Cross Game
Short Synopsis: Our lead character is talented at baseball
Chance of me Blogging: 50% (Surprisingly good)
Oh boy, I’m impressed. After this episode, I can fully understand why people were looking forward to this series, even though from the outside it just looks like yet another show in which a bunch of talented kids play baseball. Cross Game may have your usual stereotypes, but it also has a quiet slice-of-life pacing, already very fleshed out and charming characters, a male lead who already doesn’t feel like a carbon copy of your average male protagonist in such a series, and a very nice surprise at the end of the episode there. There’s lots of subtlety in this episode, which is something I’m a really big fan of. This series could get really good if it keeps this up.
Tears to Tiara
Short Synopsis: Our lead character has the power to summon an almighty demon king.
Chance of me Blogging: 20% (If the second episode is good)
And here we have yet another fantasy-series. My big problem with those shows these season is that they all seem to look like each other. A random fantasy show like Tears to Tiara really needs to find something in this fantasy-packed season to stand out, and I didn’t find that yet. Nevertheless, though: this episode did the job. It wasn’t anything good, but nothing bad either. In fact, this episode mostly served as a very dark introduction to the series, especially considering the contrast with the rather happy OP and the continuous dark atmosphere of the actual episode. I do hope that the show is going to be about more than simply “kill that demon king” in the end.
Full Metal Alchemist – Brotherhood
Short Synopsis: Our lead character is a famous State Alchemist (as in, someone who draws circles on floors).
Chance of me Blogging: 70% (Unless lots of other great series air in the rest of the season)
I have never read the manga, so I don’t know where this episode exactly fits into the continuity of the series, but I’m glad that the creators skipped the first thirteen episodes of the original series (which really were a pain to get through for me). This episode seriously was good stuff, though. What I’ve seen of the characterization is much better than that of the original series. My only complaint was that characters seemed to run into each other a bit too conveniently, but overall this was a very good opening. At the moment, I’m a bit wary of Bones since nearly all of their endings have a finale in which at leastsomething goes wrong, but for now I’ll remain positive about the Full Metal Alchemist remake.
I’m hoping you blog Cross Game, because it strikes me as a series that will get unfairly ignored – whereas FMA will be extremely popular. And i’m glad to hear they’re both good, though.
The FMA remake has been giving me this ZOMG WHAT IF THEY MESS UP?! panicky feeling, but with the rest of the fanbase hyperventilating and even your approval, I feel like I might be able to enjoy this after all. Just hope that I’ll eventually stop cracking up at Mustang having Sakamoto Tatsuma’s VA.
Also, because it’s important that Lior happens, they’re probably going to go in the next episode or something, but the Elrics’ flashback doesn’t even happen until after Hughes’ death in the manga, so they’ll get you into the action before then.
Really want to see Cross Game, too-I haven’t read the manga for that one. Hope someone turns up to sub it soon.
I was also pleasantly surprised with Cross Game, the first episode showed great potential. Hope it doesn’t go to waste.
Cross Game, eh…
You should have watched Touch – it’s regarded as the best of Adachi.
I’m looking forward to seeing Cross Game, however i’ve been following the manag – not sure i will like anime version after it. Will see.
Cross Game… will have less and less baseball… In fact that is a joke about the series Is this really a baseball manga?
Highly suggest Cross game if they stick fairly close with the manga.
Pretty sure Tears to Tiara is just Utawarerumono without the animal ears. IIRC every female in the game becomes the demon king’s concubine or some BS.
Well the 1st episode of FMA is an anime only storyline. I think they just did it to show viewers that yes this is different from the 1st anime but there might be some repetition of the two series early on.
Cross Game does look cute. I wasn’t thinking of watching it but maybe I will reconsider.
My goodness they blazed through an entire volume of Cross Game O.o I am interested to watch the first episode, sounds like it still produced a positive impression but a whole volume…(that’s gotta be a record for condensing.) I’m curious to see how that was handled.
