As has been done in the past with the Da Capo series, there's no better time to get into a long-running franchise than when another season of it is on the way, and with a third season of Aria announced, I figured it was time to get on the bandgondola.To be honest, Aria is another one of those shows with a very weird lead-in to it; I've watched shows before based on other blogger's ravings, on forumite ravings, on the random shouting of "Gao~" and "Uguu~" in forums, but Aria got onto the 'to-watch' list simply because the one anime-related clan in a non-anime-related game I play (BATRacer, if that means anything to you.) was called, yup, the "Aria Company Team".Knowing very little about this quite successful slice-of-life anime, I decided to pick it up for myself.The first thing that's apparent about Aria, that sticks out to anyone who watches it for the first time, is that it's very much an anime where Nothing Happens.I mean, there's slow.There's "Syaoran confessing to Sakura" slow.There's "Moe Mizukoshi talking" slow.There's "Akiha Tohno's breasts growing" slow.And then there's Aria.Perhaps that sounds a bit mean but that little exaggeration is mean to exemplify the fact that if you're watching Aria with the intent of actually seeing something 'exciting' happen, you're in the wrong place.All slice-of-life shows can be termed 'slow' in a sense, since none of them really have a lasting plot that drives the characters and the show. But Aria is different in that it doesn't have a large focus, like other shows, on making jokes, per se.Its music is fairly constant without aural gags, with mellow violin music rather than upbeat "hey look, we're talking" or "character's theme" riffs. There isn't really any buildup in the show, the 'hey look a gag is coming', nor any time period for jokes to sink in.Aria is very much a show that's 'there', for better and for worse.The second thing that's apparent about Aria is that, being such a 'atmospheric' anime, as it's called, it's not suited for marathon watching. You simply can't sit down and say "OK, time to watch some Aria." I was in a similar situation with Azumanga Daioh a while back; slice-of-life anime a lot of times don't work as anime watched 'on purpose'.As such, Aria came off kind of on the wrong foot when it inherited my 'one-episode-a-night' slot which is the case during the school week. Actually setting out to watch Aria on a very rigid schedule like this doesn't quite work; it's like trying to will yourself to sleep. You can't put so much effort into trying to relax.It's quite fitting that Aria, the show located on a sort of futuristic Venice, is very much an anime that has the feeling of ebbing and flowing; sometimes it's a show that you can't quite get in the mood to watch, and sometimes it's a show that you could lie down and watch for hours.Still, having watched three episodes in three nights, Aria has been pretty much exactly what I'd expect from a show touted for its great atmosphere; warming, but not thrilling.The setting of Aria is surprisingly futuristic, considering that this 'story' per se could have taken place in pretty much any timeframe of Venice. Like Code-E, Aria is a show that's set wildly in the future, yet maintains a pretty down-to-earth feeling to it.Still, one gains much more of a sense of technological advancement in Aria than in the former, where pretty much the only change is the making electronic of everything. Aria is actually set on Mars, and with blimp-like spaceships, floating islands a la Sonic CD, and advanced-looking computers, it paints a nice contrast to the very retro way that people on Aria live.It is this life that the pink-haired heroine Akari is attracted to, as her ambitions to become a professional undine (gondola rower) is the closest to a story that Aria has. The days in her life as she meets members of other companies and explores aimlessly the world of Neo-Venice are what compose the majority - if not totality - of this anime.To talk more in-depth about the show would again almost go against the grain of Aria itself, as the show is not so much about what goes on in each show so much as the slow development of characters and the interactions of their personality. The latter, as in most slice-of-life (if not all) shows, are very imporant and Aria doesn't seem to let down in this regard.Akari's positive and bright personality can, like it does in the anime, bring a smile to many viewers' faces, and the other main characters are pleasant as well. I hesitate to use the word entertaining, as Aria doesn't seek to do that so much as just impart a good feeling, but the tsundere-lite antics of Aika ("not allowed!"), the motherly demeanor of Alicia ("ara ara..."), and even the high-class, academic attitude of Alice are all highly enjoyable.And the SD faces that pop up every now and then when characters are startled add a level of entertainment to the show as well; chibi can be very powerful when used sparingly.On the flip side of Aria, as mentioned, it's not a great show for really watching so much as viewing. Episode posting, for example, about Aria, would be near-impossible (at least if you want to discuss what you thought of the episode), and really analyzing the show would be futile.Naturally, all this can be rectified with an Azumanga-like flip of the switch up in the head; such does Aria work as an anime for unwinding.The other mildly distracting thing about Aria is that, like 99% of slice-of-life shows, it consists of a mainly female cast. This isn't that bad, as even without the Y chromosome most of these shows manage to have a diverse cast. Aria doesn't seem to be an exception yet.However, what Aria does differently compared to many other highly female slice-of-lives is that it sends the yuri-meter off the charts. Maybe I'm just tainted with the harem fan's goggles of "everyone must be paired", but man, there is some serious girl-crushing going on in Aria. And it's not just a niche relationship as in the case of the quasi Konata/Kagami or Sakaki/Kaorin action; it's amongst what feels like a lot of characters.Now this may be a bit of exaggeration given that the only coupling seen to be given decent justification so far is Aika's admiration of Alicia, but I must admit that my face twitches every time I see another character blush. Aria feels like the type of show that work better without pairings, so hopefully things will stay just on the extreme adoration level.Aria, three episodes into the first season, hasn't been a pleasant surprise nor a dissapointment. It feels like an anime that doesn't stand out in a good or bad way, and is more of a show that will just sort of be there with that comforting presence, kind of like Alicia herself. As such, it's certainly not a show that will gain priority status, but it will remain one that is there when there is a lack of shows to watch; when you're looking for a shoulder to rest on, Aria is there.-CCY
