Posted by  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
It has been said that every ending is a new beginning. Indeed, the end of the cold winter months signal the beginning of spring—and yet another new season of anime. Having given us some of the best series in recent years, the spring season has established itself as one of the strongest and most packed seasons, second only to fall. It seems like that trend continues this spring, as we have some 35+ series debuting (compared to the winter’s 31). Like the previous season, a wide assortment of shorts are also among them. Ultimately, despite the fact that this spring offers a wide range of series, it will likely be one remembered by fans of the fantasy, science fiction, and mecha genres for years to come. With series such as Date a Live, Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince, Kakumeiki Valvrave, Red Data Girl, Shingeki no Kyojin, Suisei no Gargantia (with UroGen!), and Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S all falling under those respective categories, it’s just a great season to be a fan. Interestingly enough, I’m one such fan myself, and it makes me wonder if there was a measure of fate involved in me being the intro/outro writer this season. Regardless, it’s my pleasure to present to you Random Curiosity’s Spring 2013 preview, the product of countless hours from seven of our writers — many of which are coincidentally also celebrating their one year anniversary of writing here. How time flies!
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.
- The writer’s impressions, expanding on the plot and highlighting specific points of interest.
As with last season, we’re bringing back our Expectation Levels in an attempt to help you decide what to watch based on how excited we are about each individual shows. For more on this, including our definition of each level, check out the overall impressions section at the very bottom. We’ve also included a list of all shows organized by expectation level, just to make things easier.
Disclaimer: Past season previews were done by a single writer, Divine. Unfortunately, none of the writers are full cyborgs like he is—we still have to eat and sleep—so we’ve divvied up the preview portion of this post amongst five writers (BakaMochi, Moomba, Stilts, Zanibas, and myself — Zephyr) in order to try and match the high-quality and objective impressions you’ve come to expect. Similar to what Divine did in the past, we will also try to identify what appeals to us in each series, in hopes that it will help you determine if it coincides with your tastes.
Disclaimer #2: Please note that this list does not reflect all the series airing this coming spring. It is meant to be as comprehensive as possible, but omissions have been made in regards to shows that stray from the anime norm or seem to be oriented towards young children. Please check out MOON PHASE for complete listings, syoboi for specific air times, and Fansub Wiki for a list of potential subbers for each series.
Finally, I’d just like to give out some shout outs to the people who made this possible. It’s still mind-boggling how Divine managed to get these previews out himself, as the seven of us took nearly a month to get this all together, but I suppose there are some mysteries in the universe that just don’t have answers. In any case, here’s what everyone did to help out (aside from the previews themselves):
- Zephyr compiled the series/movie/OVA lists.
- Asobi, Cherrie, Moomba, and Zephyr took care of the information gathering (links, air dates, episode lengths, etc).
- Moomba and Stereoman encoded the PVs.
- Stereoman single-handedly gathered and cleaned all the images you see in this post.
- Stilts, Zanibas, and Zephyr formatted the post and made sure everything was working properly.
- BakaMochi and Stilts finished everything up by proofreading, editing, and double-checking the entire post (multiple times!).
- Last but not least, let’s not forget those of you viewing this post right now. To say the least, you guys are the reason we do what we do. Random Curiosity wouldn’t be what it is without you guys, so we’d just like to say thanks for coming out to this site and continuing to support us. We hope you’ll continue to support us in the future as well.
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.
* Jump to OVA/Movies.
 |
Preview by Zephyr From Japan’s mobile TV channel, NotTV, comes KARA THE ANIMATION. Continuing the trend of new series based on music groups, this series will revolve around the South Korean pop group of the same name and feature each of the members in a different career. All five of the current members will make their voice acting debuts — with Park Gyuri playing the part of a police officer, Han Seungyeon as an astronaut, Jung Nicole as a boat captain, Goo Hara as an officer protecting Monaco’s royal family, and Kang Jiyoung as a firefighter. Each member will have one episode dedicated to them, totaling five episodes. KARA will naturally provide the opening and ending themes. As a series intended to reach out to KARA’s Japanese fans, KARA THE ANIMATION ends up being quite straightforward. What you see is what you get with this series, which means that while it’s likely be a treat for hardcore fans of the group, it won’t provide much for those who aren’t. On the other hand, those who haven’t heard of KARA before could use the series as a introduction to their music, and may find something likable as a result. Generally though, it feels like this will be one of those series that falls through the cracks, as its catering to a very specific audience will likely limit the amount of viewers who will watch, even though its short nature makes it easier to try out.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Stilts DD Hokuto no Ken is a gag anime based on the venerated Fist of the North Star series. The year is 199x, and mankind was not engulfed in the flames of nuclear war. Join the characters from Fist of the North Star as they enjoy a peaceful life in modern day Japan: Kenshiro (Tachibana Shinnosuke) is a convenience store worker, Raoh (Ichijou Kazuya) is a factory worker, and Toki (Seki Tomokazu), who is wracked by illness, is looking for work. The legend of the Fighting NEET begins in the modern day! Created as part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the original Fist of the North Star manga, this show is aimed squarely at old fans of the series. I watched a little of the 2011 shorts, and they were fine, but they failed to connect with me since I’m unfamiliar with the characters. A combination of nostalgia, seeing beloved old characters in a new setting, and some decent gags are what will make this series fun to watch, but since I lack the former two I’ll be skipping this one. If you’re a fan of the original series though, this might be worth checking out. If nothing else, it may just remind you of an old series you enjoyed.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Stilts The overblown debate anime is back for another season! We’re all used to seeing battles fought with swords, but what about the most common “fights” in the world – debates? Coming exactly a year after the first season started, Gakkatsu! Second Season offers us a rare short-form school comedy that centers around words. It stars Takachiho “Rareko” Chiho (Kawasho Miyuki), a girl known for starting enthusiastic yet absurd debates which result in a lively school life. These debates take obscure topics and blow them out of proportion, and the arguments are exchanged like strokes from swords. As with before, each episode will be five minutes long. I watched some of the first season, and I came away thinking “Wow…they really do blow everything out of proportion!” The series description is apt – Rareko can take the simplest of questions, and after a few mental leaps (and plenty of overreactions), the debate will be about something else entirely. I can see how this show could be funny, though honestly the humour didn’t strike me. The animation was cartoonish but lively, which seems to suit it. All in all, I respect this show for doing something a different and having a unique style while doing it, even if it didn’t especially entertain me. If any of this has piqued your interest, I suggest you seek out a few episodes of the first season and see if it suits your taste. At only five minutes a pop, you don’t lose much by giving it a shot.
|
||||||||||||
|
Preview by Zanibas In what seems to be Studio Gokumi’s most “interesting” adaptation yet (beating Koe de Oshigoto), Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge describes an interesting romance marred with curses. Haimura Kiri (Hanae Natsuki) is obsessed with cutting people’s hair, especially the hair of Mushanokouji Iwai (Koiwai Kotori), whose hair is apparently cursed to never be cut. The two find temporary happiness when Kiri is able to cut Iwai’s hair, but it’s short-lived as they discover Iwai’s dark ancestry. The two must now fight against those who seek to kill Iwai, the Hair Queen, as part of a centuries old game that rewards the murderer with freedom and power. With Kiri and his competitors equipped with “Killing Goods”, the anime plays out the couple’s constant duel with murderers who have their eyes set on the Hair Queen for various reasons. It might be tempting to compare this show with the recent Cuticle Tantei Inaba, but only hair fetishes link the two together. Crime Edge plays out more like a game of Mirai Nikki where Kiri and Iwai are like Yuno and Yukki respectively–one character fiercely defends the other out of weird but honest love. The hair fetish will definitely turn off some viewers, but compared to Nazo no Kanojo X, this show is fairly easy to digest. Though a bit confusing with the action plot elements, I give the show props for being unique with the romance–those looking for a new romance niche to explore should check this out. Studio Gokumi has a fairly good track record and director Yuuji Yamaguchi has decent experience with directing, but the staff member to look out for here is scriptwriter Urahata Tatsuhiko–his work with Monster and Haganai should translate well into the romantic/action driven dialogue of the show. Though it has a ridiculous plot and a strange fetish, the series’ attempt to be different are enough to make me want to try the first few episodes. Considering how Studio Gokumi exceeded expectations with Oda Nobuna no Yabou last year, I have a feeling they can pull it off again.
|
||||||||||||
|
Preview by Moomba As part of the Kadokawa Shoten 65th Anniversary Project, P.A. Works is producing an adaptation of Ogiwara Noriko’s fantasy light novel. The series centres on Suzuhara Izumiko (Hayami Saori), a shy and introverted girl raised in a rural shrine who destroys anything electrical she comes into contact with. After living a sheltered life, she decides she wants to change herself and move to the city despite the protests of her family. In the process she meets Sagara Miyuki (Uchiyama Kouki), an individual born to serve as her manservant but is reluctant to do so. At first, the two do not get along and Miyuki is forced into the position by his father, Sagara Yukimasa (Fukuyama Jun). But following a terrible accident, things between them begin to change as the two learn of their duties and accept their roles. It’s been a while since P.A. last did something good with a fantasy theme and after watching the first episode I find myself cautiously optimistic. As per usual, the backgrounds are gorgeous and the animation lives up to typical P.A. standards. I’m easily drawn to the character designs since they originate from my all-time favourite Japanese artist, Kishida Mel, and they don’t disappoint on that front. The cast of seiyuu is pretty decent too, with many well-known individuals and a reprisal from Sarah Emi Bridcut following her first great role in Mondai-Ji-tachi ga Isekai Kara Kuru Sou Desu yo?. The premise itself is certainly interesting, especially given its basis on Shinto legends, and the first episode did more than enough to keep me wanting to see more! If you’re actively interested in watching RDG, I can only ask: why aren’t you already watching the first episode?
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Bakamochi Based on the otome game of the same name, Uta no Prince-sama Maji Love 2000% is a sequel to Uta no Prince-sama Maji Love 1000%, which revolved around aspiring composer Nanami Haruka (Sawashiro Miyuki) as she navigated the labyrinths of love and song with a whopping seven possible “princes”: Ichinose Tokiya (Miyano Mamoru), Ittoki Otoya (Terashima Takuma), Kurusu Shou (Shimono Hiro), Jinguuji Ren (Suwabe Junichi), Shinomiya Natsuki (Taniyama Kishou), Hijirikawa Masato (Suzumura Kenichi), and Aijima Cecil (Toriumi Kousuke). With the original staff and cast returning, Maji Love 2000% looks like it’ll be similar to its predecessor. Those who enjoyed the first season will most likely find the second enjoyable as well, and who knows? Maybe Haruka will actually end up with a guy by the end of the series. While I generally don’t mind otome game adaptations, I never caught the first season when it aired, so it’s unlikely I’ll tune in to 2000%.
|
||||||||||||
|
Preview by Moomba Manglobe brings us an adaptation of Mikanagi Touya’s mystery/sci-fi manga, featuring an excellent cast of seiyuu and some intense-looking action! Nai (Shimono Hiro) is an extremely naïve young boy off in search of the mysterious Karoku (Hoshi Souichiro), who one day vanished suddenly, leaving only a Circus I.D. bracelet behind. In a strange mansion, he meets Gareki (Kamiya Hiroshi), a skilled thief, and both find themselves as wanted criminals. During this hopeless time, they encounter ‘Circus’, a goverment defence organisation made up of the strongest fighters which solves crimes and captures the most notorious of criminals. Other notable seiyuu include Miyano Mamoru, Endou Aya, Ono Daisuke, and Kitamura Eri. There’s something about this kind of series – where it takes themes from stories we associate with our childhood and warps them into something more twisted and surreal – that really appeals to me. I’m a huge fan of Pandora Hearts which did the same, and there’s certainly a similar sort of vibe here from the first chapters of the manga. While the majority of the cast may be male, there are some pretty damned cool female characters in there to balance it out and the PVs seem to suggest copious amounts of impressive action! The great cast is certainly a huge plus too, along with a soundtrack composed by the wonderful Hamaguchi Shiro! I’ll admit to liking thieves as characters too and the ‘performance’ aspect of Circus sounds like it could make for some interesting juxtaposition between the dark brutality of the hunt for criminals and the more light-hearted performances. It’s certainly a show I’ll be watching!
