A big season has a major advantage, but also a major disadvantage. The major advantage? There will be more great shows. This will only become more apparent as the season goes on, and right now there are already a ton of shows that are really good. The downside though… is that there also will be more bad shows. This season was no exception.
When I checked out Anohana’s first episode, I had nearly given up. Seriously, I haven’t dropped so many series in one season in a long while. There are just so many mediocre series in this season, let alone bad ones. Things like Hidan no Aria, Sofuteni and Hoshikaka, among many others, had these terribly annoying character. Seriously, what’s fun about them? And then there also were series as Sengoku Otome, which I guess didn’t have any harem stereotypes, but also did absolutely nothing to stand out.
Moe in Noitamina? I really had no faith. Mari Okada surely is an amazing writer, but there is no way that she’d be able to write three series at the same time. Again. Where two are completely original stories. The Fractale debacle of the previous season didn’t help either. And then I started to watch the first episode of Anohana. And indeed, it looked like all the others at first, with a guy and a girl having random fun. And then Naruko turned up, it became clear that Meiko was a ghost, and it just blew me away. It’s been ages since I watched such a heartwarming teenaged drama.
A ton of character development, already in the first episode, excellent animation, these characters are just amazing. They’re unlike the stereotypes you usually see: they feel like people. They have personalities, but aren’t completely dominated by them. They have their own stories, but also feel like characters beyond that. Take this episode for example: Naruko was pretty tsundere, but for once I wouldn’t blame her, considering what happened. And at the same time the tsundere wasn’t the only part of her character. It’s clear that all of these characters still have their feelings about their childhood days, but they all grew away in their own ways. This really turned out to be a wonderful story about people growing apart from each other, with some being left behind. Also, this episode really hit home as well when they started talking about Pokemon (or… Nokemon) which they played together. You usually see kids play video games and all, but rarely do you see this much meaning put into it.
The thing with annoying characters is… well… they’re annoying. There are basically two types of them: the types that are annoying because the writers can’t write good dialogue, or the ones that are really meant to be annoying. And even the second category can become a pain to watch if the character in question is just one-dimensional. Meiko has impressed me, though: she has just the right amount of annoying antics so that it becomes a part of her character, while she also has plenty of scenes that just portray her as a normal girl. She has quite a few sides for only two episodes, which is really great to see. Remember Nessa from Fractale? She mostly ran around being happy and once in a while she got sad when Phryne was involved. Meiko is much more dynamic. Thank god!
Whether this series is going to be better or not than Hana-Saku Iroha obviously can’t be said yet: Hana-Saku Iroha is 26 episodes, so it can take its time to take detours to porn novelists. This just has eleven episodes, so it has to deliver in these eleven episodes. And it’s doing a mighty fine job so far!
Rating: *** (Awesome)
Another great episode that was on par with the 1st episode. Best show of the season without a doubt.
P.S, Loving the Ending Song “Secret Base” great cover by the cast. Almost one ups the original by Zone
I totally agree with you with everything on this episode! And one other thing: I don’t think Menma is really THAT moe. In fact, I don’t think any characters in this show are moe! Menma’s simply the way she is because she died as a young girl, and since mentally she’s still a young girl, she acts the way she does (and oh god she is soooooo cute!). And yes, the Pokemon references were pure gold (and the Wandering Son references too. Did you see the promotional posters in the scene with Naruko and Jinta in the game store? Preferably with Naruko behind the cash register).
When I started the first episode I thought Jinta was just crazy. Then when I realized the girl was dead, I felt like they dropped an Air on me. When he jumped to catch her as she was falling and we see glimpses of the past, I realized this show was going to hurt.
This series seems like it will take a sentimental path to redeeming/healing all of the characters led astray by different traps through their connection to a pure, idyllic girl who died before she could be corrupted. It would seem we are already being setup to find out the ways that each of the members of the group feels responsible for her death and laments both the loss of innocence and the strength of belonging to the group. It’ll be interesting to see how, as they grow closer through the remembrance of Menma, they come to heal her family’s division as well.
For now, I think I like this series more than Bondage Flower, because even while the characters are each setup with distinct, specific flaws there is something more human about the characters, whereas (right now at least) the characters in The Fundamentals of S&M seem like hackneyed anime contrivances. The characters appear to fidget with the signs of their weaknesses, rather than just playing the archetypes, and we see them melt away when they aren’t so self-conscious.
@m
Ye I can see this being one hell of an emotional ride, I was almost crying in this episode, episode 2! Im gonna be a complete wreck come episode 11, I just know it.
Yea, this episode got me too. Some meaning with slice of life….
So far the atmosphere reminds me of late Clannad and Honey and Clover, but hopefully with no down time like those had…
I don’t usually even preview slice-of-life series because they’re not my thing, but you’re mention of moe done properly was enough for me to at least look, and I’m glad I did. Something about this is darling, and this episode made me remember moments of my own childhood. Nokemon… XD
oh, this is Noitamina? I didn’t know o-o
aww, I wished this was 26 episodes đ I can see this and hanasaku to have 26 episodes since they got many characters to develop :O I love both of this 2 series!
Best show of the season so far. Almost nothing has happened, and I’m loving it. And I hate ghost stories, let alone ones that are intentionally pulling my heartstrings. It has somehow overcome those hurdles, and hasn’t gone into nonsensical anime territory like Iroha has. Sweet stuff.
Much better than episode 1. Mostly because Meiko was a lot more tolerable this time around. I also enjoyed the two friends that were fleshed out in this episode. A-1 seems to be doing a great job this season with this show and Ao no Exorcist.
My favourite show of the season right now. I know I’m gonna be crying towards the end of the anime xD And yes the “Nokemon” references it close at home to. I remember trading pokemons with the cable and how everything was so simple back then đ I always really like the character designs!
Great Start. Hopefully this show ends as good as it started. I have really high hopes for this show and it is a definite watch every week for me.
it’s storywriting and character development in shows like this one and toradora that i totally love. 11 episodes might just be the right fit to make the story tight and strong
A great slice of life from the moment I watch the 1st episode. And with lead voice actress/ess from Cross Game, cant help feeling nostalgic and brings back memories.
Nokemon getto daze. They’re past coincides with mine and that’s the great part of this series. I like how GBA SPs are the thing of the past. You could say this is a more current version of drama/slice of life shows.
Other than the awesome nokemon references, this episode is great with lots of development. Anaru (I still snigger a bit) didn’t turn out to be a complete bitch and Poppo turned out to be a bit more interesting.
This episdoe was absolute boss. It really knew how to tug nostalgia strings, particularily with all the pokemon references, which many of us grew up with. Great character development, and I’m 90% sure that a Jintan/Anaru shipping will develop over the course of the series.
Now, hopefully Mari Okada will do an equally good job for Hanasaku Iroha ep 4 and not do anymore silly detours for the time being.