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Autumn 2012 – Season Preview

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Seeing as the Autumn anime season is already upon us, a number of anime having recently aired with fervent discussions trailing closely behind, there’s no better time than now to provide a brief overview to the assembly of anime premiering this season, primarily composed of my thoughts, opinions, and general hype for each show.  So what anime am I keeping my eye on that might be wise to do the same?  Come and let’s explore what is to be the Autumn anime season of 2012!

Beginning the season preview is a quick summarization of all the shows with previous anime material to their history.  Whether another sequel, a stylized retelling, or some sort of a series reboot, the continuations feature an impressive collection of renewed anime material. Airing this season are: Bakuman 3, Cross Fight B-Daman eS, a Gintama reboot, a new Hayate no Gotoku!, Hidamari Sketch x Honeycomb, Hiiro no Kakera S2, Initial D Fifth Stage, Jormungand Perfect Order, Medaka Box Abnormal, a new Seitokai no Ichizon, and ToLoveRu Darkness.  With that said, there are only two anime of this list that I have watched and am prepared to begin again with the new season, Jormungand and Medaka Box.  Because the other continuations are based off previous material, that may or may not require watching hours upon hours of anime, I figure that those who are planning on watching these sequels have already watched the required viewing material previous or, should they be missing this prerequisite, are either in the midst of a marathon session currently or preparing to watch this anime with reckless abandon for understanding what the hell they’re getting themselves into… which, you know, actually sounds kinda fun.  Regardless, here are my thoughts on the two sequels that will be beginning again this Fall:

 

Jormungand Perfect Order

Opinion: Though I had some minor problems with the first season, I’m thrilled to begin the anime again and return to the intense action and astounding comedy that made Jormungand so entertaining and enjoyable in the first place.  What I hope from this season, however, is some improvement over its flaws, namely the predictability of its fights and the invicibility of its characters.  Should those two changes be addressed during this season, then it’ll be on its up-and-up.  If not, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this anime stagnate like it did toward the end of the Spring season and allow the influx of new anime to quickly pass it in terms of quality and ranking for this season.  Let’s hope it’s the former.

Plans for this show: Will watch

 

Medaka Box Abnormal

Opinion: Yeah, so, Medaka Box actually turned out to be pretty decent though unimpressive in its first season.  I’m honestly surprised to see it get a second season so quickly but I’m actually rather quite happy to see this anime return since it ended strongly and appears to be getting into the better part of its series now.  The comedy and fighting were the two sturdiest aspects of the first season and I’m sure they’ll only improve as the sequel progresses but I was warming up to the characters and beginning to appreciate Medaka during the fight arc of the first season.  It appears the trend will continue, so don’t be surprised if Medaka Box Abnormal appears in the upper-half of my anime rankings at the season’s end as one of the better entertainment anime of this Autumn.

Plans for this show: Will watch

 

With the continuing anime section now complete, let’s move onto the bulk of the season, the new and original anime.  With roughly 30 new anime beginning in the opening weeks of October, there is plenty of material to review and weigh before we decide if we should even watch the first episode before they air (though at the time of this post, many shows have already aired!  Whoopie, that completely discredits the previous statement!).

The order of anime listed below is not chronological nor alphabetic but ranked in order of my anticipation and how likely that I think, before watching any episodes, that I am to keep the anime as one of my regulars this season.  There are 5 tiers that these anime are grouped in and each tier has the anime listed alphabetically within each.  Along with a sample video, the one that I used to help evaluate the anime, is my opinion on the material as well what my current plans for the anime are.  Don’t be discouraged if one of your highly anticipated anime are ranked poorly or not in my current plans for watching, I often sample shows that do not rank and often end up keeping one or two each season.  These things readily change within the first few weeks, so though everything here is organized and in order, the whole process is in flux with shows flipping and skipping and dancing all over the place.  Well enough of this, let’s see what’s in store for us for Autumn of 2012!

 

K

Opinion: What can I say; I’m a sucker for fighting anime.  And with such smooth, fluid animation during the fight sequences, complete with camera movement (pans, tilts, rotation) and a brilliant symphony of colors and lighting, this appears to be the anime tailored to my tastes for this season.  I haven’t found much material on the story or characters but, honestly, at this point, that’s the furthest thing from my mind.  While I truly value characters, their roles and their development throughout a series, plot is among my least significant aspects in determining whether I watch an anime or not.  And based off the trailer alone, (as well as the other one) it looks to be something akin to gangs fighting in a futuristic city, either over territory or the ditzy girl in the second trailer.  Well, whatever it is, I’ll be watching.

