New season, a lot of new shows, several new seasons for new old ones, etc.
Jump to: New Series, New Seasons, Series that continue from the previous season
- Saturdays
- continued: Tales of the Abyss, To aru no Majutsu no Index
- 3/1: Akikan!, White Album
- 10/1: Kemono no Souja Erin, Tetsuwan Birdy DECODE:D, Koukaku no Regios
- 24/1: Hetalia: Axis Powers
- Sundays
- continued: Shikabane Hime, Zettai Karen Children
- 4/1: MARIA + HOLIC, Minami-ke Okaeri
- 11/1: Ride Back
- Mondays
- 5/1: Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou, Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo
- 12/1: Slayers EVOLUTION-R
- Tuesdays
- 6/1: Viper's Creed, Maria-sama ga Miteru 4th
- 13/1: Sora wo Miageru Shoujo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai
- Wednesdays
- continued: Toradora!
- Thursdays
- continued: Clannad ~After Story~
- 8/1: Asu no Yoichi!, Druaga no Tou: Sword of Uruk, Kuro Kami
- 15/1: Genji Monogatari Sennenki
Akikan!
アキカン！
aka Empty Can
AniDB, ANN, Official, Thread@AnimeSuki
Studio: Brains Base
Directed by: Himaki Yuji
Character Designs by: Tanaka Ryo
Original Character Designs by: Suzuhira Hiro
Original Manga by: Ranjo Riku
Series Composition by: Koyasu Hideaki
Fukuyama Jun (Daichi), Narita Sayaka (Meron)
Akikan (”Empty Can”) is the unlikely story of high school boy Kakeru Daichi, whose can of melon juice soda magically transforms into a human girl. Naturally, more “akikan” girls begin appearing, each of them needing to be infused with carbon dioxide from kissing to survive.
I have not watched a single show from Brains Base, as well as from the rest of the technical stuff. In addition to that, the whole premise seems ridiculous, but nonetheless, with gratuitous amount of fan-service this show could become watchable.
WHITE ALBUM
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Studio: Seven Arcs
Directed by: Sato Hiroaki
Character Designs by: Yoshinori Kou
Original Character Designs by: Kawata Hisashi
Original Game by: AquaPlus
Series Composition by: ???
Hirono Aya (Yuki), Mizuki Nana (Rina)
The White Album game centers around Tōya Fujī, a college student dating a rising idol singer named Yuki Morikawa. The game deals with the challenges to the couple’s relationship from the other people at Fujī’s college, Morikawa’s work, and elsewhere.
From a studio that specializes in excesive amount of fan-service, this is the only thing I expect from this show ... otherwise the plot seems extremely boring.
Maria + Holic
まりあ†ほりっく
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Studio: SHAFT
Directed by: Miyamoto Yukihiro, Shinbo Akiyuki
Character Designs by: Morioka Hideyuki
Original Manga by: Endo Minari
Series Composition by: Yokotani Masahiro
Sanada Asami (Kanako), Inoue Maria (Matsurika), Kobayashi Yu (Mariya)
The story centers on a sophomore named Kanako who enrolls in all-girls school because she has a phobia of men and wants to find her destined yuri partner. She meets a captivating freshman named Mariya who fits her criteria — except her seemingly ideal mate happens to be a cross-dressing sadistic boy.
The SHAFT show for this seasons seems quite promising and back to comedy (ef was too much to take especially in in the beginning of the week). Anyway, the studio and its stuff has not let us down yet.
Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo
宇宙をかける少女
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Studio: Sunrise
Directed by: Obara Masakazu
Character Designs by: Kobashima Yousuke
Original Character Designs by: Yoshizumi Kazuyuki
Original ??? by: Yatate Hajime
Series Composition by: Hanada Jukki
Endo Aya (Itsuki), Mako (Akiha), Makino Yui (Honoka)
The story is set in the year 311 of the Orbital Calendar, when humanity has migrated to countless colony clusters in space. A space colony girl named Akiha Shishidō encounters a malevolent artificial intelligence named Leopard that has been installed on a colony. Akiha is joined by an Inter-Colony Police officer named Itsuki Kannagi, a taciturn young girl named Honoka Kawai, and a robot named Imoko “Imo-chan” Shishidō.
