Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

[Aeni]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

I don't want to see it as dubbed. I'm holding out for when they release a complete BR package so I can import it from Japan.

[Malacite]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

So, the official english dub of SoA has been approved. Not sure if want (I haven't actually watched the series myself yet, I'm putting it off on purpose)

[Aeni]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

Magi's arc just finished and a new one has begun. It was thoroughly enjoyable. I finally got into Fairy Tail anime, and though they're doing the current manga arc really well, so I'm enjoying that as well.

I actually liked the pacing in Robotics;Notes, so I guess different strokes for different folks? It's the same people that created Steins;Gate and that was also, relatively, slow moving.

I haven't been keeping up with the other series as much as I'd like to, what with ARR:Beta starting, and lots of overtime at work. Although I am continuing to funnel the torrents so I can check it out later. I've already pre-ordered a few series through NISA and looking at Aniplex's catalog for this year.

[Zempten]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

I'm all for character development as well, but character development only with no story progression can get bad. I think this is why I like Psycho Pass, each of it's arc feels like its progressing the story while developing character. With Robotic Notes I just felt like minimal story progression and just a huge emphasis on character development.

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OH and SHinsekai . .. man stuff is happening! Too intense for words

[Aeni]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

I really enjoyed Psycho Pass through out and I'm glad we're FINALLY starting to get story in Robotics;Notes .. only took like 15 episodes

Character development. I actually appreciated that aspect of the anime series. I don't like the 12 episode format of other series where you are left with the impression that most female anime characters are vapid whores and their male counterparts aren't that much different.

...

Tamaki Market is still my fave this season. That may change with GITS but I'm not sure if they're on schedule or if we are to expect delays. So many anime I thought were to be out last season was pushed to later this year ...

In other news, I heard rumors of an Accel World movie but it might just be mis-translation and it really is just a straight to "home" BR OAV. For those people in Asia, they may put it on Animax before then ... I'm not really interested, however. I liked SAO a hundreds more ...

I'm just glad fillers ended for both Naruto and Fairy Tails. I. Hate. Fillers.

[Zempten]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

I really enjoyed Psycho Pass through out and I'm glad we're FINALLY starting to get story in Robotics;Notes .. only took like 15 episodes

[Aeni]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

Shits getting deep and heavy in both Robotics;Notes and in Shinsekai Yori. Right now, it's just background for the secondary characters in Psycho-Pass, but very reminiscent of how it was done in GITS. It's still really interesting despite the fact that it doesn't drive the main story.

Edit: Bit premature ... just saw PP 13 ... oh my. Especially the end ... last 10seconds after the credits rolled. Creepy...

[Aeni]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

At least the series that are still on-going from late last year is making up for the dearth of good shows this season. So far, I'm loving Tamako Market and a couple of other shows, but the best ones are still, for me, Psycho Pass, Magi, Kingdom (this is like Bleach or Naruto, though, and I know Magi is heading that way as well), Robotics;Notes, Shinsekai Yori and Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo.

[Zempten]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

I need more shows like gankutsuou or stein's gate or great teacher onizuka

[Aeni]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

Is there any serious anime like psycho pass or shin sekaiyouri this season? i finished Kokoro connect and i loved the ending!

Magi? It's on-going, yes, but it's getting so damn good and features a lot of political intrigue as well as myth and legend borrowed from the 1001 Arabian Nights. And it's so timely, considering all that has happened throughout Northern Africa and the Middle East and continuing on in Syria.

There's Hakkenden, Eight Dogs of the East, which seems to remind me somewhat of Bleach.

Then there's Amnesia, a moe-like drama which takes various elements from Occult Academy and Yumekui Merry.

Maoyuu Maou Yuusha has actually progressed a lot differently than what I first thought it would become. It's actually a quite charming and romantic notion of what it means to govern and what it means to be human. I'm actually quite pleased with the intellectual stimulation it provides, although I'm sure many will be bored to tears, as there's very little action (so far)

Mondaiji-tachi ga Isekai kara Kuru Sou Desu yo was interesting. Uh ... I'm still not clear as to what the story is about but it has its charms. Reminds me of Rio: Rainbow Gate and .hack for some reason. LOL

Chihayafuru is a slice of life type of drama, but not sure if that's up to your tastes.

You'll probably like Zettai Karen Children THE UNLIMITED - Hyoubu Kyousuke. It's a spin off of the original Zettai Karen Children TV series. It's about people with psychic powers, not unlike in Shinsekai Yori, but beyond that I can't say, since it's an original and not based off any existing work. Quite action oriented and a lot of violence from what I can see.

