Autumn Season Preview – Movie and OVA Edition

Ooh, this is a very dark season for OVAs. Probably the worst we’ve had in years. Do you want to know how many original OVAs are going to be released over the next three months, so the ones who aren’t based on a TV-series? One. And that one show got delayed half a year. Beyond that, out of all the OVA episodes that will be released, there will only be four that are really worth watching, with perhaps one getting the benefit of doubt. Apart from that, it’s all going to be moe and fanservice. And occasionally bishie harems.

As for the moies: again, really barren. There’s hardly anything new coming out, but the stuff that does come out will be great at least. Don’t expect a lot to come up, though. Like, the two movies… yeah. In the seasons that I’ve been doing these movie and OVA previews, I have never encountered a season that looks as empty as this one.

Unlike last season’s preview, I do have a bit more time to go into more detail for the DVD Specials, Ongoing OVAs, Ongoing Movie Series and Franchise Movies (you know, those shows that have a movie coming out each year). I still refuse to keep listing their staff list, especially since they’re either nothing to really write home about or exactly the same as their predecessors, so I’ll just group them together at the start of this preview.

DVD Specials/Single Franchise OVAs:
Infinite Stratos – Koi ni Kogareru Sextet

Description: “Koi ni Kogareru Sextet” means something like “A sextet in love”.
The Positives: Um.. it sold well?
The Negatives: The past winter season was full of disappointments. None was as big as finding out what Infinite Stratos turned into, though. They weren’t even trying! With this OVA, they completely stopped pretending to be about anything: it’s just another cheesy harem now.

The World God Only Knows – Four People and an Idol

Description: This will apparently adapt chapter 54 of the manga, which apparently focuses on some of the girls of the previous arcs making a light music club.
The Positives: This probably is good news for the fans of this series, because the creators are actually willing to animate more of the manga.
The Negatives: I really doubt that this is going to save this series for anyone who got tired of TWGOK, like myself. The one redeeming factor of this series was that it did spend a lot of attention to get some depth into its characters. This is just another silly side-story, which were by far the worst parts of the anime.

Boku wa Tomodachiga Sukinai

Description: It will be bundled with the seventh volume of the novels it’s based on, which chronicles a bunch of kids who start a club for people who don’t have many friends. I couldn’t find anywhere which chapters it’s going to be adapting, though.
The Positives: I still think that this premise has potential, if it just hadn’t blatantly written “moe” all over it.
The Negatives: With AIC though, I really don’t have any expectations for this one at all. Nearly all of their series are only interested in delivering pointless moe unless it’s explicitly clear from the beginning that they’re not, like with Hourou Musuko or Sunred. Persona might break that trend, but Bokuwa Tomodachi ga Sukinai has no chance.

Deadman Wonderland

Description: This is going to be an unaired DVD episode for Deadman Wonderland.
The Positives: Finally! This will be one of the very few OVA episodes that I’m looking forward for the upcoming season. Deadman Wonderland is in dire need of more episodes, so even an extra DVD episode that shows more of the story is good here.
The Negatives: Now, Manglobe: please continue with this series instead of continuing with bad and pretentious hentai game adaptations. This series deserves to be finished!

Ongoing OVAs :
VitaminX Addiction

Description: Based on a dating sim. This is the second of three episodes.
The Positives: None.
The Negatives: Oh god, there’s going to be more? The shoujo genre is already completely stale. We don’t need any more cheesy harems like Uta Prince.
Aah Megami-Sama

Description: It continues the story of Aah Magami-Sama, in which the lead character Keiichi gets his wish fulfilled and gets to live together with a bunch of goddesses. The tag line will be “Keiichi-san, do you wanna kiss me?”
The Positives: Well, it’s about bloody time, isn’t it?
The Negatives: I still don’t get Aah Megami-Sama. Sure, the premise is nice for a short series and all. But 96 TV-episodes, three OVAs and one movie? Is its character development so amazing that it warrants so many episodes? And for that matter, if it is indeed so amazing, why is their relationship still at the point where they haven’t even kissed yet? Is this really more than a really endless “will they won’t they”-show?

Queen’s Blade

Description: “The art collection books will include two DVDs with about 40 minutes each of all-new original anime . About 20 minutes will be a story about the Rebellion characters who have not appeared in Queen’s Blade anime until now. About 20 more minutes will be devoted to an anime in which the character Alleyne and Siggy give private lessons. “ – (Taken from ANN)
The Positives: Well, if you want to see boobs then this series surely is catering to you.
The Negatives: Ugh… why is this one still pretending that it isn’t porn?

