Line Offline Salaryman
Short Synopsis: Our lead character is a salaryman.
I’m just going to cover all of these bloody three-minute episode shows, if only to drive home how many there just are this season. I mean, the original reason why I hated this season was something completely different: no non-sequels stood out and the majority of my top 10 of creators that gets on my nerves the most is involved in a show this time. But the sheer amount of these types of series is really helping things! Line Offline has no moe whatsoever. Instead, you can see this as a sitcom: a collection of sketches around a salaryman. The unusual thing about this episode was that it was entirely building up to one single joke at the end. That joke was… well… dull. The kind that might get a chuckle once or twie, but in the long run just isn’t worth it to spend more time on.
OP: At least they didn’t skimp here. Cool song, good use of a phone chat.
Potential: 10%
Senyuu
Short Synopsis: Our lead character fights monsters.
We’re up for a slight variation, people. Senyuu doesn’t just have three minute episodes, oh hell no: its episodes are four minutes long. Yes, you get a minute extra with this series! Isn’t it wonderful? Sarcasm aside, Senyuu is an RPG parody. Was it funny? Well, it got a chuckle out of me. The thing with it was that it, like many other series this season, just jumps into scenes without any sort of lead-in or build-up. Characters are cardboard boxes: the main character in particular got hit with this bad: his role in this series is that of the straight man. Burdened by this, he yells every single line of his. Yutaka Yamamoto, I know that you’re not the best director and all… but you should know better than this.
ED: Cheesy
Potential: 0%
Amnesia
Short Synopsis: Our lead character has amnesia.
Ooh, I like this. Out of all the non-sequels this season, this was by far the best first episode, and it will probably remain so for the rest of this season. I’ve been so used to otome game adaptations with crappy executions that this one actually took me by surprise by being really good. This too has the same premise of having a girl surrounded by bishies, but this episode added a few things that the others don’t have: intrigue for one. The main character has amnesia: so every character treating her like it was the most normal thing in the world, despite seeming completely foreign to the female lead. I like that a lot. For once, the bishies actually don’t try to fit themselves into stereotypes. Oh, they’re bishies and all, but they felt like actual characters for once. The soundtrack plays with this, especially the intrigue, leading to an actually good atmosphere for once. Yeah, this one works.
OP: I don’t like the song, but the visuals are interesting enough.
ED: Vocals are too washed out and feel off-key in some way but cool visual effects.
Potential: 85%
Bakumatsu Gijiden Roman
Short Synopsis: Our lead character is a phantom thief in the Bakumatsu era.
This obviously was meant to be a tongue-in-the-cheek rendition of the Bakumatsu Era (the original creators is the same guy who was behind Lupin III). For those of you who don’t know: it makes use of the legend of Hiraga Gennai, an inventor with apparently a very eccentric reputation. That’s why people fly around with rockets in this series. It doesn’t really work though: you can get the same experience but much, much better by just watching Ooedo Rocket. The thing with this series is that it’s got some very sloppy editing: it jumps around from one scene to the other without much build-up. The result of that is that the main character who was already meant to be an ass becomes even more unlikable and the banter between the characters feels way too forced: every character is trying way too hard to be quirky. The use of sound and music is also cheap at best. This episode does try to be heart-warming at times, but in the grand scheme of things it just feels shallow. I like TMS Entertainment for how experimental they were in 2012, but this is just one of those experiments gone wrong.
ED: This is actually quite interesting…
Potential: 50%
Guys, listen up. This show is based on some sort of game/pachinko, with only the character design being made by Monkey Punch. This is NOT from the same author as Lupin. They ARE trying to rip Lupin off though.
well you certainly must be a genius to have figured out what the producer’s intent was straight off the first episode. was tytania a code geass ripoff for you as well? was children who chase lost voices a ripoff of ghibli films too? originality must be so hard to find these days eh?
Yeah, because them using monkey punch designs and then deciding to have the characters also act like lupin characters is a total coincidence, right?
lupin, a classy womanizer who does stuff for his own gains, surrounded by laidback slick henchmen (and a slut)
roman, pathetic moralfag on the outside, surrounded by herp and derp companions
yeah those monkey punch designs and our comedic thief premise must have really limited your perceptions
Not expecting much here, but I’ll give it a shot anyway. Is there a Goemon equivalent here?
Somewhat off-topic, after Mine Fujiko (which was my fave anime of last year), I actually wanna see more of the nu-skool, grittier, filthier, funkier Lupin.
I like the animation of Amnesia, and the premise of the story seemed interesting at preview. I quite like that there’s some mystery about it, and the fact that those girls had hidden faces seem intriguing.
I do wonder if she checked her wallet or anything though…So far that’s my only sidestep. When that spirit one said she lost her data, does that mean even her documents? It’s only her cellphone that has data now? =.= It’s weird lol…Anyway we don’t even know her name yet too lol–which is a part of the mystery I guess. ^^
Actually in the game she does find out her name from her I.D. card
That blonde guy, if they follow the game and include his route things will get pretty crazy at one point. The blue haired guys route has a reasonable resolution too.
I didn’t really read up on the other characters routes though.
I did want to try watching AMNESIA. Looks like I’ll give it a shot now. It did look interesting in the previews. There’s not much else new this season anyways.
Yeah I agree, Amnesia was the best first episode so far (well, thats not saying much in such a terrible season, but it was still pretty good)
I find it funny that the shows I enjoy the most lately are always shoujos… I guess I like that they focus more on character development/relationships and usually completely avoid the usual cringe-worthy fanservice
@Frost:I see where your coming from, while I’ve always been into shoujo but thought this was only an okayish, if quite flawed start its the focus shoujo has as you said that makes me prefer it. I’ve been dulling a bit towards female fanservice a little.
re: Amnesia
Every now and then I feel a need to hit a button and watch floating sidekick-kun move on to his next line. Actually, I though this show could have had more impact if Orion had less involvement or maybe a different personality or functionality. I understand this is an adaption, but…
At least for the first episode, I kind of liked the concept, but I wasn’t as keen on the execution, other than the visuals.
(responding to self because no edit)
I mean, having the MC interact with a character that nobody else can see seems like the lazy way to explain the “game”‘s system and also try to reveal her inner thoughts, not to mention introduce and comment on other characters.
Also, dat memory unlock on parfait preparation. Just ’cause. Good job, player / viewer, you cleared the right flag?
Roman is at least entertaining, which is more I can say about the rest of this season
“you can get the same experience but much, much better by just watching Ooedo Rocket”
How can utter shit like Ooedo Rocket be “much much better” than ordinary blandness of this show ? Unthinkable.
Well I liked Oedo Rocket, is a unique seris.
psgels, you don’t like the opening song for Amnesia?! I think it is the best opening song for the season so far. I find the visuals to be average but I like the singer’s voice and the melody although I don’t know the lyrics 😛
Yes, you are right. Fuck you, psgels,xD. Yanagi Nagi, you’re the best!!
What was you expecting from Line Offline?
This is merely for the marketing propose. Line Offline’a target group is for “line” user who familiar with the characters.
They aim for “Normal People”, not for Otaku or usual anime watcher.
Its very funny for me, though.