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You know what I miss? Shows like Yumekui Merry, Ergo Proxy, Kure Nai, Xam'd Lost Memories and Blood+. But that could be due to a lack of good stories. The studios are so enamored with bishoujo harem-esque shows that there's little room for serious stuff. AnoHana was good and original. In fact, 2011 was really great, with Hanasaku Iroha, Fractale, Working, Persona 4, Steins;Gate, Blood-C, Bunny Drop, Gosick and Guilty Crown and that really continued the host of great shows in 2010. 2013 seems to start off in such a rut (last year around the same time, there were at least a handful of pretty solid stuff) and it doesn't look that good (pretty weak in fact) going into Spring. And maybe a lot of spin-offs and rehashes. Mind you, I am not counting the stuff from 2012 going into this year, because that's tallied for 2012. And last year was a star-studded affair: Fate/Zero, Black Rock Shooter, Nisemonogatari, Another, Sankarea, Dusk Maiden of Amnesia and continued on throughout the year, leading into Eureka Seven Ao, Accel World, Binbou-Gami Ga!, Sword Art Online, Kokoro Connect, etc.

Hopefully there'll be at least 2 or 3 lengthy series like Sword Art Online that can tide us over throughout the year. But that will hardly be enough for the masses, I'm sure, unless you count overt hyper-sexualized prepubescent fantasies as something.

[Zempten]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

Is there any serious anime like psycho pass or shin sekaiyouri this season? i finished Kokoro connect and i loved the ending!

[Aeni]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

Bakamatsu Guinden Roman was that episode I couldn't remember above...

-Kokoro Connect - It was continued where it left off and finished all in one day (Ep 14-17 aired on Dec 30, 2012) It's one of the most underrated series but at the same time received such a poor reception (and very undeservingly) I have a feeling this has more to do with the perverse otaku culture (male dominated) which does not allow for very many non-bishoujo type of anime to flourish. In any event, it's now Iori's turn to be saved, but she will not accept help in her current condition. Can she really be saved? I wonder if there isn't some particular angle with regards to depression amongst students in high school and how they can often be ignored (or "friends" turn their backs on them)

-Maoyuu Maou Yuusha - Not sure what to make of it, other than there might be some potential ... the first episode really started very slowly but I suppose it was the decision of the producers to lay down the foundation of what might be a very shallow series. Basically boils down to a demons vs human kind of story, with a bishoujo angle (e.g., hot female demon king)

-Senran Kagura - Ninja Scrolls smushed into Ikki Tousen for an otherwise run-of-the-mill bishoujo series. Emphasis on a lot of oppai-fan service and up skirt panty shots. Probably Mal approved. w

-Cuticle Detective - Pretty hilarious and I'll be keeping an eye on it for the rest of the series. Very hard to describe, but it's like a parody with elements of Hayate no Gotoku and slap-stick comic relief.

-Tamako Market - A war between mochi shops, a talking bird and over-the-top hilarity paves the way for what could be one of the best series out of Kyoto Animation.

-Minami-ke Tadaima - About 3 daughters of the Minami household and their daily lives (comedy/drama)

-De Capo III - Harem bishoujo with a flimsy cover story. This might be watched only for the T&A. Even Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate has a hundred-fold value in the story, despite (or maybe inspite of) shades of harem bishoujo and a sprinkling of oppai service throughout the story.

-Boku no Imouto wa Osaka Chan - It's pretty much a Tokyo vs Osaka (culture war/comedy) skit-sy series. I think they're running the internet (5 min) episodes first and then putting out the TV series after (like they did with Chu-2)

There's more in the queue here but I don't know if I'm going to watch more. I have to catch up on some older series that I didn't get time to watch.


Oh and shout out to NISA for picking up Hanasaku Iroha. I feel that any other company wouldn't do this justice enough. Plus their premium sets are always worth the price of admission. Will pre-order the DVD/BD premium set when it gets released.

[Aeni]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

You are missing out then.

-Tamako Market - Greatly exceeded my expectations. I have a feeling will be as good, if not better, than K-ON.
-Roman (can't remember full name off top of head) - Funny and yet with a measured dose of that "superhero" feel of those types of cartoons from a bygone era.
-Nekomonogatari (Kuro) - a bit schizo and at times overtly ecchi, but I guess that was always the main draw of the Bakemonogatari series.

and so far I've liked a lot of the first episodes that has been aired this past week. Will update this post later.

[Zempten]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

I kinda reactivated 11 so I've been busy filling myself with abyssal exp lol. I need to get back on the anime soon!

[Aeni]

Re: Fall 2012/Winter 2012-2013

Well, I just watched a show similar to Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai (aka Chu-2), in the rendering/art style of Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo, called Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru (or OreShura for short). It's actually pretty decent, but can't hold a candle to Chu-2, despite the fact that it was published before Chu-2 as a light novel. At least the eichi factor isn't as over the top like some other shows can be. I'll be watching a few more episodes to see how it will develop.

A lot of new anime in the pipe for this week and next and I'll post my first impressions.

Edit: Shinsekai Yori is like crack, only without the shame, guilt and side-effects. I think this has to be one of the best anime in a while, both story and art direction (the music also helps to add the ambiance) It's the fear of the unknown and not going overboard on cliched tropes that keeps the story vivid, nuanced and highly anticipated with each episode.