Anime-This-Season Chat/Discussion

[Benno 4]

While I'm not denying emotional expression through music is beautiful, I feel like the anime portrays it with such histrionics it's unbelievable.  I mean, seriously, random audience members and little children can magically "feel" and "see" the emotion behind the notes they hear and they're all completely and thoroughly well versed on contestants and performers.  As a person who's grown around musical recitals and concerts, this is never the case.  Classical music just doesn't work this way, unfortunately.  Then again, Shigatsu is really no different from sports anime; they make things seem over the top and dramatic while ignoring the technical and legitimately strategic aspects of basketball or volleyball for the sake of keeping things relatable for a general audience.  I don't have anything against this, but I think I may have come into the series with the wrong mindset.  It's still a really solid and well made anime.  It just isn't reaching its full potential with its musical backdrop.

Those anime are some of the best imo

I've played Volleyball and watch Haikyuu with absolute awe. I know that it is completely unrealistic but the way it brings forward that sport... I almost think I could do a "lightning quick".

That moment when a player is at their height of their game in any circumstance (real or not) is always a great feeling.

Maybe you just need to lie to yourself? Go in without those massive expectations and just get blown away.

[Kirsch 95]

While I'm not denying emotional expression through music is beautiful, I feel like the anime portrays it with such histrionics it's unbelievable.  I mean, seriously, random audience members and little children can magically "feel" and "see" the emotion behind the notes they hear and they're all completely and thoroughly well versed on contestants and performers.  As a person who's grown around musical recitals and concerts, this is never the case.  Classical music just doesn't work this way, unfortunately.  Then again, Shigatsu is really no different from sports anime; they make things seem over the top and dramatic while ignoring the technical and legitimately strategic aspects of basketball or volleyball for the sake of keeping things relatable for a general audience.  I don't have anything against this, but I think I may have come into the series with the wrong mindset.  It's still a really solid and well made anime.  It just isn't reaching its full potential with its musical backdrop.

In all honesty, I highly respect creators of a sports/music/art/whatever anime. It's weird how they still make it good when everyone knows it's unreasonable and overly dramatic. For example, Go, in real life, is so boring and dull (to me at least), but Hikaru no Go makes it seem like the deciding factor in life, and it's completely normal to think that. I really liked that series, but it may be the supernatural side calling...

[Akazora 293]

Those anime are some of the best imo

I've played Volleyball and watch Haikyuu with absolute awe. I know that it is completely unrealistic but the way it brings forward that sport... I almost think I could do a "lightning quick".

That moment when a player is at their height of their game in any circumstance (real or not) is always a great feeling.

Maybe you just need to lie to yourself? Go in without those massive expectations and just get blown away.

It's too late to lie to myself, unfortunately.  This anime has fallen quite short of blowing me away, though I do think it's still an overall decent package.  I'm not regretting watching this, but none of the symbols or imagery speak to me at an emotional level.  And with a melodramatic series like Shigatsu, if your heart strings aren't tugged and your adrenaline doesn't rise, then you're not going to like it as much as someone else.  I haven't laughed once the entire the series or really connected to any of the characters.  And because I just can't bring myself to like what this series is giving me, I won't be able to appreciate it like you do.  I'd venture to guess you liked Haikyuu not so much because it was about volleyball but because it was well written, in the same way Kirsch (Santa) liked Hikaru no Go because it was exciting even though she found Go to be boring in real life.  The music backdrop has nothing to do with my enjoyment; if it was about a video game tournament instead I still wouldn't have been very impressed (and I love video games, more than anime on occasion).  And on the other hand, if I watched an anime that somehow made delivering pizza exciting, I'd probably end up liking it a lot despite not being able to relate in any which way.  The only person I blame for this anime's shortcomings is the mangaka who wrote the original source material manga, Naoshi Arakawa.  Everything else is so good, from art to animation to music to direction, that I'm almost upset there's no real substance or creativity to back any of this up.  That's just how I feel about it though.  I'm glad you're enjoying it, and I'm going to try my best to see if I can overlook some of its faults, since we still have half a series to go and it would be nice if this could at least end on a good note, no pun intended.

 

On a separate train of thought, so as to not have this be solely about Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, Akame ga Kill finally ended.  It was a an anime that started in the summer, and I already ranted somewhere else on this site about how much I regretted watching this show, so I won't say much about it.  Shingeki no Bahamut has proven to be quite the disappointment as well, even more so than Shigatsu.  It's unique and I appreciate what it tries to bring into an industry saturated with generic moe romcoms, but I'm not particularly sad it's going to end in two weeks.  Another anime that I'm glad is ending soon is SAO II.  If a third season of this series ever airs, count me out.  A better-than-the-first-season first half was ruined by the second half.  An anime I will miss however, is Fate/stay night: UBW.  One of the best anime I've ever been blessed to watch, and I'm already highly anticipating the second cour in the spring.  Log Horizon 2 is still going strong, though it's really barely average as it is.  Almost forget that I'm watching it some weeks, as it's always overshadowed by UBW on Saturdays.  Parasyte is my second favorite anime this season and I'm glad it's sticking around into the winter. Oh, and I almost forgot about MK1412.  That thing airs so sporadically, I can't remember what the last episode was about.