Higurashi n Naku Koro ni Kira

Description: This one will adapt four random stories. This tie it’s the turn for the Ayakashisenshi-hen -Do- and later in November the Kichienshi-hen -Ai-, unlike the first episode completely original stories.
The Positives: Well, at the very least Toshifumi Kawase is still involved. This guy rocks…
The Negatives: But unfortunately he just can’t do miracles. Seriously, what a disappointment this first episode was. Who on Studio Deen found it a good idea to put one of their worst directors on this job? It was nothing but characters imagining pointless fanservice, without any connection whatsoever between all of the scenes. To make matters worse, the episode director of the second episode seems to be Fumihiko Shimo. When working on an adaptation, he can really make this adaptation shine: Clannad and Air really rocked. When he’s doing an original story though… yeah. Hello, Infinite Stratos, Bakuretsu Tenshi and Gravion. Studio Deen, seriously: get back to making awesome series again.

Seitokai Yakuindomo

Description: “It is the start of Takatoshi Tsuda’s second year as the put-upon vice president of the student council and his sister Kotomi is entering school as a first year. New friends and double entendres are made.” – (Taken from ANN)
The Positives: Seitokai Yakuindomo is about one thing, and one thing only: dirty jokes. If you liked the first season, you’re bound to like this upcoming OVA.
The Negatives: Granted, it was much, much better than Princess Lover, but what turned me off of this series was its endless repetition. It just kept repeating jokes over and over to the point of annoyance, so I didn’t last long with this show.

Hakuouki Sekkaroku

Description: Third, Fourth and Fifth episode of this OVA will debut next season, continuing the story of Hakuouki and the Shinsengumi.
The Positives: Kou Outani behind the music is really good. and it’s not like Hakuouki is doomed: a story about the Shinsengumi could have been very good…
The Negatives: … if only the main character wasn’t such an idiot. Instead, this now just turned to be Deen and its bishies again. Did it get any better in the meantime?

Kaibutsu Ojou

Description: Third episode of an OVA of a show about a guy who gets brought back to life by a monster princess.
The Positives: I never checked it out because I really didn’t like the premise, but at the very least this OVA has a different staff from the TV-series. That’ got to be intentional, right?
The Negatives: I am glad that I didn’t check it out though, because just LOOK at that promo art. On the main website, I mean. here it reveals its colors as just another fanservice OVA.

Carnival Phantasm Second Season

Description: “The anime adapts an anthology of Type-Moon manga short stories by Kannagi creator Eri Takenashi to celebrate Type-Moon’s 10th anniversary” – (Taken from ANN)
The Positives: Yasuharu Takanashi behind the music and Seiji Kishi behind the direction should be fun.
The Negatives: The original writer of Kannagi is a very big problem, though. Especially with
Description: Not the DVDs, but the manga will bundle episode 12.5 of the series. Very subtle.
The Positives: Again, Sekai-Ichi hatsukoi wasn’t bad. It was a nice look at the life of a manga-publisher, and at least this OVA will be about the main couple, and not the side ones.
The Negatives: The longer this goes on though, the more I’m reminded of Junjo Romantica all over again. I really don’t think that this series has as much staying power as the creators would like you to believe. Oh, and the manga also still is on-going, so a good ending also won’t be possible.

Saiyuuki Gaiden – 02

Description: “500 years before Saiyuki, a heretic child with golden eyes is brought to Heaven and given into the reluctant care of a minor deity, Konzen, nephew of the Merciful Goddess Kanzeon Bosatsu. Konzen eventually names him “Goku”. Goku befriends two other minor gods, Marshal Tenpou and General Kenren of the Western Army of Heaven, and a boy who seems to be his age, the War Prince Nataku. Though Goku is happy in his new home, Heaven is not kind to heretics.”
The Positives: I haven’t seen the first OVA of this thing due to time constraints, but did it turn out worthwhile? It’s in any case at least not moe fanservice. That’s good.
The Negatives: I still have a bit of doubts about Naoyuki Kuzuya, the director of Bus Gamer, behind this thing.

Gundam Unicorn – 04

Description: “The year is U.C. 0096. Three years have passed since the end of the Second Neo Zeon War. It is said that the Vist Foundation manipulates the Earth Federation and Anaheim Electronics from behind the scenes. Hoping to create a new world, the Foundation attempts to hand over a certain secret to the Neo Zeon remnants known as the Sleeves. This will mean the opening of Laplace’s Box, which holds a great secret tied to the origins of the Universal Century. The exchange between the Vist Foundation and the Sleeves is to take place at the manufacturing colony Industrial 7. This is the home of the student Banagher Links, who rescues a girl he sees falling through the colony’s zero gravity area. The girl gives her name as Audrey Burne and says she wants to prevent a war, spurring Banagher to step into the conflict surrounding Laplace’s Box—almost as if he is drawn in by his own bloodline.” – (Taken from ANN)
The Positives: This is where this series is going to have to deliver. It’s past its halfway point, so now it’s all up to the creators and prevent this show from turning into yet another string of random battles, and instead make good use of the build-up of the first three episodes. Gundam Unicorn has the big benefit of having a ridiculously solid director. Make use of that!
The Negatives: By far my biggest problem with this series has been the male lead. Please, make him the next Amuro, not the next Kamille!