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Stilts This spring brings us the latest in the increasingly long list of totally unrelated maou shows, Hataraku Maou-sama. In another dimension, the Demon Lord Satan was only one step away from conquering the world when he was beaten by the Hero Emilia and forced into another world: modern-day Tokyo. Since the Demon Lord’s only skills involve conquering the world – and those are pretty useless in his new situation – he must work as a freeter to pay for his living expenses. Along with his trusted general Ashiya Shirou (Ono Yuuki), the newly dubbed Maou Sadao (Ohsaka Ryota) is looking for a way to get back to his world, while fending off the former hero Yusa Emi (Hikasa Yoko) and gunning for a promotion at work as well! After checking out the source material, I’m getting an Ichiban Ushiro no Daimou feeling from this one, both in the sometimes silly approach to the whole “Maou” thing and in how the story doesn’t do much to distinguish itself, at least initially. The allure is definitely in watching these once powerful beings cope with modern life now that they’re powerless schleps, especially since they’re pretty bad at it – seeing Sadao’s megalomania channeled towards getting a promotion and Emi reduced to nothing but harsh words now that her holy sword is gone is quite amusing to watch. There is also the promise of action, and hints of romance as well, as Emi practically screams “tsundere” for Sadao from their earliest interactions. Still, I can’t help but think the story doesn’t do enough to separate itself from the pack. There’s reason for hope though, as both the studio and staff are surprisingly good, with WHITE FOX (Steins;Gate, Jormungand) and director Naoto Hosoda (Mirai Nikki, Shuffle!) being of particular note. In the end, I’ll be watching this since a modern romantic action fantasy is so right up my alley it’s scary. I won’t be surprised if this ends up being middling, even though it has the potential to be more.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Zephyr It is the end of the 21st century and new technology has allowed humans to expand into the final frontier. The successful expansion is short lived however, as hostile aliens from Jupiter attack and leave humanity on the cusp of annihilation. The need to both adapt to the harsh environment of space and fight off the Urgal leads to the creation of genetically engineered children known as “Princes” who wield robotic weapons known as “Advanced High Standard Multipurpose Battle Devices” (AHSMB) to fight off the alien threat. A Dogakobo x Orange collaboration, Ginga Kukoutai Majestic Prince is a manga adaptation that revolves around a Prince named Hitachi Izuru (Aiba Hiroki). Together with Asagi Toshikazu (Asanuma Shintaro), Irie Tamaki (Iguchi Yuka), Kugimiya Kei (Hikasa Yoko), they make up the group known as Team Rabbits. This is their story. It’s somewhat difficult to anticipate how this series will end up. The trailers have shown a mixture of serious and comedic scenarios, which could either end up leading it to great heights or failing miserably. I suppose that’s where director Motonaga Keitaro comes in. Having done some great work on recent adaptations in Jormungand and Katanagatari, Keitarou has shown the ability to both faithfully adapt a given source material while properly balancing the scenarios I mentioned previously. As such, I’m inclined to think that Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince will likely be one of the better series coming this season, though admittedly, this series will offer the most to fans of the sci-fi/mecha/action genres. Those that aren’t fans of those genres and/or Gundam Seed and its character designs—Hirai Hisashi is the character designer—may find less to like here.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Stilts Hikigaya Hachiman (Eguchi Takuya) is an antisocial high-schooler with no friends, no girlfriend, and a seriously twisted view on life. To him, the very idea of a happy youth is a lie perpetuated by hypocrites and liars, and he wants nothing to do with it, or them. This is how he drifts through his school life, until he runs afoul of a certain meddling teacher and ends up in the Service Club with the school’s prettiest girl, Yukinoshita Yukino (Hayami Saori). The club’s purpose: to rehabilitate troublesome students, Hachiman included. Join the two of them as they go head-to-head in this warped school romance. This romcom feels simultaneously familiar and unique. It’s like they took Houtarou from Hyouka, dialed his cynicism up to 11, and tossed him in a Haganai-like world where everyone is just slightly “off”. Oh, and then they added in an even haughtier version of Yozora (Haganai again), a bunch of other weirdos, and sat back to watch the fun. That comparison is totally wrong in all sorts of ways, but it gets you closer to the truth. The thing is, while there are a lot of familiar elements, there’s something refreshing here as well. The atmosphere is practically marinated in warped cynicism, and the characters are compellingly unlikable. Their interactions even have a bit of a trainwreck quality to them – everyone is so twisted it’s just fascinating to watch. On the production side, the staff is a little light on experience, and Brain’s Base can be spotty at times, but they did good work with the recent Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun, so there’s definite hope. In the end, I’m going to take refuge in the Haganai comparison, inexact though it may be – if you liked watching Kodaka and the crew, give this a try. The source material takes a subtly “off” spin on a familiar setting, and does it well, so now it’s all up to Brain’s Base to give us a good adaptation.
|
||||||||||||
|
Preview by Stilts This spring Enterbrain’s third hit dating sim is receiving an anime adaptation. A spiritual successor to KimiKiss and Amagami, Photo Kano stars Maeda Kazuya (Shimazaki Nobunaga), a high school student who takes up photography after he receives an old DSLR camera from his dad. As his hobby flourishes, so do his interactions with several girls, including his beautiful childhood friend Niimi Haruka (Itou Kanae), as well as new faces like Muroto Aki (Nakahara Mai), Sakura Mai (Kanemoto Hisako), Masaki Nonoka (Saito Chiwa), Misumi Tomoe (Sawashiro Miyuki), and more. I’ll admit that this wasn’t on my radar until I read “spiritual successor to KimiKiss and Amagami“. Photo Kano, you have my attention! Reading through the manga, it definitely has the same flavour as Amagami SS. Kazuya is more aimless where Junichi was broken-hearted, but he has that same tendency of getting pushed around when it’s funny while showing a spine when it’s needed, and I see definite potential for growth in him. He even has a very Miya-like little sister in Maeda Kanon (Ise Mariya)! Madhouse is producing, which is a good sign in my book, and the character art and animation I’ve seen so far has been quite nice. Of course, with a dating sim adaptation it all comes down to the girls, and here I take refuge in the KimiKiss and Amagami comparison once again – Enterbrain heroines + a stellar seiyuu cast has been a winning formula before, so I have no reason to doubt it now. The only question is, will they go for the omnibus format? I hope so, but we won’t know until it starts airing. I can tell you this though – I will absolutely be tuning in, and I encourage any fans of romance and/or dating sim adaptations to join me as well! Oh, and photography. There’ll be some of that too.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Bakamochi This adaptation is based on the game Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2, and helmed by Studio Bridge. Prompted by a morbid app called “Nicaea” that predicts their deaths, protagonist Kuze Hibiki (Kamiya Hiroshi), his friend Shijima Daichi (Okamoto Nobuhiko), and classmate Nitta Io (Uchida Aya) find themselves confronted by a strange chain of events when disaster forces them to choose between “life” or “death”. Now given the ability to summon “demons” via the “demon-summoning app” forcibly downloaded onto their phones by Nicaea, the three must continue to fight against the invasion that places their world on the brink of destruction. I like it. This adaptation is probably one of the shows I’m most interested in, for its crisp character designs, semi-decent cast, seemingly solid staff (director Kishi Seiji and writer Uezu Makoto – the people responsible for Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita), and well-received source material to pull the story from. While it’s not guaranteed to be a success, Devil Survivor 2 has every chance of becoming one of the better offerings of the season, provided Bridge can deliver. The studio’s resume is anorexic at best, and having never seen Mitsudomoe or any of its incarnations, I can’t really vouch for quality in terms of studio prowess. The staff, however, seem pretty capable (although that School Days on Uezu’s resume is like a coffee stain on the white dress that is Jinrui and Carnival Phantasm), so I suppose that can help balance out that one confounding factor. In any case, Devil Survivor 2 looks pretty promising, so casual viewers should probably give it a try.
|
||||||||||||
|
Preview by Zanibas This dark tale revolves around Kasuga Takao (Ueda Shinichirou), a bookworm who claims to have a pure admiration for a certain girl, Saeki Nanako (Hisaka Yoko). One day, as Kasuga goes back to his classroom to pick up his current favorite book of poetry, Les Fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire, he notices that Saeki has left her gym uniform. Before he can properly think, noises outside the classroom prompt him to steal the uniform and dash back home. However, a certain Nakamura Sawa (Ise Mariya), infamous for her rebellious and antisocial attitude, discovers Kasuga’s dark secret. It is from here that the story of these three characters begins to unfold in a dark and raw fashion, where the human psyche is severely tested and the limits of insanity and “shit” are pushed. After blasting through the manga, I can safely say that this show will definitely challenge even the most experienced and hardened anime fans. Those who compare it to School Days are severely understating the gravity of the material, though comparisons with similar Onani Master Kurosawa fare better. If you’re looking for a show that seeks to challenge your faith in human sanity and logic, Aku no Hana is a good candidate. Don’t expect realistic reactions from any of the characters–the material is meant to reflect anything but realism, instead opting to push the limits that human nature can endure. This show embodies the loss of hope on many levels–in humanity, in oneself, and in the concept of redemption itself. Though themes of self-identity and independence do appear in the less depraved segments, the majority of the content focuses on “stripping away” the characters. ZEXCS has a good reputation for handling niche shows like this and with Nagahama Hiroshi (Detroit Metal City, Mushi-shi) as director, those who have been thirsting for a darker and introspective show should give this a shot, assuming one can tolerate the constant humiliation and hopelessness burdened upon the characters.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Moomba ARMS brings us a sequel to the anime adaptation of Suzuki Akira’s alternative timeline genderbent samurai light novel! Presumably continuing from where the first season left off, the stage is Buou Academic School where we follow Yagyuu Mineakira (Hirakawa Daisuke), a master of the Shinkage-ryu style and capable of creating Master Samurai. Returning with him for the generally light-hearted romantic-comedy aspects, interspaced with enjoyable action and copious fanservice are Tokugawa Sen (Kotobuki Minako), Sanada Yukimura (Kugimiya Rie), Yagyuu Juubei (Yuuki Aoi), Hattori Hanzou (Gotou Saori), Gotou Matabei (Kobayashi Yuu), Naoe Kanetsugu (Toyosaki Aki), and a whole host of other characters. Genderbent historical figures are always quite a big thing in Japan. When it comes to genderbent samurai, Hyakka Ryouran tends to bring out some of my favourites, mostly owing to the somewhat unique artwork style presented in the series. There’s something rather nice about the thick borders and frequent ink-splatters that also double as a convenient and creative method of censorship. It’s almost like watching a work of art rather than a somewhat simplistic harem fanservice anime! Being set in an alternate modern-day Japan based on the Sengoku/early Edo periods makes for some interesting possibilities too, as presented in the first season. Of course, having Katou Tatsuya on the soundtrack will make for an awesome aural experience, especially when combined with such a large cast of high-class seiyuu! Typically, as with most sequels, if you enjoyed the original, you will enjoy this. If you haven’t seen the original, it would probably be better to start there!
|
||||||||||||
|
Preview by Moomba AIC PLUS+ brings us one of the many light novel adaptations gracing the charts this spring. Itsuka Shidou (Shimazaki Nobunaga) is your generic and ‘ordinary’ high-school protagonist who discovers a mysterious girl after a ‘spacequake’ devastates his town. His sister, Itsuka Kotori (Taketatsu Ayana), reveals her secret identity as commander of an anti-spirit organisation and demands that he woo said mysterious girl in order to save the world by stealing her spirit powers. In order to protect mankind, Shidou must perform his duty, standing steadfast against the spirits and stealing their powers with love. Date A Live captured me with its very first PV. It’s always fun when a loli is trying to destroy the world, and the combination of fantasy and sci-fi elements could be quite promising in terms of diversity, despite being what sounds like an extremely generic light novel adaptation. But this isn’t what captivated me. What captivated me was how the first PV was presented, combining intense music and brilliant use of cinematic techniques in completely ordinary situations. Whether this will also translate to the anime itself and isn’t just something for the trailers is another matter – but it speaks well that they managed to do something especially captivating in a medium designed solely to captivate. AIC PLUS+ is not a studio I’m all that familiar with, so I’m not sure what sort of expectations to hold in that department, but director Motonaga Keitarou has done a lot of cool stuff, particularly Jormungand and Katanagatari, so I’m quite looking forward to seeing how things turn out!
