April showers bring [Spring 2011] anime

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Toriko is ridiculous, manly and amazing. This week's episode features an old, drunk guy who transforms into a giant...above the waist only (I believe he eventually uses tree trunks as cigars?), and a scene, as intense as anything from Akagi, in which a chef is delicately attempting to remove a poison sack from a baby whale in order to cook it (was akin to defusing a bomb). Anyway, I know I'm kind of the solitary voice crying in the wilderness on this one, but anyone who enjoys One Piece or Fist of the North Star would really dig Toriko. The manga is selling very well in Japan for good reason.

[Cadence]

Ao no Exorcist is officially my favorite thing I have watched this season (although, I've only made it through more than one episode of three different shows). I'm a fan of cheesy shounen anime, A-1 Pictures, and Okamoto Nobuhiko. Add some great music and above-average animation, and it is the perfect combination to appeal to me. But...aren't there only three volumes of the manga out right now? I'm a little apprehensive...

[MasterDias]

But...aren't there only three volumes of the manga out right now? I'm a little apprehensive...

Six volumes, actually. Still rather early for an anime series, so I assume they have planned to go anime-original eventually (ala the first FMA series), since at the "one episode per chapter" pace they seem to be doing right now, it would end in the middle of an arc.

[blkmage]

Ao no Exorcist isn't my favourite thing, but it's a lot better than I was expecting, at least so far. I feel like it could end up sucking really, really easily if it went the wrong way and the potential adaptation problems don't exactly inspire me with confidence.

Toriko is ridiculous, manly and amazing. This week's episode features an old, drunk guy who transforms into a giant...above the waist only (I believe he eventually uses tree trunks as cigars?), and a scene, as intense as anything from Akagi, in which a chef is delicately attempting to remove a poison sack from a baby whale in order to cook it (was akin to defusing a bomb). Anyway, I know I'm kind of the solitary voice crying in the wilderness on this one, but anyone who enjoys One Piece or Fist of the North Star would really dig Toriko. The manga is selling very well in Japan for good reason.

Even though people have been down on the Toriko anime here, I've generally heard good things about the manga.

Except for Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko. I was so amazed by that one that I got my parents to watch it with me as it comes out weekly. The three of us are completely transfixed. It also wins my award for best OP and ED, both of which do a perfect job of setting the tone for the show.

DenpaOnna's OP and ED are fantastic. I've been looking for stuff by the band that did the OP. But the ED is sung by Etsuko Yakushimaru, who's done other OP/EDs for Shaft shows, but more importantly, is the lead singer for Soutaisei Riron, which is an awesome band that I found a few months ago and love.

The animation is kind of sparse, even for a Shaft show, which made it kind of strange, but I'm looking forward to seeing where they're taking it now that my biggest problem with the show has been solved.

[ich1990]

Kaiji's episodes 3 and 4 had me puzzled. I know that the story writers wanted to show that even Kaiji can regress and fall back into old habits, but I figured that as soon as he got back into his gambling element all the old skills and maturity would come back to him. In these two episodes, that wasn't the case. Were we going to have to watch him do the whole maturing process all over again?

Then I watched episode 5 and the veteran Kaiji of old bared his fangs. This is going to be a fun, fun season.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Ao no Exorcist is officially my favorite thing I have watched this season (although, I've only made it through more than one episode of three different shows). I'm a fan of cheesy shounen anime, A-1 Pictures, and Okamoto Nobuhiko. Add some great music and above-average animation, and it is the perfect combination to appeal to me.

Ao no Exorcist isn't my favourite thing, but it's a lot better than I was expecting, at least so far. I feel like it could end up sucking really, really easily if it went the wrong way and the potential adaptation problems don't exactly inspire me with confidence.

Even though I was always planning on watching the show, I, too, didn't expect it to be as good as it has been so far. A pleasant surprise among many this season, though what I'm hearing in this thread has me skeptical that it can continue to maintain its current standard all the way through. I will remain hopeful, however.

