Spring Anime Season Thoughts

I’m looking at the Spring anime season and deciding what to watch right now/blog about. If you know me, you know I drop ninety percent of what I start. I’m overly picky and have the attention span of a goldfish.

Fall season I started seven series and I’m not consistently watching any of them. I dropped a few completely (Code Geass due to lack of direction and crazy writing, D Gray Man due to the onslaught of filler early on and just overall lack of interest, Perfect Girl Evolution because I’ve read the manga but the anime was not keeping my attention, and Red Garden because it was slow for me), and have yet to catch up on (although I plan to, probably in a marathon once they’re over) Death Note, Pumpkin Scissors, and Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori.

Last spring I started only four series and finished one (Haruhi Suzumiya), dropped one (Ouran High Host Club), and have yet to finish a third (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni and Saiunkoku Monogatari). On both of those, I definitely plan on finishing them ASAP. However I like to be able to watch the full arcs all in one sitting, so need to find the time.

I still think this season looks kind of dry, but it’s better than the fall season which had little to nothing I was interested in (I kind of forced myself to be interested in and try a lot of stuff) and even less that turned out well. These are listed in no particular order outside being separated by ‘definites’ and ‘maybes.’ And if there’s anything I absolutely MUST WATCH in your opinion, let me know. I’m not watching Darker than Black (Studio Bones doesn’t get my time anymore), Idolm@ster XENOGLOSSIA (not interested), or anything particularly loli-con looking.

Most summaries are ganked from the ever trusty ANN. Click ‘read more’ to see it all.

Definites:

Romeo x Juliet
This is a story of a young and tragic love, set in the aerial city of Neo Verona. Tyranny rules this island in the sky after the Montague family took control 14 years prior. The disparity among the wealthy and poor is apparent in the present state, the earth dries and water stagnates. The sky itself is wrapped in a deep dense fog. Both Romeo and Juliet’s lineages are of present and past ruling families of Neo Verona. Romeo is the son of the current Montague dictator, Juliet (a beautiful woman) masquerades as a man (Odin), she’s the last descendent of Capulet the previous rulers who were killed by an assasin’s dagger 14 years ago. Her true background is not to be revealed to her until her 16th birthday while being raised by her sister. The cruel hands of fate introduces two people who will become “Star Crossed Lovers”.

See top of post for image. I’m sure we all know what this story is about. Haha. There’s been so much buzz about this, but I’m really excited. Gankutsuou and Princess Tutu are two of my favorite anime ever, so wonderful thoughts to involvement of staff from them. It’s got some new characters, which threw me a bit. However, thinking about it- they’re extending a two hour play into twenty-six episodes so I guess that’s inevitable. I do like the original play, but maybe if it’s a longer series the relationship will develop slower and more genuinely. Not that I don’t expect them to both die of course. The opening theme is aso playing on the site. It’s You Raise Me Up, not in English though. No Josh Groban in this version. Aww. I am so psyched for this series. I haven’t been this excited for a new anime in at least a couple years. It looks like it is going to be spectacular. Here’s the promo trailer, which has been online for quite some time. And also, a more recently released commercial spot.

Claymore
In a world where monsters called Yoma prey on humans and live among them in disguise, humanity’s only hope is a new breed of warrior known as Claymores–silver-eyed girls who have willingly become half monster to destroy the predators. But the more the Claymores call on their supernatural strength, the closer they come to losing their human sides forever.

Being animated by Madhouse, who brought us the very solid Death Note and Monster, amongst others. Okay everyone seems to be brushing this off as a ‘typical shounen’ in ther previews. I don’t pretend the manga is the most riveting and original thing ever (it’s not), but I really can’t understand even from people who have seen just one picture, how it’s being seen as Standard Jump Fare (tm). The cast is 90% female for one. Anyway, I have read the first seven volumes of this manga and I think it will translate well to an animated format. I look forward to it. Please do check this series out! If the anime is anything like the manga, it’s a great piece of action.

Victorian Romance Emma- Second Act
In late 19th century London, William Jones, a member of the gentry, meets and falls in love with Emma, and she with him. This chance meeting overturns both their lives – for Emma is a maid, and the barriers of class and wealth stand between them.