 

Not much I'm looking forward to in the winter season, though one or two are looking promising.  When January rolls around I'll be posting some of my initial reactions. 

[Benno 4]

Ok that recent Shingeki no Bahamut episode completely changed my mind

Was giving it the benefit of the doubt but that was just dumb

[Akazora 293]

Ok that recent Shingeki no Bahamut episode completely changed my mind

Was giving it the benefit of the doubt but that was just dumb

Oh man, I had lost hope in that anime a while ago.  The most recent episode wasn't actually that bad, if your expectations were as low as mine, haha.

 

Just finished SAO II, and I have to admit it's not as bad as the first season.  It was still difficult to get through, but with the right mindset it turned out to be relatively enjoyable.  Funny enough, the first half was solid, up until the very end, and the second half was weak, up until the very end.  I honestly don't know if I'm going to watch the third season as it most likely will happen.  SAO is not something I'd recommend to anyone, but if you were unfortunate enough to have already seen it or if you somehow actually liked the first season then there's not much harm in at least giving the second season a try.

 

Now all that's left is Bahamut and UBW, though I don't think I'll be impressed by the last episode of the former.  The anime derailed even faster than MAPPA's last animation, Zankyou no Terror.  However I'm really anticipating UBW's last episode of the season.  It's an hour more of gorgeous animation before a three month break!  I don't think the winter season will have anything that could potentially satiate my hunger for a really stellar anime, apart from Death Billiards and maybe Yuri Kuma Arashi.  But that's a discussion for another day. 

[Benno 4]

Oh man, I had lost hope in that anime a while ago.  The most recent episode wasn't actually that bad, if your expectations were as low as mine, haha.

 

Just finished SAO II, and I have to admit it's not as bad as the first season.  It was still difficult to get through, but with the right mindset it turned out to be relatively enjoyable.  Funny enough, the first half was solid, up until the very end, and the second half was weak, up until the very end.  I honestly don't know if I'm going to watch the third season as it most likely will happen.  SAO is not something I'd recommend to anyone, but if you were unfortunate enough to have already seen it or if you somehow actually liked the first season then there's not much harm in at least giving the second season a try.

 

Now all that's left is Bahamut and UBW, though I don't think I'll be impressed by the last episode of the former.  The anime derailed even faster than MAPPA's last animation, Zankyou no Terror.  However I'm really anticipating UBW's last episode of the season.  It's an hour more of gorgeous animation before a three month break!  I don't think the winter season will have anything that could potentially satiate my hunger for a really stellar anime, apart from Death Billiards and maybe Yuri Kuma Arashi.  But that's a discussion for another day. 

 

 

Put Amagi Brilliant Park on hold for now, too slow to watch it a week at a time.

Grisaia no Kajitsu I am really looking forward to the ending of, really loved the VN and the anime did do it justice imo.

Parasyte is brilliant

Log Horizon isn't too bad, I feel like its going to slow down now though.

Nanatsu no Taizai funny enough to hold onto

Shigatsu ye 

World Trigger I am actually enjoying as a Shonen, its getting 50 episodes too so I'm going to like going through it all.

FSN UBW I was going to wait for the blu-ray release and watch in all its glory

 

Not a bad season in all, didn't particularly not like anything.

 

Gintama is starting up this April which I am very excited about

Haikyuu/Baby Steps too

[Akazora 293]

Put Amagi Brilliant Park on hold for now, too slow to watch it a week at a time.

Grisaia no Kajitsu I am really looking forward to the ending of, really loved the VN and the anime did do it justice imo.

Parasyte is brilliant

Log Horizon isn't too bad, I feel like its going to slow down now though.

Nanatsu no Taizai funny enough to hold onto

Shigatsu ye 

World Trigger I am actually enjoying as a Shonen, its getting 50 episodes too so I'm going to like going through it all.

FSN UBW I was going to wait for the blu-ray release and watch in all its glory

 

Not a bad season in all, didn't particularly not like anything.

 

Gintama is starting up this April which I am very excited about

Haikyuu/Baby Steps too

Parasyte is indeed brilliant.  Seems to be most people's anime of the season.

I have no patience for the UBW Blu-ray, haha.  I'll definitely rewatch it once they're out, but honestly the show looks gorgeous already.  It doesn't have any obviously poorly animated and budget restricted moments like in Fate/Zero.  From what I've heard, its been confirmed that some parts will be brighter.  I have noticed that ufotable dimmed moments with a lot of flashing (blame the Porygon episode).  I also hope they add in a few extra scenes like with the Fate/Zero Blu-ray.

Hm, not excited for anything this January?  While it's true we're getting pretty much only second or third seasons and moe blobs, there are a few things I have my eye on.  Death Parade looks to be awesome, as does Yuri Kuma Arashi (since it's directed by my favorite director, though it probably won't be for everyone).  Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata and Assassination Classroom both probably won't be too great, but they're there to maintain the status quo.

