As for the series I’m not going to blog:
– I have no idea what to write about Sunred on a weekly basis. Nevertheless, that Tempura-monster was hilarious.
– I have to give Yumeiro Patissiere credit: against all my expectations, the fairies did not give the lead character any powers whatsoever, and instead stressed the importance of hard work and preparation. Thumbs up. Nevertheless, the classmates are still a bit too stereotypical.
– Natsu no Arashi lost its subtlety in exchange for dull fanservice jokes. It can still get good but I don’t want to blog it while finding out.
– There are so many things wrong with Miracle Train that I don’t know where to start: ugly bishies, abysmal voice-acting, dull jokes, one-line background for each of the ladies, it’s already getting formulaic, every case gets solved with a dull monologue, pointless trivia, dialogue that’s just there to waste time. What the heck was Kenichi Kasai thinking?
– Sora no Otoshimono lost me when the panties started flying around.
– When blogging Basquash, I remember how I noted that something really weird had to happen for me to blog Shoji Kawamori’s next series. That did not happen, though such a cute and fluffy shoujo was probably the last thing I expected as his new series. And it’s pretty enjoyable so far in any case.
– Kobato is too one-dimensional: Kobato is just a moron who happens to be cute, her animal side-kick is just yet another subversion of the cute animal sidekick trope, then there are the stereotypical badass male tsundere, emo kid et cetera.
– Let me get back to 11Eyes when Winter Sonata airs. If that one turns out to suck, I’ll probably go for this one.
As for Kimi ni Todoke, well, you forced me all to blog it here. It’s an interesting choice, because I don’t think that I would have blogged this series on my own. I usually just leave shoujo romances like this for what they are, and this isn’t even one of the best ones. My problem with these types of shoujo series is that I’m still not able to determine whether they’re going to turn dull or not during their second half.
In terms of comedy, I’m hardly able to predict whether such a series will turn into a complete success as with Yamatso Nadeshiko Shichi Henge or Kodocha, or just a bore-fest like what happened to me with Ouran High School Host Club. For the serious series, how do you recognize whether a series is going to be awesome like with Bokura ga Ita, or just a complete disaster like with Vampire Knight from the first two episodes? The one time I actually tried blogging such a shoujo turned into a complete disaster: Shugo Chara descended into a filler-fest and still goes on three years later. While it’s nice on its own, I cringe at the thought of what would have happened if I didn’t decide to drop that series after 13 episodes…
Right now, Kimi ni Todoke isn’t the best, but also not the worst. At the moment it strikes me as a bit of a shallow emo version of Bokura ga Ita. The characters at the moment are a bit too exaggerated aside from the lead character: most of her classmates all are scared of her 100% of the time, her boyfriend is perfect without any flaws so far, so I really hope that the rest of the series is going to add a bit more depth to them. The lead character is off to a pretty nice start, however I do want to say that her constant chibi-version is really getting annoying right now.
I do have to praise the art. Especially the background art is absolutely beautiful, which is unsurprising considering the other shows the art director worked on: Eden of the East, Real Drive and Seirei no Moribito. Some of the backgrounds are probably filtered photographs, but they really work well along with this series’ unique art style. I think that right now, there are just too many series that go with a generic art style, instead of one with its own visual identity, and that really is a shame IMO.
Anyway, about the episode, I never knew that seat choosing was so serious business in Japan. I remember from the time when I was in high school, the only reason we had fixed seats was to give an easy time to the teacher, who had to remember all of our names. At the start of the year we’d usually just pick seats ourselves instead of having this strange lottery-thingy that the characters had in this episode.
Rating: (Enjoyable)
For me this is by the far best show this season… Dont know how you can say its “average”, its already better than Bokura Ga Ita was at the first episodes (and bokura ga ita is one of the best romance animes as we all know)
The question is, can it keep up?