Mecha X Fan-service, that should be the motto of Sunrise Studio. Well, this is also the case with this show, from the director of My-Hime/Otome, I expect that the same recipie will be followed with the former franchise as well as was the case with Code Geass and Xenoglossia.
Viper's Creed
ヴァイパーズ・クリード
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Studio: AIC Spirits
Directed by: Aramaki Shinki
Character Designs by: ???
Series Composition by: Akahoshi Masanao
Toyoguchi Megumi (Sakurako), Kuroda Takaya (Saiki)
The story revolves around the members of a private military company (PMC), and the uneasy tension between them and the regular military after a war that caused massive environmental destruction.
Ga-rei' studio, Appleseed's director and composition from Masano (Ikkitousen GG & Index) ... wow ... this a rather weird combination. If action can be kept on track and there is some plot to begin with, this show can be quite good, but I am rather pessimistic about its prospects.
Sora o Miageru Shoujo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai
空を見上げる少女の瞳に映る世界
aka Munto 2
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Studio: KyoAni
Directed by: Kigami Yoshiji
Character Designs by: Aratani Tomoe
Series Composition by: Kigami Yoshiji
Ono Daisuke (Munto), Aizawa Mai (Hidaka)
Akuto, the main source of energy is running low and the Heavens, a world of islands, hidden beyond time, floating above ours, has united against the Magical Kingdom whom uses the most energy. To save both the Magical Kingdom and the Heavens and restore the flow of akuto, the Magical King Munto must follow a vision and find the girl Yumemi in the lower world. Yumemi herself is just a normal girl except that she is the only one who can see the islands of the Heavens floating above. When Munto appears before her she starts thinking about hers and others responsibility to the world.
First time KyoAni will working on two series during the same season ... actually this is a retelling of an OVA they did in 2003. Direction, composition and script are by the same guy that did that OVA, only character designs and quite probably budget are going to differ this time ;-) Anyway, I am not all that confident about this, from what I heard the original was kind of boring and this is the first time KyoAni is working with original material.
Asu no Yoichi!
明日のよいち!
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Studio: AIC
Directed by: Kujo Rion
Character Designs by: ???
Original Manga by: Minato You
Screenplay by: Kurata Hideyuki
Okamoto Nobuhiko (Yoichi), Satou Rina (Ibuki)
The titular character Yoichi decides to leave his family’s mountainside home after his father tells him there is nothing more he can learn in martial arts there. The teenaged boy ends up in a martial arts dojo in the city with four girls.
And the harem show of the season.
Kurokami: The Animation
黒神
aka Black God
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Studio: Sunrise
Directed by: Kobayashi Tsuneo
Character Designs by: Nishimura Hiroyuki
Original Character Designs by: Sang-Woo Park
Original Manga by: Dall-Young Lim
Series Composition by: Yoshida Reiko
Shitaya Noriko (Kuro), Namikawa Daisuke (Keita)
Keita Ibuki is an independent and struggling freelance computer programmer who had a chance meeting on one night with a high Mototsumitama named Kuro. He gives her his dinner, a bowl of ramen, and tries to protect her when she is attacked in an ambush by an unknown Mototsumitama. Keita loses his entire left arm during the fight between the Mototsumitamas, but Kuro was able to save his life by exchanging the decapitated arm with her own left arm since she has enhanced healing abilities like all Mototsumitamas. This creates a contract between them, which makes her more powerful than before. However, Kuro warns Keita that they need to be together all the time in order to be at their strongest.
Another Sunrise show ... I think not first of all the director is the one and the same that pulled out the epic of Twelve Kingdoms. Second the male lead is not your usual annoying and useless brat, nor a pervent in trainging. Another issue though, is that from the little I've seen (and not read) the manga is quite graphic, which does not go well with the studio and its stuff.
Kemono no Souja Erin
獣の奏者 エリン
aka Beast-master Erin
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Studio: Production I.G, TransArts
Directed by: Hamana Takayuki
Character Designs by: Goto Takayuki
Original Manga by: Uehashi Nahoko
Series Composition by: Fujisaku Jun'ichi
Hoshii Nanase (Erin)
The story is about a young woman who is drawn into a war between kingdoms. She has the ability to command animals, including dragons, as if she was playing a musical instrument.
