Reviews and previews
So continuing my very late first impressions of anime that are really far along already, I watched the first episode of Soul Eater. I actually told myself at one point that if I were to watch an anime from the Spring season, it’d be this one. It seemed to look the best of all of them.
After almost two years after the actual series premiered, I finally checked out the first episode of Code Geass. Yes, it took me that long. Tired of not getting all the jokes about Pizza Hut and wondering who CC is, who the hell the late Shirly is, etc, I finally just decided to watch the damn thing. Though I still haven’t gotten to the second episode…
Since I have no time to watch the new season of anime, and since Anime Nano has a kick-ass charts feature that no one writes about, I figured I’d gauge the success of the new shows by their chart status. Or something.
Actually, for the latest week, it looks like only a few of the new Summer shows are even represented. If you don’t count sequels. Strike Witches is apparently worthy because the girls don’t wear pants. That’s probably a cheap way of getting viewers, but whatever. Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu is probably up there because it follows the same title template as Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu.
Besides that, it looks like second (and third) seasons and continuations of past seasons’ shows are much more popular. This confirms the beliefs of many that the Summer season just isn’t that worthy.
Also, I saw a few episodes of that Akiba-chan on NicoNico. It sure is good for watching raw (I understood like, 80% of what was said) but it’s also really predictable and stupid. In one episode, Akiba-chan steals one of the other girl’s homework to copy it. In another, she tries to lose weight. I’d still watch it though, just to practice my raw watching skills, which are probably waning from non-use.
Just in case, I loaded that Nogizaka Haruka’s Secret and the Mahou Tsukai Important Stuff anime onto my iPhone. Also, from last season, Library War! I probably won’t be inclined to watch them any time soon, though. Sigh.
If you’re like me, you’re totally psyched about The Dark Knight. One way to relieve that Batman pressure building up in your body (besides watching Batman Begins over and over again) is to check out Batman: Gotham Knight. You know, that Batman anime? (Batmanime?)
Looks like a bunch of Summer anime are being released and subbed. Hey, is it time to consider which ones I’d watch? That is, if I actually watched anime anymore.
From Moetron’s seasonal list, what pops out at me is the sequel to Mahou Tsukai Taisetsu na Koto. I watched the original series way back when, and all I really remember was that I liked the ED theme by The Indigo. Oh, and CG dolphins or something.
I might watch Hidamari Sketch, but that would require me to watch past the third or so episode of the first series. Yes, Yoshinoya is hot, but hot enough?
There’s Chocolate Underground, which is basically like Library Wars but for chocolate instead of books. Why not make the prohibited object something that anime watchers can relate to? Like eroge or gunpla?
And there’s another season of Zero no Tsukaima. I never got past the second season. But I heard it’s raunchy… Something tells me I should abandon hope of finishing stalled series and just accumulate some new ones.
That’s basically all I’d care to see, if I were actually planning on watching anything. I still really want to check out that Akiba-chan thing, but it’s not even really anime. It’s figumation!
So I usually don’t like making a whole new post just to announce a new header, but this is different. You see, a long time ago, I wrote a comment on Sea Slugs! Anime Blog. And not just any comment; it was the 6,000th comment on SS!AB! As a prize, I could choose anything I wanted to be drawn!
Avoiding any requests that could implicate me later on, I chose to go for a drawing of Yotsuba from Yotsuba&! since the long-awaited 4th volume had finally come out. And 9 months later, a baby was born! 3 months later, I got a picture of Yotsuba grasping for a 1-up mushroom! I said I would use it for a header image, but I was way too lazy to change the Tenma one.
Until now! I took some liberties with the image and stuck it on my header. I think it looks really great! Part of me thinks Kabitzin is actually Azuma Kiyohiko in disguise! I tried to keep the signature in there, but I also wanted to give some credit where credit is due.
So yeah, credit for the awesome illustration goes to Kabitzin. Thanks, dude!
P.S. I pre-ordered this Yotsuba action figure from Revoltech, but it’s not gonna come out for a while. Which is too bad because it looks like a lot of fun!
While adding some Summer series to Anime Nano from Moetron’s seasonal list of awesomeness, I noticed this new “anime” called Akiba-chan. It’s slated for release in late July.
It’s basically a CG series using figures as the characters. Either that or it’s actually using stop-motion animation. I can’t really tell from the description. The process is called “Figumation” but I’m assuming it’d all be CG, kinda like that Hatsune Miku Nendoroid video.
Akiba-chan also looks like it’ll be a kid’s show. As I’ve learned from shows like Animal Yokocho, kid’s shows can be pretty entertaining (and easier to understand raw). Plus the figures just look really cute. It probably won’t get picked up, but if I can find some raws for Akiba-chan I might check out a few episodes to see what it’s all about.
That’s right! To promote a new license, they sent me this sweet, sweet lollipop. Yeah, “Save Me! Lollipop!” Wait, isn’t the original title “Mamotte! Lollipop?” “Mamotte” translates to protect, not “save.” Maybe if the original was called “Tasukete! Lollipop!” Anyway, I guess “Save Me! Lollipop” is more catchy of a title than “Protect Me! Lollipop!”
There’s been some criticism of Funimation’s license choice recently. I guess if they have money for ludicrous marketing payola (in the form of lollipops) they have money for ludicrous licenses. If you’re curious as to what the text is on the letter they sent, it’s the same as what ANN got.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some lollipop to eat.
I don’t think we’re in Oz anymore, Toto!
