Midgard-Survivors

Savara

Well, I don't know how all of you usually pick new anime to watch... I go to anime-source.com (because I find the list there easier to use - sort by date, newest first and just go through most of the new series! Or read the "What's new this season" articles.) but...

What happens a lot, well not a lot but it sure does happen, is that I'll watch one episode of something... And just give up on that series. And that's ok, there are so many series out there; there's surely something every season you'll like if not love. But, it's a bit sad we don't share our opinions and all...

Because really, a series you tried and didn't really like (for personal reason, but not because it's 'bad' or whatever; and even those 'bad' series can be enjoyed by others) could be great for others (here). But maybe they just don't know about it!

So, maybe it's an idea ... the next time you try a new series (1 to 3 eps) and give up about it, or DON'T give up... Just write a *short* review of the first ep (or first 2~3 eps - but not more, let everyone discover it for themselves!) and post it here; together with an info link about the series (animenewsnetwork or wikipedia or something like that).

This way, maybe we can discover new series we like, but wouldn't have checked out ourselves... Smile

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For now I'm trying; Shigofumi, Spice and Wolf (horrible title haha) and Mnemosyne (<-- yes it's an anime x_X 'mature' though (NO hentai hell! But sex happens. For story reasons ~_~; )). Will post reviews of those when I've watched the first eps. ^_^

Savara · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 2:12 pm Post subject:

To revive this topic, and share opinions etc... 1 to 3 ep reviews of series.

K-on

Eps seen = 3

Anime + music = good?

This is a story about 4 girls re-starting the keion (K-on) club. The school's club for 'light music' ... Basically, they're starting a band!
The main characters Yui is very likeable, although she a bit ... ehm.. clumsy. The others in the keion group are all adorable for different reasons, tomboy Ritsu, the quiet Mio and the overly cute and nice Tsumugi.
The thing is, Yui doesn't play any instrument when she decides to join the club, because they still need a guitarist she ends up playing guitar - but she still needs to learn how to. In the second episode she wants to buy a guitar, and the others help her out.

So far, it's a lot of fun and just gives you that nice warm and fuzzy feeling of a slice-of-life series, with music! Smile

And cake, a lot of cake.
It's the one series I'm really loving this season.

It's not very special, or even wonderful (the animation is quite... average, but good enough in my opinion), but the music and characters manage to lift this anime to a higher level.

+ Music related, very very cute, fun!
- Very, very cute, nothing much for a storyline.

Rating 7/10

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tears to Tiara

Eps seen = 2

If you've seen Utawarerumono you know exactly what to expect... If not...

Harem, fantasy, adventure...

Tears to Tiara is the newest series from Aquaplus (music by Lantis).
As usual it's set in a medieval like world, it has magic and two opposed sides. On one side we have Riannon - a priestess with a not very original name, and her brother Arthur, opposite of them we have some bad guys of whose names I can't remember ^_~

So far this is what happened... Bad guys attack Riannon's village, and at that time she is the only important person at home. She is a priestess with special powers, so of course the enemies want her. Enemy leader puts her into this dazed state to use her (no, not in that way) for some evil purpose - and her brother rushes to save his poor sister. Then some guy (whose name I also can't remember) who pretends to be with the enemy tells Riannon - in her mind - to wake up from her slumber, and she manages to do this. Enemy leader freaks out and brother kills him... Then they all run away, because Riannon decided that she likes the guy who was pretending to be an enemy... And they encounter some (... ehm A LOT) of zombies! "Fight Arthur, Fight random guy! Stay safe Riannon!"

I'm guessing (ehm, no I'm quite sure) we shouldn't expect much, if anything at all, of this anime storywise. However, cliches *can* be fun to see at times... And if you enjoy fantasy in general, and don't mind a cast that's probably so huge you can't remember all the characters... It's not a bad series to try. The art is very very pretty (I always loved Uta's character designs, and because this is of the same studio... you know.)

If this is 26 episodes though, I won't waste my time again. If you haven't seen Uta - I think that might be a safer bet, at least they don't use Arthur and Riannon as names there. If it turns out to be a 12 or 13 episodes series... I might just watch it anyway Smile

No matter how overused the names or how cliche the whole thing is.

+ Character design, classic fantasy feel
- Very cliche, overused names/themes

Rating so far? 4.5/10

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood

Eps seen = 2

I'm just not going to bore you with a summary or whatever for this... I've not seen the original series, so I can't judge that... But the first two eps of this were amazing. (If not a little... gory (2nd ep).)

Anyone who has seen the first version can complain about the differences, or improvements or what is worse in this version... Is a remake of something so recent even worth it? ...

You know what, I don't care. I never managed to get started on the first version, but always wanted to know more about this thing that is Full Metal Alchemist. So I'm happy, and I love it.

