With the rest of the premiers for this season done, here’s some quick thoughts on some shows we didn’t have a chance to do a full work-up on.

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu- Purezza

Holy steam censoring. I don’t even think this was an attempt to boost DVD sales a la Strike Witches because this show really isn’t a fanservice show per se. Instead I think it was plain old censoring, because hints of boobies are scary. The show itself was alright, although I felt it slid a bit too much into the tired lovecom cliches that the first season managed to largely avoid. The opening Lacross anime was pretty hilarious, they’ll make a sports anime out of almost anything, they did it with mahjong~ Still, I like the main characters a lot (oh, let me express my love for Mika again) and I watched the first season, so I’ll be watching this one through.

Sasameki Koto

More mopey than I thought this was going to be, but then again the first chapter of the manga was sort of like that. This episode even comes with depressing piano music. I hope they don’t turn the lighter parts in future chapters into melodrama as well. Other than that, Kazama’s voice was rather annoying and doesn’t seem to match the character very well. The rest of the voice casting was decent. One positive note, Murasame kicking the crap out of that box was pretty wicked. Where’s my happy yuri anime dammit?!

Persona 11eyes

It may have a rediculously large number of parallels to the Persona series (in the last scene I was totally waiting for him to pull out an evoker), but imitation doesn’t necessarily mean the show is crap. In fact the first episode was pretty decedent decent (Freudian slip? My job slipping into my blogging? You decide!) , the protagonist isn’t some milquetoast clown like we see so many of these days, and there’s plenty of different types of bishoujos around. Lets see if we don’t allow ourselves to get bogged down in 10 minute bursts of expositions like so many of these shows and perhaps we’ll have a winner.

Sacred Blacksmith

Ugh, this one seems to pull all the bad cliches out of JRPGs and sticks them into one show. I also wasn’t a big fan of the direction, sometimes the split cliffhanger at the beginning and the end just doesn’t work. Plus, Luke comes off as more of a douchebag than just some aloof cool guy. Many have likened him to the widely despised top JRPG protagonist of emo douchedom, Squall from FF8. Reports from the second episode of long expositions make for a possible quick-like drop of this one.

The highly anticipated sequel to a widely popular dark action show with dead people all over the place. So, how do you follow-up an adrenaline-filled finish to season one? Can you top the emotion and the suspense? The choice was clear, let’s open with Japanese high school in Russia. Can I get an “OH YEAH!”

First off, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a blonde Russian. Perhaps the writers were confusing Russians with their Scandinavian cousins to the west. Or perhaps they are just ignorant. I’ve come down with a case of foot-in-mouth disease. See the next sentence. Although, coming from an American such as myself it may be a bit bold considering the reputation of Hollywood. However, I point out their stupidities as well. Second, somehow I don’t see Russian high school boys acting like blushing girly Japanese guys when asking a chick out. And for fucks sake, isn’t this show supposed to be about people getting electrocuted?

Japanese high school in Russia, complete with cleaning duty. Can’t say I know anything about the Russian school system but I would hope they have janitors there. Think of the economic recovery that could be had in Japan if they didn’t have high schoolers cleaning their schools. Job creation people!

Now that’s more like it

Hoho even better. Finally we got some combat, and what a brutal way to go Teleport-kun. April’s ability was rather underwhelming on its own in season 1, and was only good in conjunction with November 11’s ice ice baby. The teleporting ability was pretty nifty until it was defeated by big drops of water.

Weak start to the episode with high school crap (which is appropriate in other shows but felt really out of place here), but by the end they were piling up the body count just like the good ol’ days. They even shot a cat and a squirrel, pretty rough stuff. Dunno if April is actually dead, people have come back in this show before, but a bodybag is pretty solid evidence, especially after getting cooked by Hei. And where’s my Yin?

Well unfortunately it had to end, but it was quite a journey along the way. One can only hope that in a couple of years when the manga has had time to develop the national tournament some non-bankrupt company will be able to rescue it and produce a second season. Cross your fingers.

There’s always time for fanservice before we get to training.

Like Zyl I’ve been very happy with the Yumi x Momo coupling, if only to give more variation to the yuri in the show. While I wouldn’t elevate them above Saki and Nodoka, they aren’t far off and I’m very glad they were given a lot of attention. Plus, I think it’s kind of hot when the younger one is the aggressor.

I’d like to say again, “wow Teru is a bitch,” but we’ve only really seen things from Saki’s point of view and we don’t even know the actual story (as far as I can recall it hasn’t been revealed in the manga either). I should try to hold off judgment, but it’s kind of hard when it’s the lovable Saki being abused.

First name basis, gift exchanges, promises, hand holding, and massive blushing. I think that’s about as far as you can go without them actually making out. And I am pretty disappointed at that last part. Still, makes you dawwwww and get hot at the same time.

Miko high school?

Halfway decent final episode, with plenty of character time and such. When you compare it to all of those atrocious Gonzo ends over the year this one should look amazing. For those of you curious, the manga is up to around episode 19. The individual tournament and training camp were all filler, but pretty damn well done filler (once again, especially for Gonzo). They introduced a new character, but didn’t make her have too much of an impact, and let different characters match up against each other. Plus plenty of yuri fanservice. I definitely approve of this filler arc.

Final Impressions

My overall thoughts on this show really haven’t changed much from the last big post I made on Saki, wherein I told everyone why they should be watching it. I wrote that post before the final arc and Saki’s victory over Koromo, and neither disappointed. Tournament shows are generally fun to watch when done well, and with engaging characters that mean more than how poor the sport (mahjong here) itself is handled.

Before the season started, I didn’t think I would even watch this show, and I was rather lukewarm in our preview post. However, I was hooked after the first episode, which had nopan, yuri, and mahjong power levels pumped up to the max. I knew I had a winner then and it kept going from there. What it all boils down to is this show was extremely fun to watch. Nothing serious, nothing deep, nothing to make you ponder your place in the universe. A great show for entertainment’s sake that I looked forward to every Sunday afternoon. Definitely worth the watch. Final Rating: 9/10.

It took them 14 episodes, but we finally had plot exposition that didn’t make my eyes glaze over and was somewhat understandable. I kind of actually know what is going on, at least for the part they explained. Wohoo.

Looks like the Tomoharu from the other world had quite the harem just like the current one. Except he seemingly was all about Misao, and we get declarations of love and making out in the first episode of this new season. I like it, no pussyfooting around.

They’ve been hinting since the beginning the existence of this other world, but nothing beyond mysterious references was really revealed to us. They told us plenty of nonsensical and confusing things about the Asura Machina or whatever they are called, but who really understood that. This was actually a rather well done explanation, and properly done through a flashback and not a really long speech with the character’s mouth hidden and panning around to save budget.

I also dug the bit of action this week, we even got to see Student Council Sword-sempai slicing some random mook monsters up. Quite a positive first episode of the season, doesn’t appear to be any drop off from the really solid first season. Looking forward to continuing this one, perhaps I’ll blog it regularly, depending on how the other shows pan out.

Surprisingly enough, the fifth episode of Sighs was actually pretty good, and got us back to the actual story and intrigue that makes this show fun to watch. Too bad we couldn’t have seen this a couple of months ago, but alas that’s a rant for another time at the end of this post.

They picked a wickedly awesome voice for this cat. It is also wickedly awesome that Kyon was engaging in deep philosophical discussions with said talking cat. Reminds me of that old saying where if you gave a monkey with a typewriter enough time he could write Shakespeare eventually. I wish we could have had more talking Shamisen.

Somehow I don’t think they have LARP in Japan.

This is the part of the series I find enjoyable, the competing truths of the world and the different groups competing for influence. There are many, many theories out there, from Kyon being God, to Tsuruya being God, and of course it being all a dream. A bit of a warning, that site can eat 3 hours of your time before you can blink.

That’s a pretty safe assumption to make.

