[Summer 2015] Season of Adventure

[KazeShiki]

Summer vacation, also known as anime marathoning season.

「海の日」/ 「みやと」

Much like the threads before it, this is a thread I created stole from blkmage for the discussion of new anime that will be airing on TV in Japan in the Summer 2015 season. Anime typically gets released and runs for a number of seasons. The year is divided up into four seasons: January to March is winter, April to June is spring, July to September is summer, and October to December is fall. Each season is approximately 13 weeks.

Here, we can talk about what shows look interesting, what we plan to watch, and generally get giddy and excited for things that we've been anticipating for a while.

---
Akagami no Shirayuki-hime
http://www.clarines-kingdom.com/
Manga

Anime version of Snow White means it barely even vaguely resembles Snow White.


Aoharu x Kikanjuu
http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/aoharu/
Manga

Survival game anime not over yet.


Aquarion Logos
http://aqlogos.com/
Sequel

More mecha romance gattai.


Bikini Warriors
http://bikini-warriors.com/
Manga
**This anime is a short

The title says it all.


Chaos Dragon: Sekiryuu Sen'eki
http://chaosdragon.red/
Role Playing Game

Your beloved Ubrobuchi/Nasu/Narita played an RP game. Then it got turned into a novel. Now it's an anime.


Charlotte
http://charlotte-anime.jp/
Original

Jun Maeda makes a new tearjerker.


Classroom☆Crisis
http://www.classroom-crisis.com/
Original

Generic romcom. On Mars.


Danchigai
http://www.dreamcreation.co.jp/danchigai/
Manga
**This anime is a short

The everyday life of 5 siblings.


Dragon Ball Chou
http://www.toei-anim.co.jp/tv/dragon_s/
Sequel

Toei has yet to actually release any of these when they say they will.


Durarara!!x2 Ten
http://www.durarara.com/
Sequel

Adventures in Ikebukuro continues.


Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya 2wei Herz!
http://anime.prisma-illya.jp/
Sequel

More Fate, Illya, and magical girls.


Gakkou Gurashi!
http://gakkougurashi.com/
Manga

Slice of abnormal life


Gangsta.
http://gangsta-project.com/
Manga

Gangs, mafia, and all kinds of shady people


Gatchaman Crowds insight
http://www.ntv.co.jp/GC_insight/
Sequel

Hopefully the Gatchmen have figured out better endings


Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri
http://gate-anime.com/
Light Novel

A gate to another world opens up, and an otaku leads the charge into the new world.


God Eater
http://www.godeater.jp/anime/
Game

Humans fighting monsters. Also ufotable.


Himouto! Umaru-chan
http://umaru-ani.me/
Manga

A beautiful and talented girl has a hidden secret.


Jitsu wa Watashi wa
http://jitsuwata.tv/
Manga

MC sucks at lying but finds out the secret of his crush - she's a vampire.


Joukamachi no Dandelion
http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/dande/
Manga

11 siblings with superpowers


Junjou Romantica 3
http://suzukisan.info/
Sequel

And another season.


Kaijuu Sakaba Kanpai!
http://www.kaijusakabakanpai.com/
Spin off
**This anime is a short

Even evil monsters need to go out drinking too.


Kangoku Gakuen Prison School
http://prison-anime.com/
Manga

Thinly veiled overly ecchi comedy.


Kuusen Madoushi Kouhosei no Kyoukan
http://ku-sen.jp/
Light Novel

Magical insect monsters swarm the lands, forcing humans to flee to aerial cities. Luckily, the MC is Kirito the Black Master Swordsman Kirito.


Makura no Danshi
http://makuranodanshi.com/
Original

Did you think hugging pillows were just of females? Silly you.


Million Doll
http://milliondoll.com/
Manga

A hikikomori blogs about idols to make them popular.


Miss Monochrome - The Animation 2
Sequel
**This anime is a short

Hocchan gets a sequel


Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou
http://monmusu.tv/
Manga

A harem with monster girls instead of human girls, if that's your thing.


Non Non Biyori Repeat
http://www.nonnontv.com/
Sequel

Be healed by the repeating sounds of nyanpasu.


Okusama ga Seitokaicho!
http://www.dreamcreation.co.jp/okusama/
Manga
**This anime is a short

MC and the student council president are engaged because of drunk anime parents.


Overlord
http://overlord-anime.com/
Novel

An online game is shut down but one player doesn't log out.


Q Transformers: Kaettekita Convoy no Nazo 2
Sequel
**This anime is a short

Transformers still isn't over.


Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace
http://www.rampokitan.com/
Original

A middle schooler helps a genius detective solve a mysterious string of murder cases.


Rokka no Yuusha
http://rokka-anime.us/
Light Novel

6 heroes have been chosen to save the world...but 7 have gathered, making one of them an enemy.


Senki Zesshou Symphogear GX
http://www.symphogear-gx.com/
Sequel

Season of 3 of singing and fighting.


Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai
http://www.shimoseka.com/
Light Novel

Coarse language is banned in Japan, which of course makes people become "terrorists" instead.


Sore ga Seiyuu!
http://soregaseiyu.com/
Manga

A bit of insight into the voice acting industry.


Suzakinishi: The Animation
http://seaside-c.jp/program/suzakinishi/
Radio

An anime adaptation of a...radio show.


Teekyuu 5
http://te-kyu.com/
Sequel
**This anime is a short

Season 5. Yes, 5.


THE iDOLM@STER: Cinderella Girls 2nd Season
http://imas-cinderella.com/
Sequel

Season 2 of idol girls in the making.


To LOVE-Ru Darkness 2nd
http://www.j-toloveru.com/
Sequel

The harem just keeps getting bigger.


Ushio to Tora
http://ushitora.tv/
Manga

Ushio's ancestor defeated a demon but now that demon is back.


Venus Project - Climax -
http://vproject.jp/anime/
Original

Idols battle each other to reach the top


Wakaba*Girl
http://wakabagirl.com/
Manga
**This anime is a short

The life of a few cute girls.


Wakako-zake
http://www.wakakozake.jp/
Manga
**This anime is a short

A woman goes out to eat and drink.


Wooser no Sono Higurashi: Mugen-hen
http://wooser.tv/
Sequel
**This anime is a short

Wooser is back.


Working!!!
http://www.wagnaria.com/
Sequel

Season 3 of your favorite family restaurant.

[skreyola]

Jitsu wa Watashi wa
http://jitsuwata.tv/
Manga

MC sucks at lying but finds out the secret of his crush - she's a vampire.

Did you do that on purpose?

Non Non Biyori Repeat
http://www.nonnontv.com/
Sequel

Be healed by the repeating sounds of nyanpasu.

I was beginning to think I wouldn't be watching anything this season.

Okusama ga Seitokaicho!
http://www.dreamcreation.co.jp/okusama/
Manga
**This anime is a short

MC and the student council president are engaged because of drunk anime parents.

I will probably hate this, but I might watch it, if people say it's good.

Overlord
http://overlord-anime.com/
Novel

An online game is shut down but one player doesn't log out.

Now, this sounds interesting. Might have potential.

Sore ga Seiyuu!
http://soregaseiyu.com/
Manga

A bit of insight into the voice acting industry.

May watch this.

To LOVE-Ru Darkness 2nd
http://www.j-toloveru.com/
Sequel

The harem just keeps getting bigger.

I thought we didn't do hentai here.


So:
NonNonBiyori
SoregaSeiyuu
Probably Overlord
Maybe Okusama ga Seitokaicho

I might be able to catch up on some old stuff this summer.

[MangaRocks!]

...Wow, this Summer is packed! O.O



First, in the planned-but-later camp: I put Non Non Biyori Repeat and Wooser... in my plan-to-watch list a while ago, but I have to see their previous seasons first beforehand, so I probably won't get around to those while they're airing. Now, on to the rest...



Definitely planning to watch:

Akagami no Shirayuki-hime - This is one of my favorite manga, so while part of me is thrilled that it's getting an anime , part of me is a bit apprehensive as well. For one thing, I am not really all that pleased with the slightly odd (and rather more generic-looking) change in character designs (the manga designs are so much prettier... ), but I am desperately hoping this is going to be a good adaptation otherwise (and trust me, you'll definitely be hearing about it if it's not... *shakes fist* ).

Chaos Dragon: Sekiryuu Sen'eki - Basically because of what was explained in KazeShiki's synopsis. It's an intriguing base concept (an anime based on an RP with some awesome writers? Sign me up!), and even if it somehow turns out to be a trainwreck, it should probably at least be an entertaining one.

Charlotte - Because Key + superpowers.

Gatchaman Crowds insight - Because (minus the {production-related} issues with the original ending of S1, which were pretty much fixed with the 'real ending' OVA anyway) I really enjoyed S1.

