Winter 2016 Anime Season

Honestly, I'm tempted to pick up Dimension W just because that appears to be a 2000GT they're standing in front of...

Prince of Stride looks interesting...and its by Madhouse...I like Madhouse....

http://randomc.net/2015/12/23/winter-2016-preview/

Here's the Random C preview.

It actually looks like it could be a decently strong season, but I'm finding there's not much I'm feeling very excited about.  Well, unless you count the single episode of Macross Delta that's set to air before the end of the year.  Though I don't know if/when subs for that will become available.



I do hope I'm not setting myself up for a disappointment like I did with the new Star Wars film.

Active Raid

It's Asami Kazari's first day at her brand new dump of a job, and she couldn't be more excited about it. Fresh off her brief stint as an intern at the Ministry of Defense, Asami's been assigned to "clean up" the Special Public Security Division 5, Third Mobile Assault Unit 8. (Better known as "The Eighth" if you're hip to the way things work in future-Tokyo.) As a specialized police force, they're equipped with superpowered exoskeleton suits known as Willwear to stomp out crime in the dilapidated regions of Ikebukuro and neighboring areas, but their unit is in danger of being dissolved due to incompetence, now that average joes on the street are fighting with Willwear as well. From the reckless scar-faced Takeru Kuroki to the creepy and quiet Sena Souichirou to their diminutive laissez-faire superintendent Rin Yamabuki, this crew of problem officers is going to be a handful. Can Asami reform this squad of garbagemen, or will she just have to take out the trash with the worst of them?

Considering how popular anime and super sentai / tokusatsu are as entertainment formats, I am kind of surprised it took until now for the two to be merged together. Then again, considering the result we have here, maybe the delay has been a good thing.

As a genre, it’s your standard “gung-ho rookie joins misfit police department” and while it’s been done well in the past with shows like Patlabor and the original Dominion Tank Police, this one is definitely not up to those standards. But it could have been a fair bit worse and that it wasn’t is likely due to both director Goro Taniguchi (who helmed Code Geass and Maria the Virgin Witch) and series composer Naruhisa Arakawa (who also was series composer for Spice and Wolf, Maoyū Maō Yūsha and Outbreak Company, amongst others). So the show has some decent talent running it and I hope their influence on future episodes is a positive one.



BBK/BRNK

Ever since Kazuki Azuma and his twin sister fell to earth, their lives have been nothing but trouble. As children, they led a peaceful life in a cloudtop forest with their parents, who told them to beware of the slumbering Buranki, giant golems of immeasurable power who have a bad habit of sleepwalking. One day, Kazuki's sister took things too far by trying to awaken Oubu, an incredibly powerful Buranki their mother once controlled, in a desperate attempt to save her from a debilitating illness. Ten years later, the siblings have been forced to the post-apocalyptic surface ruled by the enterprising and devilish Reoko Banryuu, who has declared their mother a witch after her Buranki was responsible for untold casualties. Still, a group of ragtag rebels fights back against her cruel reign (and stylish henchmen) with small pieces of Buranki, known as Bubuki, that can take the form of various wacky weapons. All Kazuki wants is to find Oubu and use its powers to reunite with his mother, but the warring factions around him have other wicked schemes in mind.

I liked the first half (on the island in the sky), but was totally lost the second half once they fell to earth and time-skipped forward a decade. The characters are animated in 3D CGI and suffer from the limitations of that technology while backgrounds and the backgrounds are gorgeously hand-painted so you there is often a visual dichotomy going on scene-to-scene. All that being said, I see potential here so I'm sticking with it for now.



Dimension W

The discovery of the 4th dimension, Dimension W, propelled human civilization into the future at lightning speed. Through the use of wireless trans-dimensional coils, an infinite amount of power can be pulled from Dimension W with zero consequences, solving the global energy crisis overnight and giving birth to a mega-monopoly in coil manufacturer New Tesla Energy. But not everyone is happy to be living in the future. Professional coil repo man Kyouma Mabuchi hates this new world controlled by homogeneous technology from a sinister corporation, so when fate drops a robotic girl named Mira in his lap, he doesn't want anything to do with her. However, she's desperate to join him in the repossession of illegal coils for cash, while keeping a secret mission left behind by her creator and the true genius behind the coil system, Dr. Yurizaki, close to her mechanical heart.

Funimation is one of the Production Committee members for this show and it’s obvious why - this will be the next Bandai Visual show to hit big in the United States. I’m actually a bit surprised it’s not being simulcast on Adult Swim same-day as the Japanese broadcasts (as Space Dandy was), but it is definitely going to be on that block and I expect it’s going to be a hit when it does.



Divine Gate

After the Divine Gate opened, the world was thrown into chaos. Humans, fairies, and demons all converged onto one plane of existence, no longer bound by their respective kingdoms, and six elemental abilities were spread across the youth of the new world. Now known as Adapters, these young warriors are gathered at training academies to serve under The World Council in the ongoing effort to maintain peace and stability. Akane and Midori are two such agents (with the powers of wind and fire), soon to be joined by the mysterious water-wielding Aoto with a troubled past. Together, they dream of a possible reunion at the Divine Gate, where one wish can be granted, no matter how impossible.

