if ecchi is your thing, this anime is for you.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShuWDdMPRS0']

Who should watch this show: People who like ecchi.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Bad. Pros can’t outweigh the cons for this one.

Tamako Market

This is a really pretty looking anime. I really like the colors and the character designs. I think it’s by the same people that did K-ON. It’s just a nice show to look at. The show looks like it’s going to be centering around a girl and a strange talking bird. Past that, I dunno what to expect.

I was hoping that this show would be a bit more interesting since it has such a nice look to it, but it seems to be moving along kind of slowly. I found myself getting a bit bored while watching it, just waiting for something redeeming to happen. Some parts are pretty funny, but overall it was a ho-hum sort of viewing experience. This show was unfortunately pretty disappointing. It’s not necessarily bad, it’s just not so good.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqmYAXijlJ4']

Who should watch this show: People who like pretty looking shows with colors and talking birds.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Not good. This show was too slow and not interesting enough for me.

Amnesia

The show gets off to a sort of confusing start with not much being explained right away. The main girl seems to have some sort of amnesia, hence the title. Other than her having a sort of spirit guide only she can see and that she needs to remember who she is again, there’s not much story to go off of so far here.

The way the characters’ eyes are colored in this show is really interesting. They’re simple, but different enough from the usual run of the mill anime eyes that they seem really cool. It’s a nice touch.

Unfortunately the show has kind of a strange feel to it and wasn’t as exciting as I was expecting it to be from the opening scene. I kept waiting for something cool to happen because I felt like the show contained promise somewhere, but nothing really cool happened at all. This show was a pretty big letdown.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcSY4zkQgY0']

Who should watch this show: People who like characters with pretty eyes and girls with amnesia.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Not so great. This show was slow and pretty boring.

Vividred Operation

Within the first minute there were two very gratuitous female butt shots. Anyway, the show is taking place in the future focusing on an inventor’s family. An unidentified weaponized machine is approaching the island they’re on, and the military is having trouble dealing with it. The grandfather makes a hilarious mistake, and the show really gets going from there.

The colors and animation style are very pleasing to the eyes, however Vividred Operation does like to show female butt shots for no good reason every once in a while (but really, what anime doesn’t?). Besides that, the show gets off to a pretty cool start. I was kind of surprised, for whatever reason I wasn’t expecting much from this one but it actually seems like it might be worth watching. I’m interested in seeing what happens next.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI83MmQUSBY']

Who should watch this show: People who like ermines, technology, and butts.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Very good. This show seems pretty interesting and I like the feel of it so far.

Mondaijitachi ga Isekai Kara Kuru Sou Desu yo?

Here’s another show with a name I think is too long. The show on the other hand gets off to a pretty interesting start. I like that. The show is about a few individuals with extraordinary powers that get transported to another world. The three main characters are invited to participate in something known as the Gift Games where people with such powers compete for fabulous prizes.

This show is pretty funny. From the stills I was expecting something a little less impressive, but the show actually seems pretty neat. The animation is nice as well and the pretty colors are always appreciated. The characters are interesting and the show has a very light and enjoyable feel to it. This could be another good one.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0L3XXJ4JeI']

Who should watch this show: People who like otherworldly powers and bunny girls.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Good. The show grabs you right from the start and stays interesting throughout. I want to see where this one goes.

Shows that Made me Vomit and Bleed

Yes, this is an actual still from Ai Mai Mi.

Every season there are a few shows that just don’t sit right with me and I abandon them before they’re done. Some are unhappy to see that I treat some shows this way, but these are just my first impressions. If a show doesn’t grab me and get me engaged within the first 10 minutes or so, I’m moving on. Sorry.

Also either I found a type of show that didn’t exist before or I somehow missed these in earlier seasons, but some shows are only like 3 minutes long. Each episode is only 3 minutes long! All of the “shows” like this that I saw were bad. Why would they do this to me?

Sasami-san@Ganbaranai: The way this show is colored is very interesting. I’m not sure how much I like the style, but it’s definitely different. The main character seems to have a strange relationship with her brother. He feeds her, bathes her, and dresses her. Also, the brother never shows his face, he always has something in front of it or something on his head covering it.

This show doesn’t really feel like my thing. I got about 10 minutes in before I decided to just shut it off. Sorry guys, I just didn’t feel like seeing this one through, but this was the only full length episode I abandoned this season. That’s better than usual.

Ai Mai Mi: Anime about 3 aspiring mangaka girls. Pretty generic anime fare, but kinda funny. If it was a full episode I don’t think I’d be able to handle it.

Mangirl!: Magazine club with 4 girls. This was even less interesting than Ai Mai Mi, so – pretty bad.

Yama no Susume: I felt kind of interested in this one, but I don’t understand why it’s so short. I might have liked it if it had been a normal sized episode, but with it being this short I just don’t care for it much.

And as usual, there were also a handful of shows that I just didn’t check out and a handful of sequels that I never watched the original for (sorry!).

Bottom Line: This season is pretty so-so. Unless I managed to miss all the other good ones, Maoyuu Maou Yuusha and Mondaijitachi ga Isekai Kara Kuru Sou Desu yo? seem like they might be the only ones worth seeing all the way through. Maybe. Vividred Operation and Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru showed some potential, but only time will tell if those will be worth it or not. Did I miss all the other good ones? Please, if I missed any other good shows let me know!

So tell me, how do you think this season compares to the last one? Any new shows look good to you? What’s your favorite one so far? Share your thoughts down in the comments!