Summer 2011 Anime Halfway Point Rankings
Decided to write my halfway point list early while there is a lull at work. I usually wait 2-3 more weeks to write my halfway list, but I’m not sure I’ll have time later in the month. If something drastic changes I’ll be sure to write an update. Overall, this is a pretty solid season with the holdovers from last season not doing dominating like I originally thought. The real standout is Mawaru Penguindrum which will hopefully end as one of the better shows of the year. As usual, the rankings are after the break.
Wonder Festival Summer 2011 Want List
I’ve finally had a chance to look at the full WonFes coverage and I thought I’d post my want list. Unfortunately, nothing but Nendoroids caught my eye this time. There’s so many that I want it’s going to be hard to decide which ones will fit within my budget.
Must Buy
- Nendoroid Haqua - Had a better look at Haqua, definitely my #1 now.
- Nendoroid Menma - I’m fairly committed to buying any AnoHana Nendo, but I can see the passage of time sobering my enthusiasm so I’m going to be careful with this one.
- Nendoroid Touwa Erio - Makes my Petit purchase look stupid…wish I could cancel that shit.
- Nendoroid Kashiwazaki Sena - Meat is my favorite BokuTomo character. Hopefully they don’t screw up the anime.
- Nendoroid Mikazuki Yozora - If you get Sena, you pretty much have to get Yozora. Maybe she will have alternate short hair?
Temptation Is High
- Nendoroid Taneshima Popura - Another Petit purchase made pointless…
- Nendoroid Matsumae Ohana - Would be nice if she had her school uniform along with the waitress uniform.
- Nendoroid Nanasaki Ai - Ai is my favorite Amagami girl and should be in the must buy section, but I have a feeling she’s going to be a limited/exclusive so I’m not entirely sure yet.
- Nendoroid Ika Musume - I’m curious what kind of parts she will come with.
- Nendoroid Elsie - Elsie looks really good too, but there’s just so many Nendos I want…
- Nendoroid Yune - I thought a Yune Nendo would be an automatic purchase, but the pictures I saw looked kinda weird.
- Nendoroid Morishima Haruka - Haruka is my second favorite Amagami girl. I’m taking the same caution as with Ai.
- Nendoroid Aragaki Ayase - Having Kirino and Kuroneko makes this one very tempting. I’m hoping I can resist.
Wanted, But Probably Not
- Nenrodoid Feyris Nyan Nyan - I’d like to get the other Steins;Gate Nendos; if I do I’d probably get Feyris too.
- Nendoroid Minami Kana - I have Chiaki, but I can’t see myself having enough money to complete the set.
- Nendoroid Minami Haruka
- Nendoroid Millhiore F. Biscotti - Looks really impressive, but I don’t think I love the anime enough to pull the trigger.
Sadly the recently revealed Aisaka Taiga Nendos do not make this list since they were technically not on display at WonFes. Also, I’m somewhat surprised there were no new Touhou Nendos on display.
Summer 2011 Anime First Impressions
This ranking list feels really strange to me. The first episodes of many of the story driven series (No. 6, Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi, Kamisama Dolls, Sacred Seven, Mawaru Penguindrum) really left me wondering what the hell is going on. Due to this, many of my rankings are based on pure speculation. It then follows that shows that satisfactorily represented their raison d’etre in their first couple of episodes were given favorable rankings. I expect the halfway rankings (with continuing shows also being factored in; Steins;Gate baby!) to look drastically different than this list.
Spring 2011 Anime Season End List
I’m finally able to finish this ranking list since Anime Expo gave me such a huge anime backlog. With so many two cour shows, this season is truly difficult to rank. However, I can say with confidence that this was a great season to be an anime fan.
Summer 2011 Anime Anticipation List
Summer is bringing us about 28 new shows. A few less overall than spring, but I think I’m earnestly looking forward to more of them which made this list quite difficult and time consuming to rank.
Anticipation List
- Ikoku Meiro no Croisée - Satelight - PV - Perhaps a bit ambitious, I’m going to go with this show as my most anticipated. I’ve always loved Sato Junichi’s work, most notably with Aria. While he won’t be the director for this show, I still have high expectations for it. Aria set in France would not be a terrible thing at all, but I’m hoping for more than that.
Notable Credits: Sato Junichi (Series Composition), Toyama Nao, Takashi Kondo, Yuuki Aoi - Natsume Yuujin-Chou San - Brains Base - After going ambitious, now it’s time to play it safe. If this season can just maintain its momentum from the first two seasons then it’s already a success. At the very least, it will be a relaxing, entertaining way to pass the time.
Notable Credits: Omori Takahiro (Director), Kamiya Hiroshi, Inoue Kazuhiki - Dantalian no Shoka - Gainax - PV - Gainax’s involvement means I’m automatically interested. The fact that the main characters are voiced by Ono Daisuke and Sawashiro Miyuki seals the deal. I wasn’t really a fan of Asura Cryin’ so hopefully this Mikumo Gakuto work fares better. It appears none of Gainax’s big guns are working on this, but I still have high hopes.