 

Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis has finished!  Well, I must say, that last episode made up for a bit of the shortcomings the lead-up episodes had.  Gorgeous animation and direction, gave me all that I expected and maybe a little more.  The whole package could have been a bit better, but I'm still glad I watched it.  It's a breath of fresh air, at the very least.  That's the last of one-cour fall series for me.  Guess we'll have to wait to see how well Parasyte, Log Horizon, Magic Kaito, and Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso fare in their second halves.

 

EDIT: Yes, there are going to be tons of extra scenes in the Blu-ray version of UBW.  And when I mean ton, I mean a ton.

http://www.fatestaynightusa.com/bdbox/

The total BD run time is around 480 minutes, according to the site, and the television version only totaled to around 384 minutes (48 minutes for episodes 0,1, and 12, and 24 minutes for episodes 2-11).  This means there will be 90-100 extra minutes in the first half.  Damn, I'm stoked. 

Edited December 30, 2014 by Akazora

[Benno 4]

Parasyte is indeed brilliant.  Seems to be most people's anime of the season.

I have no patience for the UBW Blu-ray, haha.  I'll definitely rewatch it once they're out, but honestly the show looks gorgeous already.  It doesn't have any obviously poorly animated and budget restricted moments like in Fate/Zero.  From what I've heard, its been confirmed that some parts will be brighter.  I have noticed that ufotable dimmed moments with a lot of flashing (blame the Porygon episode).  I also hope they add in a few extra scenes like with the Fate/Zero Blu-ray.

Hm, not excited for anything this January?  While it's true we're getting pretty much only second or third seasons and moe blobs, there are a few things I have my eye on.  Death Parade looks to be awesome, as does Yuri Kuma Arashi (since it's directed by my favorite director, though it probably won't be for everyone).  Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata and Assassination Classroom both probably won't be too great, but they're there to maintain the status quo.

 

Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis has finished!  Well, I must say, that last episode made up for a bit of the shortcomings the lead-up episodes had.  Gorgeous animation and direction, gave me all that I expected and maybe a little more.  The whole package could have been a bit better, but I'm still glad I watched it.  It's a breath of fresh air, at the very least.  That's the last of one-cour fall series for me.  Guess we'll have to wait to see how well Parasyte, Log Horizon, Magic Kaito, and Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso fare in their second halves.

 

EDIT: Yes, there are going to be tons of extra scenes in the Blu-ray version of UBW.  And when I mean ton, I mean a ton.

http://www.fatestaynightusa.com/bdbox/

The total BD run time is around 480 minutes, according to the site, and the television version only totaled to around 384 minutes (48 minutes for episodes 0,1, and 12, and 24 minutes for episodes 2-11).  This means there will be 90-100 extra minutes in the first half.  Damn, I'm stoked. 

Next season... obviously Tsukimonogatari tomorrow (Daisuki picked it up so I'll grab it off HS when I get home from work).

Kamisama Hajimemashita did peak my interest but I still need to watch season 1

Tokyo Ghoul I'll watch... not as high hopes as I did have for last season but its still a cool anime

Koufuku Grafiti I'm going to give a try, the visuals just look absolutely stunning.

KnB again I need to watch season 1+2 first

Assassination classroom does look pretty fun though, so does Death Parade.

I'm just not looking forward to it all a whole lot since I watched like 30 different titles over the fall

That scene from SnB was really cool though

Edit: Holy mother of god $400 for the Blu-ray ye good luck with that

[machine 52]

The winter 2015 anime season has started. Anyone looking forward to any shows in particular? I'm pretty excited for the second season of Aldnoah.Zero and Death Parade. I plan on watching those two along with Yuri Kuma Arashi, Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu Love, Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, Kancolle, Assassination Classroom, and the second season of Tokyo Ghoul.

 

As for shows from last season I'm also watching Akatsuki no Yona, Diamond no Ace (technically started last year but whatever), Kiseijuu, Log Horizon 2, Magic Kaito 1412, Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, World Trigger, and Yowamushi Pedal Grande Road. I'm looking forward to the continuations/conclusions of those shows as well. 

[OldJustal 36]

A

The winter 2015 anime season has started. Anyone looking forward to any shows in particular? I'm pretty excited for the second season of Aldnoah.Zero and Death Parade. I plan on watching those two along with Yuri Kuma Arashi, Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu Love, Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, Kancolle, Assassination Classroom, and the second season of Tokyo Ghoul.

 

As for shows from last season I'm also watching Akatsuki no Yona, Diamond no Ace (technically started last year but whatever), Kiseijuu, Log Horizon 2, Magic Kaito 1412, Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, World Trigger, and Yowamushi Pedal Grande Road. I'm looking forward to the continuations/conclusions of those shows as well. 

Really excited for AssClass !

[Akazora 293]

The winter 2015 anime season has started. Anyone looking forward to any shows in particular? I'm pretty excited for the second season of Aldnoah.Zero and Death Parade. I plan on watching those two along with Yuri Kuma Arashi, Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu Love, Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, Kancolle, Assassination Classroom, and the second season of Tokyo Ghoul.

