So, lets try something new. I’m gonna post each show I watched with a few snarky comments. This post will probably be updated as my opinions change; and my watch list alters.
Infinite Stratos
See, now this is just a case of bad planning, if you ask me:
Okay, so power armour can only be operated by girls initially, but are you really telling me they didn’t even have a contingency plan just in case a guy came along? Well, at least in this case his passive Magnetism is warranted, I guess. Maybe it even gives an excuse for Houki’s nearly painful case of Tsundereisms.
I completely don’t buy that these suits are only going to be used for sporting competitions, by the way. Oh, and Cecelia is a disgrace to Great Britain. The worst part is that I’ve actually known rich girls just like that.
A decent enough first episode, and the male lead has perhaps the biggest spine of all male leads this season so far.
Ep II Edit: Though Houki’s Tsun was turned up to 11 this week, its still proving to be entertaining; and I’m still liking the male lead. Though the fact that Cecelia gets wet after he does a speech about protecting his family name is more dubious than hilarious. Talk about love at first berserker charge.
Ep III Edit: Hmm… double the tsunderes first, then double the childhood friends. What crazy hell IS this? Ichika still gains points for holding onto his composure amidst so many harem oppertunities, though. It feels almost like Samurai girls with its continual additions to the harem, but as long as they go somewhere with this, I suppose ’tis okay.
Madoka Magica
Unlimited Matchlock Rifle Works!
Thanks for that, Shinbou. Really.
He really had fun regurgitating some weird trash in the dream sequences, which WERE very entertaining (if somehow reminiscient of the bizarre Bakemonogatari OP sequences with their giant scissors).
However, this barely covers the fact that this was as generic as generic magical girl show openings could get. Girl rescues Cute Sidekick, tries to convince villaingirl of love and justice, etc. The main point of interest was in fact the futuristic setting, if you ask me. Classrooms that are clinical white cages? Hmm…
Still, as an entree course, we can assume (or pray) that this can only go upwards.
Ep II Edit: After Episode II, This has gone up, as I’d hoped it would. Mami really does have a true Gate of Babylon for firearms; and the shows ability to both have a degree of depth and a set of thought provoking scenes is a great rarity in a magical girl show. And the dream sequences continue to be real high octane nightmare fuel. I think this has guaranteed itself a slot.
Ep III Edit: Wow, just wow. I thought this couldn’t get much better, but this episode still took me completely off guard. Kyubei racks up a significant amount of Renegade Points this episode, which makes one seriously question his motivations for making magical girls. It also seems possible that ‘Ressurection’ will become Madoka’s wish after a certain shocking event.
Yumekui Merry
Fear me, for I am John Doe given form!
Unfortunately, he fails to realise that he is part of the fiction.
Part of me really wants to like Merry, I really do, especially the bipedal cats, which always amuse me. However, this was both generic like Madoka but also lacking in direction and style to make up for it. Merry is basically wandering around the first episode for lolz; and briefly tries (and fails) an Al Azif introduction with a pantsu smash.
Ep II Edit: The show has also actually not been helped by its second episode, which involved angst and teleporting doughnuts. I can’t bring myself to care about a fairy dude we know nothing about when they pull an oh noes hes killed by a giant beartrap.
I’m still giving the benefit of the doubt for a short time, but this won’t last, I’d imagine.
Freezing
By the power vested in torn clothing, I call upon thee! Navel Smash!
Hmm, why is it that these girls are trained at ‘The Academy for the inducement of post traumatic stress disorder’? Shouldn’t they be, like, learning tactics and teamplay against the aliens, rather than causing brutal injuries to one another?
I’m fairly surprised by how bloody this was. Limbs were falling off left, right and centre. Didn’t cover for the fairly clumsy execution, mind you. And our protagonist has immediately entered water-flea territory when his main action in the show is to squeel like a little girl, hallucinate about his sister, and glomp girls in inappropriate ways.
And don’t get me started on some of the stupid weapons. I’m only even giving this a chance because it was written by the Kurokami writer, but its time is numbered at the moment.
Ep II Edit: Humnmm, well, this went up to mediocre from atrocious, I suppose. Mainly due to the fact that Ganessa’s insanity was entertaining and I’m a sucker for anything that induces silvery-white hair on girls. At least Aoi improves very marginally this episode, though he’s still in Water Flea territory. I don’t ever really like the excuse of ‘OMG! This is the only guy that doesn’t set my androphobia!?’ being used to pair the male and female lead though.
Gosick
C’est ne pas une pipe.
Well the opener was a really dissappointing Mystery, but lets face it, this is a show that is tailor made to allow Victorique to be cute. Our male protagonist is variable and mostly seems to spend his time as the running man/doormat for our resident gothaloli; very much being the Watson to the Holmes; although he does at least have the resolve to resist her at times (like with the luggage). Mr Drill hair is a bit fabulous and is currently stealing his limelight.
