Autumn 2014 is the fourth and final anime season of year. The Spring and Autumn season are usually the busiest or densest, featuring more total anime than the Winter and Summer seasons, and Autumn 2014 looks to be another enormous one in terms of volume of anime. But the question each season is hardly ever a question of volume but rather a question of quality… and that’s what I hope to answer, at least from my perspective, with my preview of the Autumn 2014 Season Preview. What anime am I looking forward to the most this season? Let’s continue and find out!

The Autumn 2014 anime season appears to be lighter than the median in terms of returning anime franchises, meaning there is more weight this autumn in the new anime franchises this season than in the previously established ones. However, these older franchises have proven themselves to be excellence or serviceable anime, and Autumn sees the return of several of my favorite franchises. Returning in Autumn 2014 are: Ai Tenchi Muyo!, Aikatsu! 3, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, Gundam Build Fighters Try, Hitsugi no Chaika: Avenging Battle, Log Horizon 2nd Season, Mushishi Zoku Shou 2, Psycho-Pass 2, Selector Spread WIXOSS, and Yowamushi Pedal: Grade Road. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately for some), I haven’t watched the original shows from some these anime franchises, so I am not in a position to provide accurate information and predictions on each one, especially the shows I haven’t watched. As always, I’ll skip over the anime that I know nothing about because you probably already know what you’ll be watching among these anime and there are better resources out there for those franchises. So instead, in the section below, I’ll be providing my input to the shows that I am familiar with and can provide some explanation as to why I’m planning on continuing them.

The order of anime listed below is neither chronological nor alphabetic but ranked in order of my personal anticipation and how likely I believe I will watch that anime this season. Every anime is evaluated and placed into one of five tiers ordered: Will watch, Likely watch, Maybe watch, Doubtful but it gets a shot, and No dice. Within each tier, the anime are listed alphabetically. Dates are not included because who knows when and where these shows will be subbed and available to watch. So with that explanation and introduction, here is my preview for Autumn 2014:

Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works

Opinion: Although I have never watched the original Fate/stay night (something I have been meaning to do for years now), I am planning on watching this version since it is a completely new route from the first anime. With that noteworthy difference, it sounds as if this specific anime is open to newcomers of the franchise, meaning that I can finally begin watching this franchise outside of Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya. Those prerequisites have always felt like roadblocks for me, so hopefully this anime is welcoming and helps immerse people into the setting and stories that is Fate/stay night. As for the specifics of the anime, the production values are phenomenal, especially with the fighting animation. I have faith in the characters and the story and have a general idea of the setting, and each aspect seems engrossing or merely interesting. This is one anime that I have been looking forward to since it was announced, and I am happy it will be airing this autumn.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Mushishi Zoku Shou 2

Opinion: Mushishi is one of my all-time favorite anime franchises, so I am welcoming its second half this season after taking a break during the summer. I was encouraged with the direction of the series, in terms of its stories and its updated visuals, and I hope the series continues on this upward trajectory over the next 12 or 13 weeks. Really, each episode depends on the story, the characters and the mushi, so some episodes will be stronger than others, but I hope the series as a whole is better than the original Mushishi as well as the first half of Mushishi Zoku Shou.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Psycho-Pass 2

Opinion: The PV for the second season of Psycho-Pass would look great for just about any anime… but I don’t think it works well for Psycho-Pass. The emphasis on in-your-face action feels vastly different given the story and development of the original anime. And with a new writer, with Gen Urobuchi relegating his position to only “Planner”, I can’t be sure the series will have the same feel or effort as the original. The fact that the PV highlighted the action leads me to believe that this sequel will be merely a derivative of the first and fail to execute at what made Psycho-Pass one of the best anime of 2012-2013. This doesn’t mean I refuse to watch the series, but I do wonder what direction this franchise is going in and whether they can carry this series without Makishima and Kougami featured in prominent roles. I am excited to see the return of Psycho-Pass, but I’m adjusting my expectations now before I am set up for disappointment.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Hitsugi no Chaika: Avenging Battle

Opinion: Chaika was a serviceable anime last spring and returns again this season to complete its latter half. My main concerns with the anime were in regards to the story and how it pinballed around between so many different groups and organizations. The characters were enjoyable and I am curious to see where the anime is heading, but I am not expecting this to be near the top of the season unless several aspects of the storytelling are cleaned up. I hope the three-month hiatus was enough time to address these issues and to improve upon the artwork and animation since those are the areas where I want to see Chaika improve the most. If not, the anime will still be decent and worth finishing this season.

Plans for this show: Likely watch

The subsequent section of the preview contains all the new franchises that are beginning in Autumn 2014. After finishing my research on the season, I must admit that I am surprised at how many shows I am uninterested in and how many shows I anticipate not watching. I won’t go as far as to say that Autumn 2014 is a disappointment already, since that would be premature and ignorant, but it does seem to be one of the weakest seasons in recent memory. And that’s really the question with these new anime are anticipating the quality or value of these anime before they start. What this means is that I will need to broaden my horizons if I want to watch as many anime as I normally do and maybe try a few shows that I normally wouldn’t other. It could also mean that I have the time to go back and finish a few anime that I have passed up otherwise. It really all depends on the next few weeks and how I receive these anime and whether I want to keep them or not. For now, here are the shows I’m planning on watching this season based on my initial research this season:

Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu (Parasyte: the Maxim)

Opinion: Parasyte earns the top spot of the season in the new anime category based largely on my intrigue with the premise and the production values in the PV. However, that does not mean I don’t have my reservations with this series. For one, I will need to see how the relationship between Shinichi, the main character, and Migi, the Parasyte that lives in his hand (voiced by Aya Hinaro, so I hope she sounds exactly like Haruhi), develops and how they survive against the other Parasytes. If the battles are akin to the standard shounen franchises, like Tokyo Ghoul, it’ll drop the anime considerably… but it still could be one of the best anime of the season even if it’s plagued by shounen tropes more than its alien invaders. The anime is 24 episodes, so I am sure the focus will be founded in character development and understanding of the dire situation instead of action and horror, which I hope are flavors and not too overpowering. The visuals are impressive and the art style blends elements of the original early 90s manga with clean, modern animation. It looks to be a good anime, but how good is the question at this point in time.

Plans for this show: Likely watch

Akatsuki no Yona

Opinion: I don’t know what it is about shoujo romances, but I love shoujo romances. Combine that with a vibrant fantasy setting, a story of life on the run, and a cute protagonist and you’re well on your way to making one of the better anime this season. Almost every aspect of the anime is something that appeals to me, but I am a little curious of how serious the anime is. What I am looking forward to the most is the development of Yona’s character as she is a pampered princess who losses her country and must grow as a person to survive. This might be one of the better surprises this season, and it is one of the few new franchises I am looking forward to at this point in the season.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Amagi Brilliant Park

Opinion: Amagi Brilliant Park looks to be an amusing and comical anime based on its charming premise of a romantic couple restoring a failed amusement park. I’ve always enjoyed comedy anime, even if they have shortcomings with their characters and their stories, so I’m predicting that I will enjoy Amagi Brilliant Park based on its genre, it’s superior production values and its predominately female cast. I am not expecting great things from this anime, such as a philosophical discourse on the declining value of amusement parks, but it will be a positive pick-up this season should it provide adequate entertainment value. And though that sounds shallow, that might be all I really want from this anime. The one thing that catches my eye with the PV are the four fairies, leading me to believe there is some level of fantasy in this anime, so that might add a dimension to the anime I was not expecting otherwise. That and they might provide a level of fanservice that I wasn’t expecting either. Well, whatever happens, so long as I am laughing or smiling with Amagi Brilliant Park, it’ll be a worthwhile anime to me.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Cross Ange: Tenshi to Ryuu no Rondo

Opinion: It’s a Sunrise mecha anime where semi-nude girls pilot giant humanoid robots and fight dragons from another dimension. Okay, that has my attention… but what else does this series have to offer? Besides being the ultimate combination of teen boy fanservice (fanservicey girls, giant mecha, fighting dragons), I’m not sure what else this anime has to offer besides entertainment in the forms of action and skimpy outfits. It might have a decent story or characterization, but the PV and the synopsis don’t really provide any depth or insight into the series. That being said, I wouldn’t mind a somewhat ecchi anime about mecha fighting dragons, but the anime needs to be more than shallow entertainment and fanservice to make it watchable. I do like the character designs, the battle animation and the fact that it’s a Sunrise mecha anime, but I’m not sure whether it will be worth keeping or not. Guess we’ll find out soon whether this is more than boobs, butts, robots and dragons.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Gugure! Kokkuri-san

Opinion: It’s nice to see Tomoe from Kamisama Kiss in another role… erm, no, wait, start over. Gugure! Kokkuri-san is another comedy anime this season that has captured my interest and warrants an episode or two once it starts this season. The PV features a style of gag-heavy comedy that I typically enjoy, and the animation style is cute and charming, leading me to believe the anime will be predominately a comedy before it’s a romance or anything else. As I’ve mentioned with other comedy anime, its main goal is to make me smile and laugh, so if Gugure! Kokkuri-san can accomplish that simple feat, then it’s worth keeping this season.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de

Opinion: Uh, yeah, another comedy anime, how about that? What makes Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de interesting is its take on a popular premise, school-age kids inheriting superhuman powers, but with an interesting, comical twist. Rather than having these kids fight monsters or aliens or other kids with superpowers, the anime is about them living their normal lives. It’s a unique take on a well-established anime cliché, so it might have some original humor to go with this stereotypical setting. My main concerns with this anime are that it’ll be flat compared to the other comedies, especially since it seems to be focused toward an otaku demographic until the other comedies mentioned above. However, the main criteria for comedy anime is how well they entertainment, so if this anime is hilarious or even slightly amusing, it’ll be worth keeping this season.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis

Opinion: Bahamut has one of the best PVs of the season. It has one of the best art styles of the season. It has one of the best settings of the season. But… but it’s based on an online card game? Being based on an online card game isn’t a deal-breaker, but it does raise a few red flags about the content, direction and purpose of the anime. Then again, one of my favorite anime of all time, Sengoku Collection, is based on an online card game, so there’s that. And given its origins, that likely means an original story. But beyond that, the PV for Bahamut features some outstanding animation, a magnificent setting and some unique characters. I’m pretty sure I’ll keep this anime for the season, but I have my doubts about the card game part until I actually see the first episode or two.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Trinity Seven: 7-nin no Mahoutsukai

Opinion: Trinity Seven looks to be one of the more generic anime of the season – one guy, lots of girls, fancy school, fighting abilities, strange abilities – but it does enough to warrant an episode or two based on how well I like these elements used together. It lacks depth and will likely have a shallow story and characters, but it looks to have an fascinating setting, likable characters and the promise of action. Whether these elements combine to cover the fact that it has weaknesses in its other essential fields remains to be seen, which is why I’m willing to give the anime a chance. I’m not sure how well the series will perform, but the art, animation and setting provide me with some level of hope.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru

Opinion: More often than not, I like these 4 moe girl slice-of-life anime where not much happens. And judging from the PV and the synopsis, it seems like this is exactly in the genre of those 4 moe girl slice-of-life anime that I like. However, I do have some issues with some of the shows in that genre, so it’ll really depend on how much I like the characters, the comedy, and how the chemistry works together. One thing to note with this anime is that it’ll air in mid-October, so we have a while before this one actually starts, but I do plan on keeping it around for an episode or two, even if I have a full schedule for the autumn anime season.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Danna ga Nani wo Itteru ka Wakaranai Ken

Opinion: Another comedy anime, but comedies that revolve around otaku humor or sexual humor don’t fare as well as most others. The art style is often cute and chibi, which is a positive for shows like this, but I’m not sure whether the jokes will make me smile or laugh. And I’m not sure this anime offers anything else besides jokes on sex and otaku. Guess we’ll see how well it performs once it airs.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Denki-Gai no Honya-san

Opinion: Another otaku-themed comedy, meaning another doubtful pick-up for the season. I don’t really care for the art style, the characters or the comedy, but it might change my mind after one episode if it can get me to laugh or smile. I’m not anticipating on keeping this anime based off the PV and the synopsis, but it deserves an episode since it is a comedy anime.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Garo: Honoo no Koukin

Opinion: The PV and synopsis do little to inspire me, but I know so little about the series that I believe one episode is in order to confirm my doubt. The art style for the characters looks rather plain and flat while the CG animation for the knight in armor doesn’t really appeal to me at all. The story seems pretty standard and straightforward with a prodigy child inheriting a legendary armor and destined to save the world. There are a number of other fantasy anime that I am looking forward to this season over Garo, but I still want to give it an episode to see if it can change my mind or if it confirms my original impressions.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Grisaia no Kajitsu

Opinion: Part of me wants to like this anime, but the other part (the more powerful one) is telling me no. Still, I want to give this anime an episode since it seems alright, but I doubt this anime will materialize into anything substantial or worthwhile. Grisaia no Kajitsu seems very generic with its characters and its synopsis, but the PV does have interesting moments and the anime is tagged as a ‘psychological’ anime. Might it be good? It might, but it’ll have to show value in its first episode if it wants me to keep it around.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Gundam: G no Reconguista (Gundam Reconguista in G)

Opinion: For whatever reason, I just can’t get excited when watching this PV. There’s nothing really wrong with the anime itself, especially since I’ve watched and enjoyed previous Gundam series, and the PV seems to parallel a number of other Gundam anime. But the anime just seems flat, without there sense of excitement or energy or passion from the previous Gundam anime. I am curious to see how this anime performs, but I just can’t get excited for this like I can for most of the other anime on this list. Unless the first episode can prove my misgivings wrong, I don’t anticipate keeping this Gundam anime this season.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Kaitou Joker

Opinion: Yeah, so, this anime is outside my demographic… but it’s a comedy and I want to give it a chance. I just want to see what this is like as an anime, and see how it fares compared to the other comedy anime this season. If I like it, then great, I’ll keep it. If not… then no surprises from me.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Nanatsu no Taizai

Opinion: Nanatsu no Taizai is a fantasy shounen adventure anime, a genre that I typically enjoy. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about this PV or this synopsis which fail to instill me with hope for this anime. Then again, I know so little about this anime, that it deserves an episode to see whether this is worth keeping or not… and I very well could keep this anime if it satisfies me with its fantasy setting, an interesting story, some remarkable characters or electrifying action. Really, the first episode will likely dictate whether I keep this anime or not, but based on what I’ve seen thus far, it’s probably not going to be around for much longer than one episode.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Ore Twintail ni Narimasu

Opinion: Based on the PV and the synopsis, the anime looks and sounds bad. But sometimes, an anime that’s this bad has value in how entertaining it is. I want to give it an episode to see how it performs, but I imagine I’ll be bored with its story and characters before too long and end up dropping it before the first episode finishes. Still, I want to see if there is any value to this anime at all and will be giving it an episode to determine its entertainment value.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso

Opinion: Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso seems pretty standard as a romance anime, which isn’t necessarily a good thing for me. The main male character doesn’t really inspire me, the music theme doesn’t excite me and the moe art style doesn’t infuse me with confidence. It just doesn’t look like the kind of anime that I like, but it’ll get an episode based on its noitaminA tag.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

SHIROBAKO

Opinion: I often enjoy watching anime that revolve around anime or manga production, especially since they provide a unique perspective on their work that you don’t see in most anime. Still, I just can’t get excited for SHIROBAKO whenever I watch this PV, and I believe I’ll feel the same way when watching this anime. The anime might turn out to be better than I am imagining it to be, which is why I want to watch the first episode, but there’s something off about this anime. Maybe I’ll have a better idea or understanding of what makes this anime inferior to most of the others, but for now, SHIROBAKO is a bit of a mystery to me.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Sora no Method

Opinion: Of all the anime in this tier, Sora no Method is probably the highest, though it’s here at the bottom due to alphabetical order. The anime has plenty of potential in its setting and story and has adequate or above-average art and animation in the PV. What’s anchoring this anime down is the cast of characters which seem tedious or mundane. Maybe it’s the moe art style or the fact that everyone is a loli, but none of the characters look remarkable or fascinating. I imagine with a different art style and older characters, this anime would be in a tier or two above, but it isn’t. Of all the anime in this tier, this is probably the most likely to be kept since I’m sure I’ll adjust to the art style before the end of the first episode, but if the anime fails to capitalize on its setting and story, I wouldn’t mind dropping this after its first 24 minutes.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

The first two sections confirm the lists of anime that I am planning on watching based on my knowledge and understanding of the franchises. All that remains in this season preview are the anime that I have already decided against. The reason why these anime are slotted here is because they either appear to already be flawed, boring, or simply outside my demographic. While these anime may in fact be watchable to some, they do not appear watchable for me. I doubt I’ll examine these anime any more than the PV linked in their sections. However, there’s always a chance for me to pick one or two up every season, so not all hope is lost for these shows if you see one of your favorites down here. However, for most of them, there’s already zero chance I’ll even think about them after writing my opinions for each.

