Fall 2011 Preview!
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Another year of anime is drawing to a close, but not before the long-awaited fall season. While the number of shows pales in comparison to the 43 offered in spring, the quality of the 25 new titles is a lot higher. There are numerous sequels and spiritual successors: The third and final season of Shakugan no Shana, studio GONZO’s big return with a new Last Exile eight years later, the prequel to Type-Moon’s Fate/stay night, and more of our favorite squid girl, Ika Musume. In addition, we have plenty of original series, including a new Gundam and two noitaminA shows by BONES and Production I.G. Equally impressive is the fact that many of which are slated for two-cour. Anime fans everywhere should be excited. I know I am.
Note: I purposely left out Digimon Xros Wars: Toki wo Kakeru Shounen Hunter-tachi and Cross Fight B-Daman from this preview because they’re targeted towards younger audiences. If you’re interested in either, feel free to check out their official sites.
As a quick reminder, each entry is divided into two paragraphs:
- A brief introduction to the series and its premise, often with the starring cast of characters.
- My impressions, expanding on the plot and highlighting specific aspects that interest me.
The overall impressions at the very end categorize the shows in a way that should help you decide what to watch.
Disclaimer: Regular readers of the site probably already know that my tastes are fairly diverse, but a quick look at MyAnimeList should give everyone else an idea of my sixteen or so years of history with anime. With that in mind, please be aware that I’ll often watch mediocre and even controversial series for the sake of variety, or simply so that I can make an informed judgment at the end. However, I would only recommend such shows if you’ve seen something similar, enjoyed it to a certain degree, and know what you’re getting yourself into. I still have my usual genres, so it’s usually not too difficult for me to decide what to watch based on premise, art style, production, and cast (a big one for me) after going through some source and/or promotional material. For the purpose of this preview, I’ll try to identify what appeals to me about each series, in hopes that it will help you determine if it coincides with your own tastes.
By no means does this list reflect every single anime series that is going to be aired, though it’s meant to be as comprehensive as possible. Shows that stray far from the anime norm or are deemed oriented towards younger children are omitted, so check out MOON PHASE for an entire listing, syoboi’s calendar for specific air times, and Fansub Wiki’s page for who’s tentatively subbing what.
Technical Note: The list is ordered by the date and time that the shows premiere. The links in the schedule will take you to a series’ corresponding entry and the “Top” links on the right will bring you back. You can also use the back/forward buttons in your browser to jump between links you’ve clicked. All times are given in a 24-hour, relative-day format where times are extended to show which day they belong to. For instance, Friday morning at 1:30AM would become Thursday at 25:30 to show that the episode aired late Thursday night.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
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| HUNTER x HUNTER 10:55 NTV (10/2) |
Tamayura ~hitotose~ 09:00 AT-X (10/3) |
Chihayafuru 24:59 NTV (10/4) |
Busou Shinki Moon Angel –:– PSN (9/22) |
Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi 2 25:05 TVS (10/7) |
Bakuman. 2 17:30 NHK (10/1) |
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| Mobile Suit Gundam AGE 17:00 MBS/TBS (10/9) |
Kimi to Boku. 25:30 TX (10/3) |
Maken-Ki! 25:05 TVS (10/4) |
UN-GO 24:45 CX (10/13) |
Shakugan no Shana III (Final) 25:30 MX (10/7) |
C³ -C Cube- 23:30 AT-X (10/1) |
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| Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle 17:30 NHK (10/2) |
Shinryaku!? Ika Musume 26:00 TX (9/26) |
Mashiro-iro Symphony 26:00 TVA (10/4) |
Guilty Crown 25:15 CX (10/13) |
Last Exile -Ginyoku no Fam- 26:00 CBC (10/7) |
WORKING’!! 23:30 MX (10/1) |
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| Mirai Nikki 23:00 Niconico (10/9) |
Persona 4 the ANIMATION 25:30 MBS (10/6) |
Fate/Zero 24:00 MX (10/1) |
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| Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai 25:55 TBS (10/6) |
Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!! 25:00 tvk (10/1) |
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| Ben-To 26:20 TVA (10/8) |
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| Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon 26:58 MBS (10/1) |
* Jump to OVA/Movies.
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Konami’s Busou Shinki “Multi Moveable System” (MMS) action figure line is being adapted into an anime that will be available on the PlayStation Store. The franchise already has two PSP games based on it, the second of which comes out this month (Busou Shinki Battle Masters Mk.2). In the “Armament Goddess Moon Angel” anime, the figurines are still figurines except some are fully self-aware. The story itself revolves around a young boy named Tsubasa (Inoue Marina), who yearns of becoming a Shinki Master one day. On his way home, he comes across a damaged Shinki in the trees, Arnval Mk.2 (Asumi Kana), who fled from her pursuer Strarf Mk.2 (Chihara Minori) for unknown reasons. He takes Arnval in and fixes her, only to get caught up in a huge conspiracy involving Shinki. The actual Busou Shinki figurines come with a code that grants owners access to the free massively multiplayer online (MMO) game where they can “raise” their Shinki and battle against other Shinki owners. There are numerous Shinki out there, all voiced by prominent female seiyuu. In the anime, these battles appear to take place in Tsubasa’s world, providing something very similar to other “mecha musume” shows like Strike Witches and Infinite Stratos, albeit on a much smaller scale. Given the short 5-min episode duration, I’m not too sure what to expect from this PSN anime. It looks to be primarily for fans of the figurines. I do like the high-speed aerial battles seen in the first episode that was pre-aired online (see PVs below), so I may check back for more of those. It’s not really much of a commitment when the episodes are so short.
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Our favorite squid girls returns for another season — this time with a lot more doubt about an invasion right in the title. This sequel probably needs little introduction, but in case you weren’t reading RandomC last year (shame on you), it’s a comedy about a squid girl, aptly named “Ika Musume” (Kanemoto Hisako), who comes to surface with grandiose plans of conquering mankind for polluting the ocean, only to wind up working at a beach hut run by the Aizawa sisters, Eiko (Fujimura Ayumi) and Chizuru (Tanaka Rie). A lot of the actual humor comes from the fact that Ika Musume is completely harmless and ends up being the victim of her own naivety more often than not. Together with the support cast of Nagatsuki Sanae (Itou Kanae), lifeguard Arashiyama Gorou (Nakamura Yuuichi), and American extraterrestrial researcher Cindy Campbell (Nabatame Hitomi), there’s never a dull day at the beach. I was pretty excited about the first season last fall, and while many people didn’t share the same enthusiasm initially, that quickly changed when they got a healthy dose of Ika Musume. Structured as a few mini skits per episode, Diomedea’s adaptation really got viewers buzzing with their dialogueless shorts on “Mini Ika Musume” — so much that bonus episodes about her were created for the BD/DVD release. It was a statement to how the series can combine slapstick humor with a sentimental touch, which worked really well with all the cuteness seen in Ika Musume’s character. All the key staff members from season one are back, with director Mizushima Tsutomu now overseeing the entire project while Yamamoto Yasutaka actually directs it. I don’t expect too much to change, seeing as season one more or less adapted pages right out of the manga, so we can probably expect more of the same comedic and heartfelt moments. When the formula worked as well as it did last fall, that’s hardly a bad thing.
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The shounen manga about manga is back with a second season, picking up where things last left off with Mashiro Moritaka (Abe Atsushi) and Takagi Akito’s (Hino Satoshi) dreams of getting their work serialized in Weekly Shounen Jump. Motivated by his promise with his middle school crush/aspiring seiyuu Azuki Miho (Hayami Saori) and the mangaka path left behind by his late uncle, Moritaka continues his struggles in the manga industry as an artist for the unorthodox stories that Akito writes. The first season entailed their entrance into the manga industry and the struggles with other young mangaka, and concluded with the first big step of their careers — the serialization of their Detective Trap series. The fairy tale-like story doesn’t end there though, as more challenges arise in the pursuit of their dreams. Despite the manga’s popularity, I never got past the first couple of episodes last fall, so there’s little reason for me to get into Bakuman now. I was somewhat intrigued by the setup where Miho agreed to marry Moritaka if they both succeed, but when it turned out to be just a plot device that’s rarely revisited, my interest waned. Still, I can see the series’ appeal to younger viewers, as it encourages them to pursue their dreams. It also provides a unique inside-look into the cutthroat manga industry and touches upon a romance element between Akito and Miho’s best friend, Miyoshi Kaya (Yahagi Sayuri). The only problem is, it has a very strong shounen vibe to it (being serialized in the real WSJ and all) that my older jaded self doesn’t really care for. Those who watched and enjoyed the first season will probably be able to tell you about all of Bakuman’s good points though. Takaii did cover the first season, so if anyone’s going to cover this sequel, it would be him.
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At first glance, the anime for Minase Hazuki’s fantasy novel/manga looks like BakaTest, thanks to the same studio, director, and character designer. The premise for C³ (Cube x Cursed x Curious) is similarly outlandish too, with the existence of “cursed tools” known as “Worse” that make Yachi Haruaki’s (Kaji Yuuki) everyday school life anything but normal. His overseas father has a knack for finding these items, which contain huge amounts of negative emotions that can manifest into a human consciousness. If allowed to amass more negative feelings, the Worse can become a demon and curse its owner and everyone around him. One day, Haruaki receives a one-meter black cube — a torture device found in an old castle basement — that has already awakened as a blue-haired girl named Fear Kubrick (Tamura Yukari). She asks him to help lift her curse and starts living with Haruaki and Muramasa Konoha (Chihara Minori), another Worse whose curse has already been lifted. Other characters and organizations familiar with the cursed tools get involved, including Haruaki’s class president Ueno Kirika (Kitamura Eri). The idea of cursed items had me thinking this would be a darker series, but the ability to change between their original forms and beautiful young girls quickly dismissed that idea. The story starts off with a naked Fear stealing senbei since she lacks common sense (see promo video #2), so it looks to be more of a romantic comedy with a supernatural twist. Granted, there’s an action element to go with “fallen” Worses and organizations that have different stances toward the cursed tools. Haruaki gets drawn into the scuffles — sometimes wielding Konoha in her previously cursed katana form — providing an interesting blend of school life and fantasy. I’m anticipating something similar to Kore wa Zombie Desu ka as far as the dark-fantasy aspect goes, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing considering how surprisingly enjoyable it was. I get the feeling that C³ will be better than it seems, but I’m still not expecting too much from it.
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In a season with a good amount of sequels, we also see the continuation of the family restaurant comedy, Working. The premise is a simple one, centering around high school student and self-proclaimed lover of all things small and helpless, Takanashi Souta (Fukuyama Jun). He agrees to work at Wagnaria because of how adorable his petite senior Taneshima Popura (Asumi Kana) is. Soon after getting hired, Souta realizes how unusual his coworkers are, from his carefree manager Kyouko (Watanabe Kimiko), androphobic coworker Mahiru (Fujita Saki), and katana-carrying floor chief Yachiyo (Kitamura Eri), to the kitchen staff members, Hiroomi (Kamiya Hiroshi) and Jun (Ono Daisuke). Things get even more hectic when the freeloading Yamada Aoi (Hirohashi Ryou) shows up, making a day at the restaurant anything but routine. As with most comedies, most of the humor comes from the interactions between the characters, such as Souta’s attempts to help Mahiru overcome her fear of men without getting killed in the process. The pre-airing left me with a feeling of nostalgia, given the year and a half that’s passed since the first season, and provided plenty of the lighthearted moments that I’ve come to know the series for. We have a new director and screenwriter helming the sequel, but so far there hasn’t really been any questionable change in direction. With the premise already established and A-1 Pictures still behind the production, I don’t anticipate things will deviate too much either. If the first episode was any indication, the source material will be the deciding factor anyway, so if you’re looking for a clean comedy, then look no further than Working. I know I’ll be checking in on the family restaurant regularly.
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A light novel prequel to Type-Moon’s Fate/stay night was written by Urobuchi Gen (Madoka Magica) after the anime finished airing, and now it’s getting a full two-cour anime of its own produced by ufotable. Taking place ten years before, Fate/Zero unveils the truth behind the Fourth Holy Grail War, where Emiya Shirou’s foster father Kiritsugu (Koyama Rikiya) battles against six other Masters and their summoned Servants in an attempt to claim the legendary relic that can grant any wish. The chalice has gone unclaimed in the last three wars in Fuyuki City and Kiritsugu is fully intent on claiming it now, summoning the same Saber (Kawasumi Ayako) from the seven classes of deceased warriors. Another Master, Kotomine Kirei (Nakata Jouji), summons Assassin but lacks a sense purpose in partaking in the war. That all changes when he meets the coldhearted and unrelenting Kiritsugu and perceives him as a sworn enemy. The prequel centers on Kiritsugu and Kirei, the latter of whom still has a prominent role in Fate/stay night. What I find so intriguing about this part of the story is how it warps my image of certain characters, particularly Shirou’s father from whom he inherited the “Hero of Justice” mentality, and changes my understanding of various things that happen in the fifth war. This includes Tousaka Rin’s father Tokiomi (Hayami Shou), the Master of the Archer-class Gilgamesh (Seki Tomokazu). The only other familiar face among the Servants is Gilgamesh, but even that should be enlightening since this is the first time Saber fought against him. Compared to the fifth war, this one comes off a lot darker and cutthroat with its willing participants, so I’m already looking forward to that change in mood. I can’t wait to hear the soundtrack either, since Kajiura Yuki is composing the music. I’m already getting some good Kara no Kyoukai-like vibes just thinking about ufotable x Kajiura Yuki. After the watching the Unlimited Blade Works movie last year, I’m ready for some more of Type-Moon’s Fate.
