Friday, April 27, 2007

April new anime throwaways


Hayate no Gotoku
-
This just doesn't have enough substance in it to keep me interested. My time is better spent elsewhere.
Final rating: 2.9 out of 5 after 2 episodes

Nagasarete Airantou
-
Same as above, it doesn't have enough real substance, and not enough *good* comedy to worth a while watching.
Final rating: 2.5 out of 5 after 2 episodes

April 2007 New Anime Report Part 3


Romeo & Juliet
Link: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/937.html
Genres: Um...New interpretation of old classics?
I've watched: 1 episode
Art style: Dramatized
Recommended to: hum....hard to say, maybe people like to see a new angle of an old story?
Summary: Everybody knows the story of Romeo and Juliet. This, however, seems to be the same story that in a slightly different world. Almost a fantasy world. If you have seen Gankutsuou (which is also made by Gonzo, portraiting the story of The Count of Monte Cristo in a futuristic fantasy world), you'll know what I'm talking about. As usual, Gonzo takes the slow start approach (at least in first episode). So people who like to jump in quickly will have to hold your temper or drop it.
Rating - first impression: 3.75 out of 5


Seirei no Moribito
Link: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=6634 torrent only available throught http://www.baka-updates.com/
Genres: Spiritual/Mythical/Drama/Old Japan
I've watched: 1 episode
Art style: Realistic
Recommended to: People like mythical drama
Summary: I'm not quite sure where this is heading yet. Opening credit seems to suggest some kind of spiritual and mythical story. But so far all I've gotten is some female worrior rescueing a young prince. It reminds me much of "Princess Mononoke". This, too is a slow start.
Rating - first impression: 3.25 out of 5
Personal comment: The art style of this type always bothers me - the lips of the characters are all too thick.

Seto no Hanayome
Link: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1014.html
Genres: Pure comedy/Teenage love story (<30%)>I've watched: 2 episodes
Art style: Typical comedy manga/anime
Recommended to: People like mindless comedy
Summary: A boy was saved by a young female mermaid. Then his family was visted by a group of people very much like Japanes mob. Later, they found out that mermaid community has a rule: If a mermaid had been in contact with a human, one of the two has to die. The only way out of this is for them to get married so the human becomes part of the mermaid family. The mother of the girl mermaid wants them to get married, but the father mermaid, however, is totally against it. On top of that, the father is kind of mob boss figure in the mermaid community.
Rating - first impression: 2.5 out of 5
Personal comment: Lack of substance. Normally, a rating of 2.5 is below my threshold for throwaway. However, it is produced by Gonzo (and I always liked Gonzo's work), I'll give it until episode 4 before I decide whether to drop it.

Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica
Link: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=7479
Genres: Drama/Fantasy
I've watched: 2 episodes
Art style: Common
Recommended to: People don't dislike drama
Summary: In a fantasy world called Polyphonica, human and spirit co-exists. Human can bond with a particular spirit, and the spirit can gain power through the music played by the bonding person. (Sounds familiar? Yeah, we've seen something like this in Erementar Gerade) The main character and his spirit works in a place where spirit's power is used to solve everyday (and unusual) problems.
Rating - first impression: 4.25 out of 5
Personal comment: After watching the first two episodes, my instinct telling me this is one of those stories that places whole bunch of seemingly unrelated sub-plots in the early episodes and thread them up all in the end to form a much bigger plot. (Like "Kiddy Grade", if you have seen it). Personally, I think it is always one of the most brilliant way to build a plot. The downside, however, is you get this slow start feeling because everything seems to be completely unrelated.

Shining Tears X Wind
Link: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=7633 (torrent only available throught http://www.baka-updates.com/)
Genres: Fantasy/Drama/Parallel world
I've watched: 1 episode
Art style: Common/Video game
Recommended to: People like parallel world stories
Summary: This is a anime related (or based of) the video game. I've never played it, so I have no idea how much similiarity between it and the game. Basically, it starts with some guy disappears in the school. Then a group of students run into some strange human-like creatures. They end up being sucked into a parallel world. The whole setup, reminds me much of Escaflowne and El Hazard.
Rating - first impression: 3.8 out of 5

Monday, April 23, 2007

April 2007 New Anime Report Part 2


TV Series:

Hitohira
Link: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=7305
torrent only available by searching in www.baka-updates.com
Genres: High School Comedy
Recommended to: People interested in school comedy
I've watched: 2 episodes
Summary: A girl couldn't speak loud in front of other people somehow got into the drama club. Good "dry" humor. Feels like a blend of Tsuyokiss and Bokura ga Ita.
Rating - first impression: 4.25 out of 5

Hayate no Gotoku
Link: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/993.html
Genres: Comedy with some kind of story line
Recommended to: People like outrageous comedy
I've watched: 2 episodes
Summary: A high school student works as a butler for some rich girl, plenty of comedy.
Rating - first impression: 3.75 out of 5

Nagasarete Airantou
Link: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/995.html
Genres: Pure Comedy
Recommended to: People like mindless comedy
I've watched: 1 episode
Summary: A boy fell from a ship and washed up to some remote island, where there is no male on the island and no way to escape the island.
Personal Comments: Lack of substance
Rating - first impression: 2.75 out of 5

April 2007 New Anime Report Part 1

TV Series:

Kaze no Stigma
Link: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1004.html
Genres: Action/Drama + Light Comedy
Recommended to: Everybody likes anime
I've watched: 1 episode
Summary: Some dude has the ability to control wind, meets some girl has the ability to control fire (which happens to be his sister). Then things get complicated.
Rating - first impression: 4 out of 5


Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku wo (No English sub yet)
Link: http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4004,viihzf,kono_aozora_ni_.html
http://www.konnyaku.tv/index.html
Genres: High school Drama/Comedy
Recommended to: People interested in high school drama/comedy
I've watched: 1 episode
Summary: The main guy woke up in the morning found there's a girl he doesn't know in his bed in his high school dorm wearing only underwares, and he doesn't remember what happened...
Rating - first impression: 3.8 out of 5


OVA:

Murder Princess
Link: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/992.html
Genres: Action/Drama/Fantasy + Touch of Comedy
Recommended to: People don't mind seeing blood
I've watched: 1 episode
Summary: A princess switched body with a mercenary went back to save her kingdom from falling.
Rating - first impression: 4.5 out of 5