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Stilts An adaptation of the manga series by the same name, Danchi Tomoo centers around the daily life of Kinoshita Tomoo (Sanpei Yuuko), a fourth-grade boy who lives in an apartment complex with her mother and big sister. It follows Tomoo’s silly, nonsensical, and occasionally heartwarming misadventures with his friends, classmates, and other people in his complex. Ahhhh, to be a kid again. And that’s what this show is about – being a kid in Japan, and all the silly little adventures that entails. I can see the allure in this kind of show, though unfortunately I was unable to get my hands on much of the source material, so I can’t vouch for its comedy chops. Here are a few facts though: 20+ volumes of the manga have been published, so someone clearly likes this. They have the director from Doraemon, Nazo no Kanojo X, and Uchuu Kyoudai (Ayumu Watanabe) on board, as well as the script writer from Cross Game (Michihiro Tsuchiya), both of which feel very fitting for this show. The animation is simple, but then again, this is a simple show. The only thing I’m unsure of is whether this will be a short, though my gut says no. Note that I have nothing to back that up, but the apparent popularity of the source material coupled with the relatively simple animation (not to mention the staff working on it) makes me think they’ll offer up full episodes. We’ll see, though. I don’t know if I’ll be watching this one, but if I don’t I won’t be surprised if I end up hearing I missed out.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Stilts Pretty Rhythm is continuing (without interruption) with a third season of singing, dancing, and skating fun. Based on the Takara Tony arcade game, the Pretty Rhythm series is about fashionable super-idols who perform in the popular Prism Show. This season stars Ayase Naru (Kato Emiri), an 8th grader who can see the colours of music. One day she learns of a new shop that is recruiting middle school girls who can do the Prism Dance. Naru immediately tries out, and during her audition she experiences an aura she has never felt before. At that moment, a mysterious girl named Rinne (Sakura Ayane) approaches her and asks if she can see the “rainbow music”. We’ve written about this series twice before, so I could probably make this easy on myself and just leave you with that. Instead, let me give you the basics – from what I’ve seen, this series is rather well done for what it is. The characters are cute, the atmosphere is light and fluffy, and each episode is fun in a Saturday-morning-cartoons kind of way. The music is pretty good too, provided you like super cutsey J-Pop. I still find the use of CG during the dancing/skating routines jarring, but once you get past that the choreography is good, if simplistic. That said, this series is targeted towards middle school girls, and there’s little cross appeal to be found. If that’s you – or you really love cute clothes and cuter singing – then this may be your thing. Otherwise, I would steer clear. It’s not a bad series by any means, it just knows exactly who its targeting, and statistically speaking, that’s probably not you.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Zephyr Based on a mobile social game by GREE, Zettai Bouei Leviathan (Absolute Defense Leviathan) revolves around a fantasy world named Aquafall. Populated by dragons and fairies, the inhabitants find themselves suddenly threatened by meteorites carrying evil creatures. In response, the fairy Syrup (Hanazawa Kana) assembles the Aquafall Defense Force and recruits three dragon clanswomen in Leviathan (Hayami Saori), Bahamut (Kitamura Eri), and Jormungandr (Taketatsu Ayana) to assist. Together they work to fight the enemies that threaten their planet, while growing up in the process. I’m not quite sure what to say about Zettai Bouei Leviathan. On one hand, I don’t feel like there’s not much to expect from this series. It’s based off a mobile social game after all, and seems to have a rather typical fantasy plot to boot. On the other hand, I can’t help but notice the all-star female cast this series has, as well as the fact that Gonzo is heading things up as the production studio. Granted, Gonzo hasn’t been in the greatest shape recently, but the fact that HanaKana, Hayami Saori, Kitamura Eri, and Taketatsu Ayana are all on board does potentially signal that there might be something worth watching here. I suppose the result is that while you probably shouldn’t come into this series with any kind of real expectations, it doesn’t mean there isn’t anything worth watching here—especially if you’re a fan of the above seiyuu or the fantasy genre.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Zanibas Long awaited by many, Oreimo has finally returned after two and a half years to finish the story it began. The series will pick up where the “True End” route left off and is slated to run up to the final (unreleased) volume of the light novel series, volume 12. Kousaka Kirino (Taketatsu Ayana) returns back to Japan to receive more life counseling from her ever-patient brother Kousaka Kyousuke (Nakamura Yuuichi). Kirino’s friends, Gokou “Kuroneko” Ruri (Hanazawa Kana) and Saori Bajeena (Nabatame Hitomi) return to accompany Kirino on her otaku adventures along with Kyousuke, though the situation that the true end left us may put a strain on that relationship. Meanwhile, Aragaki Ayase (Hayami Saori) still struggles to accept Kirino’s hidden nature while keeping a watchful eye on the perverted “onii-san”. Though I adore this series for its perspective on sibling interaction and otaku culture, opinion seemed to be fairly divided on the first season, stemming mainly from how people could tolerate Kirino’s mean streak and lack of outward appreciation for her family and friends. However, based on what I’ve heard, the second season should prove fruitful for the development of more characters outside of Kirino and Kyousuke (though their own developments will still play a major role). From where the extended end left us, the series is in a good position to start developing Kuroneko and Saori’s characters immediately–a good sign for Kuroneko’s significant fanbase! In terms of the workforce, the key seiyuu and staff are all coming aboard once again, with the only significant difference being A-1 Pictures backing the production rather than AIC. Although A-1 has had some rough patches with their later episodes dipping in animation quality, overall they make a good fit to produce this series. Although there may be pacing and coverage issues due to it playing catch-up with the light novel, I feel this will be the season that Oreimo fans have been waiting for.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Zephyr Two years after his initial debut, Azazel-san is back with a second season in Yondemasu yo, Azazel-san. Z. A mixture of the supernatural and comedy genres, the series revolves around a detective named Akutabe (Namikawa Daisuke). With his assistant Sakuma Rinko (Satou Rina), they summon demons in order to assist them in solving cases, and threaten them when necessary. A mere figment of his normal self due to an anti-demon barrier, the demon Azazel (Onosaka Masaya) ends up being forced to help the two with their cases. Other demons follow, including Moloch (Genda Tesshou) and Beelzebub (Kamiya Hiroshi). Together, the demons find themselves realizing who the true demons really are. Having watched most of the first season, it was an entertaining—albeit short, at 12 minutes an episode—watch. The irony of demons working for humans who are arguably even more demonic sets up a great foundation in terms of humor, which combines with great cast of seiyuu to bring it up to another level. Notably though, you will find that the gags here are not exactly run of the mill. To put it mildly, the jokes are typically of a more obscene or adult nature, which may or may not cater to your individual tastes. If you are okay with the occasional insertion of feces into your comedic diet—with a side of stereotype bastardization—you will likely find a lot to laugh about here. For the rest though, if a peek at a few episodes don’t have you laughing, then it’s likely the series isn’t for you.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Stilts Mukoujima Takurou (Mizushima Takahiro) is a teenager who spends his time fishing at the pier. One day, Takurou fishes up Muromi-san (Tamura Yukari), a mermaid that speaks in a Hakata accent. Muromi is cheerful, crazy, dense, and just looooves to drink. Along with her reformed I’ll admit, I’m easy to please – a crazy Yukarin-voiced mermaid who loves to drink was enough to get me interested in this show. And that’s the vibe that Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san seems to be going for – a silly, slice-of-life comedy affair. The seiyuu cast is great, with some serious heavy-hitters that I’m hoping will be able to sell the comedy well. As for the rest of the crew, they’re wildcards. Studio Tatsunoko Production has over 50 years of experience in the industry, stretching back to the original Speed Racer in the 60’s, but they haven’t done much in recent years (C: The Money of Soul and Possibility Control and SKET Dance were the best I could find). Likewise, the rest of the crew has experience, but it didn’t exactly wow me. As for the animation, it seemed a little…cartoonish? I know that’s a weird thing to say, but it definitely has an old school feel to it. The good news is this ought to be an easy show to dip your foot in and see if you like it. I don’t see plot or love or any of that on the horizon, just jokes from a bunch of silly mermaids and one human holding on amidst the madness. Sounds fun!
|
||||||||||||
|
Preview by Zephyr From Wit Studio comes the adaptation of Isayama Hajime’s action/fantasy manga, Shingeki no Kyoujin. Also known as Attack on Titan, the series revolves around a world where giants known as Titans once put humanity on the brink of destruction. Several stories tall, they would devour humans—seemingly for pleasure, rather than for subsistence. Following the creation of a city with walls much taller than even the biggest of Titans, a small population of humans managed to survive and live in peace…until now. After having not seen a Titan in the city for over a hundred years, a colossal Titan suddenly appears and destroys the city’s outer walls. As the full-scale attack commences, two kids—Yaeger Eren (Kaji Yuki) and Ackerman Mikasa (Ishikawa Yui)—find themselves witness to their mother being eaten alive. Having survived, Eren ultimately vows to kills the Titans and claim revenge. The winner of the Kodansha’s shounen manga award and a nominee for the Manga Taisho award in 2011, Shingeki no Kyojin comes in with some of the most highly recognized source material of the season. Granted, a lauded source material does not necessarily guarantee a successful adaptation—especially with a fairly new studio—but I’m still excited about this series regardless. We have Tetsuro Araki of Death Note fame leading things as the director, and the great Sawano Hiroyuki composing the soundtrack as well. In addition, the series seems to borrow some concepts from the Muv-Luv Alternative visual novel. Considering how well received the latter was, it bodes well to say the least, and makes Shingeki no Kyojin one of the series that people should keep an eye out for. In the end, it just might be a darn spectacular ride.
|
||||||||||||
|
Preview by Stilts Almost 40 years since the original series aired, the Yamato anime is getting an update and retelling in Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2199. It’s the year 2199, and a war with the alien race known as the Gamilos has all but destroyed the earth, turning it into a blasted red planet and driving the remnants of humanity into underground cities. But the destruction is reaching even there, to the point that scientists estimate humanity may be extinct within a year. The young officers Kodai Susumu (Ono Daisuke) and Shima Daisuke (Kenichi Suzumura) recover a mysterious capsule from a ship that made an emergency landing on Mars, and return with it to Earth. It contains humanity’s last hope: the planet Iscandar on the other side of the Magellan Galaxy has the technology to defeat the Gamilos and restore Earth. The space battleship Yamato is entrusted with this task, but they only have a year before humanity is no more. This show actually came out as a series of seven movies throughout last year, so I was able to watch what will be the first episode in preparation for this preview, and let me tell you – consider me intrigued. I don’t often watch “retro” anime, but this has all the markings of a classic space epic that can stand up to anything seen today, and exceed most of it. An exemplar of the Space is an Ocean trope (trope!), within minutes we’re thrust into an exciting space battle where humanity is totally outmatched. I will say that the art is a bit retro, though it’s animated damn well, so that just takes a little getting used to. Also, you’ll find here that unique mix of technology that’s both oddly old (the control screens look like they were pulled from WWII destroyers) and super advanced (they all fly through space like it’s no big deal), which can be a bit wonky. The simple fact is that if you consider yourself any kind of sci-fi fan, you should watch this. For everyone else, if you like the idea of exciting space battles against a mysterious, neigh-unstoppable alien force, and witnessing the bravery of humanity in the face of impossibly long odds, you just may find something to enjoy here as well.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Zephyr In a distant future, the Human Galactic Alliance fights a war of survival against aliens known as the Hideous. After a recent battle, a young Lieutenant and his humanoid weapon are drawn into a space-time distortion, which puts him into an artificially induced hibernation. Upon waking up, he finds himself on the now long forgotten Earth. Now a planet completely flooded by water, people live on fleets of giant ships, fending for themselves by scavenging old relics from the ocean. Stranded, Red (Ishikawa Kaito) finds himself forced to live with a girl named Amy (Kanemoto Hisako), a messenger of the Gargantia fleet—all while knowing nothing of its residents’ culture and language, and having previously experienced nothing but war. For me, the big draw regarding Suisei no Gargantia was not only the fact that Urobuchi Gen was playing a big part in this, but that the premise seems to take the typical plots of military sci-fi and turn it upside down. As you’ll probably notice, most such series end up with the opposite scenario—the teenager is drawn into a war rather than out of one—and this is very intriguing as a result. It remains to be seen whether or not this series ends up being grimdark—which seems very unlikely considering the Urobutcher’s involvement—but this uncertainty makes it arguably even more interesting, as there’s a lot of ways director Murata Kazuya could take us by surprise. One could easily go the peaceful route and surprise us, or just lure us in with something that just looks peaceful and knock us out with UroGen’s specialty. Regardless, the conclusion remains the same – everyone should give this series a try before it’s all said and done.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Zephyr Based on the belief that blood types are determinants of character comes the comedy Ketsuekigata-kun. Based on the manga by “Real Crazy Man,” the series anthropomorphizes the different blood types based on their expected characteristics—with Type A corresponding to reliability, Type B with passion, Type O with independence, and Type AB with capriciousness. Taking the roles of the respective blood types are Fukuyama Jun, Nakamura Yuuichi, Ishida Akira, and Kakihara Tetsuya, all of whom actually have the blood type they represent. While I don’t personally believe in a link between blood types and personality, I have heard quite a lot about how Japan (and many East Asian countries) seem to subscribe quite heavily to the belief. As such, the series does get me at least somewhat interested because of the cultural difference involved, and the lengths to which they’re going to actually find seiyuu with the same blood types as the roles they play. It helps somewhat that a few of them are pretty well known too, but one should keep in mind that in the end, this series is a comedy (and likely prone to some hits and misses as a result), and is likely to be animated as shorts. With that said, if any of the above interests you, the series might be worth a watch—though you probably shouldn’t expect much from it.
|
||||||||||||
|
Preview by Stilts Based (loosely) on the Cthulu mythos, Haiyore! Nyaruko-san is back for a second season. It stars normal high school boy Yasaka Mahiro (Kitamura Eri) and the titular Nyaruko (Asumi Kana), a formless Cthulu deity who can transform into a silver-haired girl. Nyaruko has loved Mahiro since she saved him from aliens that were trying to kill him, but that was just the beginning of Mahiro’s problems, because now it’s Nyaruko that’s after him! And she’s not alone – there’s also the criminally adorable Hastur (Kugimiya Rie, it’s a trap!), the perverted lesbian gamer Cthuko (Matsuki Miyu, *pant pant*), and school reporter / gossip hound Kurei Tamao (Ootsubo Yuka). Insane slapstick humour of ridiculous proportions ensues in this parody comedy with just a dash of romance and more absurdity than you can shake a tentacle at. This series was one I knew I would be watching from the moment I learned of the first season, and I was not disappointed. For batshit insane, totally absurd, and uproariously funny comedy, there are few that can match it. The jokes fly fast and heavy, and run the gamut from referential parody to taking refuge so far in audacity (trope!) that you couldn’t see normalcy with a telescope, and would be too busy laughing to care. But there’s more to this series. The love square(?) not only provides many great laughs, but gave us a few genuinely touching moments, once Nyaruko managed to defrost Mahiro’s tsundere tendencies enough for him to even consider reciprocating her love. The voice acting is also fantastic – Asumi Kana alone could carry this series, but she gets a lot of help from a perverted Matsuki Miyu and a very confusing Kugumiya Rie. In truth, it’s hard to explain exactly why you should watch this, comedy being such a subjective thing. If the premise at all appeals to you, I suggest you check out season 1 – if the first episode doesn’t send you into fits of laughter, this may not be for you. As for everyone else, let’s get ready for another season of that chaos that always crawls up to you with a smile!
