2012 Autumn Anime First Impressions

Hi everybody. This First Impressions post is ordered alphabetically. My excuse for the quality of our product is that we weren’t prepared and GOD, IT HAS ALREADY STARTED

Btooom!

(redball)

I made it 30 seconds into the OP before I shut it off and never returned.
Status: Can you say that something is Dropped if you never really started it?

Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!

(redball)

Here’s a show I can fully support. I like the interaction between the main characters. I like that this is essentially a slice of life but the twist of Chuunibyou provides far more action and less forced comedy than you get in most shows of this genre. It feels like one of those cheap harem comedies, like Mayo Chiki or MM!, but without the cheapness.

Status: Enthusiastically Watching

Code:Breaker

(Mushyrulez)

Atmosphere is the only thing Code:Breaker has going for it. Atmosphere and Phi Brain-ness. With an OP like this (I mean, heck, ‘puzzle’ is like the second word in the OP) and these hyper-derp designs how can this be anything but a tribute to Phi Brain?

Pacing is dragged too long, though – I don’t want to see a dog getting kicked around for five minutes. Cats are alright, but dogs are too cute to be kicked.

Nevertheless, the atmosphere is still top-notch. Great use of background music, too. It made me really empathize with the heroine, and I really felt like I was going to get raped up my ass with QUALITY. Now that’s usually not a good thing and I’d have dropped this if not for THAT CLIFFHANGER.

I WILL FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS EVEN IF IT COSTS ME MY LIFE.

Status: Two-Episode Chance

P.S. ‘evil for evil’ doesn’t make any cents at all and I thought sage mistranslated but IT’S ON THE ED IT’S ON THE ED THE ED SAYS EVIL FOR EVIL IT SAYS EVIL FOR EVIL HOW DOES THAT EVEN COMPREHEND EVIL FOR EVIL IS NOT A EVIL FOR EVIL PHRASE IN ENGLISH IT JUST DOESN’T EVIL FOR EVIL COMPUTE AT ALL EVIL FOR EVIL

Girls und Panzer

(John Sato)

Shows like this always throw me off. If it were just cute girls doing cute things like driving tanks (wait, hold on…), then I could write it off as a silly little moe show for people who like that sort of thing to enjoy. But the thing is, Girls Und Panzer isn’t really silly. I mean, by no stretch of the imagination does it take itself seriously, but once you get past the premise it becomes, like, an actual show with an actual story. I feel like one’s ability to enjoy this is mostly dependent on their whimsy threshold, but if you remove the thoughts of how these girls will be horribly crushed to death by their own tank’s armor when their tank gets hit (and yes, they appear to really use tanks, explosive rounds and all. No fact smudging here), then there’s definitely entertainment to be had here.

Status: Two-Episode Chance

Ixion Saga DT

(Mushyrulez)

And I thought Btooom! would be the best show of the season…

…NOPE. It’s IXION SAGA DT, the latest derpanime ~masterpiece~ courtesy of BRAINS BASE. Check out what other erudite individuals have to say about it:

"If this anime were penis, it’d be violently fucking K in the ass with its glorious visuals." – Me on Ixion Saga DT

— オレンジバット (@hachikurooo) October 11, 2012

…OK, one erudite individual. Anyways, Ixion Saga DT is awesome. If there were a checklist for awesomeness, Ixion Saga DT would meet every single criteria. Virtual reality without annoying Kiritos? Check. Self-aware protagonist? Check. Harems? NOPE. Dragon-toed boots? Check. Crotch kicks? Check. WORLD’S END ULTIMATUM SPECIAL THREE-BAR CHARGE ATTACKS? Check. Hot gay maid trap voiced by the VA of Lelouch (I actually haven’t watched Geass…), AoEx’s Yukio, DenYuuDen’s Ryner, Working!!’s Souta, Chuu2Koi’s Yuuta, Durarara!!’s Shinra, and of course, HORIZON’S AOI TOORI: JUN FUKUYAMA HIMSELF?!

CHECK.

Speaking of checks, CHECK OUT this seizure-inducing OP animation. Do not look past the first 8 seconds. Do not click the spam video about Viagra. Do not pass Go.

Perfection.

I originally thought Ixion Saga DT would be some crap show with crap 90s art, but the 90s art is AWESOME and the entire show’s a legitimate ironic parody. I was literally grinning stupidly from the DEE TEE to the EEE DEE, and my face was stuck in an awkward position for weeks afterwards (and now everybody avoids me like the plague avoids antibiotics). Truly, Ixion Saga DT is the Classiest Anime.

Status: Three-Episode Test

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (2012)

(John Sato)

In an alternate reality where humans are made not of flesh but of carved limestone and the name “Jonathan” is somehow shortened to “Jojo,” a blue haired British boy housing the intellect of Frankenstein’s monster in his early stages and his blond, musclebound anglo-saxon adopted brother who is possessed by the devil fight each other over family inheritance. Jojo does a lot of things in a very over dramatic fashion, in a way that anyone who isn’t 12 years old would find it silly. But, Jojo also does a lot of things right. If you let yourself accept the drama and the juvenile nature of… well, a lot of the show, then it becomes a thoroughly enjoyable, even emotional ride. I guess in a way, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is so simultaneously bad and good that it is simultaneously bad and good.