Notable Credits: Ono Daisuke, Sawashiro Miyuki - Usagi Drop - Production I.G - PV - I obviously have high expectations for noitaminA shows. AnoHana showed us a noitaminA show could again be both critical and financial successes so hopefully this next generation can turn it into a trend. Usagi Drop is a jousei manga about a 30 year old man adopting his grandfather’s 6 year old daughter which hopefully means there will be plenty of room for thoughtful drama and heartwarming slice of life. Just a note: Rin’s seiyuu is 10 years old and sounds adorable.
Notable Credits: Ohara Sayaka, Ueda Kana, Sakamoto Maaya - No. 6 - BONES - PV - The other noitaminA show, No. 6 doesn’t appeal to me as much as Usagi Drop as the two main characters are male. Superficial as it may sound, this is how much the current moe-saturated market has affected me. Well, if BONES can pull off something on par with either of the Fullmetal Alchemists—another series lacking main female characters—I’d be pleasantly surprised. Everything aside, the PV looked very interesting so hopefully this translates to the actual show.
- Kami-sama no Memo-chou - J.C. Staff - PV - The premise of a moe NEET detective with Kishida Mel character designs (albeit thoroughly Index-ized) is attractive, but the whole J.C. Staff thing throws me off. Then again, Hidan no Aria was pretty terrible, but I still enjoyed it somehow so who knows.
Notable Credits: Kishida Mel (Original Character Design), Kayano Ai, Nabatame Hitomi, Ono Daisuke - Blood-C - Production I.G - PV - Undoubtedly, Blood-C makes it here off the back of CLAMP’s involvement in the show. To be honest, I’m not expecting all that much from this show since I’ve never been a huge fan of CLAMP or the Blood franchise, but it’s something I will definitely watch.
Notable Credits: Mizushima Tsutomu (Director), CLAMP (Original Story, Original Character Design), Mizuki Nana, Fujiwara Keiji, Abe Atsushi - Sacred Seven - Sunrise - PV - I really wasn’t giving this show much thought until I watched the PV. The show seems to have shades of Code Geass, but I won’t put this show on that pedestal until I see more. I’m really hoping Sunrise comes through with this one and considering the studio’s track record it should at least be worth a watch.
Notable Credits: Nakajima Megumi, Nomizu Iori, Kanae Itou, Okamoto Nobuhiko, Irino Miyu, Konishi Katsuyuki - Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu Ni! - SILVER LINK - PV - The first season was pretty mediocre, but it had its bright spots with its signature slapstick comedy. While I had forgotten about the first season, the OVAs reminded me how much I missed the show’s absurdness. Should at least provide entertainment on slow days.
- Itsuka Tenma no Kuro-Usagi - ZEXCS - PV - The initial impressions received from the promo art didn’t strike me as being my type of show, but the fact that the original light novels are by The Legend of Legendary Heroes’ Kagami Takaya gives me hope.
- Ro-Kyu-Bu! - Project No.9 and Studio Blanc - PV - Hmm. Lolis playing basketball; it can’t be that bad, right? It’s supposed to be a comedy, but the promo video I saw looked like serious business; hopefully its a tasteful mixture of both. The voice cast is pretty loaded too.
Notable Credits: Hanazawa Kana, Hidaka Rina, Itou Shizuka, Hikasa Youko, Iguchi Yuka, Noto Mamiko - The IDOLM@STER - A-1 Pictures - PV - There was a point in my life where I was mildly interested in iM@S, but that point has long since passed. The bright spot is that Nishigori Atsushi is directing and it appears the original voice cast is returning to their respective roles.
Notable Credits: Nishigori Atsushi (Director) - Nekogami Yaoyorozu - AIC PLUS - PV - I recognized the original creator, FLIPFLOPs, from Touhou doujins I read a while back. For better or worse, the synopsis I have read almost makes it sound like a slice of life Touhou doujin with original characters. The director, Sakurai Hiroaki, seems to have a lot of experience with cute shows like these, so hopefully it turns out well.
Notable Credits: Sakurai Hiroaki (Director), Tomatsu Haruka, Horie Yui, Toyosaki Aki, Taketatsu Ayana, Itou Kanae, Tanaka Rie, Arai Satomi, Kayano Ai, Takagaki Ayahi, Kanemoto Hisako, Mizuhashi Kaori, Konishi Katsuyuki, Okiayu Ryoutarou - R-15 - AIC - PV - Intriguing synopsis is intriguing. Similar to Lotte no Omocha! from last season, I am drawn in by crazy premises: a teenage porn writer has to lead his class to win the interclass competition.
- Mayo Chiki! - Feel - PV - Looks like your typical harem-type school-based romantic comedy. It even has a pretty typical premise: boy finds out his butler is actually a girl.
