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!

Best Resort for Beginners: Kagura

Kagura is a three-in-one ski resort that incorporates the areas of Kagura, Mitsumata, and Tashiro. Kagura is also connected with the Naeba ski resort to form one large ski area referred to as Mt. Naeba. Kagura is generally much quieter than Naeba, with everything being much more relaxed and casual.

I wouldn’t say Kagura is for absolute beginners, but it looks to give a much more relaxing ride than some of the others on this list. Kagura is a much more relaxed and casual experience, so if you’re not too confident in your skiing ability or you’re just looking for an easier day on the slopes, Kagura is definitely worth checking out.

The Kagura Ski Resort is located near Yuzawa in the Niigata Prefecture of Honshu (the main island of Japan). You can read more about Kagura Ski Resort here.

Best Intermediate Resort: Furano

Furano Ski Resort is a very balanced place. The ski resort has very well developed amenities and services, but unlike some Japan ski resorts, Furano doesn’t really feel like your traditional resort. The nearby town of Furano is really quaint and authentic, and both the town and resort provide modern day comforts without sacrificing the essence of traditional Japan.

One step up in difficulty from Kagura, Furano is sure to please those looking for a bit more of a challenge. That combined with the authentic Japanese atmosphere of the nearby town make Furano an excellent choice for those looking for something a bit different this ski season.

Furano is located in Central Hokkaido, the north island of Japan. Furano is 59km south of Asahikawa and 141km northeast of Sapporo by road. You can read more about Furano Ski Resort here.

Best Uncrowded Slopes: Hakkoda

Hakkoda is a great place for those who love fresh powder. Enthusiasts are always looking for that undiscovered ski area blessed with lots of snowfall, no crowds, and fresh powder. Niseko (see below) used to be one of those hidden gems, but unfortunately now it’s very well known and always crowded. Hakkoda is the “new Niseko”, and because of that, it’s becoming more and more well known, but for now, it’s still pretty great and not too crowded.

It is also appealing to those who are intrigued by the infamous “danger” of Hakkoda. This area is well known for all the unlucky Japanese soldiers that died here during the massive snowstorms in the early 20th century.

Hakkoda seems to appeal more to the adventurer in people. It’s quite a feeling to be one of few or the only person in view on top of a mountain or while you’re going down it. You could be at the best ski place in the world, but if it’s too crowded, the experience won’t be as great. So for a great personal skiing experience, Hakkoda is the superior choice.

The Hakkoda ski area is in the Aomori Prefecture, the most northern part of Honshu, about 710km north of Tokyo. You can read more about Hakkoda Ski Resort here.

Best Overall Resort: Niseko

Niseko attracts a lot of overseas attention, and is especially popular with Australians. It is probably the most visited Japanese ski and snowboard resort by foreigner travelers and is very English friendly. Fresh powder is almost a guarantee here and the fantastic views of Mt. Yotei make this a very popular destination. Niseko is best for people who love powder, hot springs, and sushi. In other words, just about everyone.

The mountains on the Japanese island of Hokkaido are globally renowned for having some of the most consistent, lightest powder in the world. Niseko averages an unbelievable 590 inches of snow per year, so this comes as no surprise. Niseko is also widely recognized as the premium ski spot in Japan. I would have to agree.

Night skiing is huge here, and massive lights illuminate 2,560 vertical feet of skiing. They even have lights scattered throughout the forests for an unforgettable nighttime skiing adventure. Given the windstorms that periodically hit here, the mountain’s spacious birch forests are often the best, most sheltered places to ski and snowboard. Plus, they often have excellent powder.

If you can only go to one ski resort in Japan, it might as well be Niseko. However, if crowds really just aren’t your thing, you might have better luck with Hakkoda.

Niseko is about 100 km southwest of Sapporo city and Sapporo New-Chitose airport. Niseko is also near Mount Yotei, the “Mt. Fuji of Hokkaido.” You can read more about Niseko Ski Resort here.

To Conclude…

One day I hope to show off these incredibly impressive board skills in Japan.

There are more than 500 ski resorts in Japan. America has about that many resorts as well, but America is way bigger than Japan is. That makes for a lot of resorts clustered across the country, but the best spots are definitely on Hokkaido and Honshu. A lot of this all really comes down to personal preference though, and I’m just going off of what I read and saw on the internet, so I won’t be surprised if opinions differ on which resorts are best, especially if you’ve been to more than I have.

That being the case, have you ever been to any ski resorts in Japan? Which ones look the best to you? Have a favorite ski spot in your own country? Let us know in the comments!

