Bakemonogatari: Blend of Many Things

Currently finished: Episode 3

According to the little poll I set up, this is leading the poll for the best anime from this season.

The scenary rendering style, strange visual cues, and conversation heavy story, feels very similar to Ef series; the weird mystery and strange events reminds me much of Mononoke; and the sarcasm heavy dialogs feels just like Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei. This anime is a blend of many things, many good things I dare to say. It does somewhat concern me a little bit by being similar to Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei, however, at the moment, I haven't seen any indication that it would endlessly repeat the same format over and over again. Hopefully, that would not happen.

Although I'm willing to put this in my top three anime of the season, I'm not sure I would hand the anime of the season award to it just yet. Sure it's interesting and brilliantly done, but I feel there's something missing. I'm not quite sure what it is yet, I just feel there ought to be something else in it to make it to be able to step onto the seat of the best anime of the season. Maybe in time I'll be able to figure out what it is.

[Dropped] Fight Ippatsu Juuden-Chan: Mostly Tasteless

If you ask me to use one word to cover what I feel about this anime, it would be "tasteless".

It seems there was an attempt of actually putting some contents other than fan service and tasteless comedies in episode two. But that was not enough to counter balance all the stupidity and tastelessness that it is so heavily reeking of.

Seriously, do they really expect people to have enough patience to stay with this tasteless nonsense all the way to the end? I don't.

[Dropped] Sea Story: Typical and Boring

Aside from some pretty art work, I really don't see anything else in this anime that is worth keep spending 20 minutes a week for. It had turned into nothing more than a typical magical girl anime that only young girls would like, which for people like me, is highly annoying. The episode also has become highly formulaic, with random fights and no good explanation what the fight is for or why is it even there.

It's really disappointing consider I thought this might be one of the better animes from this season. With my backlog slow creeping up on me again, I'm taking this one off my list.

Aoi Hana: Girl loves Girls

Currently finished: Episode 2

Remember I said in my last post about this anime that there hasn't been any clear yuri content yet? Well, we can totally scratch that now. There are so much yuri contents in this second episode that I don't even know where to begin if and when I want to discuss about it. They really didn't hold back at all. Frankly, I don't have a problem with it. But I know there are people out there do. So, a word of warning for you guys/gals who have problems with yurism, you probably want to just stay away from this anime completely.

Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~: Getting Intense

Currently finished: Episode 17

Even though there are few minor flaws, Phantom has been a very good story. What's really interesting is the fact it is not a fast moving plot, yet there is a sense of intense pressure everywhere it turns.

In the last few episodes, the story had gotten even more intense. There are few twists and turns that I was somewhat anticipating, but wasn't expecting to show up so early in the story. With the most recent episode, it seems that the story has opened up its last flood gate. The next episode may well be the beginning of the final showdown.

Umineko no Naku Koro ni: Strange Behaviors

Currently finished: Episode 4

This is definitely one of the most exciting stories of the current season. It's been almost nonstop excitement.

However, there is one thing I would like to comment on: why nobody thought Maria's behavior was a bit strange? Sure she has been a bit spoiled and naive, but lately, her behavior has been vastly differently than what she's like in the very beginning. Why nobody even raised an eyebrow until now? I hope there could be a good explanation later on. Otherwise, this might be something that would taint this otherwise great anime.

[New July 2009] The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 2009

Japanese title: 涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱 2009
Info/download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1448.html
Genres: Comedy / SciFi / Drama
I've watched: 4 episodes?

Summary: The story of Haruhi Suzumiya continues...

First impression score: 80 ~ Not very smart

Personal comments: The first 11 episodes (except episode 8) which actually started airing in April season are episodes from the original The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya in chronological order. Starting from episode 12, is the new add-on to the original story, so far, is only one recurring story called "Endless August" (some place translate it to "Endless Eight"). To be honest, I haven't been very impressed by this "Endless August" so far. It feels like a badly made version of Higurashi no Naku Koroni without all the horror and thriller elements.

[New OVA] Dogs: Stray Dogs Howling in the Dark

Apparently, this anime has two titles: Dogs: Stray Dogs Howling in the Dark and Dogs: Bullets and Carnage. Both appeared in the anime and both are referenced by the rest of the anime communities. These two names are from the two manga series this OVA is adapted from. So I guess they're implying this supposed to cover stories spans across the both mangas.

The first two episodes have been out for a while, but it's been on my back burner because I have too much in my current running queue.

This is a story about mobs and assassins (if you couldn't already tell from the title). Supposedly, there are only total four episodes in this OVA. After watching the first two, I'm not quite sure where they're going with it: In the first two episodes, it's mostly character introduction. And according to the synopsis, there are three more characters yet to be introduced. That'll leave no time for an actual plot, unless they're building the plot into the character introductions, which I'm yet to see any hint of it.

First impression: 80

Info: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10703
Download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1455.html

[New OVA] AIKa: Zero

This is a sequel to AIKa R-16: Virgin Mission, the anime has more panty shots than anything I've ever seen (including hentai animes, because they usually skip the panty shots and go straight to nudity). This new OVA, AIKa: Zero, seems to want to break its own record. There's panties everywhere you turn. And no matter how a person falls, as long as it's a girl, she'll always fall in a way that expose her panty the most to the current camera angle.

Just for the kicks, I think I'm going to go back and watch AIKa R-16: Virgin Mission one more time to find how many panty shots are there, then compare with this when it finishes airing. For episode one, I think AIKa: Zero is winning.

Back to the story itself, even though it's drenched with fan service, the story itself is actually not that terrible, compare to some other fan service heavy animes like Ikkitousen. At least it's working with camera angles rather than weird physics that rips clothes apart.

Episode one impression: 75

Currently I haven't seen any English fansub group pick up this one yet, maybe someone eventually would.

[New July 2009] Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

Japanese title: 懺さよなら絶望先生
Info/download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1475.html
Genres: Comedy
I've watched: 1 episode

Summary: More sarcasms from Zetsubou Sensei.

First impression score: 75 ~ Repetitive

Personal comments: After two season and a couple of OVAs, personally, I don't quite understand why people still find this anime funny. It's the same old joke over and over again. I got tired of it half way through season one, yet according to myanimelist.net, this has a higher user average rating than most animes from this season. Why? Am I missing some piece of critical knowledge that would make this anime funny? Sometimes the opinions of the mass just can't be trusted...

[New July 2009] Tokyo Magnitude 8.0

Japanese title: : 東京マグニチュード8.0
Info: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10704
Download: Torrents available through http://www.baka-updates.com/
Genres: Disaster / Drama
I've watched: 1 episode

Summary: What would happen if a magnitude 8.0 earthquake hits Tokyo?

First impression score: 81 ~ Disaster starts

Personal comments: This seems to be one of the standard disaster story that is told from one of the random victim's point of view. It might have a similar build like Bakurano, where individual's life stories are told through series of events during or after the disaster.

[New July 2009] GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class

Japanese title: : GA 芸術科アートデザインクラス
Info: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10895
Download: Torrents available through http://www.baka-updates.com/
Genres: Comedy / School Life / Art?
I've watched: 1 episode

Summary: Story about students in Geijutsuka Art school.

First impression score: 73 ~ Plain

Personal comments: This is yet another anime in style similar to Azumanga Diaoh and Lucky star. But this is much more plain in terms of activities. Equipped with quite a few tips in art craft, this feels almost like an educational anime.