Very interesting. I originally thought that series as Macross Frontier, RD, Kurenai and Himitsu would have the most difficult dialogue to understand, but as it turns out Amatsuki is about to walk away with that title. No other series this season depends so much on its dialogue than Amatsuki, especially when characters start long monologues [...]
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Reviewed this week: Allison and Lillia 1-2, Amatsuki 1, Chi’s Sweet Home 7-8, Crystal Blaze 1, Gunslinger Girl Il Teatrino 6, Kurenai 2, Kyouran Kazoku Nikki 1, Tower of Druaga 2, Wagaya no Oinari-sama 1, Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 10 …and in manga: Akagi 10-11,Chi’s Sweet Home 1, Doujin Work 20-22, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei 12 ANIME CURRENT SERIES [...]
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Wagaya no Oinari-sama Originally, I wanted to see this, but after watching some of the other series that this season has to offer I sort of forgot about this one. I’m glad I ended up watching it in the end because the first episode wasn’t that bad. It was kind of boring at the beginning, but [...]
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Remember Fushigi Yuugi? Miaka and Yui get sent into some medieval fantasy world with super powered bishounen and demons. Amatsuki, with 2 episodes out so far, is similar with two males accidentally travelling to a demon-fraught Tokugawa era Edo. But there ends the similarities. Miaka and Yui’s priorities in their new world were to whine, generate [...]
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As for the reasons why I won’t blog some other shows: - If there weren’t already enough reasons not to watch To Love-Ru: it airs on freaking Thursday, which already features four, possibly five excellent shows, which already are too many shows on the same day! - Itazura na Kiss is hands-down hilarious. Fans of [...]
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After one episode, Kurenai, Macross Frontier, and Vampire Knight are at the top of my list. In fact, there are lots of watchable shows, but unless Kurenai steps up, there is nothing really in my drama sweet spot. Here are some reactions to first episodes (which can be misleading).Kure-nai -- the director of Red Garden serves up one of the few apparently serious dramas we have going for us this season. Great VA performances from young actress Yuuki Aoi as the tsundere nine-year-old, and from Sawashiro Miyuki as her (male) protector.Macross Frontier -- So what if it's "mecha"? It has characters and relationships, as well as the fighting, and I enjoyed it.Vampire Knight -- Excellent look and intriguing story, with wonderful character design and great voices (Horie Yui, Miyano Mamoru, Kishio Daisuke).Wagaya no O-Inari-sama -- Promising little show featuring a double-gendered fox god/dess played by Nakamura Yuuichi and Yukana. Young Hayami Saori is excellent as a miko, and godly doing the ED.Allison & Lillia -- I enjoyed the first episode, which developed at a leisurely pace, but had a bit of a feel of Last Exile about it.The Tower of Druaga: Aegis of Uruk -- Not my thing, but this deserves to be popular. Clear homages to Gurren-Laggan.SA - Special A -- Gotou Yuuko and Fukuyama Jun star in this school comedy, which has echoes of Ouran HS Host Club in its atmosphere and look. It all depends on whether the next episodes develop the characters further than their quirks.Monochrome Factor -- Whew, this one snuck up on me. Excellent voice work, especially from Suwabe Junichi and Ono Daisuke. Snappy direction by Kou Yuu (Loveless). Yaoi factor.Kanokon -- Erotic fantasy featuring a fox girl and the shouta she loves. The first episode worked for me.To Love-ru -- Good quality ecchi from an entertaining manga.Neo-Angelique: Abyss -- Seems like a good version of the franchise. Some of the staff from Corda D'Oro give it a nice look and feel, the men look good, and Endou Aya makes a good Angie.DC2SS -- I was so frustrated with the lead guy during the first season of DC2, but I watched episode 1 of the new season, and the relaxed magic of the DaCapo atmosphere took hold. I'm back to see if Takagaki Ayahi can get the guy.Soul Eater -- Wonderful art direction. Great fight animation. Within the limitations of a formula, the characters are interesting and a bit unique. The wooden-voiced heroine puts some people off.Code Geass R2 -- I'm not a fan, but the first episode of the new season at least made sense to me. King Lulu? CC's homeworld?Zettai Karen Children -- The director of Hayate brings Hirano Aya on board for a new show in Hayate's timeslot. Three ten-year-olds with superpowers and bad attitudes is a good premise. Aya's high-tension Haruhi-as-Konata version of the main girl takes some getting used to, however.Crystal Blaze -- A mystery involving women who seem to be made of crystal. Shows promise. Miki Shinichirou in fine voice. Directed and animated by the team that did Saikano.Real Drive -- A slow and beautiful Production IG start. Story by Shirow Masamune (Ghost in the Shell).Blassreiter -- Starts well, with good racing and fighting scenes and an intriguing plot. But some people fear the Gonzo decline.Itazura na Kiss -- I'm not sure whether it's because I've already seen the Taiwan drama based on the same manga, but this dragged for me. There's a lot of story to come, however.Amatsuki -- Fukuyama Jun suddenly finds himself back in Edo times with Paku Romi. A good, if slow, start that feels as if it might go somewhere.Kyou kara Mao 3 -- I started watching episode 1, but quit partway though. Nishimura Junji (Simoun, true tears) is directing it, but it felt bland to me.Nabari no Ou -- Stylish character design in a story involving ninja fighting. Not my thing, but may be others'.xxxHOLIC: Tsugi -- I was enjoying its strengths until I realized I had no desire to spend one more second with Fukuyama Jun's wimpy male protagonist.Kamen no Maid Guy -- I got through about ten minutes before quitting. I didn't really get it.
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It’s been a while since we had a Edo related anime, but Amatsuki is more than that. Being part of the list of mangas that I faithful read, the anime adaptation of Amatsuki was eagerly expected by me. Between the mix of sci-fi, slice of life, Edo time, yokai and psychological genre, what’s the [...]
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Don't watch too much anime this spring, or you might warp into a fantasy action world, like the protagonist of Amatsuki (あまつき), broadcasting Fridays at 26:30 JST on KBS.
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OP Theme: 「Casting Dice」 by Kanno Yuuki - AVI version (20MB) ED Theme: 「名まえのない道」 - Namae no Nai Michi by Kaori Hikita - AVI version (16MB) I am afraid this one is not for me either. I just think the anime looks really poor character design-wise. As for the story, it's about a boy who's stuck in either a VR world or a twisted version of Edo period after he got attacked by a Nue. I did appreciate the eerie atmosphere in the middle of the episode and I am a bit intrigued by the storyline. I want to know if the boy is actually stuck inside a virtual world or really transported to a supernatural version of Edo period. Equally intriguing is the priest-like figure who keeps talking about reality and nothingness. Note how he/she/it speaks in a computer-like tone. The other interesting part about the series is the ED song, Namae no Nai Michi, which has ethereal quality to it. I think if the animation and character design were a bit better, I would have given this a more serious look. Sadly that's not the case here. If you're interested, there are small amount of screen caps of the pivotal scene in the episode. I'll recommend that you at least take a look at the ED theme because it's quite good.
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