Summer 2015: What I'm Watching (The Anime-zing Race)

For the second half, let’s look at the shows still running in The Anime-zing Race. This part will cover the following shows:

Actually, I Am…
Aoharu x Machinegun
Charlotte
Classroom Crisis
GATE
Overlord
Rokka: Braves of Six Flowers
Ushio & Tora

Spring 2015: What I'm Watching (Part 1)

If you've been following my "The Anime-zing Race" series of posts, you know what shows will be on here already. If this is your first time seeing one of these posts, this is my seasonal rundown of all the shows I'm watching, with some background information, whether the show is a sequel to anything you should watch first, what I think of them so far, and where the show is available for legal streaming.

Here are the shows covered in this first part. Later on, I'll add links such that clicking on each show will jump you straight to that show's entry, but for now I'd just like to get this out as soon as possible.

Baby Steps Season 2
Food Wars - Shokugeki no Souma
Hello! Kinmoza
Mikagura School Suite
My love Story!!
My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU TOO!
Re-Kan!

Winter 2015: What I'm Watching

Yeah, I'm late on this, because I've first been finishing up all the 2014-ending shows I was behind on before catching up with all of this season's new shows. (I'm still behind on a number of shows that started last year and are continuing into this season.) For now, though, let's look at this season's new shows. Since I'm doing this so late, this post will double as a sort of mid-season impressions post.

And yes, there's only one part this time; I only picked up nine new shows, so I figured I would just put them all in one post.

You can jump to any show directly by clicking on the links below:

Assassination Classroom
Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!
Death Parade
Dog Days''
Gourmet Girl Graffiti
Kamisama Kiss Season 2
Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend
The iDOLM@STER: Cinderella Girls
The Rolling Girls

Summer 2014: What I'm Watching (Part 2)

Part 2 features even more shows, ranging from some big name titles to a variety of hard-hitting comedies. Let's get started!

Invaders of the Rokujyoma!?
Japanese title: Rokujyouma no Shinryakusha!?

I'm kind of surprised no squid girls are involved.

In looking for a place to live alone, Koutarou Satomi thought he hit the jackpot when he found a rokujyoma (6-tatami-mat, about 9 ft. x 12 ft.) available for just 5000 yen (about $50 USD) per month. For a single high-school boy who doesn't need a lot of space, it is a steal. Literally, as Koutarou finds out that he "stole" the room from a ghost girl, Sanae, who is now determined to chase any new roommates out. As Koutarou learns why the rent is so cheap, his apartment is then invaded by an underground dweller, a space princess, and a magical girl that everyone thinks is just a cosplayer, all of whom are looking to claim the apartment as her own. But Koutarou is not going out without a fight... and neither is the landlady who has to deal with them all.

It's a good thing this show airs on Fridays. This harem comedy is precisely the type of show that one might want to watch after a long workweek: lighthearted, silly, and requiring no brainpower at all. That amidst all of its silliness it can muster some heartwarming moments between characters is a nice bonus. It's not going to win awards but it's a fun show for fans of harem comedy.

Available on: Crunchyroll
Licensed by: Sentai Filmworks

Locodol
Japanese title: Futsuu no Joshikousei ga [Locodol] Yatte Mita.

These local-m@sters live for the love of the town.

The small town of Nagarekawa is not exactly prospering, but that might change when Nanako Usami gets drafted by her uncle to become the town's local idol, a.k.a. a Locodol. Joining fellow Locodol Yukari and others, they do promotional work and small amateur performances for the town. So maybe they might not shine on the big stage, but maybe they can at least bring a smile to the faces of the locals.

I have said this a lot about this show, but it's important enough to repeat: this is not your normal idol show, where the girls sing and dance their way to personal stardom. These girls are just trying to help out their local town; they only get basic compensation from the people's taxes, their songs are amateur performances of town anthems and mascot themes, and any popularity they have is literally just being the talk of the town. And yet, because of all this, this show has an intimate charm to it that other idol shows don't. There's also plenty of moments of growing bonds between Nanako and Yukari, and plenty of laughs along the way. Check it out if you want to see a different sort of idol show.

Available on: Crunchyroll

Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun
Japanese title: Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun

When truth and fiction stop being strangers.

Chiyo Sakura gathered up her courage to confess to her crush, Umetaro Nozaki... almost. She ended up just saying that she's his fan, leading to some confusion when he responds by giving her an autograph. Then, he invites her over to his house... where she ends up as his assistant. Turns out, Nozaki is a mangaka, and not just any mangaka, but the author of one of Chiyo's favorite shoujo manga, "Let's Fall in Love"! As Chiyo wonders just how a guy as dense as Nozaki can create a manga that "represents the heart of girls", she gets a behind-the-scenes look at the process of creating a shoujo manga when the people involved are just a bit crazy.

