Wagaya no Oinarisama: Another Snowball Anime

Currently finished: Episode 8

This anime is another example of what I call typical "snowball" storyline: each episode is mostly independent and self-contained, yet each latter episode inherits something that are left over from previous episode. Another example of "snowball" storyline is Rental Magica. However, Rental Magica suffered from what I call weak snowball syndrome where the series ends with a snowball that isn't significant enough on size. What you get from that is a very unfulfilling ending. Let's just hope Wagaya no Oinarisama doesn't end up that way.

Itazura na Kiss: Transformed...

Currently finished: Episode 8

I just commented several days ago that it feel somewhat like Bokura ga Ita. Now, it's entering its second stage, and everything become so much like...Lovely Complex. There are just so many things that resemble Lovely Complex that it now feels so much like a clone of it.

However, try as they may, it did not reach anywhere near the caliber Lovely Complex did. So you shouldn't make comparison between those two, because Itazura no Kiss is only partially Lovely Complex.

Blassreiter: Not Invincible

Currently finished: Episode 8

The development in last several episodes, I have to say, is quite satisfying. No, not the plot itself, rather, what the writer was willing to do. One thing that I'm mostly unhappy with these days' tv shows and animes is that everything ends way too happy. Good guy always end up surviving, and bad guy never gets good ending. Once a while, I wish that things doesn't turn out what everybody hoped they would; once a while I wish things could turn out the completely opposite to the "good ending".

Blassreiter is not any where near the end yet. However, they've show that they're willing kill any character in the show, even the most important one at the time. That gives me lots of motivation on watching the show because now I know not everybody from the good side is safe. You won't have a safety net called "it'll be ok in the end" any more. Anybody could die at any moment. They chance of survival isn't always better on the good guys side any more.

New rating (of 5): 4 (net gain: +0.25) ~ This is the Gonzo I knew

ToLoveRu: Water...Coming out of my Nose...

Currently finished: Episode 8

The picture above...is a bit misleading about what this anime actually become, but that's just too good of a scene to miss out on taking a screen cap. I was drinking water when this scene came up, and I end up shooting half of what I drank out of my nose.

With this picture, you must be thinking this is just another fan service anime. Actually, it isn't. Although they never hesitate on cashing in on the fan service part of the show, that was never their goal (or at least I don't think it is). It's actually another Ranma style comedy (make fun of stuff for the sake of making fun). It's quite different than those whose sole focus is to show fan service.

I think I underestimated the potential of this series earlier. Even though everything resembles Urusei Yatsura, ToLoveRu does bring some new freshness into this genre.

New rating (of 5): 3.75 (net gain: +1.0) ~ Much better than I though

Weed Out Time

Monochrome Factor never left a good impression from the beginning. More over, there are some hidden yaoi thing pops up once a while. Thirdly, it has been mostly retarded lately. I've given it enough time to redeem itself and it failed to do so. Now all there is left to do is to cross it off my list.

Amatsuki is somewhat interesting up to this point. However, I rate it mediocre at best. Though I don't have anything against it, there is nothing I see in it worth keeping. With July season approaching, I need to get rid of all the mediocre ones and focus my time only on catching up with the good ones, otherwise I'll be so far behind when July season starts.

Himitsu - Top Secret: A Different Kind of Detective Show

Currently finished: Episode 6

Even though the art style is not the type I like, the initial episode gave pretty good impression about this anime. Generally, I'm not into detective shows very much. However, Himitsu - Top Secret is different. It's not a show of solving crime for the sake of solving crimes. It approaches the topic with a very strong personal perspective. Not only it's a show of solving crime, it's also about showing that everybody out there solving crime is also a normal person like everybody else.

On a separate note, section 9 seem to be a common landing department for special police unit. Here MRI is the section 9 of the Japanese police department. As you recall, section 9 is also the special cyborg unit in the police department in Ghost In the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.

Itazura na Kiss: Another Bokura ga Ita?

