Lupin the Third – Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna
Short Synopsis: Our lead character is a thief.
The visuals in this series are incredible. The character designs, the background art: it all looks gorgeous and very artistic, and the animation really brings them alive. And this episode revealed something more: you know Shinichirou Watanabe? He’ll be the music producer in this series again, ON TOP of directing Sakamichi no Appolon this season. The soundtrack also was full of Jazz songs that fitted the show really well. Beyond that, this show will probably be a collection of stories around Mine Fujiko, with the center around adventure. This episode was quite interesting and entertaining, and especially Lupin and Mine Fujiko played off each other quite well. This episode showed how the two of them met, so you don’t need to be familiar with the Lupin franchise at all to get this series. There is a lot of nudity in this series however, but thankfully it’s nowhere near the usual fanservice you see all over anime. My one complaint is that the side-characters are rather one-sided. Let’s hope that the next episodes can bring some change into that, because this really deserves it.
OP: One of the most unique OPs I’ve seen in a while. And also the best.
ED: A bit less interesting, though still a good song.
Potential: 90%
Medaka Box
Short Synopsis: Our lead character is a student council vice president.
Well, I do admit that Gainax’ execution helps with a premise like this. This episode was over the top and moved fast, which is definitely preferable to seeing another really slow-paced high school series. Overall there are some things in this episode that I disliked, like the camera’s uncanny ability to focus on Medaka’s boobs, or how she’s just way too perfect as a character, and most of the rest of the cast perhaps isn’t the most interesting, but they do have potential for later. At the very least the creators spent quite a bit of time on the main couple and how they were when they were kids. That’s a good thing for an opening episode to do. This probably won’t be anything amazing, but by the looks of it it’ll still be pretty entertaining.
OP: Unimpressive J-pop
Potential: 70%
Kore wa Zombie Desu Ka – Of the Dead
Short Synopsis: Our lead character lives together with a bunch of cute girls.
This episode really reminded me why i came to dislike Kore wa Zombie so much: it doesn’t even seem to be trying! This show is supposed to be a comedy. Half of this episode was nothing but repeating jokes from the first season and random out of place slice of life, which also just copied the first season. The other half was just building up to one joke, which was incredibly forced and half of which was also copied from the first season. There were two new characters introduced… both of which immediately got added to Ayumu’s harem. And then there was the animation: the creators blew all of the budget on the OP, making the actual animation of this show very dull, again with scenes blatantly copied from the first season. It’s clear that at this point, the creators have completely run out of inspiration and therefore are trying to fill their time with these gimmicks. Comedies should be bold! They should be entertaining and well thought out. Not these uninspired moe hacks like this.
OP: At least this is well animated. But Studio Deen, you’re putting your priorities at the complete wrong place.
ED: Oh come on…
Potential: 10%
Psgels, a minor spoiler about Medaka than could probably help you understand why she’s “too perfect”: the fact that she’s, well, basically a Mary Sue is actually a very important plot point. I’m not gonna spoil the “real” premise of the show (well, if it’s gonna follow the manga, at least), but Medaka Box is basically a manga about mangas (and I mean about the manga as a medium).
Seconded. The fanservice and Medaka’s perfection are very central to what happens later (the latter more than the former). Don’t worry, NisiOisiN is quite aware of what his characters are doing. The entire story is rather self-aware.
Well they only really get into the “real” premise WAY later in the manga, around 100++, but I don’t mind the fact that Medaka is perfect. I mean, how many perfect mary sue anime characters are there out there anyway? I can’t really think of any as “perfect” and has such an amazing superpower (manga readers know what I’m talking about) such as Medaka.
Now, I wouldn’t call ‘that’ the ‘real’ premise. What I feel what Medaka Box is… is manga in Shonen Jump done by Nisio. There are times when it feels more ‘Shonen Jump’ than ‘Nisio’ and there are other times when it’s more ‘Nisio’ than ‘Shonen Jump’. Manga readers are aware of these shifts and the author is also aware. However, strangely, it’s all kind of pulled together. It’s really hard to describe, but Medaka Box is something that’s more enjoyable when it’s seen as a whole, I suppose.
Medaka Box damn this is hard.., on one hand spoiling shows is a worst possible idea on the other this is really a kind of show which you tend to drop early , but in this case it would really be a shame. Let’s just say that even if there will be some not that impresive or maybe even bad parts on the whole it , it really, really is worth it in the end.
Holy Shit!! … I was already planning to watch this installment of Lupin III (I’ve watched em all), but Shinichiro Watanabe? … Realy?!! … You better not be pulling my leg, man!! Did you get that info from the credits or something? ANN and MAL don’t have his name listed in the credits section.