 

As for shows from last season I'm also watching Akatsuki no Yona, Diamond no Ace (technically started last year but whatever), Kiseijuu, Log Horizon 2, Magic Kaito 1412, Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, World Trigger, and Yowamushi Pedal Grande Road. I'm looking forward to the continuations/conclusions of those shows as well. 

Have you seen the first episode of Yuri Kuma Arashi yet?  Love the opening; can't stop watching it.  Have you seen any of Ikuhara's other works?

[machine 52]

Have you seen the first episode of Yuri Kuma Arashi yet?  Love the opening; can't stop watching it.  Have you seen any of Ikuhara's other works?

 

I've seen Mawaru Penguindrum and I'm currently watching Utena c: I watched the episode earlier this week, I sorta liked it. It was weirder than I thought I'd be and I'm admittedly a little skeptical but I'm hoping it'll live up to and exceed it's expectations c: Did you like the first episode? And, though I'm not sure why, the opening reminds me of the second penguindrum opening.

 

...and I found this when trying to find the opening on youtube

[Benno 4]

Tokyo Ghoul was good

Looks like it isn't following the manga but I'm not too fussed

[Akazora 293]

I've seen Mawaru Penguindrum and I'm currently watching Utena c: I watched the episode earlier this week, I sorta liked it. It was weirder than I thought I'd be and I'm admittedly a little skeptical but I'm hoping it'll live up to and exceed it's expectations c: Did you like the first episode? And, though I'm not sure why, the opening reminds me of the second penguindrum opening.

 

...and I found this when trying to find the opening on youtube

Penguindrum is my favorite anime of all time, no lie, haha.  A few have come close, but no other anime have moved me or provided an experience quite like Penguindrum has. It's jam packed with symbolism and hidden meanings.  I recommend you rewatch it some time in the future; most people including myself feel it's even better the second time, believe it or not.  I've seen it four times already, and I still notice small details I had missed countless times before.  I didn't like Utena quite as much, though it's probably because Ikuahara was still experimenting.

 

As for YKA, the first episode didn't hit me quite as hard as Penguindrum's first episode did, but I really enjoyed it regardless.  Of course, I'm a bit of a Ikuhara fanboy, so I'm probably being a bit biased.  I expect really great things from it.  And yeah, the opening just felt very Penguindrum-esque, down to the song lyrics.

 

Tokyo Ghoul was good

Looks like it isn't following the manga but I'm not too fussed

Studio Pierrot must have gone broke.  What in God's name was that opening?!  One of the worst, if not the worst, opening sequence I have ever seen, song and visuals combined.  And it doesn't help that the animation doesn't seem improved in the slightest from the previous season's.  I haven't read the manga, so I can't exactly say much about the plot yet, but this first episode would have been a better last episode of the first season.  Ugh, huge mess of an anime, but I'll continue watching it for Touka, if nothing else.

 

On another note, the prologue episode of Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata aired today. The humor isn't too bad, though the fanservice was a bit much compared to what I had envisioned.  Pretty standard harem anime, average animation, relatively interesting characters, etc.  This will probably serve as my status quo show for the season.

[machine 52]

*is awful at replying in a timely manner* orz

 

Penguindrum is my favorite anime of all time, no lie, haha.  A few have come close, but no other anime have moved me or provided an experience quite like Penguindrum has. It's jam packed with symbolism and hidden meanings.  I recommend you rewatch it some time in the future; most people including myself feel it's even better the second time, believe it or not.  I've seen it four times already, and I still notice small details I had missed countless times before.  I didn't like Utena quite as much, though it's probably because Ikuahara was still experimenting.

 

As for YKA, the first episode didn't hit me quite as hard as Penguindrum's first episode did, but I really enjoyed it regardless.  Of course, I'm a bit of a Ikuhara fanboy, so I'm probably being a bit biased.  I expect really great things from it.  And yeah, the opening just felt very Penguindrum-esque, down to the song lyrics.

 

Yeah, Penguindrum is really something special. It really seems one of a kind. I've yet to find another anime that gave off a similar feel. I do plan on rewatching it eventually. When I finished it I could tell a bunch of it had gone over my head but I appreciated the series a ton because of that. Four times is a lot though I can't even bring myself to rewatch a series I really liked most of the time. But then again, Penguindrum is highly rewatchable and is probably meant to be rewatched multiple times so it's probably not too hard to sit through a couple additional times especially if you already really like the show. 

And yeah YKA definitely felt different than the first episode of both Utena and Penguindrum. Can't quite figure out why though. And do you like the art style in YKA? I'm not particularly fond of it but I don't dislike it either. I didn't notice the lyrics to the opening though. They either weren't subbed or I just didn't pay attention (most likely the latter)

 

And did anyone watch the first episodes of Death Parade, Aldnoah Zero season 2, Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, Kancolle, and/or Assassination Classroom? If so, what were your first impressions? c:

[Kid the Phantom Thief 252]

Durarara!!x2 Shou - Yeah! Looking forward to that. Otherwise there's nothing. I'm not as interested in anime as I used to.. Dang.

