Blogging of the Dead special – 2011 Winter Season First Look

ZOMG! He’s returned from the dark, lonely nether to try his hand at anime blogging again! WHOAAAAAAAHHH…..yea, it’s not like anybody reads this thing anyway -_-. Neways, here I am back from the dead to bring you guys a little taste of what looks to be a very interesting winter anime season. Lovingly lifted from the fine folks at THAT Anime Blog I bring you this copypasta treat with a light drizzle of personal speculative commentary. So break out your Necronomicons and your magic wands, hop in the subaru and head on down to the pachinko parlor with your sister, a plethora of bishonen and the mysterious girl who will change your life forever cuz it’s time for a brand spanking new anime season!!!



Beezlebub

Animation Studio: Studio Pierrot (Bleach, Naruto, Yumeiro Patissiere.)
Website: http://www.beelze.jp/
Available Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oep7BHYPkWQ
Source: Manga adaptation.
Genre: Shounen.
Summary: The story follows the “strongest juvenile delinquent”, Oga Tatsumi, a first year in Ishiyama High  school for delinquents. One day while fishing by the river he sees a man floating down it, he pulls him to shore and the man splits in half revealing a baby boy. This boy is the son of the demon king and he has been chosen as the one to raise it with the baby’s maid Hilda. The story follows his life with the child at the delinquent school.

Writer’s Commentary
I started following the manga a couple months ago and I have to say, while it makes for a decent gag/shounen manga the overall package feels mediocre, like it’s all been done before. Granted, the specifics of the plot and the exact premise are of course unique, even intriguing in some points, but the characterization, the humour, the structure of the battles all seem like the kind of easily manufactured, cookie-cutter shounen fare we’ve all seen before. Of course it is precisely this kind of manga that gets animated so no surprise there ^_^;;.

Dragon Crisis

Animation Studio: Studio DEEN (Simoun, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, Maria Sama ga Miteru.)
Website: http://dragoncrisis.jp/
Available Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vI06S8LeEA&feature=player_embedded
Source: Light novel adaptation.
Genre: Action, romantic comedy.
Summary: A normal high school boy Kisaragi Ryuji’s peaceful life is turned into an adventure by the return of his second cousin Eriko. Ryuji and Eriko seize a relic box from a black broker. In the box, they find a red dragon girl Rose. In order to protect Rose from the black organization, Ryuji decides to fight using his power as a relic handler.

Writer’s Commentary
I actually expect this show to overturn a lot of people’s misconceptions and prove to be a show with a lot of heart and an equal helping of action. Ideally, I want this to be ‘Chobits with fireballs’ but the tag of “Romantic Comedy” makes me a bit wary. Hopefully, this won’t descend into the cesspool of ‘by the numbers sudden appearance magical girlfriend anime’ and provide viewers with an experience that makes them appreciate the characters SURROUNDING the mysterious dragon girl and not the girl herself.

Fractale

Animation Studio: A-1 Pictures and Ordet (Kannagi, Sora no Woto and Black Rock Shooter, respectively.)
Website: http://fractale.noitamina.tv/
Available Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xloA9MAnhMQ
Source: Manga adaptation.
Genre: Science fiction, seinen.
Summary: In the future, the world is managed by a network called the Fractale System. A boy named Crane is living an aimless life with his parents, who are actually computer-generated “Doppels”. One day, he runs into a pretty girl named Furyune, who is being pursued by someone. When he rescues her and helps to keep her hidden from her pursuers, he is pulled into her troubles as well. After meeting her, his life will never be the same!

Writer’s Commentary
I am excited for this because on of the most talented storyboardists/art directors in anime is handling this project. I am speaking of course, about Yamamoto Yutaka (Yamakan to the fans). He’s the man to whom credit is due for the phenomenal(-ly hyped) Haruhi Suzumiya Ending sequence as well as the Lucky Star and Kannagi OPs. He also directed several episodes of those series in addition to the recent Black Rock Shooter. I expect from him solid visuals in the very least and the story seems sound enough to stand on its own so my hopes are quite high for Fractale ^_^.

