Saturday 12 April 2014

First Impressions: Spring 2014

Alright, Crunchyroll got A LOT so far as far as simulcast shows... and i'm sure funi will pick up a lot too so i'll try to see one episode of as many shows as possible.

Again i do have some ground rules.
no web shows (aka nothing that isn't a full length episode or OVA), i don't like waiting a week for a 3 min show.
no shows with sister in the title... and to be fair no shows with brother in the title either... they are almost always about potential incest and i hate those type of stories. 
No sequels unless i've already watched up to that point.
just because i plan to try every episode does not mean i will promise to watch the whole thing... i will mention how long i lasted though.

Alright... lets get started.

First - Returning shows:

Nisekoi
I'm a little sad to hear that there is only going to be 20 episodes of this show but it's a lot of fun so i'm happy it got to continue at all. but on a more serious note.... how can there be so many different people with keys from 10 years ago? like... seriously...


Yowapeda
I was really enjoying this show.... but if the rest of the series is just the inter high i'll probably drop it cause wow the inter high bit has been both incredibly silly (a guy literally talks to his abs [which he has named andy and frank] during every one of his monologues) and incredibly dull.
maybe it'll get better when it focuses on the main character... i honestly don't know if i'll make it that long.

okay whats new this season (in the order i see them)

The File of Young Kindaichi Returns
Right off the bat, wow i don't like the art... i don't want to judge a book by it's cover but this just feels... ugly.
Even though i can't seem to find if it's a sequel to something it really feels like one.... like it is a later story in a series but that doesn't make it a sequel... it does explain the older looking style.
the story seems fine but i really am not a fan of detective shows.
also wow is there a lot of exposition... i'll pass but it doesn't seem like a bad show... if you like that kind of thing i guess? or like shows with a retro feel.

Kamigami no Asobi
Look at all those pretty boys... so i guess this is a reverse harem show? to be honest i very rarely enjoy reverse harems cause you always know which guy she will actually be with (or it's completely inconclusive which is just as bad) and tends to have HORRIBLE representation of how girls should act to be desirable... that being said... yeah i'll give this a shot.
just... please... don't let this end up like amnesia.
1:10 - *laughing so hard* that is the most over dramatic transformation/stripping scene i have ever seen... wow i hope this show is good cause... that was too funny.
3:18 - she sounds like a softer benten (eccentric family) but i don't think it's that voice actor. i'll check later since i wanna hear all the guys speak before i look up who's playing them.
Most of them i can't tell but the guy with purple hair kinda souns like Uchiyama Kouki... again i don't think i'm right.
the guy with long hair.... *titls head* okay so i'm really good at pin pointing hiroshi kamiya's voice but not if he goes higher cause theres a voice actor with a higher voice that sounds vaguely like him... still... i'm going to guess that this guy is hiroshi kamiya... but for once i'm not 100% sure. *hears him laugh* okay... yeah now i'm pretty much 100% sure. *hears his name* Baldr? so..... so are you gunna get killed by some mistletoe? no.... i'm totally rooting for you... also is that loki with you? dude... no you two can't be friends. he's the reason you die... well him and hodor... but still... no : ( *mythology nut in me is confused*
Aww hades is in this, i'll probably root for him too. poor misunderstood hades.
the blond guy vaguely sounds like Nai from Karneval... but that is such a gut feeling guess i'll be amazed if i'm right.
also dammit.... Apollo is going to be the main guy isn't he *pouts* but.... but baldr.... or hades.... *whimper*


Okay
Apollo is not played by Nai, he is played by another character from the show yotaka... i should have recognized him from DN Angel but it's been a long time since i watched the show. oh his name is Irino Miyu