[Akazora 293]

*is awful at replying in a timely manner* orz

 

 

Yeah, Penguindrum is really something special. It really seems one of a kind. I've yet to find another anime that gave off a similar feel. I do plan on rewatching it eventually. When I finished it I could tell a bunch of it had gone over my head but I appreciated the series a ton because of that. Four times is a lot though I can't even bring myself to rewatch a series I really liked most of the time. But then again, Penguindrum is highly rewatchable and is probably meant to be rewatched multiple times so it's probably not too hard to sit through a couple additional times especially if you already really like the show. 

And yeah YKA definitely felt different than the first episode of both Utena and Penguindrum. Can't quite figure out why though. And do you like the art style in YKA? I'm not particularly fond of it but I don't dislike it either. I didn't notice the lyrics to the opening though. They either weren't subbed or I just didn't pay attention (most likely the latter)

 

And did anyone watch the first episodes of Death Parade, Aldnoah Zero season 2, Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, Kancolle, and/or Assassination Classroom? If so, what were your first impressions? c:

Don't worry about not replying that fast, real life can get in the way of things.

I personally don't mind YKA's art or animation for that matter, though I do prefer Utena's and especially Penguindrum's art to YKA's.

 

My First Episode Impressions! (ranked by impressiveness)

My opinions will probably change as the season progresses, but since all the new anime I've planned on watching have aired their first episodes I might as well post about them here.

 

1. Death Parade

Absolutely amazing first episode.  After watching and having loved the Death Billiards one-shot when it was first aired, and after nearly falling out of my seat when Death Parade was announced, I was stoked for this anime.  The ambiance it gives off is great and it has high-caliber animation.  The opening sequence was silly and unexpected, but it somehow managed to fit the anime in a weird way.  Anybody interested in watching this anime should watch Death Billiards first, and if you like what you see then jump on the Death Parade hype train and enjoy what it promises to deliver.  Has the potential to be anime of the season, even anime or the year (if UBW's second half completely bombs, which I doubt), but it's rivaled this season only by...

 

2. Yuri Kuma Arashi

This is another anime I've be excited to see the moment it was announced as it's directly by my favorite director, Ikuhara.  The first episode hasn't disappointed me yet, and while I wish it was slated to be longer than just 12 episodes I can't wait to see what it has in store.  It's even more sexual than either Utena or Penguindrum, but as it appears to add to the deeper meaning of the anime I won't fault it for that.  However, it's not an anime or everyone.  Only those who are willing to put in the extra effort of analyzing all the small details, metaphors, and motifs in this anime and potentially re-watching it would end up liking it in the way it was meant to be enjoyed.

 

3. Rolling Girls

Wit Studio has once again delivered out of this world animation.  While Rolling Girls's art and style more closely resemble something like Kill la Kill or Kyousougiga than anything the animators of Shingeki no Kyojin would produce, it's still a lighthearted and fun anime that's meant to be enjoyed for the action and little else.  The premise is a bit of mess and none of the characters or plot setups are all that engaging yet, and this anime could potentially end up being a drag, but the animation is still stellar.  This is something not many people have their eyes on, so it could end up being the underrated anime of this season.

 

4. Ansatsu Kyoushitsu

The premise was the only thing that hooked me about this anime.  It's bizarre but has potential.  The animation is average and the humor that has been presented thus far isn't anything that made me laugh, but I'm willing to give it time.  There are a ton of characters in this anime, an entire classroom full, and I fear that there will be a lac of focus, clarity, or development with most of the cast.  Also, the team behind this anime is practically identical with that of Danganronpa's, which was a bit of a disappointment.  It's confirmed to be 22 episodes, so we'll see how this develops.

 

5. Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata

This is a standard romcom/slice of life anime that looked interesting when it was first announced a really long time ago, and so far it's been just that.  Only the "0th" episode has aired, but it's practically the first episode.  The humor is better than that of Assassination Classroom's, but even then it's barely above mediocre.  Some of the characters have potential to be interesting, or at least as interesting as these types of characters can get.  I'm a bit concerned with the amount of fan service I've seen so far, but apart from that nothing really else to add. 

 

6. Tokyo Ghoul √A

I've already ranted about this before, but I'll write it again.  The second season's first episode feels like a better last episode to the first season than the first season's last episode.  As I expected, the animation is pretty bad for an anime that has a lot of action scenes.  The opening was atrocious, definitely one of the worst I've ever seen in my life.  Tokyo Ghoul's anime has been on a downward spiral since the second episode, and it feels like the people working on this aren't even trying.  They know Tokyo Ghoul is somehow popular, the manga especially, and honestly probably just made the second season because it was profitable.

 

7. Aldnoah.Zero 2nd Season

I was never a huge fan of the first season but am planning on watching the second one for closure if nothing else.  The animation, direction, and soundtrack are the same as the first season's; not much of a comment on that.  I've just always felt this anime took itself too seriously and tried to be clever when it wasn't.  This first episode was no different, and I didn't particularly enjoy watching it.  None of the characters interest me and not even Hiroyuki Sawano's music can make up for it (he was the only reason I decided to pick up this anime in the first place, and he's let me down).  I was never a fan of mecha anime either.  This is actually tied with Tokyo Ghoul for least impressive anime of the season I guess, but my bias is putting it a notch lower.

