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Still working through the spring anime this season. My list of shows to check out has gotten bigger as I've heard good things about some of the ones I'd dismissed, so I still have quite a backlog.
Here's the scorecard so far:
Kure-nai - A
Awesomeness. I can't wait to buy this on DVD. The only glitch so far is that Shinkurou's bone-blade thing is just a bit too fantastical in such a naturalistic-style anime (for me). Hopefully it will make sense in terms of the overall plot, but at this point, it just seems rather random. The character drama with Murasaki, Ginko, and Yuuno is excellent.
Macross Frontier - A
Very impressive. I haven't been able to get into any of the other Macross series (besides the original), but this one is really doing things right for an "anniversary" series like this. Great use of homages to the original series, and that same great balance between soap-opera-y character stuff vs. life-or-death alien whacking. The world-building is also very impressive. There's something so effortless about it... little things like Ranka's cell-phone design or Alto's glider gear that make the world feel very real and new without doing a whole "look at our fancy technology we came up with for this new series" thing. Impressive.
Tower of Druaga - A-
It's settled into just a straightforward fantasy adventure, but there's nothing wrong with that. Enjoyable.
Absolute Boyfriend - A-
This is actually a live-action adaptation, but I'm lumping it in with my anime viewing, since it's a Yu Watase manga. I haven't read much of the manga, but this show is absolutely adorable. Riiko, our heroine, works for a company that makes fancy desserts. Unlucky in love, she catches the attention of a developer who's looking to test his "perfect boyfriend" robot. Sweetness ensues as Riiko's new "boyfriend", Night, alternately wreaks havoc and saves the day in his unfailing adherence to the specifications Riiko gave for her "perfect" boyfriend. The three main actors (Riiko, Night, and the guy who will be her real-live love interest) are just adorable.
Crystal Blaze - B
The actual plot about girls getting turned into glass statues, most likely as a result of nefarious doings at some secret organization, isn't anything to write home about, but I like the mix of characters to this.
Nabari no O - B
After a couple knock-out episodes, the last couple have settled into standard shonen fare: Ninjitsu's and fancy attacks and secret scrolls and blah blah blah. It's still enjoyable, but if it doesn't pull out something sparkly and cool as this arc about retrieving secret scrolls moves forward, it may not hold my attention.
Library Wars - B-
This one isn't quite living up to my expectations. I think the problem here is that its been billed as a "comedy", but the comedic elements aren't really all that funny... and they clash quite a bit with the more serious elements. I guess my main gripe, though, is that the main character herself is just a bit overly histrionic. Just makes me want to smack her and tell her to grow up. I really like the character designs and some of the secondary characters, so I'll be watching it for a while yet. It needs to find a better balance going forward, though.
Monochrome Factor - C+
There's pretty much *nothing* original about this series. I think it plays kinda like Bleach crossed with Kingdom Hearts and Sailor Moon. Our hero is a fated boy who is able to change into a "spirit" form to fight evil, "Heartless"-like monsters who find people with darkness in their hearts and explode that darkness into full-blown evil. Despite its lack of originality (and a female character who has got to be one of the most annoying anime characters ever), I kinda like this one.
Amatsuki - C
Ho-hum. Modern boy transplanted to ancient Japan, and he's gonna be the savior or destroyer of the world. Yee-haw. Unfortunately, it's also hitting some of my big turn-offs: fox-spirits, samurais, and a rather apathetic, disconnected main character who barely even cares that he's blinded in one eye and trapped in another world.
Neo Angelique Abyss - C
Another painfully unoriginal series with an extra side of Mary Sue. There's a massive gaggle of bishonen, though, so it's at least got the eye-candy going for it. :)
Still to Watch:
- Allison to Lillia
- Kaiba
- Himitsu -The Revelation-
- Nijuu Mensou no Musume
- RD Sennou Chousashitsu
- Itazura na Kiss
Awesomeness. I can't wait to buy this on DVD. The only glitch so far is that Shinkurou's bone-blade thing is just a bit too fantastical in such a naturalistic-style anime (for me). Hopefully it will make sense in terms of the overall plot, but at this point, it just seems rather random. The character drama with Murasaki, Ginko, and Yuuno is excellent.
Macross Frontier - A
Very impressive. I haven't been able to get into any of the other Macross series (besides the original), but this one is really doing things right for an "anniversary" series like this. Great use of homages to the original series, and that same great balance between soap-opera-y character stuff vs. life-or-death alien whacking. The world-building is also very impressive. There's something so effortless about it... little things like Ranka's cell-phone design or Alto's glider gear that make the world feel very real and new without doing a whole "look at our fancy technology we came up with for this new series" thing. Impressive.
Tower of Druaga - A-
It's settled into just a straightforward fantasy adventure, but there's nothing wrong with that. Enjoyable.
Absolute Boyfriend - A-
This is actually a live-action adaptation, but I'm lumping it in with my anime viewing, since it's a Yu Watase manga. I haven't read much of the manga, but this show is absolutely adorable. Riiko, our heroine, works for a company that makes fancy desserts. Unlucky in love, she catches the attention of a developer who's looking to test his "perfect boyfriend" robot. Sweetness ensues as Riiko's new "boyfriend", Night, alternately wreaks havoc and saves the day in his unfailing adherence to the specifications Riiko gave for her "perfect" boyfriend. The three main actors (Riiko, Night, and the guy who will be her real-live love interest) are just adorable.
Crystal Blaze - B
The actual plot about girls getting turned into glass statues, most likely as a result of nefarious doings at some secret organization, isn't anything to write home about, but I like the mix of characters to this.
Nabari no O - B
After a couple knock-out episodes, the last couple have settled into standard shonen fare: Ninjitsu's and fancy attacks and secret scrolls and blah blah blah. It's still enjoyable, but if it doesn't pull out something sparkly and cool as this arc about retrieving secret scrolls moves forward, it may not hold my attention.
Library Wars - B-
This one isn't quite living up to my expectations. I think the problem here is that its been billed as a "comedy", but the comedic elements aren't really all that funny... and they clash quite a bit with the more serious elements. I guess my main gripe, though, is that the main character herself is just a bit overly histrionic. Just makes me want to smack her and tell her to grow up. I really like the character designs and some of the secondary characters, so I'll be watching it for a while yet. It needs to find a better balance going forward, though.
Monochrome Factor - C+
There's pretty much *nothing* original about this series. I think it plays kinda like Bleach crossed with Kingdom Hearts and Sailor Moon. Our hero is a fated boy who is able to change into a "spirit" form to fight evil, "Heartless"-like monsters who find people with darkness in their hearts and explode that darkness into full-blown evil. Despite its lack of originality (and a female character who has got to be one of the most annoying anime characters ever), I kinda like this one.
Amatsuki - C
Ho-hum. Modern boy transplanted to ancient Japan, and he's gonna be the savior or destroyer of the world. Yee-haw. Unfortunately, it's also hitting some of my big turn-offs: fox-spirits, samurais, and a rather apathetic, disconnected main character who barely even cares that he's blinded in one eye and trapped in another world.
Neo Angelique Abyss - C
Another painfully unoriginal series with an extra side of Mary Sue. There's a massive gaggle of bishonen, though, so it's at least got the eye-candy going for it. :)
Still to Watch:
- Allison to Lillia
- Kaiba
- Himitsu -The Revelation-
- Nijuu Mensou no Musume
- RD Sennou Chousashitsu
- Itazura na Kiss