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Word association time: I say harem, you say:A) Unrealistic.B) Simplistic.C) Uninspired.D) Boobies!Many anime fans would pick one of these four to describe the genre; something that really shows the relatively bad reputation that one-guy-many-girl shows have. But there is, just like most other genres, much more than meets the eye in harem shows.What earns the harem genre such a hard reputation is the wide range in quality that a crowded market like it is bound to contain. More so than any other, harem shows are prone to cash-ins, cheap adaptations, and lazy work simply because it's the type of show that has a proven audience.Why? Because it appeals to many people on the lowest, most physical level of two-dimensional sex appeal. Those who manage to keep blood flowing to the brain are the ones who instantly write off the genre as brainless fanservice.But just like take-out food, you can't condemn a whole flavor (in this case, of anime) based on on bad experience, and so today's public service message will deal with the fact that there are plenty of good harem shows out there (or shows with harem elements), as well as plenty of good reasons to watch it.Let me note first off that "watching CG jubblies and panties" is not on my personal good-reason list; fanservice has never made much sense to me, and I prefer more interesting uses of my time and hands.But more complex opponents may argue that the rest of harem shows, if not fanservice, is blatant 'wish fulfillment'. The whole concept of 'many girls in love with one guy' is seen by them as unrealistic and ridiculous. And yes, it's true that they're right.I'd be wrong to deny that there is a bit of an intrinsic appeal of being in the center of that black hole of female-attracting-ness, but often times it's not the male character that harem fans can find the most to sympathize with, but the female characters.It's kind of like, to make a stretched analogy, a sports match.Maybe a track meet. There's a bunch of varied, diverse character of many different types - 'nations' of a sense - competing for one common goal, or guy. While these 'nations' may seem rather stereotypical at first (i.e. one might see the Nigerian track runner, the Chinese gymnast, etc. in a certain light), they aren't expressly confined to the beliefs or personalities of such a nation.In that sense, while one can list off the character designs of a lot of harem shows at first glance - the Childhood Friend, the Promised One, the Lolicon Who Wants to be Mature, the Tsundere, etc - you can't limit your beliefs to thinking that the childhood friend will always be submissive, the promised one will always win, the energetic girl will always be as flat as a washboard, and so on. Or, at least, if you do, you might be surprised.There are plenty of surprises in terms of characters in harem anime. The maids of Tsukihime, Hisui and Kohaku; to dismiss them as pure fetish characters would be doing their stories a great disservice. Lisianthus of Shuffle has much more to her than her rabid crush on Rin; her introspectives are one that could appeal to any fan of romance. Mina of TokiMemo; Da Capo's Kotori; the list goes on. Obviously, these characters still are a bit cliche, still a bit predictable, still a bit pandering, but their personalities aren't shallow by any means.Likewise, harem shows can, in their strange little way, entertain male (or female) viewers in the same way that sports event to. They are actually very dramatic competitions at times.And not just in the sense that they are all competing over one guy - some of the character vs. character interaction in these shows has made great shows out of the harem formula.Who could forget how Shuffle broke the boundaries in many ways, with both intense female on female conflict (in a story-driven way, not in the 'hot' way)? Or the almost legendary tale of the three guys who met in the season, School Days? Yes, it may be a little bit soap-opera-ish the way two girls will fight over one guy, but the amount of raw emotion that these scenes impart are just stunning at times. If not realistic, it's very entertaining drama.Or, taking the other sense of competition into play, the harem show allows for an emotional attachment to characters the same way that many people get attached to the local sports team. Each person will likely have a favorite character from the varied cast of haremettes, one that they will root for beyond all others.And so, like any sport worth it's salt, what results is some great emotion swings and levels of interest generated as fans add up the numbers, make the predictions, and put it all on the line to see who is going to end up taking the man home.The secret to a winning anime is quite simply, letting the viewer connect with one of the character on an emotional level, and this can be achieved quite well with the relatively diverse storylines and backgrounds that five 'main' characters can bring to the table; the highs and lows of watching, say, Nayuki, or Kaede, or Kotori battle it out only adds to the fun.After all, unlike some other shows, a good percentage of harem shows don't choreograph the 'winners'; while in an action or sports show you know the good guys are likely going to win (barring minor setbacks and Evangelion), with harem shows generally most if not all the characters are on equal footing. And if not (Childhood Friend/Promised One are sometimes the obvious winners, unfortunately), one can always root for their character to make some level of progress, the same way that lucky West Coast football fans get to hope that the 49ers will have a .250 winning percentage this year.So it's not just the desire to own five girls that attracts a lot of people - or at least me - to harem shows. Quite often, in the absence of more pure romance shows like Cardcaptor Sakura, Code-E or NanaDrops, harem shows are almost, if not just, as good as appealing to those who like a heartwarming, romantic story.Obviously there are exceptions to the rule and it would be wrong to use the words 'harem' and 'heartwarming' in the same sentence. As long as there are middle-aged people living in their parents' basements there will be harem shows that are nothing more than a vehicle for bouncing breasts and panty flashes [that should send the hit counter skyrocketing]. Even some of the anime I've listed above as worthwhile ones, such as Shuffle, or Da Capo, do spend a large amount of time masquerading as fanservice flicks.But to condemn whole shows, or even the whole genre as such, just like labeling any other type of show, whether it be action, sports, or even English, as bad, would be doing harem shows a gross misjustice. If you've got an eye for romance stories, even emotional stories, give some of the deeper (read: visual-novel-adapted) shows labeled as 'harem' a shot. You might be shocked.-CCYAnd to be honest, a lot of shows don't have 'breast' fanservice so much as 'moe' fanservice now...
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You know, I’m actually pretty surprised. I mean first off, it was a very light series– cute, but not particularly outstanding –and it didn’t even have a particularly open ending either. (Not to mention no one in the show has a nose.) And yet, here you have it: the official Code-E blog announces that a season [...]