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Minato Soft, creators of Kimi ga Aruji de Shitsuji ga Ore de, are getting another one of their adult visual novels adapted. Released for PC in 2009, “Love Me Seriously!” is set in high school like most eroge are, except all the female members in a tight-knit group of friends are descendents of warriors and know how to fight. The story follows second-year Naoe Yamato (Kamiya Hiroshi), who’s hung out with three guys and three girls since he was kid. Their group of seven is referred to as the “Kazama family” after its leader and Yamato’s best friend, Kazama Shouichi (Konishi Katsuyuki). Along with Kawakami Momoyo (Asakawa Yuu), Kawakami Kazuko (Tomonaga Akane), Shiina Miyako (Hyousei), Morooka Takuya (Suzumura Kenichi), and Shimazu Gakuto (Kusao Takeshi), not much has changed in the group. However, things start to when they’re joined by two female transfer students, Mayuzumi Yukie (Gotou Yuuko) and Christiane Friedrich (Itou Shizuka), and the guys have to do their best not to lose out to the warrior-bred girls. If this is anything like Kimiaru, I’m not expecting much outside a romantic comedy with a warrior-type spin. It was a decent series but falls in line with most of the formulaic aspects of the genre. Not a bad thing by any means, but nothing to write home about either. In Majikoi, it looks like they intend to milk the fighting aspect to help differentiate it a bit, which could work if the promo video is any indication. The script is being handled by Takayama Katsuhiko as well, who’s no stranger to this kind of show with Bakatest, Asoiku, and Soremachi under his belt. He also has experience outside this genre, which includes ef – a tale, Ga-Rei -Zero- and this season’s Mirai Nikki. The entire cast from the eroge returns for the anime too, without the aliases they use for their adult line of work. The only thing to keep in mind is that the fan-service will be pretty high (i.e. probably nudity on AT-X), seeing as the show’s been turned down by a broadcast station in Nagoya. I’m tempted to check it out just to see some of studio Lerche’s work, but it won’t be very high on my priority list with all the better offerings this season.
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Sunrise is teaming up with Dengeki Bunko to produce a light novel-based anime that’s been said to be “impossible” to adapt. Known as “Horizon on the Middle of Nowhere”, Kawakami Minoru’s school battle fantasy has a deep-rooted and fairly convoluted premise. In the distant future, mankind has to suddenly abandon “Tenjou” (lit. heavens) and return to the Earth, where the only inhabitable place left is “Shinshuu” (Japan). To cope with the lack of space, they create an alternate dimension to live in called “Jusou Sekai”. To find a means back to Tenjou, they attempt to relive the Earth’s history as transcribed in the “Testament”; however, a war later breaks out in Shinshuu and destabilizes the alternate dimension, causing it to come crashing into the real world. The various countries come pouring out, fighting over the limited space of “Kyokutou”. In present day, the Testament suddenly stopped transcribing the Earth’s history at 1648 A.D., causing the countries to fight over their own interpretations on what happens next. Some believe it’s the end of the world; others try to carve a new future. The parallels to our history add a nice twist, as the last recorded information in the Testament is the end of the Thirty Years’ War. Most of the world’s confusion comes from mention of Westpalia, not knowing that the peace treaty was signed there. Kyokutou is in the middle of a medieval war, but the story’s stage is Musashi, the eight-ship independent nation in the skies where students of Ariadust Academy try to settle the cross-national dispute on their own. We follow the carefree yet charismatic Musashi sub-ruler/student council president Aoi Toori (Fukuyama Jun) and fellow sub-ruler/automaton Horizon Ariadust (Chihara Minori). The huge cast is brimming with big names, such as Sawashiro Miyuki, Koyasu Takehito, Ono Daisuke, Inoue Marina, Saitou Chiwa, Koshimizu Ami, and Yuuki Aoi. Despite the fairly grave premise, the promo material suggests otherwise, so I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in store with this massive undertaking. The amount of terminology is daunting, but judging from the intro videos, Sunrise has put a lot of effort into making this project succeed. A second season is already scheduled.
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YuYu Hakusho creator Togashi Yoshihiro’s other renowned manga sees a remake ten years later, this time with a new studio, staff, and cast. To produce this Weekly Shounen Jump series, Madhouse is working with director Koujina Hiroshi, whose previous works together include Rainbow, Majin Tanten Nougami Neuro, and Kiba. In Hunter x Hunter, we follow the adventures of a young boy named Gon Freecss (Han Megumi) who aspires to become a Hunter after learning that his presumed-to-be-dead father Ging is still alive and one of the best in the world. He sets out on a journey in search of his father where he meets and befriends other aspiring hunters, Killua Zoldyc (Ise Mariya), Leorio (Fujiwara Keiji), and Kurapika (Sawashiro Miyuki) during their Hunter Exam. Very few people can pass this grueling exam to be officially recognized as an elite individual who specializes in finding treasures, exotic creatures, and other rare items, but together they face that challenge and many others, including Hisoka (Namikawa Daisuke), another aspiring Hunter. Hunter x Hunter has been running in WSJ for longer than Naruto and Bleach and nearly as long as One Piece, but hasn’t seen the same kind of never-ending adaptation despite the good reception of the 62-episode TV series and 30-episode OVA produced by Nippon Animation. The original work has also been praised for being a shounen series that sets itself apart from other WSJ titles with its plot and characters. There’s less emphasis on battles and more on the developments. All of that sounds good to me, but I never got into the manga or the anime, so I’m a bit indifferent about this remake now. I do like the cast that’s been brought in to replace the original one, even though existing fans probably wanted to hear the same voices they’re accustomed to. Personally, I’m not looking for an anime of this kind to get into, but it’s worth taking a peek if you are. It’s friendly to any newcomers since it starts from the very beginning.
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Sunrise is on a bit of a tear this season with three offerings, the second of which is an original series about a high school student named Daimon Kaito (Asanuma Shintarou), who together with his childhood friend Itou Nonoha (Shimizu Kaori), stumbles upon a supposedly unsolvable maze beneath his school. It turns out to be a “Philosopher Puzzle” created by a mysterious organization known as “POG”, who makes would-be challengers stake their lives to try and solve it. Kaito manages to do so and obtains the Orpheus Bracelet hidden in the maze, earning him the “Phi Brain” recognition — the first step towards solving the “Puzzle of God”. Together with others Phi Brains, Sakanoue Gammon (Fukuyama Jun), Cubic G (Miyata Kouki), and Anna Graham (Yukino Satsuki), they wage a puzzle battle against POG to uncover the truth about the organization and the Puzzle of God. The premise and promo videos remind me a lot of the psychological thriller Cube, where different people from all walks of life are put into a deadly puzzle game to test how smart they are. Sunrise appears to be going for the same riveting approach with this series, which is slated for two cour like most of their original works usually are. I’m not completely sold on the visuals and am somewhat deterred by the arrogance seen in Kaito, but still feel that this will turn out a lot better than it seems. It’s reminiscent of Kaiji with the gambling replaced by puzzles, so I’m anticipating the same kind of nail-biting, thought-provoking entertainment. The series is airing on NHK after all, a broadcast station that generally only features anime that have an educational element to them. I’m not sure what to make of Satou Junichi as director though, since he’s better known for his work in slice-of-life series such as ARIA, Tamayura, and the recent Ikoku Meiro no Croisée. Regardless, Sunrise’s original anime are always worth keeping an eye on.
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Slice-of-life fans rejoice, the four-part OVA by the ARIA staff is back with a TV series. For those who haven’t seen last year’s OVA, Tamayura revolves around first-year high school student Sawatari Fuu (Taketatsu Ayana), a.k.a. “Potte”, and her everyday life in her hometown of Takehara, Hiroshima that she recently moved back to after five years. With the help of her childhood friend Hanawa Kaoru (Asumi Kana), she’s able to befriend Okazaki Norie (Iguchi Yuka) and Sakurada Maon (Gibu Yuuko). Together with her new friends, Fuu rediscovers her hometown through the finder of a Rollei 35S camera left behind by her late father. As with most shows of this genre, the premise is relatively simple. The characters don’t face any serious challenges and there isn’t much of an overarching story. Instead, the focus is on giving us glimpses of the small things in life that we ought to appreciate more. ARIA had the uncanny ability to give the viewer a more positive outlook on life and the staff behind its anime has created something very similar with Tamayura. With Fuu, there’s often a sentimental aspect attached as well, especially when she tries to find out where her father took his photographs. She’s also very timid and innocent just like Mizunashi Akari, providing a refreshing view on just about everything. There isn’t anything particular about the OVA episodes that stood out to me, but in a day and age full of shows about violence, I consider a cute and heartwarming series like this a godsend to balance them out. This type of show is far too uneventful for most viewers and isn’t very interesting to blog, but it is pleasing to watch. It’s like anime for the soul.
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Now here’s something you don’t see every day — a clean slice-of-life comedy with five teenage boys and no BL/shounen-ai undertones. “You and I” follows the everyday lives of four childhood friends — twin brothers Asaba Yuuta (Uchiyama Kouki) and Yuuki (Kimura Ryouhei), honor student Tsukahara Kaname (Ono Yuuki), and effeminate Matsuoka Shun (Toyonaga Toshiyuki) — and their half-German transfer student Tachibana Chizuru (Irino Miyu). It covers their time in high school where they’re soon joined by Shun’s petite admirer Satou Masaki (Satou Miyuki), and features flashbacks showing how their friendship’s developed since kindergarten. J.C. Staff and Sora no Woto director Kanbe Mamoru has been tasked to bring female mangaka Hotta Kiichi’s adolescent comedy to life with two 13-episode seasons, the first of which starts this fall. The early parts of the manga reminded me of Sasameki Koto, both in terms of style and the laid-back humor. Flip the genders of the five girls and one guy and take out the underlying yuri element and we have the basis for Kimi to Boku. The similarities end there though, as the type of humor is more in line with Ouran High School Host Club where the characters will poke fun at one another like only guys can. As with most slice-of-life comedies, the interactions between the distinct character personalities drive most of the humor. Yuuta is the good-looking outspoken leader who keeps the group together, Yuuki is the cool nonchalant mirror of him, Kaname is the straight-edged brains, Shun is the token girlish pretty boy, and Chizuru is the energetic newcomer. The end result is fairly enjoyable for both female and male audiences alike, especially those who want a down-to-earth school comedy that doesn’t revolve around romance. I wasn’t planning to watch this adaptation, but now I’m considering following it when I have time.
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After some plagiarism trouble that put her career on hiatus, Suetsugu Yuki returned with an original concept for her award-winning josei manga. Sixth-grade Ayase Chihaya’s (Seto Asami) only dream is to see her one-year-older sister become a top model. She’s a tomboy with no aspirations of her own, until the bullied transfer student, Wataya Arata (Yoshimasa Hosoya), tells her of his dream to become the best karuta player in Japan. In one game against him, Chihaya is astounded by the concentration and speed the traditional card game can be played with and becomes fascinated with it when Arata notices her potential. Chihaya’s elitist friend Mashima Taichi (Miyano Mamoru) soon joins them and they form an unexpectedly profound friendship. Unfortunately, Chihaya’s newfound happiness is short-lived, as they go their separate ways following graduation. She continues playing alone believing that she’ll see Arata again. Four years later, she’s reunited with Taichi in high school. They find out Arata quit karuta after returning to his hometown, so they create a karuta club in hopes that he’ll play with them again. I didn’t know what to make of this series at first, but after reading a bit of the manga, it’s gone from a show that I wasn’t even considering to one that I’m really looking forward to. In a game of listening, memorization, and reaction time, it’s interesting to see Chihaya excel at it because of her remarkable hearing ability. The most captivating aspect are the characters themselves, who are able to overcome their personal problems and insecurities through the game. Chihaya’s the forgotten child in the family because of her sister’s modeling success, whereas Taichi is under constant pressure from his mother to be the best at everything. Then there are the questions surrounding Arata, who suddenly quits karuta despite being a national champion in grade school. Amidst all that, there are even signs of romantic interests developing around a very beautiful Chihaya. In some ways, the style is reminiscent of Kimi ni Todoke. It’s good to know Madhouse has 25 episodes to work with, because I see this as the sleeper of the season.
