Poll for April 2010 is open

This April anime season isn't nearly as big as what it usually is. On top of that, the qualities of the new series aren't stellar either. I guess the current economic slump is still to blame. But even among mediocre animes, there are still quality differences between them. So, participate in the little poll on the right side, see if we can get a consensus on what's the best of this season.

[Dropped] Kiss X sis: Time Waste

Finished: Episode 2

If they want any audience other than a 13 year old boy or hentai perverts like this type of stories, they ought to do something creative like they do in the Aika series or Queen's Blade series. I followed those two series not because I'm interested in the anime itself, it's because I found them highly amusing in terms of being creative. Take away the amusement value, ecchi animes like this has nothing to offer, period.

[Dropped] Mayoi Neko Overrun: Pointless

Finished: Episode 2

Sometime people ask me how do I decide to keep some seemingly pointless anime, yet throw away others? The answer is simple: it all depends on how likable the characters are to me--if an anime is pointless, but the characters are likable, I'll probably keep watching until the end of the series, then shred it to pieces with the end of series review. But if somehow I feel the characters aren't likable, or I just couldn't form a bond to any characters in the story, I wouldn't hesitate for a second before I drop it. That, is what's happening to Mayoi Neko Overrun right now. It's pointless harem/ecchi anime that doesn't have anything new or impressive nor could I form a bond to any of their characters. Therefore, it's out!

[New April 2010] Yojouhan Shinwa Takei

Japanese title: 四畳半神話大系
Info: (official) http://yojouhan.noitamina.tv/
[edit] Apparently, the English translation of this anime is called "The Tatami Galaxy", it seems that funimation has picked up the distribution right and it's being shown on hulu.

Watch online: http://www.hulu.com/the-tatami-galaxy
Genres: Drama? / Supernatual?
I've watched: 1 episode

Summary: Some dude is having a weird encounter with a self-proclaimed deity at a mysterious ramen stand.

First impression score: 85 ~ Intriguing

Personal comments: This is one of the newest noitamina, which brought us excellent animes like Honey and Clover, Nodame Cantabile, Mononoke, Moyashimon, Library Wars, Eden of the East. It definitely inherited the unconventional approach of noitamina--everything, from art to the method of storytelling are all quite strange. The animation is in a very rough style, and the 90% of the talking is first person narration. Very intriguing indeed.

[New April 2010] Saraiya Goyou

Japanese title: さらい屋五葉
Info(Official): http://www.goyou-anime.jp/
Watch online: http://www.hulu.com/house-of-five-leaves
Genres: Drama / Slow Action
I've watched: 1 episode

Summary: A ronin who was just fired by his master run into someone looking for a bodyguard. Later he finds out he belongs to a Robinhood type organization who robs the rich and gives to the poor.

First impression score: 78 ~ Still Strange Looking

Personal comments: It's very easy to tell that this is from the author of Ristorante Paradiso who was the receiver of my Most Unique Anime of 2009 award. The both the art and storytelling style are very unique. One very interesting thing about his work is that the flow of the story is usually pretty slow but it doesn't really feel as slow as you think it would. Ristorante Paradiso turned out to be surprisingly interesting, so I have somewhat a high expectation for this one as well. If you can just get used to the strange art style, I think you'll find it somewhat intriguing as well.

Seikon no Qwaser: Hot Spring Episode? Holy $^#)*!!!

Currently finished: Episode 13

Every anime has to have a hot spring episode, Seikon no Qwaser is no exception (even though there are plenty of bath scene in every episode). Being the type of anime it is, however, assigns new meaning to the word "hot" in "hot spring episode". If this isn't enough of a clue what this episode is, take a look at the screen cap above: this is captured from the CENSORED version. You can image what the uncensored version looks like.
Seikon no Qwaser has now officially jumped ahead of Aika series to become the most lewd anime while still pretend to be a normal anime.

[Dropped] Heroman: Ur...

Watched: 2 Episodes

What's wrong with it you ask? Well, let's see, the lightning that comes from the electric storm caused by alien's space jump has the power to turn a toy into complicated superhero robots. Do anybody feel this is a bit too far fetched to be believable even in a superhero cartoon? Seriously, who came up with this idea?

Then there's the character, I thought it'd be next to impossible to happen, but somehow, they manage to make an anime that all characters feels like they're acting!! I don't even know how they do that.

This, I'd say is officially the worst anime of the season, if not the year.

[New April 2010] Rainbow

Japanese title: RAINBOW 二舎六房の七人
Info/Download: http://animesuki.com/series.php/1629.html
Genres: Crime / Drama
I've watched: 1 episode

Summary: Seven young people met in juvenile. But they have yet to lose their hope for a good life.

First impression score: 75 ~...

Personal comments: I don't know what's going to happen next, but so far, there doesn't seem to be anything interesting at all.

[new April 2010] Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru

Japanese title: 裏切りは僕の名前を知っている
Info/Download: http://animesuki.com/series.php/1618.html
Genres: Drama / Supernatural / Yoai?
I've watched: 1 episode

Summary: ???

First impression score: 72 ~ WTF is going on?

Personal comments: Everything from this anime reminds me of Monochrome Factor, which I dropped in 2 episodes. The art is in the ultra shoujo style pretty boy style, which annoys the hell out of me. I'm gonna see if next episode gives out anything new. But most likely, it's gonna get slashed before I ever finish episode 2.

[New TV Special] Shoka

Synopsis:

Edo period Japan, a technique which utilizes drawing to summon monsters is being used to disrupt the peace and order of the capital. The clan that holds the secret to this special technique is put in charge to find out who are the enemy and for what purpose they're causing this.

Info/Download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1609.html

Comments:

This is a TV special that is only one episode long. The art style is very interesting. It's somewhat rough but orderly, feels somewhat like the style Windy Tale was done in. The concept feels like it's mostly borrowed from Read or Die, and the story is really nothing more than a typical good vs. evil where the evil is just a small grudge the bad guy holds against the good guy. I think if they give it a real plot and expand upon it, it would be a somewhat interesting series.

[New April 2010] K-ON!!

Japanese title: けいおん!!
Info/Download: http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1594.html
Genres: School Comedy / Musical?
I've watched: 1 episode

Summary: Sequel to the original K-ON!. Stories of five girls and their light music club.

First impression score: 85 ~ Funny as usual

Personal comments: K-ON!! just has the special touch with the character and the comedy. I expect no less from it than the original series. Come to think of it, it has rolled quite fast through the timeline: the first series is a short season, yet it already rolled through two years of high school. This new series begins at the third year of the light music club.

[New April 2010] Senkou no Night Raid

Japanese title: 閃光のナイトレイド
Info/Download: http://animesuki.com/series.php/1606.html
Genres: Action / Drama
I've watched: 1 episode

Summary: Shanghai, China, 1931, stories about a team of spies with supernatural powers carries out missions for Japanese government.

First impression score: 78 ~ Weird

Personal comments: I'm not sure what this is all about yet. I'll have to see whether it gets more interesting. Also, their spoken Chinese in this anime is just plain horrible.