From the writer of Moribito and the director of Wellber, comes yet another fantasy show, only this time with 50 episodes. I liked both shows and I am of the opinion that if fantasy is done right, it is superior to other gernes (though this is a very rare occurance).
Koukaku no Regios
鋼殻のレギオス
aka Chrome Shelled Regios
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Studio: ZEXCS
Directed by: Kawasaki Itsuro
Character Designs by: Hashimoto Hideki
Original Character Designs by: Miyuu
Original Novels by: Amagi Shuusuke
Series Composition by: Ikeda Mamiko
Okamoto Nobuhiko (Lei-Fong Alseif)
The world was infected by “Pollutant” years ago - world cracked open and generally screwed up. This Pollutant spawns nasty “Pollutant Beasts”, but it’s also resulted in people gaining special powers. The towns that now litter the world are protected by alchemists and are mobile - these are the “Regios” of the title. The story follows a guy named Lei-Fon Alseif who starts at a new school following the disappearance of his childhood friend and gets recruited into the special 17th Platoon in order to combat Pollutant Beasts.
However good the original material is, the combination of studio and director indicates a massive failure. And to be honest, I don't even find the plot all that interesting ... though, character and plot development can compansate a silly original concept.
Ride Back
ライドバック
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Studio: MADHOUSE
Directed by: Takahashi Atsushi
Character Designs by: Tazaki Satoshi
Original Manga by: Kasahara Tetsuro
Screenplay/Series Composition by: Takayashiki Hideo
VA? (role?), ...?
Ride Back tells the story of a girl and her “Iron Horse” robot motorcycle in 2020, a tumultuous time of anti-government student protests.
I would really love an anti-conformist anthem, like Texhnolyze (also from MADHOUSE), but I highly doubt it since the man behind this show is Takayashiki, the studio's specialist in "sport" shows, out of which I like none.
Hetalia: Axis Powers
ヘタリア Axis Powers
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Studio: Studio DEEN
Directed by: Shirohata Bob
Character Designs by: Kannan Masaki
Original Manga by: Himaruya Hidekaz
Series Composition by: Harimitsu Takuya
Nimikawa Daisuke (Italy), Takahashi Hiroki (Japan), Yasumoto Hiroki (Germany)
The “cynical gag” story mainly recounts the era between World War I and World War II, with the stereotypical characteristics of each country or region (particularly northern Italy) anthropomorphized as bishounen. For example, Italia Veneziano is into pasta and women. Deutsch (Germany) loves potatoes and sausages, and Nippon is an otaku boy. Installments of the manga have jumped back and forth in setting from the ancient times to modern-day geopolitics.
Based on a satyrical web-comic, which is extremely popular and animated by DEEN are good prospects indeed!
Genji Monogatari Sennenki
源氏物語千年紀
aka Tale of Genji
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Studio: Tezuka Productions, Tokyo Movie
Directed by: Dezaki Osamu
Character Designs by: Sugino Akio
Series Composition by: Konparu Tomoko
Endo Aya (Murasaki), Tamagawa Sakiko (Fujitsubo), Sakurai Takahiro (Hikaru)
The work recounts the life of a son of a Japanese emperor, known to readers as Hikaru Genji, or “Shining Genji”. Neither appellation is his actual name: Genji is simply another way to read the Chinese characters for the real-life Minamoto clan, to which Genji was made to belong. For political reasons, Genji is relegated to commoner status (by being given the surname Minamoto) and begins a career as an imperial officer. The tale concentrates on Genji’s romantic life and describes the customs of the aristocratic society of the time.
I am completely left puzzled by this. From the minimal info I gathered, I can come to no conclusion about what to expect ... certainly though not some epic adaption of early medivial japanese history.
Minami-ke Okaeri
みなみけ おかえり
AniDB, AnimePlanet, ANN, Official, Thread@AnimeSuki, TV-Tropes, 1st & 2nd Season's Reviews
Studio: asread
Directed by: Oikawa Kei
Character Designs by: Tanaka Seiki
Original Manga by: Sakuraba Coharu
Series Composition by: ???
Inoue Marina (Kana), Chihara Minori (Chiaki), Satou Rina (Haruka)
This school-aged slice-of-life comedy follows the lives of the three Minami sisters: Haruka (oldest), Kana (the middle child), and Chiaki (youngest).