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It was only a matter of time before we saw another fan-service-filled school-battle anime. In Maken-Ki’s take on the idea, Ooyama Takeru (Maeno Tomoaki) enrolls at Tenpi High, an all-girls school that recently turned co-ed. His dreams of a garden of beautiful girls are quickly shattered when he realizes the students there learn how to control special powers called “Elements” using magical weapons known as “Maken” and engage in regular duels with one another. Takeru is no exception to this form of education, but he’s stuck without a Maken for a while because none are suitable for him. He winds up living in a dorm with his childhood friend, Amaya Haruko (Shitaya Noriko), his self-proclaimed fiancee, Kushiya Inaho (Nomizu Iori), and a mysterious girl who considers him an enemy, Himegami Kodama (Yahagi Sayuri). On Haruko’s recommendation, Takeru ends up joining the “Maken-Ki” club that works with the student council to resolve problems around the school. The premise has a lot of parallels with FREEZING; replace the Volt Weapons with Maken and the dimensional invaders with a perverted harem lead and we have Maken-Ki. I found the manga provides a similar form of entertainment, except the focus is more on school life than fighting. Takeru’s backstory about his mother leads to some decent character growth (e.g. his “Blood Pointer” ability) and the story picks up when the mercenary unit Venus transfers to Tenpi, claiming that someone is trying to revive the eight-headed dragon, “Yamata no Orochi”. All the while, a lighthearted air is maintained with all romantic comedy-type developments. The fan-service in the manga was relatively tasteful with no nudity and only the odd panty shot during battles, so my main concern is the added emphasis on it seen in the promo video. In all likelihood, this will quickly degenerate into an anime that was produced solely to milk that aspect. The goofier character designs suggest as much, so I’m not expecting much in the way of depth.
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In Palette’s 2009 adult visual novel, we have yet another story where a male lead is surrounded by beautiful girls because a school recently turned co-ed. Uryuu Shingo’s (Mizushima Takahiro) Kagamidai Academy is in the process of merging with the neighboring town’s prestigious all-girls school Yuihime Academy (a.k.a. Yuijo) due to financial difficulties in the area. In preparation for the merger, he and his younger stepsister Sakuno (Gotou Mai) are chosen to take part in a testing phase where they attend classes at Yuijo. There, Shingo finds himself in a test class with the principal’s daughter and model student, Sena Airi (Ono Ryouko), who’s opposed to the merger and uses her influence to make it difficult for guys to get accustomed to the school. However, self-styled maid Ange Nanatsu Sewell (Ichimura Oma) and third-year Amaha Miu (Rikimaru Noriko) help Shingo fit in. He later stumbles upon Airi’s secret and causes her to open up to him and the others, thus beginning Shingo’s new school life at Yuijo where romance is in the air. There isn’t much to be expect from the premise itself, except maybe Airi’s thrifty lifestyle that goes against her image and the addition of male-hater Inui Sana (Yoshida Mayumi), so the potential lies in the characters themselves and the relationships that develop. Unless an omnibus format is employed, I can’t see there being any profound developments either. Even with Airi as the main love candidate, the romance will likely beat around the bush until the last couple of episodes. Realistically, all I can hope for is something that’s built up better than Hoshikaka and closer to Fortune Arterial. There are always subtle aspects I enjoy in VN adaptations, but the end result is almost always mediocre at best. I am however cautiously optimistic about the direction Manglobe takes Mashirio-iro Symphony. The closest thing they’ve produced is Kami nomi, so I’m curious to see if the studio can make all the difference in the world.
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Three years after the spin-off adaptation of Atlus’ Persona 3 PlayStation 2 role-playing game, Persona -trinity soul-, we have a more faithful one on the latest iteration, produced by AIC ASTA and directed by Angel Beats/Kami-sama Dolls’ Kishi Seiji. The protagonist — now officially named Narukami Yuu (Namikawa Daisuke) — moves to the rural town of Inaba and stays with his police detective uncle Doujima Ryoutarou and six-year-old cousin Nanako. Shortly after his arrival, a series of murders take place where bodies are found hanging from television antennas, and a rumor begins to spread about a “Mayonaka TV” program where you can see your other self in the reflection of a television set on rainy days. Looking into the rumor, Yuu and his new friends, Hanamura Yousuke (Morikubo Shoutarou), Satonaka Chie (Horie Yui), Amagi Yukiko (Koshimizu Ami), get pulled into an alternate TV world where monsters known as Shadows roam about. They’re forced to confront their Shadow Selves and awaken their “Personas”, summoned beings that they use to investigate the murders and their connection to this other world. The game’s other cast members are present, namely Tatsumi Kanji (Seki Tomokazu), Kujikawa Rise (Kugimiya Rie), Shirogane Naoto (Paku Romi), and the mysterious bear-like creature, Kuma (Yamaguchi Kappei). I was introduced to the very first Persona game back in 1997, but never actually got into the franchise itself. Still, I’m familiar with the common elements in the games and actually enjoyed watching Trinity Soul, making it hard to ignore a faithful adaptation of a title with a 90% Metacritic score. I may not be looking forward to it as much as fans of the game, but the high school setting with mysterious deaths, creepy rumors, and Personas piques my interest all the same. The cast, character designs, and promo videos look awesome, plus the series has been confirmed to be two-cour, which should be ample time to adapt the story in full. It may be hard to believe, but this is a video game adaptation that shows a lot of promise.
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Loners making friends with loners — that’s the idea behind Hirasaka Yomi’s light novel “I Don’t Have Many Friends” (a.k.a. “Haganai”), which spawned two manga and now an anime. It starts with transfer student Hasegawa Kodaka (Kimura Ryouhei), who’s treated like an outcast because of his delinquent-like appearance. One day, he stumbles upon his ill-tempered classmate Mikazuki Yozora (Inoue Marina) happily talking to her imaginary friend. Realizing Kodaka’s just as much of a loner, Yozora creates the “Rinjin-bu” (i.e. Neighbor Club) to make real friends and forces him to join. Before long, they’re joined by other outcasts at St. Chronica Academy: An arrogant school idol, Kashiwazaki Sena (Itou Kanae), an effeminate junior hoping to become a “real man”, Kusunoki Yukimura (Yamamoto Nozomi), and a BL-obssessed genius, Shiguma Rika (Fukuen Misato). Yozora later recruits their ten-year-old genius teacher/nun Takayama Maria (Iguchi Yuka) to be their club advisor, and somehow Kodaka’s middle school sister Kobato (Hanazawa Kana) winds up as a member too. Thus begins Kodaka’s comical school life with his new friends. On the surface, the setup is quirky and the original illustrations by Buriki remind me too much of Denpa Onno to Seishun Otoko. A closer look at Yozora’s selfish ways and her knack for getting everyone caught in her pace reveals the highlight of the series though — Yozora bumping heads with Sena to the point that they want to kill each other. Their terrible personalities are so similar that they get along sometimes, which is funny because they’re completely oblivious to it. Most of the humor comes from exemplifying their horrible social skills in club activities that mimic what “real” friends do together (e.g. playing video games). Casting Marina and Kanae for the lead roles is a bit unexpected, since they’re not as much of a shoo-in as Yuka for the loli-nun role, but I’m looking forward to hearing those two flip out and act all smug. The all-star female cast and production by AIC Build are the biggest appeals of this adaptation, so I can already see this being one of the more “clever” comedic offerings this season. Definitely worth checking out.
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If there was any doubt about there being an audience for forbidden love between guys, a second season of Junjou Romantica creator’s “World’s Greatest Love” after only a one-cour break should suggest otherwise. Targeted toward female audiences, Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi entails the publishing company endeavors of 25-year-old Onodera Ritsu (Kondou Takashi), who’s reunited with his high school boyfriend, 27-year-old chief editor Takano Masamune (Konishi Katsuyuki), when he leaves his father’s company to prove that he can make it as an editor on his own. He ends up working for Masamune in Marukawa Shoten’s Emerald department specialing in shoujo manga, and the forbidden feelings from high school begin to resurface. Ritsu is thrown into further confusion by Yokozawa Takafumi (Kenyuu Horiuchi) from the finance department, whom Masamune had a physical relationship with in university. I didn’t watch a single episode of the first season and I have no intention of watching any of the second one, but I did bite the bullet and delve into the manga to get a first-hand impression of exactly what the series entails. As I mentioned back in the Spring 2011 Preview, it’s a genre I had no business looking into. There were some comedic aspects in and around the Emerald department that felt as commonplace as any other romantic comedy, but the primary focus is always on Ritsu’s relationship with Masamune. Quite frankly, I don’t see the appeal in this semi-serious depiction of a same-sex relationship, even if it were on the lesbian side of things. I can enjoy the yuri version if it’s used in the gag sense like Yuruyuri or only lightly touched upon like Aoi Hana or Sasameki Koto, but that’s the extent I care to see even when they’re all girls. In any case, those with fujoshi interests need not look any further — the second season is here.
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The fantasy/romance series that I’ve come to know J.C. Staff for is back with a third and final season. The 24-volume light novel completed its nine-year run this month and the anime is following suit. A lot has happened since Sakai Yuuji (Hino Satoshi) first met the “Flame Haze” Shana (Kugimiya Rie) and learned that he’s merely a Torch, a figment of his former living self. He still possesses a treasure known as the “Reiji Maigo”, which renews his “Power of Existence” every night. Along with the Lord of the Crimson Realm, Alastor (Ebara Masashi), and fellow Flame Hazes, Wilhemina Carmel (Itou Shizuka) and Margery Daw (Nabatame Hitomi), Yuuji and Shana continue their fight against Bal Masqué, a group of Crimson Denizens who aren’t concerned about the balance in the human world and use the Power of Existence for their own purposes. Led by Sydonay (Miyake Kenta), Hecate (Noto Mamiko), and Bel Peol (Oohara Sayaka), they attempt to carry out a “Grand Order” plan that requires Yuuji’s Reiji Maigo, in which the God of Creation and their founder, Sairei no Hebi, has been reborn. I’ll be quick to admit I have very mixed feelings about Shakugan no Shana. While I can appreciate the impressive visuals and profound plot, the latter is often too needlessly convoluted just like To Aru Majutsu no Index. When the anime is spread over six-plus years, it’s even harder to put all the developments into a proper perspective. For that reason, it’s not a show that I particularly want to cover. Regardless, I fully intend to watch it to get some closure on the 50+ episodes that I’ve seen already. There are a lot of loose ends to tie up, including those surrounding the love triangle between Yuuji, Shana, and Kazumi (Kawasumi Ayako), so it’s now or never for just about everything. Knowing that all the subplots will wrap up in some way is probably the most reassuring part of this third series. Don’t get me wrong; Shakugan no Shana will likely go down as a pretty epic trilogy. It’s just really taxing on someone like me who will try to pick up on every little detail if I choose to cover it.
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After Nyanpire last season, GONZO is back from the dead with their first notable production in the past three years. It’s been eight years since they produced their original retro-futuristic series Last Exile and now they’re back with its successor, subtitled “Fam, The Silver Wing”. The main characters in this new story are a young girl named Fam Fan Fan (Toyosaki Aki) and her navigator Giselle Collette (Yuuki Aoi), members of a group of sky pirates. The setting is a place known as Grand Lake, where the Ades Commonwealth is subjugating the world with its overwhelming military strength for unknown reasons. Opposing them and on the brink of annihilation is the Kingdom of Turan, whose princesses Millia il Velch Cutrettola Turan (Kayano Ai) and Liliana il Grazioso Merlo Turan (Sawashiro Miyuki) one day catch sight of a small vanship named “Vespa” weaving through the enemy fleet and avoiding gunfire. Piloting it is none other than Fam, who has set her eyes on their ship and wants to steal it. Before long, they get caught up in the war and the gaze of Ades’ supreme commander, Luscinia Hafez (Okitsu Kazuyuki). It remains to be seen whether this is intended to be a direct sequel to the 2003 anime, but some familiar faces and names are among the cast — Alister Agrew (Kuwatani Natsuko), Tatiana Wisla (Kitamura Eri), and Dio Eraclea (Noda Junko). There’s also mention of a mysterious power called “Exile”, which I presume will be different this time around. I still haven’t gotten through all of the first anime but I do have renewed interest in doing so with Ginyoku no Fam just around the corner. Even without finishing it, the promo material and the sound of Aki and Aoi using new voices in the lead roles have me pretty set on getting right into this latest iteration. The key staff members — director/screenwriter, composer, character designer — are all back too, which gives some hope that GONZO might make a comeback as the studio it once was. I’ll watch this for a throwback to GONZO’s better days alone, but I do love the retro-futuristic world and high-speed aerial battles that come with it.