Notable Credits: Hino Satoshi, Kitamura Eri, Iguchi Yuka, Asumi Kana, Hanazawa Kana, Fujiware Keiji, Chihara Minori, Sawashiro Miyuki, Ise Mariya - Kamisama Dolls - Brains Base - PV - Another show that is more serious business than my initial impression. I don’t really know what to expect from this show. On one hand it looks like another Shadow Star, but on the other it almost looks like a comedy. Of all the shows I put in the latter half of this list, this one seems to have the most potential to shoot to the top.
Notable Credits: Kishi Seiji (Director), Kayano Ai, Okamoto Nobuhiko, Hanazawa Kana, Sawashiro Miyuki - Morita-san wa Mukuchi - Seven - PV - Another 4koma adaptation, supposedly with cute girls doing cute things. Perhaps like A Channel last season, this will turn out to be enjoyable, if forgettable. Also, Morita’s soulless eyes scare me.
Notable Credits: Tomatsu Haruka, Hanazawa Kana, Hayami Saori - Yuru Yuri - Dogakobo - PV - I read a chapter of the original manga and was stunned at how inane it was. The being said, the director of the original Minami-ke and Mitsudomoe, Ohta Masahiki, is directing this show, so there is some hope, I guess.
Notable Credits: Ohta Masahiki (Director), Toyosaki Aki, Katou Emiri, Tsuda Minami, Taketatsu Ayana, Mimori Suzuko, Fujita Saki
Not Enough Information
- Double-J - DLE Inc. - Really have no clue what this is about. Heard it was going to be ~3 min flash animation. If so, I’m probably not watching it, but the possibility of a female Cromartie High School is intriguing.
Notable Credits: Taketatsu Ayana, Omigawa Chiaki, Katou Emiri, Hirohashi Ryou, Kobayashi Yuu, Hiyama Nobuyuki - Mawaru Penguindrum - Brains Base - Another show I have no clue what it’s about and the few PVs don’t really tell me anything. Having the Utena director is intriguing, but not enough to make a judgment on.
Probably Not
- Manyū Hiken-chō - Hoods Entertainment - PV - I read something about big breasts equaling wealth and popularity and immediately set it aside.
- Kaitō Tenshi Twin Angel - J.C. Staff - PV - Watched the PV and it doesn’t seems like something I would watch, although I must admit there are plenty of good shows that have come in super cute packages. Danny Choo’s mascot character making a cameo is intriguing though.
- Nurarihyon no Mago: Sennen Makyō - Studio DEEN - PV -Didn’t watch the first season and have no intent of doing so.
- Blade - Madhouse - PV - Pretty much can’t stand watching the previous Marvel anime so I have a hard time believing this would be any different.
- Uta no Prince-sama—Maji Love 1000% - A-1 Pictures - Yeah, not happening.
Notes
- Not an official count, but it appears Hanazawa Kana “only” has four roles this season, down from the seemingly infinite amount from last season.
- What is Shaft doing? Them not having a TV series seems strange. I can’t imagine it is because of lack of opportunity with Bakemonogatari and Madoka Magica still fresh in people’s memories. Well, they have some OVAs (Katte ni Kaizou, Maria Holic), but perhaps the real reason is so they can dedicate themselves to the Negima movie due out in August?
Spring 2011 Anime Best School Uniforms
This season is kind of weak compared to last especially since it is lacking plaid patterned skirts. The short run down is:
- Hidan no Aria - Tokyo Butei Koukou
- Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko - Unnamed?
- Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi - Yamabiko Minami Gakuen
- The World God Only Knows - Maijima Gakuen Koukou
- Astarotte no Omocah - Ouritsu Gakuen
Read on for detailed comments…
Spring 2011 Anime Halfway Point Lists
The halfway point technically passed by a couple weeks ago, but due to Fanime and being swamped at work I haven’t had much time.
Spring 2011 Anime First Impressions
Last Sunday marked the last the airing of the last new series of the season, excluding Moshidora. My anticipation list wasn’t too poor in predicting my favored shows, but it wasn’t too great either. Read on if you care about what I’ve enjoyed so far.
Winter 2011 Anime Lists
Yet another anime rankings list. While the Winter 2011 season was not the most impressive, it did contain shows that should not be missed. Sadly, Madoka Magica is not yet on this list due to the delays. Will Madoka ever be finished or will Shaft troll us with an infinite loop end? Please read on for the list.
Spring 2011 Anime Anticipation Lists
Spring looks to be more promising than winter, at least in quantity. You can find a chart of all spring anime here. Using the Cart Driver’s charts as a quick reference, winter had 21 TV series while spring has 42, with possibly more to be added (or removed, thanks to Mother Nature). According to Chartfag’s charts, spring 2010 had 34 series and there hasn’t been this many new shows in one season since spring 2009. Hopefully this quantity brings quality with it; at first looks this appears to be the case.