Truly good clean comedies are getting rarer and rarer these days. While plenty of shows feature comedy of varying degrees, shows that are dedicated to the comedic art and bringing out the most and biggest laughs are rather infrequent—even more so shows that do so without relying on crude or sexual humor. Which is why when a show like Nozaki-kun comes along, it is appreciated like a rainstorm during a drought. Nozaki-kun is character-based comedy at its finest, providing a cast of characters with fun, quirky personalities, and using those personalities and how they play off each other to make its comedic situations. The show also likes to play off various manga tropes and gender stereotypes to milk comedic dissonance for all it is worth. The end result is absolutely hilarious, and is IMO the best comedy of the season, possibly even best of the year. This is definitely a must-see for fans of comedy, especially if you want something you don't have to feel guilty laughing about.

Available on: Crunchyroll
Licensed by: Sentai Filmworks

Sabagebu! Survival Game Club

Such a cute, girly picture. Surely this will be a cutesy, harmless little show about pellet guns...

Momoka is saved from a pervert on the train by a fellow schoolmate... wielding two Desert Eagles. Turns out, this girl is Miou, the president of the Survival Game Club dedicated to airsoft battles, and after various incidents, she forces Momoka to join the club. But Momoka is not as sweet of a girl as she seems, and behind her unassuming smile lies a ruthless, vengeful girl who is sure to keep things interesting in the club.

Summer seems to be the season for airsoft-based shows, with Stella Women's Academy, High School Division Class C3 airing this time last year and taking a surprisingly serious look at the sport. This time, the show goes for pure comedy... but not the usual silly sort that shows about a bunch of girls normally do. Oh no, this show goes for a much more sadistic type of comedy, one where the lead female is actually quite nasty and not the type of person you would like in real life, surrounded by people that are largely just as unsympathetic as they mistreat each other all for the sake of comedy. Expect the show to push boundaries and be generally irreverent (a recent episode even makes a joke of bulimia). Whether this kind of black comedy is actually funny is up to individual tastes, but if it is, well, this show has you set. Also, expect plenty of fourth-wall-breaking courtesy of one lemony narrator. (The real scary thing is, the original manga was actually serialized in a shoujo magazine; this show is audience-wise technically the same sort as Blue Spring Ride. I still cannot wrap my head around that.)

Available on: Crunchyroll, The Anime Network
Licensed by: Sentai Filmworks

Sailor Moon Crystal
Japanese title: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Crystal

In the name of the moon, she will punish the people who made the original anime deviate so far from the manga.

Sequel Alert?: This is a full reboot of Sailor Moon that follows the manga. No prior experience with the franchise is necessary.

Usagi is an ordinary, crybaby 14-year-old girl who one day meets a mysterious talking cat, Luna. Luna then gives Usagi the power to transform into a magical girl, which is immediately put to the test as evil forces attack the town. Usagi must find the other Sailor Guardians and get to the bottom of the situation, while trying to figure out the identity of the handsome, mysterious Tuxedo Mask.

Ah, Sailor Moon. There is no denying the importance of this franchise on the history of anime, and with this reboot focusing on the very first work of the franchise--the original manga--this show is, if nothing else, an interesting history lesson on the origin of many anime tropes. There's probably a major nostalgia factor involved, too, though I personally don't have many memories of Sailor Moon growing up, so any nostalgia is more in how this show affected other shows of its time. But all of that is secondary to the most important question about this show: is the story itself enjoyable to watch? Personally, I would say so; there might not be anything particularly amazing yet but the show overall is plenty of fun and seems to be assembling a good cast of Sailor Guardians together (not to mention Tuxedo Mask). How well the show has aged may vary in the minds of others, but with no major missteps of execution yet (barring the use of CG for transformation scenes), it should hold up well enough even in the modern age of anime. The only real problem with this show? It airs every other week, making the wait between episodes painfully long...

Available on: Crunchyroll
Licensed by: Viz Media

Space Dandy (Season 2)

Don't worry; they have not found any new aliens while they were gone.

Sequel Alert: This is a sequel to the first season of Space Dandy, which started at the beginning of the year. The episodes are fairly standalone, though you might want to at least watch a couple episodes of the first season first.

Alien hunter Dandy, his robot companion QT, and the Beetlejucian Meow continue to try to find undiscovered alien species, getting themselves in all sorts of crazy situations in the meantime.

The first season of Space Dandy didn't impress me at first, but it grew on me as it went along, and now I am looking forward to new episodes every week. There's a very weird sense of humor that this show uses, on the one hand being fairly crude and sexual (Dandy spends a lot of time hanging out at a restaurant called "Boobies"), which I'm not a fan of. On the other hand, there's also a very creative sense of humor that can get almost absurdist at times, and that is pretty fun. That Dandy and co. started becoming likable characters helped, too. This show is helmed by the legendary director of Cowboy Bebop, Shinichiro Watanabe, though this show is pretty different from his other works; not only that, but Space Dandy brings on board a different scriptwriter for each episode, including some well-known writers like Masaaki Yuasa of The Tatami Galaxy fame. This means that different episodes can be pretty uneven in both tone and quality. In the end, though, this show is basically a playground for Watanabe and his crew, and the end result is pretty darn fun.

Available on: Funimation, Cartoon Network's Toonami block (dubbed; check local listings)
Licensed by: Funimation

Terror in Resonance
Japanese title: Zankyou no Terror

9/12, once again the harbinger of an attack of terror.

