Asura Cryin' ep 1
This show wound up being nothing like I had originally thought it would be. The main character is a student named Tomoharu Natsume, who is unique in that his best friend is a ghost only he can see, a girl named Misao Minakami.
I had originally thought this would be something closer to slice-of-life-but-with-a-supernatural-twist. Instead we get weird people with magic powers, a big gun battle, suits of armor... I'm actually more interested in it now than I was before. There are a couple of subtle hints that Misao isn't a ghost in the traditional sense, but other than that everything is a big mystery so far. One of those opening episodes that throws a lot at you without explaining anything.
I've seen some early reviews rip this show apart based just on this episode alone, and I think that's unfair. I don't know, perhaps it's because, even after being a fan for ten years, I still haven't seen everything and so I'm not as jaded when it comes to anime.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood ep 1
I personally didn't think they needed to remake Fullmetal Alchemist, because the first series was already brilliant. Even though I haven't read the manga, I know the two version have major differences between them.
It feels a little odd to be starting from scratch again, and not to have a dub this time (yet), but it still managed to capture the essence of the first anime. The character design is a bit different, obviously more like what it is in the manga since this is meant to be a more faithful adaptation to the original story. Ed's short-rants and Armstrong's muscle-flexing were as funny as always. I was a bit disappointed in how casual the first meeting between Hughes and the Elrics was this time around. I prefer the train hijacking story.
There's no question that I'll keep watching, because I want to see how this plays out, especially when they get past the flashback and on to Lior. Personally, I think that was a better place of the series to start, so compared to the beginning of the first series, this one doesn't quite stack up.
Shangri-La ep 1
Scifi series set in the future after pollution led to global environmental disaster. Tokyo is now flooded and overrun by forest, and an organization known as Atlas has a tight control on carbon emissions around the world, including a carbon tax.
The main character is a girl named Kuniko. As the show opens, she's being released from a 2-year confinement in a girls' correctional facility. She appears to be the heir of an anti-government group calling themselves Metal-Age, which protests the harsh restrictions on carbon fuel, although she'd rather avoid the responsibility others try to place on her.
The show is visually gorgeous, as one would expect from a Gonzo series, and features character design by Range Murata (Last Exile, Blue Sub no. 6). It's also the kind of show you would expect to see in our current times of concern for the environment and what the possibilities could be if we continue to abuse it. I find it interesting though that the ones who are supposedly on the environmentalist side are the corrupt and decadent upper-class (living in a grand citadel, as expected) while the ones protesting their control are those living down among the tree-covered remains of Tokyo. I'm sure there's more to it though, as there always is. The episode also ends with a bit of a mystery after Kuniko's special boomerang is blocked by a young Atlas officer, causing his blade to vibrate as well as other certain ones.
Pandora Hearts ep 1
Oz Bezarius is a young noble who will soon turn 15 and go through his coming-of-age ceremony. Weird things begin to happen when he finds a pocket watch hung from an underground gravestone. This one acts appears to set in motion events that will become the main story of the series. There's also a bit of a twisted Alice in Wonderland motif running through it.
It's not a fantastic series, but there's enough oddity to it that I will definitely keep watching to see what happens next.
Valkyria Chronicles ep 1
Another series that takes elements of WWI and II and gives them a fantasy twist. The continent of Europa is divided between two powers, the Empire and the Atlantic Federation, and a new war is starting between them, with the country of Gallia caught between them.
This episode introduces the two principle characters: Alicia Melchiott, a baker and volunteer in her hometown's militia; and Welkin Gunther, a university student and son of a famous general. They meet when Alicia arrests Gunther, whom she believes to be a spy; he was actually just sketching trout. It was a bit annoying, really, but I suppose when you're living in a country that's about to be invaded, you would naturally consider a stranger suspicious.
Apparently this anime is based on a video game, which I've never played. But it seems like it's got a good enough premise to stand on it's own among the alternative universe fantasy genre.
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann ep 7 - 8
Manly tears were shed...
Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom ep 1
After witnessing an assassination, a lone Japanese tourist is captured by the organization responsible and brainwashed to become yet another of their assassins.
The series has a bit of a Noir vibe, but since they were made by the same people this isn't surprising. I did have a sense that Ein (the female assassin also known as Phantom) was a bit like Kirika, but hopefully she won't be a carbon copy. The show is beautifully animated, I'll say that much. I'm looking forward to seeing more of this show, it's just hard for me to say much right now since it's only just started.
Maria-sama ga Miteru 3rd Season ep 1 - 2
Summer comes around and Yumi accompanies Sachiko on vacation to the Ogasawara family's country house. Of course, it's not as pleasant an experience as Yumi expected it to be (as I knew it wouldn't). The main conflict comes from a posse of rich girls who decide to target Yumi for ridicule. I was glad when the rest of the Yamayurikai showed up, but disappointed that they wouldn't be going to the party. It would have been nice for them to be there as Yumi's back-up, but in the end things worked out and the posse were left with egg on their faces.
Once everyone is back in school, the Hanadera boy's school council wants to meet with the Lillian council to ask for their help with their school festival, but since Sachiko has a strong aversion to males they have to scheme to get her to participate. The meeting between the two councils provides some humorous moments; the Hanadera council is a rather motly bunch, I have to say.
Although it was obvious from the beginning of the series that Yumi has a major crush on Sachiko, these episodes helped emphasize it more. I doubt this will be fully explored, though, since Marimite keeps the yuri aspect very low-key (with the exception of Sei).
I enjoyed the slight jump in animation quality that comes with this season being an OVA. While Marimite is hardly a busy series in terms of animation, it's nice to get that extra little attention to detail.
