About Damn Time: Fall 2009

This summer has been such a sucky season, that I’ve been waiting on the Fall previews for some time now. Fortunately, Sea Slug and Tenka Seiha have come through, as usual. Unfortunately, it looks like there’s going to be yet another mediocre season of dreck on the way. Maybe a few bright spots, though, as I’ve seen some intriguing stuff.

Definite:
Inuyasha. Just because. It’s Inuyasha, and it’s finally the end of the damn story.

Probable:
Natsu no Arashi. I’m not sure where they can go after the last season, but I’m willing to check it out. There’s those two oddballs in the back room. Seriously, where else can you get girls in skimpy cosplay and serious discussions of time travel paradoxes at the same time? And I have to admit, Hajime may be unusually dense and histronic, but he is the 13-year-old Everyman.

Asura’s Cryin’. The first episode of the first series was like selling me a luxurious dinner from a five-star restaurant, and the rest was like delivering Burger King in a bag. Still, I guess I’d like my fries with that.

Checking out:
Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra. Looks to be guilty pleasure time, and hey, I’m just as guilty as the next guy. Seriously, I’d check their books out, if you know what I mean.

A Certain Scientific Railgun. Everyone with knowledge of the source material who’s written anything on Index says that the spinoff is better. I found Index to be mildly intriguing, but the wall-of-text exposition level wore me down.

Not really sure: (probably one episode and out)
Nyan Koi!. If the family cat brings Kyon-level snark to this series, I’m in. I just hope they can keep the 100 wishes from being too stupid. “Get me out of this tree.” “I’m a lost kitten, where’s my mommy” etc. Probably one episode and out.

11 eyes. I should know better. An eroge with girls that cute isn’t going to deliver quality entertainment, and can’t deliver the sex, since it’s not hentai. What intrigues me is actually the dis from Sea Slugs “Eroge Renta Magica” I actually kind of liked RM up until the 2/3 point, when it started telegraphing a bittersweet ending at best, and the lack of plot really wore me down..

Sacred Blacksmith Arodouc said: “…on the other hand, this director’s done nothing but Pokemon and Linebarrels, and the head writer is a veteran of Kanokon and the 2nd season of Minami-ke. That’s not a combination that inspires a terrible amount of confidence…” Well, confidence, no. Interest, maybe. The girls look kinda cute — not expecting the world of it but let’s see where it goes.

Heaven’s Lost Property Looks like this season’s Kanokon, given that they’ve announced ahead of time that one episode will be too hot for broadcast. Or more likely, that’s what they want us to think, given that season-ending “extra” episodes or omakes are often too much for TV. Heck, all of Kanokon’s omakes were, and I’m not sure how some of the episodes got by…

Nah, not really interested:
Darker than Black Didn’t watch the first season, won’t watch the second. It’s probably good, but I’m going to hold off for the R1 release, as I’m too backlogged on obligation buys right now.

Kiddy Grade Never really gotten around to the first one, enh.

The Record of Hekiyou Academy’s Student Council Activities A “yearned-for harem?” Dude. Got it covered, I don’t need to actually watch it…. As long as we’re yearning, I’ll take Minato’s from Sekirei. What’s not to like about that many 0.75 to 1.0 Rushuna’s in one place? If I can’t get that one, I’ll take Hanaukyo Taro’s. With 500 maids to chose from, I’m sure to find something I like. (Ok, ok, so I’ll never get past the triplets, I know!)

Wait, what?
Tegami Bachi (Letter Bee). A bee stung me once as a child. I didn’t mind that as much as I minded his 32 friends joining the party. Not a chance for this show, I said. Then I got bored this weekend and dl’d the first episode. Oh. Wow… it’s that kind of story. Kino’s Journey with mail. Dammit, I got something in my eye. No, really, that’s all it is! *sniff* It’ll clear up… *sniff*

Run Away! Run Away!
Sangoku Engi (Romance of the Three Kingdoms). Give me George Washington and General Gates as bishoujo and a moé Betsy Ross, and maybe we can talk historical anime. Until then, don’t know, don’t care. Bakumatsu did a good job until close to the end, but I’m not making that mistake again.

Kampfer Oh dear god, not ANOTHER transgenderd guy for a main character? What is it with this schtick? Are men so evil that we have to be turned into women before we can be heroes now? Look at all the damn webcomics: The Wotch, Cheer, Exiern, El Goonish Shive. If a guy is a hero now, he’s got to be all dark/moody/communication-impaired (Riff), or a goofball (Torg), or have a complex (Piro), downright insane (Largo)…. you get the picture. Guy Heroes Are Made of Clay. Does that qualify as a trope now? /rant off. Hmmm. And Sacred Blacksmith has a girl in the fighter role and a guy in the support/backup role…

Winter Sonata. AIEEEEEEEEE! Who put a soap opera in my anime list?? It burns! It burns!

Just shoot me:
Queen’s Blade 2. Not even boobalicious fanservice could keep me in the first series past the first couple of episodes.

Thriller Restaurant. Maybe if we’re lucky, ADV will pick this up for R1, and do an original parody dub script, like they did with Ghost Stories. Oh, wait, yeah, there’s a problem with that…

Trapeze. AAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! Thank you. That is all.

That’s interesting…
First Squad I know I said George Washington and Betsy Ross, but what about the Great Patriotic War, and teen Russian psychics vs. German occult masters trying to resurrect 12th century Teutonic Knight-wannabe zombies? A Russian girl with a katana? First Squad a joint Russian-Canadian production with animation by 4(degrees)C, so you know it’s going to be weird. I’m not sure if it’s a movie, series, or OVA, but it’s apparently been in production since 2007. Early trailers uploaded on YouTube make it look like one of those dark, eastern European moody bites of nihilism, but the more recent trailer that appeared on the torrents plays up the war action and intrigue, with a touch of romance. The animation appears to be very strong on the detail and accuracy of the tanks and weapons of the WWII Eastern Front — if you can recognize a PzKw-III with a short-barreled 50mm gun (I think I also saw some of the -j variants with long 75’s), someone’s been doing their homework. It remains to be seen whether the show is any good though.