It’s been pretty obvious from the start that Itsuki often tells lies and half-truths, and wears a rather false mask about himself. However, this theory regarding Mikuru has definitely grown on me time has passed. Someone perfectly designed to pull on what Kyon likes, and whose adult form seemingly manipulates Kyon into doing her bidding. Since Haruhi is immune from almost everyone’s influence, the multitude of groups out there instead have to try to get Kyon on their side.

Generally reliable sources have indicated that Newtype’s published TV schedules show the remaining four episodes of this season will be the last repeats from the first season. So, as I feared last week, the entirety of the second season of Haruhi will be Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody, Endless Eight, and Sighs. What a colossal waste of time most of the season has been. Basically, we had 14 episodes, 3 of which were any good.

Remember way back when? We seemed to be promised that fan-favorite Disappearance would actually be animated. They could always screw with us and air another season sometime after that, but I’ve heard nothing about that. I hope the Endless Eight sales crater as much as we all hope they will. Otaku rage power!

At least the last two episodes were good, right?

Welcome to another edition of the T.H.A.T. anime preview! Out of a total of 26 series covered in this preview (I excluded the kiddie shows/educational stuff as usual), the statistical breakdown goes like this (some categories overlap):

Sequels: 8
Spin-offs: 3
New Shows: 15
Manga Adaptations: 9
Light Novel Adaptations: 6
Eroge Adaptations: 3
Original Shows: 2

Note: I am aware that Shugo Chara is getting a “new” season, but all they did was add a second “doki” to the title, it’s a continuation of the same thing without a break or anything. Feel free to talk about it in the comments, but I didn’t include a new show entry for it.

Much of this info is pulled from Fansub Wiki, AniDB, AnimeNfo, ANN, Wikipedia and MAL. So thanks to those fine sites for their databases and other information. I’m no longer going to list a source after each summary because many sites share amongst themselves. Figure it came from one of them.

A Message from the NKVD: Well its time once again to point out this is a preview, and not a review. That “p” makes a difference a very big difference in fact. On another note many of us are old grouchy mean spirited cynics and not wide eyed idealistic fat cat communist NEETs. If you are part of the “animu is SRSfkn business” part of the fandom do yourself a favor and just read the summary from ANN so you can preserve your fragile optimism for your harem animu. Other than that Liberty Prime is watching and ready to initiate directive 7395, destroy all communists.

Click on link to jump to the series: Queen’s Blade: Gyokuza wo Tsugumono | Kämpfer | Nyan Koi! | Tatakau Shisho – The Book of Bantorra | The Sacred Blacksmith | Letter Bee | Sora no Otoshimono | Natsu no Arashi! Akinaichuu | Miracle☆Train ~Ouedo-sen e Youkoso~ | Koihime†Musou- Otome Ryouran Sangokushi Engi | Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu Purezza♪ | Kobato. | Kimi ni Todoke | 11eyes | Sasameki Koto | Fairy Tail | Winter Sonata | Kuuchuu Buranko | Asura Cryin’ 2 | Darker Than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini | Inuyasha- The Final Act | Romance of the Three Kingdoms | To Aru Kagaku no Railgun | Seitokai no Ichizon | Kiddy Girl-and | White Album Final

Queen’s Blade: Gyokuza wo Tsugumono

Details
Website: http://queensblade.tv/
Japanese Air Date: September 24
Animation Company: ARMS (Genshiken 2, Elfen Lied)
Seiyuu: Atsuko Tanaka, Aya Hirano, Ayako Kawasumi, Mamiko Noto
Available Trailers: Trailer 1

Summary
Second season of acid lactating boobies. The subtitle apparently translates to “Heir to the Throne,” although I really doubt anyone watches this for any story. Due to laziness here’s a copypasta of the lazy summary I did for the first season of the show:

Based off of Hobby Japan’s combat picture book game series. C.A., a poster on AS, described said books as “Visual Combat books, each book a girl. And within each book are CGs of attacks and actions where you flip them and play with a dice, fighting against an opponent with another book. Its basically a stripping game, the more damage you do to the opponent, the less covered she ends up.”

The summary on ANN looked like it was rammed through Google translator, so I’ll summarize: there’s a competition to decide the next queen and a bunch of chicks with huge racks and few clothes will fight to the death over it.

Thoughts
Calawain: I made most of my snide comments in the summary above, but suffice it to say this show really isn’t my style. No hate for anyone who digs it though, I bear no ill will toward fellow pervs.

Executive Otaku: I could do this as a HAET BLOG feature, but could never watch it seriously.

Crusader: No, but I know why it is still chugging along.

lelangir: Doesn’t anyone here understand the true genius of this show? I’ll tell you, but you have to keep secret, that I actually directed a large portion of this show. No, not those awful last episodes where the lack of budget was clearly visible, but I did the awesome of this show. That’s correct, I am responsible for the awesome here. I enjoyed deploying a postmodern Marxist deconstructionist semiotics in order to fully utilize all the glory of Hirano Aya and Mizuki Nana-sama. In fact my directing of this show was so superb I got a threesome. Well, I kind of just pushed Aya off the bed and ravished Nana like no other, but you get the picture. So yeah, watch this show, I will show you what true directing is! Believe it!

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Kämpfer

Details
Website: http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/kenpu/
Japanese Air Date: October 1
Animation Company: Nomad (Rozen Maiden, Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahou)
Seiyuu: Marina Inoue, Nana Mizuki, Yui Horie, Yukari Tamura, Megumi Nakajima

Summary
Adaptation of Toshihiko Tsukiji’s (Maburaho, Umi Monogatari) light novel series, which has also been adapted into a currently-running manga.

Senou Natsuru is your normal, everyday high school student. However he’s been chosen to be a Kampfer, whose objective consists on fighting other Kampfer with either guns, swords or magic. But there´s a catch: first you can’t chose if you´re a Kampfer or not, and second, you must have the body of a girl to use your powers.

Thoughts
Calawain: Cross-dressing/gender transformation, close-quarters combat, multiple personalities, and bishoujos (delicious-looking character designs). This shit is cash. Also good to see several top seiyuu on the cast, as well as relative newcomer Megumi Nakajima (many of our readers will remember her as Ranka Lee). It may be a bit strange to hear Hocchan try to pull off Akane’s alternate personality, but Nomad is a pretty solid studio who has brought in a similarly solid director with experience. So I’m looking forward to this one.

Executive Otaku: So far from my cup of tea it may as well be coffee.

Crusader: Alright I guess they did do an IGLOO for the MS-18E Kampfer oh wait…hey there is a trap that makes it obligatory. I did like Umi Monogatari so here’s hoping for much hugging, confessions, and affirmations of protecting love in someone else’s heart. Bonus if we also get something similar to Marin’s patented tackle. You are sweet. Oh let me love you sooooo…

lelangir: I basically had to give Horie Yui rough buttsex for her not voice this show. She wanted me to direct this show, but I had to decline, otherwise Nana-chan wouldn’t service me for White Album. I don’t think this show will be very good, to tell you the truth.

Possible Bloggers: Calawain, Crusader

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Nyan Koi!

Details
Website: http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/nyankoi/
Japanese Air Date: October 1
Animation Company: AIC (Seto no Hanayome, Tenchi Muyo)
Seiyuu: Shintaro Asanuma, Yuka Iguchi
Available Trailers: Trailer 1

Summary
Adaptation of Sato Fujiwara’s manga.

Junpei Kōsaka is a second-year high school student who despises cats and has an allergy to them. It just so happens that his high school crush is Kaede Mizuno, a girl who adores cats. One day, while walking home from school, Junpei kicks an empty can and unfortunately beans the local neko-jizō-sama (guardian deity of cats). He finds he can now understand what cats are saying, including his family’s own ill-tempered cat, Nyamusasu. However, if he does not grant 100 wishes from cats, he will turn into cat himself.

Thoughts
Calawain: Well it’s a show about cats and presumably the chick with the huge rack on the left side of that image. High schoolers these days…

Executive Otaku: Huh. I like cats and all, but it seems like an odd premise. Borderline if I’ll even do recon on it.