Im think the “Sadako” thing is quite funny actually, I mean its not supposed to be realistic anyway, its just the comedic relief of the show, and I love her chibis too much to get annoyed 😛
So yeah, for me its perfect so far, exactly what I look for in romance animes
There are some anime I can say they are good even though I cannot bring myself to like them (e.g. Eden of the East, Bokura Ita) but this show is – can I be honest? – less than mediocre. I will watch the second episode too. Perhaps it changes my opinion, but the first episode was full of completley pointless dialouge, the characters look uninspired. I don’t get it what should be so special about a girl everyone is afraid of. I’m sure I have seen this concept somewhere before. The only romance series that I really found refreshing and different was Lovely Complex: very tall girl and short boy – that was something! Well… let’s see how this series turns out… I was looking forward to it because you were forced to blog it. I thought it must be great. I am disappointed – to say the least.
That’s indeed my problem: the entire concept of this show has been done before (minus the romance part) in one of the side-stories of Hyakko.
I wouldn’t put this show above Bokura ga Ita just yet. Bokura ga Ita was really one of the few eries which started out with really just a normal couple, rather than a bunch of exaggerated personalities like with this show and countless other shoujo series.
finally, someone who agrees that Kobato is a moron
Personally, I doubt Kimi ni Todoke is going to evolve into an interesting series, while Kabato (being a CLAMP series and all) is most certainly going to take a dark/freakish turn somewhere down the line.
Regardless of your opinions of the opening episodes of Kabato psgels, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out which series is going to end up paying off the most. =/
Houlgrave, that’s not true. There are Clamp titles that never became all that dark. Card Captor Sakura for instance. Also, there are plenty of Clamp titles that never pay off either, such as Rayearth or Tsubasa. So uh, it can really go either way.
Houlgrave, that’s not true. There are Clamp titles that never became all that dark. Card Captor Sakura for instance. Also, there are plenty of Clamp titles that never pay off either, such as Rayearth or Tsubasa. So uh, it can really go either way.
I expect Kimi ni Todoke to be the average shoujo. Not too bad, but not that good either. But I’m sure you’ll be able to extol all the good points about it, after all you DO have to blog it 😉
Perversely, I actually expect your enterprise to be more interesting than the shoujo itself, so I guess from time to time I’ll read to check how you are doing.
As for the anime, my worry is that as usual there is a moderately interesting concept at the start, but then the author quickly runs out of ideas without terminating the series, ending up in worthless generic shoujo drivel.
Dunno about the Rayearth anime, but the manga does have a turn for the dark with a plot twist at the end of the first story arc.
Oh yeah, Rayearth definitely has a good plot twist halfway through. I’ve only seen the anime also, so the plot may have been better paced there. But by the end of the anime I was pretty much ready to fall asleep. And I usually really enjoy CLAMP, too
No Psgel!!!! Not K-drama!!!!!!!! No!!!!!!!!! Once you go K-Drama, there is no turning back!!!!!!!!
yeah! I also noticed how beautiful the art is, maybe that’s the main reason why I’m going to continue watching. It’s kinda interesting too.
Hmm, now here I am surprised. I personally liked Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge – to a point. From there on, it only got pointless and boring. And that point came really soon. But then, I’ve only read the manga (didn’t like the art of the anime). However, I absolutely loved Ouran Kokou Host club (only wished they’d left it open for a second season, as the story was nowhere near finished at that point). Bokura ga Ita was quite…annoying, in my opinion. Yes, the characters did behave kind of realistic, but that doesn’t make the heroine any less stupid.
I’ll just wait and see where Kimi no Todoke takes us – after all, I do enjoy something mediocre yet enjoyable from time to time. (Can be quite relaxing)
kobato is a good anime , many bloguers agree with it , i watched the second episode and i liked more the show , one of the clamp’s is in the production , and i think you must blog kobato
I absolutely agree with Frotee about YNSH and OHSHC. And I think KnT has potential, even though I’m not expecting something brilliant like Lovely Complex. The fact that it doesn’t revolve around love triangles and angsty teens is already very good.