Tokyo is struck by a terrorist attack from two mysterious teen boys known only as Nine and Twelve. As the people are sent into a panic, the police force scramble to try to solve clues posted by the boys as "Sphinx" to try to prevent further damage and figure out the who and why of this new threat. Meanwhile, Lisa Mashima, a girl bullied at school and pestered by a nagging mom, finds herself involved in Sphinx's schemes.

Space Dandy isn't Shinichiro Watanabe's only work this season, as he partners up with his musical partner-in-crime Yoko Kanno once again, this time to bring us this psychological thriller on the noitaminA block. Terror in Resonance can be a very unnerving series; the opening attack is definitely meant to be reminiscent of 9/11 (which occurred on 9/12 in Japan... see what they did there?), there's nuclear weapons material involved, and if that all is not enough, there's also all the bullying done to Lisa, whereupon one wonders if her involvement with Sphinx will lead to her breakdown. Nine and Twelve, by the way, are not bland antagonist-protagonists; they have a history and a background behind their actions, even if much of it is still hidden. There's also that good ol' element of watching the two sides try to outwit each other, as a detective named Shibasaki leads the charge against Sphinx. Add in a very effective soundtrack by Yoko Kanno, and you have a show that is a very compelling watch.

Available on/Licensed by: Funimation

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Feel free to post in the comments about what you are watching!

Summer 2014: What I'm Watching (Part 1)

Last year, Summer surprised me with the sheer number of good shows that aired that season. This year, there are fewer shows that caught my interest--a mere 14 new shows--but the quality of those shows looks to be just as high. Three of these I already covered in my YamaHanaBara series... but they and four other shows will be covered (again) in this first part of my seasonal anime preview.

Barakamon

Yes, the little one's a girl.

Seishuu Handa is a 23-year-old calligrapher who has already won an award for his work, but when a high-ranking calligraphy director calls his work dull, he punches the guy in the face... and ends up exiled to an island as punishment. There, he learns to find a new way of life, in part thanks to the rambunctious six-year-old girl, Naru Kotonashi, who has made his home her base.

I have already talked about this show's parallels to Christianity, but let's talk about the show itself. Barakamon is definitely an example of an iyashikei show, a slower-paced slice-of-life show written to be charming and soothing and full of the goodness of humanity. It is also a comedy, full of hilarious moments as Seishuu must learn to deal with a new way of life and a very eccentric group of villagers. Unlike many recent examples of iyashikei slice-of-life comedies, this one isn't focused on cute girls, though Naru (who is voiced by an actual child, like Rin from Bunny Drop) is plenty adorable enough for anyone looking for a dose of cute. So what we have here is a charming and funny slice-of-life about a young adult learning to find his way in life--all in all, an absolutely wonderful show that everyone should watch.

Available on/Licensed by: Funimation

Bladedance of Elementalers
Japanese title: Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance

He got the "sword" element, which is at least cooler than being stuck with "heart".

Kazehaya Kamito is an Elementaler, capable of making a contract with elemental spirits... and unusual in that he is male while Elementalers are otherwise always female. He is enrolled into an academy for Elementalers to help the school win the Blade Dance tournament, where he hopes to meet up with someone. However, he must first learn to get along with Claire Rouge, who is fiery in both temperament and elemental specialty.

So... yeah. This is a fantasy harem series, and a rather generic one at that. There are some hints of a good plot, at least, and Kamito is a bit above average for a male lead. It's also the only new high fantasy (alternate world of magic and stuff) series this season, and as I am growing more interested in the genre... well, I guess I am stuck with this show. Oh well, I don't have that much else to watch. I don't blame you if you don't plan to join me, though.

Available on: Crunchyroll
Licensed by: Sentai Filmworks

Blue Spring Ride
Japanese title: Ao Haru Ride

Time waits for no romance.

In middle school, Futaba Yoshioka and Kou Tanaka had a brief romance that ultimately came to nothing when Kou suddenly disappeared during the summer. Now in high school, Futaba avoids appealing to the guys to maintain good standing with the girls. However, she cannot forget her first love, and when she suddenly meets Kou again, albeit with the name Kou Mabuchi, she can't help but pay attention to him. Kou is now rather cold to her, though, but at the same time can't help but try to help his first love out.

Shoujo manga anime adaptations are getting rarer, and while we had one with The World is Still Beautiful last season, this season's Blue Spring Ride is the first non-fantasy one in a long while (you'd have to go back to Fall 2012 with My Little Monster and Say "I Love You."). Adapted from the manga by Io Sakisaka (whose other manga Strobe Edge is available in the US), this series is so far following very well in the classic shoujo traditions of female-centered character relationships and romances. It's not really doing anything stand-out but with a solid cast of characters with good focus on both the romance and non-romantic relationships, it's a perfect example of good execution making an enjoyable show for anyone hungering for shoujo anime.

Available on: Crunchyroll
Licensed by: Sentai Filmworks

Encouragement of Climb Season 2
Japanese title: Yama no Susume Second Season

Mountaineering Girls ~more aggressive~

Sequel Alert: This is a direct sequel to the first season of Encouragement of Climb, so watch that first. It's only 12 3-minute episodes, so it won't take long. The new season will be 24 13-minute episodes (half the length of a full episode, so the total length will come out to be about the same as a standard 12-episode series).