Baldr is *drumroll* Hiroshi kamiya.... yeah called it~
I was wrong about Yui, the only thing i've seen this voice actor in has been Noragami but still it's a nice voice... i'm glad it's not as high pitched as most female leads tend to be. i hope she gets more shows.
I was wrong about the purple haired guy but he's only been in one other show so it's not surprising.
So what did we learn?
i'm really good at picking out hiroshi kamiya and not many others. (though to be fair, most of these actors i haven't heard in anything else so yeah... just add them to my mental data bank.)
I will be amazed if i don't like this show cause i love me some mythology. (especially norse)... i should study more on japanese mythology since i know very little compaired to greek/roman/norse (granted thats all mythology classes ever cover here)

Captain Earth
this seems to have a very long substitle... "when i opened the door called truth, my childhood ended. it was a summer i could never forget."
hm...
okay then.
i'm not a fan of mech anime but still no harm in trying.
less then 20 seconds in: hm.... i don't think i'm going to be able to do this...
To be fair, the character design and art so far is lovely... but... the subject matter... i honestly don't know if i can stomach it... i may have to ask if any of my friends are into it and see if they think i can manage... still i'll try this one episode... hopefully it doesn't end badly.
15 mins in... and i really want to do this but... but... it's getting a little dangerous...
I really like what i saw.... but considering the amount that took place in space... i honestly don't know if i can sit through this. I'm going to try to watch it(though i'm going to stagger it with a friend if i can.)... maybe it'll be like gargantia and i wont panic.
but if your not astrophobic like me this show is pretty fantastic so far.

The Irregular at Magic High School.
wow thats an odd title
I recognize that voice.... the narrator has been in a lot...  but... i can't tell. *checks* nakamura yuuichi.... yeah his voice tends to trip me up... when he sounds like okazaki i can hear it no problem but other times i get nothing..
So far i love the world this show has built and i look forward to seeing more...it oddly shares some of the visual styles of hamatora but i can't seem to find any connection.
still i look forward to adding this to my list.

 La Corda d'oro -blue sky-
i've seen the other shows in this series so why not watch this?
though honestly i don't remember much... other then a magic violin that got broken... but this seems to be different characters-- wow thats a lot of pretty boys in the intro
the show overall is so pretty but the main girls voice... again maybe i'm just easily irritated over super high pitched voices.
but it is a show that has a lot of focus on violins... which i have a huge soft spot for.
as pretty as the show is... i wish the animation on the playing of the instruments was better... it just feels a little stiff. still i remeber enjoying the other seasons so... i'l lprobably stick with it... hopefully it grows on me more in the next episode.... btu yeah this is a stand alone series so if you haven't seen the other two seasons do not worry about it. 

Rowdy Sumo Wrestler Matsutaro
. . . wow this is ugly... though i give it credit for looking different... in context the look works but yeah... not appealing at all.

2:44 - ew, i'm out... you want to lovingly animate someone plucking nose hairs and then sneezing in the most disgusting way possible then fine... have fun... i want no part of it.

The Kawai complex guide to manors and hostel behavior.
i want to drop it for the fact that it has probably the dumbest title i have ever seen... seriously this trend of stupid long titles need to end--- is that fhana?
well.... that is a nice surprise... i love hearing her pop up more in theme songs cause she has a really pretty voice.
and now that i've checked to see that i have fully watched every single show she has done a theme song on... i saw the japanese title for this show.
"Bokura wa minna Kawaisou"
wow that is so much better i cannot even begin to describe... i don't care that the english title is more of a literal translation it could be shortend.... somehow.
in the end I have mixed feelings about this...
it vaguely gives me the sense of a show like maison ikoku but it seems to be lacking some charm.
The art is very pretty and quite interesting but...
i'm getting... a sense of deja vu.
*rolls around* i must have seen a clip or something cause i could have sworn i had seen a scene in this show before.
hm.... i just don't know, maybe it'll be good but after one ep i'm just... not sure... i'll give it another ep if i remember... but this gut feeling of "ugh" is what i'm worried about.

The world is still beautiful
*snickers at the engrish title on the title card* Still worlds is Beautiful? i guess if you DIRECTLY translate and don't rearrange thats what you would get.
this sounds... odd.. like they are standing a foot back from the mike... maybe my ears are just a little plugged from this cold? but it really does sound.... echoy.... or like the walls don't have sound dampening or something.
even kyon sounds echoy
hm.... i think this show is trying to be a little too hard to be funny.... still i figure i can probably give it another episode or two since world building wise it's an interesting idea... i just dunno if i can get past the odd sound and forced comedy.