Freezing

Animation Studio: Media Factory (Genshiken, Ikki Tousen)
Website: http://freezing.tv/
Available Trailers: http://freezing.tv/special/index.html
Source: Manga adaptation.
Genre: Action, science fiction, ecchi, romance.
Summary: Set in a slightly futuristic world where Earth has been invaded and is at war with aliens from another dimension called the Nova, the story follows the adventures of a Japanese boy named Kazuya Aoi who enrolls for training at a special school for genetically modified girls called Pandoras who battle the aliens, and their male partners, called Limiters, who use a special power called “freezing” to limit their opponent’s mobility. The protagonist makes the acquaintance of an unusual older girl named Bridgette L. Satellizer who appears to be the most powerful Pandora in her class, but has not yet chosen a male partner to be her Limiter, and in spite of the warnings of all his friends, he decides to be her Limiter.

Writer’s Commentary
Mai Otome meets Dragonaut meets Vandread meets Sekirei…..maybe, I’m not certain. I am certain however, that I won’t be following this series through to the end unless there is a genre-busting event that takes place or a principal character dies and his/her death alters the entire path of the series from then on out. Of course, not every anime is Gurren Lagann ne? ^_^;;

Gosick

Animation Studio: BONES (Star Driver, Full Metal Alchemist, Ouran High School Host Club.)
Website: http://www.gosick.tv/
Available Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMFLC-SKtFs
Source: Light novel adaptation.
Genre: Mystery, shounen.
Summary: The year is 1924, the place, Sauville, a small European country neatly tucked beside the Alps…
Kazuya Kujo has been studying abroad at the prestigious Saint Marguerite Academy, where urban legends and horror stories are all the rage. Most Kazuya ignores but the story of the Queen Berry, a mysterious ghost ship, really gets to him. Of course, his brainy friend Victorique is much more intrigued by true stories, and she uses her unrivaled logic to solve mysteries even the town’s famous detective can’t. Ironically, it is Victorique’s inquisitive nature that leads the duo to board a ship that matches the Queen Berry’s description to a tee, a ship that might just hold the key to solving a sinister mystery…

Writer’s Commentary
If the trailer is anything to go by, we can at least expect a show that attempts to unseat Kuroshitsuji as the premier Gothic fashion anime. But seriously, how old are these people anyway? 15? I don’t see them solving any gruesome murder mysteries and being taken seriously no matter HOW rich our gifted little Ojou-chan is. Still, with bones handling the animation I expect a gorgeous title with fluid animation and it doesn’t hurt that mystery anime usually rub me the right way, isn’t that right Shiki my darling ^_^.

Haiyoru! Nyaruani: Remember My Love(craft-sensei)

Animation Studio: DLE
Website: http://ga.sbcr.jp/bunko_blog/nyaruani/
Available Trailers: None available.
Source: Light novel adaptation.
Genre: Comedy.
Summary: The story centers around Nyarlko, a formless Cthulhu deity who can take on the shape of anyone it wishes, but particularly the shape of a seemingly ordinary silver-haired girl. Mahiro Yasaka is a normal high school student who is chased by aliens one night, until “Nyarlko” saves him. (NOTE: only four minute episodes, already airing.)

Writer’s Commentary
First of all let me say MOE FHTAGN!!!! Okay, got that out of my system. I’ve already started watching this series. Now, as someone who’s actually read Lovecraft’s work (read: wank wank wank check out my e-peen everyone, I’m an intellijerlk) I can say that this is as LOOSE an adaptation as can possibly be made. It’s just another testament to Moe’s ability to deviate any topic no matter how dense and seemingly impregnable (Nyarlathotep who is supposed to resemble an Egyptian Pharaoh with irresistible charm instead takes the form of a petite, silver-haired maiden with the intelligence of a sheet of drywall >_<). I’m following this series out of sheer, morbid curiosity……I just hope I don’t slip into madness before the end though.

Houkago no Pleiades

Animation Studio: Gainax (Evangelion, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, FLCL,  Hanamaru Youchien, Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt.)
Website: http://sbr-gx.jp/
Available Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTfz4LbyT2c
Source: Collaboration between Subaru and Gainax.
Genre: ?
Summary: Subaru and Gainax are cooperating to make…something…?

Writer’s Commentary
When I first heard the name I thought ‘AWESOME A SEQUEL TO SORA NO MANIMANI!!!!!’ Then, when I found out what it was actually about I took several steps back (I guess you might say I put myself in REVERSE! LOL CAR JOKE!). Ok, seriously, I hope that Gainax can inject enough Gainax awesome to overcome the overbearing influence of product placement and crass consumerism that Subaru is trying to lather onto this show.

