Ben-To
Short Synopsis: Our lead character is hungry.
So, it’s finally time for my most anticipated harem show of the season, and this definitely is a step above all of the others. There is first of all the premise of this series, but on top of that it also had by far the best direction of the bunch. This first episode was well told, had some great ideas into it, and especially the way in which the creators used amnesia in this episode in order to introduce everyone worked well, but also the use of camera angles was quite inspired. David Production also delivers in the animation: they really have the talent to breathe life into characters who seem very generic at first. Also, here is the thing about the next-best harem shows this season: Horizon and Majikoi may be enjoyable, they’re also badly acted. This episode of Ben-To wasn’t. The acting was actually quite good. The male lead is one of the first to actually do impressions (including a bizarre Norio Wakamoto impression), the females are based on stereotypes, but their behavior tries to move away from that. and attempts to give them a more colourful personality. Oh, and the use of music also was very good: it was well timed, the soundtrack is creative and it helps building up the tension.
OP: It has energy, but still a bit dull.
ED: Not a bunch of images, but actually relates to the series, though it does seem rather cheesy. The song still is badly sung.
Potential: 80%
Shakugan no Shana III
Short Synopsis: Our lead character is gone.
Okay, so apparently things actually happened in the second season. I gave up on that one after its second episode so I wouldn’t know exactly how it happened, but what this episode seemed to hint at rather scared me a bit. Of course, it’s good to see that at this point Shana has predictably changed from tsun to dere, so there’ll be no more “urusai urusai urusai”, and this episode was admittedly better than Hidan no Aria’s opening(not that that says much, though), but seriously. Are the creators really building up to a cheese ball finale where Shana is forced to have to fight Yuuji? Is that what these 80 episodes are building up to? Such a soap opera twist?! Please tell me that I’m wrong. I mean, pulling such a thing for a novelty is one thing. but to make it the main focus of 80 whopping episodes!?
OP: Not bad, but nothing special either.
ED: This is dull J-pop, though, where the limitations of the singer are really shown.
Potential: 35%
Sekai-Ichi Hatsukoi 2
Short Synopsis: Our lead character is gay.
Here’s the thing with this series: cut it in half, remove the two non-main stories, and you’d have a very good story about a bunch of manga editors. The only reason why I dropped the original series is because it switched over to the second story, which put fanservice and blushing bishies before story and characters. This first episode of Sekai-Ichi Hatsukoi’s first episode reminded me again of why I originally liked the series: it’s good slice of life, it portrays the stress of being a manga editor quite well and it’s quite funny. There is progress: instead of dealing with manga authors, the main character now has to deal with colleagues and printers, which take a completely different set of skills. In terms of the romance though… I didn’t feel like I missed much actually. Only this episode developed the relationship between the two male leads further and really, they’re pretty interesting characters. The biggest thing that this series needs to worry about now is to avoid Junjo Romantica 2’s big pitfall of not going anywhere.
OP: Try to do something different for a change.
ED: Dull J-rock
Potential: 70%]]>
Some Quick First Impressions: Ben-To, Shakugan no Shana III and Sekai-Ichi Hatsukoi 2
I never thought Psgels would watch Sekaiichi Again.
And I’m pretty sure he’s gonna say “kiss,rape,rape,rape,kiss,rape” again
As much as I hate to say it, I don’t have high hopes for the anime. The manga is much better at fleshing out the characters via plot and backstory, as well as providing juicier fanservice for those who like it (like me!). Probably because it’s not bogged down with the extraneous love triagle subplot that the anime decided to go with. Oh well, I’ll watch it anyway, ’cause I’m a die-hard fangirl, and I’ll takes my BL where I can get it.
Though I must say, No. 6 has kind of ruined these cheesy slap-slap-kiss-let’s-throw-in-a-rape-too-type animes for me, even with it’s WTF-style ending. To go from the kind of raw, honest, unflinching and earnest type of emotion portrayed in No. 6 to this…that’s like following steak with SPAM. :-\
Sekai has potential, definitely agree with kitty that the manga is easily better. Although I think this season will be better than the first since their relationship is getting more interesting now, and will end at a perfect spot for an on going manga (everyone is praying it ends at chapter 10, and pretty sure it will). Also psgels, you could just skip the second couple all together if you want, and just watch the main couple’s episodes of the first season, you wouldn’t miss anything. I hate the second couple too, they’re so cliche and boring/forced. Not sure if you liked the third couple or gave them a try, but they’re better than the second one.
Funny thing is, in comparison to Junjou, I was much more interested in the side couples than the main one. While in Sekai all I really care about is the main couple. Don’t think psgels should blog this, but I think its worth it to watch it just for the main couple episodes.
@Psgels if you plan to watch this, episodes 7, 11, and 12 are the only episodes in the first season that you missed regarding the main couple. Also episode 8-9 is the third couple if you’re interested.
>> Are the creators really building up to a cheese ball finale where Shana is forced to have to fight Yuuji?
Yes.
>> Is that what these 80 episodes are building up to?
Yes.
>> Such a soap opera twist?!
Yes.
>> Please tell me that I’m wrong.
