Anime Roundup: Summer 2012

HYPE ON!! The summer anime season is usually a dud compared to other seasons as there are usually fewer shows and you don’t really get big named titles here. They’re usually saved for the Autumn season but not this time. There are a few shows which have me a little excited so there’s plenty to look forward to but, as usual, let’s look at what has come and gone (or still going) from the last season!

Best Show:

Haiyore! Nyaruko-san!

Definitely not a universal choice as it’s very much tailored for the hardcore anime fans. If you got the references, then it’s a great show but if you don’t there’s not much there for you. Luckily, I found that trying to figure out the references was part of the fun. Gotta love the Kamen Rider Den-O reference whenever Nyarlko transformed. “Watashi Sanjou!!” Oh, and the Jojo reference when she did it for the first time in episode 2!

Runners up: Hyouka, Jormungand

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Worst Show:

Shining Hearts: Shiawase no Pan

Seriously, what the hell did I watch?? It was so dull!! If this was an accurate adaptation of the game, I’m glad that the shining series has remained japan only! And I loved Shining Force 3 enough to import the parts which weren’t released in the west!!!

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Biggest Surprise:

Upotte!

Yeah, I’ll confess to this being a bit of a guilty pleasure! I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would (and probably should). I’m not a gun nut but I did know a fair bit about what the show spoke of when it came to some of the guns and, as I was a member of the Combined Cadet Force in the UK back when I was in school, I totally understood poor Elle-Chan. The L85A2 rifle really is crap!!!

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Biggest Disappointment

Saki Side A

Maybe it was because this was a side story, but this had none of the impact or coolness of Saki. Hell, it didn’t even have that much MahJong!!! Would have been my pick for worst show if it wasn’t for Shining Hearts!

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The “WTF?” Award

Zetman

The plot was basically hacked to heck and back with tonnes of stuff missed and the art direction was pretty damn ugly given the source material but at the end of the day, the adaptation actually makes more sense than the original manga! But I did get sick of all the Dark Knight comparisons when the show ended. The theme of “what is Justice” and the dark hero have been themes the manga had been covering for ages, even back when Zetman was printed as a oneshot! This was years before the dark knight! Having said that, Katsura Masakazu, the original manga artist, is a big Batman fan, so maybe the comparisons are a kind of compliment. Zetman was definitely first though!!

The rest

• Queens Blade Rebellion was pretty much what you expect. More of the same. Totally lowbrow yet not completely exploitive.
• For some reason, I don’t really think Accel World managed the transition to anime too well. It’s not bad, but not good either
• There were a few changes in Tasogare Otome X Amnesia but it’s still a good adaptation.
• Sankarea didn’t leave much of an impression on me
• I really don’t think much of the changes made in Saint Seiya Omega and Midorikawa Hikarus voice annoys the hell out of me if he isn’t using his low, deep BL voice…
• Speaking of odd voices, I don’t think Ito Shizuka was a good choice for Koko Hekmatyr from Jormungand. Off the top of my head, I can think of a couple who are probably better suited for the role.
• Likewise for Medaka in Medaka Box. Who was the retard who thought that Toyosaki Aki would be a good fit for her? Marina Inoue or Hikasa Youko would almost certainly have been better!!
• Kore wa Zombie Desuka? Of the dead! really felt like a filler series more than anything, but I can’t complain about seeing more Eu, especially with the different versions this time around!
• Mysterious Girlfriend X is definitely more comfortable as a manga.
• Acchi Kochi was actually quite funny! One of the few examples of a 4Koma structure working as an anime!
• I get the feeling that Eureka 7:AO is going to be a very long series. The pacing is really slow!!
• Gundam Age finally picked up but is still feeling distinctly average at best!
• It was kinda hard to get too worked up for the ending of Fate\Zero since everyone knows how it ends…
• Mouretsu Pirates was actually a really good, fun show. Just a shame that it took so long to start up. 6 episodes or so!!!
• I appreciate what the makers were trying to go for in Lupin III: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna in terms of art style but they completely overdid it and ended up hurting it more than helping. I also think I’m getting a little sick of hearing Sawashiro Miyuki in EVERYTHING!!

That’s it for this season, Lets have a look at what’s starting this season!

Must watch

Sword Art Online

THIS!!! I have been looking forward to this show for quite a while since the light novels really managed to suck me in. I also think that the overall setting and structure of SAO should suit the jump to anime better than Accel World, the other major work from the same author. Having said that, I worry about pacing issues as the story can be rather brisk and there are quite a few side stories to tell in the first arc so there’s the matter of fitting them in as well. Having said that, the second episode seems to have already diverged from the original story quite a bit…

Muv-Luv: Total Eclipse

Forget the fact that this is a mecha show, how long have we all waited for an anime adaptation of Muv-Luv? Do you honestly think I’m going to miss this? I am a little disappointed that they didn’t use the song Muv-Luv by Kuribayashi Minami as either the OP or ED song…

Rinne no Lagrange 2

I’m not the kind of person to drop a show half way!

Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon 2

Nope, it’s not going to make any sense at all but I still want to watch it! MOAR NAITO!! MOAR KIMI!!!!MOAR FUTAYO!!!

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Interesting but Meh

Tari Tari

The description of the show sounds dull as hell!Even by “slice of life” standards. But I trust PA Works. If any company can make this work, it’s them. Maybe KyoAni, but I think KyoAni is overrated…

Dog Days’

The first season was a guilty Pleasure so why not go in for a second round?

Binbougami ga!

Lowbrow gag show? These always tend to be entertaining so it’s definitely worth checking out!

Campione!

Another battle fantasy show in a similar vein to Accel World or the To Aru books. Difficult to judge without seeing it so I’ll give it a chance.

Dakara boku wa H ga Dekinai

A fanservice show with adult humour regarding a perverted guy who has his sex drive taken away? The mere premise is enough to warrant a look!

Hagure yuusha no Estetica

From the same people who gave us the likes of Queens Blade and Hyakka Ryouran, there’s almost a guarantee that this will be a fanservice show, but QB and HR did surprise in terms of depth when you could get past the boobs so this could be the same. Also, the premise of the story starting AFTER the big climax of an RPG setup is interesting enough on its own!

Why am I watching this?

Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate

Eroge adaptation. There has to be one somewhere in here…

Kono naka ni hitori, Imouto ga Iru

Harem comedy show. For some reason, I’m weak against this particular genre.

Kokoro Connect

Actually, now that I sit and think about it. I have no idea why this is on my list… But I have the episodes now so I guess I’ll continue.

That’s it for this season. Sword art Online is wavering a bit after episode 2 but it’s still early days (please don’t suck!!!) and there’s plenty of good stuff to watch so this summers season is surprisingly strong. What are you all going to watch?

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