[TWWK]

Episode 4 of AnoHana was the best so far. I've been enjoying the series, but it's felt strangely detached and jigsawed to me - until this point. The show is starting to come together, not at the least because Yukiatsu is more fleshed out, and Tsuruko continues to become a more sympathetic character.

[blkmage]

C's been picking up and I've been trying to find parallels or allusions to how the financial system actually works. Hidan no Aria, on the other hand, has been getting dumber, although I figure GUNS will be enough to keep me entertained while I wait for the rest of the Thursday wave of shows to download (since it airs earlier, it's also released earlier).

AnoHana's fifth episode was surprisingly good and I think it handled Yukiatsu pretty well, after, you know, the thing that happens in episode 4. And hints/speculation from the gg blog/channel:
[SPOILER][12:40] <eltonium> the name of the flower that they don’t know is a forget-me-not
[12:40] <eltonium> menma’s wish is that they don’t forget about her[/SPOILER]

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

AnoHana's fifth episode was surprisingly good and I think it handled Yukiatsu pretty well, after, you know, the thing that happens in episode 4. And hints/speculation from the gg blog/channel:
[SPOILER][12:40] <eltonium> the name of the flower that they don’t know is a forget-me-not
[12:40] <eltonium> menma’s wish is that they don’t forget about her[/SPOILER]

I think Menma's wish is that they all remain friends in spite of her death.

Also, C is starting to improve and might actually be a good show if it keeps up like this. Hidan no Aria is remaining pretty terrible.

[MightiMidget]

Hidan no Aria...wow. I'm enjoying it solely because of how bad it is, but it almost crosses over from "so bad it's funny" to "just bad and boring" now and then...

Behind on pretty much everything but C right now though. ops: Which I am quite enjoying.

[blkmage]

Dog Days, colloquially known as D'awwww Days, in which your reward for victory in battle is a sum of money and a pat on the head. Also, the main character plays fetch with and pets the princess. Really.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

So I watched episode 5 of Deadman Wonderland and then threw up (not really, but that was...)

On a more positive note, episode 8 of Tiger and Bunny was phenomenal. The past few have been good-but-not-great; however, the introduction of Lunatic has injected fresh excitement into the series (not to mention introducing a storyline that isn't completed in one episode). They are doing the superhero thing really, really well, I love the secondary characters a lot, the comedy continues to be solid, and the show is like FMA:B and Captain Harlock in that it can give a single character some screen time/development while simultaneously advancing the overarching narrative in an awesome way.

EDIT* - Oh, lemme just leave this here as well. New 170 second trailer for the Sengoku Basara movie airing in Japan on June 4th. It looks pretty flippin' exciting. As a SenBas fan, I was nerding out while watching it. Unsurprisingly, the visuals looks gorgeous.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

I think I have a soft spot in my heart for Dog Days because it's been a while since I've seen or read a medieval fantasy and it is one of my favorite genres so it's pretty entertaining.

C is pretty okay now, at least.

[MasterDias]

So I watched episode 5 of Deadman Wonderland and then threw up (not really, but that was...)

Yeah, I don't consider myself especially squeamish about violence(I've watched through things like Baccano and Umineko), but that was just nasty. I'm actually glad they censored that for broadcast.

[minakichan]

Wait, what was gross in Deadman Wonderland? I've been watching and haven't felt too squeamish.

Of course, I've also read the manga already and I'm painting at the same time and therefore only paying half attention...

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Wait, what was gross in Deadman Wonderland?

Za penarty gameu (the penalty game)

[MightiMidget]

Yeah, I don't consider myself especially squeamish about violence(I've watched through things like Baccano and Umineko), but that was just nasty. I'm actually glad they censored that for broadcast.

Okay. Now I'm scared. I've been...half-enjoying it sort of through the first four episodes. I've been only watching it for Shiro, because her bouncy perkiness contrasts with the setting so awesomely. Ganta annoys me, and the general execution of the setting is getting on my nerves.

