Every beginning has an end. True but it works also the other way around. Now with only three shows continuing (Hayate no Gotoku, Higurashi no naku koro ni Kai and Sky Girls), it's time for the new season, packed again with romance/harem/comedy for the masses. I only bothered here with shows that are supposed to get subbed and have at least some remote interest for me. They are sorted by air date.
Bamboo Blade
1.10, ? episodesOfficial, aniBD, ANN
subded by Huzzah
Kojirou is the kendo instructor at Muro`e High School. He is totally broke. He has agreed to send his team to a competition against his senpai`s team. If his all female team can win the competition, he will have free meals for a year! But, the problem is that Kojirou seems unable to find five, gifted girls to form the "dream team" -- and time is running out...
Based on a seinen manga by Totsuka Masahiro, illustrated by Igarashi Aguri and serialised in Young Gangan. Screenplay is written by Kurata Hideyuki, original creator of Read or Die and scriptwriter of several other good stories (Excel Saga, Hellsing OVA, Kamichu, Agga Ruter, etc.). Description can be misleading or at least I hope so. In any case, I'm into kendo, so I'll give it a try.
Blue Drop: Tenshi-tachi no GikyokuOfficial, aniDB, ANN
subded by Genjo-Fags, Simoun Fans
A mystery erupts at an all-girls school and some of them suddenly find themselves embroiled in god only knows what involving mecha, kidnappings, and a healthy dose of yuri.
Don’t let other people fool you, this is a prequel to the pre-existing manga, and takes place about three years before the mysterious disappearances. Original story based on Yoshitomi Akihito`s Blue Drop manga. Screenplay is written by Takahashi Natsuko, responsible for the scripts of Bleach, Deltora, Full Metal Alchemist, Gankutsuo, Jigokou Shoujo, Marimite, School Rumble and VanDread among others; so it's a safe bet that the original story is going to be untouched. I expect something similar to Simoun, yuri X mecha, not too bad, but still not that exciting neither.
Mokke2.10, ? episodes
Official, aniDB, ANN
subded by Anonymous
Based on the seinen manga by Kumakura Takatoshi, serialised in Afternoon. Shizuru and Mizuki are sisters born in a family with spiritual abilities. While the older one, Shizuru, is able to see spirits, goblins and stuff like that, the younger one, Mizuki, has a propensity for getting possessed. As their calm and peaceful days of youth progress, they have many encounters which lead them to respect and treasure life and all its beauties and marvels. This is a story about the experience of youth and growing up. In one word, spiritual.
Dragonaut: The Resonance3.10, ? episodes
Official, aniDB, ANN
subded by Infinite-Zero
No descritpion yet.
A completely original production about a future world with monsters, people with magical powers and fighting mechanized dragons.
Character designs are from Uno Makoto (Gravion, Stellvia and Witchblade) which can be both good and bad, probably this one is closer to Stellvia though, which I liked. Bad news is that it's a GONZO show, infamous for it's plot screw ups as well as bad integration of 3D and 2D CGs.
Clannad4.10, ? episodes
Official, aniDB, ANN
subded by a.f.k., Eclipse, Fallingsnow, Sprocket Hole Subs, idPRO
Adaption of the renowned visual novel by Visual Art`s/Key. Clannad is set in a high-school located in some Japanese town. Okazaki Tomoya is a third-year student who doesn`t take his studies seriously. Always late for class, he`s seen as a delinquent by the rest of his classmates who are busy preparing for their entrance examinations. Needless to say, he hasn`t too many close friends either. Tomoya seems not to mind too - until one day he meets a girl, Furukawa Nagisa, who is left alone without friends on this school, because everybody she knew already graduated. What a clumsy girl, he thinks at first. But he can`t leave her alone and so, while helping her, he meets a few other girls from his school. Although he doesn`t care much about them at first, he soon opens his heart to them as they get to know each other better. Directed by Ishihara Tatsuya (Air, Kanon 2006 and Haruhi); very promising sign. Seeries composition and screenplay by Shimo Fumiko (Air, Bakuretsu Tenshi, Kannon 2006 and Higurashi 2) and character design is by Hinoue Itaru also responisble for Key's other three seasonal games (Air, Kannon & ONE).