The second season of this show about mountaineering girls sees Aoi and her mountain pals seeking greater heights as Aoi looks to fulfill her old promise to Hinata to see the sunrise atop a mountain. I've talked about the first season here, as well as some of the second season here, and have mentioned how this is one of my most anticipated shows based on the first season... and well, the second season is only getting better. Expect a post from me soon about some more recent episodes... once Crunchyroll puts them up officially (they're currently indefinitely delayed due to contract negotiations).

Available on: Crunchyroll (Season 1, Season 2)

Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei!
Japanese title: Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya Zwei!

Yes, the Japanese and English titles only differ by that 2/Z difference.

Sequel Alert: This is a direct sequel to the first season of Prisma Illya, so watch that first. While it is related to the Fate/stay night universe, it is considered an alternate universe and no experience with other Fate/ series is necessary to understand the story (though you might be missing out on some references).

The new season of the magical girl spinoff of the Fate/ series continues the adventures of Illya as she now has to deal with a duplicate form of her that is running amok. It continues to have the fun of the first season, as it has some fun with the magical girl genre (the first episode has a hilarious transformation sequence, and not because of the transformation itself). That said, expect a lot more yuri fanservice, whether or not that's your thing. All in all, since it's a sequel, you can probably judge your expectation of this by watching the first season first.

Available on: Crunchyroll (both seasons)
(As of now, only the first season is licensed by Sentai Filmworks.)

Free! Eternal Summer

It's going to be another hot summer for muscle lovers.

Sequel Alert: This is a direct sequel to the first season of Free!, so watch that first.

As Haru and his friends prepare for a new year of swimming, they must also face down the question of what they want to do in the future. In the meantime, Sousuke, an old friend of Rin's, transfers into Rin's school and joins the swim team.

If you missed all the hype behind Kyoto Animation's infamous swimming anime, just know that while the appeal of well-toned shirtless guys who are quite... friendly with each other is definitely there for those who like that stuff, the show definitely has an appeal beyond that as a solid, character-centric sports anime. High-quality animation plus a great cast of characters, with plenty of great comedy to go with a solid storyline, all add up to a show that can be enjoyed regardless of gender or shipping preferences. The second season continues in the vein of the first, with one notable difference thanks to the new role that Rin plays in this season, making him an especially interesting character now.

Available on: Crunchyroll (both seasons), Funimation (Season 2 only)
Licensed by: Funimation

Hanayamata

Actual English title is HaNaYaMaTa, but my Shift key and pinky fingers begged for mercy.

Naru Sekiya is an ordinary girl who wishes she can be dazzling like her beautiful friend Yaya. An encounter with the American transfer student Hana introduces Naru to the world of yosakoi dance, which she decides to do with Hana and other friends.

Here's another show that I've already talked about before and mentioned how much I'm loving it. Hanayamata comes from the Manga Time Kirara family of manga magazines, which is also where other classic cute-girls-doing-cute-things shows like K-ON!, Hidamari Sketch, and the recent Is the order a rabbit? came from; however, Hanayamata comes specifically from Manga Time Kirara Forward, which features more plot-centric (and not necessarily all-girls) series such as Dojin Work and Dream Eater Merry. This shows in here as there's a bit more drama and character development than in your average cute girls show, though it's still plenty cute, too. There's some notable staff on board: the scriptwriter, Reiko Yoshida, has worked on many major titles such as Aria, K-ON!, and even Bakuman, and the director, Atsuko Ishizuka, had previously directed The Pet Girl of Sakurasou and No Game No Life, two shows with very... iffy premises that she turned into surprising hits. Combined with Madhouse (who also did No Game No Life) providing some very beautiful animation, and you have a show that definitely has the potential to be one of the best of the year.

Spring 2014: What I'm Watching (Part 2)

My watchlist for the Spring 2014 season has been finalized, and the 8 shows below are all part of it.

 

Haikyuu!!

Alternate title: Attack on Volleyball Titans

Shoyo Hinata, despite being rather short, dreamed of playing volleyball, so he gathered together a bunch of friends to form a previously-nonexistent male volleyball club, trained hard for the regional competition... and in their first match, got crushed by the "King of the Court" Tobio Kageyama and his team. However, he did not leave without leaving an impression on Tobio, thanks to his quick reflexes and surprising jump height for his short stature. He vows revenge as he joins the high school volleyball team... but revenge will have to wait, as this time, Tobio is on the same team as him, and now, two rivals will have to learn to work together to bring their school's team to victory.

All things considered, this is pretty standard sports anime stuff. You have the plucky underdog with some crazy skills and the strong player who needs to learn how to work with others, along with the rest of the team aiming for the national title. There's not much to distinguish this from other sports titles plot-wise, but the execution is solid, and for fans of sports anime, that's plenty good enough. Plus, I like cheering for the short guys in sports. I would say that has absolutely nothing to do with being short myself, but I would be absolutely lying.