Still, as an opener, I’ve seen worse. If they do really get some good writing in for the subsequent mysteries, and continue to focus on Victorique cuteness, I imagine this can only go upwards.
Edit: It also suddenly occurs to me that if you say Gosick with a japanese inflection, i.e. ‘Go-see-ko‘, it sounds more like ‘Gothic‘; which actually makes alot more sense as a title than some implication of illness causing you to miss a day of work. Ah the wonders of deciphering Engrish. 😀
Ep II Edit: Less exposition this week; and they have indeed started to delve into classic mystery horror territory this week on the ship, with dark rooms, a hopelessly inescapable situation, easily killed off mooks, and tricks of the eye that are easily rebunked by Victorique’s intellect. Kujo also mans up even more, which is good, even if its in a chauvanist way (but then, this is set in the 20’s, so its not only expected but positive in the context). The cuteness is more subtle this week (like with the handholding), but its still there and I like it.
Ep III Edit: Well, the wrap up seemed a little too neat for this pair of episodes, but the continued progress is still proceeding at a good pace. Finding out about Victorique’s relation to Mr Drill Hair actually makes a fair bit of sense; and the divination with hares being explained was weird but interesting. Still a decent show.
Dragon Crisis
~Ryuuujiii~ ❤
This screencap cannot express the sheer seduction she managed to put into that “Ryuuji”. If there was ever a voice acting role MADE for Rie, Rose is IT. Only she could ever get away with ten minutes of literal one-word vocabulary and still make it awesumcute by piling on the dere in spades.
And in terms of direction, this show comes out on top; as despite her lack of glibness, Rose actually feels like she is learning all the time, which is nicely done. Although the action was mediocre, it really feels like its going somewhere, unlike alot of stuff this season. And then there was the preview, which made me burst out laughing:
“Watashi wa Rose! Suki da na Ryuji! Suki! Suki! Ryuji Suki! Suki, suki! Ryuji, Ryuji! Ryuji Suki!”
Possibly my top show out of the initial selection, assuming you can take the blinding radioactive blonde hair.
Ep II Edit: Ouch… ouch… ouch… okay… Ryuji’s spine was promptly evacuated this week. I mean, he wasn’t great before; but… seriously. Un-needed angst due to mother issues that he threw at Rose for no reason. Not cool. He had at least 3 opportunities after that to redeem himself; and failed to take the biscuit each time; whilst Rose just heroically sacrifices herself and shames him in the process. Why mention him being a ‘Level 10’ if he doesn’t ever use it? Urk, painful. Perverted Extreme Scientist A shows up as if we hadn’t seen that before. At least Black Dragon douchebag gets things done; so far that makes him a far more likable character. I assume they’re doing a set up for his redemption, though the setup is poor. If they don’t, the show will go up in flames as magnificently as it started, which will be sad, since the first episode was greatly entertaining.
Ep III Edit: Fortunately, Ryuji realised he was taking a stukka dive into Water flea territory and managed to pull up just in time. It was a close one; though. Rose got to say Suki again alot, and grew some huge wings that helped with her glomping prowess. Onyx was defeated by a sudden Kurokami contract that gave Ryuji access to St Elmos fire to attach to his dragonfang sword; and he stayed good the rest of the episode. But whats odd is that they’ve pretty much entirely resolved the initial plotline. Eriko got her earring, Ryuji got his sword and dragongirl, Scientist A got some pictures of the wedding (don’t ask). And next week is a sudden beach episode. What?
Level E
He glows and heals kittens and uses puppets and everything!
No really, he actually does all of that this episode.
This is actually deadpan comedy in disguise; very rare in an anime, and possibly worthwhile just due to that. The other male lead spends a little too much time shouting and talking about baseball, but so far its been a fairly bemusing ride.
Sometimes the punchlines feel a bit awkward, but its not bad. I guess what is most interesting is that they have adapted to the source material in using a very pretty adaptation of a very 90’s anime style.
I’m not sold yet, but its got my attention.
Ep II Edit: This still feels like its in a rush to get somewhere or that they’re spreading the original material thin, since the punchlines still seem awkward and hung onto. Keeping the pet as a cliffhanger last week was odd; and there is now someone else for the protagonist to shout at, with the bodyguard being introduced. Although, at least the girl was immediately made relevant, rather than them creeping around her role. Still not entirely certain about this… we shall see…
Kore Wa Zombie Desu Ka?
This show is sponsored by the letter X and the percentage 120:
Magical girls with chainsaws that like to wear curtains, giant anthropomorphic lobsters that want to butt-rape the main character, many revelations of ‘by the way, I’m dead, ROFL’, necromancer girls that sleep and sip tea, and lets not forget: a guy having a transformation sequence and wearing panties as he performs a ‘Mysteltein Kick!’, which is actually not a kick but a chainsaw vivisection move.
