2008 Fall Anime Impressions Part 1

Since I am actually a student who actually goes to school everyday, I am only about watching 8 series right now. And that’s including Clannad, which I haven’t even started yet.

I know it’s little late in the game, but here are my impressions up till now.

* For the Japanese names, I used Asian way of writing, family name first then the first name at the end. Exceptions are when the character’s name is pronounced in Western way in original.
* The translation for anime names are mostly done by me. They are not official.
* Seiyuu means “voice actors”
* Imoto means “younger sister”
* Tsundere is a type of a character who are “soft in the inside, aggressive on the outside”. Examples are Shana and Louise, and other roles done by Kugimiya Rie. “Tsun” represents the aggressive side, while “dere” means the soft side.

 

あかね色に染まる坂
Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka (AKA Akasaka)
The Hill Dyed with the Evening Glow

Genre: Typical Harem with emphasis on IMOTO

What’s Up?: Well, this anime is obviously based on eroge of the same name(by looking at the name, since only eroges are named like that), developped by feng in 2007, where it was controversial with the main character’s sister being one of the main heroines(it was released soon after the marriage restrictions between close-relations were lifted). But anime is attracting people’s eyes not with its concepts, but more because of the staff behind it. The series is directed by Monotaga Keitaro(School Days) and written by Uezu Makoto(School Days, Seto no Hanayome).  There is obviously a trend going on here, and you are right, the whole staff of School Days is behind this project, which is great, considering how impactful School Days was when it was released back in 2007. Sure, by the look of the original, there will be no rape scene(…), no main character with 7 girlfriends at the same time(…), no 4p(…), no H-practice(…), no kitchen knife(…), no “Nice Boat”, nor the good ol’ hand saw.
The seiyuus are the ones to look at also. To start off, we have Hirano Aya(Suzumiya Haruhi in Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu, Izumi Konata in Lucky Star) as main character’s controversial younger sister, Nagase Minato, and Kugimiya Rie(ugh, where do I start…. Louise in Zero no Tsukaima, Shana in Shakugan no Shana, Sanzenin Nagi in Hayate no Gotoku!, Kagura in Gintama, Alphonse Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist, Marta Lualdi in Tales of Symphonia 2: Knight of Ratatosk, and countless other tsunderes including the game roles) as Katagiri Yuuhi, Tanaka Rie(Sugintou in Rozen Maiden, Lacus Clyne in Gundam SEED, Maria in Hayate no Gotoku!) as Shiina Mitsuki, Kato Emiri(Hiiragi Kagami in Lucky Star, Blair in Soul Eater) as Ayanokouji Karen, Inoue Marina(Yoko in Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Tsukiumi in Sekirei, Minami Kana in Minami-ke) as Kiryuu Tsukasa, and the list goes on and on…
The opening of the song done by Hashimoto Miyuki(Katori Rea in Parfait ~Chocolat Second Brew~, Nerine in SHUFFLE!, Otome in School Days, and SHUFFLE! ending, LikeLife opening), one of my favourite J-POP singers. The ending, like School Days, changes with every episode, which is interesting.

Impression?: Ok, if you haven’t been in this business long enough, or you just happen to not watch harem in your anime life yet, this is a good starter in a way SHUFFLE! was a good starter for soon-to-be eroge players (just let you know, I am being sarcastic here). But if you have been crawling on this floor long enough, you will know it’s just yet another typical harem on your way. So, you have hot younger sister who takes care of you till the end of the world, check. And a tsundere Fiancee chosen by your parents, check. A daughter from rich family who happens to be your classmate AND likes you, check. A teacher who doesn’t teach you a shit, check. A president of the student council who happens to be loli AND older than you, check. Another hot female classmate friend who looks as if she has hots for you, check. And the list goes on and on and on… Let’s face it. Except for those who are looking for real Imoto-moe, and maybe some tsundere, it’s just way too typical to be anything exceptional. But seiyuu line-up is, without a question, the best in this season, so if you are like me who just watch it for the sake of seiyuus(Or if you play Luminous Arc Undubbed just to listen to Hirano Aya melting you ears and heart), this is no problem. Just don’t expect anything like School Days. That means no rape scene, no 4p, no H-practice, no kitchen knife, no saw… Agh, I explained it well enough already.

Final Score!: 7.0/10
The good – Almost divine seiyuu line-up; Hashimoto Miyuki’s opening; Dude, it’s harem!
The bad – Constant breakdown in drawing; Not much story for now; Dude, it’s harem.

