Sukitte Ii na yo. – 01

「キスをした」 (Kisu wo Shita)
“I Kissed”

Living an isolated life where no one can betray you is the ideal way of living according to the social outcast Tachibana Mei. Little did she know that an accidental roundhouse kick would put an end to her lonely days. Everyone, meet a genuine love story in Sukitte Ii na yo. – an adaptation of what is currently one of the most popular shoujo manga in Japan.

Fall 2012 Preview!

Finally, the long-awaited fall season! Along with spring, fall tends to be one of the busier seasons, with everything from the debut of highly anticipated blockbusters to the continuation of venerable old series. And this year is no different! Hotly anticipated adaptations include the award-winning sci-fi light novel Shin Sekai Yori, the 5pb. sci-fi visual novel ROBOTICS;NOTES, and the Key romantic drama Little Busters! The sequel front has some heavy-hitters as well, among them the return of spring’s amoral action-adventure Jormungand, a brand new season of the comedy and harem classic Hayate no Gotoku, and the third season of the mangaka drama Bakuman. There are even a few original series to round things out, most notably Urobochi Gen’s PSYCHO-PASS. Fall is busy indeed–and like last spring, you’re fortunate enough to have not one, not two, but FIVE writers to help guide you through the shows you’ll want to be watching this season. Lucky for you, eh? So without further ado (that’s a lie; there’ll be a lot more ado before we’re done), let’s get on with it and talk about the 32 series we’ve previewed for you this season. Get excited!

* This preview will be kept at the top for the next while, so be sure to scroll past it or check the Recent Entries on your right for new posts.
* A season poll is available on the sidebar.

Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita – 01

「妖精さんの、ひみつのこうじょう」 (Yousei-san no, Himitsu no Koujou)
“The Fairies’ Secret Factory”

It was smelling a little stale after the first batch of formulaic season premières, but Jinrui wa Suitai shimashita blew through the room like a breath of fresh – albeit very strange – air.

Summer 2012 Preview!

With the summer season just around the corner, I thought I’d poke my head in and give an overview of the 26 new shows lined up. At first glance, there are some noteworthy continuations such as Rinne no Lagrange Season 2 and Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon II, but a closer look reveals some gems such as Yuruyuri ♪♪ and Moyashimon Returns. In terms of all-new series, we have the highly anticipated Sword Art Online, an adaptation of Accel World creator Kawahara Reki’s other virtual reality fantasy novel — TARI TARI, another original slice-of-life series by P.A. Works — Natsuyuki Rendezvous, a romance/drama airing in the noitaminA time slot — plus a good selection of romantic comedies to round everything out. So without further ado, let’s have a look shall we?

Note: I don’t plan to write any more season previews while I’m on my indefinite hiatus. This was a special case since I was personally asked to write this season’s.
* This preview will be kept at the top for the next while, so be sure to scroll past it or check the Recent Entries on your right for new posts.

My Way or the Anime – The Best Stories Are the Ones That Leave You Wondering

I wonder, I wonder, I wonder what could have been…

Imagination is a powerful thing. Any good horror writer knows that the scariest monsters are not the ones described on the page or shown on the screen, but the ones the audience conjures in their own minds. But what about when storytellers aim our imaginations not towards horrors unseen, but at wonderful events that are never to be?

Post may include spoilers for: Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Kanon (2006), Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Ano Natsu de Matteru, Angel Beats!, Aquarion EVOL, and some random Star Wars novels. Yeah, we’re going deep into the weeds this week. Trust me, it’s worth it. More after the jump.