First ep of FMA was impressive in terms of animation (well, it’s Bones afterall), but I don’t really know what they intend to do with the story in 13 episodes… They can’t possibly follow the manga, unless they’re thinking on more seasons coming up afterwards. It’s true the new FMA has more of a “manga feeling” now, with the change in the characters designs and in the general plot, but I still don’t find this product faithful to the original story. To begin with, the bad guy in this episode doesn’t even appear in the manga at all… Let’s hope Bones to have already thought about these problems and surprise us with a fantastic new FMA.
If Cross Game keeps on being faithful to the manga, yes, it will keep this up. Adachi’s pretty famous for emphasizing the drama surrounding his characters more than the baseball; his eternal theme is ‘youth’. But of course the baseball in this one is good, too.
Patricia: where exactly did you read that there were only going to be 13 episodes? If that’s the case, then yeah, the new FMA is pretty much doomed for failure.
@Patricia: ANN lists that they know the broadcast dates for 13 episodes. To properly follow the manga, they’ll need at least 50, but it’s not like the broadcast schedule for the next year is going to be listed anywhere. They only have broadcast dates for the current season.
Well, nowadays a lot of series (mostly manga adaptions) are being cut into 13 episode pieces just because of sponsor’s fear – “will public accept it or not?” (where the heck is Amatsuki btw?)). In case of Alchemist it’s strange, but still possible.
As far as i know, FMA: Brotherhood is not only 13 episodes long. It’s projected to have no episode limit/count so it may move through the manga at an appropriate pace. Which sounds like a rather good idea if utilised well. No need to speed through parts of plod through others just to maintain an episode quota of 13/26/etc. Although conversely, may attempt to milk the series for all it’s worth in dragging it out for a long while… Hopefully not…
Oh, I’ve read it here: http://www.animetake/forums/anime-discussion/793-phuzy-list-spring-09-a.html . I thought it was reliable but maybe they got confused because there are only 13 eps scheduled, I didn’t realize that. Well, I really hope there will be more, lol. But neither the official site of the new season nor bones site give any information at all, so I don’t really know where to look. Maybe bones themselves don’t know the number of episodes it will have…
Like Nomus said, there are so many series of 13 eps or so nowadays that I got nervous, lol.
S-r: that sounds good, it will be great if they use the number of eps they need without worrying about the quotas 🙂
Ugh, they’re doing flashback next episode already? At least that means we should more of Winry and Hawkeye next ep, but what about Izumi? It makes me worried that Greed is already in the OP, but not her.
And I hate the whole ice alchemy thing-queue the mangafag’s obsessive nitpicking, but in the manga, alchemy can be used to change the shape of a material, or to overcome the energy barrier to force two materials to react, but it’s never used to directly change the temperature, or energy contained by a material-all energy used seems to bottom out once the transmutation is complete. Thank god that will be gone as of next episode.
But! The OP and ED are total love, the OP’s lyrics fit perfectly, Sakamoto Tatsuma is an unexpectedly good Mustang, Fumiko Orikasa makes a great Hawkeye, and Al does stuff!
In summary, I’m whining, but still FUCK YEAH. Now we just need Cross Game subs, and to wait and see how the other half of this season that hasn’t turned up yet turns out.
senerikfred: if you start to get nitpicky, then there are a lot of things wrong to the concept of Alchemy. After all, they keep repeating “equal trade” over and over again, but the energy that is required to conduct this alchemy is never mentioned. Also, if alchemists are able to change the shape of objects, it’s also possible for them to mess with temperatures: after all, the difference between water and ice is simply the speed with which the molecules inside them are moving. If someone can create a wall out of the ground, it’s also possible for people to mess around with the speeds and positions of the molecules inside water.
After all, they keep repeating “equal trade” over and over again, but the energy that is required to conduct this alchemy is never mentioned.
Actually it is later on in the manga storyline 🙂
Kim mentioned about the energy already, and even the first anime came up with its own (rather bogus) answer to that, and I’m going to stick with saying that you can use energy to instigate the transmutation, but extra energy doesn’t stick around once you’re done. That’s pretty much what Arakawa had in mind-she specifically has Mustang use the gloves to create a spark from friction as ignition for gases that he used alchemy to manipulate. Otherwise, alchemy would create the heat to make them combust, too.
