Ookami Kakushi
Short Synopsis: Our lead character moves into a new town and immediately gets himself a new girlfriend.
Yeah, the thing with this season is that just about every show has some sort of overused anime cliche, even the good ones. In any case, the best way to describe this episode was: intriguing. It was basically mostly introductory with a lot of slice of life and a few hints here and there that the town that the main character moved into is screwed up. It’s very promising, the characters are very moeified, but it’s not like they’re stereotypes and they’ve got potential to grow and develop. It also has the best soundtrack I’ve heard so far this season. Now, the question is mostly going to be: is it the creators’ intention to fully animate this story, or are they just going to stop in the middle?
OP: Yuki Kajiura delivers one of the best OPs of the new season.
ED: Pretty decent ballad.
Potential: 70%%
Dance in the Vampire Bund
Short Synopsis: Our lead character is the leader of the Vampires. And a little girl.
The biggest problem with this series is of course going to be Shinbo: is he going to be able to adapt this story properly, or is he just going to repeat himself and focus on the complete wrong parts of the story? I remember the last time he tried to do a series with a little girl who was a vampire (Tsukuyomi Moonphase), which turned out to be a pain to sit through. Though granted, this episode gave a much better first impression. There’s no way to measure it up to the rest of the series, because it was clearly an introductory episode, but let me say the following: if the rest of the episodes are going to be as interesting as this episode, then we’ve got ourselves a success. The TV-program about the existence of vampires was a nice touch, but none of the main characters really got a lot of screentime.
ED: Boring J-rock.
Potential: 50%
Omamori Himari
Short Synopsis: Our lead character gets to be protected by a hot chick.
Now this is really is one of those shows that I’d label as terrible. A few cliches here and there doesn’t usually hurt, but when a series packs a ton of cliches EVERY… SINGLE… MINUTE… then it becomes a huge problem. This series rips off just about everything in this episode from other harem shows. The cat allergy? Hello, Nyan Koi. The hot chick with mysterious powers that suddenly protects the lead characters? How often haven’t we seen that one before? The childhood friend who is in love with the lead character and wakes him up in the morning? Come on, please. Probably the most blatant part is the set of character-designs that it shamelessly ripped off 11Eyes: did it seriously think to get away with the lead character, who looks like a more energetic Yuka with only a different hair and eye colour? And how about that teacher, who also looks EXACTLY the same aside from her hair and eye colours? For the most part of this season, I’m being more lenient than usual because how week it’d otherwise become, but this is just nothing. It’s nothing that we haven’t seen before taken to the extreme, the build-up is abysmal. Only go for this one if you’re a hardcore romantic comedy fan or just like to see boobs or panty-shots.
ED: Obnoxious J-pop. Blegh.
Potential: 0%%
I don’t mind Shinbo and I’ve heard Moonphase is actually quite good, so I’m looking forward to Shaft’s latest anime. I don’t think the season’s gonna be all that bad, at least I have plenty of time to keep up with a few anime 🙂
Omamari Himari manga
Original run February 1, 2007 – ongoing
11 Eyes game
Released April 25, 2008 (PC)
Nyan Koi manga
Original run August 10, 2007 – ongoing
Himari is pretty good at ripping things that came out after it isn’t it?
Westlo: I’m obviously talking about the anime character-designs, not the manga ones. I took a look at the manga, and the childhood friend there looks much less like Yuka in 11Eyes.
I don’t know what to make of the 1st episode of Vampire Bund. For awhile I thought I was watching the wrong show, and for a 12 episode show I thought it was strange they decided start with stuff that is no where in the manga.
I’m also negatively surprised by the first episode of vampire bund. Having discovered the manga a few months ago, this was easily the series i most anticipated this season. I dislike the voice acting of the princess (overly cute = out of character imo..). I’m not necessarily against an anime-original story but if it is going to be of the same quality as this gameshow bullshit in episode 1: please don’t bother..
Vampire Bund was weird for sure, though I dont think it was bad, it just worries me that they pulled this off in a 12 episode series
Omamori = LOL couldnt sit through the first episode, too horrible
Vampire Bund was a bit disappointing for me as well. As an episode stand alone it was mildly interesting but as a first episode it failed completely. First episodes are supposed to introduce the characters, start up the story and get the viewer interested. The only character who was properly introduced was the princess with the rest of the main characters are left in the dark. The story was pretty much summed up in a matter of five seconds at the end of the episode and the first example of a vampire that we see is truly pathetic and even questionable as a vampire.
