Autumn 08 and Winter 08-09 impressions submitted by Syphin

I was writing this up very slowly so it took me some time but here are my impressions of some of the Autumn 2008 and Winter 2008-2009 anime.


Autumn anime:

Gundam 00 2nd season
Episodes: 25


Ah Gundam 00, how I looked forward to this season. Gundam 00 tried to take a modern realistic approach on politics, war and global societies. Even though the writers may not have suceeded in converying that, it was good that they tried, I wouldn't mind if future installments of the series can pull off doing something different and more realistic as Gundam 00 tried to be.

This season focused more on the characters and conflicts with the opposing sides. The suffering and pain of war illustrated through the death of characters and destuction of counties, Gundam 00 does start to become depressing to watch as it progresses. Lovers end up fighting each other, family members end up fighting each other, characters dying filled with rage and anger. The antaganist holding a strugglehold over everything and only being threathened near the end, they are few happy moments.

After some average writing, plot holes and GUNDAM! comes the end, and wow as a Gundam fan I enjoyed this ending. It may have ended up being unrealistic but it sure brings back the happy. A message of change and understanding one another to unite people and head towards bringing about the peaceful world which seemed out of reach not so long ago.

Sure Gundam 00 may have ended up being formulaic (it has its positives) and the writing may have been bad at times, but beyond all that we still have decent action-packed mecha fighting series. The soundtrack/OP/ED for Gundam 00 are excellent and the end of the series revealed the Gundam 00 movie (something to do with Jupiter) to be released in 2010 =).


Story: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Production Quality: 8/10
Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Overall: 81.25/100

On another note Gundam Unicorn novels planned to be adapted into an anime for this winter =). Sunrise plans to release the anime worldwide - apparently in 10 different languages.


Casshern Sins
Episodes: 24


Cassherns Sins; a remake of the classic super robot series Neo-Human Casshern that aired in the seventies which went into a completely different direction. The art sytle is really unique and the character designs are amazing. The story is deep and meaningful and the pacing is kept slow to really develop the characters. The protagonist, Casshern, starts of with no memory of who he was and as the series progesses he learns what has happened to this world where robots are self-aware and about himself.

Casshern Sins is a series about destruction, immortality and the beauty of life which Casshern learns from the people he meets. A thought-provoking series that really makes you think about the themes being expanded on.

The series sets itself up with the first half dealing with Casshern meeting lots of different people and the second half in which the main story kicks in, this does lead to character development suffering in the second half. The ending itself felt rushed, there wasn't enough time taken for the twist to make the impact they could have, but the story itself is still wrapped up in an unusual bittersweet way.

Casshern Sins is a great series, the story is fresh and original and I found it enjoyable to watch.


Story: 8.5/10
Characters: 8.5/10
Production Quality: 10/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Overall: 90/100


Michiko to Hatchin
-Best Autumn season anime-
Episodes: 22


Produced by Manglobe, the studio which brought you the innovative and interesting series Samurai Champloo and Ergo Proxy. The first thing to note about this anime is that it takes place in Latin America, mostly Brazil. The 101 on the story - Michiko Malandro escapes from prison and saves Hana "Hatchin" Morenos from her abusve foster family. The two travel together looking for Hana's father, Hiroshi Morenos, Michiko's love from the past.

The first episode has a cinderella feel to it. Even though the treatment towards Hana is cruel, the episode characterises Hana as a very strong girl.
The characters are the highlight of this series. Michiko and Hatchin have completely different personalities which leads them to constantly clash with one another. The subtlety and complexity of the character interactions I found are nearly flawless, the show doesn't try to give the audience simple answers, like how Michiko and Hatchin's relationship took a long time to evolve instead of being formed over the first few episodes. I loved seeing the two develop, especially Michiko. This show seriously has one of the best villains out there, even though he doesn't appear much on screen. But when he does, he is badass, you know his dangerous and at the same time he has depth.

Another way Michiko to Hatchin was made to feel different was with it's animation style. It's colorful, vibrant and lush which helps to bring out the details in the environment helping add to it's realism. Another great aspect to the show is that it is incredibly varied. Instead of keeping one tone throughout the series, it brings in unexpected elements to keep the series fresh and interesting.