I haven’t seen the first series, but I have read the manga up to where that series leaves off. Since the manga is still early in it’s release here in the U.S. (and I haven’t hunted it down online), I look forward to discovering the rest of the story through this Emma is slice of life series, whch generally kind of doesn’t interest me. However, the art is so gorgeous, the setting so rich, and the character’s charming enough that I find it very addictive. If you do like slice of life, watch/read this. If you don’t, do so so anyway. Check out this lovely promo trailer for it. It’s subtitled.

Saiunkoku Monogotari- Season Two
Saiunkoku is a world of eight provinces or houses, each named after a different colour. The new Emperor, Shi Ryuuki, has gained for a reputation for being uninterested in courtly matters and for flaunting his love for men. Shuurei, although born of the important Kou family, has difficulty making ends meet. She easily accepts an invitation to be the Emperor’s concubine in order to turn him into a good ruler. The mysterious Seiran, a young man who was adopted by her father, goes with her as Ryuuki’s bodyguard. Entering the imperial palace revives Shuurei’s dream of being a court official, and, together with the many companions she meets along the way, continues moving bravely forward while trying to fend off the Emperor’s advances.

Actually the only thing barring me from watching this is finishing season one. If I still like it a lot after I’m done with that one, you bet I’ll be watching this. SM is a good series. Not near as formulaic as the promo art and the opening theme would lead you to believe. It is not a Fushigi Yuugi ripoff, despite how it may look. It’s funny, sweet, and genuinely interesting. Shuurei is an extremely charismatic lead, and a breath of fresh air in the fantasy/historic shoujo genre. It’s rather beautifully animated as well.

Seirei no Moribito

I honestly don’t have a summary for this, as I couldn’t find one. I know it’s about woman assigned to guard a boy, and they’re protecting some kind of Earth Spirit Jewel or… something. This is a Production IG project, and while I’m not their biggest fan I think it looks gorgeous and I simply can’t resist. Watch a trailer here. And watch the impressive opening theme here.

Maybes:

Depending on further thought, I may not even watch the first episode of any of these. However, they’ve at least mildly piqued my interest for the moment. We’ll see! No preview images, but I link to the official sites.

Heroic Age
Answering the call of the “Gold Race”, all the sentient races launch into space. The human race is the last to launch, and are thus known as the “Iron Race”. Much time has passed since then, and humanity is threatened with extinction at the hands of the more dominant “Silver Race”. In order to save her people, Queen Deianeira sets out on a journey to a galaxy far away, following the prophecies of the Gold Race handed down by the royal family. Then, she meets a boy named Age. Their encounter will change the fate of the universe…

This series could either be cool or really lame. Character designs are by Hisashi Hirai of Gundam SEED fame, so it looks nice. However, I’m wary of most mech shows because they so often are subpar. I’m more interested in this one because it seems to be rooted in Greek mythology, which is a possibly neat concept. All the ‘races’ of course, are named after ‘ages.’ The gold age, the silver age, the iron age and the title for the age of Heroes. The small text on the main page also talks about Twelve Labors, and Deianeira is a wife of Hercules. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, hesitantly. See a trailer here.

Toward the Terra
In the far future, humanity has left behind an environmentally destroyed Terra and began colonization in order to reproduce their home. Humanity, now ruled by a super computer that controls the birth of children, sees the emergence of a new race called the “Mu”. The Mu, now hidden from the rest of humanity, have one dream, to return home, to Terra…

Based on a movie from the early eighties, this series looks like it could be pseudo old school fun. They did NOT update the character designs much, and I like that. They still look way retro. You can watch a promo here.

Lovely Complex
Risa and Otani are always being laughed at as the comedy duo. Risa, a girl, is taller than the average girl, and Otani, a boy, is shorter than the average boy. The two are always bickering and even their teacher sees them as a comedy act. But as their friendship develops, so does Risa’s feelings toward Otani.

I honestly do not know if this is my kind of thing, but it’s the shoujo that trusted sources have recced to me so I may as well give it a try. I did try Ouran last year, but lost interest extremely early on. It bored me hard and fast. I like the character designs though.

–Haro