Plans for this show: Will watch

 

Little Busters!

Opinion: For the longest time, I’ve wanted to play Little Busters! but never found the time to actually play it.  After a while, I found my motivation slipping and eventually convinced myself to just watch the anime whenever it came out.  Well, after many years of waiting, it appears Little Busters! is destined to be a television anime.  What I’ve seen from the trailers hasn’t impressed me, simple displays of animation with the main cast over the opening theme, and I’m never a huge fan to romance/school/harem/blah type anime, but I’ve been waiting years for this anime to come out, albeit without much hype or enthusiasm.  Even if the anime turns out to be subpar, I’ll finish it; I’ve been waiting too long to pass up this opportunity.  And hey, if the anime turns out to somewhat decent or even outstanding, then that’s all the more for me and everyone else watching this anime adapation.

Plans for this show: Will watch

 

Magi

Opinion: With a setting like that, how could I not watch this anime?  Stylized in the theme of Arabian Nights, Magi’s physical setting is unparalleled this season with such a distinguishable desert environment, blocky and domed stone architecture, and bright environment where, if you press your face up against your screen, you might even feel the heat of the blazing sun (as if it could be anything else!).  The remainder of the setting appears to borrow themes from the story of Arabian Nights, such as the character names (Aladdin, Alibaba, etc) and other fantasy elements to give the anime a thriving, vivacious setting.  The story elements of the anime seem to deal with fighting and adventure which are certainly two big pluses for me in a story.  The art style and animation are impressive, too, considering the dazzling use of lighting, and judging that it’s an anime from A-1 Pictures (AnoHana, Tsuritama, Working!!) I’m sure everything visually will be fine.  Oh, and how did I forget to mention the music from the trailer?  Probably my favorite anime of the pre-season and one that I’ll strongly recommend anyone to watch.

Plans for this show: Will watch

 

Psycho-Pass

Opinion: I’m kinda a sucker for this type of anime, too.  Given the futuristic setting, one with a magnificent visual interface as this and a heavy emphasis on the integrated technology, especially the weapons, I can’t help but find myself already absorbed and fascinated with the world that is Psycho-Pass.  That and this style of drama, involving what I assume are two police or special-forces officers, gives me a positive impression for the story and the characters.  The video above features some mediocre displays of animation, nothing really impresses me but it looks detailed and smooth and there’s nothing wrong with that.  I don’t know much else about the anime besides Gen Urobuchi (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero) being the writer, so if nothing prior convinces you or explains my rationale for why this anime is so high, maybe that does it.  And if that doesn’t, well, I suggest you give the first episode a try when it airs.

Plans for this show: Will watch

 

Robotics;Notes

Opinion: Okay, I’ve cheated with this one.  A manga adaptation of the visual novel has been running in Ultra Jump the past few months (the manga magazine I have a subscription to) and I’ve been following it since I’ve been anticipating this anime since it’s an indirect sequel to Steins;Gate.  While unimpressed at first, I’ve grown to enjoy the story and the characters, especially after the first few chapters.  Frau (the blonde girl with the twintails) has been exceptional and is enough of a reason alone to watch it despite my initial tedium with the series.  Her visual gags, personality, and commentary are remarkable and showcase the potential and talent the series has.  She should be reason alone to watch this anime.  As for the animation, it appears to be desirable for an anime of this caliber, and the use of robotics in this setting is good, though it doesn’t do too much for me.  Overall, I’ve have high anticipation for this anime since I’ve begun to enjoy the manga in recent chapters, but I expect it to be slow for maybe the first episode or two.

Plans for this show: Will watch

 

Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!

Opinion: At first glance, you can immediately note how comprehensive and thorough the animation is, a byproduct of being a Kyoto Animation (Hyouka, Nichijou) anime.  That and the incredibly moe art style, too.  That alone is enough for me to watch it, but the remainder of the anime leaves me feeling that it will be underwhelming compared to the animated masterpiece that conveys this story to us.  The story seems to be another school-aged romantic comedy under the pretense of characters with vivid delusions and the courage to act on their wildest desires in public.  It doesn’t seem to be the kinda anime I go bonkers for but I’ve been proven wrong with romantic comedies in the past, just infrequently.  It’s been a while since a romcom has made its way onto a list of my favorites or even received a favorable score from me, so perhaps this anime is about the buck the trend and prove me and my history with these kinda anime wrong.

