I keep telling myself to write some kind of end-of-the-month-summary, though I keep forgetting. But not this time! Haha! Ha..ha..
Anyway, I was planning to give a short summary of my opinions on each of the shows that I’m following, including some that I’m not blogging, and do some kind of top-5 episodes, or something in that direction. Oh, and if you were, by the very unlikely chance, wondering why I didn’t post for so long: I had my exams this week again, so I was too busy to post. Now that they’re over, I’m back again.
Blogged Series Summaries
– Jigoku Shoujo –
This wasn’t such a good month for Jigoku Shoujo, as only one episode came out, which afterwards, didn’t really leave me hungry for more. The good news, however, is that episode 13 recently was released by Shinsen Subs. Add that to the fansubs that the Jelly Caption Team have been providing, and you get a huge amount of awesomeness. I’m planning to marathon these in the weekend. ^_^
– Revolutionary Girl Utena and Popolocrois Story 1998 –
These are two ancient anime that I still enjoy to blog. There’s just so much to write about them. For both of them, I managed to get my hands on a couple of episodes again, which will mean a huge update from my side for the following week. Especially Utena’s really getting amazing. I so loved the 34th episode. It solved so many questions in such an awesome way, and it doesn’t even seem like everything has yet to be revealed. Popolocrois also gets more interesting by the minute. Especially the amazing cast of characters made sure of that.
– Tales of Phantasia –
In my opinion the anime with the best CG ever. If I recall it correctly, episode 4 came out just recently. I really can’t wait for a fansub to show up. Another thing that makes this anime so great is the amazing set of memorable characters. Some of them (Arche, Klarth, Mint, Morrison) really stick to your mind and don’t plan to leave rather too quickly.
– Noein –
Noein featured a sort-of intermezzo before the story probably centers around Noein again. The La’Cryma knights are given the spotlight, revealing their conflicts, feelings and the way they resolve it. I found it very good to see that the show didn’t decide to let everything revolve around the main characters. (yes, I know. I have something against main characters. Although there are a lot of memorable exceptions, like Haruka and Karasu).
– Bleach –
This month, Bleach revolved around the filler featuring bad guys with “interesting” powers. Compared to the previous filler, I don’t really like these episodes. The bad guy’s powers could have used a little more Ueki-influences, not to mention a better personality. The comedy, however, is as good as ever. Thumbs up for that.
– Ergo Proxy –
Ergo Proxy turned into a great series, which really takes its time in developing its story. The first episodes were meant to be rather chaotic. Not in terms of pace, but in terms of understandability. You really need to think in order to follow this a bit. The fourth episode suddenly is relatively straightforward. I like this. Pino is also too cute. I’m curious about how the rest of the series will turn out to be.
– The Law of Ueki –
This month was a very good month for Ueki and his fellow protagonists. There were so many awesome fights. Both in the Marilyn Arc as in the Ballow Arc these fights were so full of creativity, ranging from the serious fight with Marilyn to the awesome Mori using her new power very creatively. Oh, and not to mention Rinko in slaughter-mode. ^_^
– Mushishi –
Another series I enjoyed extremely well this month. Almost each story was so worth the time watching, not to mention Mushishi’s inability to create bad endings. I currently put the series on hiatus, to await the OVA’s who are to be released in May. I won’t write a review of the series yet, as technically, the series isn’t finished yet, and otherwise I might get a wrong impression of the series. That’s one of the few things I dislike about sites like Anime Academy. They provide excellent quality-reviews, but somehow they deduct points from series with a sequel because the ending felt unresolved. (-_-)
Non-Blogging Series
– Pani Poni Dash –
This is another one of my favorite watches. This show is so full of different parodies, that it kept me laughing all through the episodes. This is also one of the few anime that somehow feature a different outfit for the main character for each episode. I kindof like this, and it seems that the creators have a horribly good time thinking up all these different kinds of clothes. It’s these things that make a show unique.
