Review of 2009 Anime Part 3 ~Spring~

Spring held quite a big batch of anime that started up and I didn't get around to watching the majority of them till fall because I was quite busy with well... life. There were only three direct sequels to other anime and I was lucky to have watched two out of three. Sorry Hayate the Combat Butler!! you'll be watched at a later date.

There are 7 shows that started that I didn't watch. All within my rules but Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-Hen perhaps. I have no excuse for not picking this up other than I simply forgot about it. But to be fair it probably would be better if I watched the Mazinger Z series before this one but I could totally be wrong about that and it wouldn't matter at all. Dragon Ball Kai (still airing) I didn't have the heart to start up as frankly I don't want to really intrude on the memories I had while watching the original as a kid. It probably would be better marathoned anyway so I'll wait till it's completed to decide if I want to pick it up or not.

Two shows I just plain couldn't watch because no one picked them up. Gokujou!! Mecha Mote Iinchou (still airing) some episodes are floating around out there but not enough for me to really bother with. Souten Kouro is one I REALLY wish someone would finish. There are 12 episodes out there but I really don't want to start them as I feel I'm going to love this show and having only 12 of the episodes will drive me crazy. There are too many other anime out there that I had started but ended up being dropped and no one picked it up ever again or the episodes come out at a really slow pace. I'd really rather just wait and get it as it comes out and watch it all in one swoop.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (still airing) is the big one that everyone is talking about from Spring. (Aside from the moe blob K-On!) It was the only anime I picked up and followed since it started airing from spring. I'm still not sure how I feel about it because it took me 19 episodes before I really started to get into it. I've been trying to leave behind the fondness of the first series alone and look at this new one with fresh eyes but it has been quite difficult to do so. I have been enjoying it quite a lot though despite my confusion. I'll save judgment till it finishes.

right... lol

Other ones that are still airing are, Higepiyo, the cute random adventures about a boy and his... bearded chick. lol Quite hilarious at times and very entertaining at 5 minute episodes. Hanasakeru Seishounen is about a girl whose father made a game out of which man she will marry, sounded ok at first but suddenly it takes a very VERY political stand and almost ignores this first plot. And then there's Cross Game... It's about baseball... enough said, bleh.

Slice of Life at it's best!

Best show for spring for me, (not counting still airing) would be Ristorante Paradiso. Slice of life with a food theme. It is a very adult feeling anime with the tones of the drama and even the animation. I loved all the characters and enjoyed seeing the interactions. Some of the situations that occurred were quite nail biting and made me watch every single episode in a row even though I knew I should have went to bed. (thank goodness it was only 11 eps.) There really isn't enough good things I can say about this anime.

Worst show for spring for me, would be Slap Up Party: Arad Senki. I don't even know where to start with this one. Firstly I suppose I don't blame the only sub group that was doing it just kinda stopped. Oddly enough some other group picked it up recently and I'm STILL watching this show even though I hate it so much... Gluten for punishment.. or perhaps just want to see this goal of mine through. You can decide. Just don't watch this anime.

Here’s my big list of Best to Worst shows of spring 2009:

1. Ristorante Paradiso 10/10
2. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (still airing) 9/10
3. Shangri-La 9/10
4. Eden of the East 9/10
5. Guin Saga 9/10
6. Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~ 8/10
7. Sengoku Basara 8/10
8. Pandora Hearts 8/10
9. Queen's Blade: Rurou no Senshi 4/10
10. Natsu no Arashi! 8/10
11. Higepiyo (still airing) 7/10
12. Hatsukoi Limited 7/10
13. 07-Ghost7/10
14. Basquash! 6/10
15. Valkyria Chronicles 6/10
16. Saki 6/10
17. Tears to Tiara 5/10
18. Asura Cryin' 4/10
19. Hanasakeru Seishounen (still airing) 5/10
20. K-On! 4/10
21. Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica Crimson S 4/10
22. Cross Game (still airing) 5/10
23. Tayutama -Kiss on my Deity- 2/10
24. Slap Up Party: Arad Senki 1/10

Surprise enjoyment: Natsu no Arashi! I went into this show thinking it would be just like Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. In a way it kinda is but without all the "despair" and much more hilarious IMO. How can you go wrong with time travel!

Surprise fail: Saki. I for some reason was expecting a lot more than what I got. I suppose Hikaru no Go set the bar too high. And since I'm not a moe chaser, it held no interest for me. Sure there were intense scenes where the pieces were put down in an exciting dramatic way, but there was too much down time and the all girl cast didn't appeal to me at all even though I tried really hard to like them.