Hourou Musuko

Animation Studio: AIC (Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai, Asobi ni Iku yo,
Website: http://www.houroumusuko.jp/
Available Trailers: http://www.houroumusuko.jp/special/movie02.html
Source: Manga adaptation.
Genre: Drama.
Summary: Shûichi Nitori is a 5th grade student who likes to bake and has always been something of a feminine boy. When he transfers to a new school, Shûichi is mistaken for his 6th grade sister on his first day. Then he ends up sitting next to Yoshino Takatsuki, a tall, boyish girl who everyone calls “Takatsuki-kun.” They both have secrets they can’t let anyone know… The series deals with issues such as transsexuality, gender identity, and the beginning of puberty.

Writer’s Commentary
I am so surprised to see this manga being adapted into an anime since this will be the third time that a non-mainstream manga that I read will be animated (now all I need is that Code:Breaker anime to be made I will be complete). I am also very pleased to say that after Bitter Virgin this is the most sincere and tasteful manga that I have ever read that deals with a serious real world issue (in this case Gender identity). I love the tale Houro Musuko and I love the animation style that I see being employed to tell this tale and I feel positively ecstatic that the industry is willing to give such a story the chance to be told in animation. Can’t wait.

Infinite Stratos

Animation Studio: 8-bit (Macross Frontier movies.)
Website: http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/is/
Available Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXBpBJXioOE
Source: Light novel adaptation.
Genre: Action, mecha, science fiction, shounen.
Summary: Japan engineered an armed powered exoskeleton “Infinite Stratos” (IS) and it became the mainstream of weapons. Since only women can operate IS, women dominate the society over men. Orimura Ichika is a 15 year old boy and accidentally touches an IS placed in the IS pilot training school. He is found to be the only man who can operate IS and forced to enter the training school. Ichika’s busy school life surrounded by girls has begun.

Writer’s Commentary
I was fine until the “only women can operate” part -_-. Nothing, save the design of the mechs themselves, interests me about this show and I KNOW that the crushing weight of realism will destroy even that aspect of the series for me when the absolute absurdity of open-cockpit mobile suits and their uselessness in military applications becomes too great to ignore. Plus, it’s kids with robots AGAIN!!!

Kimi ni Todoke season 2

Animation Studio: Production I.G. (Ghost in the Shell: SAC, Eden of the East, xxxHolic.)
Website: http://www.ntv.co.jp/kiminitodoke/index.html
Available Trailers: None
Source: Manga adaptation.
Genre: Shoujo, romance.
Summary: Sequel to the first season.

Writer’s Commentary

One of the sweetest Romance animes of 2010 is set to make us feel all fuzzy inside for yet another season! Go for it, I say. Plus it keeps Aya Hirano in the recoding booth where she belongs, the dirty traitor…..

Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?

Animation Studio: Studio DEEN (Simoun, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, Maria Sama ga Miteru.)
Website: http://newtype.kadocomic.jp/zombie/
Available Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYopij1eR8s
Source: Manga adaptation.
Genre: Action, horror, mahou shoujo.
Summary: Aikawa Ayumu is a normal high school boy. One day he is killed by a serial killer and revived as a zombie by a necromancer named Eucliwood Hellscythe. He starts to serve Eu as her guard but he happens to deprive the mahou shoujo Haruna of her magic power. Haruna orders Ayumu to fight against the anti-mahou shoujo system “Megalo” in her place.

Writers’ Commentary

Mahou shoujo with reanimated corpses and a PINK chainsaw!? AND she’s DFC? Where do I sign up >:-D. Honestly though, this premise is crazy enough for me to dive right in. Will watch.

Level E

Animation Studio: David Production and Studio Pierrot (Ristorante Paradiso, Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantora and Bleach, Naruto, Yumeiro Patissiere, respectively.)
Website: http://ani.tv/level-e/
Available Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRclK3t_jwk
Source: Manga adaptation.
Genre: Comedy, science fiction, shounen.
Summary: Tsutsui Yukitaka was a freshman who had just entered a high school, and he was hoped to be a good baseball player. When he moved to a new apartment, there was a man in the room. He said he was an alien and lost his memory. Actually, he was the first prince of Planet Dogra, and he was the man who had the best brain and the worst nature.