The ending was good, and in a way was the only ending that would have made sense. It ended how it would have had it been real. It may not have been as action-packed and kick ass as some previous episodes or like the Samurai Champloo ending, but it was focused in concluding the plot with Hiroshi.

Michiko to Hatchin is just an awesome series. Mature and stylish, I loved it.


Story: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Production Quality: 9.5/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Overall: 93.75/100


ToraDora:
Episodes: 24


ToraDora starts off really well and introduces some likely characters, that you really connect with during the episodes. The comedy elements are more apparent in the first half of the series when there isn't much drama, but when the drama does kick in the comedy fades away to make scenes more impacting on the viewer. The development on the characters which ties in with the individual personalities of the characters were really done well.

The series was consistent til the end when things just started getting really dramatic and a lot of plot was being covered in those final few episodes. The final two episodes did feel rushed with the second last episode being very dramatic, though I suppose the volumes 9 and 10 were covered in those episodes. The animation was pretty good, I did enjoy the fights that occured during the series. The music was nice, has some good opening and ending songs.

Overall ToraDora is a really good anime and stands out from others in the genre. Even though it does become fairly obvious who Ryuuji will end up with, how the story gets to that point is enjoyable to watch.


Story: 8/10
Characters: 8.25/10
Production Quality: 8.5/10
Enjoyment: 8.25/10
Overall: 82.5/100


Mouryou no Hako:
Episodes: 13 [Currently 8]

Quote: Police detective Kiba finds himself investigating a very strange case involving a girl hit by a train, her actress sister, and a sinister hospital shaped like a box. As the girl's friend's mother becomes obsessed with Mouryo, the police begin finding young girls' limbs strewn around the countryside in boxes.

I'm shocked this series isn't finished subbed, it's one of the best series from the autumn season. Though I suppose there is a lot of text to translate in the episodes...

Enjoyment: 9.2/10


One Out:
Episodes: 25 [Edited]

Quote: Hiromichi Kojima, the star batter of the Lycaons, heads to Okinawa to train and bring himself out of a slump. There, he meets Toua Tokuchi, a 134 km/h (83 mph) pitcher and the undisputed king of a gambling form of baseball called "One Outs". At Kojima's urging, Tokuchi signs up with the Lycaons. His contract, the 'One Outs contract', differs from the usual, though, in that he gets 5,000,000 yen for every out he pitches, but loses 50,000,000 yen for every run he gives up.

I love sports anime, especially action-packed sports anime, thats thrilling and exciting. If you expecting character development or depth, you won't find it here. It comes from the creators of Akagi and Kaiji. The story is basically a string of baseball matches in which Tokuchi always wins. And while the characters lack development, they have presence and it is always amusing to see how badly the opposing teams will be beaten.

The baseball strategies employed may seem impressive on face value but they are simply extreme versions of common baseball tactic, to make the show more exciting for non-baseball fans. Personally I shouldn't really follow baseball but now that I understand how the game works it sure is exciting.

The fun of the series comes from seeing Tokuchi own everyone, from outplaying them with tactics to psychologically overpowering them. One Outs is series that doesn't focus on being deep but being exciting for the viewers to watch and it accomplishes that. Its a series with a very good combination of suspense and fun that is very enjoyable to watch.


Story: 9/10
Characters: 7/10
Production Quality: 8/10
Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Overall: 81.25/100

Recommendation: Liar Game (from the same author of One Outs)



Winter Anime:

Birdy the Mighty: Decode season 2
-Best Winter season anime-
Episodes: 12


The first season of Birdy the Might Decode was quite a good series but the story and expanding of it never hit and heights and the male lead Senkawa was also an annoyance at times. The second season came and completely outperformed it in almost every way. It takes a good series and makes it into an amazing one.

This season Senkawa plays a smaller part and his romance which was covered in the first season is now something of the past. He actually makes a better character when he isn't the major focus of events. Instead the female lead - Birdy, and her relationship with her childhood friend - Nataru, is the focus.

Unlike the first season which deals with saving the world, the plot in second season is about the past of the characters and revenge for what happened than. It's a very dark series with a cast that turns this into a very emotional story.

