Working!! [Pre-Air]

AniDB Wrote:The story is set in a family restaurant named Wagnaria in the northern Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido. Souta works part-time among the restaurant's high-spirited, mysterious, yet cool staffers.

This is destined to be a short, funny slice of life anime. But it IS the day to day activities of a family restaurant so you're right to have doubts.. so is it be any good?

Well, the first episode I can gladly say was genuinely entertaining and didn't leave me bored at any point. Fresh characters all with their quirks means that theres plenty of space for jokes and it works really well.
If you have time to spare and need something to watch, this might be what you're looking for. Oh, and Popura is just adorable. 7/10

Angel Beats

AniDB Wrote:A mixed media project originally conceived by Maeda Jun with original character design by Na-Ga, from Visual Art's/Key.

In a world after death, angels fight for their fate and their future. Yuri, the leader of the Shinda Sekai Sensen, rebels against the god who destined her to have an unreasonable life. On the otherhand, Tenshi, the chairperson of the student council for the world after death, battles against the SSS members. SSS members utilize armed weaponry to battle it out against the angels harnessing supernatural powers.

Okay, with its connections with Visual Art's/Key there is reason to anticipate this title simply because even if it has a bit of the story-telling genius that made Air, Kanon and Clannad what they are then there really is reason to be excited.

By the end of the first episode though, I was left with mixed feelings. I thought the production was great, animation and sound seemed good enough.. but the story is what left me lost.

As things progress you meet what is supposedly the cast and leader of the SSS, Yuri who has undeniable influence from Haruhi.. almost in an irritating way that makes you want to say "Why isn't Haruhi doing this?" because it could easily fall into one of the random arcs they can pull off in the SOS world.

The enemy has a personality similar to Yuki Nagato [Read: Haruhi Character] while looking cute in her own way, she gets plastered with attacks from.. well.... every other character worth noticing and can't be defeated.

This is all fine and good.. but the main problem was that it was almost all "eh" and the only entertaining part was seeing an all-girl band play (you'll know what I'm talking about when you see it) a relatively decent song.

I wish it were more, and maybe I'm extra disappointed because I love VisualArts/Key so much and anticipated this anime greatly.. but right now you're better off watching the PVs over and over than this lackluster start to an anime I can only hope will get better. 6/10

Kaichou wa Maid-sama!

Quote:* Based on Fujiwara Hiro's Kaichou wa Maid-sama! shoujo manga serialised in LaLa.

The romantic comedy centers on the student council head named Ayuzawa Misaki who despises the mostly male, slovenly population at her school, which was once an all-boys school. However, Misaki's most handsome schoolmate just discovered her secret — that she works afterschool at a maid cafe.

I had low expectations before watching Kaichou wa Maid-sama. I mean come on... secret maid.. school rep.. nothing stuck out as something that could make it exciting but I'm giving it the chance I will be for everything else and well.. it was fantastic.

No, seriously.. it was great. From beginning to end you start to get involved with Ayuzawa Misaki and I instantly liked her as a character, and the guy, Takumi Usui, may have expressions from the "Book of Typical Character Expressions in Anime" - but it's done just right, and right in the way it makes you laugh, and the same applies to Misaki... its just... funny as hell!

An awful lot was done in the first episode, and that's for the best, but I'm hoping if its going to be 20+ episodes, that they have enough plot to keep it interesting. If around 13 episodes... it could be a gem. Watch it. 8/10

Arakawa Under the Bridge

AniDB Wrote:* Based on a seinen gag manga by Nakamura Hikaru serialised in Young GanGan.

A young upperclass elite man, Ichinomiya "Riku" Kou, who has a policy of not being in debt to anyone, ends up owing his life to a strange girl who rescues him. Nino is a beautiful homeless girl who believes that she is a martian and lives under the bridge by the Arakawa river. So the young man ends up living there too.

SHAFT is a guilty pleasure of mine. Then again, I'm sure its a guilty pleasure for a lot of watchers who may have seen their most recent work being Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (Season 1, 2, 2.5, 3 & 3.5), ef - a tale of memories/melodies and Bakemonogatari. Needless to say, anyone who knows these titles will immediately realize that the artsy style they use may very well be used in Arakawa as well. Well - it is. Sort of. You don't get as much flash writing as Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei or Bakemonogatari, but the flow seems like a strange blend of both. You'll also recognize the voice of Sensei himself - Hiroshi Kamiya - as Kou Ichinomiya - the helpless guy who ends up in this situation where he indeed needs to live under the bridge.