Haikyuu!! is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Mekakucity Actors

They may be actors, but they aren't playing around.

In a city live several people who have special powers related to their eyes, such as Momo Kisaragi, whose eye draws the attention of people to her whether she wants to or not. She also has a brother, Shintaro Kisaragi, who holes himself up at home and spends all his time on the internet, until an intrusive (yet rather cute) AI named Ene hacks into his computer and sets things up for him to step out into the world. These two find themselves involved with the Mekakushi-dan, who use their eye-related powers to thwart various evil plots.

This show is based on the Kagerou Project, which is a series of Vocaloid songs by Jin designed to tell a story, and which has since been adapted into various media, with this anime adaptation being the latest. As someone who does not follow Vocaloid much, though, I'm going into this show treating it as pretty much any other show about superpowered kids. The story being presented here is at least somewhat interesting, though the character interactions among the Mekaku-dan are the main draw for me at the moment. Oh, and this is being animated by Studio SHAFT, so be ready for a heaping portion of their trademark crazy visuals.

Mekakucity Actors is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

 

Mushi-shi: The Next Chapter

(Japanese title: Mushishi Zoku Shou)

There's one on your shoulder right now.

Sequel Alert: This is a sequel to the first season of Mushi-shi, which aired way back in 2005. Yeah, I don’t know why it suddenly got a sequel either. That said, this show is very episodic and the episodes are all stand-alone stories in and of themselves, though some knowledge of the overall setting is recommend, so before going into this second season, I would suggest either watching a couple episodes of the first season (available on Hulu), or watch the hour-long special released earlier this year (available on Crunchyroll).

Mushi are beings that are the very representation of life itself. They are generally invisible to people, and their natural behaviors will sometimes cause problems for the people around them. Ginko is a Mushi-shi, a person with the ability to see mushi and the knowledge to help those who are afflicted by problems relating to them. He wanders the world, learning what he can about mushi and helping out people along the way.

It is hard to describe just what kind of a show Mushi-shi is. More than anything else, it is an experience: something you fully immerse yourself in while watching it. There's plenty of symbolism in the show about the human condition, and beyond that there's also just a lot of a simply fascinating world with these strange mushi creatures. It is definitely a show you have to try out, though; it is one of the most critically acclaimed anime out there, and while the critically-acclaimed stuff is not always my cup of tea, this is one show which I feel definitely deserves the praise it gets.

Mushi-shi: The Next Chapter is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

 

Nanana’s Buried Treasure

(Japanese title: Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin)

Land of a Thousand Treasures.

Always be wary when you get an apartment with really low rent. There's always a catch, like the roof leaking when it rains, the walls falling apart, or, in the case of Juugo Yama, the apartment being haunted by a cute but rather assertive ghost girl. That girl is Nanana Ryuugajou, a genius who helped create the "Special Student Zone" island, but who was murdered in her apartment ten years ago, and is now bound to that same apartment room as a ghost. She has also left something special behind: the Nanana Collection, consisting of various treasures scattered around the island. Now, Juugo and various others find themselves with two tasks: find as much of the Nanana Collection as they can, and in the process, see if they can find out who Nanana's killer was.

One of the two shows on the noitaminA block this season (the other being Ping Pong, which I am not following), Nanana's Buried Treasure is a show with some promise, with solid characters, some interesting "ruins" to explore, and a mystery behind it all. Whether there really is a treasure of a show buried here has yet to be seen, but for now, it is a fun enough show to keep up with it. Not much else to say about the show itself. (Though there's the fact that Kana Hanazawa voices a crossdressing, effeminate boy in both this and Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara...)

Nanana's Buried Treasure is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

No Game No Life

More problem children are coming in from another world, aren't they?

Sora and Shiro are siblings who have shut themselves in their room out of declaring the real world to be a crappy game. They spend all their time playing games online, where Shiro's incredible raw skill and Sora's ability to psychologically read and manipulate other players make them a force to be reckoned with. Their skills capture the attention of a strange entity, who then warps them to a new fantasy world where everything is decided by games: exactly how Sora and Shiro like it. They join forces with the human race there, who is currently the weakest of sixteen races, to help them regain glory and to make the most of a life that actually is not too bad for once.

So yeah, this show is 100% pure wish-fulfillment. I don't think there's too much wrong with that, certainly not when it's done well and all in the name of good fun, and this show is doing okay in that area. The games look to be fun, with their twists on traditional rules, and Sora and Shiro are... interesting protagonists, with quite a skewed outlook on life, but they sure make the games interesting with how they play it. It's overall rather silly, but for a show like this which seems to be focused on having fun over trying to be anything serious, that is just fine.

No Game No Life is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

One Week Friends

(Japanese title: Isshuukan Friends.)

I had something to put here, but it's Monday and I forgot.

Kaori Fujimiya is a girl that is always alone and keeps her distance from others. Yuki Hase decides he wants to be friends with her. She refuses, but humors his company during lunch for a week. The two of them have fun despite themselves, but then Kaori reveals the reason why she avoids making friends: she loses her memories of her time with friends every Monday. Next week, Yuki, faced with the reality that Kaori does not remember who he is or anything they did together the previous week, makes a resolution: he will continue to ask Kaori to be his friend, as many times as he needs.