And last but most definitely not least, of course:

Durarara!!x2 Ten

And the stuff that's intrigued me/somehow caught my attention but which I'll check out a bit yet before deciding to watch:

Aoharu x Kikanjuu

Classroom☆Crisis

Joukamachi no Dandelion

Million Doll

Overlord

Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace

Rokka no Yuusha

Ushio to Tora



...*looks back over everything I've just typed*... Yikes, that's the largest currently-airing plan-to-check-out list I've had in quite a while...

[EventualDay]

Wow the summer anime list is exciting! I'm definitely trying:
Akagami no Shirayuki-hime: since I keep meaning to get into the manga anyway, this seems like the perfect way to kick off.
Charlotte because Angel Beats was satisfying, so I have confidence in Jun Maeda.
Makura no Danshi hahaha I'm almost sorry I want to see this but I'm just dying to know if there's any kind of plot.
Ushio to Tora since it always struck me as a classic.


On the fence because there's at least one appealing attribute:
Aoharu x Kikanjuu--don't actually know what this one's about, but there's something about the homepage layout.
Chaos Dragon has something in the character design that makes me want to give it a shot. It's probably the animal ears.
Classroom Crisis was a no until you said "on Mars," and I thought "why not?"
Would like to watch Gangsta but I'm not sure how some of the content is gonna be dealt with.
God Eater is a show where I was swayed by the pretty (and mildly atypical) art. It looks a little like cgi and a little like it's painted.
If people say good things about Overlord I might give it a shot; I tend to like gamer anime.
Rokka no Yuusha: again, my kind of art. It's pretty likely I'll give this a shot.
Wakaba Girl has a character who loves gyaru; if that's a sizable part of the show, then yes.
Joukamachi no Dandelion could be cool, but I can't find hardly any information on it.
Million Doll has an interesting premise, it will probably depend how many of these other ones I pick up though.


I should probably start season one of Wooser about now.


Also, I'm curious to hear what people start saying about Gakkou Gurashi because... it's a horror?


AND can I please point out that the movie Bakemono no Ko (The Boy and the Beast) directed by Mamoru Hosoda is coming out around early July... so there's also that to look forward to!


P.S. I think that Danchigai is accidentally listed twice as two different series

[MomentOfInertia]

Durarara!!x2 Ten

8D

[KazeShiki]

Did you do that on purpose?

I, what? Noooo of course not.

I thought we didn't do hentai here.

Yeaaaaah. It's technically not, but I always feel really hesitant about including these shows. It's actually not the first time a borderline show has been listed. For the blissfully unaware, Prison School is also pretty borderline in this regard.

Akagami no Shirayuki-hime - This is one of my favorite manga

oh really? It did look quite interesting but I was hesitant just because pessimism. I was, however, super pleased to find that the opening song will be Hayami Saori's official singing debut. Even though she's been singing anime songs for years :/

Charlotte because Angel Beats was satisfying, so I have confidence in Jun Maeda.

Heh so Angel Beats has its share of drama about it because of some production issues. When Charlotte was announced, Maeda and the other staff mentioned how they learned from Angel Beats' mistakes and will not repeat them this time. So I guess that's doubly good news for you? XD

P.S. I think that Danchigai is accidentally listed twice as two different series

Yes it is. This is what happens when I copy paste so much.

[Kraavdran]

Wow, certainly looks like an interesting lineup.

Charlotte because Angel Beats was satisfying, so I have confidence in Jun Maeda.

This reflects my feelings as well.

Also curious about Godeater... mostly because of ufotable.

Some others that I thought might be interesting:
Chaos Dragon
Gakkou Gurashi!
Gate
Kuusen Madoushi Kouhosei no KyoukanOverlord
Ushio to Tora
Overlord - I'm hopeful of this one because I need something to fix the damage Log Horizon did for the "stuck in a game world" genre.

[ClaecElric4God]

Because I'm really good at deciding which anime I want to watch and really bad at actually watching them. I'm backed up by like...three seasons. But eh, if I list them here maybe I'll look back on this and actually watch them someday.


Akagami no Shirayuki-hime - I dunno. It looks interesting? Or something?
Aoharu x Kikanjuu - What someone else said. The page looks interesting so the anime definitely will be.
Charlotte - Because I have officially contracted a soft spot for touching high school anime. Leave me alone.
Danchigai - Siblings. That's all I need to know.
Jitsu wa Watashi wa - This is really more of a maybe. It's likely I won't even give it a shot. The idea seems interesting, but the execution seems like it could be iffy.
Joukamachi no Dandelion - Even more siblings. Excellent.
Rokka no Yuusha - I dunno. The people look interesting so maybe I'll give it a shot? Otherwise I'm not too excited.
Sore ga Seiyuu! - This actually looks genuinely interesting. Let's see if I'm wrong.