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The supermarket battle for half-price lunch boxes is on in this light novel adaptation. Touted as a youthful serious/gag action series for commoners, Ben-To depicts a rambunctious story revolving around high school student Satou You (Shimono Hiro), who goes to a supermarket one day to buy a half-price bento box, only to get knocked out and have it taken from him. When he wakes up, he finds that the only things left are a dried-plum onigiri, which he happens to bump into his classmate Oshiroi Hana (Yuuki Aoi) over. Unbeknownst to You, he’s stepped into a warzone where high school and university students from a nearby dorm battle like wolves over cheap food. He later finds out about this from Yarizui Sen (Ise Mariya), a.k.a. “The Frozen Witch”, who invites You and Hana into her “Half Price Association” that competes for lunches. Other characters join the mix, including You’s university cousin Shaga Ayame (Katou Emiri), a.k.a. “Beauty of the Lake”, her friend Inoue Asebi (Taketatsu Ayana), his class president Shiraume Ume (Kayano Ai), the former HPA president Kaneshirou Yuu (Miyano Mamoru). How an idea like this even comes up is beyond me but there’s no doubting its originality. Ben-To takes an everyday thing like buying marked-down food and turns it into a free-for-all bloodsport. The mere thought of that is outrageous and I really didn’t think it would interest me, but the promo videos do look kind of cool with the over-the-top depiction. I presume the comedic aspect isn’t too shabby either, since I can’t see the fighting being the selling point when it’s based on a light novel. There’s no disputing the cast though, as David Production brought together one hell of a group for a comedy. Hiro is perfect for these type of slapstick roles and I’m already liking what I hear from Mariya and Emiri as the heroines. The production quality is also better than I imagined, so as long as the material entertains, I can see myself getting into this show.
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Sunrise is back with an all-new Gundam series, taking place in a new Advanced Generation (A.G.) timeline. For the first time ever, the story will cover a “One Hundred Year War” that spans three generations of characters. It begins in A.G. 101, where mankind has immigrated to space for hundreds of years now and are in a state of peace. An overwhelming Unknown Enemy (UE) suddenly appears, destroying the space colony Angel and marking the start of the war — later known as “The Day the Angel Fell”. In A.G. 108, seven-year-old Flit Asuno’s colony Ovan is attacked by the UE. His mother is killed and entrusts him with an AGE Device containing blueprints for a savior — an ancient mobile suit known as “Gundam”. He spends the next seven years studying engineering on the colony Nora and manages to complete the Gundam with other engineers. In it is the AGE System, allowing it to evolve with the pilot over time based on battle data collected. Not too long after, UE comes to attack Nora and Flit boards the Gundam to fend them off, something that mankind hasn’t been able to do in the past fourteen years. First off, I actually like the modern-retro look of this series, since it takes me back to the franchise’s roots. What’s most impressive is the scope of the series, starting with Flit and his childhood friend Emily Amonde, and continuing on with his son Asem and grandson Kio (seen in the promo art). The AGE System is an adaptive system that is registered with Flit, but the AGE Device holds the key to allowing his descendents to use it as well. Since it evolves, it’s highly likely that the Gundam the series starts with will be the same one Kio inherits and uses in A.G. 201 (barring any upgrades). The scale of the story is comparable to the entire U.C. timeline but contained within a single series — one that’s been suggested will run for a full year (i.e. four-cour). The mere thought of that is enough to get a longtime Gundam fan like myself excited, even when the promo videos only show the first major arc where Flit joins the crew of the Earth Federation battleship, Diva. Much like Gundam 00, I also like the idea of mankind uniting against a common alien threat. This is easily one of my most anticipated shows.
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Panic survival meets future premonitions in Esuno Sakai’s “Future Diary”, which completed its 5-year 12-volume manga run last December. Asread, a studio that’s been fairly quiet, is bringing us what will likely be a faithful adaptation over the next six months. The survival game begins when Amano Yukiteru (Togashi Misuzu), a lonesome self-proclaimed bystander who writes down everything he sees in his cellphone’s diary, learns that his imaginary friend Deus Ex Machina (Wakamoto Norio) is actually the God of Time & Space. Deus grants Yuki’s cellphone the ability to reveal future events and he is overjoyed about it; however, that changes when he finds out he’s going to be killed by a serial killer. His classmate and stalker Gasai Yuno (Murata Tomasa) ends up saving him, after which Yuki learns that Deus is playing a sick game to determine his successor, where he, Yuno, and ten others must use their future diaries to kill one another. The key to doing so is finding out the other participants’ identities. Having been credited for the first kill, Yuki becomes the target of the ten others and finds himself relying on Yuno to survive. This is probably one of the most anticipated new shows and kind of crept up out of nowhere with its relatively late addition to the lineup. The use of cellphones in a game is similar to Eden of the East, except there’s a much more sinister feel to Mirai Nikki’s take on it. There’s no concept of time travel, but the participants can change the future depending on their actions — often in the form of split-second decisions. Furthermore, the diaries only record a limited scope of information, such as how Yuki’s only shows stuff that happens around him but not to him, whereas Yuno’s only gives her 10-min updates on Yuki, befitting of the stalker she is. Together, their diaries are able to complement the other’s weaknesses; however, there’s added suspense over whether Yuki can really trust Yuno. She appears sweet and innocent on the outside, but is crazy enough to both kill and die for Yuki. Her diary also poses the ultimate threat to Yuki, since it always knows what he’s doing. I’ve purposely refrained from reading too much of the concluded manga so that I can be surprised at every turn. I like what I saw in the short OVA released last year, so I have every reason to believe this is one of the season’s must-watch shows.
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The noitaminA time slot has two original series lines up, the first of which is inspired by 20th century novelist/essayist Sakuguchi Ango’s detective story, “Meiji Kaika Ango Torimonochou”. BONES is working with Gundam 00 director Mizushima Seiji and Fullmetal Alchemist screenwriter Aikawa Shou to bring us this venturous project, which is set in a post-World War II era where detectives no longer have a place due to an intelligence agency run by the “Media King” Kaishou Rinroku (Miki Shinichirou). However, there’s an underside to how Rinroku is able to solve a lot of cases and “The Last Great Detective” Yuuki Shinjuurou (Katsuji Ryou) intends to bring it to light. Shinjuurou distanced himself from society so people who don’t know who he is refer to him as “The Defeated Detective”. Those who do and are aware of his deductive abilities acknowledge him with respect though. He’s accompanied by a beautiful yet mischievous boy named Inga (Toyosaki Aki) and together they solve cases despite society’s negative view on them. It’s a little hard to tell where this modern take on Sakuguchi’s novel is headed, but I’m leaning toward diving into it blindly considering the studio and staff involved. I’m always up for a detective series and it sounds like there’s some bad blood in the rivalry between Shinjuurou and Rinroku. The latter’s daughter Rie (Yamamoto Nozomi) compounds society’s negative view on Shinjuurou, and there’s also public prosecutor Koyama Izumi (Honda Takako) and chief prosecutor Hayami Seigen (Irino Miyu) to take into account. The setup seems geared towards a conspiracy involving Rinroku and potentially some underhanded dealings that led to his success. There are also questions surrounding Inga and why he’s so attached to Shinjuurou. An episode 0 featuring their backstory will be released in theaters, but hopefully some of that will come into the series too. Either way, UN-GO warrants some looking into.
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It’s not often we get a noitaminA series that’s two-cour, let alone an original one by Production I.G featuring the director of Death Note and the screenwriter of CODE GEASS/Macross Frontier. Guilty Crown’s story begins in 2029, when Japan turns into an anarchy following the outbreak of the “Apocalypse Virus”. An ultranational armed organization known as GHQ intervenes and subjugates the country, stripping it of its seat in the Commonwealth and leaving its people with only the perception of peace. Ten years later in 2039, high school student Ouma Shuu (Kaji Yuuki) tries to spend his days peacefully by distancing himself from society, but that all changes when he runs into an Internet songstress whom he admires, Yuzuriha Inori (Kayano Ai). Inori is a member of the “Undertakers”, an underground resistance group trying to liberate Japan, and part of a sub-17-year-old group led by Tsutsugami Gai (Nakamura Yuiichi). Shuu gets drawn into their fight because he possesses the “Power of Kings” in his right hand, which allows him to extract weapons from the “Void” within a person’s body. An original Production I.G anime in the noitaminA time block isn’t a hard sell, especially when there’s a beautiful soft-spoken songstress in a revealing dress begging the main character to “use her”, so I was already on board even before I knew what Guilty Crown is about. Granted, it’s even better knowing there’s a military element with robots, theme songs by Supercell, and character designs by Redjuice. There’s so much to be excited about from a production standpoint, including the support cast of characters voiced by Hanazawa Kana, Taketatsu Ayana, Koyasu Takehito, Kotobuki Minako, Endou Aya, and Sakaguchi Daisuke. The promo videos look amazing and I love the fantasy element that Shuu’s power brings to the fight to liberate Japan. The Macross-like songstress part is just icing on the cake with Yuiichi voicing Gai. I love blogging original anime and Guilty Crown looks to be the original anime of the season.
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Technical Note: OVAs are sorted by the date they are released. For series that have multiple episodes coming out over the course of the season, please refer to the Notes column for additional dates. More information on each OVA can be found on their respective websites, including promotional videos in some cases. Movie premiere dates are not included since they don’t mean a whole lot to viewers outside of Japan. DVD/BD movie releases are however. This list is likely incomplete and will be updated as more titles surface. If you notice anything missing, please feel free to point it out in the comments or e-mail me directly.
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10/05 | The Prince of Tennis: Best Match | テニスの王子様 ベストマッチ http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/tenipri-best/ |
Airing on TV Tokyo at 25:50. |
| 10/07 | Kaibutsu Oujo OAD 3 | 怪物王女 OAD第3弾 http://kc.kodansha.co.jp/kaibutsu/ |
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| 10/08 | Deadman Wonderland OVA | デッドマン・ワンダーランド OVA http://www.kadokawa.co.jp/shop/sp/shop_sp_167.html |
Unaired episode bundled with manga vol. 11. |
| 10/19 | Rio -RainbowGate- OVA http://riorainbowgate.com/goods/dvd.html |
Bundled with BD/DVD vol. 7. |
| 10/21 | VitaminX Addiction Act.3 http://www.d3p.co.jp/vitamin_x_addiction/ |
Final Act. |
| 10/28 | Carnival Phantasm 2nd Season | カーニバル・ファンタズム 2nd Season http://www.typemoon.com/products/cp/ |
12/32: 3rd Season. |
| 10/28 | Hakuouki Hekketsuroku OVA Series: Toudou Chapter 薄桜鬼 碧血録 OVAシリーズ 藤堂編 http://www.geneonuniversal.jp/rondorobe/anime/hakuoki/ |
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| 10/29 | Hidamari Sketch SP http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/hidamari/ |
Airing on BS-TBS at 25:30. 11/05: Episode 2. |
| 10/29 | Queen’s Blade OAD | クイーンズブレイド OAD http://queensblade.net/index.php/qb_ova |
Bundled with the Premium Visual Book 1. |
| 11/09 | Yozakura Quartet ~Hoshi no Umi~ Ep. 3 | 夜桜四重奏 ～ホシノウミ～ 第3弾 http://kc.kodansha.co.jp/yozakura/ |
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| 11/12 | Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn Ep. 4 | 機動戦士ガンダムUC 第4話 http://www.gundam-unicorn.net/ |
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| 11/17 | Seitokai Yakuindomo OAD | 生徒会役員共OAD http://kc.kodansha.co.jp/seitokai/ |
Bundled with manga vol. 6. |
| 11/23 | Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kira: file.03 | ひぐらしのなく頃に煌 file.03 http://www.oyashirosama.com/web/kira/ |
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| 11/23 | Tales of Symphonia THE ANIMATION Sekai Tougou-hen Vol.1 テイルズ オブ シンフォニア THE ANIMATION 世界統合編 Vol.1 http://ova-tos.com/ |
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| 11/25 | Eiyuu Densetsu Sora no Kiseki THE ANIMATION Vol.1 英雄伝説 空の軌跡 THE ANIMATION Vol.1 http://www.sora-anime.com/ |
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| 11/25 | Hakuouki Hekketsuroku OVA Series: Hijikata Chapter 薄桜鬼 碧血録 OVAシリーズ 土方編 http://www.geneonuniversal.jp/rondorobe/anime/hakuoki/ |
Final episode. |
| 11/25 | Hoshi wo Ou Kodomo | 星を追う子ども http://www.hoshi-o-kodomo.jp/ |
BD/DVD movie release of Shinkai Makoto’s latest film. |
| 11/25 | IS Infinite Stratos Encore: Koi ni Kogareru Rokujuusou IS＜インフィニット・ストラトス＞アンコール 「恋に焦がれる六重奏」 http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/is/ |
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| 11/25 | Saiyuuki Gaiden Vol. 3: Houga Chapter | 最遊記外伝 第参巻 萌芽の章 http://saiyuki-gaiden.com/ |
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| 11/30 | kiss x sis OAD Ep. 6 http://kc.kodansha.co.jp/kiss_sis/ |
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| 11/– | Kono Otoko, Uchuujin to Tatakaemasu. | この男子、宇宙人と戦えます。 http://www.konodan.com/ |
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| 12/10 | Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi ODA | いつか天魔の黒ウサギ ODA http://www.itsu-ten.jp/ |
Bundled with LN vol. 9. |
| 12/21 | Hidan no Aria OVA | 緋弾のアリア OVA http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/aria/ |
Unaired episode incl. with BD/DVD vol. 7. |
| 12/21 | Toradora! Bentou no Gokui | とらドラ！ 弁当の極意 http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/toradora_bd/ |
OVA episode incl. with BD box set. |
| 12/– | R-15 OAD (10) | R-15 (10) http://www.kadokawa.co.jp/shop/sp/shop_sp_177.html |
Bundled with LN vol. 10. |
| Fall 2011 | Holy Knight http://www.cammot.jp/ |
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| s.CRY.ed Alteration | スクライド オルタレイション http://www.s-cry-ed.net/ |
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Suffice to say, it’s a great season to be an anime fan — hectic as hell to be an anime blogger. Even if I quickly rule out the romantic comedies and the pure comedies — many of which are good — I still have too many shows up for consideration. For now, I’m only committing to Guilty Crown and Gundam AGE. Others that I’m heavily leaning toward are Fate/Zero and Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon. That doesn’t mean shows like Mirai Nikki, Last Exile -Ginyoku no Fam- will go uncovered though, as some of the other writers have already expressed interest in them.