Shakugan no Shana II4.10, ? episodes
Official, aniDB, ANN
subded by Kuroneko&IY-F
The continuing adventures of the Flame Haze Shana, along with the everburning Torch, Yuuji as they fight monsters out to devour the existence of the world. Along with Clannad & Genshiken, are the most anticipated shows of this season. Staff and primary voice actors are the same as in the first series, so don't expect any surprises.
ef - a tale of memories6.10, 12 episodes
Official, aniDB, ANN
subded by Conclave, AQS
Based on the visual interactive novel by Minori, featuring character designs by Nanao Naru. The story revolves around the protagonist Hirono Hiro, a poor high school boy who draws shoujo manga for his living. One cold Christmas night after meeting a very strange woman in a church, who tells him that he`s going to meet someone he has to meet, his bike gets stolen by another strange girl. He runs after her and finds her collapsed on the street. Her name is Miyamura Miyako and her bag got stolen by a man on a motorbike. Soon after, they start hanging out together, enjoying highschool life. Miyako falls for Hiro pretty quickly but naturally finds a rival in his childhood friend, Shindou Kei, who has been dictating Hiro`s life since ever.
The director was responsible for the two Negima OVA, series composition is by Takayama Tatsuhiko of Ai yori Aoshi ~ Enishi, Demonbane OVA, Han-tsuki, Stratos TV. Both are not very promising, but they might pull it off, since SHAFT is a decent studio.
Rental Magica7.10, ? episodes
Official, aniDB, ANN
subded by Infinite-Zero, idPRO, Shinsen
Iba Itsuki lived totally ignorant of magic, until he inherited his father’s company Astral. Now he’s in charge of responding to comissions from other people to solve magical problems with his team of magicians and his own new magical powers.
Based on a light novel series by Sanda Makoto, illustrated by pako. Directed by Kawasaki Itsuro of Arc, Mamoru and Tsubasa Movie. Series Composition by Ikeda Mamiko of Himawari, Nagasarete Airantou and Umishou. Character Designs by Shiba Minako of .hack, Madlax, Noir and Tsubasa. pretty good staff and a novel series offer bright prospects.
Prism Ark7.10, ? episodes
Official, aniDB, ANN
subded by ASF
The sequel to Prism Heart (never adapted), this takes place years later when knight in training Hyaweh travels to a school for mages and their knights. His ‘peaceful’ training is soon interrupted by a devestating war and the revival of ancient machines of annihilation.
Directed by the hentai expert Obari Masami (Angel Blade, Gravion and Viper GTS), series composition by Hosino Yuuji (Pumpkin Scissors and Trinity Blood) not good. Add to that this is a sequel, a small studio and inexperienced character designer; the most likely thing that can come-out is an incoherent story with tons of fun-service.
Minami-ke7.10, ? episodes
Official, aniDB, ANN
subded by A-E & Saizen
Based on a seinen manga by Sakuraba Koharu, serialised in Young Magazine. Minami-ke is a manga following three sisters, Haruka, Kana, and Chiaki in their lives at home and school. It`s a funny series that depicts how these characters interact with each other and their classmates. It`s a story about ordinary girls and their ordinary adventures told in an extraordinary manner.
Directed by Outa Masahiko and the series composition comes from Aoshima Takashi, both made Yokae Mae Yori Ruri Iro Na (very bad, from all aspects, including direction). On the other hand the manga is from Sakuraba Koharu, who also made Kyou no Go no Ni. The description reminds me of Binbou Shimai which I liked, now if it could be combined with the insanity of Kyou no Go no Ni it will be perfect.
Genshiken 27.10, 12 episodes
Official, aniDB, ANN
subded by non yet
We return again to the Society for Modern Visual Studies, Genshiken, and the life and times of the collection of otaku, weirdos, and those sleeping them. This is a continuation from the OVA, so first episode of the second season is number 16 (12TV+3OVA).
The director, Yoshimoto Kinji, is different from the previous season and mainly was responsible for hentai up until now (though this seems promising for Genshiken, which had problem with it's previous director). Series composition is done again by Yokote Michiko, as well as character designs are done again by Yanagida Yoshiaki, who along with the manga were the high points of the series.