Status: Watching

K

(redball)
So derivative it’s almost a fault. It’s grabbing character designs from all over the place. There are plot elements that remind me of everything from Index to Durarara. Still, it has its own unique take on all of this.
Status: Watching with expectations reserved.

K

(John Sato)

So far, I’m quite enjoying K. Blue filter or no, the visuals are amazing, and I don’t mean that in an OMG FIRE AND BISHIES AND JUMPING CAT GIRLS kind of way. For instance, there’s one scene where a TV appears in the background for only a split second, but you can still clearly see what’s on the display. It’s detailed to the point where ignoring it would be blind of me, even if the art style isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Combined with the music, K has a very nice audio-visual style going for it. The execution of the story leaves a little to wish for, though it’s possible that the series is merely a shaky start, too. That said, you can easily understand the core plot elements, and between the fantastic production values, the action, the humor, and the expansive cast & setting, K promises to be a fun ride, at the very least.

Status: Watching

Kamisama Hajimemashita

(John Sato)

Kamisama Hajimemashita (or Kamisama Kiss, if you prefer) is one of the most generic shoujo series I’ve ever seen. That said, I’m kind of a shoujo junkie, so it’s no surprise that I love it. It’s full of tropes and predictable plot developments, but there’s something to be said about a comedic, light-hearted romance series that doesn’t take itself too seriously. I suppose that it one thing that sets it apart from the other shoujo series this season; Kamisama Kiss is primarily a comedy, really only teasing the romance and being completely devoid of drama (at least so far). A nice, unoffensive, fluffy shoujo series to turn your brain off to and enjoy.

Status: Watching

Litchi DE Hikari Club

(Mushyrulez)
uh…
Status: Nazis

Little Busters!

(redball)
This show sucks. Maybe I’ve just fallen so hard off the Key bandwagon I can never get back up. If you try reading the positive reviews of this show you might note a trend: they’re all done by comparison to other Key adaptations. Fans of this show are largely nostalgia filled, Key apologists. I just can’t be a part of that anymore.

Status: Like watching a train wreck; I cannot look away even though I want to. Watching

Magi

(John Sato)

Magi is Moegi. I could honestly end the impression right here. I guess you’re probably looking for a little more, though. Moegi is pretty cool. It’s got a super (pronounce that like someone slid an icecube down your back while you were saying that) cool setting, and not just in that it’s unique; the city of the first few episodes and the rest of the world are very nicely created, and the series did a a good job of getting the viewer interested.

Aside from that, it’s got a very engaging, adventure-y story, magic, and the genderbent crossbred clone of the cast of K-ON and every third female character from Horizon as its lead. Certainly a more ‘spectacle’ kind of shounen series (as opposed to a ‘battle’ one à la the big three), but a reliable candidate to get your fantasy action adventure fix from.

Status: Watching

Psycho-Pass

(Mushyrulez)

The year is 20XX. The block is noitaminA. The ED is by EGOIST. The OP is probably sung by some poor castrated sopranino.

In a world where kawaii moè fanservice dominates, one man ventures to set things straight.

Urobuchi Gen, battling against spineless emasculated otamots and thrusting back unbridled sexism and armed with a competent palette of artisans and a potpourri of atmospheric resonances, unleashes a sanctified rain of noir-esque, spearheaded by a girl with balls. Not tennis balls. Not Ed Balls.

Basketballs.

But the going is not easy. The path of forced exposition is well-trodden, yet remnants of yesteryear’s Horizon have not faded. With adroit feet, Urobuchi nimbly sidesteps through the muck and mud. Yet, it was not adequate. The remnants of Horizon hung on. Pushing through the mire of sexism was no small feat – and Urobuchi had big feet. Strong female main with development room? Check. unnecessary comments related to female main’s gender? Not much. Effective rape scene? Check. Important rape scene? C-check…? Integral rape scene? No.

Any form of trauma would have served the same purpose. Why rape?

The path is a long one, one riddled with pitfalls and obstructions. He’s made it once. Will he again seize the intangible summit of originality?

I hope so.

Status: Watching

Robotics;Notes

(redball)
I can’t get a read on this one. The setup and characters seem fine, so far. Some of it is your average convenience, like the video game wiz hanging out with the tenacious but otherwise untalented girl. I do like that the characters start out with a purpose and the setup for the initial arc, and I assume the introduction of the full cast, feels natural. It’s just too early to tell if this can live up to its most immediate predecessor.
Status: Watching with much trepidation.