Daitoshokan no Hitsujikai

Opinion: The award for the most generic anime of the season is a reserved parking spot on this list. No, you’re not able to move up once you’ve parked here.

Plans for this show: No dice

Donten ni Warau

Opinion: Historical anime are among my least favorite genre and the bishounen character designs are a turn-off.

Plans for this show: No dice

Girlfriend (Kari)

Opinion: Hahahahahahaha no. Just no.

Plans for this show: No dice

Madan no Ou to Vanadis

Opinion: Very standard, very generic, very boring and not worth my time.

Plans for this show: No dice

Magic Kaito 1412

Opinion: Is it sad that I’m more interested in the chibi comedy anime more than the real deal? To be fair, though, I don’t think I’ll be watching either.

Plans for this show: No dice

Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji

Opinion: Oh, right, earlier I said I love shoujo romances. Yeah, I should’ve mentioned I have a love/hate relationship with them… and it’s shoujo romances like this are the ones I hate.

Plans for this show: No dice

Orenchi no Furo Jijiou

Opinion: Yes, this is labeled as a comedy, but this is really a horror anime for me.

Plans for this show: No dice

Sanzoku no Musume Ronja (Ronja the Robber’s Daughter)

Opinion: My rationale for this decision is that I would rather go back and watch the Ghibli movies I haven’t seen before this anime, so I might take some time this season to do just that because of this anime.

Plans for this show: No dice

Terra Formars

Opinion: After watching the OVA that was released in September, I made the decision to drop this anime. Just didn’t enjoy that OVA, and I doubt I’ll enjoy the TV series at all.

Plans for this show: No dice

Ushinawareta Mirai wo Motomete

Opinion: The runner-up award for the most generic anime of the season is also a reserved parking spot here.

Plans for this show: No dice

World Trigger

Opinion: Not that interesting in a shounen fighting anime this season and the art/animation seems subpar. I’ll keep an eye out to see what people say about it, but zero interest at this point in time.

Plans for this show: No dice

And thus ends my preview for the Autumn 2014 anime season. Once the season begins properly in the first week of October, I’ll begin documenting my thoughts, opinions and evaluations for each show in my First Impressions posts. Until then, I hope you are able to plan out your strategy for this upcoming season and ultimately enjoy it as much, or more, than I do!

Back, during the Summer anime season, for week 11: defining acute mountain sickness and understanding its role in Yama no Susume Second Season, why I absolutely love the development of Asseylum in Aldnoah.Zero, questioning the balance of character development and death in Akame ga Kill!, and thoughts on changing the name of Hanayamata to Hanayamatasa.

Best episode of the week: Yama no Susume Second Season

Anime trending up this week: Tokyo ESP

Anime trending down this week: Tokyo Ghoul

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 9)

“So your plan is to put a bunch of bombs on an airplane and drive it into the terminal of an international airport here in Tokyo?”

“Yup.”

“And you think this will bring out the terrorists who we’re going after?”

“Of course it will. I don’t see how there are any flaws with this plan.”

“And you’re planning to play a game of chess with them once they get to the airport as a way to capture them and arrest them?”

“Yeah… about that… so when am I getting these bombs?”

“…”

~sometime later~

“So your plan is to strap a bunch of bombs to this girl, put her in a Ferris wheel and wait for the terrorists to show up and save her as a means of finding out where the atomic bomb is located?”

“Yup.”

“And if they don’t tell you, you’re planning on letting the bombs detonate, killing them and leaving the bomb somewhere in Tokyo?”

“That’s my plan! So, where are the bombs?”

“…”

My main question, nine episodes into Zankyou no Terror, is who is supplying Five for all these crazy missions, and who is allowing her to do so?

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 10)

Altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), is an ailment that occurs when people living at low altitudes ascend to higher altitudes at rates faster than their bodies can acclimate or adjust to the new environments. The cause of AMS is due to the decreasing partial pressure of oxygen (O₂) at higher altitudes, meaning there is less oxygen absorbed in the body each time they breathe. In addition, strenuous physical activity like hiking demands a lot of oxygen in the body, so there is a greater need for oxygen at these high altitudes, too. Since there is less oxygen per breath and the bodies of the hikers are in dire need of oxygen (hypoxia), people will begin to breathe heavier and faster (hyperventilation). This hyperventilation causes more carbon dioxide (CO₂) to be expelled from the body, especially with the low partial pressure of carbon dioxide at high altitudes. Carbon dioxide plays an essential role in determining the pH of the blood (in the form of bicarbonate) and breathing off too much carbon dioxide will cause the pH of the blood to rise (respiratory alkalosis). Additionally, there are other changes going on in the body, such as increased cardiac output, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased production of hemoglobin, and other physiological changes. These changes can manifest themselves in a number of symptoms, but primarily as headache, fatigue, and lightheadedness. This is what Aoi is experiencing right now on Mt. Fuji and why Kaede recommended she stop and rest at the inn. Now, you may be wondering why the other girls don’t have altitude sickness and why Aoi is the only one. In reality, all the girls are facing the same struggle as Aoi, but their bodies are acclimating to the difficult environment better or they are in better fitness than Aoi. Kaede, Hinata and Kokona are all dealing with the same environment as Aoi and may have milder symptoms than her, though we aren’t able to see it directly in the anime. Additionally, we also know that Aoi had difficulty sleeping the night before and that can contribute to AMS.

Acute mountain sickness is a very common disease in hikers, and I’m thrilled to see it used to such a dramatic effect in Yama no Susume. Seeing Aoi, and only Aoi, experience this now, while on the ascent to the top of Mt. Fuji, is going to do wonders for the anime. It’s creating a divide between the characters, between Aoi and her friends, and causing her to fail at her goal when everyone else could go on to reach the top. This moment will define Aoi’s character moving forward, not only for how she feels about herself and mountaineering in general but how Aoi feels about her friends who did not have as severe a case of AMS as she did. It’s heartbreaking to see Aoi go through these struggles because it will have a lasting negative impact on her character. Yes, even after her AMS is gone and she’s bright and cheery again, this moment will cast a shadow on her character until she finally reaches the summit of Mt. Fuji.

Sword Art Online II (Episode 11)

I know that Sword Art Online is an anime about virtual reality massive multiplayer online role-playing games, but when was the last time we saw the real world? Everything we’ve seen recently has been the BoB tournament in GGO and Kirito’s harem in ALO watching it. Everything has been within a game for the last few episodes now, and the scenes in the real world do little to contribute to the overall story line or Shino’s debilitating fear of guns.  Compare that to the previous arc of SAO (ALO) which featured a number of scenes in the real world to develop the relationship between Kazuto and Suguha and for them to create drama with Asuna’s sleeping body. I’m not saying that this focus on GGO is necessarily bad, but it’s incredibly different than ALO and more akin to SAO when they were trapped in the VRMMORPG with no escape. It’s just an interesting transition between the three games with SAO and GGO being much more similar to each other than ALO.

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Episode 10)

I was never ecstatic with the main storyline of Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?, being about the four girls trying to take over apartment 106. And I’ve never been really happy with the individual character stories that have taken over the anime with each girl getting their own arc to develop their characters and strengthen their relationship with Koutarou. However, these stories fulfill more to the series than playing silly games and never making progress with who is taking over the apartment. Yes, the various games they played were more fun and entertaining, but the really didn’t add to the series like the way these character arcs do. Now, we’re seeing a purpose to these characters and understanding why they are where they are now. They’re becoming meaningful and helping us relate to their problems and why they need the apartment so badly. And with that knowledge in place, now it’s time for the games for each character to take over the apartment. Now is the time for the anime to go back to the silly story about each girl wanting to take the six tatami mat apartment for themselves. Unfortunately though, I doubt this anime will receive a sequel since now is the time for the anime to shine with its various games about deciding who gets to keep that special, little residence.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode 24 [Finale])

The biggest issue with this season of JJBA is the lack of a true villain. While it’s true that Dio was sending every assassin he could find to kill Jotaro and friends, we never really saw the mastermind of this arc. Dio was relegated to a minor role thus far and his brilliance as a character was muted as a result. Instead, we had a lengthy series of secondary antagonists each week that never really built up to anything. Compare that with Part 1 and Part 2 where each fight was building up to Dio or Cars. Compare that to now where the final scene was everyone getting out of their car and posing in the Egyptian desert. With that in mind, I am anticipating the second half of Part 3 to be much, much better than this first half.

Hanayamata (Episode 10)

We know why Hanayamata is named Hanayamata – Hana, Naru, Yaya, Machi and Tami – all two character Japanese names – but why couldn’t the anime be named Hanayamatasa (or some variation) to include our favorite club supervisor, Sari-sensei, who also has a two character Japanese name. Yes, the anime is named after the girls who dance in the Yosakoi Dance Club, but Sari is an essential character since the club couldn’t exist in its current form without her as a teacher. She’s proven her worth to the club too, time and time again, especially in this episode by securing a spot in the Hanairo Festival after registration ended. And Sari has warmed up to the club itself, too. As she continues to spend more time with the girls, she’s become engrossed with yosakoi dance and has even practiced with the girls when she isn’t sexually harassing them. Sari might be the sixth most important character, at the very least, but she’s still an integral person to the club, the girls and the anime. I can understand why her name is not included in the title of the manga and anime, but I strongly believe her character has done enough to warrant a spot… you know, if the mangaka ever decided to change titles or make a sequel (can we get a sequel, please?) or something.

Glasslip (Episode 11)

Hina is the best character in Glasslip. No, it’s not because she’s a particularly great character but because everyone else is rather flat or tame as characters. Hina is the only character right now that brings any type of energy or performance to the screen. She provides value through her entertainment and quickly improves the scene through her humor. Everyone else in Glasslip is calm except for Touko. It’s like everyone is hiding their emotions or having trouble expressing them. And while it does work to prevent the anime from being overly dramatic or artificial, it just feels empty. That is to say, you’re not going to see characters bawling or fighting or overreacting in Glasslip (thank God), but you’re not going to see anything resembling drama either. And in this lackluster environment, Hina thrives as a character thanks to her bubbly personality and comic relief. It’s easy to see why Hina is the best character in Glasslip, though there isn’t much, if any, competition from the other cast members.

Barakamon (Episode 10)

Seishuu is a jerk for leaving like that.

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 11)

I particularly enjoy the development of Princess Asseylum. When the series started, she was naïve, idealistic and weak. She stood on the sidelines and watched. She talked, but her words had no weight. And at first, she was fine with that, wearing a disguise and pretending to be someone else – someone who wasn’t important. She figured they would end the war with her having minimal involvement (once they see that she’s still alive, they’d stop attacking, right?). But as the war dragged on and more and more lives were lost, Asseylum chose to change her ways. She wasn’t forced to change at this point, but chose to take a more active role in ending the war. He began to act like a princess instead of a pedestrian, and discarded her disguise. And as a result, her character began to develop a little, but she was still the naïve, idealistic and weak princess that we saw at the beginning of the series. Now, with the United Earth HQ being bombarded after her plea for peace was rejected, we’re seeing Asseylum experience genuine character growth. For the first time in the series, we see her become angry at the weakness of her character and the rejection of her ideals. She’s realizing now how little weight she has despite being in a position of power and that her longing for peace means nothing to the people around her. So she’s changing. She’s taking an active role in the story now. She’s even getting in a kataphrakt and heading out into active combat. Asseylum isn’t there yet, but you can see she’s getting there. And with a second season in the near future, we can hope to see more of this Asseylum rather than the one we saw throughout this first season. Unless, of course… you know… unless something happens in episode 12…

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 11)

Akame ga Kill! has a high turnover of its characters. People appear, people die, you move on to the next antagonist or nakama. Sheele and Bulat? Who? Don’t you mean Chelsea and Susanoo?

However, the question with any character that’s given a face, a name and a few lines is how well they serve a purpose in the series or how well they’re developed as characters. For Sheele and Bulat, we understood their role in the anime and had a couple minutes with their backstory to understand their motivation and purpose. And then that was it. For Dr. Stylish, we had even less. And for many other characters, they didn’t even last an episode. Is this adequate for these characters? Is what we’ve seen enough to make us feel bad for when Sheele and Bulat die or for us to feel satisfied when villains like Dr. Stylish dies? It’s hard to say given the massive number of characters and the limited time for each, but it feels like all these characters that keep appearing are a little empty. It’s like the series realizes a character will die soon so they go over their history to try to make them seem deep or complex. But that’s not really good storytelling or character development; in fact, in a series like Akame ga Kill!, it’s a harbinger of death or the opposite of how you want to develop a character. But then again, if these are all just throw-away characters, why even bother to develop them when they’re just gonna die anyway? I am torn on the subject because I want to learn more about each character, yet I know that 90% of the cast will be dead before the anime is over, and there’s no point in spending too much time on a person when they’re will only have a chance to impact the series for a few episodes. The happy medium, and what I truly want from the series, is better storytelling when trying to develop these characters and understanding how to better utilize each person early on rather than waiting for their final moments before adding purpose to their character. Really, the only one I’ve been happy with so far is Bulat, but his development as a character never really satisfied me, especially early on when all he was known for was being gay. Hopefully the series continues this pattern and begins to develop the characters early after their appearances since watching underdeveloped characters like those mentioned at the beginning of this post is never really substantial or noteworthy.

This post reviews: Terra Formars, Gundam Reconguista in G, Denki-Gai no Honya-san, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, Madan no Ou to Vanadis, and World Trigger.

As of right now, I am planning for four installments of my first impressions posts for Autumn 2014. Since the anime in these posts are always grouped by the dates they are released, four separate entries seems appropriate for a season this massive.

Watching:

Gundam Reconguista in G

The first episode of Gundam Reconguista in G failed to impress me, but it fulfilled the purpose of making it a Gundam anime by featuring in no particular order: a Gundam, a protagonist that’s an unlikely candidate to pilot said Gundam, conflict between space and Earth (presumably), mobile suits fighting, a romantic character (x2), and a mysterious character. What, no masked antagonist (or anti-hero)? Well, as the ending sequence promised, that necessary component will appear sometime soon. But really, the episode felt safe, and that the series wasn’t ready to take risks with its characters, story or setting just yet. The second episode, however, proved to be the deciding factor for my by developing those key aspects. Here, I was able to see what made this anime worthwhile and gave me a reason to continue watching. What I’ve enjoyed from Gundam anime in the past are the characters and the settings with the stories, the mecha fights and the visuals all secondary. The second episode helped me adjust to the main trio of characters, rather than focusing on the pseudo-military personnel, trainees and cheerleaders from the first episode. The world was also developed, and we saw more than just a space elevator, a couple of nuts (that’s the term they used!), space pirates and mobile suits. We began to learn more about their world, their conflict, and the politics involved. It is what I want from a Gundam anime. And while I do appreciate the distinctive art style, I can’t say I was too excited with the mecha fights or the story at this point. Still, this second episode was enough to convince me to keep watching, and that’s what I’ll do with Gundam Reconguista in G.

Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works

Even though this was just the prologue, episode 00, there is no question about my commitment to FSN: UBW. This is one of the few times where I have nothing negative to say about an anime without resorting to nitpicking details. What blew me away, and probably the single most exceptional trait of this first episode, is the prop design. Prop design refers to the objects that are used or included in an anime, such as chairs, tea cups, weapons, books, bento boxes, and magic circles, just to name a few. In Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, each prop had an exceptional number of details and effort, helping create environments that felt vibrant and life-life. The props each had a remarkable uniqueness to them, from the furniture in Rin’s living room to her tea set and again to Archer’s, Lancer’s, and Saber’s weapons. This is extraordinary, and it might be the best prop design I have ever seen in an anime. Oh, and the rest of the episode wasn’t bad, either. I would love to continue in that level of detail on other aspects of the anime, such as in the backgrounds, the fighting, and the characterization, but I’ll leave those topics to better writers who’ve already covered those subjects and write their posts on time (and the reason why I decided to do prop design is I doubt anyone cares about that as much as I do).

Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works impressed me in every category where I evaluate anime: art, characters, entertainment, setting, sound, and story. FSN: UBW might have the best visuals of the year thanks to its mature and powerful art style and its magnificent battle animation. The characterization felt genuine and human, and I already like Rin more than from my previous experiences with the Fate universe. The first episode was wildly entertaining, and the scenes that weren’t combat or comical were still engrossing and educating. The setting and the story are currently the weakest of these six categories, but those develop with time, and if my understanding of Fate/stay night is correct, I do not foresee any issues with either moving forward. Lastly, I found myself wholly impressed with the sound, not just the music that played in this episode, but also with the voice acting and sound effects. Time will tell if FSN: UBW will be the anime of the year or not, especially since it has some solid competition with my inane obsession with KILL la KILL, but this might be the anime to do it.

Undecided:

Nothing here, which means…

Dropped:

Terra Formars

What’s the point?

Denki-Gai no Honya-san

Denki-Gai no Honya-san is a simple anime about a normal teenage who inherits super magical powers has the love of his life fall on him from the sky discovers an ancient mecha robot that can finally defeat the aliens gets a part-time job at a manga store with a bunch of strange girls. It’s supposed to be a comedy centered around otaku or anime culture, but most of the humor was derived from the wacky character traits and not from the manga store. Sure, there were a few entertaining moments, like Sensei’s trip through the shrink wrap machine, but most of the humor was being a clumsy and shy girl, failing to meet a manga deadline and perverted or ecchi jokes. Been there, done that… and if I comedy isn’t going to entertain, what’s the point? The art style is nice, but it’s not really cute or charming since it makes these teenage girls look like their younger than the cast of Ichigo Mashimaro. Sensei was the only character to make me laugh, but she’s not strong enough to carry the show with on her own. And the manga shop setting was a distinguishing characteristic, but the first episode failed to utilize it to its advantage. Denki-Gai no Honya-san isn’t really worth it, especially with better comedies on the horizon.

Madan no Ou to Vanadis

There were some positives to Madan no Ou to Vanadis, but not enough to outweigh the negatives. The anime has a pretty appealing fantasy setting, which is what attracted me to this anime in the first place, and I enjoyed learning about the world and seeing the dynamics within Ellenora’s domain. But besides that… I think my initial thoughts on this anime would suffice, “[v]ery standard, very generic, very boring and not worth my time.” The art was substandard, the characters were one-dimensional, and the story uninteresting. At no time did I feel particularly interested, and the harem set-up and forced fanservice felt like cheap hooks as an attempt to develop an audience. Tigre was remarkably lackluster, and Ellen felt robotic, not even diplomatic, in her approach to Tigre, the man she’s supposedly in love with. And I don’t see the anime improving any time soon, especially as the harem develops and the number of ecchi scenes skyrockets over the next few episodes. If I can’t find a single reason for watching an anime, what’s the point? Dropped.

World Trigger

Back in my preview for the Autumn 2014 anime season, I originally tagged this anime as a generic shounen anime. Now, after watching the first episode, I feel the need to apologize to generic shounen anime; at least generic shounen anime have decent characters and satisfying action. World Trigger couldn’t even meet those needs, not by a long shot. The first episode was a complete waste, never getting better than tedious and unpleasant, and only telling me a story I’ve heard a thousand times before from better anime. The two main characters were unlikable and failed to exhibit anything that resembled a personality, and I would probably use the same words to describe the setting, too. I found nothing of value in this first anime, and have no plans of even finishing the first episode. Again, I ask the same question that I’ve asked the previous three anime: what’s the point? If there’s nothing there to make this anime worth watching, what’s the point?

This post reviews: Magic Kaito 1412, Cross Ange, Sora no Method, Grisaia no Kajitsu, Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis, and Gugure! Kokkuri-san.

As I expected, it looks to be another busy season with a number of shows meeting or exceeding my expectations. This post will give you an idea of the predicament I am facing, and the fact that I may need to drop decent anime to manage everything this autumn.

Watching:

Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis

Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis is an anime with an undeniably distinctive and appreciated personality. Not only does the anime look original, but it feels innovative too, in its writing, characters and setting. The picturesque fantasy backgrounds, both interiors and landscapes, are marvelous, and it’s the perfect backdrop for a story about bounty hunters, demon summoning, and the ability to turn criminals into cards for whatever reason. Favaro is a remarkable protagonist, and the other characters introduced thus far are pretty decent, too, though not on the same level as our hero right now. The story is a little thin at this point, which isn’t abnormal, and there’s certain to be more as the introduction blatantly told us there’ll be an ambitious battle at the end with a massive dragon. Call it a hunch, but I’m guessing the dragon’s name is Fluffy Hugs. Bahamut is my second guess. The mature art style, especially the character designs, are strangely appealing to me and help the anime step apart, and step above, most of the other anime this season. After one episode, my primary curiosities are about how well these characters will be developed, how interesting or engaging the story will be, and if the animation can remain this superb throughout. However, those are details for down the road and my decision right now is one of the simplest of the season. Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis will likely be one of the best anime this season, and I am thrilled to be watching it this autumn.

Gugure! Kokkuri-san

You know an anime is effective when in the middle of it, I stop and ponder the compulsory question, “when was the last time I watched a pure comedy that was this good?” The answer? Well, we’ll have to wait and see how Gugure! Kokkuri-san performs throughout the season, but if this delightful anime is anywhere near the comic genius that this episode demonstrated, Kokkuri-san will quickly be one of my favorite pure comedies of all-time. And considering that comedy is my favorite genre, that’s quite an accomplishment. What makes this anime outstanding compared to the other comedies this season is how well it presents its characters, how it manages its chemistry between Kohina and Kokkuri and how everything feels balanced. No one character dominates the humor at this point, which is often what happens in comedy anime with a manzai style. What helps is that the roles are fluid in Kokkuri-san; Kohina and Kokkuri alternate between the roles of tsukkomi and boke frequently, so the humor is not controlled by one character and each scene feels fresh and humorous. It keeps you guessing and helps prevent the show from being saturated by one character and their brand of entertainment. It also helps that the jokes are well written and that the director of the anime is bringing them to life through ideal timing and seamless delivery. Furthermore, the art is adorable and endearing, especially with Kohina as a chibi character most of the time. It kinda reminds me of Kill Me Baby which might be the best thing I can say about this anime at this point. This is a no-brainer for me this season, and I passionately recommend that everyone give this anime a chance.

Undecided:

Magic Kaito 1412

Of the four anime in this category, Magic Kaito 1412 is the most likely to be dropped. The reason why it hasn’t been dropped yet is because the first episode felt unique compared to what the rest of the series will be. This episode did well in establishing the characters, introducing the story, and creating a motive for Kaito. The rest of the series, however, will likely be adventures-of-the-week where Kaito must steal something or do something as he inches closer to his mysterious father’s death (despite the fact that the shadowy figure he saw at the end is probably his father). And while this episode content works well for shows like Lupin III or Detective Conan, two shows that I’ve enjoyed, it feels like it will be hit-or-miss with this show. Sure, the first episode was fun and I am fond of the cast… but that’s about it. In fact, my least favorite part was the theft at the end since it felt very predictable and methodical. And based on my impressions of Magic Kaito 1412 thus far, that’s what I’m expecting the series to be for the majority of its duration. The reason why Magic Kaito 1412 hasn’t been dropped yet is that I want to confirm my suspicions by watching the second episode. There’s always the possibility that I’m wrong about this anime, and I believe it deserves a fair chance after having a respectable first episode. Another feeling I have with Magic Kaito 1412 is that if I had more time to watch anime this season, then I wouldn’t be having this internal debate. Unfortunately, one of the problems with watching so many anime is the necessary task of budgeting my time appropriately and dropping good anime that I don’t think I’ll enjoy as much as the others. For now, Magic Kaito 1412 is one of those anime, but it has a chance to prove itself with one more episode.

Cross Ange

Sunrise employee #1: “Say, you know what… Geass is popular. Valvrave is popular. And porn is popular. You know what I’m thinking?…”

Sunrise employee #2: “…go on…”

Sunrise employee #1: “I’m thinking we should combine all three together and make the most popular anime ever! And we can call it ‘Gea Rave Porn’!”

Sunrise employee #2: “I. LOVE. IT! Not the name… but the idea. The concept. The money that we’ll be showering in. Oh, and let’s add dragons. Everyone loves dragons, right?”

Sunrise employee #1: “Oh my God, this is going to be amazing! Everyone is going to love this anime. I don’t see how anything could possibly go wrong.”

Well… there’s quite a bit wrong with Cross Ange: Tenshi to Ryuu no Rondo. For starters, the anime is over-the-top, but not in the good way. Previous Sunrise anime like Code Geass and Kakumeiki Valvrave were over-the-top in a silly and pointless way, and it helped make these shows ridiculous and fun. They added to the enjoyment of these anime and helped make those shows memorable. Cross Ange is over-the-top, too, but not in the same context. Rather than being silly with its setting and characters, Cross Ange is over-the-top in its melodrama, and this causes the anime to feel strained and uncomfortable. The anime desperately wants to be edgy and in-your-face, but it doesn’t know how. Cross Ange thinks that stripping nude and violating the former princess Angelize will build context to her story and develop her character through the harsh reality of their world. But there are hundreds of better ways of doing this through legitimate forms of drama, especially since that embarrassing scene only accomplished showing us how far she’s fallen as a character. Except it didn’t… and it didn’t add anything of value or help establish how the world is shit which was already sufficiently accomplished with the military police taking the norma baby away or the death of Angelize’s mother. In fact, this over-the-top melodrama had the opposite effect with me, as I found a number of these scenes to be hilarious… as in hilariously bad. So then why hasn’t the anime been dropped yet?

The reason why I’m continuing Cross Ange, for now, is that I want to see where Cross Ange goes from here. This first episode was spent exclusively on establishing the setting, Ange’s great demise, and hinting that future episodes will promise gorgeous mecha battles (fanservice) against dragons (fanservice) while sexy heroines (fanservice) wear skimpy outfits that maximize their cleavage and highlight their asses (I’m not sure but that might be fanservice, too). The first episode is barely a representation of the series as a whole as we’ve only seen one character, Ange. The majority of the cast for the majority of the story was stranded on this island – probably posing nude or bathing or interlocked in sexual poses the whole time – so we really can’t critique the cast besides Ange and maybe her maid, Momoka. Currently, the story of the anime, presumptively Ange’s growth as a character and involving her experiences learning about the normas, their oppressed lives and the world in which they live, actually sounds like a pretty solid story. In fact, if this happens, Cross Ange might have one of my favorite stories of the year since I’m fond of stories like that. So with that in mind, I doubt the first episode really represents the series moving forward. It is important to note, however, that the series will still contain too much of over-the-top melodrama, which I ranted about in the above paragraph. Another concern with this anime that we saw in the first episode and is likely to persist in the series is the ecchi fanservice. Sometimes, ecchi fanservice can be a dealbreaker for me, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as some of the other anime I’ve watched or blogged. And that’s one thing I’ll give the anime credit for… it knows it wants to be ecchi and isn’t hiding it. It’s shameless in how it includes boobs and panties in every scene… and I was fine with that for the entire first episode until the princess was raped at the end. Also, I think we have enough evidence that the the art, animation and music will be well above-average for Cross Ange.

What I need to see from the second episode of Cross Ange is there to be some progress and some value to the anime. I want Cross Ange to start building up Ange’s character, to introduce the cast of other normas who pilot these mecha, and for the anime to tone down its edgy, in-your-face attitude. I can live with ecchi fanservice and can tolerate mild amounts of melodrama, but I want to see the anime move in a positive direction with episode two. I am fairly confidence and optimistic about the anime moving forward, and I anticipate picking it up for good soon, but I felt the need to voice my concerns, especially since they’ll be the foundation for my rational for dropping this anime if it fails to improve.

Sora no Method

Sora no Method had a solid first episode, but it ended up here due to one primary cause. The issue with Sora no Method at this point is that is lacks substance and purpose. Then again, just about every other anime does, but Sora no Method failed to establish what the series will eventually be about. Every other aspect of this anime is a strong positive – from the art, to the characters, to the setting. In fact, there’s already a lengthy list of reasons on why I want to continue watching this anime since I enjoyed the first episode throughout. But right now, I don’t really see any material or any meaning to what’s going on thus far, and I’m questioning whether the positive I’ve seen can carry this anime for an entire series. I know that as we continue, we’ll eventually get a substance and a story, but I can’t say that I’m entirely enthused with what’s transpired thus far and what the plot of this anime might be. I’ll likely end up keeping this anime based on the positives everywhere else, especially with the magnificent backgrounds, the charming cast of characters, the intriguing setting, and the cute art style. However, this anime could eventually be dropped if the story is uninteresting or tedious and I run into issues of budgeting my time every week, especially if there are better ‘Undecideds’ as more of these new anime debut this week.

Grisaia no Kajitsu

I’m not a tsundere (at least, I don’t think I am), but I have conflicting and contrasting feelings about this anime after one episode. Part of me was seriously awestruck with Grisaia no Kajitsu while the other half was severely disappointed. I am extremely impressed with the visuals of this anime, especially with its cinematography, its use of soft light, and its animation. Michiru’s introduction completely blew me away with how well it was animated and how we saw her energy visually and how alive her character was. That sequence of brilliant animation and cute reactions were almost enough to convince me to keep this anime, and I’m hoping we continue to see scenes like that with her character in every episode. The cinematography was encouraging with its shot selection, keeping the visuals in many of the scenes diverse, utilizing a number of different angles and making the anime more than just talking anime faces. The ecchi fanservice wasn’t bad either, though you always wonder if it’ll increase or decreases as the series progresses. To summarize, the sights and sounds of this anime are reason enough for me to pick up this anime, but the other half of me, the one that evaluates the content and meaning of the anime, strongly disagrees. The other half was dissatisfied with the substance of this first episode and discouraged by its cast. The story of the episode failed to excite me since it was comprised entirely of clichéd character introductions. The story should improve, but the first episode failed to impress me here. The character themselves all seem very primary and flat at this point, though the final minute hinted some degree of complexity or depth with each of the girls displaying some hint to the deep, dark secrets they’re hiding. Still, it doesn’t help that each girl is just one of the five standard archetypes of almost every eroge’s harem and that the main character is devoid of any quality. Then again, this anime is based off a successful eroge, so I suppose I can’t fault the anime too much here. Still, there are a number of faults with Grisaia no Kajitsu, and I want to see how the anime improves upon these areas before committing to this anime for good. For now, Grisaia no Kajitsu is here, but it stands a decent chance of being picked up if it manages to stimulate my brain rather than my eyes and ears.

Dropped:

Nothing was dropped from this list, though that should change after I finish watching the first episodes of everything this season and decide which needs to be cut.

This post reviews: Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de, Amagi Brilliant Park, Nanatsu no Taizai, Akatsuki no Yona, and Trinity Seven.

I am unsure if I will include any of the ‘undecided’ anime in my Weekly Anime posts until I agree to pick them up for good. This should quicken the process in which the first one comes out, though you can probably still expect it to come out weeks late like everything else here.

Watching:

Amagi Brilliant Park

Kyoto Animation hasn’t made a good anime since Hyouka. Will Amagi Brilliant Park break this negative trend or mediocrity for KyoAni? Maybe. There’s a chance, but nothing I’ve seen so far warrants listing this anime among KyoAni’s top tier anime. However, this will probably my favorite KyoAni anime since Hyouka aired in 2014 due to a handful of reasons.

If the first episode of Amagi Brilliant Park is any dependable gauge for how the series will perform, then there is no question I will be entertained. The comedy in Amagi Brilliant Park was outstanding, frequently producing a smile or laughter. The effectiveness of the comedy can be derived from two main aspects: the content and the delivery of the jokes. The decrepit and decaying amusement park, with a list of problems that never stops growing, was a constant source of delight (for me) because of how awful and disappointing everything was. As for the delivery, Isuzu’s deadpan technique worked wonders when combined with the outrageous theme park, and her style reminds me of Senjougahara from the Monogatari franchise, a character whom I am extremely fond of. The remainder of the cast played well, too, with Seiya and Isuzu having flawless chemistry and the minor characters contributing when necessary, such as the four elemental fairies. And though I hardly ever care about the plot in comedies, I am actually absorbed in this story and about how Seiya plans to save the dilapidated amusement park. As for the art and animation, Kyoto Animation has always been one of the more dazzling and impressive anime studios, and you can see the superb quality and detail in Amagi Brilliant Park.