Rating? Ok, just my own opinion because I can't judge this... but 8.5/10 ... And that's just for the first 2 eps. If you haven't seen the old one and you're even remotely interested ... go watch this. Now there's still time to catch up :3 Ep 3 is just out now.

Savara · Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 1:44 pm Post subject:

Kaempfer (I can't do the pro dots ~_~ *sighs*)

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10861
Eh?! A series where the main character is a guy (really? yes. really.) and he changes into a girl to be a "kaempfer' to fight other pretty ladies who have the same bracelet... and a very. scary. plush that explains this to them? ... well, yes.

I watched the first episode because the series has German! coolness! (kimi wa kaempfer da kimi wa Zauber da(Zauberin! what, they're girls xD) ... see, German coolness Smile

) and because of the overly crazy idea...
I think I'm going to skip this one though... because quite honestly, while it's funny (and extremely stupid, too)... there are just too many series that seem interesting this season Smile

And it's been a long time since that happened.

... But, if you like to watch girls fighting each other with weird magical powers/guns... and you like gender changing series (or any magical transform series)... well, give it a try anyway Smile

At the very least the first episode will make you smile.

テガミバチ - Letter bee
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10831

Fantasy, very pretty dream like fantasy. How to explain though... well, there's this guy and his job is 'tegami bachi' (letter bee)... delivering and collecting things? And fighting scary gaichuu(bad insects) with the power of the heart (awwww...)
Yes, I just watched the first episode because our dear Nano talked about it in her latest radio thing... and HIMEKA did the ending (HIMEKA =　♥). I'm not very impressed with the ending, to be honest... But.. this series.
I hadn't even considered trying it, but it's ... magical. It has shiny!things that float around (heart energy... I suppose?) and it has a whiny child chained to a cross. ...
Anyway... by now I realise I'm really quite horrible at explaining what a series is about ^_^;

But Letter Bee/Tegami bachi; looks very promising... Animation is gorgeous and it creates this almost fairytale like feeling.. without looking like a traditional fairytale (bonus point imho). ... It also reminds me vaguely of Mushi Uta... I suppose because of the bad insects.
So far the best I've seen this season!

Kimi ni todoke - Reaching you

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10625

Romance, school setting, very sketchy looking art... And a girl who's named Sawako but people call her Sadako because she's scary like the girl from the ring! I don't know what's going on with Ring parodies lately (otomen drama has some of that too) but... well, it's fun because we all know Ring right?

I just watched the first episode, and ... it's sweet. And funny in a not very funny way (so far). It kind of disappointed me, but then this wasn't one of the series I planned to watch in the first place - and things might improve.
What I didn't like was how the art seems to get kind of sloppy whenever something strange/funny happens. I mean, yeah go ahead with chibification, but don't do *this*. It already looks sketchy, which suits the series perfectly fine - I think it looks adorable and much more approachable than the overly shiny and too 'perfect' animation you see a lot of lately. But when they take another step to make it more 'shaky' it simply looks rushed and... unfinished.

Other than that, I think Sawako is a very likeable character, and the guy she likes (lost the name, sorry :3) is pretty cute... I think I need a calmer series without an overly complicated fantasy story this season, and while Sasameki koto might be able to fill that gap, Kimi ni todoke does still make a good chance.

Weiss · Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 6:23 pm Post subject:

Someone's obviously very bored. Wink

_________________

Savara · Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:42 pm Post subject:

LOL actually no, I'm really quite busy for uni... But I watched the eps and I wrote this for my own (pro) blog and decided to post them here too.

Savara · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:16 pm Post subject:

Sasameki koto

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10701

Very sweet shoujo ai (I hope it stays there, because I would be disappointed if it ends up like actual yuri Sad

), in a universe where *gasp* boys actually exist... So it's not a series without any boys (like strawberry panic for example).

The first episode was very sweet, I have to say that by now I don't remember the names, but the story is about two girls... One is irrevocably in love with the other... but girl 2 falls in and out of love all the time... with girls other than girl A. Slow paced, lovely, emotional series (crying in the first episode? Oh my!) Bonus points for a very cute bento with hot dog-octopus. Anyway... sweet, if you like shoujo ai, do try it because it might be the (if not only) series this season.

Darker than black Ryuusei no gemini

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10701

Darker than black, just as good as the original, only more polished. First episode is amazing, a lot of action - it barely leaves enough time to introduce the new characters, a twin brother and sister, the brother turned into a contractor 2 years ago when there was a meteor storm.
... Contractors are awesome, the darker atmosphere makes this series a wonderful yet terrifying escape from boring every day life. Fights like amazing, and the new characters seem very promising... I can only hope this is as good as the first season... But if this first episode is anything to go by, it might just surpass itself in epicness.