Saddled with a horrible script and an emo male lead so pathetic you want to slap him, this by-the-numbers “super-power teen magic academy” show is not the worse thing I have seen this season, but it is still absolute crap.



ERASED

Can one little mistake really doom the course of a person's entire life? That question has been on Satoru's mind for almost 20 years. Ever since a man he trusted as a child was captured and convicted of multiple child abductions and murders, Satoru has been supernaturally cursed, derailing his promising manga artist career and landing him in a dead-end pizza delivery job instead. He made another mistake by humoring the idea that he could have saved a girl named Kayo from that mysterious killer as a child, and now he is beholden to a phenomenon he calls "The Revival." Any time something bad is about to happen near him, he's cast a few minutes back in time to prevent it, as if some almighty being is forcing him to forever pay for his childhood mistake. But even though his life has become a series of averting others' mistakes, he still can't do anything about his own past, until his future takes a fatal twist and throws his entire life into chaos.

If nothing else, I think I’ll have at least one “must watch” show this season and that show looks to be ERASED.



Girls Beyond the Wasteland


 

Buntaro Hojo feels adrift in the wilderness. His best friends Atomu and Yuka seem to have so much energy every day, with big dreams for their future and every moment full of possibility. But even after stretching his creative muscles by adapting a classic yuri story for the school play, Buntaro's heart is left unfulfilled. Still, his efforts haven't gone unnoticed. A peculiar girl named Sayuki Kuroda appears before him the next day, dressed all in black and downright desperate for his assistance. She wants him to write the scenario for her debut blockbuster bishoujo game (with yuri elements), saving her and her collaborators from the wasteland of mediocrity. Buntaro isn't sure what to think of this weird dark lady at first, but her dream is surprisingly infectious. After all, he doesn't have anything better to do, right?

I ended up liking How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend and it had a similar premise so maybe this one will end up entertaining as well. The cast at least seems generally likeable.



Haruchika - Haruta & Chika

With a flute in her hands and a skip in her step, Chika Homura is ready to make a change. Ever the tomboy growing up, she's gotten tired of people associating her with rough pursuits like volleyball and tree-climbing, so she's determined to impress her new crush (her music teacher, Mr. Kusakabe) by expressing her sweeter side through song. Unfortunately, her past follows her right into brass band anyway when Haruta Kamijou, her childhood friend and a boy as tender and feminine as she is brusque and masculine, appears wielding a french horn and musical skills that far outstrap her own. No sooner are they butting heads again than an ominous "bloody" message appears on their music room chalkboard. Can they solve this school mystery (and many others to follow) while keeping their rivalry in check?

P.A. Works takes a crack at my two favorite KyoAni shows - Sound Euphoneum and Hyōka. While not as good as either KyoAni work, it’s certainly not bad and I do like P.A. Works so I’ll be sticking with this one.



Myriad Colors Phantom World

Ever since a horrible containment breach at a secret bio-lab unleashed a mysterious virus on the unsuspecting populace of Japan, people everywhere have been able to perceive "Phantoms." Phenomena like yokai, kaiju, and all manner of fantastical creatures are real, and now that they can be seen with the human eye, they've started affecting our world in more powerful ways. Fortunately, humanity's fresh-faced generation of breast-fed youngsters have evolved powers to combat the Phantoms as well, and they're trained in the art of spirit-sealing at the illustrious Hosea Academy. Hapless Haruhiko Ichijo and busty Mai Kawakami are the clumsiest problem students in this elite class of Phantom fighters, but they may have a shot at improving once they add the gentle-hearted Reina Izumi to their team: a girl who can swallow up Phantoms peacefully once they've been appeased.

If you are only going to watch one anime adaption of the rotest of the rote light novel premises, then this is the one to watch because at least it is beautifully animated by Kyoto Animation and they don’t skimp on the quality – especially when it comes to the fan service, of which there is a significant amount for a KyoAni show. 

Most light novel adaptions are very narration-heavy in their first episode because they have to do all the world-building exposition up front plus introduce the main cast of characters. It looks like it will be a boob-heavy retread of another KyoAni work, Beyond the Boundary, and the retreading goes beyond just the story – some of the characters bear more than a strong resemblance to characters in other KyoAni shows.

The only thing that saves this first episode – and probably the show as a whole – from being a bottom of the barrel wretchfest is that it is a KyoAni project. Personally, as much as I love KyoAni, I don’t think that will be enough to keep me watching because outside of that visual style, I see little else to recommend it so far.