Kodomo no Jikan10.10, ? episodes
Official, aniDB, ANN
subded by Genjo
Based on the seinen manga by Watashiya Kaworu, serialised in Comic High!. NOT related to the other Kodomo no Jikan by Goto Akira! It`s the cute ones you`ve gotta watch out for... 23-year old school teacher Aoki Daisuke has a huge problem. One of his precocious 3rd Grade students, Kokonoe Rin, has the hots for him?! Yes, mischievous Rin has proclaimed herself to be Daisuke-sensei`s girlfriend and is now on a warpath to win him over or cause him to lose his job...whichever comes first! Besides Rin, Daisuke`s got other problems to take care of -- one of the students in his class, Mimi (one of Rin`s friends), hasn`t been attending school recently. Directed by Suganuma Eiji, who made ages ago the abomination called Ninja Cadets! I really don't know what to expect here ...
Shion no Ou13.10, ? episodes
Official, aniDB, ANN
subded by Anonymous, Live-evil
Based on a seinen manga by Katori Masaru, serialised in Afternoon. Shion no Ou tells the story of a young girl by the name of Shion Ishiwatari. At the age of 4, Shion`s parents were murdered at their house. The police didn`t find anything at the crime scene that might lead them to the murderer apart from a shougi board upon which the pieces were lined up in an orderly fashion. Shion was not harmed even though she was at the house at the time of the murder but the shock of seeing her parents lying dead in a pool of blood resulted in the loss of her voice. The Ishiwatari neighbours and close friends, the Yasuoka family (made up of Shinji Yasuoka and his wife Sachiko) adopted Shion after the murder and raised her as their own daughter and so she was renamed Shion Yasuoka since then. Shinji is a professional Shogi player and during the years that passed after the murder, he taught Shion how to play shogi. Shion was a natural at playing shogi. She learned the game very quickly and mastered it at an early age. She rose quickly in the ranks of the game and became a genius professional player just like her new father. The story is about Shion`s life 8 years after the murder and how her chosen path as a professional shogi player might one day lead to finding her parents` murderer.
Diercted by Kawase Toshifumi of Tenjyou Tenge, who blew the series budget in the first four (out of 26) episodes! If this time he manages things better, this can be very nice, provided of course it does not become another Hikari no Go, which I doubt.
Ghost Hound18.10, 22 episodes
Official, aniDB, ANN
subded by Genjo, Ureshii, Shinsen
Reality is a dream, the dreams of the night are real. In the world of Utsushiyo (reality), the development of an electronic brain far far away and long ago allows two different worlds to overlap. Within the last vestiges of Japan`s raw landscape, lies a small coastal town. In it live three middle school students: Komori Tarou, Ogami Makoto, and Nakajima Masayuki. Each holds within them a unique past that cannot be erased. Once more, but by different causes, three people learn that by the extraction of one`s soul, the coming and going between Utsushiyo and Kakuriyo (hidden world) is possible. Amidst the boys` adventure in Kakuriyo, they come to understand where it is is connected to. An eternal spiritual story is offered to the adults who possess the minds of boys.
Directed by Nakamura Ryutaro who was also responsible for three of my favorite shows ever (SE: Lain, Kino no Tabi and REC). Original story is made by the famou Shirow Masamune (Appleseed and Ghost in the Shell). Story composition is done by Konaka Chiaki, who I love and hate, since he has done some of the best (SE: Lain, Narutaru and Texhnolyze), and worse (Digimon, Giant Robo and OMG Air Gear). But still this is an all star team and the Production I.G is one of the biggest studios.
Shana & Genshiken are certain watches, even if they don't live up to their predecessors. Those aside, at last we get a sport anime about kendo, after so many crap about cycling, tennis, basketball, even go (japanese chess) got one. Ghost Hound also looks promising. But the rest ... all of them ... fall to crypto-harem/ex-H-game/moe fad, some might actually prove good, but usually they don't. And be prepared, I will flame Clannad in every chance I have, since I am a Fate / Stay Night fan. Description come from aniDB, ANN, animeNFO, Tenka Seiha and me.