– Ginga Densetsu Weed –
Yes, you didn’t read it wrong, I’m actually watching this show. This may be the most unpopular show of the 2005-autumn-season, but it does deserve more attention than it gets. Almost every single comment about this series immediately puts this series off because of the fact that this story is played by dogs. My tip for these people: watch the Excel Saga before watching this show. Believe me, you won’t be able to watch it seriously anymore. ^_^
– Blood+ –
I don’t have a really clear opinion about this series. On one side, there’s a great and well thought-out story going on. This is the part I love about Blood+ and the reason I kept watching it. On the other side, however, there isn’t really anything amazing going on. The characters are great. The dialogues are great, but I haven’t seen anything awesome. At least… I think I haven’t…
– Magikano –
One of the few surprises of the Winter Season. I’m still enjoying this literally horribly funny show after the tenth episode. The only thing I fear is when the male and female main character get together (I can’t seem to think of their names right now). They seem so meant together, which doesn’t fit a show like this AT ALL.
– Mai Otome –
I kept watching this because of its predecessor, My Hime and its great last couple of episodes. I really was put off by this series. The first fifteen episodes are just garbage with a few amusing moments (with the most notable being Erstin’s “kissing” scene). Then the sixteenth and the seventeenth episode finally show the awesomeness we were used of My Hime. Then, however, the awesomeness completely stops and we return to the same boringness of the first fifteen episodes.
– Gunparade Orchestra –
I’m currently trying to catch up with this, which doesn’t really go the way I planned it. From what I’ve seen, I liked it. We have this generic Mecha-setting, though it’s given a sudden twist: A highly trained girl gets to be commander on a faraway military base, in order to protect the area using mechas and a special team controlling these mechas. The only problem: that far away place appears to be in the middle of nowhere, nothing ever happens there, so the mecha pilots are a bunch of inexperienced middle schoolers. The result: we finally get to see a mecha show in which everything does NOT go according to plan for a change. This was really interesting to watch.
– Naruto –
I’m really beginning to wonder about my tastes with this one. I hated the first 130 episodes, with a couple of exceptions on episode 1-20 and 101. Then, however, when the filler began, the show suddenly started to grow on me, until it got me hooked at the “Curry of Life”-arc. I guess this show is far more effective as light-hearted show, in which the characters just have fun with each other, instead of trying to focus on evil and betrayal like it did previously. I also so would have LOVED to see the faces of the Naruto-fans who were turned off by the fillers. Only four more weeks to go and then they get the message that there’ll still be another 26 fillers before the show gets back to its main story. (Me? Sadistical? Hehe)
– Shinigami no Ballad –
I was very enthusiastic about this anime when I first heard about it. We have a very cute girl acting as a shinigami, so I was expecting an emo show full of death and morbid scenes. What I got was a slice-of-life romance. A bit disappointing at first, though it isn’t a total waste of time either.
Dropped Series
– Fate/Stay Night –
I dropped this after episode 5. There just weren’t enough reasons for me to keep watching it. The main characters were just meh, and the harem-hints were just too big and numerous. It also didn’t surprise me a bit when I later saw a summary of episode 10 with the little girl being very friendly with Emiya. This was also an anime about seven medieval warriors fighting about the holy grail. I’d also have loved it so see a bit more King-Arthur references. Or any references to that time at all, but I guess that was too much to ask.
– Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl –
The first episode had me HOOKED. We have a very weak boy. His heart has been broken, his friends all worry about him. There was so much drama in this episode, I just loved it. Then the series takes a wrong turn and just doesn’t realize it. I dropped the series after episode 6. The boy, who may have been a girly boy, but still. Even girly boys act like boys at some points. I could see that in the first episode. As a girl, however, he is 100% girl, and not the thing I hoped for, as a boy in a girl’s body. I guess that this was a cheap way of the creators create a show full of lesbian action.
– REC –
I dropped this series after the third episode. I was originally inclined to watch because of the promo art, but that appeared to be a disappointment. The art is just good, no more. Apart from that, it turned out that this really wasn’t my kind of show.