 

 

とある魔術の禁書目録
Toaru Majutsu no Index
A Certain Magic’s Forbidden Text

Genre: School Fantasy

What’s Up?: One of the most famous light novels in the country of Rising Sun right now becoming an anime is good enough of a reason to look at this one. Made by J.C. Staff(Shakugan no Shana, Zero no Tsukaima, Tsukihime, Excel Saga, and the list goes on and on for this one also), this is one of those somewhat typical, tried-and-true School Fantasy anime. It HEAVILY resembles Shakugan no Shana, from the atmosphere to the opening. Although the concept departs itself from Shana in many ways, the fact that J.C. is making it makes the viewers feel like watching a new Shana. The setting of the anime takes place in a sci-fi city of Super Humans who uses psychic powers(yeah, i know. It sounds real bad when you write it down in English), and a secret magic society also co-existing within the shadows. Apparently the main heroine, voiced by Iguchi Yuka(Irukukwu from Zero no Tsukaima), has photogenic memory, and the Church, the magic society(I don’t know, why is church associated with magic in first place?), decides to shove 103,000 books on black magic into her memory, instead of sending her to Standford where she will kick ass. And now she is being chased by these magicians who are apparently trying to kill her, and just like any other shonen hero, the main character just have to stand up and fight for the girl he just met few hours ago and get himself screwed on the way. And added to that, the main hero doesn’t have any psychic powers, but only the power to erase any unnatural powers, including magic and psychic, called the Imagine Breaker. I know. This guy is cheap. Dang. The fight scenes are a joy to look at, if somewhat overdone, and the setting itself, although it is very bad when you read it, is well-constructed. And the teacher’s loli. I mean, a real loli. I think that’s enough reason why you should check it out right there.

Impression?: First of all, as I said before, it looks like J.C. is going to pull Shana on this. That means 24 episode at least on the first season, an undebatable chance of it being made into second season, with full-fledged movie coming in also. Although none of these are confirmed yet, from the look of it, it’s almost too obvious to even think about it. The obvious reason why it will be like this is because of the crazy slow pace of the story. There are a lot of actions and fight scenes, but they just take so much time to the point it is unquestionable that they are taking time on purpose. However, story itself, although progessing in a rather slow pace, is great, especially considering how unique the setting is. The one difference with Shana is, though, that there is no real tsundere yet. And even if there is one, she won’t be anywhere near of being a main heroine. As a hardcore Tsundere moe, it is little disappointing. However, do not despair, for they have lolis. Yes.

Final Score!: 8.0/10
The good – Interesting Story; Eye-catching fight scenes; The teacher is loli; Index is loli too
The bad – Slow pace in storytelling; Feels too much like Shana; No real tsun going on around here

 

 

かんなぎ
Kannagi
Crazy Shrine Maiden

Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life, Mahou Shoujo(!)

What’s Up?: What’s up, you say, huh? This is THE anime to watch in this season. It is directed by the Yamamoto Yutaka(Lucky Star Opening and episodes 1 to 5, Suzumiya Haruhi Ending, various episodes in Kyoto Anime works), the genius “director” who happens to fall short of “The Status of Director” through the eyes of Kyoto Anime. Yes. This is the genius behind the Hare Hare Yukai dance that crazed up every anime-loving person around the world. Yes. This is the genius that made Lukcy Star dance for Nicodong to make countless MAD movie based on it. And after being fired in Kyoto Anime, Yamamoto comes to A-1 Pictures, and brings us his vengeful work, Kannagi. The setting of the anime is quite simple, as a goddess suddenly appears in main character’s house and start living in the house. Pretty typical setting, I admit, but the way it was executed is completely fresh. The writer, Kurata Hideyuki(HELLSING ULTIMATE OVA, Excel Saga, R.O.D) is also very well-known, making the staff even better. The main heroine, Nagi, is voiced by Tomatsu Haruka(Lala in ToLove-ru), a rising star in the seiyuu business.

Impression?: Perfection redefined. That’s the only way I can put it. It is hilarious beyond any imagination, at the same time it stays true to the story. The characters are unique and alive with full of spirit, and most of all, the parody is beyond anything you will ever witness. That is to say, it is sometimes even better than Lucky Star. The personal grudge to Kyoto Anime Yamamoto shows on fifth episode was the gem of comedy anime that will be remembered in years to come. The opening is directed by Yamamoto also, with its quality good enough to match that of his previous work, Hare Hare Yukai. The Seiyuus are near perfect, with Tomatsu Haruka fitting as Nagi almost perfectly, and Sawashiro Miyuki(Shinku in Rozen Maiden, Aruruu in Utawarerumono) and Hanazawa Kana(Suzuki Sora in Mahoutsukai ni Taisetsuna Koto) fitting surprisingly well in their roles as Aoba Tsugumi and Zange-Chan. The drawing and the animation quality defies the modern anime standards and thrives itself to be even better than some of the OVAs out there, or even some movies. And the main heroine is flat-chested. That is an automatic win. Yamamoto just owned Kyoto Anime right in the face.

Final Score!: 10/10
The good – Everything
The bad – Nothing

 

機動戦士ガンダム00
Kido Senshi Gandamu Daburu O
Mobile Suit Gundam 00

Genre: This is Gundam. I think you will figure out what genre it is then.