 

Leftovers From Last Season (ranked by impressiveness)

I won't be writing in great length about these anime, not because I don't want to but because I actually need to get around to my homework *ahem*.

 

1. Parasyte

2. Log Horizon Season 2

3. Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso

4. Magic Kaito 1412   

[phantomlady1101 59]

Durarara!!x2 Shou - Yeah! Looking forward to that. Otherwise there's nothing. I'm not as interested in anime as I used to.. Dang.

You watch Durarara

Well, as expected from a Baccano fan

Yup, I'm looking forward to SS2 as well. But I need to watch Psycho Pass first. ^^

[Lupin of the Heisei Era 248]

just watched tokyo ghoul new season and..

 

 

6. Tokyo Ghoul √A

I've already ranted about this before, but I'll write it again.  The second season's first episode feels like a better last episode to the first season than the first season's last episode.  As I expected, the animation is pretty bad for an anime that has a lot of action scenes.  The opening was atrocious, definitely one of the worst I've ever seen in my life.  Tokyo Ghoul's anime has been on a downward spiral since the second episode, and it feels like the people working on this aren't even trying.  They know Tokyo Ghoul is somehow popular, the manga especially, and honestly probably just made the second season because it was profitable.

 

it seems like akazora already told most of my thought..

the conclusion is..it disappointed me (especially the opening and the ending song Dx ) 

[Akazora 293]

Has anyone else given Comical Psychosomatic Medicine a chance?  It's not really a true series since it only just started airing in February, but Chrunchyroll is subbing it and so far it's really quite funny.  Each episode is only around five minutes long, so they're quick watches.  The humor is fast paced but the content is educational.  It teaches you about mental disorders while giving it a comedic twist to keep things fresh.  Maybe it'll eventually get stale, but I definitely laughed more than I expected for the first episode.

[machine 52]

Has anyone else given Comical Psychosomatic Medicine a chance?  It's not really a true series since it only just started airing in February, but Chrunchyroll is subbing it and so far it's really quite funny.  Each episode is only around five minutes long, so they're quick watches.  The humor is fast paced but the content is educational.  It teaches you about mental disorders while giving it a comedic twist to keep things fresh.  Maybe it'll eventually get stale, but I definitely laughed more than I expected for the first episode.

 

I watched the first episode. It was alright. I laughed a couple times though that was more so because of the topic they were covering instead of the jokes themself. I'll probably watch an episode or two more before deciding whether or not I want to stick with it.

[Akazora 293]

Since the winter season is over, I'll be posting my thoughts on everything I've watched.

 

Anime that finished airing at the end of the winter season, including fall season leftovers, ordered from best to worst:

 

1. Parayste - Considering how old the source manga is, this anime definitely held its ground.  While the animation was a bit unsatisfactory at times, especially with the blatant use of CGI background people, the plot was intriguing, and the finale was rather well done.  I was especially impressed with how the anime was able to differentiate between people and parasites in human form using very subtle hints like eyes and voice and overall behavior, sometimes throwing in curveballs to trip viewers up.  The OST was mainly dubstep, but while some found it distasteful I personally didn't mind it at all.  The themes presented in the anime were unique or at least as unique as you're going to get in this day and age, though I'll admit I wasn't really convinced with the message they were trying to get across until the very last episode.  This is definitely an anime to check out.

 

2. Death Parade - As high as this is on my list, this anime was a bit of a disappointment.  It started its life as an amazing, thought provoking one-shot title "Death Billiards", but once the interpretable and analyzable world was expanded upon in a full blown 12 episode series, much of the magic was lost.  There were a lot of inconsistencies, and since much of the enjoyment is derived from the emotional high points, the episodes were hit or miss.  That being said, this anime still had amazing animation and atmosphere.  It boasted a catchy opening and ending and had better "action" scenes than many action anime.  The directing was great, but the writing many times fell flat.  It's a pity, because I had really high hopes for this anime.  I recommend watching Death Billiards without a doubt, and if you really want to go ahead and watch Death Parade.

 

3. Yuri Kuma Arashi - Oh Ikuhara, I had faith in you.  After directing my favorite anime, Penguindrum, I thought you'd be able to string together another masterpiece.  While on paper this anime looks amazing, especially with its themes of daring to be yourself, even if it means being different, excluded from society, and going against social cues, the execution wasn't what it deserved.  This anime needed at least 24 episodes; 12 is just too short.  While the animation was more consistent than either Utena or Penguindrum, the really well animated parts were rather underwhelming.  The art also wasn't nearly as good as Ikuhara's other works, though I guess that's subjective.  The humor was there, but not well executed, and the emotional, empathetic moments fell short.  I want to like this anime more than I do, but I think my expectations are getting in the way.  Still, this is something to check out if you're willing to do some analyzing.