Err… yeah…anyway… this is where I’m supposed to carefully back away and shake my head, but much like the voyeurism inherent in watching a carcrash, you can’t help but look.
I think that perfectly sums up this show. Though I may watch it, I don’t think I’d like to admit it either way.
Ep II Edit: At least the stupidity was more restrained this episode, which actually helps, I think, as I don’t think I would have been able to take the intensity of the first episode for a second time. Not entirely sure how he is considered to have won that duel with the vampire ninja, but at least it was pretty creative (he uses his own arm as a boomerang!). And bizarrely, Euu is probably the character with by far the most development so far, despite the fact she has never said a word.
Fractale
Excuse me, I seem to have fallen out of a game of Ragnarok Online:
If you call nuns temple maidens, then sure.
This is actually a Ghibli anime in disguise. Panning shots of oceans and serene fields montaged with unusual flying devices? Check. Unusual creatures not really noticed as odd by the protagonist? Check. Slow but devilishly inevitable pacing? Check.
The main protagonist, Klein, likes collecting 21st century junk and carries ancient technology like an iPod. The girl, Phryne, has no moral quandries, and is a flighty as they come. Oh, and Team Rocket shows up. Well, if Jesse and James turned into FBI agents and Meowth into a Loli, anyway. The behaviour and results (blasting off) is the same.
I really don’t know what to say so far about this; it feels more like a teaser so far. I guess we shall see.
Ep II Edit: Well, Nessa is GENKI! to the max; and being a very complex data avatar, pretty much teleports around as she likes. Though I’m sure I’m not the only one who noticed her hair was purple in the promotional material, but has gone red now (huh?). I guess she is trying to communicate with Klein that his world is just better without the system, which makes people into aimless wanderers and sots that don’t even like to live in homes with their families any more.
Ep III Edit: Well, this started carefree and lulwut, somewhere turned serious, and then dark, all in the course of this episode, as it becomes evident that there are people trying to live as they once did, and they are considered terrorists, when in fact they are mainly fighting against mass brainwashing by the ‘temple’ of a technological world. This is very much like the situation of Fritz Leibers novel ‘Gather, Darkness!’, just with enforced laziness and pacifism rather than brutal conditions. In other words, a different means of control.
Well, thats it for now, hope you found this post entertaining.
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Well, I have to say, my predictions from before seemed somewhat inaccurate this time.
Detarame 
Detarame Super-Seasonal Xmas Sale: Aniventure for 99p and More!
Posted in Aniventure, Artworks, Games, RPG, tagged angel, Anime, Aniventure, Artworks, Christmas Sale, Commentary, Elizasleyn, Games, Mindfuck, Offer, Rant, RPG, Sale, Sketch on December 4, 2012| Leave a Comment »
That’s right! You can now buy the PDF of my Aniventure RPG system for JUST 99p / under $2!
Not only that, but there’s also 20% off the Paperback printcopy of the system, 5% off my 2013 calendar, and 5% off the Hardback printcopy!
MADNESS! What kind of lunacy is this!? It’s a special christmas gift to all of my loyal blog readers who for whatever reason felt that the old costs were a little too expensive and were holding out on picking something up.
Perhaps you want a cheap xmas gift for yourself or an anime/RPG affectionado in your family. Perhaps you were on a tight budget. And perhaps you just want to avoid a hammering from Eliza (she calls it “getting into the swing of Christmas”, whatever that means):
Whatever your reason, now is the time to pick something up, as this !!SPARTA!! class madness will only last until Boxing Day (26th December).
If you enjoy Aniventure already or end up liking it from this deal, please don’t hesitate to tell your friends in all corners of the globe about these limited time offers!
And if you buy the PDF and really end up liking it, please consider picking up a paper copy as well or donating to my Xmas fundraiser for Aniventure (Paypal button below).
!Click to Save a Catgirl from Slavery!*
Donate whatever you like! Even send me 1 cent and a rude comment! At least I’ll get a laugh out of it! Every humble amount helps towards making Aniventure more shiny and happy, and saving homeless destitute unemployed catgirls from untimely heavenly smiting caused by the discussion of physics in Anime.*
* = DISCLAIMER: Shiny-ness and happiness may not actually increase and I cannot actually guarantee the lives of unfortunate cat-girls, but of course any money raised from Aniventure sales and donations will, as usual, go to further development of the supplement, Shimaihen, to the purchase of ISBN numbers, and possibly to the commision of real artists far better than me. In all serious-ness, by clicking you are agreeing to donate to my cause under the assumption of christmas charity given to a complete stranger, understand you may never see any benefit, do so out the kindness of your own heart and waive any of your personal rights to complain about the matter. AND THANKYOU for doing so!
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