Crusader: I hate cats, nasty little bastards… As there is no mecha to make up for the cats I’ll pass, doubly so since there seems to be non trappy Y chromosome in this series.

lelangir: Unlike some fools of this world, I am not possessed by a crab demon god that steals my weight. Nor can I communicate with cats – who would want to? Therefore, based on my experience, I know this show will suck, because I cannot talk to cats and do not want to. But do you know what? I can talk to onions and socks. Now what?

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Tatakau Shisho – The Book of Bantorra

Details
Website: http://www.bantorra.com/
Japanese Air Date: October 2
Animation Company: David Production (Dogs: Bullets & Carnage)
Seiyuu: Romi Paku
Available Trailers: Trailers 1&2

Summary
Adaptation of the Tatakau Shisho (Fighting Librarians) light novel series written by Ishio Yamagata.

All the dead people of the world have been turned into “books” stored in the Bantorra library. A boy named Koria Tonisu has had his memories erased and his chest embedded with a bomb. He is sent to kill Hamyuttsu Meseta, the world’s most powerful armed librarian. However, he falls in love at first sight with this beautiful woman in charge of the “books,” and he gets enveloped in the great war over the library.

Thoughts
Calawain: The best part of this show has got to be another original and completely unique Ali Project OP, I’m so suicidal excited! More seriously, ROD 2.0 at least has Ayako Kawasumi, Haruka Tomatsu, and Miyuki Sawashiro, but who knows how prominent their roles will be.

Executive Otaku: I’ll pass, one season of ROD was enough for me thanks.

Crusader: I’ll put this under maybe since I think I will be otherwise occupied…

lelangir: I told the guys over at Toshokan Sensou to ju…OHSHI

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The Sacred Blacksmith

Details
Website: http://www.blasmi.com/
Japanese Air Date: October 3
Animation Company: Manglobe (Ergo Proxy, Samurai Champloo)
Seiyuu: Ayumi Fujimura, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Aki Toyosaki, Megumi Toyoguchi
Available Trailers: Trailers 1&2 (bottom right after the intro)

Summary
Adaptation of Isao Miura’s fantasy light novels.

The story takes place after an abominable war that foisted a “devil’s contract” upon a land. Cecily Campbell, a former noble’s daughter who joined a knighthood, encounters a man who dispatches some hoodlums with one sweep of a mysterious sword. The man possesses the power of the same “devil’s contract” that has become taboo, now that peace has been restored. Cecily has been searching for a blacksmith who can repair an old sword she inherited from her father, and that mysterious young man happens to be blacksmith named Luke. This encounter launches their adventures together.

Thoughts
Calawain: This sounds like half the JRPGs I’ve played, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Character designs look pretty decent, although that red haired girl reminds me a lot of Alicia from Valkyria Chronicles. Manglobe is a fairly decent studio, and amusingly enough the director here also directed Pokémon. Ayumi Fujimura is pretty good at voicing tsunderes, but I have no idea whether her character in this actually is.

Executive Otaku: Will investigate. Hopefully it will keep my interest better than Tales of the Abyss.

Crusader: Sounds like high fantasy stuff might look into it.

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Letter Bee

Details
Website: http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/tegamibachi/
Japanese Air Date: October 3
Animation Company: Studio Pierrot (Bleach, Naruto)
Seiyuu: Ayumi Fujimura, Miyuki Sawashiro
Available Trailers: Trailer 1

Summary
Adaptation of Hiroyuki Asada’s manga.

Gauche is a governmental employee, given the task to deliver any letter to it’s destination. Meeting a young boy who is the letter to be delivered, Gauche makes friends with Lag and inspires him to take up the job. Five years later, Lag Seeing finally becomes his dream, that of a Letter Bee. However, the one who inspired him has gone missing and only there does the mystery start.

Thoughts
Calawain: I want to make some post office jokes, because the US Post Office is having a rather difficult time of late. A few seiyuu in the cast I’m a fan of, although it appears a good chunk of them are voicing males, mostly shoutas I assume. That tends to turn me away.

Executive Otaku: I’m not thrilled about those character designs, but the premise sounds like it could have potential depending on how serious/intrigue they go with it. Will watch first episode, three episode test if that goes well.

Crusader: I am surprised that there is still snail mail, surely Fedex can deliver anywhere right? Still not my kind of postal.

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Sora no Otoshimono

Details
Website: http://anime.webnt.jp/soraoto/
Japanese Air Date: October 4
Animation Company: AIC ASTA (Bamboo Blade)
Seiyuu: Saori Hayami, Souichiro Hoshi
Available Trailers: Trailer 1

Summary
Adaptation of Suu Minazuki’s Sora no Otoshimono (Heaven’s Lost Property) manga.

The story centers around Tomoki Sakurai, an ordinary middle school boy whose motto is “Peace is the #1 priority.” However, a strange girl often appears in his dream to ask for his help — only he cannot remember her face when he wakes up. Then, his life gets more complicated when an unidentified mysterious animal (UMA) falls out of the skies. The “animal” turns out to be Ikaros, an angel.

Thoughts
Calawain: It amazes me how Souichiro Hoshi can voice one of the most emo, rage inducing male protagonists (Kira Yamato) as well as one of the manliest (Keiichi Maebara). I hope he does the latter because the story material revealed in the trailer is your run of the mill childhood friend waking up her friend who has morning wood and calling him a pervert. Doesn’t mean it will definitely suck, there are some shows that were able to rise above it, but the chances remain somewhat low (although, my interest was shamelessly piqued at the fact that one episode was declared too hot for TV).

Executive Otaku: Premise isn’t enticing me and those character designs aren’t doing it for me either.

Crusader: I have made clear my hatred for all things Cosmic Era, so hell no, fuck no, and shit no.

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Natsu no Arashi! Akinaichuu

Details
Website: http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/natsunoarashi2/
Japanese Air Date: October 4
Animation Company: Shaft (Bakemonotogari, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei)
Seiyuu: Ryoko Shiraishi, Yuko Sanpei

Summary
Second season of the adaptation of Jin Kobayashi’s (School Rumble) Natsu no Arashi (Summer Storm) manga.

The story centers on a boy named Hajime Yasaka who meets an older high school girl named Sayoko “Arashi” Arashiyama in an old town coffee shop. “Arashi” happens to have a secret that Hajime learns one fateful summer vacation. Arashi makes a bond with Hajime, enabling them to travel back through time, sometimes to rescue those who died in WWII.

Thoughts
Calawain: I never got through the first episode of this anime with strange belly buttons. Perhaps I’m still bitter over what happened to School Rumble, but I don’t see myself having the slightest urge to pick this up.

Executive Otaku: Definitely watching. The first season started off a little weird but became very fun and interesting and even pretty touching. The characters played well off each other, the time travel was done interestingly, and I’m always interested in shows that actually talk about WWII instead of pretend it never happened. SHAFT animation is always a plus in my book.

Crusader: EO called it.

Possible bloggers: Executive Otaku

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Miracle☆Train ~Ouedo-sen e Youkoso~

Details
Website: http://www.miracle-train.tv/index.html
Japanese Air Date: October 4
Animation Company: Yumeta Company (Neo Angelique Abyss, La Corda D’Oro)
Seiyuu: Hiroshi Kamiya, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Kenn, Kouki Miyata, Miyu Irino, Ryotaro Okiayu

Summary
The Miracle Train project anthropomorphizes several heavily travelled train stations in Tokyo into young handsome male characters. This television series will feature a different cast of characters inspired by the Ouedo subway line — specifically, Fumi Roppongi, Rintarou Shinjuku, Izayoi Tsukishima, Iku Shiodome, Saki Tochou, and Itsumi Ryougoku.

Thoughts
Calawain: There are way too many gay jokes I could make with a cast of bishounen in a show called Miracle Train. I’m going to resist though, because it’s too easy. Also, I don’t think this is supposed to be yaoi.