Guilty pleasure: Queen's Blade: Rurou no Senshi. Boobies. A lot of em. Fighting each other and they loose their clothing.... Hilarious and entertaining. Just don't watch it expecting an awesome plot... because in all honesty, it's just boobs you'll get.

just wtf

Honorable mentions: Guin Saga. I'm not sure why people don't like this anime more. It's pretty epic and has a dude with a leopard head! What's not to like! Think 12 Kingdoms epic! My only beef with it is that it should be longer. I hope more gets made. Shangri-La. Everyone seems to have a hate on for this anime because of how confusing it was. I didn't think it was confusing at all to be honest. Sure it was a little jumbled at times and did some wacky things, but overall it was a very very good watch. Basquash!. Still not sure what to make of this one. The ecchi mixed with the weirdness of the characters and mecha basketball... I think someone was like "HEY guys! Lets add as many genres in one anime as we can and see what happens, k?" From music, to space, to romance. This anime had it all.

Fall 2009 First Impressions

I've decided to watch everything since fall tends to be the best season to see awesome stuff in the anime world so I've noticed. Here's what I've watched so far and a small blurb on my first feelings of each series. I'm slowly catching up with everything so some stuff is missing as I haven't gotten around to them yet.

11eyes (based on 1 ep)

It's ok so far. It caught my attention. A tad cliche but whatever. If it proves to go somewhere interesting it could be good.

Aoi Bungaku (based on 1 ep)

This series interests me. I still have no idea what it's about or anything like that but it looks very promising.

Asura Cryin' 2 (based on 2 eps)

Meh I didn't overly enjoy S1 and S2 is proving to be nothing special as well.

Fairy Tail (based on 1 ep)

Very fun. Will be interested to see where it will go. I like the characters a lot.

Inuyasha: The Final Act (based on 3 eps)

It's moving along a hell of a lot faster plot wise than the first series ever did. Good to see fans of the show finally getting an ending.

Kampfer (based on 3 eps)

This show is shit. I should drop it.... We'll see...

Kimi ni Todoke (based on 2 eps)

I've found a mushy school/drama/romance show that i like! shocking! About time for another one to shine through the crap.

Kobato (based on 2 eps)

Bleh I don't get it..... Although seeing the Wish bunny at the halfway point makes me smile. CLAMP is quite interesting with their character cameo's.

Kuchu Buranko/Trapeze (based on 1 ep)

WTFWTFWTFWTFWTF?!?!?! No it's not the weird art that bothers me... I'm generally all for artsy farsty shit but this show... I don't even know what the hell it's about. I just felt like they were shoving odd visuals/characters down my throat for 20 mins...

Letter Bee (based on 2 eps)

SO PRETTY!!! The plot is pretty decent too. I saw the ova to this a year or so ago and wondered when they were going to make an actual series to it. glad I didn't have to wait long.

Nyan Koi! (based on 3 eps)

Guilty pleasure anime of the season so far. It's so typical but I guess if you add cats to almost anything I'm bound to like it.

Queen's Blade: Gyokuza wo Tsugumono (based on 4 eps)

Yup living up to S1. LOL BOOBIES!

Sacred Blacksmith (based on 2 eps)

I don't even remember what this show is about right now... I remember swords and a chick... Hopefully it'll get less forgettable.

Sasameki Koto (based on 2 eps)

Yuri at a nice boring pace... Is it so hard to ask that someone actually makes an interesting yuri based anime that doesn't totally blow???

Shin Koihime Musou (based on 1 ep)

My girls are back and just as awesome!! Can't wait to continue the journey watching my favourite black haired beauty.

Sora no Otoshimono (based on 3 eps)

All I have to say is wow... I generally don't like ecchi shows... And this one doesn't do anything special that we haven't all seen a million times over but... Episode 2.... If you don't bother watching anything else in the series.... You NEED to see ep 2... FLYING PANTSU. This episode goes into the list of awsome single eps from shows for me. Second guilty pleasure of the season.

Tentai Senshi Sunred 2 (based on 1 ep)

Picked up where they left off very nicely. Interesting humor and wacky characters. I will enjoy this as time goes on as S1 made me laugh quite a lot.

To Aru Kagaku no Railgun (based on 2 eps)

Meh I know it's an extra story revolving around one of the other characters but it isn't grabbing me and kinda sucks compaired to S1.

Yumeiro Patissiere (based on 2 eps)

I'm still on the fence with this one... It's too girly for me... But it's about food... I love food...

Miracle Train ~Ooedo-sen e Youkoso~ (based on 3 eps)

Men ride a train. Magical hot bishies and help women who need help. LOL