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2nd season of Code:E confirmed As quoted from the official website CODE-E第２期が決定いたしました！ 第１期とは違った楽しみ方をしていただけると思います(^O^)
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And you always thought that was spring...Adaptation season may be closer to the truth, as pretty much every show I've followed so far is based on an eroge or ren'ai.This probably says something about the creativity of harem shows nowadays, with probably one completely new romance (Code-E) and one completely new visual novel adaptation (sola) in recent memory, but the content is all fresh to me anyway.Not to mention, the logistical challenges of adapting premade content still are fairly high, especially with the branching nature of harem-types.The point still remains that there are a lot of the same shows out there this fall season, and while the moe-bishoujo-hater is probably off cursing somewhere, lovers of either harem, romance, or just general fanservice/moe are having a busy time.As such it's time for another triple take, taking looks at three more first episodes, bringing the total to six fall anime so far...ef - a tale of memories is perhaps the most and least traditional of the harem shows so far. The concept is almost blindingly average; there may not be many ways to introduce the male and female "leads" to each other other than a chance meeting, but when you get two pairs of utter strangers united in the first episode, one starts to wonder just how many times you've seen this before, and the mind instead turns to wondering just how are they going to make the established (i.e. osananajimi) characters lose this time.On the flip side, being a Shaft show the art style of ef was spectacularly nonstandard, with plenty of innovative camera angles, cut-out shots (i.e. black background with the sky background filling in a girl's profile), and more. It was refreshing as always, and yet was sane enough that it didn't really kill the mood of the show at all.The show features what appears to be a parallel story as well, with two male leads (which took a long time for me to figure out with their similar designs, I must admit) befriending two different girls, with the connection seeming to be through a six-degrees-type relation between some sisters. It certainly seems promising, as more and more shows are moving away from the one-strong (or weak)-male-lead syndrome that gets a bit ridiculous at times.Overall, ef does a great job at proving that the first episode really doesn't tell much about the series, as it could really go either way at the moment.The two lead female characters are adorable, especially the eyepatch-girl, but they tread the line between believable and just overly weak, whether it be being ridiculously friendly or emotional around their respective "partners." The male leads don't seem too bad, and I enjoyed their little speech about "wanting to be the knight in shining armor," but really, they're just so nondescript at this point I can't say much about them.This seems to sum up my opinion of the whole show so far, in that it feels awfully...done before and forgettable. I remember watching this episode, liking it a lot - and forgetting about it. Maybe it's the fault of watching so many shows, maybe it's the passage of time - but ef hasn't made an imprint yet. This isn't to be confused though with a lack of promise; I hope that the second episode will bring back the good memories of...3 days ago, and prove that Shaft can do romance as well as they did despair.On a final note, any show that features a combined Lucky Star / Touhou reference (and, yes, a Nice Boat) deserves at least a double eyebrow raise.Next up on the list is KimiKiss Pure Rouge, which gives off the feel that it's more of a romance aimed at girls, or at least at both genders. I say this because of the impressive gender-neutral feel of the show. Again, there are two equally balanced male leads, and the female cast is varied without pandering to any particular stereotype.It's a different type of show than the other ones airing so far which certainly seem more fantasy-based in either setting or characters; KimiKiss gives off the feel that you're entering a show that has been going for quite a while now. The characters are established, whether it be the three guys, the quiet girl that Kouichi likes, or even the returning childhood friend, Mao. Even the chance encounters between Mao and Rebel Guy, or Kazuki and Delinquent Genius, don't feel overly forced.As such, KimiKiss is an anime that's a bit harder to grasp onto, especially with a slow opening like the first episode provided. Mao's return and the first half as a whole was admittedly on the bread and butter side but once the school day started the episode picked up in pace, introducing many of the characters above, and probably some more. The sheer complexity of the possible relationships certainly has a girls'-show feel to it (a la Marmalade Boy) compared to most harem show "triangles", where you take all the girls and draw lines to one guy in the center.All this means though is that KimiKiss will be a noteworthy show if only because it will sort out those who like more 'real' romance than those who just enjoy the simplistic harem romances. I can't claim to swear allegiance to either side yet but KimiKiss will be a test as to how much concentrated relationship-spaghetti one can handle.It certainly leaves a lot of interesting ends open at the first episode anyway, with the "secondary" male Kazuki getting his first kiss already, the issue of the relationship between Kouichi and that quiet girl he always blushes at, and the reason for Mao's return among others being interesting discussion topics. At which point though this ceases to be interesting and instead becomes confusing, though, is an excellent question.Shakugan no Shana II is the odd one out here, being of the supernatural action-romance crossbreed variety. The Shana series is a strong one with a wide fanbase and something along the line of 17 light novels, a couple games, a manga, a movie, and two anime series, and I'm beginning to see why.As mentioned extensively in my review of the movie, Shana isn't a series that's designed to randomly mindrape you, and instead is more of a show that surprises you with the path from point A to point B. It lays out most of the cornerstones for you - time loop enemy, increasingly-complex Shana/Yuuji/Kazumi/Ike love square-type, action happens, but how everything is going to get resolved is the interesting point.Time loops or repetition in general are always a somewhat controversial topic for me in anime; on one side, it's kind of cool to see what you've seen before; on the other, you're seeing what you're seen before. Still, the logical fallacies and the inner desires/conflicts of characters which can be seen in the dream-like sequences in Shana can still generate some interest (case 1: Yuuji jumping off the ladder yet still floating to the top), although, as in the case of the Torch theory, I may be giving Shana more credit than it desires.A lot of my enjoyment from Shana, and confusion as well, may stem from my relative newness to the series as well; what's old to some people is still new to me. This applies to both canned-ish footage