If there’s a show you really want to see covered at RandomC, please let me know in the comments and I’ll take it into consideration. As usual, I plan to watch a lot more shows than I have time to cover, so I’m somewhat flexible on what I cover. It just has to be on my shortlist below, broken down into days. (Good or higher blogging odds; underline means guaranteed.)
- Sun: Mirai Nikki, Mobile Suit Gundam AGE
- Mon: Kimi to Boku., Shinryaku!? Ika Musume
- Tue: Chihayafuru
- Wed:
- Thu: Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, Guilty Crown, Persona 4 the ANIMATION
- Fri: Last Exile -Ginyoku no Fam-, Shakugan no Shana III (Final)
- Sat: Fate/Zero, Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon, WORKING’!!
As for the categorized series breakdown, see below. Note: The lists are in alphabetical order.
High expectation shows give me reason to believe they have the makings of a very good series that should appeal to the widest audience in their given genres. If you consider yourself a “casual” fan who only gets your toes wet every season by watching the “best” shows (i.e. popular ones that generate the most buzz), then these are the ones I feel you should keep an eye out for. I’m also expecting good things from these shows, so if they fall short, disappointment is understandable.
- High Expectations: Fate/Zero, Guilty Crown, Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon, Last Exile -Ginyoku no Fam-, Mirai Nikki, Mobile Suit Gundam AGE, Persona 4 the ANIMATION, Shakugan no Shana III (Final)
Moderate expectation shows don’t provide any immediate indication that they’ll be amazing in retrospect. This is often the case with shows that fall into one of anime’s overused plot devices, which most people, particularly self-proclaimed critics, will perceive as mediocre at best. However, from my experience, these shows still provide a great deal of entertainment and may turn out a lot better than they appear. They’re good for “regular” fans who are aware of all these tropes and don’t mind seeing them used in different settings. I like sifting through these since romantic comedies are among them. Personal tastes come heavily into play, so your mileage will vary.
- Moderate Expectations: Ben-To, Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, Busou Shinki Moon Angel, C³ -C Cube-, Kimi to Boku., Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle, Shinryaku!? Ika Musume, UN-GO, WORKING’!!
Low expectation shows don’t seem to be striving for much and choose to focus on more frivolous aspects such as senseless humor and fan-service. That doesn’t mean they’re the bottom of the barrel and shouldn’t get any consideration, but simply that you need to keep in mind what kind of show it is. Generally only “avid” fans will be interested in seeing what these have to offer, because they’re already watching all the better shows.
- Low Expectations: Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!!, Maken-Ki!, Mashiro-iro Symphony
Niche shows break away from the norm by being slower-paced, extremely dark/grotesque, or even controversial. In most cases, these shows are oriented towards older audiences or those who feel that anime has become far too repetitive and want something different. Shows of this category tend to be highly underappreciated but can turn out to be hidden gems for that very reason. Includes works oriented toward female audiences.
Established shows are generally long-running manga/anime series, geared towards younger viewers who are already fans of them. A commonality is that they all air early morning on weekends or well before midnight on weekdays so that “normal” people can actually watch them. They aren’t very dependent on expectations but a love for never-ending shows and a willingness to get into all the material that’s out if they’re completely new to you. Shounen series fall into this category, hence why I treat them differently.
- Established: Bakuman. 2, HUNTER x HUNTER
Last but definitely not least are the series that I’m not sure what to make heads or tails of yet. Expectation-wise, they fall somewhere between moderate to high due to that unknown factor and are potential surprise hits of the season. If their premises sound interesting to you, I’d say they’re worth checking out.
- Potential Surprise Hit: Chihayafuru
September 21, 2011 at 2:48 amNecoDelero
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So excited about the upcoming season. Might be the best season ever since I started watching anime.
September 21, 2011 at 3:13 amKamion
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Fate/Zero, Senjou no Horizon, Persona 4, Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, Shakugan no Shana III, Ben-To, Gundam for Kids, Mirai Nikki, Guilty Crown
I will probably actually finish: Gundam, Persona, Guilty Crown.
Since I already read the manga, I probably won’t be following Mirai Nikki till the end (maybe it surprises me and it’s a great adaption, we’ll see.
(Last Exile will be marathoned in the end. I would not be able to bear the wait each week :D)
September 21, 2011 at 3:17 amtuksumbum
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Goddamn I better start watching last exile! I heard great things from this series. And this autumn season rocks. I only watched one series or two series in the summer because most of them didn’t catch my interest
September 21, 2011 at 3:56 amJoojoobees
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Lots to look forward to, but what I’m most excited about is Chihayafuru. I’m glad someone else has it on their radar.
September 21, 2011 at 3:59 amIronicTales
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Thanks Divine, keep up the great work
Definitely
P4-Animation (Planning to finish the game…DARN BOSS!)
Guilty Crown
Fate/Zero (Yet to watch FSN)
Mirai Nikki
Boku Wa Tomodachi
Maybe
Cube
Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon
Chihayafuru
THE WAIT IS UNBEARABLE!
September 21, 2011 at 3:59 ammegalith
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I’ll be surely watching Last Exile 2, Guilty Crown, P4, and… *gasp*
JC Staff crapShana 3.September 21, 2011 at 4:19 amEnd0rphine
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“power of kings”
Oh hi there Code Geass.
September 21, 2011 at 5:03 amIronicTales
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So anyone know what’s going on with Code Geass?
September 21, 2011 at 5:47 amsloppy
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- Subjugated Japan
- High school student distanced from society
- Life turned upside down by a hot mysterious girl
- Joins resistance group trying to liberate Japan
- Possess the “Power of Kings”
.. it’s Code Geass all over again!
September 21, 2011 at 7:07 amJason
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So not much of a problem then.
September 21, 2011 at 8:17 amricz
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Hmm so every anime who got “Power of kings” are all code geass “rip-off?”
Hmmmmm =.=
September 21, 2011 at 4:37 ammaguru07
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Definitely going to watch:
Guilty Crown
Shakugan no Shana III
Persona 4
Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon
Working!!
Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai
Maybe I’ll be watching these too depending the episode 1-3 or so:
UN-GO
Mirai Nikki
Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle
Ben-To
Bakuman 2
btw just noticed that a new banner is up! Guilty Crown for the love! ^^,
September 21, 2011 at 4:50 amcerby
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oh god oh man oh god oh man, so many to watch D:
September 21, 2011 at 5:06 amPandorakun
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Is it bad that my most anticipated thing this season is the Trails in the Sky anime and Persona 4 (loved the games so damn much)?
Season looks okay, but I don’t think I’ll be watching much this time.
Probably will check out Guilty Crown and Fate/Zero along with these.
September 21, 2011 at 5:26 amamado
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lots of good shows… yet barely any time this season thanks to school.
well il post my thoughts on this some other time.
September 21, 2011 at 5:55 amThe Story You Don’t Know
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Supercell + Redjuice = epic win
September 21, 2011 at 6:02 amShageki
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i’ll watch all Divine Guaranteed
what i looking forward to the most is:
1. Fate, big fan of Type Moon and Yuki Kajiura music
2. Ika Musume, love so much the fist season
3. Guilty Crown, looks fantastic and supercell theme song すてき!!
Shakugan no Shana and Persona
ヾ(*^▽^*)o
September 21, 2011 at 6:09 amHenDarou
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The following are the ones that I either know I’ll watch or that I will definitely check out:
Shinryaku!? Ika Musume
Bakuman. 2nd Series (No one’s going to cover this? PREPOSTEROUS! D:)
C³ -C Cube-
WORKING’!!
Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon
Tamayura ~hitotose~
Kimi to Boku.
Mashiro-iro Symphony
Persona 4 the ANIMATION
Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai
Shakugan no Shana III (Final)
Ben-To
Mirai Nikki
Guilty Crown
September 21, 2011 at 6:12 amWatever
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Omg! So many of my favorite manga, game and even anime sequel on this season!( Especially Last Exile!!!!)
*Watever is Overjoy*
September 21, 2011 at 6:14 amKaz
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What a season this is!!! Persona 4 and Guilty Crown!!!! Woohoo!!! Mirai Nikki!!! Gundam!!! XD PERSONA!!!! XD Man, I’m excited!!! XD
September 21, 2011 at 6:29 am1Lau
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Much better lineup than last season.
Only Steins Gate, Usagi Drop and Nichijou were worth watching.
September 22, 2011 at 2:39 pmicaret
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Not even Natsume Yuujinchou? I’m not going to troll you or start a fight or something ridiculous like that – I’m just curious. :)
September 21, 2011 at 7:01 amdeafvader
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Found a site for all those who wanna recap their character relationships in the Type Moon universe
Not really a spoiler but, JIC
Show Spoiler ▼
September 21, 2011 at 7:04 amSomebody
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Guilty Crown is like somebody came to ask me what my perfect anime would be so they could go make it. So yeah, that stands heads and shoulders above the rest. I really hope it doesn’t disappoint, I need something to fill that gap Steins;Gate left.
September 21, 2011 at 7:05 amcrav3
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1. Busou Shinki = Angelic Layer in some area
2. Fate/Zero
3. Kyoukai S
4. H x H
5. Persona4
6. Shakugan
7. Last Exile
8. Gundam Age
9. Guilty Crown
All 9 confirm to be watch till the end
September 21, 2011 at 7:06 amEri
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Definitely watching a LOT this season!
So excited!
Thanks for the introduction!
September 21, 2011 at 7:11 amaero
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I’ll have something to watch this season! Last season may have been interesting, but none of the shows really stuck on to me.
September 21, 2011 at 7:17 amMentar
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LOTS of good stuff :)
Don’t you underestimate Majikoi, Divine. The game was really good, and I think you’ll be able to make a really nice anime out of it. Also, it has Shizuka-sama, so it’s a must watch for me anyway ;)
September 21, 2011 at 11:13 amDivine
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Heh, I’ll keep that in mind Mentar. Thanks.
September 21, 2011 at 3:05 pmCroos
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I hope it doesn’t end up like Oretachi tsubasa wa Nai anime
September 21, 2011 at 8:00 ambga
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Nice season but i can’t help but have vibes of Erementar Gerad on Guilty Crown, just the part of using a person as a weapon and all the dilemmas that comes with this but it’s another settlement so very interested and waiting for it.
September 21, 2011 at 8:03 amKurofaise
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I really hope someone covers Bakuman 2, UN-GO, Mirai Nikki, Tomodachi and some others! This season looks amazing, I’m really stoked for it, looking forward to seeing the blogging schedule soon!
September 21, 2011 at 8:05 amReisen
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Nice, there are a lot of good shows to watch including the ones that I waited the most.
Just one question, where is Papa no Iukoto wo Kikinasai?? I’m pretty sure it was in for this Autumn…
September 21, 2011 at 8:06 amDestitude
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1) Guilty Crown
2) Mirai Nikki
3) Persona 4
September 21, 2011 at 8:20 ammistress_kisara
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Lots of good shows!!
Will watch:
-Chihayafuru
-Shakugan no Shana III
Might check out..
-Mirai Nikki
September 21, 2011 at 8:23 amcain
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Awesome, I haven’t watched any of the anime you blogged for the past months mainly out of disinterest in the different genres you covered, but a Gundam series, I am so glad you will cover A.G.E! Time to take out my Gundam Assault Survive UMD and make those Zakus feel pain! :)
September 21, 2011 at 11:12 amDivine
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A lot of times, I’m just making the most of the shows that come out. If there were shows like Gundam, Guilty Crown, and Fate/Zero in prior seasons, I would’ve hopped on them.