It strange, which is normal for a SHAFT production, and its punch-gags work, it has lots of good laughs and Kou's inside-view is something you have to get a hold on because despite while nothing much may be happening - his thought process is relentless - just like the male protagonists of SZS and Bakemonogatari. How about that?

Despite the similarities the unique aspect is Nino. The girl who lives under the bridge believes she came from Venus and so far its questionable how much about human social interation she really does know/give a spoon about. She doesn't get embaressed, it seems.. she does takes everything for what it is - and when Kou Ichinomiya, a helpless guy who thinks he really belongs far away from the "commoner" gets exactly what he needs before he dies from the asthma that's induced simply because he owes her for rescuing him - and that's exactly the plot it seems - he meets her and this is their story.

While I suppose it could be a romance it seems more like a straight up comedy right now.. a(nother) comedy based on the despair of a guy.

It has potential, and for a first episode, it put down a good foundation. 7/10

Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou

AniDB Wrote:* Based on Mizuki Shoutarou's Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou magical fantasy romance novel series with illustrations by Itou Souichi.

The story of "love, magic, and battles" revolves around Sai Akuto, a boy who aims to become part of his country's highest order of magicians and contribute to society as one of its clergy. On the day he is admitted into the Constant Magical Academy, his aptitude test predicts the following: "Future Occupation … Devil King." Thus begins his difficult school life in which he is resented by his studious female class head, desired by a girl with mysterious powers, and guarded by a beautiful female android.

I like my stories based in the human realm usually.. knowing this involved a magical school gave me doubts.. of course.. and question what exactly I was in for. The AniDB plot above sums it up nicely.. and the first episode gets the ball rolling well with the aptitude test and a bunch of stuff happening towards the end that will be forgotten, but what did catch me was the different kinds of powers on display that were going to revolve Sai Akuto in the duration of this anime.

A pretty typical attitude comes off a girl he starts off well with, and relationship turns sour after she finds out he's going to be the Devil King (or Demon Lord as I read it) - and the relationship that I'm guessing will involve a lot of "Violent Retribution for Accidental Infringement" throughout the anime.. and while it could get frustrating I thing the jumble mix of characters should keep things going nicely, and potential for good story development means it may be worth a look if you like the themes involved. (Those being: Ecchi (theres censoring for up-skirt shots), Fantasy, High School, Pantsu (plenty) and School Life). 7/10

K-ON!! (Season 2)

School is back in session, and the Light Music Club (Keionbu~) is back for more after an incredibly popular first season.. and it's great to have them back.

My Quick Plot Write-up Wrote:Yui, Ritsu, Mio and Tsumugi - now in their Senior Year, along with the now Junior, Asuza Nanako - the K-ON (Light Music Club) will be making some more noise in the the clubs next year in school with more tea time, cake and music.

Okay lets get to the Opening and Ending.. its hard to get used to anything after the highly addictive ones used in the first season.. but these new songs are definitely "K-ON". As annoying as some may find the OPening for its fast-forward like dynamics or how awesome the Ending is for.. well just being awesome - I'm sure these tracks will be hits with the fans and hopefully will be the start of plenty of new material to come (cue at least 4 more songs in-anime, please).

You've probably seen the first season if you're reading this so I'll cut to the chase.

Remember the first season. Now imagine them going back to school and carrying on for another year.. well that's exactly how it is.

Yup! No major changes, just quite literally carrying on where it left off. Great.. well either you'll think "oh god not more..." or "YAY!" but from this first episode it looks like wee're in store for more of the same for another 12(?) episodes.

Hmm? What do I think? I think... its great. I'm really glad to hear the girls voices again, see the club again and I am looking forward to seeing them finish what they started.. because all it really does is make you feel good watching the continuous activities of the clubs.. even if they are repetitive.

This episode in particular was oozing with Yui-goodness and any fan of hers are going to be extremely happy. Not so much Mio-ness in it around Asuza, Ritsu or Mugi though I expect she'll have more impact in the following episodes (though she does have a moment which made me crack up.. you'll know the one).

I expect nothing more than what I got in the first season, nor do I expect anything less. So lets pick up where it left off and rock some more! 8/10

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Thanks to Vacui_Natale for making this awesome siggy.

Thanks to Natalie for this sexy Mawaru Penguindrum sig. <3
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