However, I do have some concerns with Amagi Brilliant Park moving forward, specifically with how they improve the theme park. Although I expect a similar level and style of comedy throughout the series, I did find a primary source of delight from this episode being directly caused by how rundown the park was. I mean, once they improve the rollercoasters, the mascots are competent and the park is making money… the content of humor from the first episode will be completely gone.  Another potential problem is that the anime felt more like Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! than Nichijou.  One of those is one of my favorite comedies, and the other isn’t.  I’ll let you guess which one is which.  Still, I have confidence in the anime, and am looking forward to more Amagi Brilliant Park this season.

Undecided:

Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de

Another comedy anime, Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de barely accomplished the primary objective of keeping me entertained, but failed to satisfy me in a number of other areas. Of course, I’ve always claimed, ‘if a comedy can make me laugh, why not keep it?’, so why the contradiction here? Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de felt fine as a basic comedy anime, but it was lacking in other essential categories, especially in terms of its characters and its story. Additionally, the humor, for the most part, was broad and rudimentary, never really building on itself or working with its characters to create complex jokes on its situation. It’s another anime that’s too focused on the main character’s chuunibyou and other anime stereotypes, so I’m unsure if the comedy will continue on this trajectory. In fact, I’d say the comedy failed until Student Council President Kudou showed up. She’s really the only character I immediately liked, which doesn’t bode well for the anime when she’s not on screen… which probably will be most of the series. At least the art and animation are stylish and pleasing, so there’s no problem with how the series looks. The visuals of the superpowers were perhaps the most impressive, though I found the consistent art style throughout to be charming. As for the setting, I found their situation to be amusing. I found the idea of a world where the characters develop superpowers and use them to play with each other (rather than fighting evil people) to be unique and appealing, so I was taken back a bit when the series hinted at the story being about the literature club fighting other people (besides Kudou) and learning the origins of their superpowers. To summarize, I am a bit torn on the series, and I want to see if the series can make me smile or laugh when Kudou isn’t on the screen. If the anime can manage to amuse me or even interest me with its main cast, then it should be worth picking up for the season.

Akatsuki no Yona

Shoujo romcoms are often a weakness of mine, so it might be surprising to see Akatsuki no Yona here in this section. The primary reason is that the first episode doesn’t feel indicative of the rest of the series, since it was building the foundation for Yona, Hak and Yoon’s characters before the Kingdom of Kouka was turned upside-down. Or to put it simply, the next 11 episodes aren’t going to be about Yona living as a spoiled princess in her comfortable castle. Really, I have no idea what the dynamic or story of the series will be from episode 2 onward. However, I do have a great understanding of the characters, the setting, the style of humor, the romantic interests and the visuals. Each of these categories is at adequate or above, though none are notable or extraordinary at this point, so there are no issues there if I do continue this anime. However, I am uncertain about how the rest of the series will play out and whether I find issues with the characterization, the story, or any other aspect of the series. I was pleased with the first episode, but I don’t feel as though the first episode represents the rest of the series, and I can’t be sure if I’ll enjoy Akatsuki no Yona based on this one episode. If I enjoy the second episode, then I feel confidence that I will enjoy the anime as a whole.

Dropped:

Nanatsu no Taizai

With a surplus of fantasy anime this season, it’s no surprise that one or two would be cut. However, even if there were no other fantasy anime this season, I would not be watching Nanatsu no Taizai. The issues with this anime stem from a few key areas, such as the unlikable main character, Meliodas, the lackluster setting, the unimaginative story, the woeful writing, and the awkward groping (and here I thought anime was done with stupid groping scenes). In fact, the art style, which I found to be subpar, was the best part of this anime. I really could not find a single aspect about this anime that made it worth watching. Not a single positive to take away from this first episode. Well, I suppose I did find one afterwards… that I don’t have to watch Nanatsu no Taizai anymore.

Trinity Seven

With a surplus of fantasy magic/superpowers anime this season, it’s no surprise that one or two would be cut. However, even if there were no other fantasy magic/superpowers anime this season, I would not be watching Nanatsu no Taizai Trinity Seven. The issues with this anime stem from a few key areas, such as the unlikable main character, Meliodas Arata, the lackluster setting, the unimaginative story, the woeful writing, and the awkward groping (and here I thought anime was done with stupid groping scenes). In fact, the art style, which I found to be subpar, was the best part of this anime. I really could not find a single aspect about this anime that made it worth watching. Not a single positive to take away from this first episode. Well, I suppose I did find one afterwards… that I don’t have to watch Nanatsu no Taizai Trinity Seven anymore.

This post reviews: Parasyte (Kiseijuu), Garo: Honoo no Kokuin, Shirobako, Ore Twintail ni Narimasu and Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso.

One anime that won’t be appearing in these First Impressions posts is Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru. The first episode will air on October 17 making it the one of the last anime to premiere this season (the other being Mushishi Zoku Shou 2). I don’t want to wait another week just to fit that anime into this First Impressions post, so I will forego it for now and see whether I want to keep it or not this season. I doubt I will write about it weekly, unless it provides interesting or valuable content each week, so you probably won’t hear much about Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru here… especially if I end up dropping it.

Watching:

Parasyte (Kiseijuu)

I am conflicted with Parasyte. The downside of the anime thus far is that it strongly resembles Tokyo Ghoul, an anime from last season that failed to impress me outside some sequences of exquisite visuals. The two share similarities in its main character developing some strange mutant powers and fighting others for survival. In that regard, I am not enthusiastic with Parasyte. However, there are a handful of substantial variances between the two that easily puts Parasyte above Tokyo Ghoul. The most noteworthy is that it is already delivering in its coherent focus on the paranormal and psychological horror of Shinichi’s life… as aspect that I yearned for in Tokyo Ghoul that never materialized. Parasyte’s story revolves around Shinichi’s character and how he’s dealing with Migi living in his hand instead of focusing on the fight with the other alien inside the dog. It exemplifies that the battle was not the story, but that it part of the story expressing the ruthlessness of these aliens. And it did a pretty damn good job of expressing that in that scene, too. There is also a sense of horror and psychological distress present in Parasyte that makes the anime attractive, too. Again, I don’t want to continue comparing this to Tokyo Ghoul, but that aspect quickly disappeared and devolved into senseless, mindless action and violence and nothing more in Ghoul. The same might happen here in Parasyte, but at least there was an effort to the horror that makes me feel more confident in Parasyte. And the disconnect between Shinichi and Migi will help emphasize the horror more, since his little hand alien is largely out of his control. Really, there remains a lot to be seen in this anime, but for now, I am positive with this anime based on what was shown in this first episode. I can’t say I am fond of Shinichi’s character thus far, but I am fond of the situation he’s in, how it will test his character and how he will impact the story moving forward. I have no qualms with the art or animation, especially since this is one of the better ones this season, but I do have uncertainties elsewhere. However, my reservations with the rest of the cast, the other aliens and future fights are questions for the future and not of my initial impressions with this anime. For now, I have a positive outlook for Parasyte and am picking it up as an anime to keep this autumn.

Shirobako

Shirobako had a solid first episode thanks essentially due to the contrast in Aoi’s character then and now. When she was a member in the animation club in high school, we saw an idealistic and enthusiastic young girl who loved anime and wanted to fulfill her passion by creating anime. She and her four other friends in the animation club felt the same way, speaking about their dreams of working in the anime industry and even producing their own short anime for their cultural fair. We were able to witness the untainted love and energy of anime fans who want to work in the anime industry. Fast-forward to the present, and Aoi is an animation runner (much like Animation Runner Kuromi) for Musashino Animation, a small studio that earned its first anime as a prime contractor in seven years. Yeah… the real world can be quite a bit different than our fantasies. However, the subdued reality of her situation hasn’t dented Aoi’s enthusiasm or passion for anime, so it’s enjoyable to see how her character manages in such an unappealing situation. And the realistic problems that occurred in the first episode fascinated to me as a viewer, especially since the first episode was highly educational without succumbing to teaching us lessons or giving us lectures; it thought through example and practice. And, as always with the anime I keep, the art and animation are pluses. I am curious to see where the anime goes, especially with how the other three girls connect to the anime, so I am excited to keep this anime for the season.

Undecided:

Garo: Honoo no Kokuin

Garo has a fascinating setting, a fantasy realm where the kingdom pursuits and tortures witches, where witches hunt demons to save humanity, and where demons prey on the kingdom to fulfill their beastly desires. Add in a pleasant and unique art style with a liberal use of color and mature character design and you have an ideal anime for me, right? …Right? Well, right now, I like Garo more than I dislike it, but I never feel in love with the series despite being one of the most imaginative settings of the season. For one, the characterization was surprisingly lacking with virtually nothing on Leon or Alfonso, supposedly the hero and primary antagonist of the story. It’s hard to say how much I like an anime when two of the most essential characters are absent, though we did see Leon for a fight that was mesmerizing to watch but pedestrian in its tension (a fight against the hero in the last two minutes of an episode isn’t really a fight to begin with). As for the story, there really isn’t even one right now as most of the content in this episode was Herman’s exposition in the anime’s backstory and history while he was drunk and naked in bed. It’s really hard to make a proper judgment on the anime when most of the episode was focused on establishing the foundation of the setting and laying out the blueprints for the story. I will admit that there was one thing that bothered me which was the 3D CGI armor and the fights with the 3D CGI armor. It clashes with that gorgeous art style of the background and characters way too much. While I don’t mind seeing CGI characters for anime set in the present, the future or in space… it just doesn’t work out well for a medieval-fantasy setting. I think I’ll be able to make up my mind on this anime after one more episode, so long as it provides enough time with Leon and Alfonso to better understand if I enjoy their characters or not. The story also leaves me wondering too, thought it won’t make or break the series like its characters will.

Dropped:

Ore Twintail ni Narimasu

This is what happens when you write an anime about your favorite fetish. There was nothing more to this anime than the distinctiveness in its unhealthy mania with twintails. Virtually every aspect of the anime was about twintails, whether it was the fact that almost every girl has twintails or that every guy obsesses about twintails. And while I do like twintails on certain characters, I don’t like them this much, and I need something more to an anime than just a specific hairstyle for girls on every girl. Ore Twintail ni Narimasu couldn’t provide me any valuable content, so it is dropped.

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso isn’t a bad anime… it’s just not an anime for me. For me to watch or enjoy a romance, almost everything needs to be perfect: from the characters to the setting to the story to the emotion and so on. Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso fulfills only a few of those criteria for me, so it shouldn’t be surprising to learn I feel virtually nothing toward this anime. The only character I genuinely enjoyed was Tsubaki and her character is destined to be forever in second-place thanks to Kaori’s sudden apperance. Kaori was okay, but her comedy failed to tickle me even the slightest. Kousei was doleful and lackluster as a lead character, probably because his chronic dysthymia brought the whole episode down whenever he was on screen. I realize the anime is about him improving his mood and becoming a better person as he falls in love, so the story appeals to me. But like with every school-setting, romantic comedy anime before it, there’s a guarantee in unnecessary drama, a love-triangle, and rival love interests that frustrates me to no end.  Lastly, the musical themes don’t strike a cord with me as I have virtually zero experience playing music or knowing people who do.  I will say that Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso had one of the most remarkable visuals of this young season, so there’s no doubt that this anime will be great to look at for those who watch it. But for me, it won’t matter since I know I won’t be watching it.

This week: why episode 13 of Yama no Susume Second Season might be the best episode of anime of 2014, distress and worry that Psycho-Pass 2 will be a fanservice anime or a shell of its former self, examining why the melee choreography of the fights of Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works are so enjoyable, and concerns over the evolving comedy in Amagi Brilliant Park.

Best episode of the week (and maybe even the year): Yama no Susume Second Season

Anime trending up this week: Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works

Anime trending down this week: Psycho-Pass 2

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 15)

The storytelling is unbalanced in Akame ga Kill!, which results in some episodes being mind-numbingly boring, like episode 15. The issue with this episode is that there was a huge infodump in the middle where all that happened was dense backstory, brief character exposition, and laying out the plan for the next giant battle. Of course, with all that out of the way, the next episode or two will be nothing but pure action and fanservice… nothing more than sensational battles, charming comedy, and sexy female characters. It’s a trade-off I often dislike in anime, where one episode sacrifices itself by being all story-centric to make the other episodes around it more entertaining. To be honest, I enjoy an anime more when the two aspects are integrated together rather than isolated like this. However, to me, Akame ga Kill! is an anime where the story and characters are secondary to the entertainment, so I can tolerate such a trade-off provided that the fighting/fanservice episodes are significantly more enjoyable than the tedious and lackluster story-centric or character-centric episodes. This episode wasn’t the worst in the series, especially since it recovered at the end with the promise of a colossal battle between members of Night Raid and Jaegers, but I want to see shows integrate their material better instead of being bipolar like this.

Amagi Brilliant Park (Episode 2)

So… the comedy has slumped. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised since I predicted this in my First Impressions post for Amagi Brilliant Park, but the sudden drop-off between episode 1 and episode 2 is somewhat shocking. Don’t misinterpret what I mean here… Amagi Brilliant Park is still amusing and featured a number of witty or hilarious jokes, but it just wasn’t the same caliber or quality that we saw in the first episode when we saw the incredibly shitty amusement park for the first time. Additionally, this episode focused primarily on developing the foundation for the story by elaborating on the dire situation of Maple Land’s inhabitants and introducing an antagonist, Chris Tucker Kurisu Takaya. Again, that’s not to say that Amagi Brilliant Park is bad or that it’s on the wrong track – honestly, I believe it’s moving in the right direction with this episode – it’s just that the comedy changed so quickly between episodes that I feel a little lost. There is hope for me, however, that my ideal humor will continue in subsequent episodes with the various employees needing to fix up the park for its patrons. I can see that brand or style of humor continuing for a majority of the series as the amusement park struggles in its miserable, decrepit state, so hopefully this situation can salvage the rich and robust comedy from the first episode. If not, I’m sure I’ll enjoy Amagi Brilliant Park just fine… just maybe not as much as I hoped I would.

Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (Episode 1)

A successful fight in anime depends on competency in a collection of basic areas: animation/cinematography, choreography, intensity/emotion, originality/innovative, and significance to the characters or story. The fights seen thus far in Fate/stay night have been exemplary in each of these categories. However, what I want to focus on in this review is the truly remarkable choreography (and a bit of cinematography) in these sequences. The two major fights that we’ve seen thus far have featured melee combat, meaning the two sides are fighting with weapons at close range. A majority of anime will often depict these fights as turn-based, where we see the actions of one character first and then the reaction of the other as separate shots. To contrast this, FSN has selected the majority of its shots to feature both of the characters on the screen at the same time, meaning the two components of melee fighting – action and reaction – are performed together at the same time more often than not. What is challenging about this method of choreography is that in these fights it requires the two sides to be in constant motion and to constantly be reacting to the movement or actions of their opponent. In other words, the choreography must be fluid between the two, especially since FSN wants to show the two characters on screen at the same time (it is worth noting there is a significant association between choreography and cinematography here). However, FSN is brilliant in this regard and each fight features choreography that is both elegance and marvelous, which deeply appeals to me as a viewer. The style of choreography that we’ve seen in these first couple episodes is an obstacle for any anime, especially with the given shot selection of FSN. However, FSN has been truly extraordinary here and has given us some breathtaking moments already. I can only hope we see this pattern continue with melee combat since the fights that we’ve seen thus far have been genuinely astonishing.

Gundam Reconguista in G (Episode 3)

I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen (or ever paid attention to) a toilet being in the cockpit of a mecha. We saw the pilot’s chair convert to a toilet twice in this episode, with Klim and Bellri both using this unique feature. I never considered it before, but it makes sense to have such a facility onboard a mobile suit given how long these fighters might be stuck in these machines. And after thinking about that predicament, I can’t help but wonder what happens in all the other mecha anime I’ve watched…

Hitsugi no Chaika: Avenging Battle (Episode 1)

The first season of Chaika needed more Chaikas. Simple fact. No questions asked. Three Chaikas is a start, but it was definitely not enough. With the first episode of the second season of Hitsugi no Chaika formally introducing to us a new Chaika (Vivi), I can see that Chaika is finally addressing its most glaring weakness. Hopefully, we’ll be introduced to the twin Chaikas (the pair wearing black on the cover of the eighth volume of the light novel) soon, in order to increase the Chaika density. Oh, and if other characters turn out to be Chaikas, too, that’d also be great. In fact, I’m hoping that by the end of the series, everyone is a Chaika. Could you imagine how good this anime would be if there were a hundred Chaikas running around? But even then, that still might not be enough. However, the point is that Chaika is still adding Chaikas to the series… and that’s never a bad thing for an anime like this.