from the first series, and, more crucially, to terminology and characters as well. As such, anyone outside of the core love triangle and (the soon-to-be-defunct, I imagine) Friange are completely new.Hopefully figuring out just what role the obscurely named villians, Maid De Arimasu and Minami Nagato Green-Hair Girl play in the scheme of things won't be a huge trial by fire. It seems that they're trying to keep things relatively straightforward so far, at least in the romance section, with the apparent recap of Shana's non-confession, Kazumi's obsession, and Ike's challenger entry.Shana seems like the series that could work relatively well, at least with me, as long as it doesn't devolve too hard into a monster-of-the-week show; there seems to be an overarching plot or conspiracy at least, but we'll find out. It certainly can occupy the status of 'light watching' for now, anyway, compared to all the budding drama/tear-fests that we know visual novel adaptations are. The best way to put it is; I like what I see so far, but I don't know how much of it I've seen.And, with one more off-hand comment, the Shana OP rocks almost as hard as the M;Y OP. Literally.So far the fall season has been quite pleasant so far on the adaptation side as a whole. A lot of series have shown a lot of possibility to become great shows; instead of being a huge, breakout show, there's a bunch of solid shows. Clannad and Myself;Yourself are top picks from the old school of harem shows with strong and way moe characters. KimiKiss looks good for the more traditional romance crowd. ef's the Shaft title which could go any way. Shana II is Shana, which I understand means a lot.D.C. II is the one show that's really dissapointed me so far; the second episode failed to continue with any of the interesting "progress" from episode 1, and the characters aren't anything spectacular. But even with this show, I expect to make it to the end, if only to prove myself that there was nothing there.With any luck though, this could be a very thrilling fall season...if you can keep your characters straight.-CCY
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"It is a magical story of, 'A seven-colored first love that encompasses you.'"A Cardcaptor Sakura for the 21st century.At first glance Nanatsuiro Drops is one of your standard magical girl shows with a target audience age that can be counted on your two hands. In some aspects of it, it is exceedingly sugary and simplistic.But delve into the origin of NanaDrops, and you'll discover, curiously enough, that it was adapted from an eroge, which would seem to suggest quite the contrary to what one would expect from an anime of this type.Now of course NanaDrops still looks and acts like an anime that has nothing to do with its ero roots. But this isn't to say that it renounced its background altogether. Somehow it feels that NanaDrops isn't the type of eroge to be a mindless sex romp but rather one with more of an actual story feel to it, which just happens to have H-scenes.This isn't to say that NanaDrops is a deep anime, or a complex one. But it'd be wrong to call it a simplistic anime. It does work the magical girl formula in an innovative way and quite different than what one might expect.Rather than being focused on the magic aspect of it, there is a larger emphasis on the relationship between characters. It's a refreshing departure from the "let's take the whole series to build up to a confession" concept utilized far too often by a lot of romance shows.Nanatsuiro Drops really is a curious show in that it's a magical girl show with very little emphasis on the magic. The magical parts of the show really come across as more of a prop towards the development of the two main characters and their relationship together.And one can even detect a hint of tongue-in-cheek in the magical elements, in the sense that it really feels like Magical Girls for Dummies at times with a real feeling that given the setting, anyone could have been the magical girl, it's that easy.It will still be a series twenty times too sweet for someone who can't handle magical girl shows, and maybe even for someone who can; NanaDrops is the ultimate feel-good story that really has the power to bring a giddy, childlike smile to your face.The plot is something you've probably seen before in some fashion, but the strength in NanaDrops lies in it's power to throw you into the way-back machine to the good ol' days of shows like Cardcaptor Sakura; where the characters are pure, the romance innocent, and a mood shining as bright as the sun.If that's your thing, Nanatsuiro Drops really is an underrated, seven-colored gem.The magical aspects of Nanatsuiro Drops were understandably grating for those who don't like having their teeth rotted twice over with all the sugarcoated wand-waving and spell-chanting, but it's not really as horrible as it first looks.In the beginning parts of the show, it almost seems a bit satirical with the way Nona / Asparas is so insistent on Sumomo being a "proper" Stellar Spinner, and just how furious Nona becomes when she finds out Sumomo is no good at the typical magical girl trade.Yes, as you might expect, she doesn't know any spells, how to wave a wand properly, or how to act like a magical girl, but Sumomo is going to win you over with the Power of Love and Kindness anyway; which isn't as half-bad as it sounds.Firstly because the magic aspects are almost completely phased out by the end of the show, and secondly because there is a nice twist to the formula with Yuki, the standard Plush Animal Accomplice, and Haru, the Male Protagonist / Love Interest, being one and the same.Usually the stuffed animals serve as a sort of combined deux ex and comic relief, being funny until it's time for them to spill all the plot development. But here in NanaDrops, there really is an interesting dynamics in that Haru gets to see Sumomo in both her shy schoolgirl demeanor and her energetic magical girl demeanor, without her knowing.Not to mention Sumomo's constant raving about her crush on some guy named Haru to "Yuki-chan." Almost reminiscent of Kotori's power in D.C., how Haru knows too much, and so the plot benefits from the switching personalities of Sumomo and the switching bodies of Haru.Additionally, some of the Rules of Magic, as provided by the deux ex magic book from Kisaragi, allow for some dramatic, if not a tad predictable, plot developments. Yeah, it seems that every magical girl show has some plot twist to do with "loved one forgetting their feelings", but it's still a point that can be executed well again and again.The "restart" episodes of Cardcaptor Sakura (circa the Yue fight, I want to say around 50-something?) and Nanatsuiro Drops, where one of the main characters forgot who they were, are both very enthralling. If not because of the emotion of the plot itself, because of all the astounding parallelism between these episodes and the early times of the show, in showing how something's just not right with the character interactions. It's something awesome.It was a bit of a let-down how the magic competition was almost completely phased out at the end, after such a fierce fight from Nona. She still acknowledged defeat in the end in her own way, but kind of as a whole it felt like we