That's already way more than I have time for. I also really need to start catching up on Durarara!! Really badly.

[Fantasia]

I haven't been watching as much anime as I would like to lately, but I will definitely be tuning in for Non Non Biyori Repeat.

[skreyola]

Classroom☆Crisis
http://www.classroom-crisis.com/
Original

Generic romcom. On Mars.


Okusama ga Seitokaicho!
http://www.dreamcreation.co.jp/okusama/
Manga
**This anime is a short

MC and the student council president are engaged because of drunk anime parents.

Crunchyroll has posted the first episode of these two.
Unfortunately, OgS appears to be ecchi, because CR requires a login to even reach the video list for it. Anyone who was thinking of watching it might want to steer clear.
Hulu also has Classroom Crisis.

[Lynna]

I usually only watch around two shows per season, and I haven't even finished the shows I was watching from the last two seasons (Ore Monogatari, Sound! Euphonium, Akatsuki no Yona) So I'm going to just try:
Akagami no Shirayuki-hime- I am just a sucker for fairytale retellings, no matter how distant they are from the original.
Charlotte- It's been a while since I watched something sad sign me up

I will keep my eyes out for any anime people seem to be talking about a lot, but I'm not going to be having much time for anime this summer, so we'll see.

[skreyola]

Hulu has CC, Workinginging, and Charlotte free ahead of CR, from what I can tell.
CR is posting the new season earlier than I'd expected. Usually, there seems to be a lag of a few weeks.

Unfortunately, none of my desired shows have dropped on either site.

[MangaRocks!]

Akagami no Shirayukihime is going to have two (split) cours! Odd artstyle differences aside, my optimism on the potential quality of this adaptation is rising...

[WorldsTraveler]

Ah, I just watched Akagami no Shirayuki-hime and it is lovely. ^_^ The first episode follows the manga very closely, with some insightful touches here and there (like showing Shirayuki’s workplace). The animation and story progression have such a fairytale feel to them. Right now, it’s exactly what I hoped for from an anime. So excited!

[skreyola]

Yay! CR has my dose of Nyanpasu!
(Also Jitsu wa Watashi wa/Actually, I Am, for those of you who are interested in that (I am not, hehe).)

[dragonzatch]

Okusama ga Seitokaicho is smut. Do not recommend.

I'm probably the opposite of 90% of anime fans in which I want them to put some white beams over Prison School so I can enjoy it without the graphic content. I've heard it's good but a lot of what I've heard makes me pause as well.

[Rusty Claymore]

Nobody is watching Wagnaria? o_0 I've never been with the hip crowd anyways. >_<

Ushio and Tora was interesting (first ep). The comedy was predictable, but in a "that's how it should be" way. Or maybe I just have a soft spot for my fellow angry-face fighters.

Actually, I... didn't have Phineas or Pherb, but still looked promising. I think she looked fine with the tan.

Despite the first episode being primarily about abusing old people, Braves of the Six Flowers could be interesting. Funny translation tidbit that the "strongest man in the world" doesn't use strength to fight (different strong, I know >_<). But with interesting fight scenes, bunny girls, and gods of fate who can't count (something more than just, 'Traitor!" pls...) should be fun.

What can air 15 seconds straight of dialogue-less nature scenes and nobody gets upset? Non Non Biyori. My anime-hating sister has to stop and watch as she walks by. If you aren't going to watch Renge this season, there's no meaning in anything else you are doing. Or you are so happy and feel so good you couldn't possibly fit any more goodness into your soul. Yeah, right. Watch it.

GATE - Dragon Knights or Cobra Attack Helos? Both. Rumor has it this is not just some Modern Warfare otaku/Fantasy otaku summit, but time will tell. I'm gonna be watching.

I'm limited to CR, but may have to put up with commercials or trial version to watch ufotableGod Eater.

Let's see what we're all still watching by the end of this.

[MangaRocks!]

Aaaaand here we go! I'll be a week behind with the streams from Funi (as usual ), but here's what I've watched on Crunchy so far:



Aoharu x Machinegun episode 1:

Hmm... the setup of the initiation of the MC to the game is rather reminiscent of Ouran... (with the host club and the breaking of the expensive stuff and then having to do what they say to pay it back, all while being mistaken for a boy, etc.; although Aoharu... isn't anywhere near as interesting or funny as Ouran... is ). Anyway, I did like the "I take my games seriously because I'm an adult" line , and it's not like the episode was bad or anything; however, this ended up being the least-interesting of all the Summer series premieres that I've had a chance to check out so far. Since I don't actively dislike it or anything, for now I'll keep on watching; but if things get too busy, this is one I won't feel sorry dropping for time.