Parasyte (Kiseijuu) (Episode 1)

How does Migi fashion itself into metal objects with just Shinichi’s hand? Where does this metal come from? It’s not like this metal is naturally within Shinichi, where Migi just simply rearranges the anatomy of the hand to produce sharp metal in the exterior. No, it’s like Migi is taking the organic material of Shinichi somehow turning it into metal… and then back into a normal, fully-functional hand when it’s through. And while we’re on this subject… how does Migi talk when it doesn’t have lungs? And why would it even have lungs if its entire circulatory system is connected to Shinichi’s? Oh, I knew I shouldn’t have considered real-world anatomy and physiology with this anime… or really… any anime (especially most of my favorites).

Psycho-Pass 2 (Episode 1)

One might argue that Gen Urobuchi is overrated as a writer, but the first episode of Psycho-Pass without him was both worrying and frustrating. It was a resounding disappointment, a plunge from the first season, and Psycho-Pass is now devolving into a soulless, fanservice anime. Wait… fanservice anime? Yes, I mean fanservice in the sense that the content of this episode was meant to be eye-candy for the fans and nothing more.

Purposeless action and gratuitous explosions for the sake of action and explosions? Check.

A deadpan and stern Akane who is now intended to be the badass of the group (who now poses every so often)? Check.

No relevant narrative, questionable writing and superficial characterization? Check.

Check, check and check… sounds like a fanservice anime to me. But don’t get me wrong, as I, too, enjoy genuinely good action… but not like this and never in an anime like Psycho-Pass. There always needs to be a sense of meaning or purpose; otherwise, it comes across as emotionless and self-serving. Contrast this with the first episode of the original season of Psycho-Pass where we witness Akane’s idealistic humanitarian and utilitarian values challenged when Kougami exploded the criminal and Akane immediately disciplined Kougami. Where was the relevant characterization in this episode? Or even easier, what was the purpose of this episode? And bloody hell, what happened to Akane, too? She was the only character to retain her humanistic qualities following the first season of Psycho-Pass. Her character was much livelier, altruistic and enthusiastic during the first season… even smiling and humble in the epilogue of the finale. Now she’s some cold, unsympathetic badass? Are we just going to ignore all her characterization, her maturity and complexity as a person and completely rewrite her to be the champion of some in-your-face action series?

I had my reservations about the second season of Psycho-Pass when I learned that Gen Urobuchi was being replaced by Tow Ubukata. I figured the series would dip with a sequel given that two-thirds of the genius from S1 are now missing (Kougami and Makishima), but I figured that the anime would continue to build from its setting and introduce a new story that challenged Akane’s philosophy again. What I didn’t expect was for her characterization to be ignored and dismissed, and rewritten to be someone she isn’t in a shallow and simplistic anime that just so happens to be set in the same world as Psycho-Pass. What made Psycho-Pass one of my favorite anime is that it had genuine character development, expressive and scholarly dialogue, and an exciting plot that challenged the philosophies of its three primary characters. There was none of this in the first episode of Psycho-Pass 2, and I have a grim feeling that these elements will be forgotten for the sake of action and badass-ery. I pray that this first episode is a fluke and was scripted to thrill or entice the fans of the franchise… but dismal garbage like this had the opposite effect for me.

Shirobako (Episode 1)

There’s just something about a work-place setting in anime that greatly appeals to me. It doesn’t necessarily need to involve adults, like Shirobako graciously ensures, and it doesn’t necessarily need to be at work full-time either, say splitting its time evenly between work and school. It’s just a setting that has grown on me more and more in recent years. Now that doesn’t mean that every anime with a work-place setting is worth watching, with Denki-Gai no Honya-san being a perfect example, but there seems to be a better chance of me watching and enjoying an anime in some employment setting than most others.

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 13)

Up there with Ping Pong the Animation episode 10 and Space Dandy S2 episode 3 is Yama no Susume Second Season episode 13 for best anime episode of the year. Unlike the preceding two anime which need no introduction, Yama no Susume Second Season seems to be relatively anonymous or disregarded as an anime this season. A few quick searches confirm this claim, and they reveal a nominal amount of discussion or dialogue on the series. However, it’s obscurity as an anime has no correlation to its quality or its entertainment (or its education about mountaineering!), and the thirteenth episode was easily one of the most inspiring and satisfying episodes of the year.

What made this episode so outstanding, so remarkable is that it felt complete despite its multifaceted story and its phenomenal characterization. The episode successfully integrated three separate plots – star-gazing, firefly watching and Aoi and Hinata getting lost as children – into one coherent story where each element has a significant impact on the other. The episode was magnificent in how it personified Aoi and Hinata, how they thought about each other, how they acted around each other and showed the strength of their friendship, both in the past and in the present. The visuals was exceptional and truly paramount for a series of this nature, featuring a diversity of aesthetics that range from oil pastels (how often can you say that about an anime?), to a detailed, cartoony style and back to the traditional/moe art style but at a much higher quality and excellence than normal. Everything about this episode was perfect, far exceeding even my wildest imagination for this anime and delivering an episode that is captivating, charming and exceptionally beautiful. I could not recommend this episode enough, even to outsiders of the franchise who know nothing else about the series besides these two short paragraphs. Please watch this episode since it is one of the most incredible and gratifying episodes of the year.

Every time I attend Sakura-Con, I experience something new. During my first visit, the friends, panels and convention itself stood out to me the most. For my second trip, the social interactions were the most memorable of my experiences, though I knew what to expect and was able to manage my time better. This year, however, I did not actively plan out any new activities or experiences, and mainly rested on the idea to just see my friends again, buy some more art books, and take it easy. However, the most memorable experience for me during Sakura-Con 2014 was something I never anticipated…

When reviewing the panels this year, a particular name stood out to me from the list of special guests: Hiroshi Nagahama. Among his many famous works as a director was one anime that I highly anticipated for the Spring anime season: Mushishi Zoku Shou. Yes, the director of an anime currently airing in Japan was scheduled to visit for the weekend… and it just so happened that one of his panels was specific to Mushishi. I was not alone in this anticipation as the majority of my friends were enthralled in the prospect of hearing Hiroshi Nagahama talk about a beloved and cherished anime. So the stage was set for one of my highlights for Sakura-Con 2014, friends, anime, and the director who makes it all… but what I anticipated would be, something akin to the Puella Magi Madoka Magica panel with writer Gen Urobuchi and producer Iwakami Atsuhiro or the Psycho-Pass panel with producer George Wada and directors Naoyoshi Shiotani and Katsuyuki Motohiro, was not. No, instead, Hiroshi Nagahama had something much more grandiose and magnificent planned.

Rather than a standard Q&A session, Hiroshi brought with him the next episode of Mushishi Zoku Shou. At that time, the third episode of Mushishi Zoku Shou had yet to air, but he was able to bring with him a copy that was broadcasted to the attendees of the panel. Of course, the episode was not subtitled in English, but it was a remarkable and exceptional experience. Unlike most anime, where I watch them alone on my small computer screen, constantly battling distractions and taking screenshots, I was able to watch an anime among friends, on a large silverscreen without needing to worry about anything else in the world. But what stood out to me the most was Hiroshi’s commentary throughout the episode, where he described his work and the production process behind the episode. On specific shots, he would enlighten us to how they created the effect of the snow or the choice of sound effects. Others, he explained his emotions when reviewing the episode in its final stages and how this episode was one of his favorite from the manga. The director’s words and insight stood out to me as one of the most significant experiences in my anime life and created a lasting impression for the appreciation of anime from people in the industry. Even though Hiroshi is a director, far removed and elevated from the community he entertains, you could tell that he is still a fan at heart and that this is what he lives for. To hear that, to hear someone’s drive and passion for their career, through the medium of anime, is something I doubt I will ever forget. It was that moment that stood out to me as the highlight of Sakura-Con 2014.

Some will argue that sakuga is the pinnacle of animation. It would be hard to argue against that. Ultimately, sakuga is known for its unparalleled quality, its aesthetic ingenuity, its dramatic emphasis, and its overall impact. There’s a reason why sakuga is so revered among zealous anime fans and rightfully so. However, in an anime celebrated for its brilliant animation, it’s the exact opposite that frequently stood out to me as having the most effectiveness. In fact, it was the absence of animation in KILL la KILL that earns a spot in my 12 Days of Anime, or more specifically, the impression from Nui’s lack of animation. I want to bring attention to how her simplistic motions were a complete contrast to everything else visually in KILL la KILL, and how her animations were some of the most effective that I’ve seen in an anime.

First and foremost, this is not an umbrella topic that covers all of Nui’s animation; in fact, she had a number of impressive sakuga sequences during some of the battles in the latter half of KILL la KILL that belong in the aforementioned category above. It’s also worth noting that other characters were featured like this too, with Mako frequently taking this style during her extensive explanations or for the fourth episode where everyone adopted a silly, chibi art style. Nevertheless, this post is directed on Nui’s very simple movements. And the reason I am using movements here over animation is that a number of the most memorable shots were when static animation cells of body parts moved on their own. Whether it be her hands clapping, her head tilting, her body bending sideways at the waist, her arm elongating rather than swinging her sword, or maybe the most prominent, having her arms just plop right off after Ryuuko slices them, Nui was comprised of something more than Life Fibers… she was made up of an animation style unlike anyone else in KILL la KILL.

And because her animation style was so idiosyncratic, her character filled a unique niche in the anime; Nui fit in a role that made her feel different than everyone else in KILL la KILL. Her personality, appearance, and attitude were also a direct clash to everyone else, and the creators of KILL la KILL utilized these differences to make her special among the regular cast of characters. And while these three attributes worked well to make Nui such a distinctive character, her movements was easily the most effective means of transforming her character into something so memorable.

KILL la KILL is an anime known for its extraordinary and vibrant animation, so it may seem somewhat odd for me to place such an emphasis on the lack of animation for one specific character. But it’s the choice of limiting that character’s animations that made Nui feel unlike everyone else. The brilliant minds behind KILL la KILL made a decision early on to animate Nui in such a specific manner as a method of defining her character. Yes, Nui was crafted and developed to be a sophisticated rival to Ryuuko, and her role in the story is what fashioned her personality, appearance, and attitude… but there’s nothing about her role that means her animation style should be so distinctive. Instead, to make Nui reach that level of spectacular rival from a simple antagonist, KILL la KILL decided to make her animation style the opposite of everyone else in the series. And look how it worked for her character compared to the other antagonists of the series. Nui would be forgettable if all she had was her role, her behavior, her looks and her arrogance. But, because of her unique animation style, Nui quickly became one of the most memorable characters of the year and why I find her animation to be some of the most effective in 2014.

Cinematography is perhaps the ultimate challenge for a TV anime to overcome. Inherent of television anime are limited budgets and tight schedules, meaning that the resources and time provided are not enough to allow for the same level of quality that we see in movies or elsewhere. And while quality often refers to detail in the art and animation, such as more complex or frequent sakuga sequences, it also means an improved cinematography where shots have more variation and camera motion is more prominent. Since the production schedule and resources are difficult for a TV anime, they must rely on a number of industry techniques to make a finished produced on time, with perhaps the most recurrent being the use of shooting dialogue scenes using still characters with only their mouths moving. And in terms of cinematography, the shots are often flat and still, making it easier for the animators to anime with a consistent level of acceptable quality. However, this is difficult to do when the anime’s story or purpose resolves around the characters acting or performing or moving in complex ways. This leads us to Ping Pong the Animation, one of the most acclaimed and illustrious anime of the year, and its brilliant and artistic use of cinematography to convey action throughout the series. While the series was overflowing with symbolism, the topic of this post is primarily on its cinematic techniques that were some of the most innovative, resourceful, and memorable in recent memory.

What was truly impressive about the cinematography in Ping Pong was how it framed its shots during the tremendous table tennis matches. Every action shot felt new and original, even from the very beginning when we had dynamic shots that followed the ball’s trajectory between rackets. One of the most prominent cinematic techniques was splitting the screen, with each panel appearing like it would in the original manga. There’d be the swing of a racket, the strike of the ball, the ball bouncing on the table, a shoe slamming against the floor, an eye seizing up the opportunity, and the crowd looking on. There’d also be emphatic shots of the characters utilizing different artistic techniques. I touched on this topic earlier in the year, and how some the visuals of Ping Pong highlighted motion and emotion by altering the colors, oversaturating the shadows or employing ‘pencil lines’ to magnify the significance of a moment.

Beyond the shots were other dynamic cinematic techniques, including imaginative shots that utilized camera motion. When I made the statement that cinematography is the apex of complexities for TV animation, I had in mind scenes with camera motion. For live-action film, moving a camera is as simple as moving the camera with the actors going about their roles. For an anime, however, moving the camera requires redrawing the characters from every changing perspective, which requires a considerable amount of more work for both the key animators and the inbetweeners. Still, Ping Pong utilized a number of shots where the camera moved during the ping pong matches. Some of the most memorable were when the camera trailed the ping pong ball going back and forth across the table. Another famous shot was having the camera spin around a character as they moved into position, readied their swing and struck the ball with force. Ping Pong the Animation also employed a number of simpler cinematic techniques that are still difficult to produce in anime, including zooming in and out while the character is playing in a game. And while many of these great cinematic scenes were limited to sakuga sequences, it’s still worth noting that the anime places a heavy emphasis on moving the camera around for a number of its dynamic shots.

Lastly, there needs to be mention of the symbolism used in Ping Pong since it did impact the cinematography of the series. Although these shots weren’t as visually impressive as the spectacular scenes mentioned above, they carried a different weight in terms of explaining a character, creating an analogy, or conveying an emotion relevant to the story. In terms of cinematography, though, these shots helped diversity the scenes by providing variation in the types of shots, the colors, and the lack of action. They were like breathers between the intense table tennis matches, allowing us to take a break from the action and refocus our attention to what the match is telling us about each character. Remember, Ping Pong the Animation was never an anime about ping pong itself; the anime used ping pong as a medium for which to explore the characters, to define their personas, and to show them growing as human beings. These shots had a specific purpose in the series and were employed wisely to augment the table tennis matches by providing shot diversity and pauses between volleys.

For the vast majority of television anime, cinematography is a prominent obstacle. But instead of side-stepping the issue, like many anime need to do, Ping Pong embraced this challenge. And it succeeded magnificently. The cinematography in Ping Pong felt so rare and unprecedented, that when I was watching this anime, it felt like I was watching more than just a TV anime. Ping Pong utilized an impressive variety of cinematic techniques to give its visuals a refreshing, original, and distinctive appearance. And because of that, the cinematography of Ping Pong deserves praise as one of 12 Days of Anime for 2014.

Timeskips are among my favorite narrative devices in anime. In fact, if I were ever to write an anime myself, I’d definitely have a timeskip in there somewhere. Hell, maybe even two. Timeskips are a brilliant means to advance a continuous story between two periods of time, allowing the plot or characters or setting to transform radically without showing the unrelated events in-between. And that’s exactly what happened in Nagi no Asukara. At the midpoint in the anime, following a climax at the end of the Autumn 2013 season, Nagi no Asukara experienced a timeskip where everything changed. The characters, setting, and plot were all different between the first-half and second-half of Nagi no Asukara. However, there is one significant detail about this unique timeskip that makes it one of my most favorite timeskips ever.