could have used more from Nona. She had that sort of "I guess friendship is a good thing" development going on like Yuma in Code-E.Still, the stronger aspect of NanaDrops is not the magic in the romance sense but the magic in the romantic sense. Seeing the main couple together by the two-thirds mark is always a plus for me; watching the relationship dynamics between characters change after a confession is always much more exciting than watching a blush-fest of aborted confession after aborted confession.In that regard the interaction between Sumomo and Haru was, like a lot of the show, really sweet and smile-inducing. From the nervous time they spent falling for each other, to the tentative yet confident time they spent as a couple, to the sweetly melancholy last few minutes they spent together in the last few minutes before catching the final stardrop. And of course, the reunion.The characters themselves were reasonably likable as well. Sumomo, like a typical magical heroine, had strong emotional development; while she may have came off as a crybaby initially, by the end of the series she was fairly self-confident, and always had that bright smile on her face.Haru was a decent male lead as well. While he may not be as wickedly witty (sarcastic) as other visual novel leads, he wasn't spineless by any means. Perhaps a bit of a loner, but he comes across as kind of a cool guy; and certainly as YUki he was a supportive character who, like Sumomo, always gave his all.Side characters, aside from the aforementioned Nona, didn't get a lot of attention but none of them were particularly grating. It was nice to see the one other schoolboy in the show, Keisuke, be a nice, social personality despite his geeky look. And it was always amusing to see the nosey nature of Sumomo and Haru's friends trying to push them together.Nako, Sumomo's best friend, was very similar to Haru in a sense that she supported Sumomo 100% and seemed to always be there for her. Sometimes I wish that there wasn't always so much implied yuri between these kinds of characters (hello, Tomoyo) but this might be my own fault.Kisaragi took the place of the Adult Who Knows Everything with a typically cool and collected demeanor. Not much to say about him since he's a dime-a-dozen, but he didn't get on my bad side.Prodution-wise NanaDrops felt strong, with a lot of shiny and sparkly effects; there didn't seem to be too much canned animation for the magic sequences, as well. Not to mention the unique animation style in this show, with at least one random (and adorable) chibi sequence per episode. The music wasn't spectacular but the OP and ED songs were surprisingly catchy; they were just so upbeat and happy that sometimes you just can't help but hum them.Nanatsuiro Drops would sound by now to be the best anime since Kanonned bread (ok, that was just a horrible pun) and I must admit that's the wrong impression of the show. It's a great anime for those who don't mind being youthful, perhaps childish at heart, and for those who like simple, happy romance stories. Those looking for deeper or more serious fare, or who simply have an aversion to squeaky voices and magical aspects will want to stay far, far away.But this story should be one that resonates strongly with a lot of fans of both magical girl shows and of romance shows; to that sense it's almost a spiritual successor to Cardcaptor Sakura in points, and while it won't become as big a show as the former, those who enjoyed Sakura's adventure will find a lot to like in Sumomo's sweet tale of stardrops and first loves.-CCY
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"Which end of a choco coronet do you start from?"The one thing I can really say about Lucky Star is that it's not Azumanga Daioh.Not a good thing.Not a bad thing.Just a fact.Maybe an overstated fact, but one that needs to be said. Both series are arguably very successful slice-of-school-life anime adapted from 4-panel comic strips, yet both take very different approaches to the same formula, and so both work in very different ways.Even though they have in common a core group of female characters and a large amount of humor, the styles are much different. While Azumanga is a very blunt, straight-forward, physical kind of comedy, Lucky Star relies a lot more on the verbal and sometimes quite subtle kind of jokes that not everyone might understand.And so that "getting it" factor is one of the decisive factors of Lucky Star, which certainly is more laid-back than it's insane counterpart. If Azumanga is a bunch of crazy girls in a normal situation, Lucky Star is a bunch of relatively normal girls in a crazy situation.Lucky Star, amusingly, is like talking with a bunch of friends at school. A lot of it involves sharing a common opinion, whether it be a hobby you like, a teacher you hate, or just some aspect of life that stands out. And if you can manage to sympathize with a bunch of moe characters and their mostly ordinary lifestyles, Lucky Star won't be too bad.But if you don't like wasting time, if you don't like very thin presentation, if you don't like a bit of repetition, if you don't like open endings (as opposed to even Azumanga's sense of conclusion)... you might want to keep moving. Lucky Star will definitely satiate the hungry anime fan, but for casual viewers or even some of the regulars, it might be better to give this a pass.Lucky Star, like most slice-of-life shows, is a slow show where nothing really happens. However, what kind of hurts it compared to other ones of its ilk is that there is no true sense of progress. As opposed to Azumanga, where characters did sort of develop over the three years, or even just compared to other "life" shows like Code-E or Aria, there is no gut feeling that these characters are really changing all that much.Amusingly, to that regard the Lucky Channel 2-odd-minute segment at the end of every show has more continuity than the rest of the series. Lucky Star feels like more of an American sitcom, where characters may be added, minor tweaks may be made, but all in all the show remains fairly stagnant throughout the however long run; and the introduction of a lot of characters late in the game only makes me wish they had been around earlier.Which is a shame because this show has solid characters, that I only wish would get fleshed out a bit. Tsukasa's mind-meltingly adorable with her naivety and randomness, but she never really brightens up or gets some common sense. Miyuki's bright and clumsy-moe as all hell, but she never really overcomes that fear of the dentist or anything. Minami's concerned about her flat chest and...well, that's all there is to her. I think the running gag that sums it up most is that one comment about a full cast of standout characters and not one hint of many male suitors. We barely even get any fake-romance gags and half of it is yuri.I suppose that it would be kind of unnatural to see half the things mentioned above, like a smart Tsukasa, Kagami with a Actual Boyfriend (or, alternatively, in a yuri coupling with Konata), or Non-Flat Minami, but I'm a sucker for minor development, or at least, little jabs at the development that's not happening; that is, acknowledging that some things don't change. Y'know, that whole sitcom thing where