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Stilts Adapted from Fukuda Hiroshi’s Joju Senjin!! Mushibugyo manga, Mushibugyou is a hot-blooded action story set in 1700’s Edo-era Tokyo. After hearing the voices of the commoners through his suggestion boxes, the eighth shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune created a new magistrate unit – the Mushibugyou – to protect the people from the massive bugs rampaging through Edo. Join the young warrior Tsukishima Jinbee (Kenn) in his quest to become the strongest warrior EVER by winning until he dies, and ensuring that those he protects will never feel frightened, no matter what. Whenever I work on one of these previews, there are always a few shows that weren’t on my radar at all, but I wouldn’t miss for the world after learning more. This is one of them. Even a single chapter of the manga was enough to make me go “Holy shit!”, and I wasn’t able to stop until I had read several more. To call this story hot-blooded would be an understatement – Jinbee’s enthusiasm and optimism are so off the charts that they’re infectious. The combat is great too, with powerful warriors giving their all as they pull off awesome moves and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Speaking of jaws, if you have any suspicion that this might be one of those “lighter” shounen shows, lose it now – there is blood in this, and blood aplenty. The bugs that the Mushibugyou fight are brutal, visceral, even horrific – they don’t just kill people, they eviscerate them, and sometimes suck out all their goo out, leaving nothing but a sack of human skin behind. It’s an optimistic story, but not a naive one. My main worry is whether the studio, Seven Arcs, will be able to do the manga justice. The animation could be better, but I think it serves the combat well stylistically, and I see enough experience from the production staff to have hope. Here’s the bottom line: if you like 120% hot-blooded shounen action, with optimism, blood, and just a touch of a horror chill, tune in. You’ll have to get behind me though, because I’ll be first in line.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Stilts After only a season away, everyone’s favorite debt-ridden butler is back! Hayate no Gotoku! stars Ayasaki Hayate (Shiraishi Ryoko), an incredibly unlucky young man with very irresponsible parents. After they wracked up a ton of debt and dumped it on him, Hayate barely escaped the kindness of some “very nice people” thanks to Sanzenin Nagi (Kugimiya Rie), a super-rich otaku ojou-sama who paid off his debt in exchange for him becoming her butler. The theme of this season is “cuties”, and every episode will focus on a different heroine or route. They are: 1) Ayasaki Hayate, 2) Sanzenin Nagi, 3) Tennos Athena, 4) Saginomiya Isumi & Aizawa Sakuya, 5) Katsura Hinagiku, 6) Segawa Izumi & ??, 7) Suirenji Ruka, 8) Nishizawa Ayumu, 9) Harukaze Chiharu & Tsurugino Kayura, 10) Maria, and more…? There is a lot to like about the Hayate no Gotoku! series. From surprisingly dark beginnings (the first episode includes parental abandonment, loan sharks, kidnappings, and a seriously bastardly Santa Claus), a hilarious harem love-comedy grew, with a heroine for every possible viewer (Hinagiku is mine, back off!!). I won’t go into much detail, because if you’re not watching this by the fourth season (and one movie), then you’re probably going to be a bit lost. Not that us anime-only viewers get off completely scott-free – as with last season, several characters have appeared that only manga readers got a proper introduction to. That said, the characters are interesting and varied enough that I picked them up quickly last season, so don’t let that stop you from diving in. As for the premise, a heroine-of-the-week format might actually work better than last season’s more ploty affair. Other thoughts: the same Manglobe crew is back – and though they aren’t quite as good as J.C.Staff was, they do a respectable job – along with the series’ always stellar seiyuu cast. The only thing I’m unsure of is whether the material will be anime original or not. Still, let’s be serious – if you’ve watched all (or most) of the series so far, tune in for this one. It looks like it’ll be more like the Hayate no Gotoku! we all fell in love with, with plenty of rabu-rabu comedy to go around. Count me in!
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Bakamochi Watase Yuu’s (of Fushigi Yuugi, Alice 19th, and Absolute Boyfriend fame) Arata Kangatari is getting an adaptation by studio Satelight, the brawns behind AKB0048, Aquarion EVOL, and Macross Frontier. Revolving around two teenage boys both named “Arata”, the plot kicks into gear when Arata from ye olde land of Amawakuni (Matsuoka Yoshitsugu) is accused of murder and cross-dressing. By some order of magic he switches places with Hinohara Arata (Okamoto Nobuhiko) of modern Japan. Thrown in the midst of turmoil in a brand new world he knows nothing about, Hinohara Arata must navigate the political web of deceit weaved together by the “Twelve Shinshou”, the powerful group that framed the other Arata for murder. Did that sound confusing? I’m sure it did. The premise isn’t as terribly convoluted as it sounds, but it’s also not the simplest thing. Terminology gets thrown around like hot potatoes and some of the setup seems needlessly confusing. While Arata Kangatari doesn’t take forever to get to the core of its plot, it’s really difficult to try and explain the storyline since, despite there being two Aratas, one is clearly featured more than the other…yet everyone talks about Amawakuni’s Arata as if he’s the main character. Satelight helming the series guarantees decent animation, although the character designs look fairly different from Watase’s original ones. I’m not too familiar with director Yasuda Kenji’s works aside from Fullmetal Alchemist, which I can’t remember that much of. Considering there’s a hefty bit of material of the manga to adapt though, I doubt there’s much room to take liberties with the source material – it should ensure a fairly faithful adaptation, so fans of the manga should probably check this out.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Zanibas Going on a business trip soon? Why not take a vacation at Sparrow’s Hotel, the closest hotel to Heaven? As long as you don’t cause a ruckus, new employee Sayuri Satou (Chihara Minori) will treat you with hospitality instead of the tip of a blade. Oh, watch out for the management too, especially Shiokawa Tamaki (Nagashima Haruka) and her older brother, who happen to cause all sorts of troubles for Sayuri, intentional or not. Together they all manage the hotel, including the numerous troublemakers that it attracts. As part of the five-minute gag comedy trend, Sparrow’s Hotel continues Dream Creation’s renewed efforts to release shorts with respectable voice actors and actresses filling the roles. Those who can appreciate Chihara and Kishio’s veteran acting experience may get a kick out of their unique roles here. While not much info has been released on the characters, the combination of assassin action along with comedy could end up hilariously funny, perhaps as well as Inferno Cop and Senyuu. were received. If you’re enjoying this new trend of short shows, then I’d give at least the first episode a try to see if it matches your tastes—otherwise I’d wait to see how this short pans out.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Stilts Anime fans are no stranger to schoolgirl 4-koma adaptations, and the genre is getting a new member in Yuyushiki. It stars the friendly and clueless Hinata Yukari (Taneda Risa), the enthusiastic and childish Nonohara Yuzuko (Ookubo Rumi), and the level-headed Ichii Yui (Tsuda Minami), three friends who belong to their school’s data processing club. There’s no underlying story here, just three cute girls who get together to talk about various subjects in adorable ways. The premise pretty much says it all – cute schoolgirls talking about random things. If you’ve seen shows like K-ON! or Yuruyuri, you know what to expect. That Yuruyuri example is especially instructive, since two of its main seiyuu (Chinatsu’s and Yui’s) are reuniting as Yuzuko and Yui respectively. Production is being taken care of by Kinema Citrus (CØDE:BREAKER), a studio to which my first reason was “Who?” Let’s face it though, slice-of-life shows don’t exactly require the highest of directing skill, even if they may benefit from it. As long as the girls are cute (they are), the atmosphere is fluffy (looks promising), and the random discussions are entertaining (that remains to be seen), fans of the form will have something to enjoy. As for those who aren’t much for slice-of-life, this one doesn’t look like it’s trying to break the mold, so it may not be the best one to start with…though I’ve been wrong before.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Zanibas Looking for another 5 minute comedy to fill up your week? Let the daily lives of genki girl Amaya Kanaka (Nakajima Yui), motivation-lacking Uehara Ayuko (Tamura Nao), and the quiet Iwasawa Saki (Iida Yuuko) offer to take the helm. Based on Chama Uji’s 4koma, the shorts seek to express “what happens when there is nothing happening” in a high school setting. It is your staple high school slice-of-life comedy wrapped up in bite-sized packages. Aside from being a comedy short that’d be easy to jump into, fans of new voice actors may want to check this one out. All three of the seiyuu for the main characters have little to no experience in voice acting, though supporting characters will have more experienced seiyuu such as Sugita Tomokazu and Tamura Yukari. Linden Films animated Senyuu. fairly well and Hosoi Mieko (Nerawareta Gakuen) has drawn some good character designs, though Nakamura Ryousuke puts doubt into the execution, especially considering the mixed response to his last directing work with Nerawareta Gakuen. The slice-of-life high school comedy combination is overused, but shows like this serve not to break new ground. Those looking for something new in the comedy genre other than voice actors should pass this up—otherwise spending 15 minutes for the first three episodes can’t hurt!
|
||||||||||||
|
Preview by Zephyr From the studio who brought you Gundam comes a new original mecha animation in Kakumeiki Valvrave (Valvrave the Liberator). In an era where the development of space cities have seen over 70% of the human race migrate to space, two major powers dominate the world—the Dorushia Military Alliance and the Atlantic Ring United States (ARUS). In between the two powers lies Jiouru, a neutral and prosperous country home to high school student Tokishima Haruto (Ohsaka Ryota). With the sudden invasion of the Dorushia military however, Tokishima finds his life thrown into chaos. Ultimately, a sequence of events leads him to the discovery of a humanoid weapon known as “Valvrave,” which may hold the key to the nation’s liberation. As a sci-fi and mecha fan through and through, few things stir up as much excitement as Sunrise does when it announces any kind of new mecha series. Having produced countless mecha series since their founding, Sunrise provides a unmatched pedigree in the mecha department, and it is something that makes Valvrave immediately worth watching. Admittedly, I am unsure what to expect from director Matsuo Kou, as he has not had much experience in that particular role, but he does seem to possess a wide range of experience in others. Furthermore, he has the support of Okouchi Ichiro (Code Geass, Planetes), so things are definitely looking quite good in terms of the staff and studio. It remains to be seen how it develops past the rather typical initial “stumble upon a mecha” premise—that is in ways similar to some of the Gundam series—but there’s definitely a lot of potential here, and provided you’re a fan of the respective genres, you should find a lot worth watching.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Moomba J.C. Staff brings us a sequel to the Toaru Majutsu no Index spinoff set in Academy City, a highly advanced training ground composed almost entirely of students with esper powers. We follow the titular “Railgun” Misaka Mikoto (Satou Rina) and her friends, Judgement members Shirai Kuroko (Arai Satomi) and Uiharu Kazari (Toyosaki Aki), and Level 0 Saten Ruiko (Itou Kanae). This continuation of the first season is said to revolve around Misaka’s viewpoint during the ‘Sister’ arc originally presented in Toaru Majutsu no Index. Accelerator (Okamoto Nobuhiko) makes everything better. The first season was brilliant in its own right and I personally prefered it over Index, but Accelerator’s starring role in this arc should elevate it to even greater heights. This sequel has been a long time coming – I think many of us had even given up hope – but for fans, it should be quite a treat. Those coming from the original should already be aware of what to expect, though this arc could perhaps be a little darker than the previous given its subject matter. Anyone who hasn’t already seen Toaru Kagaku no Railgun should probably do so immediately, especially if you’re interested in this sequel!