What’s Up?: This is the Sunrise’s Golden Boy. It is true that after Code Geass’ unmatched popularity, Gundam series moved to the second place and the next in the series had to be a classic to match the newcomer(although they are both made in the same company). Especially after considering how SEED series was miserable, the new Gundam had to be epic. And it was. Gundam 00 magnificently cleared its not-so-good predecessor and managed to establish itself as a classic of its own. The long-awaited second season of this new Gundam is equally excellent as its predecessor, with complicated storyline and interesting political issues at hand. The enormous cast of characters, which with unique background and personality adds flavour to already-fascinating story. It is directed by Mizushima Seiji(Fullmetal Alchemist) and written by Kuroda Yosuke(Excel Saga, Ohkiku Furikabutte).

Impression?: It’s great. The seiyuus are great, writing is great, the story is great, the characters are great, the mecha designs are divine, the fight scenes are amazing. But compare to Code Geass, where a plot twisted existed virtually on every single episodes, it is rather moving on calm pace. Yes, as in entertainment-wise, the fast-paced story of Code Geass will surely win most of the viewers, but Gundam 00’s rather calm, yet carefully paced story is great in its own right. Moreover, Mr. Bushido is just pure ownage since he is so cool, and interesting changes that are made in the transition to the second season (4 years passed since where the first seasonleft off) makes the Gundam fans more intrigued by the story. Also, the inner conflicts of the characters make the story even deeper, and will surely appeal to those who look for serious and satisfyingly complicated storyline. The mecha fights are the gem of this anime also. While Code Geass, though it did have some good action sequences, emphasized on the clever storytelling rather than the battle scenes, Gundam 00’s action is ruthless. Every animation is satisfying, and the space battles are dazzling. Mecha designs are, just like the predecssor, exceptional, if not too overpowered sometimes. The opening by UVERworld(Bleach, D. Gray-Man, Blood+ Openings) is one of the best opening in the season, while the ending by Ishikawa Chiaki(Bokurano, Gundam SEED Endings) feels somewhat out of the line.

Final Score!: 9.0/10
The good – Intriguing plot; Amazing fight scenes; Equally amazing mecha designs; Great opening
The bad – Pace is little slow in comparison to Code Geass; New Lockon is way too cokcy; Somewhat unfitting ending theme; No flat-chested girls; The fact that it came right after Code Geass itself is a bad choice

 

 

とらドラ!
Toradora!
Tiger and Dragon will be the literal translation :)

Genre: School Life. NOT harem

What’s Up?: One of the J.C. Staff’s fall line-up, Toradora is also one of the most famous light novel in Japan right now, with its unique setting and story. When you think of anime and school life, it is, most of the times, bound to be harem. This one, however, is not. The two main character, Takasu Ryuuji and Aisaka Taiga, are bonded not by love, but in a collaboration to win the each other’s friends’ heart. Ryuuji, who looks threatening yet has a warm heart, takes care of Taiga, who is the opposite case in terms of appearance, and during their operation, they come to a point where the whole school thinks they are in love with each other, when it is quite the opposite case. In an attemp to sort out the problem and accomplish the primary goal, they help each other. The seiyuus are near perfect on this one too, with Kugimiya Rie(I already explained about her above so I won’t bother this time) as Aisaka Taiga, Horie Yui(Sawachika Eri in School Rumble, Shirakawa Kotori and Asakura Yume in D.C. Dacapo Series, Miyanokouji Mizuho in Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru, Tsukimiya Ayu in Kanon, Siesta in Zero no Tsukaima, Hanyu in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni and on and on and on) as Kushieda Minori, and Kitamura Eri(Kokonoe Rin in Kodomo no Jikan, Shiranui Akeno in Seto no Hanayome) as Kawashima Ami.

Impression?: Amazing. With recent milkages from J.C.Staff, this one is a nice welcome. It is fresh, funny and delightfully delicious. Kugimiya Rie and Kitamura Eri does an excellent job portraying their character, but the true award goes to Horie Yui. Horie Yui’s performance defines what the perfect voice acting truly is. Her character is amazingly realistic to the point you will believe that the anime character has her own voice. The story is nothing dynamic, yet it delivers a knock-out humours. The unique setting is great enough to comfort the thirst for non-harem love comedy fans, and the character interactions are superb. Only thing that is little unsatisfactory is the quality of drawing style, which definitely has room for improvements. However, it is passable and does not detract the fun hidden inside the show, so it wouldn’t be a problem. As long as it is not old school Key games, it’s good. Aisaka Taiga is a charming character as a tsundere, one of Kugimiya Rie’s best performance yet. The flat-chested beauty shines through our stereotypical popular culture(ugh… ignore that sentence please). Ryuuji’s unique character as non-shonen type is a delightful welcome for those who search for something new. And the parrot. The parrot establishes itself as a key point in this anime with its unique charm and hilarious moments. Lastly, the ending. THE BEST EFFING ENDING EVER. Period. Thank you very much.

Final Score!: 9.5/10
The good – Fresh, unique take on somewhat typical genre; Hilarious humours; Exceptional performances by seiyuus; It’s not harem; Kugiming’s loli tsundere; The parrot; Best ending ever. period
The bad – Somewhat unsatisfying drawing style; Sometimes the story feel too fast paced; Opening feels old

 

 

Continued on Part 2

Someday. I’ll write it someday.

Tags: anime