SCREEN SHOTS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Bold text within spoiler tags are links.
Maria Holic ep10
So koda, the leader of gg, ragequit on everything but Hetalia. Fansubber drama ensued. Thankfully it seems the rest of the group is continuing to sub Maria Holic since they released ep10 with the tag [ggcaust]. Hopefully they'll finish Tales of the Abyss as well. I'm still thinking about hopping into their IRC channel to see if they could use an extra hand in finishing them since I'd really like to see these two series completed by gg and not have to mix releases from some other sub-par group.
Anyway, about the episode itself... WTF, Matsurika is also a student at Ame no Kiseki? I guess that explains why she can stay with Mariya even on campus, but I'm with Kanako in wondering about how she gets away with not wearing a uniform... Well, a school uniform that is. Not that I'm complaining about the maid uniform. I like maid uniforms. There, I said it, okay? Are you happy now?!
The second half about Nanami's stalker on the train was amusing simply because of the absolutely bizarre ways in which he kept countering her objections to going out with him. But the best part was definitely Matsurika simply stamping a big REJECTED on his resume. I laughed at that.
Clannad ~After Story~ ep18
I cried. I got all the way through the story about Tomoya's father okay, and I got through Tomoya accepting Ushio and her crying in his arms. I almost cried then, but I didn't, I just got misty-eyed. But I couldn't hold on any longer when Tomoya started telling Ushio about Nagisa on the train home. That was the breaking point when the tears could not be contained any longer. I cried, and it was beautiful.
Slayers Evolution-R ep7-9
Well, the plot with Zuuma and the mazoku was not at all what I was expecting. Poor Amelia, though; she's been getting stronger but she still always seems to drag the group down when she has to take on a mazoku by herself. I guess white magic users just never make good fighters. The whole thing ended rather anti-climactically, though, which annoyed even Lina. But holy crap, we got to see Xellos's true form! I think this is only the second time it's been shown in the anime.
Ozel intrigues me. Obviously she's going to play a large role in the climax of the story, but for the most part she's still a mystery. I do love me some mysterious maids, though.
Rezo's soul spouting off random wisdom from its jar and making Lina's party do all sorts of crazy stuff was funny. (I keep thinking of Jade whenever he speaks, though.) It's interesting to see Rezo in a more positive light since he was the big baddie who almost destroyed the world in the first series and we only ever got to see his evil, crazy side. It was mentioned that he did a lot of good and was widely renouned but this is the first time we actually get to see that. The bit where he healed the blind kid's eyes really drove home the fact that Rezo actually was a good guy to begin with, he just got driven to madness by his inability to heal his own sight.
Toradora! ep12-17
Since qq is taking for-freakin'-ever to sub this, I finally got tired of waiting and grabbed CoalGuys' releases for now. I think it's been nearly two months since I watched ep11 (seriously, WTF qq?) so it was great to get back into this series. I stayed up rather late to go on a little six episode marathon.
Tons of stuff happened in the space of those six episodes, enough that I don't feel like summarizing it all. Some highlights, though, were Ryuuji perhaps feeling a little lonely and jealous when Taiga's dad was monopolizing her time. Minori asking Ryuuji if he thought she was a lesbian made me do a doubletake. And the fight between Taiga and Sumire was awesome. Taiga was terribly cute with her angel wings, and even moreso while playing the angel of love, complete with donut halo. Yasuko stroking Taiga's hair for good fortune was a nice d'awww moment. And, as always, anything to do with Inko-chan is just pure win.
Toradora! ep18-23
Another mini-marathon and I'm caught up! Though I'm a little disappointed that I'm caught up because that means there is no more to watch yet. The drama is really coming to a head with Ryuuji and Taiga realizing their true feelings for each other amid the chaos of the Taiga x Ryuuji x Minori love triangle. And I'm still wondering what's up with Ami, who's been shoveling coal on the fire for no apparent reason. Whatever the reason, the series is doing a good job of showing just how stressed the characters' friendships are becoming. I'm very anxious to see what happens next.
Also, here's a screen shot dump because I'm too lazy to write even more highlights right now. Except that I must say Taiga in twintails is freaking win.
Shugo Chara!! Doki ep74
Oh my, this was such a sparklingly delicious episode. Ikuto was back in Amu's room and up to his usual teasing. But then Tadase came over to deliver a White Day present for Amu. Amu's dad completely freaking out over a boy coming to see her was hilarious, as was the whole scene with Amu going and throwing Ikuto into the closet to hide him from Tadase. When Amu made her serious face I had to pause the episode for about a full minute while I stopped to laugh, look back up at the screen, laugh harder, and repeat a few times.