Writer’s Commentary
Personally speaking, I wouldn’t mind sharing an apartment with an alien, but it HAS to be Yuki Nagato (mmmmmmm deadpan pettanko kuudere queen ~_~). As with Kore wa Zombie desu ka, this series seems weird enough to warrant a try. When I think of shounen comedy though, I seem to only be able to conjure up images of Cromartie Highschool, WHICH IS GREAT. Watching.

Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica

Animation Studio: SHAFT (Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Soremachi, Bakemongatari, Hidamari Sketch, Arakawa Under the Bridge.)
Website: http://www.madoka-magica.com/
Available Trailers: http://www.madoka-magica.com/special/
Source: Original series.
Genre: Mahou shoujo.
Summary: Madoka is a kind, friendly, but ordinary second-year middle school girl. She wonders aloud what she should do if she can grant whatever you may wish through magic.

Writer’s Commentary
The summary leaves much to be desired……however it is being handled by SHAFT so my ticket is already stamped. Will watch. Shinbo-sama teach me the ways of your magical girls!!!!!XD

Mitsudomoe Zouryouchuu

Animation Studio: Bridge, Lantis (Mitsudomoe season 1 and music production on various seires, respectively.)

Website: http://www.mitsudomoe-anime.com/
Available Trailers: http://www.mitsudomoe-anime.com/special/m12.html
Source: Manga adaptation.
Genre: Comedy, slice of life.
Summary: Season 2 of the slice of life comedy about three troublesome sisters and their misadventures.

Writer’s Commentary
I liked the first season; simple, dumb, fast-paced, fresh. I expect more of the same. I have no complaints.

Onii-chan no Koto Nanka Zenzen Suki Jya Nai Dakara Ne~!!

Animation Studio: Zexcs (Eureka 7, Chu-bra, Mushi-shi.)
Website: http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/oniichan/
Available Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVfHGXE5Fdw
Source: Light novel adaptation.
Genre: Comedy, ecchi, romance.
Summary: Junior High student Nao’s brother complex is so strong, it’s almost at the point of incest. She’s determined to make her brother, High School student Shuusuke, see her as a woman. So determined, that she goes as far as going into his room to throw away all his non-incest related porn. But as she’s looking for his porno stash, she finds a photo album… and she’s not in any of his childhood pictures. What is going on?

Writer’s Commentary
Can someone please explain to me how we can come from something like OreImo, which was one of the first series in a long time willing to take a chance at lampooning the lovestruck little sister stereotype that seems to infect the entire industry, to this show, who’s very TITLE seems to invoke the cutesy, shy, tsundere-ish qualities that have been used and abused over and over and over again!? *sigh* If you’re gonna follow the already heavily trodden path of incest you better take it to its extremes KissxSis style or just don’t come at all…

P.S. I’m extra sad because I realized that I’ll still end up watching it ANYWAY for the damn lolis and the expectation of comedy -_-;;;;.

Rio -Rainbow Gate-

Animation Studio: Xebec (To-Love Ru, Heroic Age, Occult Gakuin.)

Website: http://riorainbowgate.com/
Available Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPp1EKSzYUk
Source: Slot machine (wut?) adaptation.
Genre: Comedy, ecchi.
Summary: Rio: Rainbow Gate is an anime featuring Rio, a character from slot/pachinko machines.  It takes place in the Howard Resort, a resort hotel which draws custom from around the world with the lure of the possibility of winning a fortune.  Within the resort is a casino and one of its dealers is the beautiful Rio Rollins, following in the footsteps of her famous mother. To achieve her goal, she is working to gather together the legendary “Gate” card-set, for the person who gathers all 13 Gates is bestowed the title “Most Valuable Casino Dealer”.

Writer’s Commentary
I don’t know why the anime industry is wasting its time on B-list mascots when they could be rolling in dough by exploiting more popular mascots (MikuMiku anime anyone?). Well, with studio Xebec behind it it’s sure to be a bodacious booby-fest of epic proportions. I like the studio handling it so that’s enough to earn it a passing glance from me.

