Fall 2008: The good, the bad, and the Linebarrels of Iron
The good: Index, Clannad, Soul Eater, and Shikabane Hime. The bad yet begrudgingly enjoyable: Toradora and Kannagi. And the ugly: Gonzo living down to all the negative expectations. Plus, some other shows I'm holding off on for a bit. Fall 2008 is shaping up to be a great season.
Update (12/07/2008): Tweaked the post since I'm a perfectionist and added Shikabane Hime impressions.
To Aru Majutsu no Index
While others complain about all the exposition, I love it. Action is overrated. Nearly everything this show does has some creative and unique twist, and that's something I truly appreciate. I've completely dropped reading blog entries on this one because I'm tired of all the negativity.
And now it looks like we'll finally be getting more "biri-biri!"
Clannad ~After Story
Having to wait for 16:9 releases is simply too cruel. This is Key being Key and Kyo-Ani being Kyo-Ani -- and that's all I can really ask for. Still funny, and still able to land those emotional jabs when it wants to.
I feel the best way to watch Clannad is to let a few episodes build up, and stop watching for a bit at the end of each arc. But who knows how long I can keep that up.
Soul Eater
Who needs substance when you have so much style. The art style continues to delight and Studio Bones knows how to animate shounen. Similar to Index, I feel almost everything this show does has some sort of unique twist to it.
Heck, I even like the Excalibur episodes!?
Shikabane Hime: Aka
I put the show on hold for a while after Funimation licensed it, just to allow all the dust to clear. I'm just now getting back into it, and after a few more episodes I feel it's still going strong so far. Nothing phenomenal has happened storywise yet, but the show is well directed with plenty of atmosphere.
Plus, I am a bit of a Gainax fanboy. Just so you know...
Toradora
Taiga is moving beyond the typical abusive tsundere... let's hope it sticks. I almost gave up on it not too far in, but now I'm glad I stuck with it. Ami saved the day in my eyes. Minori's a bit too much of a wackjob for my tastes, but she does come through with a few good laughs.
And then every so often, it shows a deeper side with a well written, and understated, conversation. Maybe I'm being a bit hard on the show, and should just label it flat out good?
Kannagi
I feel like this isn't a good series at all, and yet here I am laughing so much during each episode. So many things they do make me want to simply facepalm, but I keep on watching anyways. It's a guilty pleasure, one that makes me almost feel dirty after watching and enjoying it.
Have you ever enjoyed a show, even though you know you shouldn't?
Gundam 00 Second Season
I've fallen behind a bit, but I do intend to catch up eventually. While I feel the show has matured a bit since season one, it's still lacking any sort of "oomph." Nothing spectacular, sometimes a little awkward, but nothing deal breaking either.
I would have dropped it by now if I weren't so plot committed after already sitting through a full season. I'm not even sure how I managed that even.
Bleach
I'm not that interested in it now, but I know eventually I'll need my fix. This arc is terrible, but it seems I'm once again too committed to a series to give it up at this point. I really should learn to let things go, as this anime jumped the shark long ago.
I follow the manga weekly. It certainly hasn't shown me anything yet, but in retrospect, the Grimmjow fight felt a ton better in the anime.
Shugo Chara Doki
Watching it week to week just won't do, so I'm putting it on hold until enough episodes stack up. And yes, I actually don't mind the fillers all that much, even if the main storyline is far superior. One day I'll go back and read the manga to get the true experience.
Kurogane no Linebarrel
I don't hate Gonzo. On the contrary, I rather like the studio. But good lord they screwed this one up. The only show I've flat out dropped this season, for a while I followed it simply to see how bad it could get. An entire episode of fanservice? Sponge cake? Really!?
The manga was hardly spectacular, but it did the job nonetheless. I am a sucker for giant robots beating the shit out of one another. Gonzo really proved the critics right on this one.
And finally...
I'm not the usually type to watch shows as they air. In fact, this is the first season of anime in which I've watched so many series weekly. I'm really not too sure where I stand on that whole issue yet. Even while watching so many shows, there are still a few more (notably Bounen no Xamdou and Blade of the Immortal) which I am holding off on until later.
So, how are you enjoying the fall 2008 season? What shows are you keeping track of and enjoying, and which shows let you down?
1) no name
At the time of Kannagi's airing, I thought it was great, however when it finished the last few episodes left me feeling empty. They should've just kept it comedy, slice-of-life -ish. By the end I didn't like any of the characters except Tsugumi. I've probably enjoyed several shows that I shouldn't have.
I was one of how ever many that dropped Index ^^;. I only lasted 6 episodes. They were like floating talking heads. Am I missing out?
Clannad After Story I stopped watching after that Sunohara's moe sister episode when she called Tomoya "Onii-chan". I've already played the game so I didn't want to cry my eyes out again orz.
Soul Eater is just awesome, very stylish, I couldn't wait for new episodes to come out and read ahead in the manga already. Though I've been reading how Bones might make an original ending.
Shikabane Hime I'm not following, have only seen the 1st episode.
Toradora is amazingly great IMO. The characters feel real, their interactions affect each other.
Gundam 00 I'm behind, I sort of lost interest.
Bleach I stopped watching a long time ago. I lost interest.
Shugo Chara I stopped watching during the first season when we find out that one girl is a guy...
Gonzo have fallen. They've already lost their good production members.
Xam'd is spectacular. Only one episode til it ends, which will come out next week on Tuesday.
I watch just about every show each season, shows that I lose interest in are put on hold.
Anyway, just discovered your blog so I'm going through your old posts. :3