Amnesia is a common theme in fiction, with anterograde amnesia (not being able to make new memories, as opposed to retrograde amnesia where one forgets past memories) being explored in such works as ef - a tale of memories and the Adam Sandler movie 50 First Dates. Whereas the condition gets a fully dramatic treatment in the former and the kind of comedic treatment one can expect from an Adam Sandler film in the latter, One Week Friends instead goes for a more emotional approach, using a combination of low-key drama, light comedy, and atmosphere to present a simple yet emotionally powerful show about the power of friendship.

One Week Friends is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Soul Eater NOT!

 

Death City is about to get a whole lot cuter.

Sequel Alert?: This is a spinoff of the original Soul Eater series, chronologically taking place before the original series. While some knowledge of the original series will help with understanding the setting (as well as all the cameos), this is also an easy enough show to jump right into without having seen any of the original. (For the record, I myself have seen only the first nine episodes of the original series as of now.)

Tsugumi Harudori was a normal middle school girl until one day when she tripped and her leg became a blade. Thankfully, this particular world has just the place for people with this condition: the Death Weapon Meister Academy (DWMA), where humans who can turn into weapons partner up with "meisters" who are skilled at wielding their weapon forms. And while one always has the option of joining the EAT (Especially Advantaged Talent) class where meisters and weapons use their skills to collect the souls of evil humans and witches and protect the world from disaster (working alongside such people as Maka Albarn and her weapon Soul Eater), one also has the option of joining the NOT (Normally Overcome Target) class, where weapons simply learn how to control their powers and live a relatively normal life with the help of meisters. Of course, the key word here is "relatively", as DWMA is not the sort of place where "normality" is the norm. But Tsugumi is in good hands thanks to her roommates and potential meisters, the ditzy but friendly Meme and the runaway rich girl Anya.

To those waiting on Soul Eater: Brotherhood, sorry, you're gonna have to wait on that. This show, as indicated by the "NOT" in the title, is a different beast entirely. Gone are the crazy battles against evil, and the fancy art style that went with all that; in its place are several cute girls and a coming-of-age story that is somewhat slice-of-life, or at least as much as there can be in a place that trains human weapons. There's a little bit of action, as well as some hints of sinister going-ons, but the focus is more on how one girl comes to terms with how she can turn into a halberd, and how she gets along with the new and unusual friends at her new school. If that sounds like the worst thing in the world... well, no one's forcing you to watch it. (Unless someone is, in which case, you might want to contact a lawyer about coercive anime-watching.) Understandably, if what you care most about Soul Eater is its unique art style and high-energy action, then this show will probably just come off to you as an attempt to cash in on the moe craze. But if you're like me and are more interested in worldbuilding and looking at the world of Soul Eater from a different perspective (or are a fan of cute girls), then this is an excellent spin-off which does just that. 

Soul Eater NOT! is currently streaming on Funimation.

 

The World is Still Beautiful

(Japanese title: Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii)

Rain, rain, don't go away.

The Sun Kingdom has conquered much of the world, and while the Principality of Rain is technically part of the land under its control, King Livius I has allowed the rain country to maintain autonomy... on the condition that it provide a princess to be the king's bride. Nike is the princess who, due to losing a game of rock-paper-scissors, ends up traveling to the Sun Kingdom to marry this king. Two things complicate the matter: first of all, as it turns out, King Livius is just a young boy, and a pretty bratty one at that. Second, the king is in plenty of danger from those who are not happy with his rule, and with Nike being his bride-to-be, she's going to get dragged into any conflicts that come about. But Nike has the ability to manipulate air and change the weather, including being able to summon rain, and for a kingdom which has seen nothing but the harsh sun, she might be just what both the kingdom and the king's heart needs.

This season is an excellent one for fantasy works. Just from what I'm following alone, there's everything from hard action fantasy to slower-paced adventure fantasy to more fun-focused shows. This show is more of a political fantasy (focused more on societal issues than adventurous exploration; think Maoyuu Maou Yuusha or Outbreak Company) combined with character drama. It all works out quite well thanks to Nike, who is one of the best leads this season (if not the best), the kind of spunky princess who takes no crap and can stand up to everything from the bratty king to the outright malicious opponents of said king. There are a lot of really nice moments in this show, made possible by the character interactions and the use of the rain aspect, which helps make this show overall one I'm very much looking forward to each week.

The World is Still Beautiful is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

---

And that's it for me this season. Some of these shows might end up dropped before the end of the season, but so far all of them look good. Here are some random stats for fun:

15 new shows

13 shows streamed on Crunchyroll

5 shows licensed by Sentai Filmworks (Kawai Complex, Haikyuu, One Week Friends, No Game No Life, Is the order a rabbit?)

3 shows licensed by Aniplex of America (Mushi-shi, Mekakucity Actors, Nanana)

2 shows licensed by NIS America (Love Live!! S2, Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara)

1 show licensed by FUNimation (Soul Eater NOT!)