Shinsekai yori

(redball)
This is supposed to be creepy, I guess. I don’t find it particularly so. Instead, I think the world they’ve created is very interesting. I like the animation in this show a lot, too. I feel like it’s a solid B-grade show that few will ever consider excellent, but few will be disappointed in.
Status: Watching

Sukitte Ii na yo.

(Mushyrulez)

Shoujo’s cool. I watch shoujo anime. John Sato watches shoujo anime. Kamisama Hajimemashita is cool. I’m not watching it because there are other shows I want to watch more.

Sukitte Ii na yo is not one of them.

Kamisama Hajimemashita has twists. It involves the supernatural. The main character’s likable. Most importantly, it’s actually funny.

There is nothing remotely funny about Sukitte Ii na yo at all. The joke sections are uninspired, the characterization is flat as a pancake, and the coincidences are banal to the extreme. That final kiss scene? Ugh. Talk about contrived.

There is nothing remotely interesting about Sukitte Ii na yo at all. All of its shticks are hackneyed, the heroine is more generic than any harem lead out there, and all this pitying and whining only annoy me. No, accidentally killing a class rabbit doesn’t forever isolate you from all social interaction. Yes, when you recognize that you have a social problem, you don’t mope and whine about it.

You seek immediate psychological help. I’m serious. By sending unto her a boyfriend from the heavens, Japan is only aggravating the problem. Problems do not solve themselves.

There is nothing remotely redeeming about Sukitte Ii na yo at all. The art can’t get any more mundane, the pacing is in the wrong genre, and the dramatic music is completely unnecessary. No, I will not pity the protagonist.

Will anything save Sukitte Ii na yo from this mess of generic shoujo? No, nothing short of magical space aliens in episode two. Will they appear? Well, I’ll have to find out…

Status: Two-Episode Chance

Teekyuu

(Mushyrulez)

I was like ‘oh, another stupid Softenni fanservice shtick without softness or tennis’ and then it was two minutes long and a quarter of it was OP and then that image happened and I don’t even, alright, I don’t even what is wrong with society anymore

Status: wat

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun

(redball) The start of this show is a mess. As Mr. Sato pointed out when we watched this, it’s like they packed an entire Shoujo season into 20 minutes. There’s two time skips! Add that to the crappy behavior of the male lead and the expectation that the female lead will fall for him, and you have one of the worst starts I’ve seen. I watched episode two and found it better, but not enough to rid me of the lingering taste of episode one.
Status: Dropped

Tonari no Kaibutsu-Kun (John Sato)

I said earlier that I’m a shoujo junkie. Having seen as much of the genre as I have, Tonari just felt like a massive troll. The first episode brushed past all the typical plot points in the most expedient fashion you could imagine, but in such a way it felt like it was just making fun of fans. It could have easily skipped half of the plot points it crammed in and told the same story in a less rushed fashion, but instead felt the need to include them for no apparent reason other than to rush through them.

Either it has some serious plans it needed to get all that out of the way for, or the director found out that what he thought was a one-shot OVA was actually a full TV series and chose to just keep what they had already made. The series didn’t do enough to deserve continued attention, so I guess I’ll never know. Probably the only reason I’d watch any more of this is morbid curiosity.

Status: Dropped

Zetsuen no Tempest (redball)
To enjoy this one I think you either need to tune out the Shakespeare references or fully embrace them. I choose to tune them out. The references don’t seem to make much sense in the context of the show, so I can only imagine this is pretentious wankery. If you ignore them, though, you’ll find a show that is at least somewhat interesting. Just don’t make the comparisons the creators so desperately want you to.
Status: Three-Episode Test

Zetsuen no Tempest (John Sato)

I didn’t like this series. In fact, I kind of really disliked it. The biggest problem was the plot progression. The story was all there, but it felt like someone put it through a wood chipper and tried to reassemble it like a jigsaw puzzle.

My thoughts when I was watching it were something akin to “Okay, so these are our main characters and this is sort of how they interact, okay, and wait, hold on, now we’ve got this other character who I guess is also a main character, and she’s trapped on this island and I guess there’s magic and okay, here’s the bad guy and woah, I guess it’s like half a year later, what happened to those other characters that got introduced I guess one of them died and now there’s this weird lady who can’t decide if she wants to threaten this guy or socialize with him and WOAH FLYING DUDE AND GUNS AND METAL PEOPLE AND EYEBALLS IN THE SKY AND – wait hold on, what is happening?!”

*Ahem* I don’t know; it wasn’t particularly hard to follow, but it just felt so… hollow. Apparently I’m the only one in the blogosphere who doesn’t like it (with the possible exception of my good compatriot Redball), though, so if you’re interested I guess I’d give it a try. (It’s worth noting that it looks really nice and has suitably epic music.)

Status: Dropped

Conclusion

So that’s the end of our preview. We hope you enjoyed it. We might add more things to it if Jesus159159159 ever decides to emerge from his natural habitat. Let us observe the Jesus159159159 in-depth with this special nano-camera I inserted into his Kindle™:

…Never mind.