the situation changes drastically for half an episode and then all the characters realize that This Isn't What They Wanted?But, that might be asking Lucky Star to be what it's not.On the plus side of things Lucky Star does run the gamut of characters; while they might not be the most realistic group they are still very entertaining and connectable especially for die-hard otaku, of which there are four in LS: Konata, Soujiro, Patty, and Hiyori, each with a different taste. There's also more down-to-earth relatability found in the densely cute Tsukasa and the clumsy yet smart Miyuki (Trust me, walking into things isn't half as moe in real life, yet usually always as funny.). Kagami represents a mix of the two, and plays the normal person to the rest of the mildly insane cast. There's the adults, Yui and Nanako, who are naturally still children at heart.All the different personalities mesh with each other in entertaining ways, and the interactions between the characters are a great part of Lucky Star. It's not just one character that's strong and runs away with the show. Everyone pretty much has an amusing part at one point, in one way or another. Whether it's the geek squad twisting a normal person conversation, Konata messing with Kagami, or the adults acting far unlike what one expects from someone their age, there's a wide variety of content per se, even with a bunch of fairly constant characters.And then there's the extras, at which Lucky Star excels at. The minor yet ridiculously over the top characters like the Anime Tenchou group and their firey, epic retail battles with Konata or the wayyyyyyy bipolar Akira and her L*C partner Shiraishi, or a bunch of random characters voiced by the Haruhi cast.Speaking of, one of the more controversial aspects of Lucky Star is a sense of product placement; being a hardcore otaku, Konata has collected lots of memorabilia from random series, and often discusses/references them in public as well. Haruhi gets the most love from her, naturally with Konata being Haruhi's VA and Haruhi being Kyoto Animation's darling; however sometimes the raw advertising-ness of it all can grate on many a fan's nerves.Most of the time though the references do what they should, though, and add another layer of inside references to the show, so that fans can point and feel smart.The details really do make Lucky Star, not just the references but the amusing (ly sung) live-action EDs, the rapid shifts in animation (random CG, random kicks up and down in animation change, random Initial D parodies, oh yes!), and even the non-details, like the same guy voicing every non-important female character.All these little things make one feel, for lack of a better word, part of the Lucky Star family. Being a show that a lot of people can relate to in some way and that a lot of anime viewers can especially relate to, Lucky Star is one of those series that one can really get attached to. It's not an epic show. Not one for the ages. But it's one where you learn to enjoy its style, its quirks, its weekly dose of "I know what you mean."And so while Lucky Star won't keep you glued to the screen or leave you in stitches, it's still one to leave you with a nice grin on your face and no doubt that it was a show worth watching.After all, if you can handle the choco-coronet fiasco in the first episode, I'm sure you can find a lot of to like in the rest of the show as well.In the end the Lucky Star review feels a bit short, especially in comparison to other epic word-fests that the Series Review posts tend to be. Lucky Star is really not one of those shows that inspires conversation or raw emotion like more dramatic shows do.Lucky Star is a 'fun' kind of show that, like its sibling (only in animation studio, I must add) Haruhi, sort of defies explanation. More relaxed shows tend to be this way, as on the surface there isn't really a lot to say about a show that's very relatable to real life, except a little exaggerated and wildly-colored. But that's exactly the strength in Lucky Star; more so than a lot of slice-of-life shows, it forges a strong connection with the audience it knows it has, mixing a bit of otaku life with a bit of ordinary life and showing it understands both.-CCY
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I LOVE the intro music it’s fun, bouncy and I feel like I’m going to watch a 70s spy adventure! Not very keen on the artwork or character design. Chinami might not be very cute but her ability to screw up anything electrical makes up for it. Set in 2017 so I wonder if they [...]
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New feature here at Eternity, the Series Synopses page will hold quick summaries off all the shows I've completed, for those who want to research a series without spoiling themselves.Or for those who just want to argue about how I gave something a 4.75 / 5 instead of a 5 / 5.Hit the jump for the synopses.UPDATES:10/3/2007: AIR, Azumanga Daioh, Cardcaptor Sakura, Code-E, Da Capo (first season), D.N.Angel, Kagetsu Tohya (visual novel), Kanon 2002, Kanon 2006, Lunar Legend Tsukihime, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, School Days, Shuffle!, Shuffle! Memories, sola, Tokimeki Memorial ~only love~, Tsukihime (visual novel) synopses added.-CCY AIR Rating: 4.5 out of 5 plush dinosaurs Length: 12 episodes + 1 recap + 2 bonus episodes Similar Series:: Kanon 02/06, sola Defining Traits::* Three-character harem-alike* Protagonist with guts and purple hair* Emotional plot with lots of manly tears* A touch of supernatural for a full-circle plot* Gao~ and Nihaha~ In a Sentence:: The short length hampers the full power of its storyline, but given the time it does AIR will rock the world of anyone who can handle the sad, yet triumphant story of the thousand summers. Azumanga Daioh Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Osakas Length: 26 episodes Similar Series:: Lucky Star, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Defining Traits::* Slice-of-life comedy* Five 5 minute segments per episode* Insane characters in a sane environment* Spacey Osaka In a Sentence:: Azumanga is the show about nothing and everything at the same time, about a group of friends and their wacky antics as they progress through the years of high school together; a great show to turn your brain off and watch. Cardcaptor Sakura Rating: 4.25 out of 5 camera-wielding obsessive friends Length: 70 episodes + 2 movies Similar Series:: Nanatsuiro Drops Defining Traits::* Magical girl, collect-em-all anime* Relationships for both genders of fans to enjoy* A sense of really seeing the characters grow In a Sentence:: The defining magical girl show, Cardcaptor Sakura can even resonate with older or male viewers, as long as they are romance lovers; a show that is simple to digest yet can be dissected deep under the surface. Code-E Rating: 3.5 out of 5 inept German spies Length: 12 episodes Similar Series:: ...Cardcaptor Sakura? (but not really), possibly Aria Defining Traits::* Romance slash comedy slash slice-of-life with a touch of mystery* Character who are adorable, but not flooded with moe, that act realistically* A balance of not only a typical romance but also of a supernatural premise from 2017 In a Sentence:: Code-E is one from the old