Charlotte episode 1:

The combo of Key + that somewhat-disfunctional-superpowers premise intrigued me right from the start, and so far the show seems to be bearing out those expectations. As for the MC: Oh man... he's so utterly shameless that after shaking your head (and/or facepalming), you just end up laughing at him, even though he's terrible. (Although I do have to say that I was a bit shocked that he went so far as to SPOILER: Highlight text to read: nearly kill that driver, his 'love interest,' and himself in order to 'win' her affections... But although she never found him out, I was really happy that she broke things off before they could go any farther at the end of the episode {...serves him right! }. ) What was *really* amusing, though, was Takajou's power-- the poor guy's super-speed (mislabeled for some reason as 'teleporation'-- it *looks* like teleportation, but it's obvious that he's actually got near-instant-speed instead) is awesome, but completely uncontrollable in terms of turning/stopping. (Oh man, the chase was hilarious-- by the time he and the MC were SPOILER: Highlight text to read: skipping across the pond I just couldn't stop laughing! ) Also ROTFL at the MC's (completely adorable) little sister's "Nowadays we can use smartphones" comment. On a more serious note: There's a star/stargazing/etc. theme going on here, which is interesting (also, that SPOILER: Highlight text to read: "sounds like a name made just for you" line sounded *way* too foreshadowy... ); and the line about SPOILER: Highlight text to read: 'another family member' + the MC's consequent (and apparently confirming) dream was even *more* interesting...



Classroom☆Crisis episode 1:

Whoa. I knew this series was supposed to be about some sort of engineering school/workplace thing on Mars, but I wasn't expecting a hostage crisis to kick off the episode. That certainly made things much more interesting than I expected. (Indeed, this first episode was a pleasant surprise in more ways than one. ) All the eccentric smart kids in the experimental-development (or whatever) class were really amusing, as was the poor teacher ; I liked the fact that they actually addressed the (HUGE) financial costs and consequences for everything; and I totally LOL'd at the nice bit of subversion with the 'transfer student' actually being SPOILER: Highlight text to read: their boss (...who's only there to see how he can downsize them, no less!), bwahaha. Definitely going to keep on with this.



Gatchaman Crowds Insight "Inbound" special episode 0 + episode 1:

Well, to my pleasant surprise, the "Inbound" special was actually a true prequel to the new season-- yes, there were 3 minutes of recap in the beginning, however the other 11 mins. are completely unique (not in episode 1), and contain, among other things, a fairly action-packed sequence SPOILER: Highlight text to read: of the attempt on the PM's life, which while referenced in episode 1 is only shown here, and which also includes the reveal of SPOILER: Highlight text to read: Rui's suit and powers (which are quite cool and useful! ) + the introduction of the new, dangerous 'Red CROWDS' (as well as the person apparently leading them). (Also: SPOILER: Highlight text to read: "...My tax money," ROTFL! ) As for episode 1: Heh, the new SPOILER: Highlight text to read: alien's powers are cute (and amusingly informative). On that note, LOL at Hajime's thoughts being the same consistent gray as SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the 100-year-old man's (not that that's a surprise...). I also like the new character Tsubasa. In fact, I was literally grinning the whole way through watching this, and I love it already (as I expected, since I loved S1, too).



Rokka: Braves Of The Six Flowers episode 1:

Oh man, this was a great opening ep.! I'm already sold on this show. The world design is refreshingly different for a classic fantasy (Mesoamerican instead of Medieval! ), and that intro for the MC was fantastic (oh my gosh that fight... {And then its ending, bwaha! } And he's just really, really likeable <3 ). Plus, thanks to the synopsis, I'm already suspicious of everybody, even though only two of the MC's have been introduced-- and I can't wait to see what happens when all of them finally meet. (Also, I love the ED! <3 ) So, yeah, I'm quite looking forward to more of this!



And Durarara!!x2 Ten episode 1:

As always, comments on this are in the dedicated DRRR!! watch thread!

[Cadence]

Nobody is watching Wagnaria? o_0 I've never been with the hip crowd anyways. >_<

Well, I guess that makes two of us. I'm definitely watching it (though still trying to sort out the punctuation after the title...). I enjoyed the first episode - it felt more like a re-introduction to all the characters and their dynamics than anything, but while I was watching it, I was pleasantly surprised to realize how much I actually missed the show. The OP perhaps doesn't live up to SOMEWAN WAN WAN but really, what can? I'm looking forward to more.