Plans for this show: Likely watch

 

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure The Animation

Opinion: Without much knowledge about the JoJo’s universe, reaching its 25th year anniversary this past month, congratulations, I’ll be going into this anime blind but expecting a good anime if not more.  What I do know is that I can expect some amazing fighting sequences and tremendous comedy, two things that are among the quickest to my heart.  Beyond that, I’m not really expecting much else.  The setting caught me off guard being placed in what appears to be 19th century Europe and the art style and animation seem good but nothing near my favorite.  Either way, this anime will be watched, just I’m not really sure how it will perform nor how I will receive it.  Guess we’ll find out shortly.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

 

Shin Sekai Yori

Opinion: Though this anime has already aired by the time this post is published, I haven’t seen nor read anything about it, so my opinions here are untainted.  It appears to be some mix of a futuristic/fantasy/horror setting given the trailer and synopsis which is good enough to catch my eyes as an anime I should be watching.  If it is, that remains to be seen and I’ll probably start it up as soon as this post is published.  The art style and animation are both pluses, above-average though not in my favorite character visuals.  Not sure what to expect, or even what to think from the story, but I’ll quickly know whether it’s a hit-or-miss near the start and adjust my expectations from there to fit what the anime is actually presenting and not what the trailer likely dictates.  Well, I probably should stop now since I figure most people have already given this episode a shot and know whether or not to continue with it, but for now, my thoughts are generally positive with this one.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

 

Busou Shinki

Opinion: Cute, moe (and miniature?) girls who transform into fighting units who battle each other over urban Japan for some bizarre reason? Yeah, it appears to be another generic anime based off a line of action figures or some sort of merchandise that makes this anime more of an advertisement for otaku than any form of storytelling told through the medium of animation (but wait, Avv, aren’t all anime just advertisements for manga or whatever?).  To be honest, I don’t expect to watch the anime this season but I’m kinda curious to see what it’s like or even how bad it is.  And if I keep it around, then it’s probably because I think the girls are cute, and yes, that’s a legitimate reason to keep an anime around if you were wondering.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

 

Girls und Panzer

Opinion: Another loli x military anime, akin to Strike Witches or Upotte!! but without all the unnecessary panties and uncomfortable fanservice.  Wouldn’t be surprised to see some form of it in this anime but at least it’s not a marketing point judging from most of that trailer.  Nevertheless, I’m not expecting anything from this anime but it looks like it has the potential for something fun and some mild entertainment if nothing else.  Right now it looks like any moe girl slife anime but with tanks (and therefore better than most moe girl slife anime).  Art and animation are surprisingly decent for an anime of this stature but I wonder if it will dip considerably seeing as these are PVs and not the average quality from the episodes.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

 

Kamisama Kiss

Opinion: This is the region where you’d expect romantic comedies to appear but there’s some merit to Kamisama Kiss that puts it above the median.  The style of comedy is what immediately catches my attention and, given how the art style and character visuals resembles Maid-sama, I have a good feeling of this anime already.  Given that it’s a shoujo romance, too, it shouldn’t be ridden with horrible anime clichés that cause me to bang my head on the sharpest corner of my desk repeatedly but shoujo romances have failed me in recent memory, too.  Nevertheless the positives outweigh the negatives right now but I have no real hype for this series since, well, it appears to be another shoujo romance with a strong comedy presence.  Hope this one sticks because there don’t seem to be too many comedies this season which might be troubling for me.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

 

Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo

Opinion: Another romcom anime but geared toward the male audience (every PV or CM had panties in it).  What keeps this one above the ‘no-watch’ threshold is simply because there appears to be a bit of a lively, vibrant cast and perhaps some above-average comedy.  Art and animation are surprisingly decent for what appears to be a lackluster anime, so that’s ultimately a positive just given as a backhanded compliment.  I don’t expect the anime to be ecchi at all but if it is, it’s likely to be the only one this season and that might end up being its saving grace (but I fully expect it to be just that once pantyshot in the opening and that be it, kinda like a bait-and-switch for me perverted otaku).  Guess we’ll see when it gets its chance later this Autumn.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

 