Executive Otaku: Hey, the concept works very well for countries in Hetalia and I’d love some nostalgia for Tokyo and all those subway/train lines I absolutely did not dodge fairs using my student pass on. Will preview, potential for blogging.

Crusader: A Happy Ending after every ride! I sit on the opposite side when it comes to relations between folks of the same gender, this one isn’t for me. If it were up to me I’d probably try and derail this thing.

Possible bloggers: ExecutiveOtaku

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Koihime†Musou- Otome Ryouran Sangokushi Engi

Details
Website: http://www.mmv.co.jp/special/shinkoihime/
Japanese Air Date: October 5
Animation Company: Dogakobo (Myself; Yourself)
Seiyuu: Hiroka Nishizawa, Nami Kurokawa
Available Trailers: Trailer 1 (low quality cam)

Summary
Second season of the adaptation of the BaseSon eroge. This anime is loosely based on the classic Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Having lost her family to bandits during night raid, Kanu swears, she will not let others share the same pain. She quickly becomes a well-known and feared by villains bandit hunter. During her journey she comes across others, who wish to join her cause. One of them is a girl named RinRin, who had similar experience with bandits in the past.

Thoughts
Calawain: This show was actually less stupid than I thought it was going to be, if only for the blonde lesbian with what I believe was an armpit fetish. Apparently this show was pretty popular over in Area Eleven, enough to warrant a second season when I really didn’t expect one.

Executive Otaku: A second season of this? I’m also quite surprised. Not for me, thanks.

Crusader: Even if this was popular in Area 11 I am no Eleven and I think I will pass. This second season suprises me as well.

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Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu Purezza♪

Details
Website: http://www.nogizaka-haruka.com/
Japanese Air Date: October 5
Animation Company: Diomedea, formerly Studio Barcelona (Kodomo no Jikan, Nanatsuiro Drops)
Seiyuu: Mamiko Noto, Wataru Hatano
Available Trailers: Trailer 1 (low quality cam)

Summary
Second season of the adaptation of Yuusaku Igarashi’s Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu (Haruka Nogizaki’s Secret) light novels.

The story centers around Yuuto Ayase and Haruka Nogizaka. Yuuto is seemingly ordinary, but Haruka is attractive, intelligent, and rich, which prompts other students to idolize her and even give her French nicknames like “Nuit Étoile” (The Silver Star of the Night) and “Lumière du Clavier” (The Shining Princess on the Piano). One day, Yuuto wanders into the school library in order to return a book and accidentally stumbles upon Haruka’s deepest, darkest secret: she is a diehard fan of anime and manga, in other words, a regular otaku. Promising Haruka to keep this a secret, Yūto becomes her advisor and confidante.

Thoughts
Calawain: The first season of this show was wickedly awesome, and one of the few shows loaded with cheesy blushing moments that I could stomach. The repressed inner shipper in me came out on multiple occasions. Oh yeah, and this show gives us by far the greatest imouto of all time in Mika. She is the personification of the “I like you, come fuck my sister” meme. The second season promises to introduce a few new characters so it should keep things fresh.

Executive Otaku: I haven’t seen the first season and it’s probably not for me anyway.

Crusader: Calawain called it and I never got into the first season though it was largely due to a lack of trying, will see what I missed out on though.

Possible Bloggers: Calawain

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Kobato.

Details
Website: http://www.kobato.tv/top.html
Japanese Air Date: October 6
Animation Company: Madhouse Studios (Black Lagoon, Monster)
Seiyuu: Kana Hanazawa, Tetsu Inada

Summary
Adaptation of the manga by CLAMP.

Kobato is a young girl that for unknown reasons, needs to fill a mysterious bottle with the feelings of people with a heart in pain. For that she needs to “cure” other people’s hearts and make them happy, but this could become even more difficult than she thought. Her companion for this task is a grumpy plush dog she calls Ioryogi-san.

Thoughts
Calawain: Kana Hanazawa may have a sexy voice, but I’m one of those rare individuals who doesn’t much care for CLAMP material. The art is always great, but the stories are way too out there in many ways.

Executive Otaku: On the one hand I generally think well of Clamp. But on the other the premise sounds like some of their more childish shows. I’m gonna call myself out for this one.

Crusader: I could use a dose of shoujo this time of year will do recon. I am hoping said bottle is from Noe and the principle protagonist must also find True Tears. Oh and there is a dog which is superior to a cat in every way.

Possible bloggers: Crusader

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Kimi ni Todoke

Details
Website: http://www.ntv.co.jp/kiminitodoke/
Japanese Air Date: October 6
Animation Company: Production I.G. (Eden of the East, Ghost in the Shell)
Seiyuu: Daisuke Namikawa, Mamiko Noto
Available Trailers: Trailer 1

Summary
Adaptation of Karuho Shiina’s shoujo manga Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You).

Sawako Kuronuma is the perfect heroine… for a horror movie. With her jet-black hair, sinister smile, and silent demeanor, she’s often mistaken for Sadako, the haunting character from Ringu. Unbeknownst to but a few, behind her scary facade is a very misunderstood teenager. Shy and pure of heart, she just wants to make friends. But when Kazehaya, the most popular boy in class, befriends her, she’s sure to make more than just that – she’s about to make some enemies, too!

Thoughts
Calawain: Mamiko Noto and Miyuki Sawashiro can’t change the fact that most shoujo makes me nauseous. Neither can Production IG.

Executive Otaku: Production I.G. gives it a point, and half of that description makes me hope it will be something other than run-of-the-mill shojo, but the ‘most popular boy in class’ part makes it lose points. Have been hearing some good things about the manga though, enough for me to commit to a three episode test.

Crusader: Will do recon considering it’s lineage, besides there seems to be a crazy chick in this one, maybe she will knife some one along the way.

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11eyes

Details
Website: http://www.mmv.co.jp/special/11eyes/
Japanese Air Date: October 6
Animation Company: Dogakobo (Koihime Musou, Myself; Yourself)
Seiyuu: Daisuke Ono, Emiko Hagiwara, Mai Goto
Available Trailers: Trailer 1 (low quality cam)

Summary
Adaptation of Lass’ 11eyes -Tsumi to Batsu to Aganai no Shoujo- eroge.

The story centers on Kakeru Satsuki, a boy who has been mourning the loss of his last remaining family member, his older sister, for the past five years. Satsuki, his childhood friend Yuka Minase, and four other Kōryōkan Academy schoolmates are suddenly transported to the world of “Red Night,” where a giant black moon hangs over the skies. The six can only return home after dealing with the six black knights of this alternate world.

Thoughts
Calawain: Dogakobo has a rather small resume of being the lead studio, but so far nothing crater-worthy. I was actually halfway pleased with Myself;Yourself. I assume this will have action in it, although I can’t say anything in the story premise strikes me as must see. Perhaps some of those who have played the eroge can shed some light on the flow.

Executive Otaku: The premise does kind of sound interesting, despite my skepticism due to its eroge roots. Will recon.

Crusader: I was kind of hoping for this to be a spin off centering around AWACS Thousand Eyes, but alas. The Black Knights never lose! Have at YOU!

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Sasameki Koto

Details
Website: http://www.sasameki.com/
Japanese Air Date: October 7
Animation Company: AIC (Seto no Hanayome, Tenchi Muyo)
Seiyuu: Ayahi Takagaki, Megumi Takamoto

Summary
Adaptation of Takashi Ikeda’s yuri manga Sasameki Koto (Whispered Words).

The story revolves around Sumika, a popular high school honors student who has a secret she does not reveal to anyone: she loves her classmate Ushio. Sumika hears that Ushio is also “a girl who likes girls,” but Sumika’s feelings have yet to be reciprocated.

