Lots of anime this week! If you need something to make you feel better about your life, then this is your post.
Anime discussed: Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka, Clannad ~After Story~, ef - a tale of memories., ef - a tale of melodies., Goku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Hyakko, Kannagi, Kurozuka, Kyo no Gononi, Michiko to Hatchin, Mouryou no Hako, REC, Saikano, Shugo Chara! Doki, To Aru Majutsu no Index, Toradora!, Yami no Matsuei
-- Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka ep6: Average. Karen takes the gang on a trip, they all visit a hot spring, etc. I am making a pact with myself -- if ep7 is not the best episode in the series, then I am going to drop the show, no questions asked, even if ep8 looks amazing. This show does not deserve the attention.
-- Clannad ~After Story~ eps 5 and 6: Technically, I watched ep5 last week and forgot to mention it. Oops. But, yes, this is a solid mini-arc involving Misae. She is awesome as a young'un (even more of a tsundere than Kyou!), and her story builds up a good amount of emotion in just two episodes. Not QUITE as amazing as I hoped it would be, but definitely a worthwhile story. Also, I am wondering whether I should be concerned that my favorite part in the two episodes is when one of the characters dresses in drag. It's so funny!
-- ef - a tale of memories eps 1-12: I cannot for the life of me figure out how this ever received mixed reviews. It has good characters, a good story and the visual storytelling is off the charts fantastic. Seriously, the imagery is bold, stylish, inventive and complements the story perfectly. Watching this series makes it readily apparent how many shows really mail in the visual aspect of storytelling. I mean, that is the one big advantage visual media have over books, radio, etc. -- why don't they USE IT more often? But, yes, a tale of memories is a damn good series, very powerful and emotional.
-- ef - a tale of melodies eps 1-3: Come on, how could I not move on to this after loving a tale of memories so much? Kind of cool that this series focuses on the adults, and I like the shifts in time in each episode. Definitely a good start to the series.
-- Goku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei ep1: Just as insane, manic and hilarious as the first and second seasons. I think the story where Nozomu becomes the leader of a group dedicated to hiding Japan's most important national secrets is my favorite. Just hysterical. I would also like to thank Dagger and Des for putting together an excellent fansub -- very thorough, no spelling/grammatical errors (that I can see) and no strange "WTF?" wording in the sentences. Commendable work, my friends!
-- Hyakko ep4: This is like the To Aru Majutsu no Index of comedies: Solid, and sometimes very good, but never really great. The best scene in this episode is definitely the art class, where Tarako and Koma make Ayumi pose in a number of sexy, embarrassing poses while they take pictures.
-- Kannagi ep6: Definitely battling Toradora! for funniest show of the season (although Toradora! is a better show overall). The beginning, with Tsugumi and Nagi going shopping, is funny, and the trip to the maid cafe takes the episode to another level. Akiba and Takako very nearly steal the show from everyone here -- their bickering is quite entertaining. The show should definitely keep that pair together, haha. And, of course, Nagi and Tsugumi are both awesome in the cafe, as is a very embarrassed Jin. Funny episode all around.
-- Kyo no Gononi ep6: I am warming to this series more by the week. Actually, my favorite skit from this episode -- the kids playing in the mud after it starts raining hard -- is not really that funny. I just think it is really cute and true to what kids would do. The misunderstanding between Ryota and Chika in the episode's final skit is fun, too.
-- Michiko to Hatchin ep2: Finally I see the second episode, haha. More of a focus on Michiko in this one, which is good. I love her rival, Atsuko, as well. Watching those two battle it out each week (or however often they are paired off) will make for good times.
-- REC eps 1-5: Ep1 made me go, "???" (although I understand it the more I think about it), but I like the series so far. It's cute, fun and light. Kind of nice to have a show that just aims to give you a few minutes of fun and then get the hell out of there.
-- Saikano eps 1-13: My gut still feels twisted after finishing this series, haha. I will say it took me a while to really get into it -- one's enjoyment of the series will come from how quickly you are able to get into the relationship between Chise and Shuji, since it is such a massive part of the show. For me, the lightbulb came on at the beginning of ep5, where Chise orders Tetsu to kill her, and then at the last moment she backs off and begs for her life. The ending of the series is quite sad, of course, but maybe the harshest, most devastating moment in the series is in ep9 when Akemi is mortally wounded, confesses her love to Shuji and dies. It's such a cruel end for her, and it is amazing the series could make me feel so much for a character who I did not like much when the show began. Saikano is a very powerful, dramatic show that everyone should definitely watch if they mind being ground into the dirt with sadness.
-- Shugo Chara! Doki eps 4 and 5: Right now the show is falling back into the "egg of the week" pattern while also sprinkling in bits of story, and I actually do not mind it one bit. The return of Nagihiko is quite welcome; I am intrigued that he has another egg. His identity issues will be quite interesting, I think, as will his future interactions with Amu.
-- To Aru Majutsu no Index ep6: Same ol' story with this show -- solid action, solid story, etc. Nothing really fills me with a burning desire to watch it, but I'll continue with it as long as the story remains interesting.
-- Toradora! eps 6 and 7: This show keeps breezing through the story like nothing. An anime that tells a tight, lean story with barely any filler for 25 episodes? Say it ain't so! Ep6 is a damn good episode that furthers the main story quite a bit (Ami receives some huge character development and gets a great emotional moment at the end), while ep7 does not do much for the overall story but is very funny. I think Minori is becoming my favorite character -- the show has figured out how to use her just right, and she is hysterical whenever she appears. Plus, how could you not love a character who will give you poses like that? Taiga is also quite funny and cute in ep7.
-- Yami no Matsuei ep3: Haha, I actually only half paid attention to this. What I gathered is that Muraki is creepy as hell, I can't stand Hisoka and I can't stop thinking of Yu-Gi-Oh! whenever I hear Asato. Ah, the perils of dubs.
Due to some unfortunate luck for m.3.3.w, I'll double up on Chaos;Head next week (I'm downloading ep5 right now). Hopefully my preferred groups will release ep5 of Mouryou no Hako and ep6 of Kurozuka soon, as well.