Same deal as the second season, which I dropped mid-way through. I'll give it a shot, they might have worked on their plot-pacing problem in-between.
Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou
続 夏目友人帳
aka Natsume's Book of Friends
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Studio: Brains Base
Directed by: ???
Character Designs by: ???
Original ??? by: Midorikawa Yuki
Series Composition by: ???
VA? (role?), ...?
Since she could see monsters, Natsume Reiko was alienated by normal people. In order to escape from the loneliness, she challenged monsters to fights. She took away their names, binding them to obedience, and put the names in a contract book, “Yujin-cho”. Her grandson, Natsume Takashi, has inherited Reiko’s ability to see monsters. He obtains Yujin-cho, an article left by his only relative, Reiko, and he resolves to return to the monsters their names which were taken away from them. Since then, various monsters begin to gather around him...
Still this is on the "wait for the next long break to watch it". Concept seems ok, it's just that this kind of shows really need some effort to get into, but usually they are rewarding in the end.
Maria-sama ga Miteru 4th
マリア様がみてる 第4期
aka MariMite4
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Studio: Studio DEEN
Directed by: Matsushita Yukihiro
Character Designs by: Matsushita Akira
Original Character Designs by: Hibiki Reine
Original Novel by: Konno Oyuki
Series Composition by: ???
Ueda Kana (Yumi), Itou Miki (Sachiko)
Maria-sama ga Miteru’s story revolves around the students of the Lillian Girls’ Academy (a Catholic school), and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls’ School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for “sister”), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur (”big sister”), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur (”little sister”), and promise to look after them and guide them.
Soft yuri and highly boring show comes back with a 4th !!! season!
Druaga no Tou: Sword of Uruk
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Studio: GONZO
Directed by: Chigira Koichi
Character Designs by: Hakua Ugetsu
Screenplay/Series Composition by: Gatou Shoji
VA (role), VA (role)
The long awaited “Summer of Anu” has come. It is a season that comes but once every few years and during which the powers of the monsters within the Tower wane thanks to the grace of the great god Anu. Each Summer of Anu, the armies of the Uruk Kingdom secure their strongholds within the Tower, aiming to eventually conquer the upper floors. Decades of re-fortification and battle have passed since the infamous adventures of Gil and Ki. Their story has now become a legend. Now, finally, the third Summer of Anu has arrived.
The first season was one of the worst shows I have ever watched, which all you can expect from the studio. At least I hope they got their lesson from Strike Witches and will provide some insane fan-service this time in order to make it at least watchable.
Tetsuwan Birdy DECODE:D
鉄腕バーディ DECODE:2
aka Birdy the Mighty DECODE:D
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Studio: ???
Directed by: Kazuki Akane
Character Designs by: Sawa Ryousuke
Original Manga by: Masami Yuuki
Series Composition by: Ounogi Hiroshi, Minakami Seishi
Chiba Saeko (Birdy), Irino Miyo (Senkawa Tsutomu)
Birdy Cephon Altera is a Federation agent chasing interplanetary criminals to the planet Earth. While in pursuit of one, she accidentally kills a high school boy named Tsutomu Senkawa. Fortunately for Tsutomu, there is a way to keep him alive, although he ends up merged into Birdy’s body and must remain so until the repair of his body is complete. So Tsutomu is stuck sharing a body with an attractive, strong - if impulsive - space police agent, while trying to keep his family and friends from finding out about about Birdy. In the meantime, Birdy continues her investigation. Together, they take on a secretive group of evil aliens planning to perform experiments on the unsuspecting inhabitants of Earth.
I watched the first season last month, while bedred with a pretty nasty cold. I would appreciate if Birdy did less jumping around, but otherwise the show was decent. Now this is supposed to be a completely new arc and I expect to dig a little bit more in the political aspect of Birdy's homeworld than the previous one did.
