I hadn’t really heard of Magical Pokan as a new Spring anime, but once I saw some screenshots posted on Matthew’s blog, I wanted to see this anime for myself! Froth-Bite did a sub of it, so here’s my review!
Category: Anime
Reviews and previews
Himwari! is the sole new ninja anime of the season (I think); as such, I was really looking forward to it! Finally, someone actually subbed the first episode! So did the first episode live up to my strict ninja anime expectations?
I saw this on krunk4ever and had to share it. I dunno if this is a recent thing or what, but this gif shows what appears to be Naruto heavily lifting some animation cues from a scene in Cowboy Bebop. Looks pretty incriminating to me. Perhaps the animation guys who did Cowboy Bebop were also on the Naruto team and this is just coincidence…
For more fun with plagiarism, check out the Slam Dunk incident that happened a while back.
Categories
Anime Fanservice – A Double Standard?
Easter Fanservice
While checking out some reviews on some of the new season’s anime, I noticed some conflicting opinions on fanservice. For those not in the know, fanservice generally refers to gratuitous scenes that are only there to please the (mostly male) fans. This includes shower scenes, panty shots, and, in entire episode form, the anime beach episode.
Air Gear is the “other” big shounen anime out this season. With intellectual plot points involving engine-powered rollerskates, does this anime break the shounen mold?
The .hack anime series and I have always been on pretty rough terms. Back when .hack//SIGN was released, I started watching it, but grew tired of the slow and confusing plot. I dropped it after a few episodes. When .hack//DUSK came out, I liked the new art style (chibi), but the plot was still pretty dumb. I saw it through thanks to Round Table’s awesome OP! So how does .hack//ROOTS fare?
In my Spring anime preview, I figured that the Joshikosei anime would be sorta like a mature version of Azumanga Daioh. I guess it all depends on what your idea of “mature” is…
Admittedly, I didn’t know much about Simoun before I watched it. The cryptic animenfo description led me to believe this was just another “all female pilot” anime. Doesn’t anyone find it weird that high school age (and younger) girls are found to be the most fit to pilot war machines? Anyway, here’s what I thought of the first episode of Simoun:
I reviewed the first chaper of the Ouran High School Host Club manga a while back, so I was already familiar with the story. Back then, I gave the manga an above average score for the cool character designs. So how does the anime version of Ouran High School Host Club do?
Man, I have no time anymore! What with me getting ready for school, putting on shoes, and having toast in my mouth all the time like a good student…
Here’s a few quick impressions on the anime I’ve watched so far this season, and I’ll put full things when I have time:
Gakuen Heaven:
This is a really gay show. Not that there’s anything wrong with that… Actually, the show is just bad. Forget the whole premise. Replace the guys with girls, and the show would still be bad to me. On second thought… I did like Strawberry Panic…
Utawarerumono:
This show has a masked amnesiac guy stuck in a villiage in peril. And a cute cute dog-eared girl! The animation looks really good (dog girl is really really cute!) so I might keep watching this. I noticed some totally inappropriate CG right at the end for the wolf. I have no idea why they put that in. OP and ED sound pretty good.
NANA:
This one is pretty cool looking. Punk Nana is cool, and other Nana is cute! With their powers combined, they form Captain N(ana)! The animation is cool, especially when Nana gets SDified. I’ll keep watching this anime.
Air Gear:
I’m split on this anime. On one hand, the characters look really cool (the girl ones). Meganekko is especially cute! On the other hand, it’s just so stupid! The dialogue is dumb, and the premise is also just mind numbing! But pretty girls! Really, I’m torn here like Natalie Imbruglia
Ouran Host Club:
This is an awesome anime. Perhaps the anime of the season. The characters are interesting; the animation looks great. They really did a good job adapting this anime from the manga. I like this show a lot. I might just buy the manga too. And yeah, it’s labeled shoujo, but I think it’s an “anyone” anime.
Disgaea:
Hmm… I dunno. I’m kinda scared that the story has been totally changed from the game (and the promo!). Still, the characters are nice and chibi, and the voicework was good. I’ll keep watching this anime anyway, since I’m a major fanboy.
xxxHOLiC:
This one looks really cool too. I think the characters are suffering from super long extremities (not THAT extremity; arms and legs!), but other than that, they look good. The premise is pretty wacky, but already I’m interested in the story. Hopefully the anime doesn’t become all about the little black rabbit thing. In other news, does every anime NEED to have a lesbian vibe? I think so!