Thursday, April 19, 2012

Spring 2012: First Impressions and Rambles

So far this season, I've started seven new anime: Kids on the Slope, Accel World, Rock Lee and His Ninja Pals, Kuroko's Basketball, Zetman, Space Brothers, and Tsuritama. Some of them look better than others.

Least exciting new anime on my watching list:


I'm watching the Naruto spin-off, listed on Crunchryoll as Rock Lee and His Ninja Pals, because of some sort of twisted obligation I feel. The same twisted obligation that keeps me watching Naruto Shippuden even when the fillers and flashbacks seem endless.

In truth, Rock Lee is one of my least favorite good guy characters in Naruto. He's annoying. Worse, he's apprentice to the Master of Obnoxious, Guy-sensei.

When I first saw the chibi-style show dedicated to Rock Lee, I thought it would be a bunch of five minute shorts. Nope. These are full episodes.

Yeah, I might drop that one, no matter how much I like Naruto.

Most exciting new anime on my watching list:

Putting the above anime aside, this season does hold promise. Kids on the Slope, aka Sakamichi no Apollon, looks pretty good. I love Kawabuchi Sentarou. He's strong, has a taste for music, beats up bullies, looks out for the main character, just rescued a damsel in distress... *enter Annalyn's distant starry eyes here*

Sentarou, Ritsuko, and Kaoru (Kids on the Slope)
What? No, of course he's not my new 2D crush! He's younger than me! Besides, it's completely insensible to have a crush on an anime character. Not as insensible to have a crush on a real life actor, of course, but still.

Okay, focusing back in...

Anway, Kids on the Slope is about a high school student who just transferred for the umpteenth time: Nishimi Kaoru. He plays piano, makes friends with jazz drummer/delinquent Kawabuchi Sentarou, develops a crush on Kawabuchi's cute childhood friend, etc.

Basically, I like piano, and Nishimi plays piano. I like strong and loyal characters, and Kawabuchi is strong and loyal. I like a good plot, and Kids on the Slope looks like it may have a good plot. So I'm looking forward to this anime.

Five other Spring anime on my watching list:

Kuroko's Basketball:
(1) It's a sports anime.
(2) The main character, Kuroko, seems really cool.
(3) As of the second episode, it's way better than Dear Boys, despite some similar themes.
(4) I'm going to love this one.

Accel World:
(1) First impression: reminds me of World God Only Knows. A main character obsessed with games. Cool. I like shows about otaku.
(2) Oh dear. An overprotective childhood friend. Kill me now.
(3) A "perfect" female student council president taking interest in the deadbeat main character. Wow. That's new. Not.
(4) Eh, this looks enjoyable anyway. Sign me up for the season!

Zetman:
(1) Seems dark and action filled.
(2) Uh oh. Please don't let there be too much drama between childhood friends.
(3) Cool action. I really like the main character. The lady who too him in, too.
(4) Um... a lot of this conflict looks familiar. I've seen it in plenty of vigilante/action/etc. shows and movies.
(5) It's completely unrealistic for him to turn into that. This is supposed to be sci-fi, not fantasy.
(6) Eh, this could be good anyway. I'll watch and hope there is more fighting, less drama.

Space Brothers:
(1) Hey, this is pretty good...
(2) Go, big brother, go! As an older sibling myself, I identify with the main character wanting to stay ahead of his brother.
(3) It's not too late to follow your dreams. I believe in you, Mutta!
(4) Eh, predictable romance. Oh well. Hope it won't take away from achieve-dreams-in-space and brother angles.
(5) I'm really, really going to like this one.

Tsuritama:
(1) The colors... O.o
(2) Oh no. The poor main character, Sanada Yuki. Sympathetic viewer syndrome activating! Must detach myself before I feel too much of his embarrassment!
(3) Wow, Sanada. That nervous face is grotesque. Um... okay, I'll deal with it.
(4) Um... an alien with a magic squirt gun? Okaaaay....
(5) Is that an Indian prince with a duck? Um... alright.
(6) I like the serious guy with the glasses - the "Fishing Prince." He's cool.
(7) This should be entertaining. Strange, but entertaining. Sign me up for the season!

I also tried Medaka Box, but there was a very annoying amount of fanservice in it. I dropped it after the first episode.


So, those are the initial seven Spring 2012 anime on my watching list. I'll likely add more. What about you? Do you have any first impressions or rambling about this season's anime?

2 comments:

  1. HAHAHA. I like your rundown of the shows. Oh, Zetman is supposed to be scifi? Well, I guess it still can pass. I mean a doctor could make a human/monster being, right? Right? KotS may or may not be my new favorite this season if the love triangle is avoided. I'm going to need Kaoru to man up, though. I'm not one of those girls who likes the weak man. I did laugh when he fell into the water. That was hilarious. At least he tried.

    Tsuritama...I like the colors! So vivid but WTF is going on with this show? And Yuki drives me crazy so far with his anxiety. Get it together, kid.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hehe. Thanks! On Zetman... well, I assume it's supposed to be scifi. That's what it felt like, anyway. We'll just have to suspend our disbelief. Of course a doctor can make a human/monster thingy. And of course it would look like mecha... yeah.

      As of the second episode, I think the love triangle in Kids on the Slope will be avoided. It better be. I don't need something petty messing up my enjoyment of an otherwise good anime. I think Kaoru will continue to man up. I mean, at least he tried to fight those bullies, right? I most look forward to his music, though. We have Sentarou if we need a strong character.

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