I absolutely agree with Frotee about Yamato and Ouran. And I think Kimi ni Todoke has potential, even though I’m not expecting something brilliant like Lovely Complex. The fact that it’s a shoujo that doesn’t seem to revolve around angsty teens and love triangles is already very good.
To me, Bokura ga Ita was a shallow emo version of Kare Kano.
KimiTodo is pretty lame thusfar, but everyone keeps telling me it’ll get better so whatever.
Kobato is fun to watch, but 90% of that is because the main character is so sickeningly adorable. I can usually avoid anime that work solely on this principle, but it is just too powerful with this one.
It’ll be interesting to see how you blog this. Nonetheless, I don’t have high hopes for this series since 90% of shoujo series are nothing more than fangirl fuel.
Ah, by the way (just watching Kobato 1st episode – I read the first 5 Manga chapters like years ago) – was that a Wish reference just now (about Kohaku)? I was wondering about the bunny…is Kobato set in the same world as Wish? That would be so nice 🙂 Wish was one of my first manga, and I loved it – so cute! To bad they never made an anime out of it, apart from the music video…
The manga looked really promising as the character development of the main character and the side characters were really well done, over 50 or so chapters. I’m not sure what to make of the anime though.
>>Frotee
Yep, same universe, and they’re animating the Wish manga in the Kobato anime, so that’s also something else to look out for (dunno how they’re going to do it, but there’s no way Madhouse is going to loose to Tsubasa in terms of crappiness).
Really? Bokura ga Ita? Someone needs to see more shoujo types.
Kimi ni Todoke DOES get better. This is just the beginning. It’s obviously over the top, it’s fiction, I expect that (it seems more mean spirited in the anime than manga though). But Sawako is so adorable and shy, yet well-meaning. Someone pointed out in a forum or something that she and Kazehaya are very similar. The difference is how they put themselves out there.
The series revolves solely around relationships between two people. It’s so simplistic and doesn’t try to become too complicated. It’s not just about a relationship between a boy and a girl, but a girl and her newly found friends, a “rival”, and to an extent her parents. There’s also a good amount of focus on side characters (Chizuru has her own part later) And Sawako and Kazehaya aren’t going out yet (Sawako doesn’t even realize she likes Kazehaya yet). It’s just so refreshing, this series, in lieu of an abundance of crappy shoujo series.
Winter Sonata~ I can’t believe it’s actually turning into an anime. I heard it’s overly emotional (typical old-time Kdrama), but Yon-sama must be popular for a reason…?
I think Kimi ni Todoke is better than you give it credit for. There has only been 2 episodes aired so far, give it a chance and the character depth will come. (‘~’)!
Reltair: yeah, i’m just comparing it to the first episodes of the other series this season. It indeed still has the chance to go anywhere.
Charlo: I find it ironic that you talk down on Bokura ga Ita, and then praise Kimi ni Todoke for its simplicity. I mean, wasn’t Bokura ga Ita a very simple series as well, that only focused on one love triangle? But yeah, I can understand why people became frustrated with it, with the way that the lead female kept angsting and all. ^^;
Frotee: well, I guess that the Yamato Nadeshiko anime ended before the point it got dull in the manga. For me it was a great ride from start to finish, whereas the Ouran anime eventually bored me and wasted too much time on the pointless side-characters as Honey.
psgels: That’s the problem with unfinished series I think; when they turned Ouran into an anime, they pretty much ‘copied’ all the available manga chapters, including the extras (like they did with Utena, by the way – the hilarious yet pointless episodes about that blond gal were just extras in the manga…though I liket the Utana Anime way better than the manga) – shame on those mostly fixed episode counts.
I’d like it much better if they waited for a series to be finished before turning it into an anime >_> (Aaand before publishing the manga in Germany. Having to wait more than a year for the next installment is excruciating.)