Yozakura Quartet

Description: Third episode of the OVA, which intends to follow the manga, rather than what the TV-series did.
The Positives: Hell yeah! More Yozakura Quartet with its beyond awesome action and fun and interesting characters! There aren’t many OVAs worth watching this season, but this one is an absolute must-watch.
The Negatives: The only criticism I have at the moment is that the dialogue sometimes feels a bit uninspired. But heck. This OVA has more than enough to make up for that.

Franchise Movies:
Suite PreCure: Take it back! The Miraculous Melody that Connects Hearts!

Description: The title seems to suggest that this movie will focus on taking back a miraculous melody that changes hearts.
The Positives: Now, the movies of the Precure series are always produced by different people, so there is hope. The Heartcatch Precure movie was really charming, despite not having the same director and scriptwriters.
The Negatives: That title still puzzles me, though. The Heartcatch Precure at least had an interesting premise: coming to Paris for a Fashion show, and around that it built its drama. This though… yeah, we’re gonna save the world again! Whoop-dee-doo.

Actual new Releases
Scryed Alteration

Summary: A strange environmental phenomenon 22 years ago in the Kanazawa prefecture caused the land to split and protrude upwards reaching unprecedented heights, creating the secluded area known as The Lost Ground. Kazuma is a young mercenary who lives in the Lost Ground, looking for any work he can find to sustain his livelihood within the harsh environment. He is one of the few people that are gifted with the Alter ability, which allows him to plaster his right arm and torso with a metallic alloy. When this mercenary encounters HOLY, an order whose purpose is to suppress and capture what they call Native Alter Users, and one of the elite members of HOLY, Ryuho, an epic rivalry begins. – (Taken from ANN)
Type: Recap Movie with New Footage
The Positives: It will look more polished.
The Negatives: Don’t buy that “new footage”-thing. Nine times out of ten it’s just some subtle reworkings of scenes or like, two minutes of new scenes. I never really started Scryed, because… well… it looks silly. The promo art has two overly emo dudes yelling and trying to beat each other up. Sacred Seven had more subtlety than that. Also, why a recap movie? those things usually suck.
First-Glance Potential: 0%

Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki

Summary: Blazers are gallant warriors that consider the well being of others and the safety of the land as their priority, and work hard to defeat monsters and criminals. Estel is an aspiring Blazer who lives near the city of Rolento in Rebel Kingdom. Together with her friend Yoshua, Estel continues to train herself in the arts of Blazers. The story begins when Estel’s father receives a strange letter, starting a chain of events. – (Taken from IGN)
Type: OVA adapted from an RPG
Director: Masaki Tachibana
Other Notable Staff: Atsuko Nozaki (Character Designs)
The Positives: This one got delayed for half a year, so I’ll just write down what I had on it during my previous preview. We have the character designer of Tokyo Magnitude here. Plus its director. That’s plenty of reasons to look forward to this one.
The Negatives: Eiyuu Densetsu seems a lot more generic than .Hack//Quantum though, but I’m still very curious what the creators can do with this.
First-Glance Potential: 85%

To Aru Hikuushi e no Tsuioku

Summary: To Aru Hikūshi e no Tsuioku’s story revolves around Charles Karino, a Revaamu Empire mercenary aerial pilot who mans the twin-seater reconnaissance seaplane Santa Cruz. One day, he receives a preposterous assignment: to fly solo over 12,000 kilometers of enemy waters to protect a girl named Fana del Moral. Fana happens to be the next in line to the empire’s throne and a girl possessing beauty “equal to 5,000 beams of light.” – (Taken from ANN)
Type: Movie
Director: Jun Shishido
Script: Satoko Okudera
The Positives: Um, beyond the awesome premise: it’s written by the same woman who wrote The Girl Who Leapt through Time, Summer Wars and Miyori no Mori and directed by the director of Saiunkoku Monogatari and Hajime no Ippo New Challenger. The two of them really have the expertise to make this a wonderful movie. I’m a big fan of stories that focus on traveling, and this premise holds a ton of potential.
The Negatives: This is an adaptation of a light novel series. I didn’t manage to find the answers about this, but: how large is the story? Are the light novels already finished?
First-Glance Potential: 90%

Horutabi no Mori e

Summary: The story of Hotarubi no Mori e centers around Hotaru, a little girl who gets lost in an enchanted forest where apparitions reside. A young boy, Gin, appears before Hotaru, but she cannot touch him for fear of making him disappear. – (Taken from AniDB)
Type: Movie
Director: Takehiro Omori
Other Notable Staff: Yuki Midorikawa (Original Story), Makoto Yoshimori (Music)
The Positives: As if Brains Base isn’t good enough already this year: here is a movie from the creators of Natsume Yuujin-Chou. It even has Takehiro Omori as the director, and this is going to be the first time where he actually gets to handle a movie. The premise for this movie is absolutely adorable and I see no way in which it isn’t going to turn heart-warming.
The Negatives: Negatives? We don’t need no stinkin’ negatives!
First-Glance Potential: 95%