April Preview:
This will be a short list of the shows that I’ll certainly be blogging when they come out in april:
– The Third –
I’ve been enthusiastic about this ever since I saw the promo-art. The fact that this is a fantasy series only adds up to that. This certainly is my most-anticipated series of the season.
– Tsubasa Chronicle and xxxHolic –
Both clamp series. I loved both prequels of them, and just want to see them. I’m wondering how the character art will be compared to the movies. This also gives so much opportunity for cameo’s.
– Wings of Rean –
I was a bit scared when it appeared that no new episodes were coming in, but then I suddenly saw why: for some reason, the second episode airs four months after the first one. Anyway, the chaos in the first episode really turned me on for the second one. I will be blogging about this.
– Good Witch of the West: Astrea Testament –
When I first saw this, I already was enthusiastic about it. After seeing the character art about it, I knew it for sure: I’m going to like this series. I have no idea why, by the way. It’s just a hunch. ^_^;;
– Higurashi no Naku koro ni –
Especially the fact that this was based on the work of an amateur proves to be very interesting. Especially because amateurs mostly can include elements that professional companies would find to risky.
These were the series I will be blogging. Below are the series I might be blogging, depending on their quality:
– Utawarerumono –
I like the art, but on the other side, it sounds a bit to H-Game to me. On once again another side, I really like the story. Will it be failure, or success?
– KIBA –
The fact whether I’ll blog this or not totally depends on the main character: if he’s just generic, then I probably won’t blog this. If he’s an awesome character, I’ll blog this. If he totally sucks, I’ll blog this as well. It’ll be good to release some anger upon him. ^_^;;
– .Hack//Roots –
.Hack//Sign was one of the most awesome things ever. .Hack//Dusk was pure garbage. .Hack//Liminality was interesting. I am SO going to blog this if it bears any resemblances to .Hack//Sign.
– Yume Tsukai –
I guess I’m not the only one intrigued about this show. I have no idea what it’ll be. I may blog it.
– Ju Oh Sei –
I like the character art of this. If the drama will be of decent quality, then who knows. ^_^
And, of course, any other gem that might turn up. ^_^
Interesting-Looking Series
Sometimes, I run into very interesting looking series that air later in the year. These are the ones I look forward to the most (and that has to say something ^_^):
– Makai Senki Disgaea –
If I’m right, this will air in the middle of May. I’m secretly hoping it to be the next Law of Ueki. The promo looked very interesting, anyway.
– Otogi Jushi Akazukin –
I might be going crazy when this show comes out, so be careful. I absolutely enjoyed the first episode of the OVA, and ever since, I’ve been hungry for more.
– NHK Ni Youkoso –
It takes a LOT to get me interested in the loli-genre, but OMG I am so going to watch this!
Top-5 Episodes This Month
And finally, to conclude this post, I tried to provide a list of the five episodes I enjoyed the most this month. Ordered from number five to the best episode of the month. It’s indeed impossible to provide a top-25, or something in that direction, but I found the top-5 to have worked out pretty well. ^_^
5: – The Law of Ueki 40 –
Mori figuring out her powers. Pure brilliance.
4: – The Law of Ueki 43 –
It was just so hilarious to see Mori using her powers to their full extend. This place certainly is well-deserved.
3: – The Law of Ueki 42 –
This really showed the best side of Rinko. And also her evil one. It was enough to make me an official fan of her. I also so loved the bad guy she had to fight against. What can be better than an ultra-punk-badass guy who is so affectional with cute animals? ^_^
2: – Revolutionary Girl Utena – 34 –
This was such an awesome episode, like said earlier, everything suddenly made sense. I so loved the way things turned out, and not to mention the Kashira Girls who got to actually perform.
1: – Mushishi 16 –
This certainly was the best episode this month. It made brilliant use of my weakness for stories featuring memory loss. It was truly beautiful.
Ah well, this concludes this post. After looking back to it, I’m noticing that it can still use a lot of improvements, but that’s for later. I’m already proud of myself for actually writing such a long post (2500 words, my longest ever ^_^).