Amu and Tadase being retarded over one another in her room was kind of sweet since he came right out and admitted how much of an idiot he was before and didn't try to dance around the issue. Though Tadase's sparkly attack was supereffective as always so it probably wouldn't have even mattered. Meanwhile, Ikuto was just playing it cool in the closet. Or as cool as one can be after having been stuffed in a closet. Then it was back to more sexual harassment teasing at night! I get the feeling that Ikuto actually is serious about Amu but I'm not quite sure yet.
Nyoron Churuya-san ep5
I didn't think Churuya could get any cuter. But I had forgotten about the waitress uniforms from the culture festival... And holy crap, a scene that ended without Churuya getting the shaft! I guess there are brighter parts to the series as well.
The Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya ep9-10
Okay, Haruhi is beginning to frighten me. I mean, I'm used to her being a little crazy but this is reaching a whole new level... Achakura and Yuki are remaining as awesome as ever, though. It's easy to picture Achakura actually bouncing off the walls and I was a little disappointed when she didn't make it.
Slayers ep1-6
I recently bought the DVD sets for all three of the old Slayers TV series because RightStuf had a crazy awesome sale and I've begun rewatching them, this being my third time. But I'm watching it in English since I watched it subbed the first two times. So far I'm liking the dub well enough, though I still think the Japanese is better. Lisa Ortiz does a great job as Lina but she's up against Hayashibara Megumi, which is basically an impossible battle in my book. The first time Gourry spoke I went, "Oh geeze, it's Brock," (from Pokémon), but Eric Stuart actually fits the role nicely. My big complaint is with Zelgadis; his English voice has been hilariously bad and out of character. But his voice actor gets replaced by Crispin Freeman from ep18 onwards so I'm just trying to hold out until then.
Toradora! ep24
Holy crap, Ryuuji and Taiga are seriously eloping. I expected them to get together, of course, but wow. And I noticed Ryuuji was getting a little annoyed at Yasuko, sure, but his huge blow up was something I didn't see coming. I'm dying to see how the next episode ends the series.
Clannad ~After Story~ ep19
Fuuko~ Oh, how I have missed your sparklies. Seeing her again was a nice little ray of sunshine in yet another highly emotional episode. This series has broken my heart in so many ways and brought me to the verge of tears so many times I can't even count them. Certainly more than any other anime has managed. Heck, more than anything has managed so far. It seems almost unreal that Clannad used to make me laugh so hard and now it's nearly making me cry with every episode.
To Aru Majutsu no Index ep23
Index and Mikoto's conversations continue to provide laughs as they compare notes about Touma. Index remembering her robes being destroyed was funny, but wasn't that, like, the third or fourth time we've been shown that scene? ... Not that I'm complaining.
It was cool to see Index actually defending herself against Shelley's golem. A safety pin never looked so threatening (or the lack of one so hawt). But I forget, did it ever mention why exactly Index can't use magic? She's obviously capable, as seen in the very first arc when Touma is fighting to remove the church's spell on her. I was hoping to see her bust out some magic against the golem and put up an even fight against Shelley.
Lovely Complex ep23-24 (Anime Club, no screens)
Even if there is some filler towards the end, at least that's not all there is. The series ended nicely with Ootani and Risa and everyone graduating from high school. It was fun to rewatch it, and Lovely Complex turned out to be a really great series for Anime Club. I'm glad everyone enjoyed it as much as I did.
Kurenai ep11-12 (Anime Club, no screens)
Oh my, I had actually forgotten about the epic car chase through the snowy woodland of the Kuhouin estate that happened in the last episode. I love all the action and fight scenes in these last two episodes. Yayoi finally kicking Lin's ass at the same time Shinkurou was beating down Ryuuji was so very, very satisfying.
Slayers ep7-10 (no screens)
I got Shin into Slayers and we watched these episodes together after Anime Club while commenting on them in chat. This makes three people I've gotten started on the series (it's free and legal to watch dubbed on Hulu and YouTube!) since buying the DVD sets and going into fantard overdrive about it.
Shin and I mostly poked fun at Zel's terrible English voice actor, who we thankfully get to say goodbye to from now on. After Lina destroyed the awakened piece of Shabranigdo with the Giga Slave (which didn't seem as epic as I remembered it – I guess I'm getting spoiled by the much-improved animation in the two new series), Zel parted ways with her and Gourry. The next time we see him, in ep18, Crispin Freeman will be voicing him, which I'm very much looking forward to.