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Zanibas Yokodera Youto (Kaji Yuki) is cursed…to be unnoticed for his perverted antics. Whether he’s accidentally beautifying the school when attempting to catch a glimpse of some underskirts or being promoted to future Track Club president for having perfect attendance due to his peeping antics, Youto continues to trap himself in a perfect world…away from every girl. Tsutsukakushi Tsukiko (Ogura Yui) has the opposite problem—she wishes that she could not wear her emotions on her sleeve and become more of a grownup. Upon hearing of a cat statue that can remove unwanted personality traits, Youto and Tsukiko decide to pray to the statue, but the results end up being more problematic than helpful. Thus begins the story of Youto and Tsukiko’s quest to reverse the cat god’s effects. Generally J.C. Staff has done a good job animating and executing its romantic comedies, with this show looking like no exception. With Kantoku’s character designs (think Prism Nana), the animation department should deliver well, especially from what we’ve seen in the trailers so far. However, with this show being Suzuki Youhei’s first time as a full director, fans of the light novel should watch out for how well the show translates from the source material. Fans of Kokoro Connect and the theme of personality swapping should give this a look—though romantic comedy in nature, considering how well J.C. Staff handled Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo, I’ll take bets that this show can keep making sharp statements on self-identity while preserving the romantic comedy air. As Sakurasou is conveniently ending as Hentai Ouji begins, romantic comedy fans will definitely have another show to look forward to this spring.
|
||||||||||||
 |
Preview by Bakamochi Did you miss the Higurashi franchise? Well have no fear, because Studio DEEN is stepping up to the plate with Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kaku: Outbreak! The story takes place in the same village of Hinamizawa as in the other incarnations, except this time, the town has been struck with a mysterious virus, and Maebara Keiichi (Souichirou Hoshi) must deal with the outbreak with Ryuuguu Rena (Nakahara Mai) at his side. To be perfectly honest the franchise has never been my cup of tea, so Outbreak is most definitely a pass for me. The series is not exactly newcomer-friendly either, so those that are new to the series may find it hard to grasp what’s going on depending on how closely related this show is to the previous ones. Higurashi has never failed to deliver in the mystery and violence department though, so anyone who’s looking for a show to fill in that slot should give this a try.
|
||||||||||||
| Release Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 03/22 | Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha: 2nd A’s The Movie 魔法少女リリカルなのは The MOVIE 2nd A’s http://www.nanoha.com/ |
BD/DVD release. |
| 03/22 | Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn OVA | 機動戦士ガンダムUC OVA http://www.gundam-unicorn.net/ |
Episode 6 of 7. BD/DVD release |
| 03/27 | Arcana Famiglia: Capiccio – stile Arcana Famiglia OVA | アルカナ・ファミリア Capriccio – stile Arcana Famiglia http://arcanafamiglia.com/ |
Unaired episode. Bundled with BD/DVD. |
| 03/27 | Kono Naka ni Hitori, Imouto ga Iru! Ani, Imouto, Koibito OVA この中に1人、妹がいる！兄、妹、恋人 OVA http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/nakaimo/ |
Episode 13. Bundled with BD/DVD. |
| 03/27 | Puchimas~ -Petit Idom@aster- OAD | ぷちます! －プチ・アイドルマスター－ OAD http://puchimas.com/index.html |
Bundled with Limited Edition manga Vol. 5. |
| 03/27 | Senran Kagura Special | 閃乱カグラ http://senran.tv/ |
Bundled with BD Vol. 1. |
| 03/29 | Queen’s Blade: Vanquished Queens OVA | ヴァンキッシュド・クイーンズ http://queensblade.net/vanquished_anime |
Bundled with Queen’s Blade Premium Visual Book San. |
| 04/12 | Fuse Teppou Musume no Torimonochou | 伏 鉄砲娘の捕物帳 http://fuse-anime.com/ |
BD/DVD release. |
| 04/17 | CØDE:BREAKER OVA http://www.code-breaker.jp/ |
Bundled with Limited Edition manga Vol. 24. Episode 3 of 3. |
| 04/17 | Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! Depth of Field ~Ai to Nikushimi Gekijou 中二病でも恋がしたい！DEPTH OF FIELD ～ 愛と憎しみ劇場 http://www.anime-chu-2.com/ |
Bundled with BD/DBD Vol. 5 and Vol. 6 (05/15). |
| 04/19 | Boku no Imouto wa “Osaka Chan” | 僕の妹は「大阪おかん」 http://www.imouto-okan.jp/ |
Bundled with BD. |
| 04/24 | Hetalia The Beautiful World OVA | ヘタリア The Beautiful World OVA http://hetalia.com/bw/ |
Unaired episode. Bundled with BD Vol. 1. |
| 04/24 | Macross FB7: Ginga Rukon – Ore no Uta o Kike! | マクロスFB7 銀河流魂 オレノウタヲキケ! http://www.macross30.com/fb7/ |
BD/DVD release. |
| 04/24 | Naruto Shippuden: The Lost Tower Movie 劇場版 NARUTO-ナルト-疾風伝 ザ・ロストタワー http://www.naruto-movie.com/ |
BD/DVD release. |
| 04/24 | Naruto Shippuden: Road to Ninja Movie 劇場版 NARUTO -ナルト- ロード・トゥ・ニンジャ http://www.naruto-movie.com/ |
BD/DVD release. |
| 04/24 | Rebuild of Evangelion: 3.0 Q Quickening | ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版:Q Quickening http://www.evangelion.co.jp/ |
JPN BD/DVD release. No english subtitles. |
| 04/24 | Senyuu. OVA | 戦勇. OVA. http://senyu.tv/ |
Episode 1.1. Bundled with BD/DVD Vol. 1. Episode 2 with BD/DVD Vol. 2 (05/28). |
| 04/28 | Koutabi: True Tours Nanto | 恋旅~True Tours Nanto http://www.dm456.com/donghua/6451/ |
|
| 05/08 | Seitokai Yakuindomo OVA | 生徒会役員共 OVA http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/seitokai/ova/ |
|
| 05/24 | Mangirl! Special | まんがーる! 遊ぶへんしゅうがぁる http://mangirl.jp/ |
Episode 14. Bundled with BD Vol. 1. |
| 05/24 | Yama no Susume | ヤマノススメ http://www.yamanosusume.com/ |
Episode 13. Bundled with BD. |
| May 2013 | High School DxD OVA | ハイスクールD×D OVA http://www.haremking.tv/ |
Bundled with light novel Vol. 15. Episode 2 of 2. |
As only one of many writers who worked on this preview, I won’t say I speak for everyone when I say this, but the spring season looks like a winner to me. It’s admittedly a bit skewered toward particular genres, but where it lacks in diversity, it seems to make up in both potential quality and quantity. Indeed, recent springs have been exceptionally notable – at times even rivaling or exceeding the typically strong fall seasons in terms of debuts – and it looks like 2013 will be no different. With that said, this is one of those seasons where you might want to think about picking up some extra series you normally wouldn’t watch or feel iffy about. The projected strength of this upcoming season makes it more likely than not that you’ll find something you’ll like, and as people always say, you can never have too much of a good thing.
Now, onto the list. Below is a collection of all the shows debuting this season by excitement level, along with the definition of what each level means to us. We arrived at these levels by convening our seasonal (and now more shady than ever) “anticipation council,” consisting of Stilts, Zanibas, and myself. As usual, we tried to be as objective as possible and ended up with the list (ordered alphabetically) you see below. Keep in mind though, none of us live in Japan, so we’re not under the Sybil System’s rule. As such, we likely have some pretty high criminal coefficients/shady PSYCHO-PASS hues (*cough*Stilts*cough*) among the members of this council, so don’t – you can stop pointing those Dominators at us now – take these impressions/expectations as unassailable truths.
Hammurabi’s Code: The Rundown:
High expectation shows give us 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 we feel you should keep an eye out for. We’re also expecting good things from these shows, so if they fall short, disappointment is understandable.
- High Expectations: Karneval, Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai, Shingeki no Kyojin, Suisei no Gargantia, Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S
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, in many of our experiences, 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. Personal tastes come heavily into play, so your mileage will vary.
- Moderate Expectations: Arata Kangatari, Date A Live, Devil Survivor 2: The Animation, Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince, Haiyore! Nyaruko-san W, Hataraku Maou-sama, Hayate no Gotoku! – Cuties, Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko., Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kaku Outbreak, Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Bride, Kakumeiki Valvrave, Mushibugyou, Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san, Photo Kano,Red Data Girl, Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2199, Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigetteiru., Yondemasu yo, Azazel-san. Z
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: ~Kara The Animation~, Aiura, Danchi Tomoo, DD Hokuto no Ken, Gakkatsu! Second Season, Ketsuekigata-kun!, Sparrow’s Hotel, Yuyushiki, Zettai Bouei Leviathan
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 under-appreciated but can turn out to be hidden gems for that very reason. Includes works oriented toward female audiences.
- Niche: Aku no Hana, Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge, Pretty Rhythm Rainbow, Uta no Prince-sama – Maji Love 2000%
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 we treat them differently.
- Established: N/A
Woohoo looking forward to Shingeki no Kyojin 😀
Heck yah, I love this manga and was excited to see it get an anime adaptation. After seeing the artwork in the promotional vid I’m even more excited. Definitely my must watch this season.
I am also elated for this anime. I find the unique world combined with the Western influence on it’s fantasy setting to be quite refreshing. Those of you just getting into it now are in for a real treat. I honestly can’t wait to see how the battles against these horrific Titans play out in animated glory. The trailer did a good job of increasing the hype.
I was ecstatic when I heard it was being adapted. This is the kind of story that would be better as an anime than a manga, and the manga was already amazing as it is.
Hope they dont screw it up. Remember Guilty Crown? yeah Tetsurou Araki was the director of that too.
Shhh the name of that series must not be spoken!
Yeah, but that’s when he doesn’t have much of a script to work with. Not to mention he’s good with visuals. He also directed Aoi Bungaku and Death Note, both of which were fantastic.
Shingeki no Kyojin is already an excellent manga, and based on the recent JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure adaptation, the person behind the series composition clearly knows how to adapt a manga.
dont have the high hope yet
but expected a great OP song from LINKED HORIZON!
long live REVO!!!
Oreimo and Railgun!? :33333
TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT!
Two of my favourite series as well 🙂 What a positive surprise! 🙂
Make sure to keep nagging Divine to allow and setup Freeze frame and Alt+Text on Ore Imouto.
I’m at sea at the moment. I hope this message reaches.
Several shows look promising: Spring 2013 will be an entertaining season for sure.
To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S, Karneval, Shingeki no Kyojin, and Devil Survivor 2!
Oh yeah. Bring it. I’m already excited for it to be April!
Did anyone else see the Uta no Prince-sama pic and the Karneval pic and think they were the same show?
Anyway, this season certainly seems much more diverse than Winter. Sign me up for Railgun, Higurashi, Titan, and anything with a giant mech.
Yes, must be the same “Colors”
mmm, from my first overlooking. I have only 2 Shows, that catches my Curiosity. Looks like this Spring Season will be not my “type”
And I was going to try to cut back on my watch list this season. Damn you entertaining looking shows!! T_T
Can’t wait to see the hyped series Shingeki no Kyoujin! I hope it lives up to its expectation! xD
Also, wouldn’t it be Naruto: Road to Ninja, not Naruto: The Lost Tower that’s coming out on BD and DVD?
Actually, now that you mention it, both of them are releasing on the same date according to Amazon.co.jp. I’ll add that in now.
These past few years and seasons, I’ve always been drawn towards things with plenty of blood and gore and dark themes. This season I’m inexplicably drawn towards the things with the most cutesy characters and brightest colors. I’m not quite sure why and am vaguely disconcerted. Is this sort of like moe cold turkey?
Waited forever for this post. Thanks RC.
Looking forward to:
Aku no Hana, Devil Survivor 2, Karneval (only there for the cast and pretty boys).
Perhaps Majestic Prince as well.
“Can’t wait to see the hyped series Shingeki no Kyoujin! I hope it lives up to its expectation! xD”
It will, for a bit. First manga volume was great…and then it slipped to boring shit. Overhyped crap, pretty much.
Slice and dice the Titans?.. If yes.. dont answer…
so many great anime for spring…
Must See!
To Aru Kagaku No Railgun, Ore Imo, Nyaruko and Higurashi…
Shingeki no Kyojin!
Okay hands down Railgun, people have been wanting it so bad and I for one am super excited! Just like I was excited for Shana! Date A Live looks amazing in terms of looking good, Ore no Imouto I’ve been wanting to see as well. What actually made me interested in is that Shingeki no Kyojin. Those scenes + having Production I.G there is giving me goosebumps and I think we’re in for a treat. Then again this whole list is exciting. MUST. WAIT. A. LITTLE. MORE…
Almost nothing for me, but the descriptions of Date A Live and Zettai Bouei Leviathan by Moomba and Zephyr respectively have managed to intrigue me, much more so than the basic series descriptions themselves did when I first read them elsewhere. I’ll keep my eyes open for the episode reviews: this blog is generally my best source for finding out about anime I would otherwise have ignored, but right now I’m not optimistic about most of this season.
So many to shows to watch…… *Challenge Accepted*
Shingeki no Kyoujin FTW!
Hm… I can’t say I really like Shingeki no Kyoujin, but that’s probably because the long wait between chapters make me feel like the author is just trying to drag on the cliff hanger that started in chapter 10.
I’ll probably be following the mecha shows.
Majestic Prince sounds like one of those mecha shows that are eh… super robotty but not? I mean if there are a bunch of mechas but only special people can pilot them… meh I don’t know but it sounds like its not going to end well.
Suisei no Gargantia and Kakumeiki Valvrave sounds like the most interesting ones of the season to me.
Great list, I’m eager to see that 🙂
@BakaMochi, are you gonna wrap your coverage of Psycho-Pass soon? Episodes 21 and 22, the last episodes, are missing. Just curious about it…
Odd… is Moomba not watching anything this season? Did I miss an announcement? Or is it just because he’s away for this week that he didn’t get his picks in?
Latter. Moomba and Stereoman are away at the moment. We’ll add in their watch picks when they’re back.
Ah, Shingeki no Kyojin. Obviously an otaku bait.
The titans are so moe~
Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko looks interesting.
Someone should blog it.
Maybe it’s the weak previous season or the previews of the new shows but I’m not really that excited about the new season.Hopefully some of these will turn out to be good shows.Does anyone else feel like anime get better near the end of the year and restart at level 1 at the beginning of the year.
Well, i will try out my possible Candidates Animes with their 1-3 Episodes. perhaps until Episode 5. To see, if i get Hooked…
Forgot this in the previous post but regarding Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2199 which released a number of episodes on a not so regular basis, does this mean it will be continuing as a regular weekly anime?