It was interesting but this would have been better of as a special and not a first episode.
The viewer is already in on the “reality” being discussed skeptically on the show. The formula is a little tired, complete with the arrogant scholar who simply rejects the idea and the metamorphosis of something beautiful into something completely hideous.
Usually this kind of episode isn’t introductory, because of the intimacy it requires between the audience and the writer as the world they share together for a while is introduced to the third party of “the real world.” Usually some of the value lies in this virtual audience having the layers of distortion removed from their eyes until they see the truth the real audience already knows.
We don’t really get that here. Unless the audience has already read the manga, the only obvious details are gathered from the title and promotional details, and we’re introduced to the world along with the virtual audience in the last few moments of the episode. We know enough about the reality that it can’t blow our minds, but too little to really share the joke.
It also introduces a power I don’t believe Tepes is supposed to have, and which would resolve some of the conflict of the story if she did. It also plays a little havoc with the timeline of the revelation of the Bund. However I’m not intimiately familiar with the manga and only aware of the beginning.
i quite liked the first episode of Ookami Kakushi. Though the only thing that got on my nerves was the 3d-ish (?) way they animated the sythe and the girls wheelchair (animation like that somewhat seemed out of place to me, but w/e)
i really just want to see how this is going to turn out. with the maker of Higurashi and Umineko combining with the creator of Shugo Chara and Rozen Maiden, i cant help but be curious about the out come..
And i didnt catch the whole story since i dont really know japanese that well (though i could understand some) but from what i could get it seemed alot like higurashi… just without the hatchet… :0
The CGI quirk that sticks out in Ookami Kakushi for me appears whenever they move a vehicle. First the car, and then Mana’s wheelchair as she leaves in the morning. Otherwise that show looks pretty good, even though the character designs are a little boring.
The use of music was pretty effective, though at one point I thought I was watching the result of Kanokon crashing into a Key novel and the survivors awakening to find themselves in The Twilight Zone.
the problem with Durarara is,they got the director of 07-Ghost and Hatenkou Yuugi here…
Ｏｎａｍｏｒｉ Ｈｉｍａｒｉ．．．This is just a practical anime its got like…..everything generic.
1. Teenage Protagonist with more than likely hidden powers.
2. Female Chilhood Friend Crushing on the guy.
3. Cat-Ear’d Ayakashi Samurai Girl w/ huge rack.
4. Lolicon Ranka in lingerie.
5. Blonde Maid w/ huge Rack.
6. Goth Chick w/ Huge Rack.
7. Super hot Transfer Student that knows protagonist.
8. Inevitable Harem that will develop around protagonist.
9. Panty Shots.
10.Unnaturally jiggling boobs.
11.Borderline Ettchi Scenes.
12.Combat involving Monsters and Katanas.
This story is a true-blue Japanese work.
Ookamikakushi looks really promising to me, not to mention that it is written by Ryukishi07 (the guy behind Higurashi and Umineko).
Ookamikakushi and Durarara are the most promising shows this season imo.
psgels, I’ve got the same question with ookamikakushi, I am pretty tired of getting these half-stories that never get a second season, or wait forever to get a second season. More shows need to just plan for 45-52 episodes right from the start and just tell the whole damn story. If its an issue of source material not being finished then wait until it is or is close before starting.
re: Omamori Himari…the chanting music in the background was good everything else about it i cringed.
re: Ookami Kakushi…i hope the plot isn’t too predictable but it seems like it otherwise i would continue watching, hassaku hassaku is stuck on repeat in my head D:
I really liked Bund and am afraid that as soon as the anime will start following the manga that it turns into your typical vampire shounen fest where the main character meets the loli and turns into a half vampire or something… But who knows, maybe Shaft can handle it.
Most people are now spending on online shopping, this is no doubt things, direct look at what a good website to buy sports shoes can easily make yourself agreeable to buy a pair of shoes, and maybe also reasonable price Lim yet. It is filled spring online shopping affordable, convenient, better quality, fashionable and choose the way a lot. Now people are more main house, with the same network can be carried out without leaving home life and consumption, so it is in fun. Since we only need little mouse can buy affordable and cheap stuff, why not do it, for most people in terms of this is a pretty good choice.