Sites Referenced:
Powder Hounds
National Geographic

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!

What is Yukigassen?

Just like the literal translations implies, it is a sport of snow battles, or more specifically, snowball battles. The difference between Yuukigassen to your typical neighborhood snowball fight is the wealth of regulations and professionalism one needs to adhere to. Two teams of seven on-field players duke it out, battle-royale style. Game mechanics are similar to capture the flag, where a team can come out victorious by capturing the opponent team’s flag or “tagging out” the opposing team. The end goal? Fight their way for one of the coveted spots on the Showa-Shinzan International and obtain the top prize, the Public Welfare and Labor Minister’s Award and Cup.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVJg3jHzPs4']

This game is very serious business. An official international federation exists with a strong sponsorship backing. A few of the sponsors are the major media outlets NHK, HBC, Yomiuri, Mainichi, Asahi Shimbun Presses, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan Airlines, and Sapporo Beer(!). There are many Japanese men who dedicate their lives to this sport, training themselves everyday for the big games that only occur for a couple days out of the year. Some even forgo having spouses and raising a family due to all the time required to dedicate themselves to perfecting the throwing strike or volley.

The sport isn’t limited to inside the borders of Japan. Many countries participate in the games, many of which have their own leagues and tournaments: Finland, Norway, Sweden, Canada, and the USA.

So how did the idea of regulating snowball fighting came about in Japan?

(Short) History of Yukigassen

The idea came about in 1987 by a small, sub-3,000 population Hokkaido town called 壮瞥町 (そうべつちょう, Sobetsu). At the time, Sobetsu’s claim to fame was a summer tourist town. Nearby is Mt. Showa-Shinzan, the main attraction for many visitors.

During the long, snow-filled winters, tourism halted to a stand-still. The town’s young, aspiring population saw a need to improve Sobetsu’s economy during the long winters. Forming an ideas committee, they began brainstorming methods of luring in tourists. They already knew that their idea had to be unique and not have been implemented elsewhere in order to fully realize their goal. Days went by with no home-run idea in sight. What began to be an optimistic search to improve their town slowly spiraled into the thought that in reality they might have to settle to just being a summer town. Then the fateful day finally came.

Members of the committee took noticed that tourists were having playful sessions of snowball fighting around town. The flashing light bulb appeared in the minds of the committee, and the rest was history. The first Yukigassen tournament was held the following winter, which brought in 7,000 visitors and 70 teams for the event. Twenty-three Showa-Shinzan Yukigassen tournaments later, the event is now drawing in an annual average of 25,000 visitors, with a set 128 coed and 24 female participating teams.

How is it played?

As mentioned earlier, a game of Yukigassen is played out with two teams of seven on-field players each. Each team can have two additional back-up players and a captain, making it a total of ten players.

In a tournament style setting, three teams are grouped together and pitted against each other round-robin style. Games are played best two out of three, where each game’s length is a maximum of three minutes. Victor is decided when either

1. The enemies flag is in possession of the opposing team
2. All players on the opposing team are knocked out (one hit from a snowball is considered out; doesn’t matter where the source of the snowball came from, either the enemy, your teammate, or even yourself), or
3. The time runs out one team has more remaining players than the other team.

The team with the best record moves on to face the other victors. This continues until one team comes out on top.

The map of the battlefield is pictured below.

Each blue box represents a snow-made shelters, while the red solid circles encompassed by the black bordered circles are the flagpole points. Field areas are either 40m x 10m (~130ft x ~33ft) or 36m x 10m (~118ft x ~33ft).

Team players are split into a four strikers and three defender/feeder positions. No point during the game can the 4 strikers move behind their own back line. In addition, no more than three strikers can cross the center line into the opposing team’s territory.

A few of the common position strategies are outline below in the two figures below.

Standard Position

Attacking Position

You may be wondering why one of the figures points out a snowball storage behind the rear shelter. Each team is only allowed to have 90 snowballs per match. These snowballs must be made before every match. But wait, couldn’t the players make snowballs from their environment during the game? Nope, that is against the rules. So, if the strikers are not allowed to cross their back line and they can’t make their own snow balls, then how can they attack? They are fed snowballs from the snowball storage by the defenders (or feeders, as I called them earlier). Balls can only be fed to players by rolling it to them, no tossing allowed (think of all the friendly fire that’d happen if they did!).

Ok, but wait a minute, 90 snowballs sounds a lot. Is there an efficient way to mass produce the snowballs? Yep, there sure is. The Yuukigassen Federation would be more than happy to sell your a snowball making device for US$740; produces snowballs in batches of 36.