 

4. Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata - This anime surprised me.  On the surface, it's a simple rom-com/harem light novel adaption, but it's one that pokes fun at its own shortcomings and takes a new twist with the tried and true tropes by adding in a unique character in the form of Kato.  The animation was good enough for slice of life, and the art was charming.  While the jokes could have been better, I found myself looking forward to this series every week.  It looks like it's setting itself up nicely for a second season, and I'll be totally up for one.

 

5. Log Horizon Season 2 - Goddamnit Deen Studios, why did you ruin such good source material?!  LH's second season developed the world significantly better than its first season, though the change in animation studios made the product look significantly uglier.  There were some problems with the pacing, and some characters got on my nerves pretty fast, but its portrayal of an MMO is unparalleled.  Watching it reminds me of times I used to play MMORPGs, and the biased side of me gets super hyped watching some moments.  There's a very high change of a third season, and even if Deen returns to animate the series, I guess I'll watch it anyway.

 

6. Rolling Girls - Phew, this anime was a weird one.  While part of me found it boring and tedious, the other part of me adores the light hearted, casual atmosphere of the whole thing.  It doesn't try to be deep or mean more than it does, and I appreciate it for that. It's a feel good anime that doesn't make much sense 90% of the time.  When there are action scenes, it looks great.  It's corny and cheesy, but still a bit of fun if you just let your mind wander.  While not something I'd recommend personally, I don't regret watching it.

 

7. Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso - Hands down, the biggest disappointment of the fall/winter season.  I was one of the first ones to hype this anime a year ago when the first trailer was released and the animation looked drop dead gorgeous.  Now, everyone's fawning over this mess and I'm just left unsatisfied.  I don't mean to come off as a hipster, because I'm far from one.  The pacing is atrocious, the characters are flat, and the music isn't incorporated as nicely as I had hoped.  The biggest problem is the pretentiousness of this anime.  It's the exact opposite of Rolling Girls.  It takes itself way too seriously and uses pseudo symbolism and metaphors to sound sophisticated while under the cheaply glimmering surface it has no deeper meaning to offer.  It's like a Key anime with the budget of KyoAni.  As a musician, I'm very disappointed in this lackluster anime.  A world where everyone is some sort synesthetic?  Middle school love drama?  No thanks, I'll pass.

 

8. Aldnoah.Zero Season 2 - I dislike mecha anime in general, so I almost forgot why I started this in the first place.  Oh yeah, because of Sawano's music, right?  What a mistake.  While the animation is consistent, all of the action scenes involve CGI mechs so it's nothing praiseworthy.  The characters are unbelievable, unpredictable in the worst possible ways, and never die.  For a war anime, you'd think people, high schoolers specifically, would die, right?  Yeah, very little of that happened.  This is like the opposite of Akame ga Kill.

 

9. Magic Kaito 1412 - Whelp, this one doesn't need much explanation.  I had a feeling it would be a train wreck from day one, but I never imagined the tragedy that would ensue.  The animation is atrocious, the plot got nowhere for an old source material that was begging for an anime original ending, it wasn't funny, it wasn't romantic, it wasn't heart pounding, I can't even remember if there was an OST, I have never disliked Kid this much since movie 14, and I'm so glad it's finally over.  A-1 Pictures seems to hate MK, but in the off chance they bribe their animators to make a second season I won't be watching it.

 

10. Tokyo Ghoul Root 2 - We've finally reached the bottom of the list!  I've ranted about this series plenty elsewhere, I think, but to recap this is one of the worst anime I have every laid eyes on.  Studio Pierrot is the new Deen Studios.  Tokyo Ghoul is the worst anime adaptation of a manga I have ever been cursed to lay eyes on.  Animation is miserable, pacing is a mess, I can't remember characters' names or affiliations, what was the plot again?, I wonder what's for dinner...?  Avoid this one at all costs; if you're bored you're better off watching MK1412 (again), no joke.

 

Ongoing winter anime, ordered from AssClass to AssClass:

 

1. Ansatsu Kyoushitsu - The only thing that's leaking its way into the spring season is Assassination Classroom.  Though it's not done, I might as well talk about it a bit.  The animation isn't very special and the humor's rather average.  Apart from a unique premise, there are enough shounen tropes keeping this from being anything special.  I don't expect much from this in its second half, and would rank it around where Rolling Girls is.

 

Spring anime I will definitely be watching and finishing, even if it sucks, ordered from most hyped to fanservice:

 

1. Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works Season 2

2. Kekkai Sensen

3. Owari no Seraph

4. Ore Monogatari!!

5. Nisekoi (2nd season)

6. Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru (2nd season)

7. Punch Line

8. Plastic Memories

9. Triage X

 

Spring anime I may or may not watch, given how much free time I have and how well received they are after the first few episodes, ordered alphabetically:

 

1. Arslan Senki

2. Denpa Kyoushi

3. Etotama

4. Hibike! Euphonium

5. High School DxD BorN

6. Shokugeki no Souma

[Kenzi 146]

This is the first time I've been actively following an airing anime since SnK, haha.

I recently finished the first season of F/SN so it's only natural for me to continue onto the next season, especially with that disgustingly good cliffhanger they dropped on us.

 

Only one episode has aired so far, so I really don't have much to add to the discussion.