3 shows confirmed to be 2-cour (~25 episodes)

8 shows adapted from manga

3 shows adapted from light novels

2 sports shows (+Yowamushi Pedal) + 2 non-sport competition shows

31 moe female leads (listed as a main character by MyAnimeList)

2 shows with effeminate males voiced by Kana Hanazawa

What are you watching this season? Anything I should consider watching later? Do I need to stop watching crappy shows? (Mind you, if you are going to force me to watch or not watch a show, I have a lawyer who's an expert on coercive anime-watching.)

Spring 2014: What I'm Watching (Part 1)

It’s that time again, to go over all the shows I plan to watch this season. I’m still finalizing my watch list, but I’m looking at following 14-15 new full-length shows this season, plus the continuing Yowamushi Pedal and various shorts. This part will cover seven shows that I already know I will be following.

 

Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky

(Japanese name: Escha to Logy no Atelier: Tasogare no Sora no Renkinjutsushi)

The Book of Revelations never said much about the cute girls during the end times...

The world is dying out, but for Escha Malier, the lone alchemist in the town of Corseit, her world is just getting started, as she finally becomes a government official. She is soon joined by Logix “Logy” Fixario, an alchemist who transferred from Central. Together, the two of them explore the world around them while taking on jobs and creating things from other things, all while looking toward the ruins in the sky that have yet to be explored.

This anime is based on the PS3 game of the same name which was released in America recently, making it that much more puzzling that this is the one show on my list that has yet to get a legal US stream. It's also unfortunate because this is easily one of the best shows this season. The Atelier games are based less around the standard "save the world from evil" RPG faire and more around people who go around collecting stuff to make new stuff, helping others and exploring the world around them. This feel is brought to the anime adaptation rather well, for a fantasy show that is relaxing and pleasant to watch. If you're looking for a fantasy show with an intriguing world, fun characters, and a calming feel to it, this show is perfect for that. If you're looking for action and battles... well, the third episode preview suggests that will be coming too, I guess?

Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky is currently not available for legal streaming. You can always play the English PS3 game, I suppose...

 

Baby Steps

The only spark notes in tennis are the ones coming out of the ball-shooting machine.

Eichiro is well-known in his class as “A-chan” for getting all A’s in class, not because he’s naturally smart but because he takes incredibly detailed, organized notes, which he allows others in his class to borrow. However, all study and no play isn’t exactly healthy for the body, so when Eichiro decides to do some exercise, he checks out a tennis club—and finds the school’s popular girl, Natsu, who had earlier borrowed his notes, playing tennis there. From there, the two form a friendship as Eichiro starts playing tennis the only way he knows how: by annotating the heck out of it.

One of many sports shows currently on the air, Baby Steps is somewhat different from the others in that its main protagonist is completely new to the sport, and as such is taking *cough* baby steps into the world of tennis. The interactions he has with Natsu and the other characters are fun, and overall this looks to be a solid show that works as a sports show while also hinting at something of a romantic comedy. If that sounds good to you, then by all means, step onto this court.

Baby Steps is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

 

Chaika – The Coffin Princess

(Japanese name: Hitsugi no Chaika) 

The coffin keeps this princess from getting scrapped.

Toru Acura and his sister Akira are saboteurs who specialize in warfare and combat… which isn’t exactly a good thing to specialize in during peacetime. While out hunting for food and looking for any job he can find, Toru runs across a strange girl carrying a coffin on her back. This girl, Chaika, is a wizard who is traveling and looking for various things, and she hires Toru and Akira to accompany her and protect her from the numerous groups out to get her.

Ichiro Sasaki is a name that I'm really starting to pay attention to now. He already wrote the original light novel for Scrapped Princess, which had an excellent anime adaptation, and more recently, the anime adaptation of his light novel Outbreak Company surprised me in becoming one of my favorite shows of 2013. Now, he is back with another light novel adapted into anime. Chaika shares a fair amount of similarities with Scrapped Princess, including a darker setting and plenty of action, as well as a general plot of two siblings who must protect a girl whom the rest of the world wants dead. Chaika is an interesting character; her quirk of speaking in broken sentences with no particles, kind of like a foreigner who only knows a bit of the native language, is... well, kind of fitting considering Chaika is a foreigner who probably only knows a bit of the native language; nevertheless, her speech pattern can seem either endearing, amusing, or just annoying. That aside, though, you have a fantasy work where unicorns are ferocious beasts, magic is an incredibly powerful force, and morality is perhaps more complex than just "the protagonists are right and their enemies are wrong"--the latter is another major strength this show inherits from Scrapped Princess.

Chaika - The Coffin Princess is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

 

Is the order a rabbit?

(Japanese name: Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka?) 

Is the order another adorable slice-of-life cute-girls show? Oh yes.

Cocoa arrives at a quaint town with several European-style buildings, which is where she will be attending school. She ends up staying at the Rabbit House, a café run by a girl named Chino and her pet Angora rabbit Tippy. Along with part-timer and military kid Lize, the sweets-creating Chiya, and the tea expert Syaro, these girls enjoy a nicely-blended life together.