So...now I'm tempted to not watch episode 5. I started it, then decided to watch Hanasaku Iroha. ops:

[TheSubtleDoctor]

the general execution of the setting is getting on my nerves

Wow, this statement perfectly expresses my current dissatisfaction with the show. I couldn't put my finger on it before, but I think you've hit it: they could be doing [I]so. much. more] with this set up.

[Atria35]

Now I need to check out DMW just to see how it differentiates from the manga!

[MightiMidget]

Now I need to check out DMW just to see how it differentiates from the manga!

Yes, you do! So you can tell me if the manga is more sci-fi and psychological, or if it's borderline pointless violence with no direction or depth. xD Really. Only following this for Shiro. (still not brave enough for episode 5. *whistle*)

[Mouse2010]

The only things I'm watching this season are Tiger & Bunny and Blue Exorcist. Tiger & Bunny is kind of fun (and getting much more interesting now that we seem to be getting into the main plot), but the one I really like is Blue Exorcist, which I wouldn't have expected to like so much. I'm only caught up through episode 5, but I've been enjoying watching the cast expand. I like this one so much I am tempted to start buying the manga, and I don't even read manga normally!

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

Oh man, I am loving Ano Hana so much. Each episode is just this pleasant thing I get at the end of the week and I still get shivers during the OP I love it so much. It's not even a contest anymore for which is my favorite of the season.

It also has as many shout outs to past A-1 Picture shows as Durarara!! had to past Brain's Base shows. The last episode had Working!!, Black Butler, and Welcome to the Space Show in the background.

[MasterDias]

It also has as many shout outs to past A-1 Picture shows as Durarara!! had to past Brain's Base shows. The last episode had Working!!, Black Butler, and Welcome to the Space Show in the background.

Episode 6 had Occult Academy on the TV.

[MightiMidget]

Oh man, I am loving Ano Hana so much.

I was skeptical about AnoHana and couldn't really get into it for the first few episodes. But recently I have fallen in love with it. It's so...gentle? I don't know what the right word is. But it's so very sweet.

[R86]

The only shows this season that I'm in for the long haul are still only Tiger and Bunny and C. Especially the former, though the latter seems to be picking up, and by my memory it is short enough that I will probably watch all of it to the end.

Oh yes, I also watched all of Moshidora, since I'm usually a nut for sports anime; and Madoka, which is not normally my type of thing but I'm glad I did.

I'm intrigued at not finding much mention of Sket Dance in recent posts on this thread. I also gave up after maybe two episodes. Deadman Wonderland sounds (from what folks here are saying) every bit as violent as Gantz but with pre- or possibly mid-adolescent children, so I don't think I'll risk watching it. Too bad because the premise sounds interesting.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

I was skeptical about AnoHana and couldn't really get into it for the first few episodes. But recently I have fallen in love with it. It's so...gentle? I don't know what the right word is. But it's so very sweet.

I'm really enjoying seeing the gang take hold of their lives again as they get back together as I see them grow both as friends and as people.

I want to know who did the character designs so I can see other stuff he's done, though maybe this is his debut.

[TWWK]

I want to know who did the character designs so I can see other stuff he's done, though maybe this is his debut.

Apparently, it's Masayoshi Tanaka. He was also character designer for High School of the Dead and Toradora (awesome!). He was also involved in Honey and Clover (key animation). The director's work on that series and Toradora was the major reason I was looking forward to this show.

[blkmage]

Yeah, AnoHana's big selling point before anyone knew what it was about was that it was by the Toradora staff.

[MightiMidget]

I'm really enjoying seeing the gang take hold of their lives again as they get back together as I see them grow both as friends and as people.

Yes, definitely. Finally watched episode 7. I cried. Despite my determination not to. Yep.

[Cadence]

So, I decided to give Tiger & Bunny a chance...because a favorite manga-ka of mine was tweeting about it (stupid reason, I know). Much to my surprise, and despite the numerous reasons I would normally hate it (which I was actively listing in my head as I was watching), I find it oddly lovable. I have absolutely no idea why.