school, a new anime with the feel of one from the 20th century; it's a slow yet precise anime that one can really warm up to...until it ends far too soon. Da Capo (First season) Rating: 4 out of 5 cherry blossom trees Length: 26 episodes, many not full length Similar Series:: Shuffle!, Da Capo Second Season (sequel-ish), Tokimeki Memorial ~only love~ Defining Traits::* Full-on six-person harem show* Fanservice first half and emotional second half* Siscon drama times two, or maybe three* More confessions than you can shake a school idol at In a Sentence:: Da Capo takes longer to get going than an antique car, but once it kicks into gear the show is a worthwhile watch with lots of likable characters and a strong overarching theme. D.N.Angel Rating: 3 out of 5 yaoi-bait guys with wings Length: 26 episodes Similar Series:: ??? Defining Traits::* Romance-type show with a complex love triangle/square between a schoolboy, his alter ego, and two twin girls* More blue-haired guys with glasses In a Sentence:: It'd be nice if I remembered something about D.N.Angel, but that alone should say a lot; one of the more mainstream shows for the American anime audience but still passable for romance fans who can't take it straight. Kagetsu Tohya (Visual Novel) Rating: 4.5 out of 5 time loops Length: About 20-30 hours Similar Series:: Tsukihime (prequel) Defining Traits::* Groundhog Day scenario with tons of content* Basis in vampire/action anime but strong focus on moe characters and serious plot* Balances the funny and the serious; with a repeated day, you can pick which* Two maids, a contract killer, a hax vampire, the little sister, a silent loli, and Sacchin~ In a Sentence:: Played Tsukihime? Play Kagetsu Tohya. It's not quite as serious but it's still very enjoyable and amusing, especially once you understand the in-jokes; not to say it's all fun and games. Kanon 2002 Rating: 3.75 out of 5 red hair bands Length: 12 episodes + 1 bonus episode Similar Series:: Kanon 2006 (ya rly), AIR, sola Defining Traits::* More endgame drama than in the 2006 remake* More ugly faces than in the 2006 remake* It's Kanon. (see Kanon 2006 as applicable)* Nyuu~ In a Sentence:: Kanon 2002 offers a bit of a different ending and an after episode for those unsatisfied with how certain characters got shafter in 2006, but 2002's biggest enemy is its remake, which obliterates it. Kanon 2006 Rating: 5 out of 5 cups of vanilla ice cream Length: 24 episodes Similar Series:: Kanon 2002 (no kidding), AIR, sola Defining Traits::* Visual-novel adaptation of a five-girl "harem"* Pioneered the term "sad girl in snow"* Less of a fanservice harem and more of a moe harem* Hugely emotional and grippy plots* Animation is awesome like Shiori In a Sentence:: Gold standard for visual novel adaptations. Well-planned, touching story with deep, or at least fleshed-out, characters that will grab your heart and not let go. Can you handle a one guy, many girls (not harem) show? Then watch Kanon 2006. Lunar Legend Tsukihime Rating: 3.25 out of 5 pocketknives Length: 12 episodes Similar Series:: Tsukihime (Visual Novel), Kagetsu Tohya (Visual Novel) Defining Traits::* Adapted from Tsukihime visual novel* Poorly.* Excellent mood-setting music In a Sentence:: It's interesting to see the visual novel in animation, but once you read the visual novel you won't go back to Lunar Legend Tsukihime. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (First Season) Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Yuki Nagatos Length: 14 episodes Similar Series:: ??? Defining Traits::* Transcends genre; but there is romance, slice-of-life, comedy, and a touch of the supernatural* Interesting premise with how the characters are set up; many could stand on their own as the lead of the series* A little bit of everything...* ...but mostly Yuki Nagato. In a Sentence:: The 500-pound gorilla of most anime corners, Haruhi is a breakout title for good reason; it reaches to a wide audience with both the fanservice, the funny, and the heartwarming, and it does this all well. School Days (Anime) Rating: 4.5 out of 5 nice boats Length: 12 episodes Similar Series:: Kaede arc of Shuffle! Defining Traits::* Harem show that turns the definition of harem on its head* Characters made to be hated by fans instead of loved* Plot treads line between drama and ridiculous drama* Story will inflame emotions, one way or another In a Sentence:: School Days is different, and handles itself unlike any other harem show; it takes the dark side of romance and school life. Watch if you can learn to be detached from the characters. Shuffle! Rating: 4.5 out of 5 boxcutters Length: 24 episodes Similar Series:: Da Capo, Shuffle! Memories (clip show), Tokimeki Memorial ~only love~ Defining Traits::* Standard 5-harem/visual novel adaptation* Fanservicey first half follows with a hard-hitting, dramatic second half* Mild magical premises and strong character interaction In a Sentence:: A very slow show in the beginning that picks up steam tremendously once the plot gets going in the second half. Shuffle! is a great example of a show with strong characters, and it might even pull one over on you with regards to the harem as well. Shuffle! Memories Rating: 1.5 out of 5 heterochromiacs Length: 12 episodes Similar Series:: Shuffle! (original) Defining Traits::* Clip show of Shuffle!* One new episode; the final one in the series In a Sentence:: Watch the last episode, then watch the real deal instead. sola Rating: 4.25 out of 5 origami swans Length: 12 episodes + some OVAs Similar Series:: AIR, Kanon 02/06 Defining Traits::* Three-person harem-like visual-novel-like show with a touch of action* Strong supernatural premise* A lot of characters aren't what they seem with a twist-filled plot In a Sentence:: sola is an anime-original show which handles its characters and plot like it's been around the visual novel block once or twice. A gripping plot with in-depth characters is only hampered by a few large plot holes. Tokimeki Memorial ~only love~ Rating: 4 out of 5 bread ladies Length: 25 episodes + some bonuses Similar Series:: Da Capo, Shuffle!, To Heart 2 Defining Traits::* Bread and butter three-way school life harem* Characters prone to breaking stereotypes* School that doesn't take itself seriously with lots of insanity* Well-defined side characters In a Sentence:: TokiMemo does nothing different, and so fans of the harem genre will eat it up, especially with characters that aren't as flat as you might be led to believe, both main and side. But, it won't change your mind. Tsukihime (Visual Novel) Rating: 4.75 out of 5 twin maids Length: About 30-40 hours Similar Series:: Kagetsu Tohya (Sequel VN), Tsukihime (Anime, watch at discretion) Defining Traits::* Harem-type visual novel with a serious plot and a touch of action* Touching stories for every character, even the cliched-looking ones* Long and complex storyline, not to mention storytelling* Two maids, a contract killer, a hax vampire, the little sister, no silent loli, but still Sacchin~ In a Sentence:: An epic written work with a unique style and unique characters who won't cease to surprise you. Not just straight romance, not just straight action, Tsukihime is a thriller with secrets and, yes, a lot of moe characters, behind every corner.