Starry Sky

Animation Studio: Studio DEEN (Simoun, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, Maria Sama ga Miteru.)
Website: http://sta-ska.com/
Available Trailers: None
Source: Mnaga adaptation.
Genre: Shoujo, harem.
Summary: The heroine, Tsukiko, enrolled to a school that was recently changed from all-boys school to co-ed. Since the area where the school is conveniently rural and the rather exclusive curriculums the school has, up until now the heroine is the only one female who enrolled to the school. In Starry Sky, the 12 constellations of the Zodiac are personified into handsome young men. The anime will be directed by Kiyomo Sayaka who worked with Vampire Knight. Similar to Hetalia – Axis Powers, Starry Sky’s anime will be distributed through the Animate.tv website and other means.

Writer’s Commentary

And right on schedule we have this season’s yaoi fan-bait. At least they have the courtesy of disguising it as a reverse harem this time around. First Hetalia, then Miracle Train, now this? I swear, sexy/handsome/moe anthropomorphizations of objects, concepts and classic literary characters are on the rise. Just you wait and see it won’t be long before we have “cup holder-chan” and “String Theory-san” and the always lovable “Cantide-kun” -_-;;.

Suite Precure

Animation Studio: Toei Animation (Lovely Complex, Air Gear, Xenosaga: the Animation.)
Website: http://asahi.co.jp/precure/
Available Trailers: None
Source: Franchise
Genre: Action, comedy, mahou shoujo.
Summary: Latest continuation in the long-running Pretty Cure/Precure franchise.

Writer’s Commentary
Ugghh, precure? It’s an epileptic’s nightmare. Seems like some series get all the funding, I just can’t believe that there’s a greater demand for this kind of stuff than The Tatami Galaxy -_-. I’ll stick to the Mahou shoujo directed by Akiyuki Shinbo tyvm.

Wolverine

Animation Studio: Madhouse (Iron Man, Aoi Bungaku, Trigun.)
Website: http://bd-dvd.sonypictures.jp/marvelanime/
Available Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGTATAYjFXc
Source: Comic book adaptation.
Genre: Action.
Summary: Adaptation of the American comic book series.

Writer’s Commentary

I didn’t watch Iron Man and I won’t be watching this. Call me when they make a Black Panther anime.

Yumekui Merry

Animation Studio: J.C. Staff (Ookami to Shichinin no Nakamatachi, To Aru Kagaku no Railgun, To Aru Majutsu no Index, Honey and Clover, Kaichou wa Maid-sama.)
Website: http://nightmare.ponycanyon.co.jp/
Available Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ClzHW3n1G8
Source: Manga adaptation.
Genre: Action, supernatural.
Summary: Huju-wara-kun is your ordinary adolescent boy , but 10 years ago he noticed he had a power to see multicolored auras surrounding the persons body which he looks upon through his fingers. Every so often Huju-wara has dreams about a war with cats , but one day a girl fell on top of him …. what will happen now with his incoming feline enemies?

Writer’s Commentary

JC Staff certainly has a thing for badass girls with humble chests ne? Well, you’ll hear no complaints from me that’s for sure >:-D. The premise seems delightfully strange and I expect several characters with interesting personality quirks (Also, I’m holding out for the inevitable character with Kuroko’s voice). Will watch.

Cardfight!! Vanguard

Animation Studio: TMS Entertainment (D.Gray-man, Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Detective Conan)
Website: http://cf-vanguard.com/
Available Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72w-nveqoJE
Source: Card game adaptation.
Genre: Shounen.
Summary: Based on the card game of the same name, a collaboration between Yu-Gi-Oh! R manga creator Akira Ito, the original Duel Masters technical advisor Satoshi Nakamura, and Bushiroad President Takaaki Kidani.

Writer’s Commentary

Okay, now don’t get me wrong or anything, I like a good card game as much as the next nerd-probably more so being a Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh! player-but believe me when I say that IPs based on said card games are just a clever ploy by big business novelty toy companies to drain as much money out of the pockets of small children and teenagers (and quite a few right-minded adults) as possible. That notwithstanding I believe a show like this has the potential for success if it maintains the right balance of action and absurdity; one of which they’re almost certain to have in spades. It may make a whole new generation of kiddy card-game players and lighthearted anime fans or it may just end up as irrelevant and  inconsequential as it’s spiritual predecessor Duel Masters. Only time will tell…