Thoughts
Calawain: One of my favorite yuri manga for sure, and a show I’m looking forward to. It spends a lot more time on comic relief and less time on serious themes than say Aoi Hana, and has decidedly less melodrama (at least in the first 3ish volumes scanlated into English). Sumika is an awesome lead character, a black belt tomboy of sorts madly in love with a blonde bishoujo. If you like yuri, and are looking for something on the lighter side, I think you’ll dig it.

Executive Otaku: I tend to like my yuri serious, and I’ve had my fill from this season so I’ll have to leave this one to Calawain and Crusader who are obviously looking forward to it.

Crusader: Alright yuri. Recon effort confirmed. Girls who like girls WOOOOOOOOOO!

Possible bloggers: Crusader

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Fairy Tail

Details
Website: http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/fairytail/
Japanese Air Date: October 12
Animation Company: A-1 Pictures (Kannagi, Valkyria Chronicles), Satelight (Macross Frontier, Shugo Chara)
Seiyuu: Aya Hirano, Tetsuya Kakihara, Rie Kugimiya, Sayaka Ohara,Yuuichi Nakamura
Available Trailers: Trailer 1

Summary
Adaptation of Hiro Mashima’s (Rave Master) manga.

Cute girl wizard Lucy wants to join the Fairy Tail, a club for the most powerful wizards. But instead, her ambitions land her in the clutches of a gang of unsavory pirates led by a devious magician. Her only hope is Natsu, a strange boy she happens to meet on her travels. Natsu’s not your typical hero – he gets motion sickness, eats like a pig, and his best friend is a talking cat. With friends like this, is Lucy better off with her enemies?

Thoughts
Calawain: After the first few volumes of this I lost interest, the loveliness that is Erza could only keep me into it for the duration of her story arcs. Its got heaps of shounen action cliches and the like, so if that’s what you dig I’m sure you’ll like it. I may indulge to see Erza kicking some ass, but I don’t see myself slugging my way through the 50+ episodes I’m sure it will get.

Executive Otaku: Shonen action shows have to be really outstanding to get my attention, and this doesn’t really sound like it’s for me.

Crusader: I think that for me this is a no go. I have another Shonen series on my itinerary already.

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Winter Sonata

Details
Website: http://anime-wintersonata.com/index.html
Japanese Air Date: October 17
Available Trailers: Trailer 1 and Trailer 2

Summary
Adaptation of Winter Sonata (also known as Winter Love Song), the blockbuster 2002 Korean drama television series that helped launch the “Korean wave” of pop culture in Japan.

The drama follows two childhood friends — a boy and a girl — and the tragedy and angst that befalls them and those around them in the years between high school and young adulthood.

Thoughts
Calawain: K-Dramas aren’t really my thing, nor do I really go for serious melodrama like this.

Executive Otaku: I have seen Korean drama influence spread to J-dramas, upping the level of angst, terminal illnesses, and generally stuff way too over the top for me. Will do recon but as it looks now probably a pass for me.

Crusader: I missed the boat on the live action one, might as well watch it since it is a rather infamous franchise. I did like my fair share of Korean Dramas so this shit is like the smell of cordite to me anyways. I anticipate much weeping and DORAMA.

Possible bloggers: Crusader

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Kuuchuu Buranko

Details
Website: http://www.kuchu-buranko.com/
Japanese Air Date: October
Animation Company: Toei (Monoke, One Piece)

Summary
Adaptation of Hideo Okuda’s Kuuchuu Buranko (Trapeze) short story collection.

The collection is Okuda’s second book featuring the psychiatrist protagonist Ichirō Irabu and his various patients — the title refers to the first story about a circus artist who can no longer perform. In modern Japan, people visit “doctors of neurology,” rather than therapists. Dr. Irabu is an eccentric neurologist with an injection fetish, an Oedipus complex and a green Porsche, known for making patients much worse before they get better.

Thoughts
Calawain: There’s always a couple of really strange shows each season technically qualifying as “anime” and I debate with myself on whether or not I should include them in the preview. This time I said, “hey why not?” But this is definitely a strange one.

Executive Otaku: Strange enough to get my attention. Will give it the three episode test and decide then.

Crusader: Odd enough to warrant recon in force I suppose. I did like Monnoke despite it being largely bypassed by the main stream viewership, if the excellent story telling is there the odd art style won’t matter as much.

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Asura Cryin’ 2

Details
Website: http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/asura/
Japanese Air Date: October
Animation Company: Seven Arcs (Nanoha, Inukami)
Seiyuu: Miyu Irino, Ai Nonaka, Haruka Tomatsu, Rie Tanaka

Summary
Second season of the adaptation of Gakuto Mikumo’s light novels.

Tomoharu is a normal high school student… except for he’s not alone. Haunted by the ghost of his dead childhood best friend, he moves into a new home in time for the new school year. That becomes a little more difficult than anticipated when his house becomes overrun with various female occult users. Even worse than that he has been pulled into a fight to protect a trunk within the house that others want to steal.

Thoughts
Calawain: This was one of those shows that illustrates the occasional difficulty in finding accurate preview info, because this show was not at all like what I imagined it to be. Thankfully it was even better that my preconceptions, and I was treated to flaming hau haus, mechas, ghost girls, and sexy cyborgs. Definitely a fun show to watch, even if most of the exposition material made absolutely no sense. And Seven Arcs knows their way around bishoujos and action, so it shouldn’t dissapoint.

Executive Otaku: I watched the first 5 episodes of the first season, didn’t hold my interest though. I make no claim on this show.

Crusader: Calawain has got this. Didn’t get into it during the first season.

Possible Bloggers: Calawain

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Darker Than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini

Details
Website: http://www.d-black.net/
Japanese Air Date: October
Animation Company: Bones (Eureka 7, Fullmetal Alchemist)
Seiyuu: Hidenobu Kiuchi, Kana Hanazawa, Misato Fukuen, Nana Mizuki
Available Trailers: Trailer 1 (embedded bottom left)

Summary
Second season of the Bones original created by Tensai Okamura.

Hei and Yin are now on the run after betraying the Syndicate in the previous season. After leaving Japan, Hei encounters Suou Pavlichenko, a 13 year old Eurasian girl who becomes embroiled in the war and politics of the various factions and Contractors vying for power. Meanwhile, Hell’s Gate remains standing in Tokyo, after Hei’s efforts to stop the Saturn Ring anti-Gate particle weapon from activating. Although Contractors are safe from the danger of having their existences erased, this does not prevent new and old Contractors from abusing their powers. As Misaki Kirihara and her team in the Public Security Bureau deal with the increasing Contractor cases, she also has to keep the Syndicate at bay, who has major positions in the Japanese police and intelligence bureaus around the world.

Thoughts
Calawain: This is probably the biggest deal for western fans, and you can count me as a member of that group. Bones has a great record with original shows, providing a good storyline, fascinating characters, and quality animation. Also, my favorite lolis are deadpan lolis.

Executive Otaku: YES YES OH GOD YES! The first season was one of the best things I’ve seen in some time. The large but still well developed cast, the stories, the pacing, it was so well done.

Crusader: Fuck I missed this boat, will try and catch up but I will let these two have their fun.

Possible bloggers: Calawain, Executive Otaku

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Inuyasha- The Final Act

Details
Website: http://www.sunrise-inc.co.jp/yasya-kanketsu/
Japanese Air Date: October
Animation Company: Sunrise (Gundam, Cowboy Bebop)
Seiyuu: Houko Kuwashima, Kappei Yamaguchi, Kouji Tsujitani, Kumiko Watanabe, Satsuki Yukino

Summary
Sequel to the adaptation of Rumiko Takahashi’s manga.

Higurashi Kagome, after being pulled down a well by a demon, finds herself in Feudal Japan, where she learns that a powerful jewel has been reborn inside her body. After the jewel shatters in an attempt to retrieve it from one of the many demons who was after its power, Kagome must join forces with the half-demon Inu Yasha (also after the jewel’s power) to track down the shards of the jewel before its power falls into the wrong hands.