Follow these instructions...

... And you get perfect snowballs like these! No yellow snowballs, please.

After reading and watching the videos on Yuukigassen, we are fairly pumped to start our own team. Now if only we can get snow to stick around our parts for more than a day… I leave to you a video of a complete game, for your viewing. Check out the volley skills at work! Pew Pew!

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bZtjVra3wo']

Although Yukigassen isn’t quite ready to be a Winter Olympic sport (c’mon, Curling got in somehow!), we’ll be pulling for it every chance we get. To get into the Olympics, a sport has to be “widely accepted around the world.” Yukigassen is starting to get there, though it’s probably not quite up to the standards of whatever committee chooses this sort of thing. Still, I hope to see it sometime soon. Who thought childhood playtime could turn into something this cool, though?

So, are you ready to go out and join your local team, people-who-live-in-places-with snow? We hope to see you on the snow battlefield.

P.S. Going to dedicate your life to the game of Yuukigassen? Share it on Twitter.
P.P.S. If your team wins the Showa-Shinzan International, let us know on Facebook or Google+.

Mouretsu Pirates

In Mouretsu Pirates the story centers around a spirited high school girl named Marika. She keeps herself busy with space yacht club and her part-time job at a high-class maid cafe. One day, two men suddenly appear and claim to be subordinates of her dead father. They demand that she assume command of the space pirate ship Benten Maru and Marika soon finds herself embarking on her new life as a space pirate.

I have mixed feelings about this anime. I wanted to like it, and I think the premise is cool, but the show itself didn’t do much for me. The animation was good though, I really enjoyed that. There was little to no fanservice or nonsense like that (which is surprising given that the English translation of the title is Bodacious Space Pirates). This one might turn out okay but there was not enough interest in the first episode for me to continue. I don’t think I’ll continue watching it unless it becomes really popular and people start telling me to check it out.

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

Who should watch this show: People who like space pirates and pretty anime gals.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Not too high. It didn’t really grab me from the first episode. Perhaps I will watch more if it starts getting rave reviews.

Aquarion EVOL

In Aquarion EVOL the story takes place 12,000 years after the first Aquarion television series (I actually didn’t know this was a sequel until I looked up the synopsis online. Apparently it’s not too important to have seen the first season). A new cast of characters pilots a new Aquarion mech, and fights off enemies from another dimension in this action packed mecha anime.

There’s definitely a lot of stuff going on in this anime. Having so many unanswered questions makes it interesting in the fact that it makes me want to watch more to see where things are going. All these unanswered questions might have something to do with me not seeing the first season, but who knows. I might watch one or two more episodes just to see what happens. The show has promise but I can’t say for sure if I’ll be watching this one until the end.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1onzPrdTac']

Who should watch this show: People who like mecha anime and crazy super powers.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Pretty good. I’m definitely interested in it enough to check out another episode or two.

Senki Zesshou Symphogear

In Senki Zesshou Symphogear, humans are menaced by mysterious monsters called “Designated Aberrant Disaster: Noise”. Yes, that is actually what they are called. Tsubasa and Kanade are a popular vocal group known as Zwei Wing and they wear a weapon known as Symphogear to fight the Noise and save Earth. I’m not making this up. Basically the show is about J-Pop stars battling computer generated monsters from the 80s with catchy tunes. It’s pretty weird. And no, this anime has nothing to do with Vocaloids.

Half of the time this show seems serious and the other half it just seems outright ridiculous. I didn’t really like it because it didn’t grab my attention and I didn’t really care for the characters. About halfway through I was just waiting for it to be over so I could start something else. I didn’t plan on watching any more of this one – or at least that’s what I was thinking until I got to the very end of the episode where I witnessed the most wtf moment of this anime season. Looks like I’ve been roped into watching another episode of this one whether I like it or not.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsgdVwp0HTk']

Who should watch this show: People who like generic J-Pop tunes and wacky premises for their anime.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: I’d like to say zero, but unfortunately I will probably watch another episode just to figure out what the heck was going on at the end of the previous episode. Damn you, Symphogear. Damn youuuuu.

Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou

In Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou (The Daily Lives of High School Boys) the story follows the humorous everyday life of Tadakuni, Hidenori, Yoshitake, and other students at an all boys’ high school. Each episode tells a handful of humorous shorts meant to entertain and amuse. It’s very much a slice-of-life anime.

