Aiura First Impression Grade: B-

Goddamned anime shorts always make me wonder what could have been.

Yuyushiki First Impression Grade: C

I love slice of life shows. However, I generally have a hard time digesting those which come from a comedic angle; Yuru Yuri, A Channel, GJ-bu are examples that immediately come to mind. I’ve found that if I give them enough time, I usually end up liking them with the only recent show bucking this trend being Acchi Kocchi.

I just don’t have a good feeling about Yuyushiki. I can’t really put it better than that. It’s like a bad mix of Nichijou and Hidamari Sketch where I’m just not feeling any of the characters or the humor. I will certainly give this show its fair chance, but I’m not particularly looking forward to it either. It airing on a relatively slow day for anime is one of the few things keeping me watching this one.

Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S First Impression Grade: B

The original Railgun had many highs and lows; the lows mostly coming from anime original content. Judging from the first two episodes, it appears they are trying to bait fans of the original content by showing off the previously unanimated Shokuhou Misaki, inserting Accelerator, ITEM and Touma into the opening and then immediately transitioning to the Sisters arc. I, for one, have been hooked and am eagerly awaiting to see it from Mikoto’s point of view; it’s been almost 5 years since we saw the arc from Touma’s POV in the original Index anime and almost as long since we read it in the Railgun manga. As far as the production, everything seems in line with previous Raildex anime; whether that is a good or bad thing is up to your own judgment.

Hentai Ouji to Wararanai Neko First Impression Grade: B

I was expecting a run of the mill romcom-type show, but this show was unexpectedly good. While the usage of the cat statue plot device is predictable, it is a critical part that encourages character progression as the characters deal with the double-edged remedies to their anxieties. It, of course, also allows a myriad of comedic situations which have played out favorably to far.

Due to the lack of his “facade”, Yokodera is almost refreshing as a protagonist. While his ero-first mentality is somewhat reminiscent of High School DxD protag Issei (also voiced by Kaji Yuuki), I actually find him less annoying as he seems more a hentai shinshi than just plain hentai; although that may fade if he ever does regain his facade. While I’m surprised that both main girls are DFC loli-types, I’m more surprised that I like both of them. They are both unbearably cute and I have to give the show props for making them so.

It’s like they hired someone to write this poorly on purpose.

Dropped.

See you next week.

Haiyore! Nyaruko-san W First Impression Grade: B-

One of the biggest complaints I hear about the first season is about the departure from the usual slapstick comedy for more serious romance, but I rather enjoyed it as it added some depth to the characters; there’s only so many times you can reuse the same type of joke and only so long you can keep Asumi Kana in hypermode before it gets old. I will be interested to see if they decide to stay the course this time around or if they will change it up again.

As for this season, they’re continuing the same Nyaruko schtick of Nyaruko being overzealous with her affections while addressing various space incidents with a few references mixed in for good measure. The characters seem pretty much the same, with the exception of Kuuko (god I love Kuuko). Despite the way last season ended I can’t really bring myself accept her flirting with Mahiro, but any Kuuko is better than no Kuuko so I will endure.

Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai First Impression Grade: B-

Well, Oreimo is back and not really for the better. For all the drama that the first season ended on, they’ve gone right back to well for more trite — albeit entertaining — interactions between Kyousuke the rather large, and rather cute, female cast. I guess if you got a cash cow you gotta milk it, right?

I don’t really know what else to say about the show. I will watch it. I’ll probably enjoy it on some level. But in the end it will likely leave me unfulfilled as most trash of this type tends to do. I’d be quite pleased if they made me eat those words, however.

Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru First Impression Grade: C+

I’ve been unimpressed with the first two episodes. It appears to be in the same vein as Haganai where the socially inept are forced to interact for our entertainment, but unlike Haganai I don’t really see what Oregairu is trying to accomplish. Whereas the former was intended for comedic (and eventually dramatic, I guess) effect, the latter appears to be taking a more serious approach. So far it seems like any character development is going to be slow, laborious and awkward — just like reality! — but for a character-centric show, the main cast is going to have to do more than criticize everyone else to become interesting. There is hope that we could get a unique take on the high school social structure, but I’ll believe it when I see it.