It will be airing on a weekly basis yes.
http://cal.syoboi.jp/tid/2498 (click the 続きを表示▼ button to scroll to April)
Thanks
putting my hopes up on shingeki no kyojin, railgun and oreimo for leisure…not a lot else on the plate…spring’s pretty meh…but i guess after the slew of psycho-pass, shinsekai yori and tempest, we’re in for a mellower season…aku no hana’s very tempting, here’s to hoping to its good…
I’m a big fan of this blog and really like Pretty Rhythm but it’s obviously going to be left out so there’s no point in bringing in up. I’m looking forward to Red Data Girl, Hayate no Gotoku Cuties, Arata Kangatari and Ore no Imouto though.
You’re not alone my brother/sister in arms.
TOO MANY TO WATCH >_<
Zephyr, the only one watching Azazel.
Zephyr, not watching Oreimo.
A (wo)man of fine taste surely.
>fairly well and Hosoi Mieko (Nerawareta Gakuen)
>(Nerawareta Gakuen)
link = http://myanimelist.net/people/9513/Nakamura_Ryousuke
Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan) is the only one I have any expectations for just based on what I’ve heard. Hopefully I’ll be pleasantly surprised by the others like Suisei no Gargantia and Devil Survivor 2. I knew nothing about Blast of Tempest and Shin Sekai Yori going into them but they were some of my favorite shows of all time.
Looking forward to Arata Kangatari. Read and own the manga, and it’s unexpectedly good. Hyped for Shingeki no Kyojin like the rest and of course Devil Survivor 2. Knowing Atlus, that can’t go wrong.
Wrong Japanese title for RDG.
Fixed.
Why are all the episode counts missing? Is this information still unconfirmed?
Yes. Many of the episode counts are still unconfirmed at this time. They will be added as we find information.
About this… a few of the shows such as Oregairu, Valvrave (sort of) and Date a Live have their episode count up so is it simply a matter of waiting until they’re all revealed?
Well, it’s more of waiting till they’re confirmed. Sometimes sources like MAL list episode numbers, but they’re stats that can be edited/modified by the general public, so they may not be correct despite there being episode numbers listed. As such, we use alternate Japanese sources from which to confirm with, and at current glance, there isn’t much in terms of info.
I know Oregairu is slated for 12 episodes
http://i.imgur.com/gtJg6pcl.jpg (This is an official image TBS used for english audiences)
Date A Live is slated for 6 Blu-Ray’s with two episodes apiece and a 13th Blu-Ray only episode.
http://www.fandompost.com/2013/03/14/japanese-date-a-live-blu-ray-dvd-anime-releases-scheduled/
And Senju Akira (the guy doing the music for Valvrave) apparently confirmed on the Nico program “THE JASRAC SHOW!” that Valvrave is two cour. This one I can see being sketchy on though.
I thought Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kaku Outbreak was a movie. Could somebody enlighten me?
From what we’ve seen, it should be either an OVA or standard TV run. There isn’t much information in regards to an actual air date aside from “Spring 2013” though, which seems to hint at an OVA.
Oh also, this might be more a summer thing because it comes out in July, but would anyone on Randomc be willing to blog RWBY? It’s not anime, but it’s been hyped up quite a lot and would probably fit well amongst the shows usually blogged here.
I can’t say I have a definite answer to your question. It does fit in the general context of what we blog in terms of it being a kind of “animated production” though. As for whether or not we’d cover it, it’d depend on a multitude of factors (such as ability to get proper caps, availability, interest etc). So I’d say maybe. It’s a bit soon to tell at the moment. Probably something to mention again come the Summer Preview.
So I shall!
*gets in Tardis*
If it makes you feel any better, I’m not aware that this exists and am somewhat interested. Great, something else to watch!! Orz
Glad to spread the knowledge! And yeah, getting caps shouldn’t be too hard since it’s a webseries.
I hadn’t heard about this.
Thanks for the heads up! I guess it pays to read through the comments sometimes :p
nothing this season matches up to the epic winter season that we just had.
only series i’m looking forward to is shingeki no kyoujin.
Bakamochi still hasn’t posted rest of psycho pass, please do not give him/her any more shows, that person obviously got absolutely no time, it will be a miracle if it will get done by the end of the month, that’s how low expectations have fallen on him/her.
I’m with you on that one.
Good job on the next season preview RC. Helps a lot to sort through the usual myriad of offerings.
Count me in with those happy to see Toaru Kagaku no Railgun back for another season. Arai Satomi does a fantastic job voicing Kuroko IMO.
Overall, wow…a lot of shows to consider compared to the previous season. I have twice as many shows on my initial “to watch” list. Gah… might need to start looking for a good HDD sale.
Stilts – seriously planning to watch 23 shows!? Impressive. RE: Mushibugyou. I like the Sengoku, Edo & other historical settings, but giant bugs? I’ll take your word for it and give it a shot.
I’m always optimistic when the season starts, and some always get dropped…but not THAT many. Hence why I’m currently marathoning all the winter shows I haven’t finished yet, heh. Yay for Stiltsian masochism!
B-b-b-ut I’m watching 24 shows. :3 Feels left out*
You’re not watching OreImo so your list is invalid.
LOL – no need to feel left out Zephyr. IIRC, you had the most shows scheduled to initially watch last season as well. I just happened to notice that every show I put my list Stilts had listed to watch as well. Must be challenging to decide what to blog about with such a large list.
@Kuntzy
That’s because Zephyr has good taste.
@anon *whoosh*
That’s the sound of a joke going over your head.
Thanks for the preview as always, must be a shitload of work. D:
I was only looking forward to Railgun and Oreimo for now, but some of the shows (mostly those you pointed out) look quite promising. Can’t wait…
I was sad because a lot of good shows are ending. Actually all of the ones I’m watching are ending except one. But then I saw all these good animes. Allready made a new list of 14 possible new shows of which 8 I’m going to watch for sure! This post made my day 😀
Yay thanks for the preview like always girls and guys.
If you ever lurked on the RandomC IRC, you should know that I’m a massive fan of Pretty Rhythm and that the third season, Pretty Rhythm Rainbow Live, is the show I’m looking forward to the most this season. I already wrote what I thought about the first season, Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream before, and I loved the 2nd season, Pretty Rhythm Dear My Future even more. Last week, the penultimate episode aired, and I must say I liked it way more than Saiko-Pass’ ending, and Saiko-pass is my favorite show of last season. As I always say, I’m not into idols (In fact, I don’t consider Pretty Rhythm an idols anime but a sports anime), I didn’t watch Akb4800, Love Live or Idolm@ster, I don’t like cute things, I’m not a lolicon and I’m not a little girl either but I sure love Pretty Rhythm.
The show’s director also said on his twitter that Pretty Rhythm Rainbow Live is the last season he’ll be directing and he and the staff will try their best to make it even better. They really did manage to make S2 even more amazing than S1 so these are the reasons why I’m really looking forward to it.
Though I must admit having to say goodbye to all the characters from S1 and S2 during the epilogue episode this week will make me shed tears… (S2 shared characters with S1 while S3 is about a whole new cast).
Thanks for reading my fanboyism.
I had no idea Mushibuyo was getting an anime, I read some of it years ago and liked it, but haven’t seen any chapter updates since then.
I say we all agree to just call this season: The Backlog because there is a lot to watch.
Crime Edge is by no means a low expectation for me, I started reading it about 3 months ago and loved it.
Shingeki no Kyojin is what I’ve been waiting for <3.
I'm preparing to read Index and Railgun's manga so I'll have to plus the anime on the backburner for now.
There is way too many shows that I'm going to be watching which is 21, not including the next Gundam Unicorn movie/episode/ova.
21 anime shows D: I'm glad I don't blog anime, I'd just die, you guys are either not human or have incredibly strong willpower.
No Otona Joshi no Anime Time 2?
I’ve been surprised before, but so far the only ones I’m excited about are Railgun, Oreimo, and Nyaruko. So mainly the retreads.
If Stilts can claim Hinagiku in Hayate no Gotoku, then I claim Athena :3
Hit submit too soon!
Red Data Girl looks pretty good, but I hope it doesn’t turn out like Hiiro no Kakera
(I’m also hoping for 720p to become available, too)…
Actually I was intrigued by No Otona Joshi no Anime Time 2.
Hayate no Gotoku! Cuties was/is one of my favs.
Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai will be welcomed.
Haiyore! Nyaruko-san W was crazy wuth some nice sediment thrown in.
Looks like a good spring is upon us!
I really love you Randomc :3
Im gonna try all your “High” to “Moderate” expectation
then Zettai Bouei Leviathan on “low” expectation
Aku no Hana, Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge on “Niche”
The anime I am looking at this season:
Oreimo 2
Nyarko-san W
Valvrave
Suisei no Gargantia
Space Battleship Yamato
Attack on Titan
Date A Live
Aku no Hana
Photo Kano
Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabukome wa Machigatteiru.
Hataraku Maou-sama!
Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince
Ones That I Will Look Into Because of This Preview:
Mushibugyou
Ketsuekigata-kun!
Looks to be an interesting season. Thanks, you guys, for doing a preview.
After running into a bad ending in devil survivor 1 on a emulator, i’m very much looking forward to ds2, even more after just finishing persona 4 just an hour ago, another great megami tensei game
Thank you all! <3
Ahhhh… too many shows I start to watch this season.
34 shows including some that aren’t on this list.
I almost hope some will turn out bad just to make it easier for me to drop something.
The most interesting ones to me are Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge, Devil Survivor 2, Suisei no Gargantia and Nyaruko-san W.
So many anime to watch, so little time i have 🙁
Ketsuekigata-kun actually started as Korean webtoon and Real Crazy Man’s name is Park Dong Sun.
Pretty funny shorts poking fun at stereotypes. Crazy how it actually became an anime!
Looks like the best ones are continuations of older anime I haven’t watched 🙁
Oh well. Dang, you guys put a lot of anime in the “moderate” rank. Trying to play it safe, eh? Kind of misdiagnosed Sasami-san and Vividred Operation last season, so let’s see what you got. I have a huge list anyways. Quite pumped.
We “misdiagnose” shows a bit, but that’s all to the benefit of everyone (most of the time)! Girls und Panzer and Sakurasou two seasons ago were both rated as low…well look what happened to those two!
Broken expectations is part of the thrill :3.
Obviously 🙂
WTB timemachine, cause this season is so good that I want to watch them right now!
yummy spring treats
It’s not at Stilts level but this spring season is gonna be pretty busy for me with 12 shows on my to watch list and maybe more depending on my impressions. That’s double the shows I watched in winter (my social life T_T). I can kinda see Stilts going crazy though trying to decide what to blog.
Really looking forward to Valvrave, OreImo., Railgun and Oregairu. Lots of Hayami Saori in key roles too, so my life is complete.
Ahaha, I don’t think that’ll be a problem this time. Plus, watching and blogging are always quite different for me.
I see I see. Finally putting that master plan into action and blogging everything now eh?
All jokes aside, I look forward to seeing how the RC crew splits the shows.
Was listening to My only Railgun *nostalgia*
Came here, saw “Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S”
*mindgasm* *dies*
Wow..
i think it wont be a bad season considering i m interested in about 9 animes (usually watch 4-5 per season)… 😉
my list is,
1- Suisei no Gargantia
2- Shingeki no Kyojin
3- RDG: Red Data Girl
4- Aku no Hana
5- Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko.
6- Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S
7- Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge
8- DEVIL SURVIVOR 2 THE ANIMATION
9- Karneval
Wait for this for so long,Should it be post earlier?
Overall Spring season is look promising than last season (winter?)
My list : Hell Flower,Hentai Cat,BiriX2x2
I. Am. So. Pumped for this season.
How does the airtime of an anime series reflect its Japan target audience and demographic?
Like what is the difference between the audience demographic who watch anime airing between 11pm-2am and beyond(aka Karneval and Devil Survivor 2), and the audience who watches the 9.30am, 5pm and 7pm anime(aka Danchi Tomoo,Uchuu Senkan Yamato, and Mushibugyou).
What about viewers who watch the 8pm to 10pm anime(like Suisei no Gargantia, Sparrows Hotel, Aku no hana)? What group would they fall into?
Any enlightnenment would me much appreciated.
It looks like Kirito is fighting a giant
https://randomc.net/image/Miscellaneous/Spring%202013%20Preview/shingeki.jpg
OREIMO SEASON 2? YEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
well give spring anime i got in my radar to watch
Zettai Bouei Leviathan
Sparrows Hotel
Namiuchigiwa No Muromisan
Hentai Ouji To Warawanai Neko
besides give i’m only checking on them.
Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san looks like Squid Girl only with a mermaid.
I’m a HUGE HUGE fan of Aku no Hana, and never thought it would have a chance of being adapted!! I hope to god that its two seasons because there is no way it can be done in just 12 eps!
If I had to take a bet:
Show Spoiler ▼
What is the main character of Devil Survivor 2′s name? Unlike Persona i don’t remember him having a default name.
Hibiki Kuze.
The main character in Persona 4 didn’t have a default name in the games either. He was named Souji Seta in the manga and later Narukami Yuu in the anime. Narukami Yuu is now his canon name though, because it was also used in the fighting game Persona 4 Arena.
I look forward to Shingeki no Kyojin as I really like the manga and also Suisei no Gargantia for Urobuchi’s involvement and the premise itself. I firmly believe he is a lot more flexible and not just reliant on the ‘grimdark’ factor. I believe he is capable of writing something different too. Whether or not it’ll be a depressing or an uplifting story, it looks to be something worthwhile. I think Murata and Urobuchi have something fantastic here.