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"In your body...in your body...I have a great deal of interest!!"Code-E was the little one that couldn't.It certainly was a hopeful to be the underdog show of the summer, a little secret known only to a few that could enjoy the slow yet purposeful motion of the show, and the endearing yet not overly moe characters.It was a solid entry into the common field of romance slash comedy shows that managed to get a good piece of slice of life into the mix as well.Code-E centered around a girl named Chinami Ebihara who, aside from being a mysterious transfer student, had the uncontrollable power to release electromagnetic waves when she was flustered. It was a relatively novel premise and with a mysterious cast including a Quiet Girl, two comically inept German spies and some guy with a pocketwatch, Code-E certainly had the chance to impress.And it did.For the first few episodes, perhaps. Then it hit a sophomore slump that nearly every romance anime has to get tangled with; the falling of the main characters for each other, a tricky task to pull off in a believable and refreshing manner.Nevertheless, Code-E worked out of the hole in the closing stages, introducing an overarching plot and building up to a thrilling climax.And then, in a sense, it stopped. Because it was over...(Disclaimer: Hot drinks are hot, and spoiler-filled recap posts contain spoilers after the jump.)Many anime leave us clamoring at the ending credits for just a few more minutes, a few more episodes. This is usually because we are particularly in love with the series and we don't want to see it end. In Code-E, we need more because it's not over.Well, it was. But not with any closure at all. The final episode felt like it should have been the penultimate one, or maybe the 3rd from the end. But certainly not the LAST one.Code-E has always been called kind of an old-style anime and I suppose in the conclusion that's true more than ever. Remember back in the days of romance shows like Cardcaptor Sakura where you'd have to wait the whole series (~40 hours) just to FINALLY get the confession from the girl?Well, as you may have surmised from actually watching the series, Code-E true to description does save both confessions for almost the very end, splitting them with a fake death sequence, which, amazingly, also smacks of the end of Cardcaptor Sakura (2nd movie).And then some music plays, the helicopter comes in, the credits roll and we skip forward to the usual Normal Life After sequence. Which isn't too horrific yet.Until you realize that, outside of Chinami x Kotaro, nothing really was resolved.(At least I felt the confessions were done well. I enjoyed Kotaro's confident-as-ever look)First: Mils, crushed by random falling rocks. Is she dead? Injured? Out without a scratch? For the comedic, barely serious duo of Mils and Adol, it seems almost cruel to have actual Bad Things happen to them.Second: Guy with pocketwatch. What was he researching on? What was his goal? What is his name?Back to the Brinbergs: I'm sure they had some evil motive as well, y'know.And what about Yuma? Her past? Her backstory? Her powers coming back?Why did the powers come back?All sorts of questions. Supposedly the story was to continue in the Code-EX manga, which I assume would resolve some of the holes, but that's a cop-out of epic proportions. I prefer my stories resolved in the current form they're in, thank you very much.The ending episode, in a sense, hurt the series a lot mainly because it didn't "end" very much at all. The series was really kicking into gear with all the buildup, introducing Guy With Pocketwatch, the head of the Brinbergs, and evolving the characters of Yuma and Chinami. And then it sort of cuts off. I feel like I should be writing about The Sopranos.Other than that, Code-E really had promise. I've said time and time again that I like the characters, and it's still true. They feel like they could be somewhat believable characters as opposed to 1D sheets.Chinami is a meganekko of the clumsy regard, and while she does clout into things a lot, it's not so much of a comedic afterthought as a genuine trait. She's shy and has low self-esteem but you can certainly see her warm up to the people around her.Yuma is your typical Quiet Girl Who Learns to Like People, but I can't really find too many complaints with her character. Maybe it's because I have a soft spot for this type, but also because of the inferring that one can do on Yuma's past - how she locked herself away and is finally learning to really show emotion again.Kotaro was annoying for the first few episodes, but when he stopped using the phrase "your body" every other sentence he seemed like an above-standard protagonist. His socially naive yet energetic/confident personality felt more at home in a shonen anime but having it transplanted here worked fine as well. Maybe it's the backlash from months and months of spineless characters.Sonomi was somewhere between a childhood friend and a tsundere, two dangerous personality tropes to get stuck in. As such I regard her as one of the less interesting characters. She certainly has the heartwarming, if not typical, development of stepping aside to let the main couple through, but sometimes I wish she just tried a bit harder at the end. I'm always an advocate for A Confession in Every Person.And as a plus, Chinami's parents decidedly exist, and even have most of an episode to themselves, along with dedicated screentime. Adults are a race quickly becoming extinct in anime, but Code-E manages to hit all age groups relatively well.There are a few other hitches with Code-E aside from the ending, though.Continuity and confusion are two of the more harming ones, although they're not horrific.Some of the plot twists at the end didn't make much sense, such as Kotaro's explaining to Sonomi that he only spends time with Chinami for her body (i.e. EM powers). He doesn't seem like Makoto the type that would stretch the truth to placate people.Or how about the fact that in 2017 (20 years later? Someone can't do math.) nothing has changed except for the fact that everything conveniently uses electricity.Also, near the end, despite all the stuff that was getting pulled on Chinami, somehow we'd start out the next day with her being perfectly normal, at least for a little bit.More holistically, the music and graphics in Code-E were average, for the lack of a better word.The electrical effects (both the static and the funny slow-motion things at the end of the first few episodes) were pretty nifty looking but otherwise nothing stood out graphically, aside from the fact that people had no noses from the front. Not a major detractor, anyway.The music had some memorable pieces, if only because oddly enough some of the background music was recycled from the OP and from the eyecatch (or vice versa). But again, nothing spectacular. The OP, I must admit, grew on me after a while though. Instrumental pieces, they never disappoint.In the end Code-E feels like it'd be one of those shows that embodies the phrase "budget ran out," taking a big piece out of the storyline pie and only finishing about half of it. Which is strange, because as mentioned on AnimeSuki it was slotted for 12 episodes the whole way.It can't possibly be too bright of a move to have a totally original story take two forms of media to complete. It's just not established enough to make a backwards jump, especially given the underdog status of Code-E. Even sola, which is getting a visual novel produced for it (can someone confirm this? I remember hearing it but can't find the proof), managed to have some decent closure on it's story.Code-E is still what can be called a good romance show, and certainly a great throwback to those tired of the moefests and harem shows of today, who want a simple yet surprising story. It's just that it could have been so much more, could have worked so much better if there was just another 25 minutes to it.Maybe it's that we complain the most about what we love best. In that regard, my dissapointment with Code-E should be a compliment.-CCY
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