Okay, so the show is definitely funny and I was laughing throughout the episode. The only thing that I don’t like is how the episodes are broken down into about five 5 minute stand alone shorts. While each of them were pretty funny on their own, I just wish that the show had more of a cohesive storyline. Because of this, I would gladly watch the show as I think it is quite humorous, but there are no cliffhangers or any unresolved questions that would really get me excited for the next episode. It’s humorous fluff – enjoyable, but nothing deep.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds6r3IUnHjk']

Who should watch this show: People who like anime about high school boys getting into shenanigans and silly situations.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: I’ll probably lazily watch some more if I have time to kill and I’m looking for a laugh.

Lagrange – The Flower of Rin-ne -

In Lagrange, Madoka Kyouno, an energetic and passionate girl, is the proud and only member of the Kamogawa Girls’ High School Jersey Club. Her duties are to go around town and help out people in need. However, Madoka’s life is turned upside down when she is suddenly asked by a mysterious girl named Lan to pilot a giant robot and save the world. Motivated by her desire to protect the people of Kamogawa, Madoka agrees to pilot the resurrected Vox robot and fight some aliens.

This show seems like it could be pretty cool. It reminds me a bit of Xam’d for some reason and I really liked Xam’d. I’m not exactly sure why it reminds me of it though. The show is funny, action packed, and has enough mystery in it to really make me want to watch the next episode. This is one of the few series I’m actually a little bit excited about this season. Hopefully it doesn’t let me down.

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

Who should watch this show: People who like quality animation, cool action, and a neat story.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: I’m definitely watching the next episode. It just seems really cool so far and I really like the animation.

Brave 10

In Brave 10, a young ninja/samurai named Saizo is trying to find meaning and direction in his life when he encounters Isanami, who is fleeing from assassins. He manages to save her life and then gets roped into being her personal bodyguard. When they arrive in the protected territory of Sanada, they realize that Sanada has gathered bold and talented ninjas together in order to bring an end to Japan’s era of war. Meanwhile, Isanami’s mysterious hidden power becomes revealed. Sounds pretty generic to me!

The animation is fine here, but the story seems nothing but average. I can’t see the show getting much more exciting than it already is which isn’t very. I don’t plan on watching any more of this show. It’s just not my thing. There are much better options to check out this season so you won’t be doing any harm skipping this one.

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

Who should watch this show: People who like samurai era anime and pretty boys battling it out with swords.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Zero. Can’t see any reason to continue this one.

Ano Natsu de Matteru

Ano Natsu de Matteru: When a group of friends decide to make a movie over a long summer holiday, they end up learning a little about film making and a lot more about themselves. What begins as a simple way pass the summer holiday turns into something much more complex, intimate, and revealing. This show is going to be good. I’m calling it now.

I really, really like this show. I can definitely see myself watching the entire series here. The story seems like it could turn into something very interesting and I really like all of the characters. They’re all varied and interesting and well developed. This anime is just really well done. I’m excited just to see what happens with all of the characters and even more so to see what that story will develop into. Before I watched this show, Lagrange was my top pick for this season, but now – Ano Natsu de Matteru is definitely in the top position. This show is full of surprises and I love it. Very cool.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYnz_UN1Vnw']

Who should watch this show: People who like interesting character driven anime.
Likelihood of me watching another episode: Definitely. I really like this show and can’t wait for the next episode.

Additional Shows

I tried watching Kill Me Baby which was adapted from a 4 panel manga (it definitely shows), like Lucky Star and whatever, but nowhere near as good as Azumanga Daioh- I got bored and stopped watching after about 5 minutes. There was at least one other show that I didn’t check out because it didn’t sound very interesting. (If there’s a show I didn’t cover that you were looking forward to, just let me know about it in the comments.) And also, Black Rock Shooter doesn’t come out until February so I couldn’t include it here.

Amagami SS+, The Familiar of Zero F, Natsume Yuujin-Cho 4, and Nisemonogatari all aired this season but they are sequels to shows I never got around to watching. Nisemonogatari was the sequel to Bakemonogatari which I think ended up becoming popular but I’m not positive. I watched the first episode of Bakemonogatari and it didn’t grip me enough to continue watching the show back when it was airing. Did I make a mistake? Have any of you watched Bakemonogatari? Was it any good?

So tell me – what’s your most anticipated new show this season? Ano Natsu de Matteru, or something else? What series are you most looking forward to?

P.S. Think this is the best season of anime yet? Let us know over on our Twitter page.
P.P.S. Think all these shows suck? Come see what else Tofugu has to offer over on our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Now that Halloween is all over and done with, it’s time to look ahead at the upcoming cold months. To quote Game of Thrones, winter is coming.

