Beginning of Summer Season '08

well ... actually, mid-way; on one hand, I was waiting for subs to come out first and on the other, my hands were full these last two months ... but as the saying goes: "better late then never"! I must express my surprise that the summer season has a significant number of shows that I follow, especially in comparison with the previous season. Another observation I have to make is the increasing number of sequels we get each season, six this time (one third of all the new series)! Also to my disappointment there is an increase in lolis ... now every "fun-serving" show must have at least one loli ... damn even Ikkitousen!

Bounen no Xamdou
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I kind of like studio BONES, but with two shows still running, I also doubt how much attention they can put on this, their third one. Anyway the animation and designs are really good, but plotwise I was not that much impressed.

Koihime Musou
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Now, this is the loli / fantasy version of Ikkitousen (OK, actually, Romance of the Three Kingdoms). It's based on an H-game with only one male character (the player) and in the animated versoion they even removed him. Anyway, it's easy to watch, completely mindless and very nicely drawn.

Mugen no Juunin
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WOW, really bloody! Animated by Bee Train and based on an on-going manga, better known in the west as Blade of the Immortal. Animation and designs were excellent (as is almost always the case with Bee Train), while the set-up of the first episodes plot worked very well. But I still have my doubts, since the studio is infamous for slow (very damn slow) plot progression.

Natsume Yuujinchou
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Have you seen Mokke? Well more or less the same deal here ...

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu
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Decent comedy/romance, nothing really original there. The high point of the show is Haruka's VA (Mamiko Noto) who is my all-time favourite.

Sekirei
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SevenArcs is back, thankfully not with another installment of Nanoha, but with another adaption (as was the case of Inukami). Now, don't even bother to think about complicated things like plot and character development, they are insignificant! On the other hand, you can enjoy multiple nicely drawn girls, "overflowing" with physical talents ... well, it also depends on tastes ;-)

Strike Witches
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Now GONZO really missed a critical detail ... they complete forgot to draw skirts! This company must go bankrupt immediately!

Telepathy Shoujo Ran
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Family show with a retro look, dug up from the 80's. Nice to watch with your kids.

Tetsuwan Birdy Decode
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Remake of an unsuccessful OVA from '96. Action is nicely animated, but the plot is so idiotic!

Ultraviolet - Code 044
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Managing to watch five minutes is a personal triumph! What has happened to Madhouse, I used to love that studio.

World Destruction
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I do not really have an opinion ... I could not pay attention after the first fluffy thing spoke!

Yakushiji Ryoko no Kaiki Jikenbo
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I do not enjoy detective shows, but I'll give it a shot since this one featured two maids in its promo!





Hidamari Sketch x 365
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I haven't yet finished the first season (yesterday, I watched ep.10), but from what I hear this new season is on the same track with the previous, so expect a less wacky Pani Poni Dash. By the way, SHAFT after Goshujin-sama, has yet to animate a show I do not find excellent.

Ikkitousen - Great Guardians
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And finally the show I was waiting like crazy to start! And I won't pretend for a moment that I watch it for anything else except fun-service ... ok, occasionally the action is also well-animated. But, anyway, back to the main point, the new character introduced Chuubou became an instant favorite (guess her VA), not to mention her abduction episode, very "rewarding" ;-) Also, this season is uncensored! ENJOY !!!

Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto - Natsu no Sora
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OK, back to more serious shows. The new season of Mahou Tsukai, apart from the setting has absolutely nothing to do with the previous. No characters that I still remember have not appeared thus far. Animation and character designs are significantly different. On the other hand now that I think about it, both seasons constantly give me the feeling that something horribly tragic is about to happen ... though it never does ;-)

Mission-E
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I enjoyed the first season, it was funny at times and generally not boring. More or less I get the same impression from the new one.

Slayers Revolution
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This really came as a surprise, I am a big fun of slayers and after the last movie, I thought it was over ... but no! Anyway, the animation caught up with the new decade, though still with its original vibrant colors and full of energy. A minor complain is that the first episodes did not draw me instantly as was the case with the previous installments.

Zero_no Tsukaima - Princess no Rondo
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I liked the first season, the second was somewhat boring and the third ... well, worse comes to worse. Zero actually is the exception that verifies the rule ... sequels SUCK !!!





Zettai Karen Children
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In the beginning, I was annoyed with the lolicon premise of the show, but as was the case with Kodomo no Jikan, the staff handles it quite good, though from a totally different angle. Anyway, the show is quite hilarious and nicely animated (Synergy SP has also animated Hayate no Gotoku!).

Wagaya no Oinari-sama
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In the beginning I really doubted that a trnsvestine Kitsune, coupled with a dojiko Miko can compose the cast of a show that I would like ... but, Wagaya is funny, well animated, has story arcs WITH PLOT and healthy dosages of fun-service.

To_LOVEru
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On the other hand, remove the plot and multiply the fun-service and you get, instead of Wagaya, To LOVE-ru. Still it is watchable, basically because of Mikan and Yami ;-)

Penguin Musume Heart
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Now penguin is a really cheap show (considering its budget), but is very funny (the mindless variety, mind you).

Nabari no Ou
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I was very excited in the beginning, but I should have known better shounen shows can hardly improve with time and Nabari actually becomes rediculous ... pity, I hoped J.C.Staff could manage to make a decent shounen, but even they failed!

Kyouran Kazoku Nikki
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Since SHAFT decided to have a toned down version of Pani Poni Dash, Nomad decided to satisfy the lovers of "Excel Saga"-like wackiness. Nikki can best be described as surreal, on the surface it seems random, but several times I caught myself thinking afterwards because of it seriously ... and I am not kidding. Though, I know very well that this is not why people watch it.

Code Geass Hangyaku no Lelouch R2
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I finally managed this week to railroad the first season and half the second. High points are of course the fun-service and the hilarious plot-twists. On the other hand the plot is just laughable and most of the male characters just annoying. Lelouch is just a copy-cut of Kira (the original from Death Note, not the closet-gay "kira-tsukai" from Nabari no Ou!), Suzaku is just a tight-assed asshole ... want more? Seriously, if you watch this seriously, never make an IQ-test!

Allison to Lillia
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Naive and childish. Still, I loved the arcs with Fionna, well because of Mamiko!