Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo
Short Synopsis: Our lead character is best friends with a flying potato with a train fetish…
Chance of me Blogging: 30% (Nice ideas, but…. what?!)
In my previous entry, I remember noting how this season lacked originality. I never thought that this series would listen to me, although it definitely has its own share of problems. Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo is weird. In fact, nothing of this series made any bloody sense whatsoever… the lead character moves from an innocent schoolgirl with an annoying sister to the henchmen of a weird mechanical space eye-ball… The character-designs are also way too moe. Still, I do have to appreciate the huge mount of ideas that was stuffed into this series, even though most of the times this is for the wrong reasons. This series is so incredibly stupid that it actually becomes enjoyable. The bad thing about this series is that it’s Sunrise again: the title is meant to cash in on Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo’s popularity, and the Lelouch-eyeball at the same time tries to squeeze more money out of the Code Geass-franchise.
Hajime no Ippo New Challenge
Short Synopsis: Our lead character is a very good boxer.
Chance of me Blogging: 10% (Have yet to see the first season)
In this season, I’m looking for new and fresh content. I’m not sure where I got that idea, but this clearly was the worst possible season for it: yet another sequel! The only original and imaginative premises I’ve seen so far are from Akikan and Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo, which… definitely were in the complete opposite direction of what I was looking for… Nevertheless, laying this aside I pretty much liked this episode. The characters were immediately likable, even though I missed around seventy episodes of the first season. My biggest concern with this series is: what’s its point? The lead character has worked very hard through the first season to become world champion (or similar), so: what’s next? There are so many Madhouse series that are in dire need of a sequel, so why did they pick this one?
Viper’s Creed
Short Synopsis: Our lead character fights berserked robots on a motorbike.
Chance of me Blogging: 20% (Only if the rest of the season is baaaaad)
Well, so it’s yet again a series that isn’t strong on the originality-department, but nevertheless it does have some good and exciting action-scenes. I didn’t notice anything familiar on the opening credits, but could this perhaps be the next Gonzo-series? It fits their style perfectly anyway: motorbikes, an all-female back-up team, lots of CG and camera-work, rock soundtrack. Still, this doesn’t look like Bad Gonzo; there was a delightful absence of stupidity that plagues these series oh so often. And this series has one big advantage: it doesn’t revolve around teenagers! The lead characters are trained professional adults who have been specifically prepared to fight crime. There were no angsty teenagers whatsoever. If only because of that, I’m going to keep watching this series. This is no Blassreiter, but still pretty entertaining.
Edit: ah, so it’s not Gonzo after all, but AIC Spirits that tries to look like Gonzo. Let’s see how long these guys can keep this series interesting (hint: plot!).
Believe it or not, the Hajime no Ippo manga is 85 volumes long. And the first season adapted some 30 of them. So yes, there’s still plenty of things going on… I guess… (Didn’t read it myself).
I am especially amused to see that the only thing most people retained from the first episode is the robot voiced by Lelouch. It just shows how interesting everything else can be. Yet it still works : even I’d watch the series only for that robot guy.
Ippo becomes japanese featherweight champion at the end of season 1, and they did a special for his first title defense. That’s maybe a little less than half-way through the published manga volumes. Ippo has a bunch more title defenses, and the other characters all have matches. It does feel like the overarching plot has stagnated a bit, but the individual matches should still make for some interesting episodes.
you should definitely watch hajime no ippo, it’s one of the best, if not the best shounen title ever. it’s simple, pure, addictive fun, the characters are awesome, the humour is great, and the matches are so intense you’ll shit bricks (or whatever :P). but anyway, it’s definitely a classic title, and i guarantee you’ll finish it in less than 2 weeks. (i did it in one week).
plus, you can watch raws, so you won’t have to suffer like the rest of us waiting for subs every week :(.
Ippo is simply one of THE best sports anime ever. It’s more of a slice of life with badass boxing segments than anything.
WHY an Ippo sequel you ask? Because it kicks ass as is hilarious?
Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo reminds me a lot more of Idolmaster Xenoglossia or Mai-Hime than Code Geass, really, which isn’t saying too much either. Could be good, bad or just crazy on its own terms, depending on what the heck happens.
I am fairly interested in Hajime no Ippo but…as far as ridiculously long (or just ongoing) manga adaptations go, I usually prefer for the ridiculously long manga to finish first, so…we’ll see what happens.
Last sports-centric anime, assuming insane stakes gambling (Kaiji) doesn’t count as a sport, that I watched and actually enjoyed was good old Touch.
“I usually prefer for the ridiculously long manga to finish first, so…we’ll see what happens.”
Don’t bet on it. It’s likely to go on for at least 10 years at this rate. Maybe even more if the author is even alive by 20 years.
The first episode of Ippo was quite good. It jumps straight to a major match after a very quick rundown of events after winning the Japanese belt and hints of the upcoming matches.