And winter in Japan, especially in the northern parts of Japan, can be unforgiving. Not only are winters cold and snowy, but in lots of buildings Japan there’s very little insulation to protect you from the ravages of winter. Fortunately, there are lots of awesome, uniquely Japanese ways to stay warm and toasty in the frigid winter months!

Japanese homes don’t usually have central heating or cooling, they have little insulation, and double-paned windows that keep the cold out and the heat in are regrettably rare. This is because lots of places in Japan have traditionally been designed to be breezy in the summer, and central heating and cooling is pretty expensive.

There are other theories why Japanese homes are so poorly insulated – that they’re built cheaply to prepare for the inevitable destruction of earthquakes, that they’re poorly built to save big construction companies money – but those are kind of fringe theories.

But regardless of why some Japanese homes are so cold, people have found ways around it. Let’s take a look at the coolest ways to say warm in the Japanese winter:

Kotatsu

No post about winter in Japan is complete without talking about kotatsu. The idea behind kotatsu is both simple and brilliant: it’s a low table with a blanket around the edges and a heater strapped beneath it.The blanket keeps all the heat trapped underneath the table to warm up cold legs.

It’s the greatest idea since eating Cheetos with chopsticks.

Looks cozy!

Kotatsu are a great way to keep warm, and forcibly gather the family together in one place. Nothing says “family time” like huddling together for warmth. People even take naps under them, and kotatsu become pretty much become permanent spots for household pets, as exhibited by YouTube superstar Maru:

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQR9BQXj-I8']

Kotatsu are less popular in the northern regions of Japan, where it’s important to keep the entire room, apartment, or house warmed up so that water pipes don’t freeze and burst. But on the main island of Honshu, kotatsu are plentiful.

Space Heaters EVERYWHERE

Since many Japanese households don’t have central heating because of the cost, lots of people rely on smaller space heaters to heat rooms individually. Some households practically have a space heater for every room in the house, but most have at least one for the main living area.

A space heater with its primary benefactor.

There are lots of different kinds of heaters that people in Japan use; everything from kerosene and oil to regular ol’ electric heaters.

And, once again, your cat or dog will probably use your heater more than you will. How do the animals get all the breaks?

Haramaki

Haramaki originally referred to the armor a samurai would wear around his waist, but that’s so 16th century. Nowadays, haramaki refers to something a little bit different.

Today, a haramaki is a knit cloth garment that you wrap around your stomach to keep your core warm.

Put a bird on it!

Usually Japanese people associate haramakis with children and old people, but haramaki makers have been trying to make it seem a lot more trendy and fashionable. They’ve also been trying to show – scientifically – that haramaki make you a lot warmer, too.

Science!

People who sell haramakis also say that they “promote wellness” as well, doing things like keeping a baby warm during pregnancy, accelerating the processing of alcohol by the liver, and relieving menstrual cramps.

The Japanese love to talk about how important a warm stomach is to staying well.

Whether or not these claims have any basis in science is a little questionable, but that doesn’t stop a haramaki from keeping you toasty.

Hot Water Bottles

Hot water bottles: also available in mini sizes.

Back in the day, obaasan and ojiisan used to have to cultivate trees, cut them down, turn them into charcoal, heat water, pour it into a giant metal hot water bottle, and scald their feet while they slept in order to keep warm. Okay, not really, but hot water bottles have been around for a while, and they used to be a bit more of a hassle.

Nowadays though, hot water bottles are a great way to keep toasty while you sleep. They’re much smaller, cuter, and more manageable than the clunky metal hot water bottles from back in the day. People even accessorize their hot water bottles with covers and the like.

Pff. Kids these days.

Don’t Die

No, seriously; don’t die. While all of these ways of keeping toasty in wintertime look awesome, they can be deadly too.

According to Japan Probe, something like 20 people die every year in Japan from space heaters when they throw things (clothes, blankets) on top of them and forget about it. Not only that but with kerosene-powered heaters you have to keep a can of kerosene around to refill the heater, which can spill and catch fire and burn your whole house down.

And of course, kotatsu are basically designed to be the biggest fire hazard ever. Who thought “Hey let’s design a heater that’s completely covered at all times?” Dangerous enough to warrant a government warning? You decide.

Don’t even get me started on hot water bottles. All I can say is that most of my family is gone from this world because of it.

Okay, I might be exaggerating a little bit about the dangers of these things. But you should probably nonetheless be careful when using them.
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How do you keep warm in the wintertime? Do you use one of these ways, or do you prefer something else? Let me know in the comments!

P.S. Are you a fan of all of these ways of keeping warm? Follow us on Twitter.
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