Currently finished: Episode 6

Most recent development, had made this series feels somewhat similar to Bokura ga Ita. Although some roles maybe switched around, I think the general concept is kind of similar. Both are about saving a relationship which never existed. though this one is a bit more hopeless than the one in Bokura go Ita.

Even though I liked Bokura ga Ita, I'm not sure I'm ready to see another story just like that. Watching Bokura ga Ita is frustrating, and Itazura no Kiss is no better. On top of that, supporting character in Itazura na Kiss is a bit more annoying than those in Bokura ga Ita.

Nijuu Mensou no Musume: Not Bad

Currently finished: Episode 6

I haven't really talked about this anime other than the initial review. Mostly because there isn't really anything to talk about: everything is just so..."normal". That is, up till now.

Recent development, however, had earned more respect from me. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'd know one thing I like most in a story is when bad things happen to good people. In another word, I love tragedies.

New rating (out of 5): 3.5 (net gain: +0.5)

Crystal Blaze: Arrogant Brats...

Currently finished: Episode 6

When you see an arrogant brat in a series as a top supporting characters, you always know that he/she will be the one to mess up something majorly due to his/her arrogance. That's what's been happening lately in Crystal Blaze. There really isn't anyting could enrage me more than watching brats like that to screw a perfect plan over and all he/she can do is apologize afterwards. But guess what, arrogant brats never learn. Next time around, they'll act exactly the same and keep doing it over and over again, until somebody is hurt badly or dead.

As the story goes, I don't find it interesting at all. But now I just want to see how that arrogant brat get killed or get somebody else killed.

Macross Frontier: Music Driven Anime

Currently finished: Episode 7

One of the background driving force for Macross series has always been the music and songs. While it was true for the first Macross, a.k.a. Robotech part I, the English version songs are just plain horrible, and the English dub of lead female character was just plain annoying.

Macross Frontier showed once again how effective a proper music/singing blending with anime could be.

About the story, its approach is nearly identical with the original Macross, with some position swapping. They didn't even bother to come up with a different name for the flight squadron: "Skull Team" once again at the center of Macross stage.

RD Sennou Chosashitsu: Something Weird

Currently finished: Episode 7

I just notice that this anime is based of original works by Masamune Shirow (士郎 正宗), who is the creator of Ghost in the Shell. That really explains a lot about this series: the weird concepts, the focus on human consciousness, etc.

I hate the art style; the plot is too strange to fully understand at the beginning; story development is very slow; but interestingly enough, some mysterious force from this anime had drawn me into it much like Mokke did. Even though there is almost nothing I like about this anime, I just can't stop watching it.

On a separate note, I've rolled past the ending credit and saw some ads for RD manga, the character in the manga doesn't appear nearly as chubby as they do in the anime.

New Rating (of 5): 3.5 (Net gain: +0.7)~ Mysteriously Interesting

OVA: Ice: Trippy...

Info/download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/972.html

If you're looking for something trippy to watch, you should not miss Ice. It's actually hard to give an overview of the OVA without spoiling the plot. There are lots of "Wha...." and "Did they just..." moments. I think the screen capture above is enough for anybody to decide whether they want to watch it or not. If you do decide to watch it, you're in for a trippy ride.

BTW, it's only a 3 episodes OVA of 30~40 minutes each episode. So it doesn't really take long to finish it.

Final Scoreboard (of 5):

Drama: 4 (Weird)

Comedy: N/A

Action: 4 (Strange)

Art/Animation: 3 (Retro)

Sound: 4 (Acceptable)

Character: 5 (Bizarre)

Plot: 5 (Trippy, Duuuuuuude)

Ending: ~~~~ (Too tripped out to remember)

Re-watch value: Dude, you really want to watch it again?

Overall (not average): 4

Recommendation: This is definitely not for normal people, because they're going to come out hating it. If you have that little wildness in your brain, it might just be right for you.