Thoughts
Calawain: The many ways in which this anime/manga is horrid would fill a page, yet it gets another set of episodes after a run of 150+ while so many true gems toil unfinished. I guess that’s the power of fangirl legions.

Executive Otaku: I actually really liked Inuyasha. I’m almost afraid to say so for fear of being associated with ‘those’ Inuyasha fans, but while it wasn’t the best series ever it’s pretty good and I enjoyed watching it. I may be interested in blogging this.

Crusader: I fucking loved this shit despite there being fillers out the ass. Even after 167 odd eps and four movies I still come back for more. I am crazy enough to attempt to try and keep up with this and it will be nice to see Sunrise do something non-mecha.

Possible bloggers:Executive Otaku, Crusader

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Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Details
Japanese Air Date: October
Animation Company: Future Planet Co., Beijing Glorious Animation Co.

Summary
A joint Chinese-Japanese adaptation of the classic novel depicting the tumultuous warring period of second-century China and the political intrigue between the different factions. Sorry about the lack of additional information, but those commies are pretty good at keeping it close to the vest.

Thoughts
Calawain: I could care less about anything Three Kingdoms, but the Chinese studio in on this is called Beijing Glorious Animation Co. That is so communist, I love it. I almost fell out of my chair when I first read it. It should come as no surprise that it’s a subsidiary of a state-owned broadcaster.

Executive Otaku: Beijing Glorio….HAHAHA…ok, Beijing Glorious Animation Co. AHAHAHAHA. *phew* Now that that’s out of the way, I will do recon but unless it’s really great I’m not likely to blog it.

Crusader: Oh shit commies are going to make propaganda, shit is going to be awesomely bad like those shit plays from the Cultural Revolution.  I am expecting ballet dancing soldiers with little red books and fabulous red banners. Chairman Cao and little red books in Wei is imminent.

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To Aru Kagaku no Railgun

Details
Website: http://www.project-railgun.net/
Japanese Air Date: October
Animation Company: JC Staff (Shakugan no Shana, Zero no Tsukaima)
Seiyuu: Rina Satou, Aki Toyosaki, Atsushi Abe, Kanae Itou, Satomi Arai
Available Trailers: Trailer 1 (embedded bottom left)

Summary
Adaptation of To Aru Kagaku no Railgun (A Certain Scientific Railgun), Motoi Fuyukawa’s manga spinoff of Kazuma Kamachi’s To Aru Majutsu no Index (A Certain Magic Index) light novels.

In a world where science clarifies supernatural powers. In a huge college that has power development in its curriculum. To a resident high school student, Kamijou Touma, a pure white sister appears. She calls herself “Index” and says that sorcerers are chasing her. Thus, Kamijou Touma enters the world of the occult.

The spinoff focuses on Mikoto Misaka, one of the Level 5 psychics in the To Aru Majutsu no Index light novels.

Thoughts
Calawain: One of the few spinoffs that actually focuses on by far the best character in the show (Biribiri). The original Index was certainly entertaining (if you forget the silly exposition and how it often took Touma 5 minutes to cross a room during a fight), and this spinoff focuses on a delicious tsundere and her teleporting lesbian roommate who constantly tries to jump her bones. I approve of this show.

Executive Otaku: Not really my thing.

Crusader: I heard something about a teleporting and a girl trying to jump another girl for some yuri lurvin. That is all I need to know and that is all I care about. FUCK YEAH YURI!

Possible Bloggers: Calawain, Crusader

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Seitokai no Ichizon

Details
Website: http://anime.webnt.jp/seitokai/index.html
Japanese Air Date: October
Animation Company: Studio DEEN (Fate/stay night, Umineko no Naku Koro ni)
Seiyuu: Mariko Honda, Takashi Kondo
Available Trailers: Trailer 1

Summary
Adaptation of Sekina Aoi’s Seitokai no Ichizon (Student Council’s Discretion) light novels.

The series, revolves around a private high school whose student council is chosen entirely by popularity vote. Because of this, Ken Sugisaki is the only male representative, in the otherwise all bishoujo student council, that may enter the “sacred sanctuary” of the council’s meeting room. At the behest of Council President Kurimu Sakurano, Sugisaki records the minutes of the council meetings, which devolve into daily conversations about the students’ lives and interests.

Thoughts
Calawain: This kind of reminds me of a new 4-koma, Seitokai Yakuin-domo, but I don’t think this one is going to aim for deadpan humor and dirty puns. All of the female seiyuu listed are basically brand new, but Studio DEEN usually does a halfway decent job of things, and they brought in the fellow who directed Strawberry Marshmallow. I’ll dabble for the cute bishoujos.

Executive Otaku: Hmm, tough to say from the premise, but my instincts tell me it’s not my kind of show. Will try the first episode though.

Crusader: Student councils…pfffffffttt. Unless one of them turns out to be a Sulla this probably won’t pique my interests.

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Kiddy Girl-and

Details
Website: http://www.kiddygrade.com/
Japanese Air Date: October
Animation Company: Satelight (Macross Frontier, Shugo Chara)

Summary
Spinoff of Kiddy Grade, created by gímik and Gonzo.

ES members Éclair and Lumière once were involved in a battle to decide the fate of the galaxy. They prevailed and peace was restored to the galaxy. Now, 50 years later, the galaxy once again stands on the brink of chaos. This conflict will see the dawn of two new heroines; Ascoeur and Q-feuille.

Thoughts
Calawain: Those sexy character designs reminded me that I always meant to watch the original series but never got around to it. Silly naming sense aside, it sounds somewhat interesting. Satelight is pretty busy this season, hope we don’t see a corresponding drop in quality.

Executive Otaku: I’ll have to decline.

Crusader: I actually watched Kiddy Grade and found it to be passable…since I have shit taste I might as well do recon on this. It’s Satelight so I expect a bit of wobbliness in the animation though if they do have a few good dog fights I will be thoroughly impressed.

Possible Bloggers: Crusader

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White Album Final

Details
Website: http://www.whitealbum-tv.com/top.htm
Japanese Air Date: October
Animation Company: Seven Arcs (Asura Cryin’, Nanoha)
Seiyuu: Aya Hirano, Nana Mizuki, Tomoaki Maeno

Summary
Second season of the adaptation of the Leaf eroge.

The White Album game centers around Touya Fujii, a college student dating a rising idol singer named Yuki Morikawa. The game deals with the challenges to the couple’s relationship from the other people at Fujī’s college, Morikawa’s work, and elsewhere.

Thoughts
Calawain: An exceedingly silly premise, even for an eroge. Nana Mizuki and Seven Arcs can’t save this atrocious show. I’ll stick to my other Seven Arcs shows, thank you very much.

Executive Otaku: I would enjoy seeing Crusader rip into this second season too much to even think of blogging it.

Crusader: I actually need to make a post on the last ep of the last season…It will get done in good time but how can I say no to shitty Harem Animu with such a loser like Touya. Here is hoping the Haruka puppy pounds on his door like a lost dog and the girls, with the exception of Rina,  embarrass themselves for my sadistic amusement.

Possible Bloggers: Crusader

After 3 rather uninspiring episodes of Sighs, episode four brings us rage, drunken escapades, near fisticuffs, and of course, a stunning Tsuruya. All good stuff, even if it’s not Disappearance. The inspiration for this post was mostly the Kyon rage.

Yuki is very handy to have around for your everyday breaking and entering.

We at T.H.A.T. have dearly missed our namesake and her wonderful fang-tan laugh. Glad she gets some decent screentime in this episode, but it’s too bad we will probably not see the best parts of the story concerning her from later in the novel series.

Wonderful instincts Kyon.

I don’t find Mikuru particularly appealing due to her retarded personality, but I don’t blame Kyon for getting all hot and bothered over seeing her in that outfit. Mmmmmm~

Talk about a low tolerance for alcohol.

They had pretty good music playing in the background that definitely enhanced the rage I was feeling at Haruhi’s retarded antics. Very appropriate dramatic piano work.