September 21, 2011 at 8:39 amDude
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Three Chihara Minori roles!
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
September 21, 2011 at 8:42 amKinny Riddle
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Shana 3 – With the very last light novel volume (vol. 22) out on October 10th, this time JC Staff can really have no excuse not to follow the story closely. I still scratch my head and wonder “WTF were those last episode original fillers about in seasons 1 and 2??” Do not disappoint me JC Staff, but since it IS JC Staff, at the very least, do not disappoint me TOO much please.
Fate/Zero – If Kyo-Ani is the default studio for Key works fans, then ufotable would be the default studio for Nasu-verse works fans. With their experience with Kara no Kyoukai, it means this series is in safe hands as ufotable seem to get the Nasu-verse much more than Studio DEEN ever could.
Prequels are usually dark in nature, so it comes as no surprise that Urobuchi Gen of MadoMagi
infamyfame was entrusted to do the prequel novel, and eventually the screenplay for this TV adaptation as well.For some strange reason, Urobuchi’s dark storytelling complements well with Kajiura Yuki’s eclectically dark opera/techno musical style, as seen in MadoMagi. Besides, Kajiura has contributed songs to the Nasu-verse before via Kalafina’s Kara no Kyoukai EDs .
Boku no Tomodachi wa Sukunai – AKA “I Have Few Friends” – The premise sounded a bit like Suzumiya Haruhi setting up an eccentric club gathering eccentric friends, though without any of the sci-fi elements. Still, it is attractive enough to garner my attention. Much like OreImo last year, AIC is fast becoming the studio for “popular light hearted comedic light novel series”.
Working!! – Back for more laughs, ’nuff said.
September 21, 2011 at 8:58 amMad_Dog
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WHY DON’T YOU HAVE THE NEW LUPIN III SERIES LISTED?!!?!?!?!?
well anyway the one on my to watch list are
Busou Shinki Moon Angel
Fate zero
Maken-Ki!
Last Exile – this one may get dropped.
Lupin III
Maybe list
Mashiro-iro Symphony
Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai
Guilty Crown
I will also be watching the R-15 OVA, Kiss x Sis 6, and the Gundam Unicorn episode 4.
September 21, 2011 at 9:02 amsin1505
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I haven’t seen many people commenting for Mirai Nikki, I wonder if they will show some of the gore details on screen. I know many of you aren’t fanatic of these kinds of mass murder.
I really hope they dont mess it up, since I really did appreciated Yuno’s psycho, obsessive personality!
September 21, 2011 at 9:09 amZreon
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Lots of interesting shows. I’m worried about Gundam though. All I’ve seen and heared so far gave me a lot of reason to worry.
September 21, 2011 at 9:23 amFoofiebeast
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I feel like it’s strange I’m the only person who is legitimately disappointed that Bakuman has a second season. I’ve never had this sensation before where I am going to watch this show, I want to finish it, but I like absolutely nothing about it. I don’t like the characters, the story, the jokes, nothing. I guess I kind of like the animation, but I have stopped watching far better shows than this, so I just can’t figure it out.
oh well. I swear I’m not trying to troll either, if you enjoy this show, congrats on a second season!
September 21, 2011 at 9:44 amFoofiebeast
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However….
This season is looking good, I think I saw at least 4 things I definitely want to watch and probably another 3-4 that I will end up watching!
September 21, 2011 at 9:47 amchrisss
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1) UN-GO
2) Persona 4
3) Guilty Crown
I can’t wait!
September 21, 2011 at 9:55 amimmortalgamerz
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GUNDAM!
PERSONA 4!
GUILTY CROWN!
FATE ZERO!!
zomg this must gonna be a hot summer!!!!!!!!!
September 21, 2011 at 10:34 amGhostalker
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The Fall season lineup I’m looking forward the most are as follows:
- Busou Shinki Moon Angel (Good): I’ve seen the pre-broadcast airing of this mini-series and the Infinite Stratos style of the mecha designs is what really attracts me to this series, being a 5-min/episode, I should say their is no reason for me to try this out.
- Shinryaku!? Ika Musume (Guaranteed): More Ika Musume goodness? I approved of this!
- C³ -C Cube- (Good): BakaTest with the addition of curses? That is something I would wanna watched and see if its any good and being just a 1-cour anime will certainly increase that possibility.
- Fate/Zero (Guaranteed): The original attraction that draw me to Fate/Stay Night was Saber and that little romance affair she had with his master but nothing much outside of that. I also watch Unlimited Bladeworks but my impression of that is abysmal at best. Now here comes Zero, I have quite a high expectation of this one because of the involvement of Ufotable (Kara no Kyoukai), Urobuchi Gen (Madoka Magica), and Kajiura Yuki (Madoka Magica, Kara no Kyoukai)…I hope it live up with its HYPE!
- Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!! (Decent): If this series is really a romcom just like how RC say it is then this will be a “MUST” watch, if this series is also a 1-cour then the odds would definitely be higher.
- Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon (Decent): Primary attraction is RC’s description of the series, will try a couple of episodes first.
- Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle (Decent): Primary attraction is RC’s description of the series, will try a couple of episodes first.
- Tamayura ~hitotose~ (Good): I watched the Tamayura OVAs and all I can say is that it is a good slice of life anime, this series being a 1-cour certainly helps.
- Kimi to Boku (Decent): A story about guy friends? This is something I will try a few episodes first.
- Chihayafuru (Good): Primary attraction is RC’s description of the series (and it is MADHOUSE), will try a couple of episodes first. If this series will be as good and intriguing with the likes of Shion no Ou the odds I will be watching this is certainly higher, what I’m worried about is that this series is slated for 25ep, for me to watch a series this length, it has to be really good otherwise I will have difficulty watching this and be put On-hold eventually.
- Mashiro-iro Symphony (Good): I like harem-themed series, if the setup is similar to the likes of Fortune Arterial based on the description of RC, then this is a “MUST” watch for me.
- Persona 4 the ANIMATION (Decent): Primary attraction is RC’s description of the series, will try a couple of episodes first.
- Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai (Good): Primary attraction is RC’s description of the series.
- Shakugan no Shana III (Final)(Guaranteed): I watched SnS 1 and I felt good on it, then SnS 2, I feel good on it again, then the movie version, and all the OVAs and extras. All I can say is that this series is something I’m really looking forward to the moment it was announced a year ago(?).
- Last Exile -Ginyoku no Fam- (Good): I watched the original Last Exile and I’m impressed with it, will try this out and see if it is something to look forward to.
- Ben-To (Good): a comedy that is focused on Bento? Will try to check this out for sure.
- Mobile Suit Gundam AGE (Guaranteed): Being a certified Gundam fan now, there is no way I’m gonna miss this series. This is the series I’m looking forward to the MOST!
- Mirai Nikki (Good): I watched the short OVA which was released last year and the premise really catches my attention, will be looking forward to this series. Being a 26 episode series though might decrease the odds I will be immediately watching this and complete this sooner.
- UN-GO (Good): Primary attraction is RC’s description of the series, will try a couple of episodes first.
- Guilty Crown (Good): Primary attraction is RC’s description of the series, will try a couple of episodes first.
September 21, 2011 at 11:06 amGhostalker
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I can’t believe I’ve misspelled my Alias!
September 21, 2011 at 11:11 amDivine
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Fixed.
September 27, 2011 at 11:33 amGhostalker
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@ Divine
thank you for fixing it.
As for the coming FALL season, I’ve watched the 11-min pre-Airing episode of Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai (or Haganai for short) and from that I placed it into my Guaranteed list. Very attractive are the premise, the fact that it will be done by AIC Build (Oreimo), and character designs by Buriki whose character designs in DenpaOnna are really beautiful.
September 21, 2011 at 11:35 amzeroyuki92
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My bet on Fall :
- Fate/Zero WILL NOT disappoint. ufotable+gen urobuchi+yuki+prequel to F/SN (not mentioning the anime, the VN)? That’s an AUTOWIN.
- Guilty Crown. Even if the story aren’t masterpiece, I am ready for the awesomeness of Supercell+Redjuice, that alone is enough reason for me to watch.
- Boku wa Tomodachi Ga Sukunai. The light novel is extremely popular and the anime + AIC is a destined success, especially in type B fanbase. Going to be a cult, maybe more popular than that OreImo.
Probably watch :
- Ikamusume for filler. Sorry, ika-chan, you went into a wrong season.
- Working!, the same reason with ikamusume.
- Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon. I’m surprised that I haven’t heard anything about this and Divine seems to be so optimistic. I may watch because of it.
- Mirai Nikki. I have heard many good things about it.
- P4, maybe…
- UN-GO, original in noitaminA may be surprisingly good.
I may watch some other anime, for example majikoi, tamayura, if this isn’t fall.
September 21, 2011 at 12:26 pmDivine
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The reason why you probably haven’t heard much about Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon is because there’s no “proper” English synopsis of it out there.
I had to spend a couple of hours just reading the official site, Japanese wiki, and watching the Kyokutou lesson video just to figure out exactly what the series is about.
September 24, 2011 at 4:53 amZaku_Fan
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Mad props for being so detailed. RC’s season preview quaility is still way ahead of the rest
September 21, 2011 at 11:43 ambabawaba
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Watching:
Fate/Zero
Bakuman
Mirai Nikki
Last Exile
Shakugan no Shana
Its been a while since I watched more than 2 animes, finally a break from seasons filled with garbage anime, this one is awesome
September 21, 2011 at 12:04 pmhaseo0408
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Excuse me Divine, but when you say 1 cour and 2 cour, what exacly do you mean? English is not my mother lenguage so sometimes I don´t catch the actual meaning of certain phrases.
September 21, 2011 at 12:28 pmDivine
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“Cour” is actually a French word. In the context of broadcast schedules, a cour is a three-month season.
One cour means 11-13 episodes.
Two cour means 24-26 episodes.
September 21, 2011 at 11:53 pmhaseo0408
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Thank you Divine and sorry for bother you with such a stupid question.
September 21, 2011 at 12:11 pmhaitechan
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Persona 4: no matter what. I’m having my doubts because the trailers give me too much Pandora Hearts flashbacks and I didn’t like the anime (I adore the manga though). Also I remember Trinity Soul being no so good so my expectantions are lower than most but still I will watch it. Also Naoto <3.
Boku ga Tomodachi: sounds good too. I've read a few bits of the manga and it really reminded me of Denpa Onna, just a bit more quirky. I really like the main lead, he's not a pervert dork like in most harem. Reminds me of Claude from Ikoku, I really don't know why, asides of being blonde xD.
Sekaiichi Hatsukoi: well, I watched the first season so why not? Even without the "saucy bits" it was quite enjoyable. Besides, DEEN is better than usual when animating yaoi, Junjou Romantica was quite good too. And the second pairing is too cute. I never seem to like too much the "main" one xD.
Mirai-Nikki: well, I loved the manga and I'm hoping it ends better than Deadman Wonderland (other of my favorites). I was not a fan of the 8-minute "OVA", specially how OOC was Yuno but I will give it a shot. You can't go wrong with Norio Wakamoto, though.
UN-GO: I don't know, after N°6, I'm tempted to watch it for the BL xD. Just kidding, sounds interesting enough but I hope this can have a good ending in only 11 episodes. That was the same defect that all the previous action-shows failed (N°6, C, Fractale).
Guilty Crown: well it's 2-cour so it won't have the problem that problably UN-GO will have. I really like Noitamina shows, plus Production I.G. is one of my favorite studios. A pity SHAFT isn't doing anything this season so Production I.G it is!
Kyoukai Senjou: now, this reminds me of the game Baten Kaitos and it happened to be quite an enjoyable game. Also I really like historical AND futuristic settings so this combination looks really good. And the male lead looks a little insane on that promo poster.
Now I won't watch Shana. I actually don't like J.C. Staff at all. There is something in the way they make anime that makes series boring IMHO. I also don't like Bakuman. Heck, I even borrowed the manga and tried to watch the first episodes. But I can't seem to like it.
Damn, that's even more anime than this season and I'm also considering Kimi to Boku (Ouran-like humour? Sounds great!), Tamayura (I like slice of life shows), Ika Musume (need to finish the first one) and Last Exile/Fate/Working (these for not haved watched the first one). So much anime, so little time DX.
September 21, 2011 at 5:41 pmGhostalker
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Nisemonogatari (SHAFT) is scheduled to be aired at Jan 2012, should be enough reason for us to look forward Next year!
Also Kizumonogatari…
September 21, 2011 at 12:39 pmlaaa
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Gundam AGE like LOL new pilot is youngest in histor of gundams
Looking forward to season that will break these average seasonss that have been coming last 2 years
September 21, 2011 at 1:32 pminfo600
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at least we have a main character who actually DESIGNED the gundam that he’s going to pilot (with confidence)…
September 21, 2011 at 1:33 pminfo600
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should’ve said “built” but you get my point (I hope)
September 21, 2011 at 9:22 pmRickDias
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No, Uso from Victory Gundam is 13 years old, one year younger than Flit when he became a Gundam pilot.