I watched the first episode of Shirayukihime, as well. Bones knocked this one out of the park. Great production values, fantastic soundtrack, good casting, and great pacing/writing. It has been a long time since I've seen an anime adaption of a manga I loved that I wasn't disappointed with, but this episode put my fears to rest for this one. I was pretty iffy about the character designs at first, because they are just not as charming as the manga art, but now having seen them in action they've grown on me. The only disappointing thing was Funimation's awkward translations. And perhaps the fact that we have to wait at least another week for the best boy(s) to make his (their) appearance.

[skreyola]

I'm so happy. I just watched Non Non Biyori ep. 1, and it's just as good as the first one... but I thought someone had fallen through the floor before this. Anyway, though we haven't yet had a nyanpasu sighting, I'm just so happy when I watch this show.

[Fantasia]

I'm so happy. I just watched Non Non Biyori ep. 1, and it's just as good as the first one... but I thought someone had fallen through the floor before this. Anyway, though we haven't yet had a nyanpasu sighting, I'm just so happy when I watch this show.

The first episode of this season is actually a prequel episode, taking place before the events of the first season. I didn't realize that when I first watched the episode either. I went back and watched it a second time after I found out it was a prequel, and certain things made a lot more sense!

[skreyola]

Ah. I had thought Renge wasn't a real student, in the original series. Thanks for the clarification.
It was really fun to see all the locations where things happened in the original series.

Overlord ep. 1 - That was dumb. Not what I expected, given the descriptions I'd seen, and it has several problems. The plot moves way too slowly (By the end of the first episode of Log Horizon, the MCs had gathered allies, started learning the rules of the world, and formed a basic plan, Overlord only got as far as the adventurers did in the first 10 minutes), the beginning, middle, and end seemed fairly disconnected, the MC isn't very sympathetic, and the story looks like it'll remain boring, since there are ostensibly no other PCs in the world.
I don't think I'll pick this one up.

[MangaRocks!]

(Some of) Funi's free streams finally went up, so those are now included below (though there are still two more I have to wait just a bit longer for). Also, I decided to pass on Ushio And Tora for now because it's going to be three (split) cours in length, and if I do end up deciding to watch it, I'd rather marathon all that in one whole big batch than space it out weekly over the course of several seasons; and I also passed on Overlord and Million Doll because I just do not have the time for them right now, LOL. Oh, and I *also* actually added one brand-new show that wasn't even on my to-check-out radar before-- Gakkou Gurashi!, a.k.a. SCHOOL-LIVE! (more on that below).



Akagami no Shirayuki-hime, a.k.a. Snow White With The Red Hair, episode 1:

YES! YES! YES! ......*Ahem*-- I am pleased. I wasn't too fond of the character design changes at first glance, but while they're still not quite as pretty as they are in the manga, in motion they're actually fine. As for the ep. itself: Heh, I had actually forgotten just how many 'Snow White' references there were in the first chapter or so of the manga (because that's pretty much the only time it's ever referenced, LOL! ). And I LOVED the exaggerated expressions on the more humorous characters, it was so perfect. <3 Actually, pretty much everything was perfect! Indeed, this ep.'s adaptation was so great that my concerns have now evaporated completely, and I absolutely cannot wait for when it gets to the *really* good stuff!



Aoharu x Machinegun:

(...Actually, I've decided to put this on hold for a week, watch both ep. 2 & ep. 3 together next week, and decide then if I want to continue watching it or not.)



Charlotte episode 2:

ROTFL!! Oh my gosh, Takajou's super-speed (which I'm getting a little annoyed at the continually-improper translation of, LOL... ) continues to be totally hilarious. Humor aside, though, the whole process of investigating/intercepting the power-users (and the reason why they do so) went from funny, to interesting, to dangerous, to moving (...oh man, Nao and her brother's backstory... ). Also interesting is the fact that there seems to be a common thread of SPOILER: Highlight text to read: fulfilling some immediate wish/need-- financial difficulties, wanting to help the family, etc.-- with the various powers seeming to (incompletely try to ) provide a means to an end for those specific desires in concert with their specific personalities. As for the foreshadowing, SPOILER: Highlight text to read: again with the intriguing outer-space theme... Also, 'the only person she can trust...'? Yeah, somehow I think that he's going to turn out to be the Otosakas' 'other family member...' Am really looking forward to seeing where this goes!