Yes, it's another one of those shows. Those who know me--or have at the very least seen my Top 10 Anime of 2013 list--know that I absolutely love this type of show; between the cute girls and relaxing atmosphere, these shows are the perfect antidote to a tough week and a bunch of overly-serious anime. And while this show has yet to really show something beyond the standard cute-girls' antics to make it stand out like Yuyushiki, Kin-iro Mosaic, and Non Non Biyori did, the interesting European/Japanese setting and the sense that some of these girls could really use some companionship does offer some potential in that regard. There's also a rather unusual animal mascot involved that adds some extra amusement to this show. Otherwise, this is a show about cute girls with fun personalities, and your experience with past shows like it will largely determine whether it is something you stay far, far away from... or whether, like me, it is one of the shows you look forward to most every week.

Is the order a rabbit? is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

 

Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara (If Her Flag Breaks)

(Official abbreviation: Gaworare)

He can't see the ending, but what he can see will show him the way there.

Souta has a weird ability: he can see the flags indicating a direction a person’s life is headed in. Friendship flags indicating when a person is looking to be friends with him, love flags indicating when a person is about to fall in love with him, and especially death flags indicating when a person is about to kick the bucket. He can also try to break those flags, diverting the direction the flag is indicating. And  after being the lone survivor of a cruiser accident, that is exactly what he does, breaking friendship and love flags so that he does not hurt others because they get too close to him. But there are a number of girls (and one girly-looking guy) who have nevertheless taken an interest in him, and will be the ones to encourage him to come out of his shell. However, there’s still the mystery of just what is behind this flag-seeing ability of his…

This show is... something. It is an adaptation of a harem light novel, which tend to be on the lower end of light novel quality, frequently prioritizing harem antics over an engaging story. And to be sure, this show is full of harem antics, to the point that the sheer craziness of said antics is almost worth watching in and of itself. But what really makes this show worth watching is the underlying story hinting at something rather interesting and mysterious regarding Souta's ability to see flags, as well as some great characters that are rather broken and definitely have story potential. Special shout-out goes to the character designs by CUTEG, which make the whole thing look adorable. It's a show that can either end up being one of the stronger light novel adaptations out there or it could bomb spectacularly, but for now, it is definitely worth paying attention to.

Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara (If Her Flag Breaks) is available for streaming on Crunchyroll.

 

The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior

(Japanese name: Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou)

"Kawaisou" can mean "Kawai Complex"... and it can also mean "pitiful".

Usa just wanted to live somewhere away from his parents and enjoy a nice, normal high school life, preferably with a nice girl, like that one girl he always sees at the library. Unfortunately, when he moves into the Kawaisou dorms, what he gets is a life with a bunch of crazies such as a masochistic weirdo, an overly clingy woman who can’t hold on to a boyfriend, and a college girl whose outer demeanor belies her inner sadism. Oh, and also that one girl he always sees at the library, Ritsu, who’s the granddaughter of the landlady. That last part would go better if he did not get on her bad side so quickly by trying to follow her into the girls’ area, but these sorts of living complexes have a way of bringing together people who have no reason to get along with each other otherwise.

I have an overall good history with shows that feature a "-sou" (some kind of dorm/apartment complex). Mahoraba ~Heartful Days~ with Narutakisou and Hidamari Sketch with Hidamarisou are two of my all-time top 10 anime, while The Pet Girl of Sakurasou was one of my top 10 shows of 2013 and Love Hina with Hinatasou... well, the manga was pretty good, at least. To me,  there is a major appeal to these shows, as they feature a group of diverse individuals that become like family to each other. This element is very much in play in this show, albeit the family is less a bunch of people that are buddy-buddy with each other and more like a family of people that give each other crap all of the time. But hey, that's family too, right? :P The original manga author, Ruri Miyahara, is also the original creator of Love Lab, one of last year's funniest shows, and the comedy is strong in this show, too. Overall, this is looking to be yet another great "-sou" show.

The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior is streaming on Crunchyroll.

 

Love Live! School Idol Project: Season 2

Now with 100% more actual "Love Live!"

Sequel Alert: This is a direct sequel to the first season of Love Live: School Idol Project, which aired early last year; I recommend watching that first.

It's a new semester, and Honoka, the fearless leader of the school idol group µ's, has somehow ended up as the Student Council president... yeah, that's not working out too well for her. But her idol activities don't get a rest either, as to the surprise of the group, another Love Live! competition has been scheduled, and this time, school idol groups will be directly competing against each other for the national title. And with the idol powerhouse ARISE in the same prefecture, µ's has a rough road ahead of them. But if idol shows have taught us anything, it's that the power of music and friendship can overcome anything... or at least make sure everyone has fun while trying to do so.

There's not much to say about this sequel to what ended up being one of the most popular shows in Japan last year, according to disc sales. The strengths of the past season are there, with fun characters and fun music, and this time, it looks like the titular idol competition will actually be a part of the show, which is definitely something to look forward to. Your mileage may vary on the CG idol dancing, but that aside, this looks to be a fun second season.

Both seasons of Love Live! School Idol Project are streaming on Crunchyroll.