September 21, 2011 at 12:42 pmLeticia
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More Shana? No, thanks! After the disaster thas was the second season for me, I’m not buying this anymore unless everybody says that it’s a real piece of art, which I highly doubt…
On the contrary, I’ll gldly watch: Fate/Zero, Kimi to Boku, Guilty Crown, UN-GO, Mirai Nikki, Persona 4…, and some more that have attracted my attention in a milder way =)
September 21, 2011 at 1:38 pmmike
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This is so good I could count with one hand the amount of anime I will not watch this fall season while I could count in one hand the amount of anime I will watch this past summer. Summer was freakying so boring I am glad this fall season is so exciting.
All these I goner watch:
Busou Shinki Moon Angel | 武装神姫 Moon Angel
Shinryaku!? Ika Musume | 侵略!? イカ娘
C³ -C Cube-
WORKING’!!
Fate/Zero
Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!!
Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon ( This look very interesting)
Tamayura ~hitotose~
Maken-Ki!
Mashiro-iro Symphony
Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai ( funny manga can’t wait)
Ben-To
Guilty Crown
Carnival Phantasm 2nd Season
Queen’s Blade OAD
Yozakura Quartet ~Hoshi no Umi~ Ep. 3
Seitokai Yakuindomo OAD
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn Ep. 4
Eiyuu Densetsu Sora no Kiseki THE ANIMATION Vol.1 ( can’t wait for this since I am actually playing FC now and still have SC, 3rd Chapter in waiting once I finish FC).
IS Infinite Stratos Encore: Koi ni Kogareru Rokujuusou
Yuri Seijin Naoko-san
kiss x sis OAD Ep. 6
Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi ODA
Might watch:
Mobile Suit Gundam AGE
Shakugan no Shana III
Persona 4 the ANIMATION
Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle
Mirai Nikki
UN-GO
Kaibutsu Oujo OAD 3
s.CRY.ed Alteration
Holy Knight
R-15 OAD (10)
Gyo
Minori Scramble!
Goner be so much fun this fall definitely.
September 21, 2011 at 1:39 pmKou
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Given fall is pretty wet and dark around these parts I reckon I might actually have something decent to watch every night. I still can’t believe Last Exile and Shana is making a come back after all these years.
September 30, 2011 at 7:10 pmFoofiebeast
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I was excited about shana hoping they would finally do it correctly, but after reading some spoilers for the LNs be prepared for some real WTFs. Like to the extent that I might have to wait until the whole season has aired before watching any of it,
September 21, 2011 at 3:04 pmArtur
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Wasn´t Gundam AGE made for the younger audience? I´m only asking because I can´t tell if this series will have a more mature plot, like 00 and Unicorn, or if it´s just a attempt to attract new fans. What do you guys think?
September 21, 2011 at 4:30 pmCJ
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nice. never had so many series in a single season that have interested me
September 21, 2011 at 4:40 pmTre
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“The Macross-like songstress part is just icing on the cake with Yuiichi voicing Gai.”
This part is what I’m most worried about, since it’s exactly what keeps me from liking Macross.
I really hope they don’t focus on her singing that much.
September 21, 2011 at 4:42 pmjz
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This is the most loaded anime season ever, and I’ve been watching anime for a while now.
September 21, 2011 at 4:56 pmFallenrock
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Soo much goodness…so very much.
September 21, 2011 at 5:10 pmAisu
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Definitely watching:
Kimi to Boku
Mirai Nikki
WORKING`!!
Guilty Crown
Bakuman 2 (it’s really a lot better this season because the rivals come in. The first season was boring even for a fan like myself)
Persona 4 the ANIMATION (longtime fan of the game and series)
Shinryaku?! Ika Musume
Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai
Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon
UN-GO
Might watch:
Phi Brain
C³ -C Cube-
September 21, 2011 at 5:37 pmaaa
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It’s like the trend now…. Harem, big boobs, and mecha, total win among fans and on this blog… Sorry I don’t share the taste
September 21, 2011 at 6:25 pmJin
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Damn you are so cool and sophisticated.
September 21, 2011 at 6:24 pmMrTerrorist
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Here are the shows i’ll check out to see if they’re worth following:
Ben-To
Busou Shinki Moon Angel
Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!!
Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon
Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai
But here are the shows i will definitely watch:
Last Exile- Fam, The Silver Wing
Mirai Nikki
Guilty Crown
Shinryaku!? Ika Musume
Fate/Zero
September 21, 2011 at 6:50 pmpineapple
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Supercell’s new vocalist sounds a lot like nagi, from the first 6 seconds of PV#2 of Guilty Crown O_O.. even though it’s not nagi. Apparently the new vocalist is only 15 years old O___O
September 23, 2011 at 3:31 amKiseki
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nagi provides the vocals to the OP song heard in the PV. chelly is supposed to provide the vocals for the ED/Inori only.
September 21, 2011 at 6:55 pmRintarou
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1. Guilty Crown
2. Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon
3. Fate/Zero
4. Persona 4 the ANIMATION
5. Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai
6. Mobile Suit Gundam AGE
7. Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle
8. UN-GO
———————————–<–Liable to fall behind on everything past this line.
9. HUNTER x HUNTER
10. WORKING'!!
11. Shinryaku!? Ika Musume
12. Mirai Nikki
13. Chihayafuru
14. Shakugan no Shana III
15. Last Exile: Ginyoku no Fam
16. Ben-To
17. Tamayura ~Hitotose~
18. Bakuman. 2
19. Kimi to Boku
20. C-Cube
21. Mashiro-Iro Symphony
Summer carry overs:
1. Mawaru Penguindrum
2. THE iDOLM@STER
3. Nurarihyon no Mago: Sennen Makyou
September 21, 2011 at 7:00 pmmicaharu
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I’m really looking forward to the anime adaption of Mirai Nikki.I’ve read the manga and when it ended i thought there was no hope for an anime then the announcement came it made me so excited~
Guilty Crown seems to be interesting so i’ll watch that too but what i’m really looking forward to watching this fall is One Piece it’s not a sequel but a continuation but i’m dying of excitement >.<
September 21, 2011 at 7:01 pmjingoi
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Here is everything I’m definitely watching
Shinryaku!? Ika Musume, Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle, Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, Mirai Nikki, Kaibutsu Oujo OAD 3, Carnival Phantasm 2nd Season, Queen’s Blade OAD, Yozakura Quartet ~Hoshi no Umi~ Ep. 3, Seitokai Yakuindomo OAD (thought Ichizon was getting a ova), kiss x sis OAD Ep. 6, s.CRY.ed Alteration (didn’t expect anything new from this show).
Here is everything I will check out when there is a dub
Mobile Suit Gundam AGE, Saiyuki Gaiden Vol. 3: Houga Chapter, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn Ep.4, Last Exile -Ginyoku no Fam-, Tales of Symphonia THE ANIMATION Sekai Tougou-hen Vol.1.
Here’s the rest, for fanservice viewing only
Rio -RainbowGate- OVA, IS Infinite Stratos Encore: Koi ni Kogareru Rokujuusou, R-15 OAD, C³ -C Cube-, Maken-Ki!, Ben-To, Mashiro-iro Symphony, Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!!, Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon, Busou Shinki Moon Angel.
September 21, 2011 at 7:27 pmkaon
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geniales¡¡
September 21, 2011 at 7:36 pmDragoZERO
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Thanks for the preview post. It sure takes a lot of effort and it’s much appreciated.
As for the topic… Fate/Zero is my number one. I’m a big Type-Moon fan. :D
September 21, 2011 at 7:43 pmsealouse
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Ah man. I just realized how far out the premier of Guilty Crown is. This is gonna be torture.
September 21, 2011 at 8:07 pmrpgman1
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Finally, some interesting shows to watch. Have been out of the loop for anime this past year. Too many shows to choose from. P4 the Animation, Fate/Zero, and Mobile Suit Gundam AGE are definitely on my watch list. Not sure about the others.
September 21, 2011 at 8:08 pmReal
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Rika is going to popularize Boku wa tomodachi ga sukenai.
September 21, 2011 at 8:24 pmGummi
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This season could have only Fate/Zero and I would be completely satisfied with that. I simply cannot wait for it.
Although it will be fun to watch the craziness that is Yuno in Mirai Nikki (even though that manga has the most plot holes I have ever seen).
September 21, 2011 at 9:08 pmacolyte
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Fate/Zero and Shana III are winner for me.
But, it looks like I’m going to watch at least 60% of the animes. Good season.
However, I may be busy with work, so time to return to randomc to keep up..
September 21, 2011 at 9:34 pmiroha360
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1.Guilty Crown
2.Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!!
3.Shakugan no Shana III (Final)
4.Persona 4 the ANIMATION
5.Fate/Zero
6.Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi 2
Man i really wish someone would make an anime adaption of psyren or ga-rei:(
Anyways great season!!!
September 21, 2011 at 10:23 pmkookaa
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This season is very appealing. Go Gundam!
September 21, 2011 at 10:29 pmsarcastic_weasel
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I’ll be in Japan for this upcoming season. It might be hard to catch a lot of this stuff, because I won’t have cable: just OTA. Ahhh, irony.
Read all of Chihayafuru that I could find. It’s awesome. If the anime is even 50% there, it should be awesome, too. Has a feeling of Honey & Clover with a dash of Saki. (But not as out there nuts as Saki was, and no yuri.) It’s hard to explain, but the characters are really strong and drive the manga really well, IMO.
I love the Boku ha Tomodachi ga Sukunai LNs. If the preview that came out with vol. 6 is any indication of what we’re going to get, then it should be enjoyable.
More Working!! is always a Good Thing. Same goes for more Ika Musume.
Also really looking forward to some new Last Exile. I loved Range Murata’s designs for the original Last Exile. It was a good series in spite of WTFGonzo? moments.
Bakuman… I’ll watch it because I already watched the first season… but both the anime and manga are wearing thin for me. Essentially dropping the girlfriend into just a gimmick that the author visits every 20-30 chapters is a turnoff for me… then again, I’m not 12 years old and I don’t have the relationship skills of a jar of old rubber cement. The whole concept of treating your GF like something you put in a box like a rare signed baseball and take out only to look at once every few years is just f’ed up in the head.
Oh wait, forgot the IMO.
IMO.
Everything else goes into the, “I’ll watch 3 episodes, see if I like it, life’s too short to watch the same old crap more than 3 times” category. If you watched Akikan, you know what I mean. *Shudder*
September 21, 2011 at 11:48 pmhaseo0408
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Ok, this is my must watch list of this new season:
1)Shakugan no Shana III Final: I´ve been waiting for this for almost 4 years, a little more and the ending will be at my reach finally. After all this years i just hope J.C. Staff don´t screew it up because I´ll go for their heads. All Shana fans out there, cross your fingers for a happy ending!.
2)Fate/Zero: TYPE-MOON has always please with every single of it´s series, everyone of them is work of art to my eyes so I´m on board for another ride with Saber and company. This could mean sometime in the future there will be an adaptation for the Heavens Feel storyline, anyhow this series is worth my time.
3)Persona 4 the ANIMATION: I played and completed Pesona 3, Persona 3 FES and Persona 4 a while back, so I can say with confidence that this games are one the best ever made. Trinity Soul left with a bitter taste but if they are loyal to the original there is no way Persona 4 could go wrong; at least I hope so.
4)Guilty Crown: at the moment I saw the beautiful animation, the involment of Production I.G and the screenwritter of Code Geass I got on bord with this show. You´re right Divine, this series gives the vibes of a great original work.
5)Mirai Nikki: I read most of the manga (will finish it sometime this week) and I have to say is one of the most twisted stories I´ve read (even when I´m a fan fo Stephen King). The story itself is awsome and I cannot wait to see Yuno in action. By the way Divine, Stalker doesn´t even begin to discribe how crazy taht girl really is.
6)CubeXCurseXCurious: I don´t really know what to think about this one but it gives a simillar feeling of Kore wa Zombie desu ka?, so I think it has potential to be really good; also I love light novel adaptations.
7)Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon: another light novel adaptation and something tells me that I´ll become adicted to it after the very first episode; I love works with a lot of story and terminology.
8)Last Exile -Ginyoku no Fam- : I watched the first series years ago but I till have the experiece fresh in my memory so I have the bar set very high for this one.
9)Mobile Suit Gundam AGE: what can I say? You can never go wrong with Gundam. Good or bad, it´s an enjoyble ride. Let´s see wht you have this time Sunrise.
10)Mashiro-iro Symphony: I´ve always had a soft spot spot for romantic stories so this is a must watch for someone like me. I dont expect much, but who knows? there might be a surprise somewhere in there.
11)Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai: put the most damage charactes you could possibly concive and this light novel is what you get. Don´t get me wrong, this is a laugh maker for sure.
And this it!. Like every year, Fall promises to be the most anticipated season for good anime and this time sure looks amazing as nothing before. I expect to read you awsome comments of any of this series Divine, you might not remember but as I said in the previous season post I´m a big fan of your blogging.