Like I said, I don’t really like Mikuru’s character, the whole completely helpless, clumsy, and retarded moeblob stuff doesn’t do it for me. However, anyone should feel sorry for her and angry at Haruhi for the horrible treatment she receives at her hands.

Whoa, serious-face Fabulous Boy.

Angry-face Haruhi is definitely pretty scary, especially knowing she could destroy the world. I give Kyon major man points for finally having the balls to stand up to that. As much as many of us would like to see Kyon rage and actually hit her or stop playing along with her crap, there really wouldn’t be a show without it. So, we will just have to be satisfied with the fact that he finally let off some steam and was right about to throw down.

This scene was definitely the most emotionally charged scene in the series as a whole, and one that I wasn’t really expecting. I read the books quite awhile ago, but even so, it’s a much different feeling watching it come to life (or animation) compared to reading it.

For a bit more philosophy, consider that every living being has the instincts for self-preservation. So regardless of whether the world is a failure, those living in it would want to preserve it, and thus their own lives. DEEP, RIGHT?

Well that’s more like it, Fabulous Boy.

I suppose it was kind of cute at the end when she was thinking about the Kyon-arousing ponytails.

What’s ultimately pathetic about this second season of Haruhi is that it consists of one good new episode (Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody), the Endless Eight fiasco, and now just Sighs (one of the weakest arcs in the novels). So in 14 episodes we get one new episode, 8 episodes of trash, and 5 episodes of “The Making Of The Adventures of Mikuru Asahina Episode 00,” which doesn’t feel new at all since we’ve already seen the other side of most of these scenes. Rather disappointing if you ask me.

Crusader’s Ninja Edit for the Ultra Gorgeous Tsuru-chan

Tsuru-chan prefers to use her own body heat to dry off Mikuru…

You can size her and everything Tsuru-chan, I assume this will be done privately…

LET”S GET FRIENDLY…

I can’t help but think this was Tsuru-chan’s plan all along, and elaborate ploy to get Mikuru over for a slumber party…

It seems to be quite a coincidence that Tsuru-chan agreed to toss Mikuru with no towel while her home is just right there with the full knowledge that Mikuru would leap right into her arms…but I don’t trust coincidences.

I wonder what Tsuru-chan was thinking through all this…

Serious Tsuruya.

Tsuru-chan is most delighted that she now has a drunk Mikuru all to herself and the perfect excuse to clear her house of people who would get in the way. Night of Tsuruya and Mikuru that goes on forever and ever CONFIRMED. MISSION COMPLETE.

Well I was somewhat unimpressed with the conclusion to the past arc of sorts. The combat was a bit boring, although it was nice to see Misa doing some herself. But the combat wasn’t particularly interesting, just throwing swords around and making blue ball barriers. Also, large chunks of the fight sequence were lifted from the first episode, although the animation quality was passable.

Overall, the time traveling arc made little sense, and dragged on a bit too long. We’ve gone through half the show’s episodes and have barely scratched some of the other characters like Misa and Kaho. Misa is around a lot, but there’s been a distinct lack of related back story. There doesn’t seem to be any overarching storyline or premise to the show. I guess you can say it’s the adventures of Koyomi learning how to be a mage, but she seems pretty much at the same level she was at the start. Perhaps next week’s lost cat and magical item hunting will improve upon things.

Post is a bit late but I had to gush about the awesomeness that was Sunday’s episode of Saki and I went to a Yankees game last night. Episode wasn’t exactly exciting either, more like a set-up for next week.

I was thinking of making some Mikuru jokes here, but it just makes me aggravated every time I think about that show.

Awww, I was hoping for a throw-down, but he just withdrew. How anti-climactic.

Back in the present, with ghost men crapping on the can?! Ah I’m so confused!

So it’s not time traveling but it’s looking into the past? What, like the holodeck? Maybe I would be able to more clearly understand if I wasn’t drawn to the right side of this scene. Well, I probably still wouldn’t quite get it.

Ah they don’t miss an opportunity. Two thumbs up for the gust of wind.

The holodeck safety protocols are broken?! The plot premise to countless Star Trek episodes! Or maybe they are aiming more like The Matrix?

Here’s to small victories.

What the hell? Presidents and elephants? I suppose that’s her grandfather or something.

I was looking forward to some action this week, but instead we got a set-up episode for next week’s action. Can’t all be winners I guess. So lets hope that next week the battle goes down. Wish I had more to say, but I lack the inspiration.

Oh yeah, I was so pumped for this episode to air and it totally delivered. Edge of your seat comeback victory with my love, my anger, and all of my sorrow! Plus Saki uses her Nanoha friend beam on Koromo and the last scenes are full of yuri blushing and hand holding. This show is glorious.

Scary!

Cute, but definitely not going to happen.

Sorry, not happening for you either.

Kinky

Friend flag initiated. Saki has let loose with a full blast Nanoha lesbian friend beam. I always find it amusing when bitter enemies become best friends in anime and manga. It’s rather unrealstic and childish at times, but I at least find it somewhat more feasible in sports/competition stories rather than in battle shows where they were trying to kill one another.

The first kan draw.

This is the first time I can recall a really detailed shot of the glasses girl’s face. She’s pretty cute.

Second kan draw, getting serious up in here!

The music and sound effects for the winning scene in this episode were so over-the-top awesome. It really helped hold you to the edge of your seat as well as sell the over-dramatic nature of their version of a table-top game you play with tiles. I admit it’s no NFL Films video, but it was certainly exciting.

Third kan draw and reactionface.jpg

I actually found this smiling Saki in space sequence to be really creepy.

Dominated

T_T

It was predictable that Saki was going to win, else the manga would end, but nonetheless I found it really exciting to watch. I covered many of the reasons why I love this show in my previous post on Saki, but this episode was definitely the best in the series so far. I love tournaments, and this was quite an epic finish whose atmosphere allowed you to get absorbed into it and forget about the silliness of four haitei raoyue or multiple chan-kans and rinshan kaihous.

Awww, they are all friends in the end, too bad Kana got slaughtered and has little chance of beating them in another context. I do feel kind of bad for her, trying to play against two godhax level players at the top of their game. Just wasn’t gonna happen for the catgirl.

OTP, right? It’s no coincidence that the primary “pairing” in Saki consumes a large part of mine and others Saki image collections. Of course mine is also littered with a healthy dosing of just Nodoka, being a boob man myself.

They all look pretty happy for just getting their hearts ripped out by a last second comeback~

The captain has quite a harem over at Kazekoshi.

Blushing hand holding and a quasi-confession! It’s getting hot up in here.

One last “wahaha” for the road.

Oh man what a glorious victory, but it’s not the end. A lot of people have been wondering what Gonzo is going to do about the last few episodes, since they finished the big tournament after 19 episodes. The manga is currently at chapter 52, which takes place in the middle of episode 19. However, they could have consulted the author as to what roughly was going to happen afterward.

Next week is a Kiyosumi swimsuit episode? Delicious. And they have 5 more episodes after the swimsuit one to do the individual prefectural tournament (which is what they magazine previews have indicated they will be doing). Whether that means 4 episodes of tournament and 1 episode of nationals prep, or all 5 episodes of tournament who knows. The individual tournament is a golden opportunity to mix and match awesomesauce match ups like Kyapten vs. Hisa and watching people quake in fear against Saki and Koromo. They might even let someone aside from Saki win the tournament, then she can come to the nationals and provide friend power support for the team tournament. Consider if Saki is about to go face her sister in the finals and she gets a pump-up from Koromo. Awesome stuff right there.

Thankfully they will not attempt to cram some sort of Gonzo made-up nationals and can leave that up for a hopeful second season in a couple of years when the manga has progressed. I see no reason why they won’t make a second season, the show is insanely popular right now. Just look at how the early rounds of this year’s Saimoe are turning into Sakimoe.