I could rant some more, but this is a comic and its cartoon we’re talking about. Arakawa did a bunch of research on various subjects to create the world and characters of FMA, but it’s not like a fantasy needs to adhere 100% to our physics. Look at Gainax-they create different laws of physics for pretty much each one of their series.
I didn’t see the first two series in this group of three, but FMA was surprisingly good. The OP was fantastic though (seriously, I usually skip OP’s after the first few seconds, but I played this one twice), my fave in a long time.
To be fair, I haven’t read the manga or anything, but who cares if it’s faithful as long as it’s good? Plus, is it just me or does the character depth seem a lot more intense (aka awesome) than in the original series? I’m all for complexity.
Right now, I’m really looking forward to Eden of the East (trailer is fantastic!), and hoping 07-Ghost and Pandora Hearts don’t get slaughtered into bad-shounen-ness.
@smallDetails: Yeah, yeah. Change is okay. Obviously, it’s a little harder to accept when something that means a lot to you is getting it.
But YES, the original anime was pretty good with its themes, but the real strength in Arakawa’s version is the characters. The OP’s lyrics really fit Ed, Al and Winly at this stage, and of course the others fit in as well. Look forward to awesome character development.
And Eden of the East is a definite watch(not to mention psgels is almost definitely going to like it, being noitaminA). I can’t say I’m looking forward to 07-Ghost, though-it seems to have a lot of BL fanservice. Plot, nevertheless, could be interesting.
@senerikfred. Yeah, adaptations can be tough to accept.
07-Ghost’s plot definitely has awesome potential (although it does have the tendency to veer off on tangents), but if it turns into Bl fanservice…. Well, the manga does technically have those undertones, and seeing as it’s the same director as Hatenkou Yugi, you’re probably right in your suspicions. Drats.
@senerikfred; Cross Game manga’s got a lovely group subbing it – try onemanga.com – it’s well worth the read. The manga’s much more gentle, nuanced, and … well, funny than the anime (at least so far). Actually, it’s my favorite manga of all time. It’s the only one that can actually make me cry. Adachi seems to be a big fan of how people deal with young lives cut short, and his characters are very, very human.
@enjouythis
Haven’t watched the first episode yet, but i’m afraid of anime version being rushed and ultimately – ruined. Adachi manga has unique, slow paced charm and i’m not sure how well it will translate into anime.
“Actually, it’s my favorite manga of all time. It’s the only one that can actually make me cry.”
What? I’m nearly up to date with it and the only event in the entire manga so far that was sad was [____]’s death at the end of the first volume. It had a surprising amount of impact for one volume but there wasn’t enough character development to make anyone cry. If you really did then you must not have much experience with anime ’cause so many would make cry a lot more.
“it just looks like yet another show in which a bunch of talented kids play baseball.”
Yet another? If you exclude one series that never got subbed and a couple of TV specials, there’s only been two anime that fit your description in the past 10 years. Major and Ookiku Furikabutte. If you add One Outs it seems like every baseball anime that gets made ends up being incredibly awesome.
“but I’m glad that the creators skipped the first thirteen episodes of the original series (which really were a pain to get through for me)”
You’re confusing… it sounds like you enjoyed the anime original episodes much more than the manga ones. And they’re going to have to include most of the events from those episodes anyway, since they’re pretty important to the story. Though hopefully they’ll be done differently to make this version feel better. This is the introductory episode, of course the characters are going to run into each other a bit conveniently considering they’re trying to introduce many of them to the viewers. They haven’t just skipped lots of stuff seeing as many people haven’t seen the original series.
07-ghost manga ROCKS – it stay away from your typical shounen-fantasy…iamgin X meet CG without mecha,i think.
Eden of the East will be a must watch,then also Guin Saga and Pandora Hearts.Shangri-la,Valkyria comes after (this is REALLY the season of fantasy animes)
Dammit, delete one of my duplicate comments (and this). My first comment didn’t seem to go through so I waited and checked 20 mins but it still hadn’t so I sent it again.