September 22, 2011 at 12:16 ambluance
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Awesome line up this fall, Bokutomo is what I have been waiting for since almost the beginning of this year, I hope the censors won’t be so harsh not expecting it to be seitokai yakuindomo. Seems like alot of 2 cour shows, what a long fall.
September 22, 2011 at 4:38 amClaire Phoenix
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I’ll watch:
1) Kimi to Boku
2) Seikai Ichi Hatsukoi 2
3) Last Exile (Probably)
4) Guilty Crown
Thank you DIVINE for the information~ :)
September 22, 2011 at 4:56 amSekai
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Hello,i have a probably stupid question but anyways,i was wondering what does this “1-cour” mean? :D
September 22, 2011 at 5:23 amdeafvader
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divine’s explanation
my simple explanation
1 cour would mean 1 season (this would mean Autumn)
2 cours meaning failing an exam (either mid terms or finals)
4 cours means celebrating your birthday with it.
September 22, 2011 at 1:09 pmSekai
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heh thanks for the reply :D
September 22, 2011 at 6:21 amK
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Oh fuck yes Last Exile! LAST EXILE!
September 22, 2011 at 6:46 amMrRei
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Is anyone even NOT waiting for Guilty Crown?
September 22, 2011 at 7:07 ampipopaz
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Thanks for a really through and comprehensive preview. With the few hours left available that I have from my busy life, organizing the series I have the most interest in is crucial and your preview helped me accomplish that, I appreciate your work, thanks!
September 22, 2011 at 7:42 ampureauraa
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Shana~
September 22, 2011 at 7:44 amBluerise
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Thanks for the this fall’s preview Divine.
Will be watching Guilty Crown and Mirai Nikki.
Considering watching C Cube, Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon, Hunter X Hunter, Phi Brain, Kimi to Boku and Persona 4.
September 22, 2011 at 8:08 ammugi
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Damn! how can I arrange schedule to watch this many good anime. This is too much!
September 22, 2011 at 9:16 ambriex
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1. Mirai Nikki ( I like the premise…for now this is my most anticipated )
2. Working 2nd
3. Ben-To ( I’m curious about this series ever since I read Patrick’s post age ago )
4. Ika Musume 2nd
5. Chihayafuru ( Need some drama this season )
6. Guilty Crown ( I love supercell )
September 22, 2011 at 9:47 amRyugan
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just 3 words FUCK YEAH GUNDAM
September 22, 2011 at 11:37 amArisu
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This upcoming season makes me feel nostalgic. Looking forward to how it plays out.
September 22, 2011 at 12:16 pmNezumi
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Why there is nothing about Coppelion? Does anyone know what’s with this anime?
September 22, 2011 at 12:27 pmDivine
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I haven’t heard anything about it being schedule for this fall, but it looks like it’s been postponed indefinitely after the quake since it would be in poor taste to adapt a series about a post-apocalyptic world after that happened.
September 22, 2011 at 12:52 pmNezumi
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Thanks for your reply and of course for preview. :)
September 22, 2011 at 1:16 pmhaseo0408
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I heard the rumor about the adaptation of Coppelion into anime at the begining of the year, but you are right, after all the caos and fear in the aftermath of the earthguake in March it will be terrible to release this kind of show in the media. I still can´t belive the kind of destruction that was left after the disaster, it was a miracle that there were not as many victims, but even so 16 thounsand people dead is horrifying, there will be a long while before anyone in Japan could the kind of story Coppelion offers.
September 22, 2011 at 2:57 pmDivine
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See here for more info.
September 22, 2011 at 1:08 pmRintarou
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Hey Divine, Guilty Crown has an official key visual now.
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/6912/keyvisual5.jpg
I wanted to let you know because I thought it would be more appropriate for the fall preview than the crop of that magazine scan.
September 22, 2011 at 3:03 pmDivine
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I had this key visual already, but I liked the magazine scan more. I’ll change it though since I already have the scan as the banner.
September 22, 2011 at 1:23 pmAura
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So many interesting looking animes. I hope I’ll have enough time for them all. :-D
Also, do you think I would need to watch Fate/stay night in order to understand Fate/zero?
September 22, 2011 at 2:59 pmDivine
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As per my comment above, you’ll probably appreciate both series more if you’ve seen FSN, but it’s not required to understand Fate/Zero since the latter is a prequel.
September 22, 2011 at 6:42 pmjsmith1a2000
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are there any news about code geass 3 ? I guess guilty crown will do for now…..
September 22, 2011 at 8:12 pmKanade
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Just a question for Persona 4, do I need to be familiar with the series?? or I’m just fine with just watching it straight away? this also applies for Last exile as well…
September 22, 2011 at 11:18 pmbluance
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I never watched the Last exile series but Persona 4 I believe its safe to jump in, I guess it could be a spoiler for the game though.
September 23, 2011 at 4:27 ammasso
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Definitely going to watch Guilty Crown.
I’m very disappointed by the year 2011 to be honest. I followed Sacred Seven and the Moe Detective for a bit, then got bored and just never bothered again. Tiger & Bunny is the only anime that did it for me this year so far.
September 23, 2011 at 6:55 pmDivine
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No more blogging requests?
If there’s a particular writer you really want to see cover a series (e.g. Takaii and a comedy), this is your chance to provide some input.
September 23, 2011 at 7:36 pmJustin
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Let’s hope that Chihayafuru and Guilty Crown are good…it would be very disappointing if they weren’t.
September 23, 2011 at 8:36 pmBROOKLYN otaku
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Hmmmm, ohh?….Ahh…uhhh? yeah alot more…..??? hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.um…yep!!! ahh ,,AT TIMES LIKE these, cant we get Some more MAI OTOME type shit?…………………..please…no seriously…pretty please? cuz last season was ASS FART. ..hey i dont make’em. just watch’em.*opinion*
and as far as “blogging requests” yall switch up batters more then the mets…..how bout you do everything D!?! hahahaha, kidding. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK yall
September 23, 2011 at 11:24 pmTakaii
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All you lurkers out there, you should go idle on our IRC to make it seem like RC is important.
September 24, 2011 at 1:06 amfishell
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Divine, can blog Fate/Zero,Guilty Crown,Shakugan no Shana III (Final),Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon and WORKING’!!?
September 24, 2011 at 1:37 amDivine
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That would be pretty rough — 8 shows in 4 days if I include Mawaru Penguindrum, IDOLM@STER, and Gundam AGE. I’ll have to divide up some of those with the other writers.
September 24, 2011 at 1:37 amFlappy
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Gahh!!! Looks like the wait for Guilty Crown and UN-GO will be a long one… 13th of October. I wonder if there would be another gleaming jewel among these shows. Anything at the level of Madoka, Steins;Gate and AnoHana would really make 2011 a remarkable year. I wonder if Fate/Zero can live up the hype.
Requests huh?… I dunno, Guardian to pick up UN-GO
September 24, 2011 at 1:39 amDivine
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That can be accommodated. Enzo’s expressed interest in UN-GO and anticipates it’ll be better than Guilty Crown. Given that my own anticipation for GC inadvertently overhyped it (the banners don’t help), it may not live up to the ridiculous expectations people have for it now.
September 24, 2011 at 2:20 amSeishun Otoko
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Will you guys be blogging Ika Musume in the filmstrip format? I understand it’s probably more tedious than the usual posts but it does work very well for our squid girl. Maybe a shorter version of the filmstrip?
Requests huh? It’ll be nice if Enzo picks up UN-GO. Actually, on second thought, I hope RC blogs less so we won’t be tempted to pick up so many animes (please don’t send me death threats) :P
September 24, 2011 at 2:24 amKiyuri
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Bit of an understatement to say there’s quite a lineup ahead of all anime fans this fall. Spread out through four different bloggers and even then, I would imagine it still places time issues on each of the writers. Especially when looking at Divine’s shortlist alone, what he’s willing to take into consideration covers just about half of what’ll be premiering and that’s not to mention the possibilities of ova/movies, should that also be up for consideration. Maybe it’s a bit much to ask for but I would personally love to see Divine cover Persona 4, Fate/Zero and Kyoukai in addition to the two shows he’s already guaranteed us. If I were to be greedy, I would add Shana, merely for the sake of closure for the readers, you and the site itself. Keeping in mind that I have no idea what any of your schedules are like outside of the obligations here, coverage of those three amongst any of the writers would be amazing but that’s simply my opinion.
I’ve liked the idea of Takaii covering Mirai Nikki in my head since I heard it would be adapted into an anime but as far as what else I’d like to see from him, the second season of Bakuman (obviously?) Tamayura and Working’!! have lingered in my head as well. Suffice to say, I’ve gotten quite used to seeing him cover series that are based around a school or slice-of-life settings in all honesty, so while I’d love to see his opinion branch into different genres, I’m rather comfortable with his style in his ‘established’ area. (If I may go so far to even consider it such; assumption much?)
Enzo has more than his fair share of obligations both to this site and his own, so one way or another, I feel as though I’d probably see what I want him to cover on one site or another. For the sake of giving my thoughts on every blogger though, UN-GO, Phi Brain and Last Exile honestly seemed right up his alley after the exemplary work he did taking over Steins;Gate from Kiiragi. Kimi to Boku would also be muchly appreciated but again, I don’t know how your schedule will appear on your own site – and if you’ve made some post there, pertaining to this, then it is simply my own negligence that keeps me in the dark – so despite the open schedule these requests may offer, it could very well be burdensome.
Finally (As if this post wasn’t long enough) I’ll be honest and say that as far as my thoughts on Prooof are concerned, I look towards him as being the person I look towards for Bleach. It’s what he’s known for and I honestly keep up with Bleach in order to see his thoughts on it as well. I’m almost ashamed to say I couldn’t think of many shows I would like for him to cover and when I had found something, it was already listed under another blogger I would love to see an opinion from. If there was anything else I would love to see from Prooof’s perspective though, it would have to be Mirai Nikki. I couldn’t tell you why but it clicks just as much as the idea of Takaii having it.
And that would be my two cent for today. It’s certainly a tl;dr situation if you ask me.
September 25, 2011 at 3:34 pmTakaii
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Established Area.. haha.
As Divine has said, I’ve apparently become the resident Comedy writer for the site. Be it in the form of a slice-of-life, romcom, or what have you.
For what I’m planning on covering, I suppose you’ll have to wait for the Season Schedule to find out (:
September 25, 2011 at 6:18 pmKiyuri
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You do have a certain knack for it that none of the other writers can match.
Haha, eagerly awaiting the release of the schedule even more then. (:
September 24, 2011 at 4:50 amZaku_Fan
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As an interesting contrast, it seems japan’s most anticipated anime is Tamayura http://seventhstyle.com/2011/09/23/10-most-highly-anticipated-of-fall-2011 . However most of the same names regularly appear in the follow up “most disappointing anime” after a few weeks, with recent dubious honors going to Fractale and Nichijo (don’t agree with this one in particular but understandale).
The biggest difference with RC’s poll other than Tamayura is Ika’s positioning it looks like. I wonder if Ika’s popularity in japan is very much higher than outside it (since she got into the 3rd most used japanese twitter tag, IIRC)
September 24, 2011 at 4:52 amfishell
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Divine, can you blog Fate/Zero, Guilty Crown, Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon, Shakugan no Shana III (Final)and WORKING’!!?
September 24, 2011 at 4:53 amfishell
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I will love to see your comments about them….
September 24, 2011 at 5:44 amRintarou
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In a perfect world I’m hoping the line-up looks like this:
Divine: Guilty Crown, Fate/Zero, Persona 4, Horizon, Gundam AGE, Ika Musume. P4 would just be replacing Blood-C on his blogging schedule.
Enzo: UN-GO, Mirai Nikki, Chihayafuru
Takaii: Bakuman. 2, WORKING’!!, Phi Brain, Tamayura
September 25, 2011 at 3:35 pmTakaii
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I was thinking about Bakuman since I really like the show, but there’s so many other shows airing on the same day :(
September 24, 2011 at 5:54 ambaubo
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Weirdly sort of, really looking forward to it. Could be awesome. Could suck bananas. I think Guilty Crown and Persona 4(as a fan of the games) are my two reliable series.
Otherwise, some potential great ones which also may be duds.
Fate/Zero getting 25 episodes IMO seems weird. It was only 4 light novels long, and 6 episodes per novel seems a bit long. Hopefully it doesn’t drag. I am looking forward to see animations of all the new heroic spirits’ noble phantasms though.
I dropped Shakugan no Shana recently(after I believe vol 16) after being a faithful reader. I don’t really have plans to finish the series. But I may watch the adaptation instead. Then again, the adaptation may confirm why I didn’t bother with the LN, so it may just suck.
Majikoi is one of my favorite VNs. But Kimiaru’s adaptation sucked.
Not familiar with other shows. But some of their premises sound interesting.
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