Anyways, waiting for subs. Hope someone subs this.
Okay, just saw a LQ streamed raw. I did see a “Shinichirou Watanabe” in the OP.
It was great, even in LQ. Hoping someone will release a HQ 720p (or maybe even 1080p) fansub soon. Loved every moment of it. The tits, the lines, the palette, the jazz, the mutton-chops, the jazz, Zenigata (even with a different voice), everything.
Will be seeing this later, but before I get my hopes up is this like the first series: realistic capers, they dont always win, Fujiko-Lupin are proper foils of each other. Or is it like the second and third series? Increasingly outlandish capers with increasing sci-fi/fantasy, can pull a disguise out of his arse (seriously while naked he can somehow carry a perfect replica rubber mask of someones face) lupin a slave to fujiko with the uncanny ability to dive onto the bed shedding his clothese mid flight like some corny american cartoon?
^ He’s always done that crazy clothes shedding thing. That was the only thing they actually kept from the older show. The series hurts the nostalgia-stan in me, but the visuals appeal to my love of absurd pop art.
Lupin’s OP was fantastic, boting that for best OP of this season already, no way to beat it, seriously.
voting*
=]
OH MY GOD! A new Lupin series. !!!!!!!!
This new Lupin series is sexy to hell! XD
New Lupin is one of the few series in years that I actually find aesthetically pleasing
Medaka being mary sue is actually the main point, main joke, and main “meta reference” in medaka box.
I thought Zombie’s second half was entertaining as hell, and that’s what got me into watching this in the first place. Sure enough, I won’t deny that even these nonsensical situations were quite a bit copied-and-pasted. Not really forced, though.
It’s helpful for those who missed the first season who would not be able to enjoy the running jokes otherwise.
Like Medaka Box alot. Looks like Hachikuji’s wisecracking was safely transplanted. Lots of tsundere guys. LOL at the bizarre Kamina cameo. Is he a regular character?
IIRC he never appears again.
He just happens to have blue hair in the same style as Kamina. I guess the anime staff thought it’d be a good production studio joke to have Konishi Katsuyuki voice him.
About Lupin III: The OP was good the first time I saw it, but I due to streaming issues, I ended up watching it 5+ times in a row and it sorta lost its appeal to me. As for the story, I’m glad they are managing to make it feel like capers from the old series while at the same time, making it clear this series is Fujiko’s. Perhaps as a side effect of this, Zenigata does feel a bit toned down than what I’m used to, or maybe that has to do with how this episode was a sort of prequel.
About Zombie: I only counted one new character in this episode if I’m not mistaken.
Lupin the Third just stole the title of “best anime of Spring 2012” from Space Brothers. Does that means the James Bond fan in me beat the classic scifi geek this round?
Lupin is just that good of a thief.
Haven’t seen it yet but ditto to that. I love the Lupin series for it’s light-hearted slapstick Get Smart-style fun, except with Lupin having a bit of James Bond’s style and wit. I’m pretty sure there’s something out of Hollywood that’s like this but I can’t seem to recall right now.
Plus, so far at least, I don’t think Space Brothers can come close to Planetes. So far, anyway.
You may be right — but Planetes did have problems. An inconsistent tone. If Space Bros keeps its humor and scope wide consistent throughout, it’ll surpass Planetes.
Medaka Box? You somehow got a good opinion of it from the first episode, you ought to drop it while you’re ahead. It’s gonna get worse. Although the anime probably won’t reach up to the _really_ bad parts.
If and only if Medaka Box turns out to be a meta, self-reflexive commentary on the Mary Sue character then I won’t drop it. Otherwise I’ll question NisionIson’s intent….
It will. But unfortunately, in between now and that point will be a significant period of genre shifting, followed by settling into the new genre.
Then the most awesome and interesting characters and most meta aspects of the series would spawn itself.
Alas, 12 Episodes is not enough.
My big fear: Medaka Box will share the fate of the Negima adaptations: a horrific butchery of an adaptation the manga in the entirety, and whose First Cour dooms the anime.
The problem is genre shift. And unfortunately, when the genre starts from Slice of life/Comedy/Fanservice, and transitions into something like Shounen and Meta Commentary, and is adapted…
Well, let’s just say that animes tend to draw out manga plots that might seem tolerably brief if you were reading it’s manga version.
Hey I strongly disagree wid the very low potential of Kore wa Zombie Desu ka -.-
Well, i expect “a lot!” from it considering I deem it to be one of the best out there ^^