@Mark: “You’re confusing… it sounds like you enjoyed the anime original episodes much more than the manga ones.” Because psgels didn’t like the first 13 episodes? But almost half of the events in the first episodes weren’t part of the original manga storyline (for example episode 4, 6, 10, 11, 12).
Surely you jest about the characterisation in the FMA pilot? I found dialogue less punchy, more ham-fisted. And what they done with Roy? T_T
Oh well, the artwork is divine and the lighting is gorgeous. The city definitely looks more, I dunno, believable.
Watching Cross Game now, finally there is a sub out, well I do think it does leave a positive impression. The important parts are still there and more importantly the wit is also present, though not as much I do miss the way the chapter titles are segued into the chapter as an important line which does leave a very strong impression in general with the chapters I do hope they do this in the future with episode titles. Though my gripe is that I do think the pace is rather fast… I don’t know how many would agree with me here but I do think the pacing is much too fast for such a series that I think is more of a slow burner, whose wit and charm linger on for some time in fact its somewhat a shame that they edited out most of the quirky jokes and smart ass remarks that make the series stand out so much (though not completely that its so different), much like Natsume Yuujinchou. I do hope the next episode takes on a much slower pace than it did with this one.
*Edit: Ah shoot wanted to add some more stuff, mainly for those who follow the manga and are curious of edits done to volume 1 to fit it all.
Well they did tone down Wakaba’s trademark for her character, namely how she constantly thinks of the future (not that bad of an edit seeing as ell she’d be gone). Though it will leave a gap later on when there are scenes that evoke Wakaba and Koh’s relationship since it doesn’t feel as close in the anime, though it does still manage to come across as close some quirks of the relation (namely how much Wakaba makes it clear that Koh is “hers” to everyone and how she has issues with Aoba and Koh not getting along at all.)
Though I do think the most crucial edit they did was removing the game between Aoba and Koh, I call this crucial as it was thanks to that game that Koh really began trying to improve. This part does leave me some mixed feelings since… This is an important part… Its often referred to later on in the series and more importantly adds a complication in the relation of Aoba and Koh. In any case I am sure for those who read they can understand the implications of this… Like I said I wish they didn’t take such a fast pace with this series, volume 1 could’ve easily been two episodes. Its not THAT disappointing for readers though undoubtedly it is a disappointment, one that I think could have been easily avoided had they opted not to cram 2 episodes worth into 1.
@Machi
I’m holding off my judgement until i’ve seen more episodes. They could have wanted to finish the prologue (1st volume) in the first episode. Or so i hope.
Cross Game (like many other Adachi manga) is like you said “slow burner, whose wit and charm linger on for some time”. It would be pity for anime to focus just on action, destroying the charm of the manga in process.
i think they just wanted to get through the first volume pretty quickly. it worked in my opinion, obviously, will the vast amount of people going crazy over just this one episode. as for the Koh, Aoba backdrop, it looks like they just want to introduce it in a different way. obviously it is not like they can really change that aspect to the series, it is a huge part of it. to be honest, there was more shown in the ED about how Aoba feels about Koh than in the actual episode, but that just shows me that they will get to it at their own pace.
Cross Game T_T, why did she have to kick the bucket? First time I cried on the first episode of an anime. I hope you blog this one, this seems to be interesting, better than H2 I think.
I did read some of the manga although not much. I did see the first season and I have to say that the series did turn sour near the end. I’m happy that they are redoing it. Somewhat surprised by the first episode and where they started it. I mean, of course they want to appeal to the long time fans but boy did they jump right into the storyline. At least they’re putting some flashbacks as refreshers, which is reassuring.
yeah yeah…no offence. i love fma brotherhood but when the person says”people who draw circles on the floor”it reminds me of me getting scolded for doodling on the floor when i was much younger…like making it sound so wrong?
Just finished watching episode 1 of Cross Game. And wow it was seriously good. Even tho I’ve read the manga and almost all the available internet scans of Adachi’s work, the first episode still has the punch to make me cry. TT
What was I watching last year to make me fore go this one? >.