You’re wrong. Because you asked nicely. 😛
Heh ?
I completely remember the ending of Shakugan no Shana II and there was absolutely no hint of that sort. More so, it was a romantic cheesy ending if I remember exactly.
Anyway, it might be a “troll” episode just like what the beginning of season 2 did.
@Will
IIRC, season 2 was an anime original ending? season 3 seems to have went back to the original novel’s story, which IMO is actually pretty decent.
Actually, it’s the ending of season 1 that was anime original. The ending of season 2 was the same as in the books. It never showed anything beyond Shana smiling at the sight of Yuuji. This episode was a direct continuation of that scene.
Regarding Sekai-Ichi Hatsukoi, I agree with you 100%. The side characters and their so-called love stories were completely uninteresting and just an excuse to see guys blushing and making out. They weren’t even funny, they bored me to death. The only reason why I kept watching was the main couple: they’re funny and their lives go beyond each other, they actually have jobs that fulfill them. Yes, their past misunderstandings are a bit unreasonable, but at least their actions make sense. However, the best thing about this series are the male lead’s monologues, they really make me laugh.
@Psgels
O RLY? Sekai-Ichi Hatsukoi is good? One guy dominating the other guy, passing up trying to rape someone just to see some fundamental truth of a slice of life anime. No you can’t pass up this one. Saying this is good and not finding anything good in Maken-ki is kinda weird. Sometimes its not just justifying being obscure or anything but stuff like Junjo Romantica and this are really just fanservice for the females.
Yeah, the romance in Sekai-itchi is bad (and not because it’s between two guys). But everything else that involves the main couple is pretty good.
I just wish the romance would move forward a bit, so it’s watchable. Also, why isn’t there a series with realistic gay romance? Where not everyone is at least bi-curious and you cannot flirt in broad daylight…
@Puran The closest I got to a realistic gay romance was Antique Bakery, and the gay romance wasn’t the focus of the story. It’s not even BL.
Seriously, there are more realistic BL than this. Why her works… I don’t know.
@Psgel: You synopsis summary for some of the anime is having QUITE the pattern:
1) Short Synopsis: Our lead character is hungry
2) Short Synopsis: Our lead character is gone.
3) Our lead character is gay.
4) Short Synopsis: Our lead character is a transfer student with special powers
5) Our lead character is surrounded by cute girls.
Of course its perfectly logical, I just couldn’t help but feel this season has some serious disappointments (according to my taste for the record). Right now I’m only looking forward to Fate Zero. And to think i watch Shana I and II *blueah*
Ben-To is actually good? Awesome stuff! I was hoping David Production would put their talent to use here..and they have definitely proved themselves. Going to check this one out later.
Holy crap, David Production has an anime this season? Im in! Everything they put out so far is amazing…
Sooooo…are the previous Shakugan no Shana anime seasons worth watching at all? I was planning to watch them in the future, but if it’s just a bunch of bs then i’ll pass and save time for another show.
Wow you gave Ben-To 80% special I’m sorry but I just don’t see it. I’ll keep my eye on it a lil more since you have so much faith in it.
@Sho, since its come down to this, man, skip it. don’t hesitate though if they ever have some super compressed OVA version of it. its just like psgel said – 80 episodes coming down to this?! *sheesh*
@Carbine Gammaximon: Thanks for the reply dude =)
Now i can cross I-III out of my list. Time and patience saved.
@Sho, season 1 of Shana had a good start. The setting seemed interesting and the plot mysterious.
Then “Urusai-urusai-urusai” begins, and Rie’s tsundere, overshadows everything. I really don’t remember what happens in the second half of the first season, but I feel annoyed when I try to remember it.
The second season was just plain bad (at least for me). And the OVA started really, really… REALLY bad, but I kinda liked the conclusion (had a tiny bit of character development, oh my!).
So it depends… If you’ve seen Zero no Tsukaima, it’s kinda like that, but with much less humour, and a more interesting setting.
O well, contrary to my Fate zero comment, I am whit psgels in two shows, Bento is a very insteresting harem show. I am expecting great things about it. Shana feelt flat … again. And for Sakai … its not for my likes,a female fanservice show I must say, but this a personal opinion about something I dont ever see.
As far as Shakugan no Shana goes, I felt Yuuji was worthless in season 1, underplayed in season 2 until the end when loosing his artifact caused him to have to grow a spine. Season 3 while it’s good he’s finally getting some respect, was far too sudden.
Changing the alignment of a main character from protagonist to antagonist/villain and granting them super-powers all of a sudden is a risky move from a story prospective. But it evolved Yuuji from an empty persona for Shanna to rescue over and over into a real character with his own agenda.
Like many animated series, Shakugan no Shana started out with a lot of potential and proceeded to squander it.
Enemy appears, Yuuji is in trouble, Shanna takes care of it, with a tiny bit of help from Yuuji…
Yeah I got tired of that quick-like… This ‘plot twist’ is serving to expand the world quite a bit and can serve to take this series out of that rut.
The only real question is Yuuji fully aware of the goals of the god he fused with, or is he just being used by him? That answer will define the series.