If it’s not Sheryl or Ranka…dang Alto is good. At least Mako-cakes good. Heck he could give any girl this season a good run for her money, just wow.

Most of the first anime episodes of the spring 2008 season have been shown. It’s just logical for THAT Anime Blog to have a listing of the top 5 1st anime episodes that I think everyone should watch. I am trying to rope in the other bloggers from here to write up on their own impressions. If you feel that my view is completely skewed, do give us your viewpoint on the top 5 series for you right now. They are ranked from Fifth to first, in reverse order.

Let’s compare and discuss! In other news, you might notice the increased number of two bloggers posting. It’s a new thing we are trying in order to bring differing perspectives in a single post. If you can tell, Crusader and me (Allison to Lillia) and Crusader and Calawain (Code Geass R2) are trying this out. I hope it will give you a more well-rounded approach toward an episode and encourage more discussion and food for thought.

P/s: Impz is studying for his exam, so his VK entry will be delayed.

Extrange’s Sneak Comment: I hate you Impz….He published the post without me, so I had to make my entry in 7 minutes. Funny how well the brain works under pressure.

Impz’s Picks

5th: Vampire Knight
4th: Macross Frontier
3rd: Kurenai
2nd: Library Wars
1st: Himitsu ~the Revelation~

Thoughts

Vampire Knight proves to be a good transition from the manga to anime form, and the characters are nicely animated. In addition, it is the best shoujo opening compared to Itazura no Kiss and Special A. Macross Frontier is in a genre that I usually diss, but the awesome graphics and the highly addictive NyanNyan song by Ranka brings it to 4th. Kurenai starts off with a very interesting premise and impresses me with two distinctively interesting characters in Murasaki and Beniha. I will like to see what lies behind this strange “Mediator” business.

Library Wars earns its second rank from a good blend of humor, action and kick assing Iku. If there is anything that makes me click for a series, it must be the love-hate relationship of the main characters. Lastly, I will put a rather strange choice for most considering I did not blog this series. Himitsu ~The Revelation~ is the only series that made me cry from the emotional drain that it delivers. “I am trying to forget you.”. It’s a statement I will remember for a while. I hope that Himitsu ~The Revelation~ will be subbed soon so that people can experience what I did.

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Rieu’s Picks

5th: Itazura na Kiss
4th: Nabari no Ou
3rd: Kurenai
2nd: Library Wars
1st: Soul Eater

Thoughts

Let me start out by saying that even though this is a “first” episode post, I’ve seen the second episodes of most shows and yes, I let that influence my choices. Itazura na Kiss took the fifth spot because while I love craziness and drama and tense plotlines as much as the next guy, there are times when I just want to kick back, relax, and enjoy a show. Itazura may be predictable and something you’ve seen before, but it does what it does quite well…and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. As excited as I was about Nabari no Ou, I’m more excited about it’s potential rather than the current episodes…hence it getting the 4th spot. In third place is a show I never saw coming, Kurenai. It has somehow managed to take a bunch of things I hate (whiny brats, a ‘modern’ setting, lack of action) and wrap it all up into a series that has me fascinated so far.

As for the top spots, Library Wars ranks in at a very solid #2. If you haven’t read my thoughts on this show, you really should go check them out on our review post of the first episode. It should be mentioned that I’m ranking this show #2 and I haven’t even seen subs for it yet. You should at least be impressed by that. Then we have the big #1, Soul Eater. The reason Soul Eater gets the top spot can be summed up in one word: Style. Yes, it’s shonen, it’s bound to be full of GAR this and GAR that, and yes…it will annoy people with a narrow sense of humor. But man does it have style.

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Calawain’s Picks

5th: Kyouran Kazoku Nikki
4th: Kamen no Maid Guy
3rd: Kure-nai
2nd: Kanokon
1st: Code Geass R2

Thoughts

I found myself laughing through most of my viewing experience of Kyouran Kazoku Nikki mostly because Kyouka-sama is great. I can handle the fast talking (I’m a quick reader), and the fact that a loli nekko mimi talks with such high regards for herself and in the third person just makes me smile. I had no idea what was going on half the episode, but that made it great, I need a totally random show this season. The only reason it doesn’t beat out Kamen no Maid Guy is because coming into the season I already had a spot in my heart for a humongous manly man in a maid outfit and he was exactly as I saw him to be. Now only if the rest of the cast was more interesting than they have shown so far. Kure-nai has potential because the plot setup and dynamics here are pretty unique and I see this show as having the potential to be a real showcase of character development. Watching Murasaki and Shinkuro grow together should be a great watch.