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun

Opinion: Another anime that has already aired and with it, a firestorm of conversation, criticism, and discourse throughout the animeblogoshape.  I haven’t been immune to the discussions about this anime, so I can’t say my viewpoint hasn’t been affected, but I still plan to give the anime a fair shot as I had planned all along.  It’s another shoujo romcom like Kamisama Kiss before it but without the cute comedy nor foxboys that give it a rich fantasy element.  This one appears to have a bit more imagination to it but still appears to be dead-set in a school setting with typical shoujo romance tropes including one that has been criticized heavily since its debut just a few days ago.  Guess I’ll find out for myself whether its worth watching or not whenever I find the time, but for now, it’s one of the doubtful ones.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

 

All that remain are the anime that I have minimal to no interest in watching, the anime that either appear to already be flawed, boring, or simply outside my demographic.  While these anime may in fact be watchable to some, they do not appear to be for me.  I doubt I’ll watch any more than the PV linked in their sections but there’s always a chance for me to pick one or two up every season, so not all hope is lost.  However, for most of them, there’s already zero chance I’ll even think about them after writing my opinions for each.

 

Battle Spirits: Sword Eyes

Opinion: Cards and CG and shounen and bleh.  No thanks.

Plans for this show: No dice

 

BTOOOM!

Opinion: I like the visuals but, holy shit, the characters and story will just destroy this anime for me.  Also seen some boring ecchi material for this anime, so I think even less of it now than when I just watched the PV and read the synopsis.  I might end up giving the first episode a scan but I don’t expect nothing more than me shaking my head and feeling ashamed of myself.

Plans for this show: No dice

 

Chou Soku Henkei Gyrozetter

Opinion: Why does this kid have a nicer car than me?  And it’s a robot, too? Shit, I’m just jealous.

Plans for this show: No dice

 

Code:Breaker

Opinion: It, like, does nothing for me.  Well, I guess making me feel bored is something, so there’s that.

Plans for this show: No dice

 

Ixion Saga DT

Opinion: Couldn’t some other animation studio make this and allow Brain’s Base to continue Durarara!!, Spice and Wolf, or even more Sengoku Collection?

Plans for this show: No dice

 

Monsuno

Opinion: How do kids these days find the time to watch all these monster, robots, cards, and other anime?  Makes you wonder if they go through an evaluation process like this before each season to find out which ones are the best.

Plans for this show: No dice

 

Onii-chan Dakeko Ai Sae Areba Kankei Nai yo ne~

Opinion: Didn’t this anime already air?  How all these anime avoid copyright infringement is beyond me.

Plans for this show: No dice

 

Sukitte ii na yo

Opinion: No elements of comedy in a romance anime?  No surprise it didn’t make the list despite it looking better than most of the other romantic comedies that get their first episode screened.

Plans for this show: No dice

 

Zetsuen no Tempest

Opinion: Stuff happens but I’m not interested.  I might actually check this one out if it gets any hype or following.

Plans for this show: No dice

 

And with that, my personal preview of the Autumn 2012 anime season is complete.  As I’ve mentioned before, everything is in flux, so this is simply a snapshot in time after evaluating everything and putting down my thoughts before watching any new anime.  Things will change and shows are certain to rise and fall, especially within the first few weeks of October.  Up next are my first impressions on the anime, likely coming up quickly seeing as how a few of these shows have already started and are being discussed by our ever expanding anime community.  So enough of this, it’s about time we get back to doing what we all enjoy and start watching the next season of anime!


Filed under: 2012 Autumn, Anime, Season Reviews Tagged: Action, Adventure, Animation, Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai, Art, Bakuman, Battle Spirits, BTOOOM!, Busou Shinki, Characters, Chou Soku Henkei Gyrozetter, Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!, Code:Breaker, Colors, Comedy, Cross Fight B-Daman, Durarara!!, Expectations, Fighting, Gintama, Girls und Panzer, Hayate no Gotoku!, Hidamari Sketch, Hiiro no Kakera, Horror, Initial D, Ixion Saga DT, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Jormungand, K, Kamisama Kiss, Light, Little Busters!, Magi, Medaka Box, Monsuno, Onii-chan Dakeko Ai Sae Areba Kankei Nai yo ne, Psycho-Pass, Robotics;Notes, Romance, Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo, Season Preview, Seitokai no Ichizon, Sengoku Collection, Setting, Shin Sekai Yori, Spice and Wolf, Steins;Gate, Story, Strike Witches, Sukitte ii na yo, ToLoveRu, Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun, Tsuritama, Upotte!!, Working!!, Zetsuen no Tempest

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