Well, it took 8 episodes but they finally finished wasting all of our time. I would have thought it impossible, but I actually skipped entirely watching episodes 15-18 (and everything but the last couple of minutes of 19). From what I gather from the sad souls that actually watched them, nothing happened. The fun part is going to see how their DVD sales end up, because according to Sankaku it looks like the 8 episodes of Endless Eight will be released as usual, in two episode packs retailing at ¥6,930 ($70 US) each. I’m sure there will be some sad sacks who will drop $280 on 8 episodes of the same crap.

The question then becomes how much we lose by having them wasting time on this. There are still about 5 novels worth of material unanimated, including some of the best parts like Disappearance and Snow Mountain Syndrome. Does the fact that they spent 8 episodes on this mean we don’t get to see one of them animated? Probably, something has to give. That is what disappoints me the most out of all of this.

A bit light on plot this week (i.e. close to none at all), but hey, it only took 4 episodes to get to the swimsuit episode. I like my light hearted fanservice comedies, so this all felt very familiar, and was a fun episode to watch. Reminded me a lot of episode 00, which also lacked plot and was mostly just fun. We’ve had 3 straight episodes of plot, so it was good timing on their part.

Mmmm, so maybe episode 1 did occur, or something?

Wow…and what’s with that hat?

Probably not, but we would appreciate it if you wore an appropriate swimsuit…like Misa’s.

That’s better, somewhat.

I would think there was some sort of law prohibiting this type of violence in public. Then again, the other day I also pondered whether there was a law against using magic to manipulate people’s minds. I think it’s the lawyer in me talking, and failing to suspend my disbelief when watching fantasy fiction.

Yumiko has a serious problem maintaining possession of her undergarments.

I remember when I was a kid going to waterparks in Palm Springs (when I lived in Southern California). It was definitely a blast riding on those gigantic water slides. They were a bit scary at first though.

I should resist making a comment here, but damn there’s a lot of yuri subtext this season. My yuri goggles have gotten quite steamy since April.

With only 12 episodes in this show, I only have a small hope of a Misa arc, but at least a Misa past episode would be nice. We’ve had lots of Yumiko’s past, and almost nothing on Kaho (not that I really care about Kaho so far, but things could change).

…

Well, she’s not really but without her we wouldn’t really have a show. Although I wouldn’t mind watching the comedy duo of Misa and Yumiko being the focus of the show instead.

Next week, finally the conclusion to episode 1 I hope. I see Santa Misa, loli Yumiko, and the creepy guy following them around. Let’s hope for some magic battles and explosions.

I’m covering for Crusader again, and I was supposed to do this much earlier in the week, but it ran into my preparations for the Bar Exam. My apologies. Well anyways, this show is getting a triple set of movies, which is hilarious for a 13 episode show. 13 episodes is somewhere between 4 and 4 and a half hours, so basically it’s just the TV series packaged into movies. How silly.

Cry me a river sugoi girl, she saved your life (multiple times). Ungrateful wench! At least her little emo fit didn’t last for multiple episodes. She is one of the primary reasons I’m having trouble fully enjoying this show. She apparently exists to show that Canaan isn’t a monster, but that she has humanity left in her, and that she’s just a normal girl inside. However, instead of subtle suggestions and stories across several episodes, we get repeatedly bludgeoned with this fact by way of this maddening girl.

Blushing?! Tsundere?! Damn Nasu!

THE BEST CHARACTER IN THE SHOW. Man, we need a separate series just for this badass man where he solves the problems of passengers he picks up through badassery and pop idol driving. The only movie I’ve seen totally focused on a taxi driver was a pretty awesome movie. A tale of murder, 12 year old prostitutes, politics, and the famous line “You talkin’ to me? Then who the hell else are you talkin’ to? You talkin’ to me? Well I’m the only one here. Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?”

Hoho. There are way too many characters in this show for me to keep up with them all at this point, but am I wrong in possibly connecting this to Canaan’s village? The cosplay fetishist fellow certainly looks old enough. But unfortunately I’m finding it more and more difficult to care about the backstories for fear that they will be unpleasantly predictable and cliche.

Hello there.

Yes, yes she is. I do like tough girls who can tell it like it is. She is a bit of a softie though, befriending such an irritating and excessively retarded girl.

My facial expression exactly.

Uh, it’s kinda getting hot in here.

Sigh, what is she, a cheap Bond villain? Austin Powers the anime? When I heard Canaan and Alphard were going to fight it out I was looking forward to a knock-down, drag out fight between two sexy ladies. But in the end it was rather anticlamactic, and frankly, lame. We ended up getting a one-sided fight with too much talking in it and a cheesy ending. Boo.

I really want to uninhibitedly love this show, but I can’t seem to do it. I should be excited over all of the yuri subtext that Crusader and I usually eat up, but the rest of the show makes it rather difficult. What started out as an intriguing idea has come across as less than unique, feeling like somewhere I’ve seen this all before. Nasu’s worldview is interesting, but he struggles at times to make each one distinguished. I don’t really want to be pandered to in this type of show.

What’s unfortunate about watching this on Crunchyroll is that I can’t really do screenshots to do a blog post. However, that’s not to say that I don’t really enjoy being able to watch it simulcast along with several other shows for rather cheap (and the encoding on the version I found to download this week’s episode is rather…bad). Laziness and impatience trump 7 bucks per month it seems.

This show is not exactly shy about the fanservice, whether it be panties or a classic transformation scene. It’s good to see the lovely Yumiko back in action and of consenting age. Loli is good for some, but I prefer the busty version. And as many loyal readers know, I am all for appropriate and well-done fanservice.

Yumiko’s breasts are certain to change a bad day into a good one.

Didn’t they meet in the past? Shouldn’t Yumiko remember her? I have a Star Trek degree in fictional time travel physics, and I’m pretty sure she should be able to remember her. The continuity problems have settled down somewhat with now two episodes in a row chronologically, but I still see some issues here. Perhaps they will be explained later, but I’m not holding my breath.

Whoa, this took a turn toward tentacles rather quickly.

This show certainly has a thing for panties. And poor Yumiko can’t seem to hold onto her shimapan. I was hoping for another helpful gust of wind this episode, but I guess that is confined only to loli mode Yumiko.

You know, when I was 15 none of the chicks in my classes had a rack like that. Then again, this is anime, where age is relative. Not that I’m complaining, but it’s amusing to note.

Oh man what a view.

Boing

I like a show with a continuing sense of humor.

Next week, beach episode. Delicious. I was pretty impressed this week if only for the nearly 24 minutes of actual show, a full couple of minutes longer than you see in most shows these days. I also enjoyed the rather constant and decent animation quality that they’ve been able to maintain since the very beginning. Again, it’s no Sunrise, but I at least appreciate them not dumping their budget on the first episode and letting the rest go to crap.

A rather unexciting episode compared to all of the action we saw last week. Still, it continues to look promising as long as we don’t have many long introduction episodes where not much happens like this one. Here’s to hoping there’s more Yumiko next week.

All of these time skips are making me dizzy. Didn’t we end on a cliffhanger from the past last episode? And now we are back in the halfway past? I am confused. This would have been a much more appropriate episode 1 introduction.

Looks like she’s ready to throw down with those Akiba punks!

Be careful you don’t zap yourself there bud.

It’s actually rather disturbing, using a program to mess with people’s minds. Kind of reminds me of Chaos;Head.

Oh man, I did laugh here, even though I knew the washbin thing was coming. I mean they made it so dramatic, she wants to improve herself with magic, and a bad guy takes her hostage, now let me use my magic to blow him away! Washbin! Quite a hilarious anti-climactic event.

3 buttons? That’s pretty useless.

This episode lacked Yumiko, but it had a lot of Misa, who is pretty delicious. Still, I miss the hot-blooded mage, hopefully we get to see the conclusion of last week’s action soon. The post-preview section of the episode said we won’t see a conclusion to that next week, but will instead get to see how Yumiko and Koyomi met (in the present). I guess that’s acceptable for now.