You can read my vast praise of Kanokon in my two episode entries so far, but needless to say it’s a combination of two of my favorite things. Fanservice done in a very sensual and erotic way that doesn’t seem tacky or gimmicky, and the wonderful voice talents of Ayako Kawasumi and Mamiko Noto. Especially the former, who delivers sexually charged, flirtatious lines with delicious emphasis and real believability. The other show I’m blogging Code Geass R2 has lived up to the hype and promise of last season. The first two episodes have been a shot of fast-paced action, plot explanations, and opening up of even more questions to be answered. Sundays definitely don’t come fast enough this season.

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Crusader’s Picks

5th Code Geass R2
4th Vampire Knight
3rd Allison to Lillia
2nd Itazura na Kiss
1st Macross Frontier

Thoughts

You know Library Wars would be here if there was a sub at this time, but such is life… In any case Code Geass R2 is a solid 5th only because I love shoujo and that sexy VF-25 a whole lot more. Vampire Knight snatches 4th because Rollo is no substitute for Cecile or Cornelia. Keep your green haired alien witch who probably has a male snatch and that decorative bunny girl. I want my women with intelligence who can kick arse in mass production suits. Besides Rollo has not achieved Ali status yet…also I hate Pizza Hut freaking Costco gives better bang for the buck. Also I like the fangirl madness in Vampire Knight, and it doesn’t hurt that this Zero has a gun and can hit the broadside of barn door. YukixZero forever! Allison to Lillia appeals to my inner aviation junkie, and I have been into aviation and fighters for far longer than my time in anime, besides Lolison is so cute I nearly died. Bonus points for pandering to the historical nut within me.

Itazura na Kiss if fucking win and gold I care not that animation looks dated Kotoko is just that awesome, also I need a long over due dose of kansai-ben. I want to see Kotoko destroy Naoki and kick that ingrate younger brother into a wood chipper. Her black mailing stratagem was brilliant and deliciously evil. Its good olde fashioned shoujo and I like it. Macross Frontier is my top pick for this season. Great production values, Nyan-Nyan song, Ranka, and that lovely VF-25 make Macross Frontier the stand out series for me. Besides I am so starved for yuri that if I stare hard enough Alto-hime really looks like a girl…also he looks prettier than most female leads (pony tail, almost yuri, and picture above) which fills me with awe and confusion at the same time.

Extrange’s Picks

5th: Code Geass R2
4th: Macross Frontier
3rd: Kurenai
2nd: Soul Eater
1st: Kyouran Kazoku Nikki

Thoughts

What we are talking here is what series will grab you from the first episode. So that’s why Code Geass R2 is ranked 5th on my list, since it’s a second season of a previous show and it will only make sense for the viewers who saw the first season. That doesn’t mean this first episode; by the contrary, all the C.C. and Kallen lovers went into moe worshiping mode with some of the fanservice and plot twists of the new season. Also for similar reason, Macross Frontier is only ranked 4th, since the first episode was aired online 2 months ago. But the episode they aired now has more scenes and reveals more character development (like Shirley’s bitchyness) and that was enough to increase it’s rank.

In the third position we have Kurenai, a show who looked like your average anime from the trailers but has revealed to be a nice addiction to the list of Spring animes. Among it’s assets it has the most quirky OP from the latest 5 years, a chronological ordering from the event of the manga (which makes it easier for the viewers to understand the plot) and a Tsundere loli, and everyone likes lolis who treat you like a slave. In second place we have Soul Eater, the new animation from BONES. And I must tell you, choosing BONES to animate Soul Eater was the right choice. The animation style grabs the viewer from the first minute, which is enhanced by the peculiar environment that the anime depicts. The amount of fanservice (read that as Blair’s boobs) makes the male population happy, combined by the well developed battle scenes. And this is not all; Soul Eater has 2 versions of the same ep aired in different times, which makes you wonder how BONES will exploit this feature.

Remember what I’ve said in my first lines of text? What we are talking here is about the first episodes who can grab better the viewer’s attention. The winner of this ranking can’t be other than Kyouran Kazoku Nikki: a guy married with a 20 year old alien neko loli and has as sons a abused young girl, a pink jellyfish, a Predator, a talking lion and a gay dude who tries to flirt with the father. Just from reading this it makes anyone want to watch the anime just to see WTF is this.

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Conclusion

A quick summary shows that many of us have differing views on what is good or not. However, we seem to agree (except Crusader) that Kurenai is a show worth watching. In addition, Itazura no kiss, Library Wars, Code Gease R2, Vampire Knight and Macross Frontier have repeated nominations within the blog. They might be worth a look. So, tell us your top five.

Browse Timeline

• « Allison to Lillia 02: New friends, new clothes, new guns
• » Macross Frontier 02: Let the Alto-hime war begin!

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