Classroom☆Crisis episode 2:

LOL, that self-introduction ("I urge you to find new occupations for yourselves as soon as possible..."). Anyway, a good chunk of this ep. was framed as an in-universe TV documentary program, but it was rather amusing because of that (LOL, those interviews... and then Kaito actually making himself cry while watching, bwahaha!! ). Mizuki's interactions with Nagisa were pretty amusing, too. And the internal politics of the corporation (and Nagisa's position, etc.) are pretty interesting, as well. (Also: Oho, Nagisa told Kaito to SPOILER: Highlight text to read: try and undermine him by any means possible, and try to convince the 'current management,' if he could? Hmm... )



Gakkou Gurashi! (a.k.a. SCHOOL-LIVE!) episode 1:

Okay, so I decided to check this out because I'd heard that it actually has a pretty intriguing SPOILER: Highlight text to read: horror twist underneath its SPOILER: Highlight text to read: façade of moe-ness, and oh my goodness were those comments right. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: The different-colored uniforms, the food, the expressions on the other girls' faces at certain points, the different camera angles/perspectives depending on who's looking into rooms/etc., the suspiciously 'not-quite-there' other students, the hints of broken glass, the barrier of desks, that scene on the roof, those messages on the blackboard, the shovel-as-weapon and 'no casualties' comments, etc... all leading up to that reveal in the ending where we see what the place *actually* looks like, and that the MC suffered a mental break and consequently uses delusions as a coping mechanism... I got goosebumps. Definitely interested in watching more!



Gatchaman Crowds Insight episode 2:

Ah, that was an interesting little explanation from Paiman about the alien. LOL though at the TV program's super-fast (and quite *un*-informative) 'in-depth analysis' of the Red CROWDS. I also have to note that the whole thing with the smartphone/tablet elections is quite interesting because I could totally see that happening at some point in RL. Finally: Okay, so baddie most definitely has a screw loose, but he still has a bit of a point nonetheless. It'll be interesting to see how they manage to deal with this...



Rampo Kitan: Game Of Laplace episode 1:

Ha, wow, this didn't beat around the bush, did it? And oh man, the MC... not only does he have quite an observant and analytical mind (and is already thinking like a detective), but holy crap, his personality ... from the fact that he is so bored/disconnected that he doesn't even see people as anything but gray silhouettes until they interest him... to the fact that he is so *completely* unfazed by SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the graphic scene in front of him when he woke up or the fact that he's the main suspect (for *multiple* things!)... to him even saying that this is the first time SPOILER: Highlight text to read: anything's ever seemed fun and exciting to him (which also happens to be exactly the same thing that motivates the *other* young detective)... to the other detective bluntly stating that it'll break him, and him saying that he *wants* that... ...Um, yep, the two SPOILER: Highlight text to read: detective MC's are both sociopaths, then. That does make it more interesting, though. And speaking of interesting, I have to admit that I wasn't actually expecting the SPOILER: Highlight text to read: initial victim to have been a sick homicidal psycho himself , but that and the even-more-thorough framing of the MC at the end adds yet another interesting layer here. (Also, yikes, that new teacher's wrists... ) Looking forward to seeing where this goes!



Rokka: Braves Of The Six Flowers episode 2:

The beginning of this ep. was so beautiful and peaceful and fun <3 ... but obviously that wasn't going to last. SPOILER: Highlight text to read: For example: Gah... all those little things Nashetania said about being with Adlet and him being the first person she can talk to on equal terms and really open up to (etc.) and then resting her head on his shoulder... she's totally going to die, isn't she...? I mean, I hope not, of course, because I *love* Adlet (he's crazy-prepared, brilliantly tactical, good-hearted, and funny-- oh my gosh those faces, he's too adorable! <3 -- yeah, he's just awesome ), like Nashetania quite a bit, and SPOILER: Highlight text to read: would totally be shipping them together right now if I could just trust the story to not kill her off; however, something about this particular series does seem to suggest that it really just might... ). As for the new characters: The third Brave, Fremy-- the sniper girl with the affinity for animals <3 -- was quite intriguing. I'm not buying for a moment that she's SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the Brave-Killer, though, despite how much both the end of this episode as well as the title of the next episode want you to think so-- it's waaaaay too early to reveal that for real. (In fact, SPOILER: Highlight text to read: the fourth Brave, Goldorf, is way more suspicious, precisely because he SPOILER: Highlight text to read: said it was her...) I am really loving this, and I can't wait for more!



And Durarara!!x2 Ten episode 2:

Comments on this are in the dedicated DRRR!! watch thread, as usual!