Haikyu!!
this is probably one of the only shows i'm going into not 100% blind...
and what i mean by that is i know it's about volleyball.... and thats it.
Now... i'm kinda hoping i enjoy this because much like kuroko's basketball the other sport i played when i was younger was volley ball and i really enjoyed it... so i'm curious to see how an anime can represent it.
*sees them doing dive practice/suicides* oh yeah... i remember that... though i guess if your a guy it's not that big a deal... everyone on my team hated it the most.
*watches them jump out of the way of the ball* yeah that was part of the i hated the sport in school... they were all more worried about getting hurt then actually playing.
also why are they bumping off the wrong spot? no wonder their arms hurt.
well putting aside the rules aspect of the game i think i'll probably enjoy this show, so far it's got similar elements to other sports shows i've watched.... just please... no naming moves... please...

Baby steps
not the biggest fan of tennis... but still may as well try the show.
ok... why does he have to have that stupid out of place lookign spike in his hair... i mean seriously.
wow this kid has some serious OCD. having to eat something in a certain order, notes having to fit on a certain number of pages... perfectly straight writing... even better then the teachers... not to mention losing his shit when said notes are dirtied... thinking about every move as a procedural instead of just moving... it must be hell inside his head.
also her eyes are open just a bit too much... it makes her look like she's either surprised of crazy the entire run of the show.
i dunno... maybe i'll try another episode? it didn't really hook me since it seems like a "oh i just happen to be really good" sport anime... and those are no fun for me to watch.

Brynhildr in the Darkness
what like the Valkyrie? i actually don't know much about them but the name is easy to recognize... oh right the show.
well the intro is very intense... and dubsteppy. i'm not a fan of dub step at all but it's not too bad.
So the story is about a boy who was in an accident with a girl when they were little and she died instantly. now ten years later someone who looks just like her has shown up. oh and she's predicting the death of two students, one who ends up being saved by a 'lucky' break and the other who just happens to be the main character. it's an interesting idea... i'm a little curious to see where it goes but i may not stick with it.

One Week Friends
I actually know the basic concept of this show ... out of everything it was the one show i was most curious about.
The main girl has an oddly specific type of amnesia. Every week on monday her happy memories all vanish as well as memories of people she cares about (except her family)
I'm curious to see how this premise can be shown over a few episodes but i am looking forward to it... it does feel like it's going to tug at the heart strings quite a bit.

Majin Bone
this show also sounds odd... maybe it's Toei? maybe whatever they have given to crunchy to post just doesn't have the best sound quality?
otherwise... uh... this just feels like it's trying to sell toys... it feels like something 4 kids would license (you know... if they were still around)
also the 3d animation just looks... corny.
and the 2d animation is extremely floaty, so it's expressive but also very lazy feeling... barely any shading and everything takes on a blobby appearence when it's moving.
ugh... this was just not the type of show i like at all. i'm sure if you like mech shows or shonen anime or chosen one stories it's probably ok but i really don't tend to like those types of stories...  also even though i'm bad with names i should at least have a vague idea what they are by the end of the episode... i don't so i obviously didn't care enough.
Pass.

Jojo's bizarre adventure.
No.
not my type of show, i hear those who love it really love it but any time i have seen any of it i just can't get into it.

Blade and Soul
Looks like a fanservice show.
okay, to be fair, maybe it isn't just a pure fan service show... i honestly don't care... you have that much underboob or characters that literally have an under boob window.... you completely and instantly lose me as part of the audience... i don't care how good your story is. 
also "here have one of my outfits, it's much sluttier then what i'm currently wearing but it fits you" (even though it would never fit the original owner and isn't condusive to the style of the village.) and what is the point of having a sleeveless top.. .well it's not a top... uh... corseted and possibly metal bathing suit... anyways whast the point if you need boob suspenders to keep everything in place?
who designed these characters?
I do like the fact that nudity doesn't seem to be shameful at all... but on the other hand the designs are just so stupid i can't take the plot seriously. if you like fan service heavy shows then at least this one seems to have more substance then some others.... i will not continue to watch though.