Slayers EVOLUTION-R
スレイヤーズEVOLUTION-R
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Studio: J.C.STAFF
Directed by: Watanabe Takashi
Character Designs by: Miyata Naomi
Original Character Designs by: Araimzumi Rui
Original Novels by: Kanzaka Hajime
Series Composition by: Takayama Jiro
Hayashibara Megumi (Lina), Matsumoto Yasunori (Goury), Midorikawa Hikaru (Zel), Suzuki Masami (Amelia), Kobayashi Yumiko (Pokota)
Having lost the Sword of Light in the previous battle, Lina and Gourry continue their journey in search of a replacement weapon. On the way, the two of them meet up with Amelia and Zelgadis in the kingdom of Luvinagard while taunting some pirates. Lina is happy to reunite with her old friends, but appearing before her is Luvinagard’s Inspector of the Special Investigative Unit; a man called Wizer. However, Lina is amazed at his unusual behavior...
I was rather dissappointed from the last season, not only because of the that fluffy thing, but in general the divergance from the original concept becomes rather apparent. In any case, I will try again.
Toradora!
とらドラ！
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Studio: J.C.Staff
Directed by: Nagai Tatsuyuki
Character Designs by: Tanaka Masayoshi
Original Character Designs by: Yasu
Original Manga by: Takemiya Yuyuko
Series Composition by: Okada Mari
Hugimiya Rie (Taiga), Majima Junji (Ryuuji), Kitamura Eri (Ami), Nojima Hirofumi (Kitamura), Horie Yui (Minori)
Despite Ryūji Takasu's gentle personality, his eyes make him look like an intimidating delinquent so he is utterly hopeless about his chances of getting a girlfriend anytime soon, and does not have many close friends either. After being greeted by his hungover mother in the morning, Ryūji goes to school and is happy to find that he gets to be in the same class as his best friend Yūsaku Kitamura and crush Minori Kushieda. However, it is then that he unexpectedly knocks into "the school's most dangerous animal of the highest risk level" — Taiga Aisaka — who just happens to also be in his class, and is a good friend of Minori.
This is by far my most favorite out of the shows that continue from the previous season. Animation is solid, character designs excellent (with a slight exception, that it took a couple of episodes to notice that Ami and Sumire were different charcters), VA and BMG are really good and very fitting. But the strongest point of the show is the character and relationship development. I am saying this in full realization that the character concepts are more or less formulaic, but if you pay attention to the situations they deal with and how their motivation and background is presented and explained ... well, here is where this particular show sets itself apart from the rest of the genre.
Clannad ~After Story~
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Studio: KyoAni
Directed by: Ishihara Tatsuya
Character Designs by: Ikeda Kazumi
Original Character Designs by: Hinoue Itaru
Original Game by: Key
Series Composition/Script by: Shimo Fumihiko
Nakamura Yuuichi (Tomoya), Nakahara Mai (Nagisa), Kawashima Houko (Tomoyo), Mamiko Noto (Kotomi), Hirohashi Ryou (Kyou), Kanda Akemi (Ryou), Tamura Yukari (Mei)
There is reason for putting the ending theme, instead of the opening; it so inappropriate for the heart-breaking content of show ... very very sad choice.
The story opens when Tomoya chances upon Nagisa Furukawa, a soft-spoken girl one year older than him who is repeating her last year in high school due to being sick much of the previous year. Since Tomoya has a lot of time to kill, he starts to help Nagisa in reforming the drama club. During this period, Tomoya meets and hangs out with several other girls who he gets to know well and help with their individual problems. In the second part of the story, which starts immediately after the end of the first part, but extends into the next ten years, Tomoya and Nagisa live together as a family. Tomoya has to endure several hardships that the family has been suffering from, mainly involving Nagisa's illness. Throughout the story, glimpses into an Illusionary World are shown. This world is devoid of all life except for a young girl, though she later makes a body out of junk pieces through which the player can interact with her.
I am what is generally known as a Key-hater and by extension KyoAni-, since they spend so much money into animating the former companies repetitive games, instead of finally giving us the second season of Haruhi.
Anyway, finally after 35 episodes of recycled plot and character development, the truly original material starts, with Tomoya having to face the hardships of adult life. From this point on and since I manage to stand the utterly boring, uninspired and unoriginal arcs, I might come to enjoy the rest of this show.