[KazeShiki]

ROTFL!! Oh my gosh, Takajou's super-speed (which I'm getting a little annoyed at the continually-improper translation of, LOL... )

Do you mean the translation or the in-anime naming? Because the translation is perfect as the characters really do call it teleportation. Remember they make a point that SPOILER: Highlight text to read: all the powers are incomplete. I'm not sure if it's a joke or will actually be a plot point, but the difference between what it's called and what it is is most definitely intentional as it's actually listed as "Teleportation (super speed)" on the anime webpage.

[Midori]

Shunkan idou (瞬間移動) is indeed the word that is used for teleportation, but literally it means "instantaneous movement", so it's more applicable than the English word, which literally means "remote door".

[KazeShiki]

True, but now we're starting to get into the whole lost in translation issue which plagues even the best of translations. Also, not that I think Japan's use of English is exactly reliable (I'm reminded how the official PV of Charlotte mentioned the creators of "Angle Beats"), but the word teleport is written in English in the opening. Point being, I see nothing wrong with the translation, as it even appears in English in the anime.

[ForeverInspired]

Akagami no Shirayuki-hime - Best anime of the season. Already calling it.
Aoharu x Kikanjuu - This is just so fun. Yes, it can be a little perverted, but hopefully that does not become central to the story.
Arslan Senki (TV) - I am not displeased. In fact, this might be one of the best two-cours of the year.
Chaos Dragon: Sekiryuu Seneki - I was watching this for the animation, but I don't know anymore. This seems a little weird and unnecessarily bloody. Plus, I can't take the character designs - especially their eyes.
Charlotte - That first episode was just great. I was yelling at the MC so much. He really does have a touch (only a touch though) of Lelouch in him. That smile and those poses tell it all. The second episode was sad, but not nearly as good as the first episode. Hopefully, it does not lose that original charm.
Diamond no Ace - Still finishing up the previous season, but I am nearly into the currently airing one - less than ten episodes to go (which is not a lot considering the first season is 75 episodes long).
Durarara!!x2 Ten - Durarara has always had its quirkiness and charm - and this season is no exception. Just please have more Izaya and Shizu.
Gatchaman Crowds Insight - I need this show to get more serious. It's only good when it is serious. Right now, it seems more like a battle and slice-of-life show. Give me some plot like the first season! Also, why are some of my favorite characters barely getting the spotlight?
Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri - I've been trying to decide whether to keep this one. The characters aren't that appealing and the plot is very, very, very slow if non-existant (because I don't count watching battles with no meaning plot). I wan't elves and fantasy - something different and more exciting.
Kekkai Sensen - When will that last episode air? Yeah, this really is not a currently airing show, but it does still need that finale.
Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu - I am behind in this show (watched only two episodes), and I am already bored. Can Haruhi show up? Poor Kyon is pulling all the wait, and it's hard for him to do so when he cannot criticize Haruhi.
Ore Monogatari!! - I'm glad that I'm watching this hilarious and sweet show. The girlfriend finally does not make me frustrated beyond belief. However, the selling point of this show is still the friendship of those two MC boys.
Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace - Very creepy, but it looks promising for a mystery show so far.
Rokka no Yuusha - Please have the plot move along a little quicker! I thought it was all supposed to start at a gate which we haven't reached after 2 episodes!

[Cadence]

Still really enjoying the Shirayuki adaption, it pushed me to go back and read through the whole manga again this week haha. The background art is really lovely and the music is nice. I am starting to really like the character designs as well, rather than just tolerating them. I think Obi and Mitsuhide suffered the most in the transition to animation, but overall it isn't too bad. Voice acting is really great, too, I am pleased with all of the choices so far. I melted a little bit inside when I heard Ryuu's voice in the preview for episode 4. This is my favorite show I am currently watching.

Ore Monogatari is still good as well, but I feel like animation quality really dropped in the past couple of episodes. Also, Suna needs more screentime. Arslan Senki is becoming a chore to watch, so I think I might turn to the manga. Working!!! (I figured out the punctuation yay) is still fun.

[skreyola]

Non Non Biyori ep. 2 - Nyanpasu!!!!!!!!!!! :-D Laughed out loud at the vending machine scene. I love this show. Kids, if you're ever lost, stay put, so someone can find you, and make regular noises in groups of three. Now you know.

[skreyola]

Sore ga Seiyuu ep. 1 - That was great. I loved the eyecatch joke. Poor RingoIchigo. If I have any complaint, it's that I don't understand why Gonzo felt they had to obscure their own studio name... or was that a dig at Shirobako?

Anyway, for this season, episode 1:
1. (tie) Sore ga Seiyuu - 5
1. (tie) Non Non Biyori - 5