Unlike most timeskips, where characters and events age the same as time progresses, Nagi no Asukara had a split aging effect that completely and fundamentally altered the dynamic between characters. For those who were trapped in the ice in the underwater village, Shioshishio, the characters did not even age a day between episodes 13 and 14. However, for those ashore or in Oshiooshi, the sleepy seaside community, the characters aged 5 years. This meant that the core quartet of characters was now split between their ages with Chisaki now 5 years older than her other friends. It also meant that the romantic interest of Manaka, the enigmatic Tsumugu, was now 5 years older, too. And let’s not mention that that’s 5 years more spent with Chisaki than with Manaka, Hikari or Kaname. And then there’s the two troublemakers, elementary-schoolers Sayu and Miuna, who were able to catch-up in age and maturity to the trio of frozen-fishies, further entangling the complex web of romance even more. Usually, when a timeskip in an anime happens, it’s the entire cast that changes, or at the very most, one character who stays the same age while the world changes around them. But no, for Nagi no Asukara, it was the entire dynamic of every character, even going so far as to fragment the relationships of the four best friends who were forced to commute to land to go to school. And even if that is all that happened in the timeskip, I believe Nagi no Asukara would still remain as one of my favorite timeskips of all-time. However, the transitions between episodes 13 and 14 were much more than just shattering relationships and aging characters differently.

Timeskips often involve changing the setting depending on the events that preceded the timeskip. Perhaps one of the most notable would be Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, where society and humanity were profoundly changed between the two halves. Another would be JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, where the world ages 100 years between Phantom Blood (Part 1) and Stardust Crusaders (Part 3). While the transformation of the setting in Nagi no Asukara is nowhere near as profound, it did provide a dramatic shift in the environments, the societies, and the purpose between the two halves. Nagi no Asukara was magnificent in how it showed the dichotomy and contrast between Shioshishio and Oshiooshi in the first half, with the two sides in eternal conflict over just about everything, from fishing rights to social services to even clear examples of racism. However, when the barrier arose, locking the fish-people of Shioshishio into a lengthy hibernation, effectively preventing characters from going between the two towns, it had a profound effect on how Oshiooshi changed in those 5 years. Perhaps the most significant is how the citizens on land changed their attitude toward Shioshishio, and how they transitioned from being in conflict with Shioshishio to seeking an answer about how to save their neighbors and return to a healthy, friendly coexistence. And of course, you can’t mention the timeskip in Nagi no Asukara without mentioning the endless winter that plagued the town. While the first half of Nagi no Asukara had a pleasant, sunny summertime feel, the latter half was defined by the constant presence of snow and ice. If the character dynamic, the age of the characters and the change in attitude between the societies weren’t enough, why not also have a visual change, where the two halves are the two most opposing seasons? Yes, the change in the physical environment was the first and most notable change for the timeskip in Nagi no Asukara, and it held an ulterior meaning which was alluded to earlier: the heated conflict was during the sweltering summer and the solitude, loneliness and seeking comfort were set in a harsh winter. For someone who adores and appreciates settings, I must say that I was amazed and euphoric when the timeskip happened.

Lastly, it’s worth mentioning how plot of Nagi no Asukara reformed as a result of the timeskip. While the first half of the series focused on the duality of Manaka, Hikari, Chisaki and Kaname, as they were forced to live between the two conflicting communities, the second half narrated the story of how those four would work to return their home back to normal. Of course, some might argue that the romance was the main storyline of Nagi no Asukara, and that two was predominantly different between the two parts of this anime. The delicate and intricate web that was constructed in the first half was transformed when new connects were added, relationships evolved and weights were changed between every string for every character. It was a massive upheaval that virtually redrew our initial pairings as matchmakers with new ideas for who characters should be with which… well, you probably already know what happens in romances where romances are as complicated as this. Still, it doesn’t change the fact that the plot between the first-half and second-half were very, very different.

With all these factors in mind, there is no wonder why the timeskip in Nagi no Asukara is one of my favorite timeskips of all-time. The way it was able to completely change the setting and the plot of the anime were brilliant, with how the two halves of the series complemented each other. However, it was the unique handling of the characters and how they transformed over the timeskip that elevated it to where it is today and why you’re reading about it right now. The way the series transformed its cast, its setting and its story are why I admire timeskips so much in anime. And while there are many other notable timeskips that have occurred in previous years for previous anime, Nagi no Asukara developed one that featured distinctive elements that I have never seen before. As a result, Nagi no Asukara earns a spot within my 12 Days of Anime for 2014 as one of my favorite timeskips of all-time.

Every year, for Day 8 of my 12 Days of Anime, I recall an experience where I gave an anime a chance. So far, my list has included:

• Giving a Bad Anime a Chance (Softenni, 2011)
• Giving a Forgotten Anime a Chance (Yuru Yuri, 2012)
• Giving a Disappointing Anime a Second Chance (Tamayura ~more aggressive~, 2013)

For every rendition of this tradition, I have attempted to cover a distinctive and different focus with each post. The first year was on an anime that I originally deemed bad, but stuck with it to see if I could salvage some entertainment from it. The second year reflected an anime I never gave a chance to, not even an episode when it first came out. The third year was on a sequel to an anime that I was frustrated and dissatisfied with and was originally planning on skipping. Here, for my 2014 version about giving an anime a chance, I look back at a greatly admired, highly acclaimed, and universally respected anime that I never made an effort to watch in my many years of watching anime. For Day 8, I will reflect upon watching Mushishi, and how that watching this renowned anime was one of the highlights of my year.

Mushishi was always near the top of my ‘To Watch’ list due to how I perceived I would enjoy the anime as well as the widespread appreciate and approval for the series. However, like most of the anime in my ‘To Watch’ list, I am never able to find the time to watch shows considering how dense my schedule is every season. I suppose I could always drop a handful of the lesser shows each season and work on my backlog, but it’s not like these lesser anime have no value to me, especially considering the social context with many other people watching the same shows as me and thus having a platform to discuss it. Still, the time was right to watch Mushishi with the sequel, Mushishi Zoku Shou, starting up in the Spring of 2014, so I blocked off some time and made watching Mushishi a priority.

Even though I fell in love with the anime midway through the first episode (I just knew that I would love Mushishi), the journey through Mushishi’s 26 episodes and the special OVA made me realize (again) just how important my backlog is. Of course, not every anime will be as captivating or appealing as Mushishi is, but the anime skyrocketed up my list of favorite anime of all-time, and laid the foundation for Mushishi Zoku Shou to be among the very best anime of 2014. Mushishi is a reminder of all the potentially great anime that I have yet to watch, that were recommended to me by friends or that somehow found their way to me through my adventures through the internet.

I suppose the lesson here is to put more emphasis on working through my backlog and find a means to balance those anime with the currently airing shows. However, the question is always what is optimal within the context of everything else occurring in life. If only it were as simple as picking an anime and watching it, budgeting and scheduling time for anime is often an intricate process that changes week-to-week. Additionally, with the time it takes to blog, it means I have less time available to go back and watch some of these backlog anime or other anime that are airing this season. In fact, one of the core themes among these 12 Days of Anime posts for me will be able budgeting my time and trying to find the best means of watching anime. And one of the success stories of this year was making room for Mushishi which is easily one of the best anime that I watched in all of 2014. Yes, finally giving Mushishi a chance after all these years is easily one of my favorite moments of 2014 and it earns a spot among my list of Day 8 anime. Now we’ll just see how well I manage my backlog through 2015…

I never watched an episode of Witch Craft Works when it aired in Winter 2014. However, I have a certain fascination for anime openings and endings where there are adorable chibi characters singing and dancing. For example, my favorite ED in 2012 was Kill Me Baby, with that unforgettable song and dance. The Joshiraku ED and Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita OP were also worth mentioning in 2012 for my 12 Days of Anime, too. With that in mind, it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that when Witch Craft Works first aired, I was positively curious about the ED song and sequence that managed to charm its criticizing audience and received a disproportionate amount of praise compared to the rest of the episode.

Really, it’s not hard to see why this ED became so popular. The song is upbeat, heartening and catchy. The colors are radiant and cheery. And the girls singing it are cute chibi characters who are happily singing and dancing through the whole… wait. Wait, what? They’re not happy and dancing and having fun like every other chibi ending theme? They’re what???

Yeah, so unlike every other chibi anime song where everything is jovial, uplifting, vibrant and funny, this ending theme has the five Tower Witches being tortured and executed in various horrific ways. However, the various scenes do fit within the theme of the anime, considering these are witches and these scenes are witch hunts, but it’s still bizarre to see chibi characters singing a J-pop song when they’re tied to the rack, being crucified, walking the plank, being immersed in boiling water or being burned alive at the stake. It’s this atypical combination of a likeable song with delightful chibi characters being tortured that makes this ED sequence so memorable, even if I haven’t seen one minute of the anime series itself. Still, despite the horrible violence against chibi witches, it’s a very sanguine ending theme which is distinctive among anime, and a significance reason why I enjoy watching it so much. It might be odd to reserve a spot here for an ending theme to an anime I didn’t watch, but it really is one of the highpoints of the year for me. And now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to watch that video again and again and again and again and again…

Today is this blog’s fourth birthday, and the traditional way I’ve chosen to celebrate this anniversary has been to reflect upon a valuable lesson that I’ve learned since the last December 20th. Of course, these posts are always a cover for me to needlessly post pictures of Setsuna everywhere, but the topic of this post relates to a previous post in this year’s 12 Days of Anime series as well as a couple of future posts that will appear later on. The theme between these posts is on the challenges and difficulties inherent in following anime within a dense, tight schedule, and the focus of this post is learning how to manage these obstacles and accept certain complications.

My ideal anime week would be one where I watch the most recent episode of every airing anime, am able to complete a weekly anime post on time, and am able to chip away at my backlog. However, I’ve never had an ideal anime week in at least a year. As I continue to grow older and assume new responsibilities, the time I have available to watch and blog anime grows less and less, leaving me with difficulties every week. Each obstacle then forces a decision, about when I will be able to watch an anime or write about an anime or even if I’m able to watch an anime or continue with a series. At times, this has led to episodes being delayed by weeks and posts delayed even longer. At time, I realize that I can no longer keep up with an anime and needing to delay watching it until another time… that is, whenever I can find the time. And though this happened occasionally through these past 4 years, I was always able to find a solution, and things usually worked out in the end.

This year, however, has posed quite a bit more in terms of obstacles to my anime life, and has led to a number of situations where there was no easy solution. For example, I’ve needed to drop more shows than any year previously, including a number of shows that I was enjoying at the time I stopped watching them. Perhaps the most noticeable, at least from the perspective of readers of this blog, is that I had to give up on writing my weekly posts for Autumn 2014 despite desperately wanting to talk about every airing episode of Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, Mushishi Zoku Shou 2, Shirobako, and Yama no Susume Second Season among others. It has been frustrating this year. It has lead me to even wonder about the feasibility of this blog and how well I’ll be able to continue this lifestyle into the future. But, after dealing with these situations and considering the various outcomes, I’ve come to a valuable conclusion that will help me manage both this blog and my anime lifestyle in the future. And the solution is actually quite simple: learning to accept the obstacles.

What this means is that I need to be aware of the random challenges and difficulties that will occur in each and every season of anime and that I will need to deal with them in individual ways. Yes, this means that I will need to skip a week or so of anime. Yes, this means I will need to skip a post or two or whatever. Yes, it means I’ll need to drop an anime with the intention of finishing it later. It means to understand that these situations will happen, and to not let it frustrate me. Of course, each of these situations will be disappointing, but they’ll be necessary for me to continue this lifestyle in the future. Yes, cutting down on blogging for a season and accepting that will help out the blog in the long-term. Yes, skipping a few episodes of an anime that really isn’t that great will allow me to keep up on another show that I like or one that I’m watching with friends. Yes, maybe I was watching too many anime and need to cut back for a bit until I have more time. These are the things that I never really appreciated until this year when I began to encounter them more and more and began to experience irritation and annoyance with these predicaments.

So while this isn’t the happiest lesson that I’ve learned while blogging about anime, I feel that it is one of the most important. It’s another lesson in budgeting my time, between real life, watching anime and writing for this blog. And as my real life continues to take on more responsibly and requires more of my attention, I will need to accept the reduction in time left to watching anime and blogging, and I will need to adapt to those new circumstances as fits. What I was able to do in the past might no longer be feasible right now, but I need to understand that, accept that and find a solution that works. That lesson stands alone as the most valuable of the year for me, and why I wanted to share it with you as part of the four year anniversary of this blog.

The anime specials that are included as bonus materials on BDs and DVDs are frequently overlooked and underappreciated as individual anime. Yes, these specials are certainly subpar compared to their respective parent anime, but considering their limited animation budget and restrained writing, it’s unfair to categorize these shorts in the same venue as we do with TV anime. In fact, quite a few of these BD/DVD specials succeed as genuinely entertaining in spite of these restrictions, supplementing these serious TV anime with lighthearted comedy and mild fanservice. And if you want an example of an effective and rewarding BD/DVD special anime, look no further than the Shingeki no Kyojin Picture Drama, a 9-episode series with the main cast as chibi characters enduring constant hardships during their days in the military training program.

What makes the Shingeki no Kyojin Picture Drama so memorable and enjoyable as an anime special is that it utilized the TV anime as its primary source of humor. Not only did this make the comedy relevant, but it was able to poke fun at the various aspects of the series that we respected, such as its story, its setting and especially its characters. Rather than relying on stereotypical anime/otaku humor, the content of these specials were related to events that occurred in the episodes or that emphasized a character trait, like Eren’s obsession with titans, Mikasa’s obsession with Eren and Sasha’s obsession with food. The comedy was balanced too, spreading the humor evenly across all platforms and making fun of multiple characters in each segment. The writing was superb as well, working to include the entire cast of characters from the military academy throughout the series, rather than just focusing on the main trio of Eren, Mikasa and Armin the whole time. Indeed, one of the most essential aspects of creating a successful BD/DVD special is to have awareness of its parent series and the ability to express satire through effective and entertaining writing.

Another significant characteristic that made this special so amusing is its chibi art style. Throughout the TV series, Shingeki no Kyojin featured a serious and tangible art style that was able to bring out the weight and brutality of its story and characters. Here, everything was cute and warm and friendly, a complete contrast to the realism that the TV anime strove for. Not only did it help make the specials feel carefree, but it was also able to turn one of the highlights of the series on its head with the chibi Colossal Titan. Yes, the menacing villain of the series was now a bizarre looking character. Even his incessant appetite for humans was nullified, and every time he ate our heroes, which happened every time, it was more adorable and hilarious than ghastly or gory. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect way than to have these comical picture dramas than with this chibi art style given how well it contrasted with the original TV anime.

The Attack on Titan Picture Drama is easily one of my favorite anime specials of all-time, and it should be used a model for how future anime specials should be produced. More often than not, the specials on BDs and DVDs are nothing too exciting or intelligent in terms of comedy or are pure fanservice, with female characters in skimpy outfits or ecchi situations with bare breasts and constant pantyshots. But the Shingeki no Kyojin Picture Drama is different than these lame or fanservice specials. They wanted this picture drama to be good, and they did put an effort into making this good. And it’s clever and witty, both in terms of its writing and humor. And as a result, it’s actually a pretty special special. And for being my favorite anime special in a long, long time, it deserves some praise and a spot in my 12 Days of Anime for 2014.

Have you ever been conflicted with an anime, whether you want to drop it or keep it? Of course, the situation occurs with every new anime season and happens more often than we’d like. Sure, the anime is worthwhile – either due to its comedy or interesting characters or a new concept or design… but then there’s a lot of boring elements too, like a lot of downtime or parts that irritate us. Or maybe the reason is that we just can’t keep with shows due to our busy schedules, something that I have as a recurring theme in these 12 Days of Anime posts. So what can we do if we want to watch only the good parts of an anime without all the bad parts?

The idea came to me when a friend and I were having a discussion over one of my favorite anime, The Tatami Galaxy. One of the prominent characteristics of this cherished anime is how quickly the protagonist, Watashi, talks, meaning that anyone who watches this anime will need to have a keen eye to keep up with the lightning-fast subtitled. So my friend and I were joking around with the unusual speed of the subtitles and mentioned that it was like watching any other anime at 4-times the normal speed. The statement stuck with me, and I was curious to try it out, to see if I could watch a whole episode of a normal anime on 4-times speed and keep up with the subtitles, and more importantly the story. However, I didn’t want to test it on an anime I was currently watching and I didn’t want to rewatch an episode since I would already know most of the subtitles and story already. Instead, I decided to try it on an anime I wasn’t watching, Maken-ki! Two since some people had positive reviews of the catgirl episode. And though there wasn’t much in the way of a meaningful plot (except the entire cast being turned into catgirls for comedy and ecchi), I watched the entire episode in about 6 minutes and didn’t experience any difficulties reading the subtitles or taking screenshots. I tried this technique again with a few other episodes and it proved successful each time, turning what I deemed as an unwatchable anime into something entertaining.

