Aria the Animation ep 7 - 13 (Complete)
Finally decided to wrap this up after having it on hold for a while. Not much to say, just the usual slice-of-life (it's hard to really talk about shows like this). My personal favorites of this bunch were Eps 11 and 12. 11 has a lot of flashback dealing with the time when Alicia, Akira and Athena were in training together, while 12 is another Akari-has-a-strange-experience episode in which she crosses a bridge and winds up in Aqua's past before it was covered with water. The series wraps up nicely with a New Year episode where Ai (Akari's young friend from Ep 1) returns and gets to meet all the people Akari talks about her her e-mails.
Aria the Natural ep 1 - 3
Not much change from the first season to the second. Akari and Ai investigate the rumor of Cait Sith, the Cat King, on New Year's Eve; Akari, Aika and Alice follow a series of hidden maps on a treasure hunt; and Akari and Aika watcha meteor shower with Al the Gnome (someone who lives underground on Aqua, regulating the planet's gravity), whom Aika seems to have a crush on.
ep 4 - 6
One of the themes of this show seems to be about finding those small magical moments that widen the world around you. It's more about personal gain of the spirit and heart than the physical.
Baccano! ep 4 - 5
The way this show jumps around continues to leave me confused, although I think I'm getting a grasp on some things as it goes along. The chronological order of events is still a mystery though. As far as the characters go, I really don't like Ladd because he's a psycho who won't shut up, and Jacuzzi's whining also gets on my nerves.
Clannad: Another World, Kyou Chapter
Quite different from what I was expecting, and that's a good thing. Rather than just a Tomoya-and-Kyou-get-together story, it's much more emotional by having the conflict of both Kyou's and Ryou's feelings for Tomoya. In terms of emotion and drama, I'd say this did better than the Tomoyo OVA.
Kanon ep 4 - 7
And now a sword-wielding girl who hunts demons in the school late at night. Yuichi certainly has a lot of off characters surrounding him in a short amount of time. Unlike Clannad, this show seems to be dealing with each girl a little at a time rather than having a series of story arcs. The way Akiko reacted when she heard Ayu's name... Seems like she knows something that she isn't telling.
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya ep 4 - 6
After attempting to watch the episodes in the non-linear broadcast order and being really confused by it (Part 2 of a murder mystery before Part1?), I decided to switch gears and just continue the show in the linear order. Don't worry, I'll watch it in the non-linear order eventually, I just think this way is easier for first-time viewing.
You know how I said last time that I wouldn't mind being Kyon if it meant having all this interesting stuff happen? I may have to change my mind due to the danger. I didn't expect the soft-spoken Asakura to suddenly attempt to kill Kyon. That gave me a few Higurashi flashbacks. Then there's the concept of the close space zones, which remind me a lot of what the characters in X do, creating a pocket dimension in which to fight.
Revolutionary Girl Utena ep 33 - 39 (Complete)
At long last, I've reached the end. How long have I been watching this series? I can't even remember when I started it.
I'm still trying to figure out the ending. This shows has been steeped in illusory imagery and subtext since the beginning, and even when you think you've got a grasp on it, it subverts your reasoning and throws up more questions. Not that that's a bad thing; if everything was open and simple, there would be no fun at all.
After a rather unnecessary recap episode that covers the previous story arc, the show swings into it's final arc. The underlying story of Utena's original encounter with the mysterious prince is fleshed out, showing that she was destined from the beginning to meet Anthy and try to rescue her from her existence as the Rose Bride. The other characters slowly start to change, particularly Touga and Saionji after they realize Utena was the girl in the coffin they'd met when they were kids. They begin to release themselves from Akio's control, hoping to protect Utena. I liked this change in character; it took a long time, but it's nice to see them break out from their previous attitudes.
The last two episodes are the real doozy. So, the dueling arena and the castle in the sky were all just projections created by Akio. But then everything that comes after that... The power of Dios, all the swords piercing Anthy, seems to me like there's some genuine magic going on. But in the end the show leaves a lot of questions unanswered, such as what the power of Dios really is, why Akio changed from a noble prince into someone only craving power, and what happened to Utena in the end. Did she replace Anthy in order to free her? It's still very confusing.
As a whole, the show was a unique experience, but I can't really call it a favorite. Definitely one of the weirdest, most surreal things I've ever seen.
Spice and Wolf ep 1 - 5
I'm really enjoying this so far. I like the medieval setting, and that a lot of what goes on revolves around economics rather than war or fighting, and Horo is a fun character. The idea of the all-powerful church is also interesting, and the fact that they would persecute or kill Horo stirs up feelings in me that are probably best not to discuss at length, lest I open the door for a debate.
Umineko no Naku Koro ni ep 1
Coming from the same people who made Higurashi, I pretty much know what to expect from this show: psychotic murder and mayhem. The set-up is already classic murder mystery, a la Ten Little Indians. I only hope that this won't have the endless rebooting storyline of Higurashi.
You're Under Arrest ep 6 - 10
In these episodes, the squad deals with the crazy Scooter Mama, who'll commit any traffic violation in order to reach a sale; a thief dressed as Santa, as well as the return of Strike Man; and a wayward teenage girl who comes to idolize Natsumi and Miyuki. There's also a hot springs episode. I wonder what percentage of all anime have hot springs episodes, it almost seems to be a requirement. The best one is Ep 10, where Natsumi hits her head and winds up in an Edo-period mystery story. It's fun to see the various characters play different roles for once.