Another great thing about this series is that it doesn't limit itself to just the main story, the series makes sure it focuses on the idea that the story is taking place inside a world that's alive. This setting is brought out by the insert of some slice of life moments. Minor characters like Senkawa's classmates make reappearances throughout the series that help to illustrate they are continuing on with their lives after the calamity that occurred in the first season. This doesn't change even in the final episodes and still the series closes off with an amazing ending.

Overall the animation quality is good but messy, there are certain fight scenes where the quality is toned down quite a bit, a shame for budget restraints =(, but the fights are still absolutely amazing, better dynamic than conservative. The brutality of the hand to hand combat in this series continues to surprise, the creators aren't afraid to show the most graphic deaths and beatings on the screen.

This season is an incredible constrast to season one, which simply looks average in comparison. An amazing series which succeeds in just about everything it does with only minor flaws.


Story: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Production Quality: 9/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 95/100


Zoku Natsume Yuujin-Chou (season 2)
Episodes: 13


Season one was episodic in nature, just a bunch of random stories about the lead character helping Youkai. Season two shifts from this episodic nature to having more connection between the random stories and forms much more of a unity as Natsume's development starts being covered.
Although Natsume has grown closer to the youkai his bonds with people are being worked on. He finds it hard to be completely honest with people and his habit of lying keeps coming up.

The ending didn't really conclude things, it was left still building-up. The manga is still ongoing and there is a lot of story still left to be animated. Season two felt like it was just setting the pieces up for those arcs. If there is going to be a third season, than it served its purpose very well.
The production quality is solid: backgrounds are rich and detailed with crisp animation. The music is enoyable, especially the ending theme.

Like season one, Zoku Natsume Yuujin-chou is a very enjoyable and relaxing slice of life series. Hopefully there will be a third season made sometime down the road.


Story: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Production Quality: 9/10
Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Overall: 83.75/100


Shikabane Hime (both Aka and Kuro) - Don't feel like blogging the seasons seperate =P.
Episodes: 24 (12 in each season)


Aka introduces the plot and mainly focuses on introducing and developing the characters. Little is revealed about the mysteries surrounding the Shikabane Hime and thier origins and purpose. Kuro, the second season focuses on both the story and character development - especially the antagonist. Since the first season builds up the lead characters, this season really has a chance to play around with them and even then the development doesn't stop.

The first few episodes aren't that exciting but by the middles of the season things really pick up. The late middle to end episodes cover some really nice development concerning the lead male (finally we get to know what's up with that cat) and the truth about the Shikabane Hime is revealed. Shikabane Hime Kuro is able to set different expectations for the viewers and deliver something much more impressive and better.

The end...I was expecting some badass fight during the episode but that didn't happen, instead the season closes with the protaganist and the antoganist fighting. Manga is still ongoing so potentially another series (?).

Shikabane Hime is a really well done shounen series. Even though it's shounen Shikabane Hime tries to introduce fresh and new content with a lot of mystery and an interesting story. It's a great action series which has both style and substance.


Story: 8.5/10
Characters: 9/10
Production Quality: 8.5/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Overall: 87.5/100


Ride Back
Episodes: 12


Adapted from a Japanese manga. Set in Japan in 2020, it follows the story of female student Rin Ogata as she comes across a two-wheeled automobile robot known as a Rideback. The concept I love - motorbikes transforming into robots. The series starts of great with an amazing first episode. Polictical elements are introduced in as the series progresses and Rin gets caught up in this. Episode 4 was a great episode, love the Rin v Terrorist v Military scenes. Her fighting style incorporates ballet moves in her operating of her Rideback, creating a dynamic and elegant style.

The story deals with Rin and her journey to find who she really is and what she really wants to do - she feels that she is living in her mother's shadow. Operating a Rideback is not only fun for her, but in a way it gives her an identity.

The ending was good, but the political story gets wrapped up in my opinion far too easily but the show-down between Rin and the automated Ridebacks is an epic battle.

