Phi Brain 2
Short Synopsis: Our lead character solves puzzles.
Okay, so the big question: how on earth will the second season be able to top the first? Well, for starters it’s got a new soundtrack, the graphics got a bit of an upgrade (seriously, the budget for this series isn’t big, but the characters look really good in the shots where some time was spent on). And the new set of villains also has potential. However, these villains use two tropes that can work really well or fail miserably, depending on the execution: amnesia and brainwashing. the exact how and why of things isn’t explained in this first episode, but it was very heavily hinted that these will be major themes of the new season, in which the creators really try to get Kaito’s friends against him. This has a ton of potential, especially with Sato Junichi (who by the way changed positions a bit: he’s now the main writer of this series, instead of the director). However, whatever you do: give these characters a good reason to turn against Kaito. Don’t just do some mumbo jumbo and completely change their character for the sake of drama.
OP: Love the use of guitars. Also dying to see that scene of Nonoha with her hair down.
ED: Such a shame that they didn’t follow up on the first ED by using some other clever visual effect. This was rather all over the place.
Potential: 80%
Pretty Rythm Dear My Future
Short Synopsis: Our lead character wants to become an idol.
It probably isn’t a surprise to most, but I hate the idol culture. The concept of huge corporations dressing up ditzy girls without any sort of talent and make them sing very cheesy J-pop that is the complete opposite of my taste in music… that is one part of Japan that I have no interest in whatsoever. And yet, I don’t dislike idol anime. There are a bunch of really good ones out there, like Fancy Lala, Full Moon wo Sagashite, White Album and of course Perfect Blue. On the other hand though… there is Pretty Rythm, which embodies every reason I hate idols. This, was an incredibly cheap cash-in that overglorifies idols. It was incredibly poorly produced, the graphics, especially when the characters are turned into CG, look horrible and every single character was incredibly annoying. By far the worst offender was the main character, though. She just keeps whining and whining over and over again about becoming an idol. Even in this season which is full of obnoxious characters, she stands out by being among the worst of them. “Baby… Twinkle Star! It’s… New World!”
ED: Very bad J-Pop
ED: “Who cares about animation? Let’s just advertise some random idol group of ours!”
Potential: 0%
Nazo na Kanojo X
Short Synopsis: Our lead character gets to date a cute girl.
Okay yes: I have a bias against series with a lot of moe. That played a big part in why I didn’t like Accel World and Sankarea, but this is a genre that has annoyed me so often by now. However, I do give all of these series a chance, and let it be known with this series that I’m more than willing to set this bias aside when the content is actually really good. At first sight Nazo na Kanojo X was a recipe for disaster. I don’t care if the manga was supposed to be good: the porn producers of Hoods could have easily turned this into this bore-fest solely dedicated to the people with a drool fetish. But they actually did it: they took the source material seriously and delivered a very fun and especially weird first episode. The drool doesn’t matter: the two leads play quite well off each other and actually bring something unique to the shounen romance genre. Also, this is a season with a lot of good soundtracks (Lupin, Fate/Zero, Kuroko, Zetman), but surprisingly this one turned out to have the best.
ED: Such a good soundtrack, and then they bring in such an annoying vocalist for the ED.
Potential: 80%
Actually I think you’re mistaken, as there’s nothing moe about this anime. The artstyle is very reminiscing of 80s comedy series such as uruseiyatsura and orange road. Urabe is an anti-moe female protagonist, as suggested by the voice they chose for her which is totally different from the usual chirping, chipmunky voices which infest moe animes. Her behavior, too, is nothing like your run of the mill moe character.
That said, I hope the rumors saying this will stray off the manga are true. In the manga she’s almost too pure, a bit more risquiness would go a long way 🙂
Phi Brain, it really loves white-haired antagonist.
Moe is not a genre, and Nazo no Kanojo X has no moe style in it at all. If you wanna laugh, look at the director.
^ What they said. Nazo na Kanojo X is not moe.
^ What they said. Nazo no Kanojo X is definitely not moe.
Here what Nazo no Kanojo X is – its good.
To wierd for me, but I agree with the rest. Nothing moe about the show. Just Japanese wierd.
Moe or not, this romance anime is the first romance anime that I truly enjoyed since Aoi Hana.
But yeah, this series is not definitely Moe. I agree with the rest
Just watched Mysterious Girlfriend X. A bit old school. I wonder if it’s an 80s period drama. The protagonist even has an old Star Wars A New Hope poster on the back of his door. The mystery part of the title is definitely there. Very odd how she could pinpoint the boy’s actions so accurately just according to his symptoms. The saliva thing is also a bit…um…ewww. XD I would have preferred it if it was a bit more subtle. This is kinda “in your face” for me. But maybe it’s an important plot point somehow.
Definitely not moe. Besides the old school shounen character designs, the leading girl’s seiyuu is actually an actress. This might actually be her first anime role. Her voice pattern reminds me of Fujisaki Rumi in Sket Dance. It’s a “normal” voice, rather than an “anime” voice, the kind seiyuu slip back into during interviews and such.
Mikoto’s voiced by Yoshitani Ayako; her first anime role. A perfect fit, IMO
As for Phi Brain, am I the only one reminded of Utena’s Black Rose arc? 😛 I think they’ll try to play on the characters’ insecurities and fears to turn them against Kaito (like what Pinochle did with Chieno in this ep). But really, is Kaito a white-haired bishounen magnet or something? ^^;;
Btw, I must say both the OP and ED are huge improvements on the ones in season 1.
I think it’s an insult to put Perfect Blue in the same category as this.
I meant that Idol anime above
Have to agree with meow, the voice actress for Urabe was one of the first in a long time that hasn’t had one of the various stereotyped anime voices (Haven’t seen Sket Dance, unfortunately). It was really that and the wonderfully strange soundtrack that made the episode for me.
Loved it. The intro, the strange city, the offbeat music, the flash of THE SCISSORS. Perfect start.
You didn’t notice the golden ratio theme in the ending of phi brain?
they are taking the references to Phi to the new level, I think that the numbers on screen where also Phi.
Nazo no Kanojo X had the best first episode of all the Spring series we’ve watched. We weren’t initially going to watch it, but saw your potential (compared to the potential of Accel World and Sankarea) and decided to give it a shot. It beat both handily, from a first impressions perspective.
So weird, yet so sincere and straightforward in its presentation. No wasted lines, no side characters; pretty setting, cool throwback character design, and a realistic-sounding, lovable female lead whose eyes you hardly ever see. It even avoided any magic or fantasy elements (aside from the surreal dreams); Akira isn’t poisoned. He’s just in love, and love’s a drug.