When Summer 2013 rolled around, I dropped Majimoji Rurumo after one episode, citing my frustrating with the cliché comedy, poor directing and thin characters. However, I was intrigued by the large cast of characters and was curious if the comedy would improve as we got to know Rurumo. I didn’t decide to pick Rurumo back until after reading positive reviews from some of the latter episodes, but I lacked the time to sit through a handful of episodes and keep my sanity, especially since a number of those negatives still persisted. It was about that time when I remembered watching Maken-ki! Two on 4x and decided to catch up on Rurumo the same way. And again, no problem reading the subtitles, understanding the story and appreciating the humor. The decision proved to be successful, and there were even a handful of episodes where I stopped and watched the whole thing at normal speed. In fact, after watching 12 episodes of Rurumo in the Summer (most of them on 4x), I found it to be more enjoyable than some of the other anime that I legitimately picked up and watched that season. Yes, it feels like I’m cheating when I’m watching most of the series on 4x, but I would never have watched or enjoyed Rurumo otherwise.

For Autumn 2014, I felt conflicted again over a handful of anime. One particular one was Grisaia no Kajitsu which only appealed to me through Michiru’s eccentric and hilarious character. I didn’t feel like there was really any reason to watch the anime besides Michiru, but I did not want to sit through the series to see a character who’s only around maybe 20% of the time. So, like Rurumo, I decided to 4x through the series and only watch the series for the Michiru parts. It hasn’t had the same payoff as Rurumo, especially after the series finished Michiru’s story arc, but I never would’ve watched the anime otherwise, so it a mild victory. I also decided to try this with Girlfriend (Kari) to see how the hell an anime would fit in its cast of 64 girls. Of course, I did not care for the content of this anime which unsurprisingly turned out to be banal, insubstantial and tiresome and that was the main reason why I would not watch this anime at its normal speed. Now, after 4x-ing through most of the series, I understand that the anime takes cohorts of girls for each episode and focuses on them as groups rather than just picking a lucky handful as central characters (though the main 5 act as central characters in their episodes). And really, I’ve actually enjoyed some of the comedy and a couple of the stories in Girl Friend Beta, proving that the decision to 4x through this anime was not a bad choice. In fact, picking up Girlfriend proved to be a better choice than Grisaia at this point.

Of course, the whole point of watching an anime at 4x is not to cheat through the series and watch each episode in 6 minutes instead of 24 minutes. Really, I am only reserving this strategy for anime that I would never watch otherwise. I know for a fact that I wouldn’t go back and watch Rurumo, Grisaia or Girlfriend at normal speed, either in this season or any future season. However, I feel that scanning through each episode at 4-times the normal speed is acceptable, and that if I don’t like the episode or the series, I can stop at any time. Still, it does provide an option for me that I never considered before for all those anime that I never would’ve watched otherwise. I’ve gone back and finished a few anime that I’ve dropped on 4x. It has certainly been helpful in terms of giving me an opportunity to watch specific anime that I have already dropped, and it has proven to be successful in providing entertainment value while speeding through most of the lackluster content. You can think of it as watching the highlights of an anime, like watching the recap of a sporting event instead of sitting through the whole game. Still, I don’t want to develop a habit where I watch more and more anime on 4x, especially if they are anime that I enjoy watching at normal speed. Nevertheless, discovering this technique and using it has been one of the most memorable events of this year as it has allowed me to budget my time and watch subpar anime efficiently.

A new year always marks a new anime season, and very soon, we’ll be enjoying a new collection of anime during the Winter 2015 anime season. Although the season is lighter than any since Summer 2013, it does feature a number of quality anime and promising shows that should provide excitement and satisfaction for the next three months. But what exactly are these anime that I am looking forward to? And which shows have I already decided against? It’s time to preview the Winter 2015 anime season and find out what’s in store for the first quarter of 2015!

The Winter 2015 anime season is dominated by the return of a number of esteemed anime franchises, including a few original offshoots of respected anime (Death Parade, The IDOLM@STER: Cinderlla Girls and Yoru no Yatterman) that will be mentioned along with the new anime. Returning this winter will be: Aldnoah.Zero 2, Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Crystal S2, Dog Days” (S3), Durarara!!x2 Shou, Go! Princess PreCure, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders – Egypt Arc (S2), Kamisama Kiss S2, Kuroko no Basuke 3, Shounen Hollywood –Holly Stage for 50–, Soukyuu no Fafner – Dead Aggressor: Exodus, Tantei Opera Milky Holmes TD, and Tokyo Ghoul √A. Since I’ve only watched a handful of these anime, I won’t be able to comment on every anime here. It wouldn’t be fair for me to form opinions or make statements about a sequel that I have not watched before and have no intention of watching this season. Instead, this section will focus on the anime franchises that I have experience with, and that I have an opinion on.

The order of anime listed below is neither chronological nor alphabetic but ranked in order of my personal anticipation and how likely I believe I will watch that anime this season. Every anime is evaluated and placed into one of five tiers ordered: Will watch, Likely watch, Maybe watch, Doubtful but it gets a shot, and No dice. Within each tier, the anime are listed alphabetically. Dates are not included because who knows when and where these shows will be subbed and available to watch.

Below are my plans for the sequels of the Winter 2015 anime season:

Aldnoah.Zero 2

Opinion: While I enjoyed the first season of Aldnoah.Zero, the anime was not without its flaws. Inaho’s character was particularly troublesome given his that his characters had a monotonous personality, and that his character was never really challenged or changed throughout the series. What I’m hoping for with a sequel of Aldnoah.Zero is some improvement on Inaho and for the ending to S1 to have some significant weight on S2… not just making a dramatic ending for the sake of having a dramatic ending and then ignoring it or retconing it when S2 starts up. Otherwise, Aldnoah.Zero is a solid anime, especially with the contrast between real robots (Earth) and super robots (Mars) in a single anime. With impressive art, fascinating mecha, and a bizarre story, I’ll be keeping up with the second half of Aldnoah.Zero.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Dog Days” (S3)

Opinion: Dog Days S1 was a lighthearted, inoffensive anime about a boy going to a land where everyone has animal ears and played with them. It wasn’t the best anime, but it was charming and cute. Dog Days S2 introduced more characters and kept that same carefree feel, but made the anime really ecchi with more frequently nudity and panties in almost every episode. It also lacked a plot and felt more like a random ecchi slice-of-life anime instead of a story about how a young boy became a hero in a fantasy world. It was okay, not as good as S1, but S2 had some fun episodes that made it all worthwhile. Dog Days S3 remains to be seen, but I’m expecting the series to swing back toward the seriousness that dominated in S1 rather than the fanservice in S2. I still expect clothing to be torn and girls to be embarrassed in their panties, but not on the same level as S2 which seemed to be all that happened. The series is mindless and fun, and so long as it continues to provide this basic level of entertainment, I’ll continue to watch this anime.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Durarara!!x2 Shou

Opinion: I have waited years for a sequel to Durarara!!, and now we finally have it. I’m not expecting much in the way of a story with this season since I’m not sure what direction the anime will go in, but that’s the least of my concerns right now. What makes Durarara!! one of my favorite anime of all-time is how well developed and interconnected the cast of characters were. The whole series felt organic in that each character had their own changing personality and they interacted with the environment around them. The setting was really something special too, with how deep and diverse the city was… way more than most anime which are just a series of hot-spots, a school and a home or two. Really, what makes Durarara!! so remarkable is the unparalleled level of detail and effort in the series, and that’s what I’m hoping to see again with this sequel 5 years later. I will definitely be watching this anime in 2015.

Plans for this show: Will watch

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders – Egypt Arc (S2)

Opinion: While the first half of Part III was a mild disappointment compared to Parts I and II, I feel as though S2 of Part III will return the anime to its formor greatness. The repetitive and prolonged patterns of S1 of Part III, with every episode being a Tarot-card named villain-of-the-week, grew weary with each passing episode despite some of the Stands being very creative and interesting. The first half of Part III was hit-or-miss with most of its episodes, and though it hit more times than it missed, it didn’t have that flamboyance and fabulousness that Parts I and II possessed. That and the lack of Dio’s presence hurt the series too, since having a villain that wouldn’t die that week would add some more spice to each fight. Still, those issues should be mostly gone with the Egypt Arc, and we should be returning to more of what made Parts I and II great. And though I did say that S1 of Part III was a disappointment compared to Parts I and II, it was one of the best anime of 2014, and I’ll certainly be continuing this anime for a long, long time.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Kamisama Kiss S2

Opinion: Kamisama Kiss was one of my favorite anime of 2012, so I am thrilled to see it return in 2015. This delightful shoujo romantic comedy was a silly anime that featured outstanding chemistry between its characters, especially its leads in Nanami and Tomoe. Based on the PV alone, it seems as though the anime will venture more into Tomoe’s violent backstory, but I’m still expecting more of that hilarious comedy that helped me fall in love with the original season. And is it just me or are these pseudo-religious anime about girls meeting various Japanese deities really popular now or what? Besides Kamisama Kiss, there’s also Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha, Noragami, Gingitsune, and Gugure! Kokkuri-san. I’m not sure if there’s a reason for a boon in this highly specific field of anime, but I’m happy to see Kamisama Kiss return since I didn’t expect this anime to get a sequel. I hope this anime makes the most of it with this second season.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Soukyuu no Fafner – Dead Aggressor: Exodus

Opinion: The Soukyuu no Fafner franchise started in 2004 with a 26-episode TV series with an OVA in 2005. Five years later, a movie followed (and according to my limited research, you need to watch the TV anime and OVA first before watching the movie). Now, in 2014, we’re receiving another TV anime that is a sequel to the movie. And while it is advised to watch the entire series in order, I’m going to give this anime a chance based on the PV and that I am assuming the series will be intended for newcomers given the 10 year difference between the original Sokyuu no Fafner and this Sokyuu no Fafner. If the anime is too dense and requires previous knowledge from the prior shows, then I’ll drop it, but I am going in with the intention of learning along with everyone else watching in 2014. Of course, the anime needs to be good too, and the PV is promising, but that remains to be seen. I’ll give the anime a chance despite not knowing anything about this franchise until recently.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Tokyo Ghoul √A

Opinion: The first season of Tokyo Ghoul started off well, but steadily declined and eventually became a chore to watch. The anime felt it needed to be edgy with its level of violence and gore, the main selling points of the series, and the characters and story suffered as a result. Tokyo Ghoul was also very shounen in its ideals and its fights, which is fine if it has a legitimate story or moral to it, but Tokyo Ghoul drifted away from those ideas in order to have characters fight for seemingly no reason at all. It really wasn’t very good, and if I don’t have to watch any more I won’t. I am done with Tokyo Ghoul for now.

Plans for this show: No dice

The following two sections of the preview contains a list of all the new, original anime that will debut during the Winter 2015 anime season, with the first section on the anime I am planning on screening and the latter section the anime I have already rejected. Winter 2015 is actually one of the lightest seasons in recent memory, with only 35 TV anime (including sequels, continuations, spin-offs, shorts, etc.) compared to last year which had 39 in the Winter, 56 in the Spring, 45 in the Summer and 44 in the Autumn (all numbers are approximations). Take out the 12 sequels in the section above and ignore the 5 shorts, and we really only have 18 new regular TV anime to review here. So considering that I’m only interested in 8 of the shows this season… that really isn’t bad considering that we’re looking at almost 50% of the new, original anime this season. So if it seems like Winter 2015 will be light, that’s because it is light, especially after the super heavy seasons of 2014. The other issue with Winter 2015 might be the lack of quality with the new anime, but it doesn’t seem terrible. Maybe top-heavy with Death Parade and Yuri Kuma Arashi taking center-stage, but it should be decent at the very least. For now, here are the shows I’m planning on watching this season based on my initial research this season:

Death Parade

Opinion: Death Billiards is my favorite Anime Mirai Project… yes, even more than Little Witch Academia. When I first saw that Death Billiards was being turned into a TV anime as Death Parade, I immediately felt a sense of gratification and happiness for the wonderful people that run the Anime Mirai Projects, also known as the Young Animator Training Project where the Japanese government funds bright and creative minds as part of Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs. Death Parade shows the fruits of their labor and their idea coming to life; they were able to find an independent OVA that has now grown into a TV anime. However, while the OVA is an absolute favorite, I do have some questions about how this will fare as a TV anime. I am curious how this will last for multiple episodes, but nevertheless, I am excited to find out. And for those curious, I think you can get away without watching Death Billiards, but why would you rob yourself the chance to watch one of the greatest independent anime projects in recent memory?

Plans for this show: Likely watch

Junketsu no Maria (Maria the Virgin Witch)

Opinion: Junketsu no Maria has the most memorable PV of the season for me given its unique track. Watch every other PV here and you won’t find another like this. Couple that with some eye-catching art and animation, a charismatic lead female (how many anime this season have female leads anyway?), and an intriguing story about a lonely witch, and this seems to be one of the most promising anime of the season. It’s one of the few anime that I am genuinely excited for this season, so I intend to watch this when it comes out.

Plans for this show: Likely watch

Yuri Kuma Arashi

Opinion: Kunihiko Ikuhara, creator and director of Shoujo Kakumei Utena (Revolutionary Girl Utena) and Mawaru Penguindrum, is the brilliant mind behind Yuri Kuma Arashi. Like his previous work, Yuri Kuma Arashi has a distinct and gorgeous art style with a flair for the dramatic and dreamlike. And while all three of his anime are sexualized, this one seems to feature it in a fanservicey way, at least based on the character models that were published recently. Each girl had their panties clearly on display, leading me to wonder if this anime will be both yuri and ecchi. The first chapter of the manga seemed to confirm these suspicions (yuri and pantyshots), so that might be a turn-off for some. Still, Ikuhara has done some marvelous things in his career with his previous anime, so there’s probably some reason for this ecchi eye-candy, and I do have high hopes for how the characters, setting and story develop throughout. This looks to be one of the more encouraging anime of the season, and I am excited for when it comes out.

Plans for this show: Likely watch

The Rolling Girls

Opinion: Rolling Girls looks both energetic and bizarre, a combination that might work well in its favor given its vibrant and detailed art style. The anime takes place in a fragmented Japan, with each prefecture now its own country and with their own leaders and mobs. What makes this setting appealing is that there’s bound to be more diversification in each location, and there’s bound to be a wider environment for the characters to interact in, rather than just Tokyo, Kyoto or some seaside or mountain village somewhere. The cast of characters looks decent at this point, but each has their own potential to grow as the anime does which is what I’m looking for in this anime. It seems to be a slice-of-life and comedy in an eccentric setting, so it should be fun to follow these girls around even in the absence of a detailed plot. Also worth noting is the personality of the series, which seems to embrace its fun and crazy self, and this matches well with its pastel, cheery art style. It looks like a solid and ridiculous anime for Winter 2015.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Ansatsu Kyoushitsu (Assassination Classroom)

Opinion: Assassination Classroom is an anime about a class of students tasked with the responsibility of killing their alien yellow octopus teacher to save the world from certain and absolute destruction. It’s a wacky setting, that’s for sure, and I think that’s why it appeals to me. But beyond this fact, and that it’s an action comedy, I don’t see much in the anime that interests me. There is an OVA of this anime that premiered in 2013 that was alright, neither tipping it to keeping it or not, but I do wonder how the series will stay fresh after so many episodes. For example, the OVA was fun and worthwhile, but I’m not sure I would want to watch something similar for 12 episodes. For now, I am planning on giving the anime a chance, but I need to see where this anime goes before deciding whether I want to keep it or not (and whether the OVA was a reliable indicator for how this anime will perform).

