Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi

AniDB Wrote:* Based on Okita Masashi's romantic comedy light novel series.

The story centres around Ookami Ryouko, a high school freshman girl known for her fierce looks, unusual canine teeth when she smiles, and wild demeanour (her family name is homonymous with the Japanese word for "wolf"). Akai Ringo is a short high school freshman girl with seemingly cute, angelic looks but a dark demeanour (her name is a Japanese wordplay on "apple" and "Red Riding Hood"). Together with their odd friends, the two fight to change the world, one issue at a time.

The first of Summer 2010 I watched - I had no idea, what I was going to be watching but I almost had deja-vu when I instantly recognized the narrators voice and then later many other voices from other productions from the same studio - J.C.Staff.

J.C.Staff, from what I've seen from them, have never really excelled in terms of animation quality, and using the same voice actors from not so long ago is frustrating but not off putting - after all it's the story that's most important.

To start it gives off the cutesy action feeling of a slapstick-comedy but quickly changes till you get the feeling that this is exactly what it claims to be - a Romantic Comedy.... erm.. more like Comedy Romantic right now but it was quite funny and Ookami-san herself gives off a very "awesome" feeling as she kicks donkey (esp. with those Neko-Gloves.. +1 points!) - but when Akai Ringo gets involved it soon becomes apparent she may have a sweet~soft side the audience could fall for if it's played on well enough.

It definitely has potential - if it doesn't last too long. 7/10

Amagami SS

AniDB Wrote:* Based on the PlayStation 2 romance simulation game Amagami by Enterbrain

Tachibana Junichi, a 2nd year high school student, always feels depressed around Christmas time due to a certain past experience. Due to his fear of opening his heart to love, his school life is rather lonely.

One day, Junichi asks himself if he is really satisfied with ending his high school life thus? Setting aside his fears, Junichi determines that he will spend the coming Christmas with a girl.

Thus resolved, he goes on to meet many different girls. In the end, what will Christmas hold for Junichi?

The first anime that come to mind when I think AIC are "Nyan-koi" and "Mayoi Neko Overrun", the former was a pleasant surprise but the latter was rather bad and... the thing they have in common is that they have a Cat-theme. Yes, I'm aware AIC also produce other anime but it's definitely nowhere as "proper" as what Amagami SS wants to be.

A straight Romance anime.

The last "straight romance" I saw was Kimikiss pure rouge which came from J.C.Staff and the animation was pretty boring and plain though the story helped it through it's 24 episodes.. now what I was immediately struck with was the lovely animation that confronted me. Non-deformed character designs, nice backgrounds and well done buildings and a first 5 minutes that showed that AIC aren't joking around - they want to do this and do it well.

I like the characters I've seen so far, specifically I like how Junichi, the male protagonist, and how despite being inevitably introvert from what happens to him (you find out right at the beginning) he still has balls and doesn't spoon his pants when girls talk to him.

Did the first episode as a whole leave much of an impression? Production-wise, yes. Story-wise.... not so much. The plot, despite it being a change of what wee usually get from romance anime of late, still needs to develop and it feels a bit rushed.. but it's already confirmed for 24 episodes and many story arcs and a lot of romance so I have high hopes for this one to get better as time goes by. 7/10

Mitsudomoe

AniDB Wrote:* Based on Sakurai Norio's Mitsudomoe gag manga, serialised in Weekly Shounen Champion.

The somewhat precocious and sadistic girl Mitsuba, the somewhat lecherous muscle girl Futaba, and the somewhat mysterious girl Hitoha. Better known as the (mischievous) Marui Sisters, this is the story of how these three triplets go about their days in Class 6-3 with their cute yet wild antics.

This anime starts off by introducing a new primary school teacher, Satoshi Yabe, and how he looks forward to his days with his class. But, as the plot implies, it's about these three "problem children" - the "most dissimilar triplets you'll ever see". During the episode they play a game of Nandemo Basuketto (Anything Goes) and things kick off straight away as you quickly learn of the unique characteristics of the three girls - and inevitably - hilarity ensues. The game is actually preceded by a martial arts masterclass from Futaba Marui that is actually awe-inducing from the combination of the unexpected violence and superb animation.

As some of you might be wondering, the idea of 3 different girls in a classroom is indeed like "Kodomo no Jikan" but let me assure you it's nothing like that - don't expect any of the loli/perversion/drama that you find in Kodomo no Jikan but do expect the teacher-endangering antics that will be reminiscent of it. I expect it'll be a comedy from the beginning until the end and it won't lace its storyline with anything more because it doesn't need to.

It's the most I've laughed at an anime in quite a long time and for that reason I sincerely hope it can carry on this way so I can give it at the end the same score as I'm giving it now. 8/10