Is Kimo no Todoke finished by the way? I found the first episode rather boring, but also somewhat relaxing. Not quite like Natsume Yujin Cho though, which always left me with a satisfied smile…
I don’t think Kimi ni Todoke is finished yet at this point. One look at the MAL-forums shows that there are currently around 20 chapters. That seems a bit of a small amount if the creators are going for a 26-episode series…
More than anything else, this series reminds me of Angel Densetsu. The main characters in both series are feared by other people, but are actually incredibly nice people. That’s not a bad thing though, since I really liked Angel Densetsu.
I watch a ton of romance shows (that cater to all the various demographics, not just girls) and I have to disagree with comment#1. Bokura ga Ita, while not a masterpiece in my book, is far superior to what I’ve seen of Kimi ni Todoke. Kimi ni Todoke is pretty average as far as shoujo romance goes. It is relying on a gimmick (the main character scares everyone except her true love) and when you have a show that relies almost exclusively on a gimmick, it’s going to turn out average at best. I mean there is only so many kinds of stories and situations you can have where the main character is an outcast to all except the one person she’s meant to be with. Bokura ga Ita was a much better show because it didn’t rely on a gimmick and used its story and characters to drive it.
Except that Kare Kano technically started out with a gimmick too (Popular smart girl is secretly a nerdy attention-hungry workaholic) and that was a far, far superior romance to the soap opera called Bokura ga Ita.
And apparently you haven’t bothered to watch the show you’re criticizing, because she has already not become an outcast to all but Kazehaya.
Nice strawman’s argument there, dickens. Kare Kano was a good show but I would hardly call what you described a gimmick. It’s not outlandish to see a premise of two smart people squaring off against each other. A gimmick is practically stealing a well known convention (in this case, Sadako from The Ring) and throwing it onto a character, making it her only personality, and then trying to play off it. Of course she becomes less of an outcast throughout the show, but that doesn’t make it any more interesting for a romance. The gimmick has already ruined it from the start.
Do you know what “strawman argument” even means? Because your post is a great example of one. Such as responding to a point I never made. Also, maybe you should look up “gimmick” in the dictionary, because it has nothing to do with “practically stealing a well known convention”. And if you honestly think after watching ep 1 or 2 that Sadako from the Ring plays an integral part in the anime…..yeah, maybe you should pass on this anime.
@diedrupo
Although in general I agree with you, there are exceptions: Koko Debut started on a gimmick (a sporty girl uses a love coach), but after about 10 chapters dispatched the gimmick and expanded well beyond it. It was surprisingly good.
This series wouldn’t even be given consideration on this blog if he wasn’t forced to blog it -_-. From the manga this is going to be yet another romance/comedy which really just ends up being average. Thing is when you hold a poll on an anime site the majority of people are going to go for the romance/comedy since that’s what teens and people just getting into anime seem to like
Maia: That’s not exactly true. When I held this contest last year, Tytania of all shows emerged as the winner, which had hardly any romance or action whatsoever.
okay, i guess i can see why some anime watchers might not like kimi no todoke, but since i read the manga, i have to say it is one of the best shoujos (my opinion) and just like someone said it is because of its simplicity. I can’t even believe it is been compared to bokura ga ita, there was so much drama in that thing that it got boring after all while, it was not in my opinion simple at all. Lovely complex was a success because it was funny and romantic, kimi no todoke is not as funny but twice as romantic, so i can understand why general people might not like ti, for romance die hards, it is must watch. it is simple and romantic. That is my opinion
At least Kimi no todoke is one of the best ones of the season. even tho some may say its a “Disappointment” some may think otherwise. In my opinion I think that Bokura ga ita and Kimi no todoke, are equally good, and seriously… theres no need to criticize an anime into such detail >.> anime is for entertainment and that entertainment factor is delivered to viewers that it targeting, so if its not an anime u like, then go watch another one. its that simple.