I’m unsure of whether or not to follow Aku No Hana. I’ve gone through a few chapters of the manga and it feels like reliving all the social nightmares you had during your school life except through someone else…combined with an unhealthy dose of sadism and masochism. It will definitely be a very stressful experience. I actually look forward to the blog posts of whomever is covering this anime as each episode will probably generate the most interesting of discussions.
Too many shows to look forward to.
More Haiyore! Nyaruko-san W is good, just dun throw me another Hatsu( If this is how I spell his name).
Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabukome wa Machigatteiru. The guy at the background at first glance looks like Kyousuke from Oreimo.
Of course, Oreimo season 2, who do not want that?
Side note: As I scroll down, I was thinking: So many male leads( A poster full of males) this time, the balance is restored huh. Then I scroll down more: Nope, there are more female leads, what was I thinking about.
Definitely my kind of season. There are three(THREE!!!) mecha shows coming out and you bet I’ll be wathing all of them.
Valvrave – being done by Sunrise, who fit in this genre like a glove.
Majestic Prince – a little iffy for me, since the premise is more standard and the designs are done by “Sameface” Hirai.
Gargantia – Oh dear, the Urobutcher is invading my favorite genre. Can’t wait to see how that turns out.
Other titles I’m hyped for:
Devil Survivor 2 – I enjoy the series. In fact I’m replaying the game right now to refresh my memory of it.
Nyaruko – Lovecraft and self-aware comedy is the strangest combo I can think of, but this series somehow made it click.
Railgun – At this point Misaka is the only part that I enjoy in the franchise so I look forward to more of that.
Photo Kano – Amagami is one of the harem shows I actually truly enjoyed in a while, so I hope they can repeat that success.
RDG – looks sufficiently bizarre for me to take a look. Also the main girl is cute.
Hyakka Ryouran – sure its my obligatory fanservice guilty pleasure, but its the only show I know that was actually clever with its censorship. It gave it a kind of amusing artistic charm.
Yamato 2199 – Its RETRO SCI-FI!!!!!….I feel old all of a sudden
Lot of mecha shows and good ones too
I’m looking forward to Shingeki no Kyojin, Suisei no Gargantia, Oreimo 2, Valvrave
Dansai Bunri, Arata Kangatari and Hentai Ouji might turn out to be great too
Really excited for next week :3
I wonder if they’ll do an anime orig ending or cut it and do a second season for Aku no Hana… The character design seems much more mature than the manga though.
Accelerator makes things messier, not sure about better.
However, YES!! Finally more Biribiri with a little Touma thrown in for good measure. Can’t wait to see Railgun vs Meltdowner. It better be in this season.
Although Red Data Girl is my most anticipated series this spring, i am pretty stoked for To aru Kagaku no railgun S. Although I think Index has more potential in its story due to its focus on the clash between magic and science and the settings it provides, its execution (at least in the anime) is not done well so I end up enjoying railgun more. Im just praying that this season ends up being as good as i hope; the sisters arc goes to some very dark places and hopefully the staff behind this series can present this story in a coherent and compelling fashion. Not to mention the arc after the sisters arc is pretty damn good too; Its pretty interesting how railgun’s stories make sense within the index time frame.
Suisei no Gargantia~! And so many mecha anime, can’t wait!
I look forward to watching Shingeki no Kyojin, the manga is quite scary, I hope I can handle the animated version.
Shingeki no Kyojin. Anime of the Year. Haters gonna hate.
Definite: Aku no Hana, Shingeki no Kyoujin, Suisei no Gargantia, Yamato 2199
Probably: Karneval, Mushibugyou, RDG, Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru
Maybe: Arata Kangatari, Devil Survivor 2, Ginga Kikoutai: Majestic Prince, Hataraku Maou-sama!, Kakumeiki Valvrave
I’m quite pleased with this season.
There any news on Miyakawa-ke no Kuufuku?
All I’ve seen is that it supposedly exists and its supposed to start in April.
Sadly, we didn’t find much either. From what we accumulated prior to the season, all we know is that it’s an ONA that airs in April.
Ahhh SO looking forward to this season!! Quite a bit of these look unique and interesing. Can’t flippin’ wait. The ones I think that will blow all expectations are: Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S, Shingeki no Kyojin & Suisei no Gargantia.
oh my…
wanting to see:
Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabukome wa Machigatteiru – as I enjoyed both Haganai and Tonari no kaibutsu-kun, I think this will fullfill my rom-com needs nice.
Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Bride – believe me or not, but I watched first part of this fanservice show for FIGHTS!
Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai – I need to see the ending, and moar Kuroneko!
Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san – mermaid that drinks like a fish? I’m sold, particular reason being (secret)!
Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2199 – space opera for me! hard to starboard and all power to the main cannons!
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S – more electrifying fights in the Academy City? SIGN ME IN!
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kaku Outbreak – as an old Higurashi series fan, I’m on for another installment of “Welcome to Hinamizawa, pop. circa 2000 and decreasing rapidly – a wonderful place to raise your children”
Looking forward to this season!, and hope that Date A Live isn’t butchered like what happen to Campione…, Also Crime Edge is going to be good!.
Please fix this. P.A. Works isn’t handling this one.
Well that’s odd. Don’t know how that ended up there. Fixed.
I wonder how Date A Live and Shingeki no Kyojin will turn out…
Guys, what do you think of mecha for this season? A mehh or interesting?
DateALive is a generic harem anime much like Campione, except that the protag is consciously trying to be a manwhore for the sake of calming girls.
IMO, if you are looking for something deep, this isn’t it. But if you like harem anime without the dumb harem lead trope, this is it.
If so, what do you think of mecha for this season? Seems a lot of potential but will it be strong mecha season?
I don’t think the mecha anime for this season will be anything special, maybe with the exception of Valvrave since people are harping about it.
INB4ITISNTWHATTHEFAGGOTSEXPECTANDCRYGUILTYCROWNALLOVERAGAIN.
So don’t expect much. Just enjoy the show.
Want to correct something from Zephyr’s post:
“Itsuka Kotori (Taketatsu Ayana), reveals her secret identity as commander of an anti-spirit organisation”
Isn’t a anti-spirit org but a pro-spirit org.
“Date A Live captured me with its very first PV. It’s always fun when a loli is trying to destroy the world…”
Tohka isn’t a loli XD.
Devil Survivor 2 and Railgun 2 for me in Extra High expectations. Oreimo 2 has moderate expectations on my book. Not interested on anything else.
Just noticed the three series I want to see are ‘part 2’ (although on Devil Survivor’s case it isn’t a sequel)
Wait, did you just mention Onani Master Kurosawa?
My respect for you increases by tenfold!
And my five choices:
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S
Suisei no Gargantia
Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko
Photo Kano
Shingeki no Kyojin
Ah… Onani Master Kurosawa. Was quite the read.
Aku no Hana? School Days? God of War? Silent Hill? Evangelion? Please. Try fully reading “Jack”, a webcomic by David Hopkins if you want to be truly depressed and scared inside. And no, I’m not using a hyperbole. It looks like I’m giving schmukbait, but I’m only saying this to those who have not heard of it yet, as fans of horror and extreme psychological genres. Don’t read it if your sure of yourself.
Show Spoiler ▼
Damn it, now I see my typos and missing words…. :/
I have planned to watch Shingeki no Kyoujin before, but that comparasion with Muv Luv Alternative piqued my interest further. Did that comparasion refer to the similar setting or to similar character development?
I also finally found Aku no Hana intriguing. I previously thought that it will simply too strange for my taste,but if that also contain similar development with Onani Master Kurosawa I’ll probably watch it.
Alongside of those shows,I’ll try oreimo (better finish what I started), gargantia (curious if this time Urobuchi will troll people by doing no troll at all), ore seishun, hentai ouji and railgun. I think I probaly will only watch around 2-3 to the end,though.
I’ve heard it’s general concepts mostly, so it looks more setting/basic backstory.
I decided to pick:-
Ginga Kikōtai Majestic Prince
Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Bride
Ore no Imōto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai
Valvrave the Liberator
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S
Hentai Ōji to Warawanai Neko
Not sure if I want to pick “Date A Live” or not…
Guess I am the only person excited for DD Hokuto no Ken, fine I will sit on my throne of manliness and watch it alone.
Aku no hana and Shingeki no Kyoujin are must watch’s for me. Aside from those I’m looking forward to read your first impressions on the other series to decide on the others.
> Takara Tony
> Tony
Someone’s too used to a certain doujin author name.
> Boku no Imouto wa “Osaka Chan” | 僕の妹は「大阪おかん」
Osaka-chan is his imouto? Dream some more, it’s “Osaka okan”.
My list for the next Season:
Carryover:
Chihayafuru – Seriously, it’s a must watch, end of sentence…
Must watch:
Shingeki no Kyojin – the manga was intriguing, with a lot of suspense (surprise!), and action of course…
May drop after three:
Oreimo – LN was great enough, but is the transition of the rest of the LN series to anime going to ruin it, now that they are effectively milking the cow?
Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko – Manga was crazy, and the characters are carried over nicely (assuming the production keeps up). It should be quite a watch.
Suisei no Gargantia – it’s not bad looking, very utilitarian, hopefully there’s actually a good story to tell.
RDG – this may have me hooked after only 2 Promotional Videos and their shared amount of insane phenomenons
On the fence to even watch it at all:
Kakumeiki Valvrave – I got turned off by the mech…though I might watch just the first ep for a look…
Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince – at least it gave some advance warning of its partial non-seriousness nature
Yamato 2199 – I can’t even explain myself why I’m even putting it on here
I hope Kirino dies this season.
Wrong show dude.
0_0′ This is bad: Date A Live, Hyakka Ryouran, Oreimo, Hentai Ouji, Valvrave, Nyaruko….
17 anime in my list this season. Never before have I watched this many. I’ll prolly drop Hayate No Gotoku and Higurashi, making it 15.
based on the 2 first episodes i have rather high expectations for red data girl
what about the new katanagatari ? i heard was going to air this season/
It’s just being re-aired on Noitamina.
Yeah it’s just a re-air, but with new OP/ED if I remember correctly.
Date A Live, Oreimo, Devil Survivor 2, Suisei no Gargantia, Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko, Shingeki no Kyojin, Valvrave, Railgun S, and Photo Kano.
I really hope Photo Kano is in the omnibus format. I’ve watched Amagami in that format, even Yosuga no Sora in that format, and there were certain arcs I enjoyed more than others.
Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabukome wa Machigatteiru as well, I forgot about that one. Too much to watch this season o.o. Though I might drop a few to watch the others that really appeal to me first, then pick up the ones I dropped afterwards
God there are literally 20+ series that I would like to watch…
Only four series for me this season. HenNeko, Yahari, OreImo and Hayate.
Along with the continuing Space Brothers and Hunter x Hunter, I will have 7 shows on Saturday to watch. Japan, why so many shows on Saturday?!
Thanks for all the hard work on the preview, as always! It’s going to be an awesome season.
Really looking forward to Karneval. I love the manga so far and the artwork is really something. Animation looks promising too 🙂
oreimo, railgun s for sure are worth watching for me. my weekend is gonna be full for aleast this spring 2013. rc your my source of anime keep on moving forward.
I think I’m going to go for Aku no Hana and Photo Kano. I’m already watching RDG:Red Data Girl , so that’s my spring sorted!!!
not a lot in my watch list this season. ill definitely watch old shows and give chance to new ones (except those who got overly gay character designs)
UtaPri, Shingeki and Devil Survivor 2 for me.
At least there are less female dominated animes this season
Uh, 2nd Page in Comments? Looks like RC is slowing growing on Fans. Seems like the Mouth Propaganda is taking effect. Hope your Server withstand them all 🙂 And continue the good Work everyone. And that said a “old Omni” Follower and Lover of this here. Your doing a good Work
Shingeki no Kyojin and Gargantia are my must-watch shows this season, but there are a few others that sparkle my interest a bit, like Valvavre and Aku no Hana.
Nevertheless, great season, typical spring in Japan.
I strongly desire a series that has Shinkai no Yori’s level of sophistication in terms of plot and setting, and Tamako Market’s level of quality with character design and animation. I wonder if there’s one here…
Karneval! :’)
Spaceship Anime.. The Female design reminds me of a “anime” in my youth Time. Captain Future!!!….
Well, at that time i dont know that this was a “anime” also “Heidi” 🙂
shingeki looks amazing. Looking forward to nyaruko, hyakka and ore no imouto
I didn’t read the manga Aku no Hana but from the description that was made of it, I don’t understand how you can compare it to Onani Master Kurosawa. Yes, the synopsis may look similar but in no way OMK is a dark story or a show that “embodies the loss of hope on many levels–in humanity, in oneself, and in the concept of redemption itself.”. In fact, it is pretty much the contrary. I think almost anyone who has read Onani Master Kurosawa will agree with me so I was just wondering why you said this.
Great job on the preview though, keep up the good work :).
I get what you say about OMK, though what Zanibas’s probably trying to get at is the depravity of the material. I wonder if you’ve read Oyasumi Punpun, or watched Welcome to NHK? Thematically speaking, Akuhana will feel very similar to them, except in some ways its story gets much more depraved. This is a show that some will undoubtedly find sickening, and they’re pretty brave for animating this. If you asked me one year ago, I’d tell you this had absolutely no chance getting an anime because the material is far too… controversial.