Tales of the Abyss
テイルズ オブジ アビス
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Studio: Sunrise
Directed by: Kodama Kenji
Character Designs by: Hishinuma Yoshihito
Original Character Designs by: Fujishima Kousuke
Original Game by: NAMCO
Series Composition by: Omode Akemi
Suzuki Chihiro (Luke), Yukana (Tear)
Luke fon Fabre, the spoiled son of a noble from the kingdom of Kimlasca-Lavaldear, has been confined inside his father's mansion ever since he was kidnapped seven years ago by a rival country, the Malkuth Empire. Now Luke's memory of the life he led before is missing, and a strange voice, which only he can hear, has been calling out to him ever since. One day while training with his mentor, Van Grants, a strange woman called Tear breaks into the mansion with the sole intent of taking Van's life. During the struggle Luke is transported far from home, along with Tear, and now that Luke has finally gained the freedom he's been dreaming of, what awaits him in the outside world will shatter everything he's ever known about himself.
I really misjudged this show, actually despite its weaknesses (transition from a different medium), it quite interesting to watch, especially after the protagonist got a "plot-related" haircut ;) Animation is really good and this includes the common fight scenes.
To aru no Majutsu no Index
とある魔術の禁書目録
aka A Certain Magical Index
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Studio: J.C.Staff
Directed by: Nishikiori Hiroshi
Character Designs by: Tanaka Yuichi
Original Character Designs by: Haimura Kiyotaka
Original Novel by: Kamachi Kazuma
Series Composition/Screenplay by: Akahoshi Masanao
Abe Achushi (Touma), Iguchi Yuka (Index), Satou Rina (Mikoto), Koyama Kimiko (Komoe), Taniyama Kishou (Styil), Noto Mamiko (Aisha), Okamoto Nobuhiko (Accelarator), Arai Satomi (Kumoko), Itou Shizuka (Kaori), Seki Tshihiko (Alister Crowly)
In a world where science clarifies supernatural powers. In a huge college that has power development in its curriculum. To a resident high school student, Kamijou Touma, a pure white sister appears. She calls herself "Index" and says that sorcerers are chasing her. Thus, Kamijou Touma enters the world of the occult.
The first two arcs (first ten episodes) had top-quality animation, but rather scarce action scenes, when compared to similar shows. Voice acting is good and fitting as well as the BGM. The problem was that despite the first arc had a really interesting plot, the second one was really weak and full of techno-bubble and boringly prolonged exposition. The only redeeming quality was the excellent (and unbelievably gory) boss fight at the last episode. In any case, the show has already moved to the biri-biri arc, which I do expect to be better than both of the previous two.
Shikabane Hime: Kuro
屍姫 玄
aka Corpse Princess: Black
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Studio: feel. & GAINAX
Directed by: Murata Masahiko
Character Designs by: Kubota Chikashi, Sadakata Kikuto
Original Managa by: Akahito Yoshiichi
Screenplay/Script by: Aikawa Shou
Akiyama Nana (Makina), Hosome Tatsuya (Ouri)
The story is about an exorcist girl called “Shikabane Hime” (Corpse Princess). Her name is Makina Hoshimura, an undead girl who hunts down 108 corpses in order to go to heaven.
Shikabane Hime could have been an excellent show, if it was not for two crippling problems. First and foremost it is one of those unfortunate shows licensed to FUNimation, which means that they are going to hunt down fun-subbers like rabid dogs; and by extend no subs or good quality for the unfortunate non-american vewers. The second issue is the voice acting of the main characters ... it is dry and emotionless, like 99% of the american dubs.
These problems aside, animation is good, character designs excellent and the plot solid, though compromised a little bit by the annoying brat, but I expect this to change in the second season. All-in-all, if you can understand japanese, this show is worth the effort.
Zettai Karen Children
絶対可憐チルドレン
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Studio: Synergy
Directed by: Kawaguchi Keichiiro
Character Designs by: Kagami Takahiro
Original Manga by: Shiina Takashi
Series Composition by: Noshizono Satoru
Tomatsu Haruka (Shiho), Shiraishi Ryoko (Aoi), Hirano Aya (Kaoru), Nakamura Yuuichi (Minamoto)
In a world where ESP is common, only three people have them at the highest possible level - Level 7. Those three are the special ESP team, The Children. The Children work for BABEL, a special ESPer organization committed to stopping crimes before they happen. Kouichi Minamoto is assigned to watch over them, and he'll need to, because three superpowered ten year olds are a problem on their own.
