salinea: (Default)
Etrangere ([personal profile] salinea) wrote2010-04-19 11:06 pm
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Spring anime season

After the dreadful winter season, we're back to a bunch of shows that seem much more appealing.

House of the Fives Leaves / Sayai-ya Goyou: Adapted from a manga I'm already liking a fair deal, and animated by Manglobe, so it's pretty much a shoe-in. Judging from the first episode, it's even more slashy than the manga already pretty slashy base XD I love the way the animation transcribe the art style and the overall atmosphere. Don't expect flashy fight scene from the premise, though, it's much more about the characters interplay and the gritty and complicated atmosphere than that sort of stuff, despite the historical Japan and samurai lead premise.

Hakouaki - Shinsengumi Kitan: On the one hand, historical series, shinsengumi, and supernatural plot? yay! On the other hand, it's a reverse harem series, and one adapted from a visual novel at that (something with which I've had almost nothing but bad experience). The again the show is so pretty I might just watch the pleasure of the gorgeous animation even if the plot turns out dull. Really gorgeous animation, work on light and bishounens there. So far, so good, the first two episodes have had enough plots to intrigue me.

Angel Beats!: The afterlife is a highschool and a group of student are fighting 'Angel', the head of the student council who has superpowers and tries to make people pass on. I really wasn't expecting to follow this one, but when I watched the first episode because everyone on RPG.net was saying it was great, I was really grabbed. Love the fast pacing and the mix of humour and action, even though the comedy and the drama sometimes feel a bit forced. Very decent production value too, even if the character design is a bit boring.

Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru / Uraboku: Your gothic horror shounen ai series. It looks fairly cliché - but what a delightful list of clichés those are XD - but isn't too bad so far; and in any case, easily earns itself a place as a guilty pleasure ^_^

Senkou no Night Raid: Interesting premise and setting (Shanghai in the 30's with ESP using spy action); but I wasn't that impressed by the first episode and I'm a bit leery of the potential for it to be very offensive if the creators aren't careful. So i'm still undecided on whether I'll follow this one.

RAINBOW: Despite the interesting premise (a group of juvenile convicts in 50's Japan), the direction is way too overstated and sentimental to make it work with such an already dark and heavy subject; making it turn fairly silly and caricaturing. A shame, I've already dropped it as a result.

ETA:
Arakawa Under the Bridge: I dunno if I burnt out on Shaft direction style or something, but watching the first ep of this only triggered annoyance and not a whiff of laughter. I'll pass.

Giant Killing: Didn't make it through the first episode. It might be good, but soccer really isn't my thing. Now I know.

And of course I'm still following on FMA Brotherhood, Durarara!! and on Katanagari.

What are you guys watching? Did I miss anything interresting this season?
ext_2023: (creepy anthy)

[identity profile] etrangere.livejournal.com 2010-04-20 01:52 am (UTC)(link)
I've noticed that most stories about Shinsengumi follow a formula of taking the POV of a made-up character and have him/her interact with the group and become their buddy.
aaaaah, I see. I could see that. Well at least Peacemaker Kurogane had that vibe, and that's the big Shinsengumi anime I know of before this one.

I'd say that in an otome visual novel, self-inserting to hook up with usually Okita because of the pretty any of them must be pretty much the point, perhaps?
well yes. At least, make a character that allow the audience to self insert.

I was recced a Shinsengumi anime OAV recently. After I watch it I'll tell you if it had self inserts in it. Otherwise, there's a manga without one, but I don't think it was translated in English, no clue about in Spanish, but it was called Hinata no Okami.
ext_387179: A sea turtle swimming (Ginko / the sore feet song)

[identity profile] rainmage.livejournal.com 2010-04-20 02:05 am (UTC)(link)
I was also including Peacemaker, yeah. I haven't watched/read that one yet because of problems getting it, not dislike of the premise. But it's true that Shinsengumi in shoujo sets up alarms more than Shinsengumi shounen. And it's not only a RPF-Sue kind of alarm, I don't doubt they warp/embellish what they know about the guys to a bishounen ideal which is the thing that turns me off the most, even more than Random New Teen. Not only I don't get them as focus, but they might be OOC to get them to hang out with the lead.

...man, this came out kind of bitter! I assure you I'm not annoyed, just kinda tired. I love butchery of historical figures in manganime a lot, but I cannot comprehend why would you go and create a character to romance a guy who's been dead for years.