I did watch Welcome to NHK but I think the comical aspect made it easier to adapt than Aku No Hana(from what I heard of it). However, I understand what you are trying to say, and it is a shame that there are so many great manga that aren’t adapted into anime because of the “depravity of the material”.
100% sure I will watch:
Devil Survivor, Aku no hana, Raligun S and Shingeki no kyojin.
Other also look good, but I will wait to see how they turn to be xD
Can’t wait for Railgun!!!
Just give more Tobiichi and that will be enough for me.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kaku Outbreak is back i just want to say O>M>G it will be so awesome again!
Tohka!! we love you!!!
Looks like a lot of great anime for the spring season. Can’t wait!
Aww man…i wanna watch TAKnR and Karneval, but i have an exam around April.. QAQ
Mushibugyo and Hataraku Maou-sama! are a definite for me. I was considering Aku No Hana, but then, I just remembered how screwed up the characters are that I might not be able to tolerate an animated version.
without rc, most of us would be anime nubz. there be hella anime releases and no one to help make sense of it all.
I will be watching those:
Suisei no Gargantia
Shingeki no Kyojin
Yondemasu yo, Azazel-san. Z
Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai.
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S
Mmm … I don’t see btooom 2.
There hasn’t been any announcement about a potential 2nd season of Btooom! yet eh. If/when there is though, we’ll have it in the preview corresponding to the season it airs.
Giving devil survivor and nyaruko a chance… then probably wait for next season mirai nikki redial, shingeki no kyojin (seriously? fighting giants?)
Definitely a lot to watch this season. Can’t wait to see how these pan out. Thanks for the write up!
WOW! Tons of good anime series this season! From sequels to new anime adaptions!
@Bakamochi are you ever gonna do the wrap up for Psycho Pass? Also I see its not on the list of “current series” on the right… Did you guys silently drop this series right at the end??
It’s being worked on. The right sidebar only shows series who have had posts recently. It hasn’t been dropped.
yay thanks! I’d just like to read about you guys opinion on the finale as well as the other readers 😀
Aku no Hana
Shingeki no Kyojin
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kaku Outbreak
I hope they dont water down these series, I love Darker Anime
DIVINE IS A GUY???? NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU TT______TT
Hmm… no Bones series this season, usually they always have something running and since Zetsuen no tempest ended i was expecting something this season.
There seems to be some interesting things coming from Production IG and AIC though.
I have to say, this years’ spring line up can’t even come closer to the last years’.
Anyway.I’m looking forward to: Gargantia,Shingeki,Valvrave,Devil Survivor
I’m with Zephyr, I’m totally excited for all these sci-fi, fantasy shows. I got my dose of drama, comedy romance and slice of life from fall and winter seasons (good ones at that). It’s spring now, bring on the adventures!!!
The only ones I have expectations for are railgun, devil survivor and Yamato 2199. Everything else is fair game. Although the one show I hope brakes the mold and delivers is Kakumeiki Valvrave. I’ve not truly enjoyed gundam series (love unicorn) since turn A, but I did see some brilliance in first seasons of SEED and 00 just the a lot of it especially second season was too much overdrama and too fabulous and rushed events (gease did it better). Whether the show is gundam like or completely different I just hope it’s one of those great sunrise mecha anime. But if it’s gundam like I hope it’s not similar to the last 3 series.
Note: Episode counts have now been included for about half the series.
Everything I’m following is one core…. -_-
The series under my radar this season :
1.Shingeki No Kyoujin
2.Suisei No Galgantia
3.Aku no Hana
4.Majestic Prince
5.Ore no Imouto s2
I decided not to watch a lot of anime this year (i admit my interest has waned a bit, probably because of the overexposure of anime series i got last year [i watched lots of them]), but that doesn’t necessarily mean i won’t pick up more series soon, it depends on whether there will be one or two surprises popping up among the entries this season (i’m relying on you RandomC!!)
I don’t have much to say beyond the fact that Shingeki No Kyoujin is gonna be legendary if done right (and so far from what i’ve seen it seems that it probably will be). Its source material is currently one of the biggest thrill rides i’ve ever experienced, each chapter of it has me begging for more, and oh maaaannn, the last few chapters have had some of the most decent story developments i’ve ever witnessed in the series. I hope studio wit doesn’t fuck up…..
I was initially all over Suisei No Galgantia, but Psycho-pass made me wary about any of Urobochi-gen’s next works (Psycho-pass was a letdown…i still respect the guy [Phantom is my second favourite series of all-time], but through Psycho-pass he really shot my hopes down)
Ore no Imouto s2 is set to mark the end of the whole story, so i’m game, though i wonder if every thing can be resolved in a one-cour run…
i agree with Zephyr guys. Aku no Hana is mildly disturbing. I gave its manga a shot, didn’t pass the 10 chapter mark because it crept the helluva me, Zephyr, what did u think of the arc where Show Spoiler ▼
Okay, So that’s all for how i will react to this season…
I’m going to assume you meant myself, since I previewed it. To answer your question, that was definitely terrible, but the one step further that she took after that event was the real hitter. At that point I wondered what the hell was going on inside all of their heads, because uh…atypical reaction much? 😛
just watched Gargantia’s preview(episodes 1 and 2) and it was, to say the least, mind-blowing!
If you are interested in sci-fi stuff you gotta watch this.
Really looking forward to Oreimo’s second season as well as Railgun S. Maybe Arata Kangatari as well but we’ll see.
Damn, the Shingeki no Kyojin PV gave me the shivers!
Aku no hana Anyone..????
Definitely interesting and very twisted for this season 😉
I thought Valvrave is 2 cours and Oreimo will have 16 episodes
Suisei no Gargantia will only have 12 episodes
Valvrave may very well be two cours, but if it is, it looks like it’ll be 2 separate cours.
As for the other shows, we got our information from multiple reliable Japanese sources, so they should be correct.
OMG we have a couple of mech animes? I sure hope they don’t fail us like the previous mech animes we had. Yes, I’m talking about you Eureka 7 AO and Aquarion EVOL!
The preview for Shingeki No Kyojin is awesome! Just as awesome as the manga is.
Here is one of Date A Live pv that wasn’t included in the list of pvs, PV 3 (Kurumi) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AytCKBRQJu0
Kurumi looks like she going to kill some1 soon…. ^w^;
Whoops I mean PV 5 sorry.
for those planning NOT to watch Yamato, I will suggest, very strongly, to try it out. The plot and characters are, yes, straight out of old-school 1970s Anime (and with the World Of Ham that suggests). But having seen some of the movies, I will say that this series is FULL of ‘Holy $#!+! That was Awesome!’ moments, ad animated at a quality level appropriate for movie theaters, but being broadcast instead.
Yamato was, back in 1974, the first “Anime First” production, ever. It was the show that made Anime something more than just copies of manga stories. This re-creation of it with modern animation techniques is completely, completely worth it.
A total of 22 shows I would watch, few of them are 5 min gag comedy but still is a lot of good shows, wow this gonna be an interesting seasons.
I believe Higurashi Outbreak is a movie if I remember correctly
http://images.sgcafe.net/2012/12/higurashi-outbreak-371×500.png
TOUMA, TOUMA, TASUKETE TOUMA!
20+ animes to watch, classical jrpgs waiting for me to play, and getting a job…I’m gonna be
so busy. Dammit!
I wanted to inform you for this great help!! I definitely enjoyed every little bit of it
I’m going to be busy :p
Is the OVA/Movie list meant to include new movies coming out in theatres in Japan this spring? If so, then someone’s left off Detective Conan’s 17th film (April 20) Private Eye in the Distant Sea
No, only movies that are coming out on BD or DVD, so that fans outside of Japan have a chance to see them.
My list for this awsome new season:
1)Date A Live: I´ve reading the original light novels and are really good, can´t to see the awsome battle animated!.
2)Shingeki no Kyojin: the manga has a fair share of gore and action like I´ve never seen in recent times.
3)To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S: the emotional roller coster that was the Sisters Arc is hundred times stronger when seen from the point of view of Mikoto. Biribiri is back!.
4)Devil Survivor 2: nothing that comes up from the Shin Megami Tensei saga could ever be boring so let´s get ready for some demon action.
5)Photo Kano: Kimi Kiss and Amagami SS are my favorite in the romance department so if this one the same thread then it can´t dessapoint. Also, a good look of the manga adaptation gave a feww things to look foward to.
6)Suisei no Gargantia: Urobuchi-sensei is behind this, do I really need any other reason to watch it?
7)Kakumeiki Valvrave: Sunrise is the absolute master of the mecha gender so there is little to worry regarding this show.
8)Haiyore! Nyaruko-san W: I think this series is going to kill me from laughter.
9)Hayate no Gotoku! Cuties: life is so much better when you can laugh at Hayate´s miserable luck.
10)Arata Kangatari: I´ve read all the manga chapter until now and all I can say is that it´s epic! I love fantasy stories, specially set in other worlds.
12)Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai: I´m only watchig this beacuse of Kuroneko, Kirino nad her itchy personality can deop dead for all I care.
13)Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabukome wa Machigatteiru: That´s what I love about imagination, take a common idea but give it an unique aproach.
14)Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko: I hope they are at the same level of Sakurasou but maybe that´s asking way too much.
15)Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kaku Outbreak: add some horror to the mix and you one healthy diet.
That´s about it! Compare to the previous season there is so much more to look for to.
And here I was worried that I wouldn’t have much to watch this spring mainly due to my big 4 shows from fall(ZnT,SSY,P-P & Sakurasou)and my big 2(Haganai & OreShura)+ the,lesser but enjoyable nonetheless,one from winter(Maoyuu Maou Yuusha)being over.
As it turns out,there’s plenty of series(well for me anyway)to look forward to,mine being:
Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai 2nd
Aku no Hana
Shingeki no Kyojin
Suisei no Gargantia
Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabukome wa Machigatteiru
Date A Live
Photo Kano
Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko
Red Girl Data
My list seems to be plentifull in the romance department,fitting for spring I guess?:P
However…while the quantity ain’t lackin’ I definitely not expecting the same overall quality from this season as fall provided us with so time to lower ‘dem expectations and hope that I get surprised.
Since Miyakawa-Ke (Lucky Star spin-off) is airing later this month, shouldn’t it be included in this preview as well?
At the time the preview was made, there was no real information aside from the fact it’s an ONA that airs in April.
Being a HUGE fan of Devil Survivor 2, I’m super excited to see it animated! 😀 The others that interest me are RDG, Karneval and Shingeki no Kyojin.
That Thursday looks stacked!
More anime to stockpile 😛
On looking at the pictures:
Gargantia feels Bones to me.
Valrave feels like Bandai will squeeze it for kits 😛
Majestic Prince… I can’t stand that character design…
Quite a lot of nice shows and sequels coming.
This season is stacked. I wanna watch at least 15+ of them. This past Winter can’t even compare to this lineup.
*scrolls down
Me: meh
*continue scrolling
Me: nope
*scroll down again
Me: this looks good
and this one too.
*scroll down a bit
Me: hmm looks interesting picked up.
**** YEAH Devil Survivor picked up too.
*scrolling down
Me: oh a sequel must watch, sequel again yay, and another sequel here too definitely watching this.
*a few seconds later
Me: Ugh.. there’s no end to this.
Forgive me if that wasn’t funny but damn, there’s just so many shows I’m now looking forward to this season. Gonna be busy for some other stuff this month but I’ll be watching a lot of these shows for sure.
The list it intimidating for spring! But I keep forgetting a lot of series also ended this winter season. lol
Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge (give it a try.)
Karneval (YES!)
Hataraku Maou-sama! (it’s whitefox so yes)
Ginga Kikoutai Majestic Prince (give it a try.)
DEVIL SURVIVOR 2 THE ANIMATION (yes)
Aku no Hana (YES!)
Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Bride (yes… maybe… O___o????)
Date A Live (give it a try.)
Shingeki no Kyojin (yes)
Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2199 (yes because I suck and didn’t care to watch the original lol)
Suisei no Gargantia (yes)
Mushibugyou (give it a try.)
Hayate no Gotoku! Cuties (yes it’s Hayate and I can’t say no to him face!)
Arata Kangatari (Yes but admittedly I feel nothing for Watase Yuu’s work once I was out of high school. lol)
Kakumeiki Valvrave (yes… maybe… they look cute… don’t judge!!!)
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S (yes)
Watched the first three episodes of Red Data Girl finally. I really liked it! At first I was thinking it was going to be like “Hiiro no Kakera” but it is turning out to be better/less bishounen harem!
Are you guys gonna write a first impression of Aku no Hana? I’d love to see the reactions of everyone on it, hahaha!
I would like to see that since its been a long time realism has touched anything coming out of the japan anime industry.
i watched the episode i didnt expect that kind of animation..i was so disappointed..:( but the pacing, effects, voice acting and music were good though. BUT am STILL PISSED on the character design..i guess i’ll stick to reading the manga not fond of that kind of animation
WELL. I GUESS, NEED TO WATCH AT LEAST 5 EPS OF THE ANIME. THEN EXPECT THE STORY
duck approves Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabukome wa Machigatteiru and Shingeki no Kyojin