*looks at the next three titles and chuckles*

ORECA BATTLE, DRAGON COLLECTION, HERO BANK

no i didn't accidently hit caps lock... that is their names... and they are all technically focused around card games... and all of them come out on the same day at the same time.

Honestly when they were announced i thougth they were three connected shows but nope... they all seem to be their own thing...
so then i worried that i would need to make a new rule "no card shows" or "no shows obviously made to sell merch"
but then i check out the first two and they are both 11 mins so... i don't have to watch it... yay.
Herobank on the other hand...
*checks out the first few minutes* no i think i'll make the "no card shows/no shoes made only for merch" a rule after all... i don't like it... i'm being unfair but lets face it, i'm not the audience and i'm not going to waste my time on something i know i wont like. however if you do like TGC shows be warned, this is obviously targeted at an extremely young audience.

Love Live! School Idol Project (2nd season)
oh i dunno... i watched the first season as it was good BG noise... but... i think i may have had my fill-- why is she sudent council president? like she'd have time to do that and be a school idol.
not to mention the problem of the school being closed has been dealt with... so what could possibly be the point this time? just omg being student council pres is hard ><
i think i'll pass.

The Comic Artist and Assistants
13 mins long, and within the first minute you get this line:  "i want to grope some breasts"
yeah... pass.

MAGICA WARS
another caps lock show? has it always been this bad with anime title wise?
anyways it's a webshow so unless i hear amazing stuff about it i'll pass... the art does look fairly pretty... a little moe but what can you do?

Black Bullet
holy crap catchy intro is catchy.
in 2021 tokyo (or perhaps all of japan?) has been attacked by big like monsters. we see a young boy barely survive the attack.
10 years later he is a Civil officer and his organization has the power to fight these bug monsters (which i now realize it as more bug zombie monsters since if a human is infected they turn into the bug.)
Civil officers come in two types.
Initiators which seem to have been created to fight the monsters, some have even called them cursed children... and Promoters who have the job of keeping the initiators under control.
together they work to stop the pandemic fro getting any worse and sounds like thye are also on the hunt for patient zero.
too bad even though they are humanities last hope they still have to make money, and rentaro is a bit like spike spegel in the way he finds it so difficult to get paid.
There is a lot of exposition in this first episode but considering how it's shown through actions as well i find it works pretty well and i'm very curious to see where it goes.
also theres a voice in there that sounds like fool from kaliedo star... and the main characters voice is familiar but i cna't tell why, he sounds like the friend in Nisekoi a bit... over to MAL
oh wow i was right about the main character... but wrong about fool, it's the guy who plays the boss in servant x service.

No Game No Life
okay so i've hit the point of i'm hoping there aren't too many shows left... i already have quite a few titles i plan to stick with.... but lets see this one.
ugh... can we stop with the stuck in  game world anime.
i'm still burned out after SAO (though this is different)
also... the brother and sister relationship in this is pretty creepy.... and panty shots? really... how old is she even?
and i don't mind coloured lines but it shouldn't be distracting... it is here.
i may give this show another episode but so far it's not terribly good... jus tan interesting world but nothing more... also the main character is pretty unlikeable. but it's still too early to tell.

Chaika - The coffin Princess -
well the intro song is catchy and the art is decent.
talking i one word broken sentances... yeah thats not going to get old.
it wasn't bad but it also wasn't special... maybe i'll check it out later but it just didn't do anything for me now.

Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara (if her Flag breaks)
. . . i am just curious to see how long i last.
. . . wait am i... laughing?
no this show has such a stupid title... i should hate it.
well... uh... that was unexpected... i guess it's shows like this that are the reason i at least try every show... i actually really enjoyed that.
dunno if i'll last to the end cause it's just so goofy but hey... it was a lot of fun and not what i expected when i heard about a show dealing with Flags.
uh the main guy can see flags above peoples heads.. .from what i understand the term comes from Vis. Novel type games where certain events trigger 'flags' that help lead the story down a certain path.
He can see Friendship, Romance and Death flags but since he's worried about hurting those close to him he uses this power to shatter the flag and therefor stop the event.
i was expecting it to focus on him using his power to get all the girls.... i'm sure he will end up getting all the girls but it's not the point which makes all the difference.
I just enjoy stuff like this that reminds me not to judge a book by it's cover.... or in this case title.

Dai-shogun -Great Revolution-
well the art is fairly nice.
the shaky cam effect is kinda nausiating... not a fan of it in real life... why would i want my anime looking like that.
in fact everything in the show moves oddly... like it's a 2d image mapped to a 3d space thats being stretched and warbled.
and ugh... this 'music' it's terrible.
oh i see why theres shaky came... almost ever scene is stationary with very little animation so the movement of the camera compensates to trick you into seeing movement when there is very little.
yeah his show just isn't my kind of thing.... just too painful to watch/listen to.

Is the Order a Rabbit?
Oh god i'm getting Kiniro mosaic flashbacks... why am i getting flash backs of that terrible show. i don't think theres any connection but the vibe is almost identical.
Also.... wow... the Moe is strong with this one.
anyways, overall it seems like a Moe girls eating cake show... as in it's a plotless (for the most part) show about girls sitting around and talking, almost always over cake. I think JesuOtaku coined the term but i'm not sure.
Since K-on! i haven't been able to tolerate shows like this at all so... pass... the art is pretty but i can just feel that after a season of this adorableness that nothing will have really happened.

Nanana's Buried Treasure
the new titles... they just keep coming *sobs* what i plan to do is post this on saturday (since i started watching everyone on saturday) and then if there are more new hows i'll edit this... but seriously i think they can't announce much more.. there isn't much left.
oh this is done by A-1? well then it should look very pretty.
one thing A-1 pictures shows have in common is that they have interesting worlds... i am intrigued by this first episode but i think i need to give it a bit more time before i decide to stick with it... still it is very pretty and interesting so far.

MEKAKUCITY ACTORS

ok, other then potential funimation titles this is the last one (none of the funi titles look interesting to me [read as wow that looks like a lot of fan service and moe])
. . .
so.... that happened...
i don't have a "WTF am i watching" show this season yet.... i think this will fill that gap.
I can't describe it cause.... i really don't know how, a hermit goes outside for the first time in two years and gets caught up in a terrorist kidnapping and then he stops it with this AI thing he got through email... and some characters have eyes that go read and....
yeah...
i'm intrigued? maybe... i don't know if i'll stick with it (cause it airs on saturdays and my saturdays are already nuts) but i'll definately give it a few more episodes before i make up my mind... or my brain explodes... whichever comes first.

Yay... all done (until they add another title like 4 episodes into the simulcast and i have to edit this...)

SO whats the damage?

2 returning, 12 new shows i may or may not stick with.

knowing me some will be dropped simply cause thast a lot to keep up with... i may only be sparatically working but i do still work.

alright, the breakdown (and everything is on Crunchyroll)

* = giving a few more episodes before i make up my mind
** = i'm staggering my views with a friend

Monday: Yowapeda
Tuesday: Black Bullet
Wednesday: If Her Flag Breaks*
Thursday: Nanana's buried treasure*
Friday: Nothing
Saturday: Nisekoi, Kamigami no Asobi, The Irregular at Magic High School, Captain Earth**, La Corda d'oro*, The world is Still Beautiful*, MEKAKUCITY ACTORS*
Sunday: Haikyu!!, Brynhildr in the Darkness*, One Week Friends

Personally i wouldn't mind if some shows were shuffled cause saturday is just a bit much right now... but theres a lot of interesting shows and i look forward to the rest of Spring 2014

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