Rideback starts off really nicely but starts to lose its energy when the political story becomes the main focus of the story, nevertheless it's still a good series.
Also got to love the opening, one of the best openings this winter season =):



Story: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Production Quality: 8.5/10
Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Overall: 82.5/100


Kemono no Souja Erin
Episodes: 50 [currently 16]


Kemono no Souja Erin focuses on a girl (Erin) who can control the greatest of beasts as she gets involved in a war between two kingdoms. The pacing is slow, it is based on a novel and there are going to be 50 episodes, so the series is able to take it's time to flesh out the characters and the story. Episodes 1-13 introduces the viewers to the world and the characters, especially to illustrate Erin having a close affinity to nature and a strong will. Episode 14 onwards opens up the world and story as Erin starts to travel on her journey to become a vet (like her mother).

The animation is really good with nice character designs and an interesting artistic almost childlike rendering of the backgrounds - it grows on you.


Enjoyment: 8/10


Kurokami (Black God)
Episodes: 23 [Edited]

Quote: Keita Ibuki is an independent and struggling freelance computer programmer who, with two of his friends, is developing and trying to sell a video game program to big-time video game companies in Tokyo while trying to stay afloat and survive financially with money being given to him by his 21-year old childhood friend Akane Sano. He had a chance meeting on one night with a high Mototsumitama named Kuro while eating alone at a ramen stand. He gives her his dinner, a bowl of ramen, and tries to protect her when she is attacked in an ambush by an unknown Tera Guardian. Keita's heart is injured during another fight between Kuro and another Tera Guardian, but Kuro is able to save his life by exchanging his heart for hers since she has enhanced healing abilities like all Mototsumitamas. This creates a contract between them, which makes her more powerful than before. However, Kuro warns Keita that they need to be together all the time because her heart will become necrotic if it is away from the main body. As Kuro stays with Keita and gets acquainted with him while meeting with other Tera Guardians and their human masters, they are targeted by the strongest Tera Guardian clan of the East, the Shishigami (Lion God) Clan in an attempt to kidnap Akane and bring about the destruction of the coexistence balance, which Tera Guardians are supposed to protect. Meanwhile, Keita is determined to find out why his mother had died after seeing her double as a young boy and find out who is responsible for trying to destroy the coexistence balance on Earth.

Sunrise pretty much butchered Kurokami, they failed at the adaptation...the manga is followed for the first 12 episodes with some differences. The manga content that is covered feels rushed and isn't very enjoyable to watch - I preferred reading it...I have no idea why they tried to cram in 56 chapters into 12 episodes, though they did leave out or change certain bits. The anime leaves out the chapters which covered how Kuro learned to box from a former professional boxer, instead she has no particular style and uses some mix kicks and punches and an ultimate dragon fist super extreme flaming punch in the anime. Keita is a freelance computer programmer in the manga who is extremely cold to Kuro when they meet. In the anime he is in high school and unlike his manga counterpart he is neither extremely arrogant nor openly antagonistic of Kuro. Episode 13 onwards deals with original content, this isn't as bad to watch and is fairly enjoyable.

The fights are average, few are good but most aren't that thrilling to watch - typical shounen - punch, kick, power-up. The fights in the latter half were pretty badass, especially the fights involving Reshin. Animation is really good, colourful and detailed. The story is great, but if you want to follow it, you should instead read the manga. The original content is not bad either, even if it did deviate from the doppeliner storyline to more breaking the chains of fate. In the end the highlight of Kurokami is the action.


Enjoyment: 7/10



Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo (The Girl Who Leapt Through Space)
Episodes: 26 [Edited]


And Sunrise is redeemed through Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo for butchering Kurokami. This show is hilariously fun to watch, especially Leopard - lol Lelouch laugh >=D.

Quote: The story is set in the year 311 of the Orbital Calendar, when humanity has migrated to countless colony clusters in space. A space colony girl named Akiha Shishidou encounters a malevolent artificial intelligence named Leopard that has been installed on a colony. Akiha is joined by an Inter-Colony Police officer named Itsuki Kannagi, a taciturn young girl named Honoka Kawai, and a robot named Imoko "Imo-chan" Shishidou.

The story starts to kick-in in the second half, some of the humour fades away and the show becomes more serious. The ending was good with all the climatic battles in the final episode - was expecting Lelouch to jump out of Leopard, but that didn't happen =(.


Enjoyment: 8/10


--Syphin--

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