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Kantai Collection –KanColle–

Opinion: I’ve never played Kantai Collection and know very little about the franchise, so I am curious of the franchise and this anime. I’ve enjoyed these girly military anime in the past, like Girls und Panzer and Strike Witches, so I don’t see why I shouldn’t give this anime a chance. Still, there’s nothing that says this anime will be enjoyable or meaningful to me, especially if it’s intended for fans of the franchise instead of newcomers. I am hopeful the anime will cater toward me and my interests, and hopefully those align with the hardcore gamers who have supported this franchise up to this point. The art and animation are surprisingly great, much better than I expected. The setting looks to be a little plain with its standard military academy and fighting aliens, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad either. I still need to wait and see all the characters and what the story is like before I make a decision, but I’m willing to give Kantai Collection a chance this season.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Koufuku Graffiti

Opinion: Koufuku Graffiti is about friendship and food. This anime appears to be a lighthearted comedy with a trio of female characters cooking gorgeous food that’ll surely make me ravenous every time I watch this anime. However, the question right now is how many times will I watch this? The characters and the plot don’t seem to be the highlights of this series at this point with the food being the hot-topic with this show. And with such a limited amount of information on the series, I’m not sure which direction it’ll go, whether it will be serious and focus on the girls or be entertaining with lots of mindless comedy, or if it’ll be educational and teach its viewers how to cook these delicious dishes. However, the secret ingredient with this anime might be that it’s made by SHAFT, who seems to please me more often than not. I’m interested in this anime, but I need to know more before I can make a decision… and an episode or two should be sufficient for determining what I want to do with this series.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Miritari!

Opinion: Miritari! is a short (5 minutes per episode) comedy anime with a strong military/war theme going on. The chibi art style does well to contrast this and give it a childish, comedy feel, but that doesn’t always mean it’ll be entertaining. Still, with 5 minutes per episode, it’s not much of an investment of my time, so even if the anime is subpar, it still might be worthwhile if it makes me laugh every so often. The panties in the PV might mean this has ecchi jokes and otaku humor, but hopefully the writing is fresh, original and funny to make this short anime worthwhile.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

The IDOLM@STER: Cinderella Girls

Opinion: While I did enjoy the original IDOLM@STER anime, I’m not a big fan of idol anime, so the subject of this anime doesn’t really appeal to me very much. Still, it’s not like I won’t be able to enjoy this anime, and given the success of the original, I feel as though I should give this anime a chance, too. The series looks to have better art and animation than the original, which hopefully translates into more performances. I’m guessing the story will be similar to the original IDOLM@STER anime too, with the girls starting out as nothing and growing their way into fame and popularity, so something like that would be fine. I am a bit worried about the characters though, especially with how deep their personalities are and how well they work together. One positive with the original anime is that it was based off a few games already and the girls had established personalities and chemistry with each other. I don’t know if the same can be said about the Cinderella Girls, but it’s worth an episode or two to find out.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

The first two sections confirm the lists of anime that I am planning on watching based on my knowledge and understanding of the franchises. All that remains in this season preview are the anime that I have already decided against. The reason why these anime are slotted here is because they either appear to already be flawed, boring, or simply outside my demographic. While these anime may in fact be watchable to some, they do not appear watchable for me. I doubt I’ll examine these anime any more than the PV linked in their sections. However, there’s always a chance for me to pick one or two up every season, so not all hope is lost for these shows if you see one of your favorites down here. However, for most of them, there’s already zero chance I’ll even think about them after writing my opinions for each.

Absolute Duo

Opinion: The anime looks plain and boring, and I don’t have high hopes for an ecchi light novel about a boy at a fantasy school gaining a super weapon to fight evil a magical girl and a harem and whatnot.

Plans for this show: No dice

Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei Bu Love!

Opinion: I lasted about 11 seconds into the PV.

Plans for this show: No dice

Doamaiger D

Opinion: There have been quite a few of these comedies that parody 70s anime, and I think these are intended for fans who are familiar with these original franchises. I don’t think this anime is for me.

Plans for this show: No dice

Isuca

Opinion: Something about exterminating creatures, but also being an ecchi rom-com at a school. And almost everything that ARMS makes is super ecchi too, so let’s just say no right now.

Plans for this show: No dice

Juuou Mujin no Fafnir

Opinion: Another light novel with a fantasy school and lots of girls and whatever people like these days. Whatever it is, it’s not for me.

Plans for this show: No dice

Minna Atsumare! Falcom Gakuen SC

Opinion: I’m not really familiar with the franchises being parodied, so I’m just gonna say no.

Plans for this show: No dice

Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata

Opinion: Some otaku that meets the most beautiful girl ever and she falls in love with him and then there are other girls and can I stop now?

Plans for this show: No dice

Seiken Tsukai no World Break

Opinion: Another fantasy school light novel adaptation… that’s three now on this list.

Plans for this show: No dice

Shinmai Maou no Testament

Opinion: Okay, make that four fantasy school light novel adaptations… at least this one has fanservice to make it more appealing. Still… it looks as generic and dull as all the others in this genre.

Plans for this show: No dice

Sengoku Musou

Opinion: I used to really look forward to anime that take place in feudal Japan, but I have no interest in watching Sengoku Musou. It actually looks pretty decent, but I don’t think I can force myself to watch it, unless quite a few of the anime above this bomb.

Plans for this show: No dice

Yoru no Yatterman

Opinion: It’s the 40^th anniversary of Yatterman, a franchise that I am unfamiliar with, so I don’t find myself excited with this new series. I’ll pass for now.

Plans for this show: No dice

With that said, there is nothing left to preview for the Winter 2015 anime season. All that remains is waiting for each anime to air to provide judgment on whether we should keep these shows or not. I’ll be providing my reviews and opinions for most of these anime in my **First Impressions posts** once these shows debut. Until that time, I hope everyone enjoys the end to Autumn 2014 and get ready for another sensational season of anime when the calendar turns to 2015.

I’ve been terrible with staying current on anime movies. As you can probably guess from how I struggle to stay on time with my TV anime and with my blog posts, you can imagine how difficult it is for me to be up-to-date on all the anime movies that air every season. And with my movie backlog continuing to grow and grow, I made a decision early on in 2014 to make an effort to watch anime movies this year… and not just the ones that air, but to go back and catch up on all the ones I’ve missed.

Rather than describe my reviews and opinions on each movie, the purpose of this post will be to evaluate this undertaking. In 2014, I watched The Princess and the Pilot, Puella Magi Madoka Magica Movie 1, Persona 3 the Movie 1, Sword Art Online Extended Edition, Sakasama no Patema, Redline, Voices of a Distant Star, and Neon Genesis Evangelion: You Can (Not) Redo. Not included in this list are a number of lengthy OVAs that were released in 2014 as well, though those were omitted from now since I don’t have as much of an issue with OVAs as I do with feature films. And while a number of these films are long overdue, I felt as if I was able to make progress on both my backlog and the current movies that aired in 2014. However, it is worth mentioning that I missed out on a number of other films that I intended to watch too, so this improvement is far from perfect. Still, I think the most rewarding aspect is that I finally discovered how good some of these movies are, and I was able to greatly enjoy almost all the movies I watched.

Of particular note is The Princess and the Pilot (Toaru Hikuushi e no Tsuioku), which I watched at the same time as Pilot’s Love Song (Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta). While I was enjoying the anime independently, watching The Princess and the Pilot opened up the setting to me, and it was able to put the TV anime into a better perspective and context. And though I do believe that Pilot’s Love Song is one of the best TV anime of the year, I found the movie to be far and away the better of the two, and I advocated for it on my blog immediately after finishing the movie. It’s just one example of how putting an effort into watching movies this year paid off tremendously.

I anticipate that I will be able to continue this promise into 2015 too, especially since my movie backlog continues to grow with no end in sight. And as I continue to enjoy the vast array of anime movies, I continue to find new ones that I hope to watch someday. This is a good problem to have considering that I am enjoying almost every anime movie I watch, and I hope that 2015 brings me even more fulfillment and enjoyment as the movies of 2014 did.

Every year, I make an attempt to determine what single episode of every anime that I watched that was my absolute favorite. For some years, the decision is easy, such as 2011 (Puella Magi Madoka Magica episode 10) and 2012 (Sengoku Collection episode 18). For other years, it’s a real challenge. It’s demanding when you’re trying to decide between a number of exceptional episodes with no clear choice. For me, 2014 is the latter with three candidates vying for the honor of my favorite episode of the year. And since I remain undecided on this evaluation, still mulling my opinions for each, I’ll present the three episodes here to illustrate what I am going through.

The first episode to consider is Ping Pong the Animation episode 10. For my review of the episode, I simply stated:

The table tennis matches in Ping Pong have been the greatest thing of any anime this entire season, with this episode being the pinnacle, the unquestioned best. Not only was this episode free of flaws, but the indisputable passion, the mesmerizing kinetics and the exceptional imagery were all conveyed in the captivating animation and extraordinary art work that made this episode unforgettable. It was truly a remarkable experience, and I am confident we have a strong candidate for the best episode of the year, too, with Ping Pong episode ten.

Pretty amazing, right? The episode lived up to its lofty expectations and remains a contender for my favorite episode of the year. The passionate action and overwhelming emotion in the semifinal match created an influential narrative that was supported through some of the finest animation of the year, with the actual game being the zenith.

My second choice is actually from the same person responsible for Ping Pong. Masaaki Yuasa, the director for Ping Pong, was the director, writer, and animation supervisor for the third episode of Space Dandy Season 2. For this episode, I opined:

The third episode of Space Dandy is one of the best episodes of the year according to my criteria. Perhaps the most perfect aspect of this episode was its flawlessly executed story. The plot of episode focused on two independent and simple narratives, with the episode starting a story about feeding Meow and then beginning another about a marooned fish trying to get home. The two autonomous plot lines were linked perfectly and the two were able to build off each other. And simple stories are my favorite in anime since they typically have concise storytelling, appropriate pacing and are free from imperfection and impurities like plot holes and clichés. And it just so happens that both stories in this episode of Space Dandy had outstanding writing, phenomenal structure, fulfilling developments and satisfying conclusions. The episode also featured a remarkable, inspired and artistic setting that heavily influences the characters and their stories. Has there ever been a more unique and thoughtful planet in all of anime? Just recollecting about all the detail and imagination that was put into this setting and how these characteristics factored into the episode is nothing short of astonishing. And let’s not forget to mention the impressive and innovative visual style of this episode’s director, the illustrious and distinguished Masaaki Yuasa (Tatami Galaxy, Kick-Heart, Ping Pong the Animation). How often do you see a sakuga sequence that is done entirely in watercolor paint? It is one-of-a-kind… just like this episode. And all this without even a word on Dandy’s performance. This is truly one of the greatest episodes of anime for the entire year, if not the greatest. Fortunately, when the year comes to an end, I’ll be faced with a delightful dilemma. I’ll be needing to review this episode among several others to decide my favorite of the year. With this, Ping Pong and KILL la KILL to choose from, I’ll be more than happy to revisit each.

And now that I am at the end of the year, I am happy to revisit each, even KILL la KILL which did not make the final 3 that are being reviewed here. As you can see, I was already torn between a few episodes when I was evaluating Space Dandy, but felt the need to consider it among the rest instead of trying to make a decision then and there. Of course, there is one episode left to consider, which aired earlier this season.

A good majority of anime fans wouldn’t necessarily consider a lighthearted, super moe slice-of-life anime about mountaineering to be in the same category as Ping Pong the Animation or Space Dandy, but episode 13 of Yama no Susume Second Season definitely belongs based on its flawless execution. My thoughts on the episode are below:

Up there with Ping Pong the Animation episode 10 and Space Dandy S2 episode 3 is Yama no Susume Second Season episode 13 for best anime episode of the year. Unlike the preceding two anime which need no introduction, Yama no Susume Second Season seems to be relatively anonymous or disregarded as an anime this season. A few quick searches confirm this claim, and they reveal a nominal amount of discussion or dialogue on the series. However, it’s obscurity as an anime has no correlation to its quality or its entertainment (or its education about mountaineering!), and the thirteenth episode was easily one of the most inspiring and satisfying episodes of the year.

What made this episode so outstanding, so remarkable is that it felt complete despite its multifaceted story and its phenomenal characterization. The episode successfully integrated three separate plots – star-gazing, firefly watching and Aoi and Hinata getting lost as children – into one coherent story where each element has a significant impact on the other. The episode was magnificent in how it personified Aoi and Hinata, how they thought about each other, how they acted around each other and showed the strength of their friendship, both in the past and in the present. The visuals was exceptional and truly paramount for a series of this nature, featuring a diversity of aesthetics that range from oil pastels (how often can you say that about an anime?), to a detailed, cartoony style and back to the traditional/moe art style but at a much higher quality and excellence than normal. Everything about this episode was perfect, far exceeding even my wildest imagination for this anime and delivering an episode that is captivating, charming and exceptionally beautiful. I could not recommend this episode enough, even to outsiders of the franchise who know nothing else about the series besides these two short paragraphs. Please watch this episode since it is one of the most incredible and gratifying episodes of the year.

Yes, like the previous two episodes mentioned in this post, Yama no Susume successfully articulated its story, influenced and improved its central characters, featured grandiose and dazzling art, and did everything without any fault or flaw. It truly was a perfect episode… but was it the most perfect episode of 2014?

At the end of this post, you’re probably expecting some decision or celebration, complete with a podium, a trophy, confetti and an after party with cake and champagne. Well, if those were your expectations, I will only disappoint. As I mentioned in the very first line of this post, I only make an attempt at what is my favorite episode of anime of the year; it doesn’t always mean I am able to find that episode. Still, I would like to determine which of these three are my favorite, and I may revisit this topic at a later time, when enough time has passed and I can watch the episodes individually again and weigh their impact on me more precisely. However, that will be an exercise for another day. Instead, the purpose of this post was to highlight the achievements of three separate anime this year, and to bring recognition to the brilliance that lies within any random anime. And of course, it’d make me even happier for you, the audience, to go out and watch these episodes in case you missed any of them. I’d be curious to hear if your thoughts mirror my own on these remarkable and outstanding anime.

Art books are arguably my favorite item of anime merchandise (of which, I own 18). And Imai Kami is undoubtedly my favorite manga artist. So when the Imai Kami Visual Collection, Nirai Kanai, was announced to be sold in June 2014, I was positively ecstatic. For the first time, there would be a printed compilation of his various works from both Needless and Shirasunamura, as well as other works in magazines and online sources. However, there was a major bonus to this art book that made it even more unique and exceptional among its peers. Since its completion as a doujinshi in 1999, Imai Kami’s first printed work, the 330 page BLACK SPOT, was being reprinted and bundled with the art book. After 15 years, the work that originated Imai Kami’s career and was the foundation and basis for my favorite manga, Needless, was finally available to the public. Without a doubt, the Imai Kami Visual Collection is the best thing to happen to me in 2014.

The art book is an accumulation of Imai Kami’s professional work since 1999 when he was creating graphics and comics for Arcadia magazine. Like most art books, it features full page color images that are bonuses or extras were printed in volumes, concept art, sketches, and other behind-the-scenes work. However, this art book is a real treat for foreigners since it compiled a number of comics that are unavailable overseas, including his most recent mini-series in the Arcadia magazine from the past year. And when flipping through the 240 pages, one can tell the vast improvement in his art style over the years which is a testament to his effort and dedication to his work. It is worth noting that the art book does not contain any images from Imai Kami’s 4-koma gag series Katatsumuri-chan, which is odd considering that it ran for a number of years and produced 5 volumes. Still, I am thrilled with the art book and how much new content was available between the covers.

The other half of the Visual Collection was the reprinted BLACK SPOT doujinshi. Since only a handful of copies were available from its only printing back 15 years ago, the doujinshi was incredibly rare and very little information was available on it than what is printed on Imai Kami’s website. That issue, however, completely disappeared with the advent of the Visual Collection, making the work available again after the debut of his professional career. As one might expect, the art work is rough, but it has a distinct style, and readers can tell that this was the foundation for his later works, especially with how similar it looks to the early chapters of Needless and Shirasunamura. What is also very interesting is how similar the story and setting are between Black Spot and Needless, with Black Spot essentially being the storyboard of Needless some years later. Of course, Needless greatly expanded upon the ideas and concepts of Black Spot, not to mention changing the genre to also be an ecchi comedy series with lots of action and some gore instead of one focused on action and gore alone, and you can tell that a number of scenes and developments are similar between the two. It’s fascinating to finally see his earliest work, and to understand what inspired him before he became a mangaka. Not only that, but finally seeing the groundwork and basis for my favorite manga is something I will never forget for this year. While it may not be the greatest art book or doujinshi, the combination of my favorite mangaka’s work in an art book and his first printed work is a truly special piece of merchandise that I am very happy to own. Without a doubt, the Imai Kami Visual Collection is my favorite moment of the year and the way I want to conclude my 12 Days of Anime for 2014.