Well damn, that plot twist got to me.

Also, wtf Saber scene.

That is all.

[Akazora 293]

This is the first time I've been actively following an airing anime since SnK, haha.

I recently finished the first season of F/SN so it's only natural for me to continue onto the next season, especially with that disgustingly good cliffhanger they dropped on us.

 

Only one episode has aired so far, so I really don't have much to add to the discussion.

Well damn, that plot twist got to me.

Also, wtf Saber scene.

That is all.

Found this gif on tumblr.  Gaddmmit.  (related to Saber pose)

 

Anyway, speaking of spring 2015 anime...  Here are my first impressions!  These are based off of the first (and sometimes second) episodes of all the newly airing anime this season.  All the shows are ranked from most promising to least promising, and are of course expected to change by the end of the season.

 

1. Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works Season 2 - I love this series to death, and the second season has started really really strong, especially the second episode.  The opening is amazeballs and the animation is still top notch as always.  There's not much to say that hasn't already been said.  If you haven't watched the first season yet, get to it so you can ride this hype train.  I personally recommend watching Fate/Zero before jumping into Fate/stay night, but there are arguments both ways.

 

2. Kekkai Sensen - Don't be fooled by this show's relatively low ranking and lack of popularity.  This is a super stylish, super cool, super fast paced, and super fun series with fluid animation, a rocking soundtrack, and an amazing atmosphere.  It has the potential to be deeper than it seems on the surface, and promises to entertain regardless.  Also, the ending theme is on the level of Death Parade's opening, and that's really saying something.  If you're not going to invest in the Fate series, this is the only other show this season I highly recommend.

 

3. Nisekoi: - The second season of Nisekoi is here!  The first season of the series was very enjoyable.  While some may claim it's a development-less cycle of friendzoning and cluelessness, it's still really cute to watch.  It's pretty standard Shaft animation, the music is good enough, and the character interactions are nice.  I'm going to pretend that it's more than it really is.  If you're in the mood for some rom-com, check it out (the first season, that is).  Also, #TeamOnodera ftw.

 

4. Punchline - Studio Mappa decides to go full Studio Trigger on us with this new anime original.  While it seems like pure unadulterated fan service on the surface, the show has a great deal of potential.  It's written by the same person responsible for the Zero Escape series, which is one of the best visual novel series I've ever played and the overall premise is very similar to Ghost Trick, another puzzle visual novel made by the same person as the one responsible for the Ace Attorney series.  Surprisingly, it's one of the stronger shows of the season, especially with its animation.

 

5. Ore Monogatari - Now, I don't watch shoujo anime, but it doesn't take a veteran to realize that this show isn't quite your normal shoujo.  The main character is an unpopular, tall, awkward, tubby guy who never gets any girls who's friends with one of the most sought after real estate boys in the school.  The humor is light, and it's hard not to smile at its simplistic and adorable atmosphere.  It has potential, and I feel it's a show that will be quite popular by the end of its run.

 

6. Plastic Memories - What's a season without at least one tear jerker, right?  Because sad and emotional anime tend to be either hit or miss, with the latter being far more prevalent, I have my uncertainties about this one.  The atmosphere, directing, and animation are great, and the first episode hit me a bit harder than I expected, but it's also setting up a ton of tropes that may get in the way of my enjoyment when it really starts to pile on the emotional appeal.  I want to like this, but we'll see how this goes.

 

7. Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru. Zoku - Another anime with a studio change going into season 2?  Well, I guess that's fine by me.  The animation is leaps and bounds above the first season, though for some reason the art and character designs don't have quite the same spirit.  The first season was okay, nothing too special, and so far the second season is not much different.  It's far from a bad anime, but it does fall short when it tries to present serious scenarios.  It excels when being lighthearted though.

 

8. Owari no Seraph - This is like Shingeki no Kyoujin 2.0, except far worse.  The animation studio is the same (WIT Studio) and the music composer is the same (mah boy Sawano) but because it's not directed by Araki it lacks any pizzazz that would have made the series bearable.  It's riddled with tropes, forced angst, and is poorly executed to boot.  I wanted to like this, but gosh I think it's going to be a disappointment.  Hopefully, once the main character starts really kicking some titan vampire butt it'll be better.

 

9. Triage X - I knew this was going to be bad, but watched it anyway, cause wynaut?  This anime is based off of the manga written by the creator of High School of the Dead, so of course I expected a grimdark, edgy setting paired with scantily clad and well endowed women.  But I guess I was just curious to see what the mangaka was up to, since he put HotD on hiatus and the show has no chance of a second season.  I should have expected it to be far worse than HotD, since at least HotD was enjoyable to watch because of Madhouse's animation and Araki's directing.  The only thing that even remotely stood out to me was the OST, which is only a smidge above average.

 

And that's all I'm watching!  Anyone else keeping up with this season?  I'm mildly interested in shows like Arslan Senki, Shokugeki no Souma, and Hibike! Euphonium but ultimately decided against watching them.  Are they worth picking up?

[Balthazar Manfredie 226]

i just thought of fate  as our anime version of game of  thrones 

and we have 14 out as well