Norn9

A girl with no name or past has been given the new name Koharu by a kindhearted boy. Soon, her entire world will also be reborn. Long ago, revolution and cataclysm shook the earth, eventually spreading humanity's remains across many villages over the seas and mountains. Soon it will be time for everything to change all over again, and preparations must be made. Twelve young souls, nine men and three women, have been chosen a mysterious force known only as The World to wield supernatural powers and board the sky-ship Norn on a voyage to an unknown destination. Life aboard the ship is peaceful and overflowing with beauty, but even as these young chosen ones learn more about their powers and one another during the voyage, Norn's true secret may force them to become enemies by the time their journey ends.

A reverse-harem self-insert otome video game adaption with a science-fiction setting. It is animated fairly decently and the design of the Norn is pretty cool. Nothing especially stood out about it and as I am not the target audience (being male), how long I stay with it will likely be determined by the overall engagement of the story.


Ojisan to Marshmallow

Ojisan and Marshmallow tells the story of Hige, an older man with an insatiable love of marshmallows, and Wakabayashi, a woman in his office who loves him. The show follows their budding relationship in their office.

Based on a very popular web comic (over 20 million views on Pixiv), it’s short and cute.



Oshiete! Galko-chan

Galko, Otako, Ojō are a "gal," an otaku, and a proper lady, respectively, and are also good friends. The three high school girls with different perspectives discuss the kinds of secrets you can't tell boys.

This show proves girls can be just as crude as boys as the seven minutes are mostly running commentary by the three girls on scatological, sexual biology and toilet topics.



Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju

Yotaro has rather unusual ambitions for an ex-con in Showa-era Japan. He wants to master the centuries-old art of rakugo storytelling under one of its most renowned masters, a grumpy old codger named Yakumo. Ever since he saw Yakumo perform from prison, Yotaro has wanted to make this Edo-era style of one-man theater his own passion and trade, but there are a couple obstacles barring his path. At first, he's simply untalented, barely able to deliver monologues without stammering or being criticized on his delivery by Konatsu, a lodger in Yakumo's house who has long studied her late father's style of rakugo but cannot perform herself because she is a woman. To make matters worse, as Yotaro is tutored by Konatsu over time, his style begins to resemble her late father's, who Yakumo had a turbid relationship with that ended in a mysterious and violent accident. If Yotaro wants to develop his own style of rakugo, he'll have to learn more about the history of not only the performance art itself, but the lives of the people it has already transformed around him.

Clearly aimed at an adult audience, this show is all the better for it, IMO. It drips style and substance and is populated by characters I found interesting as well as their interrelationships. It is very much not your typical anime fare, so your mileage may vary, but for me, this one is a winner.

Active Raid's first episode was silly, but it was also fun.

Girls Beyond the Wasteland is notable for featuring a rather competent, socially adept protagonist. Overall however it seems kind of generic. Maybe there will be some clever humor and deconstruction, but for now it seems kind of indulgent.

I quite liked the first episode of Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash.  One of its biggest strengths is that it doesn't really lean heavily on its having a cast of people from our own world trapped in a fantasy world.  Though on the other hand, one does kind of wonder what the point of trapping a bunch of people from our own world in another world is if they don't remember our own...

I rather liked the first episode of Erased... up until the end. I'm not too sure about that ending twist. I liked the late twenties protagonist and the people around him, so suddenly going back to his childhood and having to redo years of his life doesn't particularly appeal to me.  Then again, as someone on another forum pointed out to me that set up has loads of potential, so maybe I should give it a chance.

Haruchika started off feeling more or less like a second rate imitation of Sound! Euphonium (and yes, I know its source material dates back years). I wasn't too big on the art style or most of the cast, and I didn't find the mystery all that accessible. Having a gay character among the core cast is kind of interesting and the main heroine is fairly likeable, but for the most part my first impression of the show is pretty lacklustre.

While Luck and Logic isn't a magical girl show, its aesthetics may appeal to those who like magical girl shows. The first episode is actually decent, but I'm concerned about it moving into what looks like a harem set up.

I'm not normally too big on magic academy harem series, but I quite enjoyed Myriad Colors: Phantom World.  I guess execution counts for something.  Of particular note is the spectacular and imaginative animation.

Schwarzesmarken seems a bit easier to take seriously than Total Eclipse (while part of the same universe, the source novels are by different authors).  Its pretty dark though.



Oh, I also saw the preview episode of Macross Delta.  Its essentially Macross meets AKB0048.  The flashy battle/performance was a bit out there, but then again this is a Macross series.  Singing and valkyries come with the territory, and this series showcases a new level of synergy between idols and valkyries, with the Walkure girls taking an active role in the battle and the Delta squadron valkyries that support them taking an active role in their performance in addition to kicking ass.

Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash

"Awaken!" At the sound of this call, Haruhiro and a bunch of other strange kids awoke to find their memories missing in the quiet town of Ortana, within the world of Grimgar. Before they had any time to panic, a suspicious-looking officer of the "Borderland Brigade" informed them that they would be the organization's newest recruits if they wanted to not only uncover the mysteries behind their memory loss, but also make enough coin to earn a decent meal. Left on his own to find a guild and learn a useful trade for combat, Haruhiro became a thief and joined a few other misfits to try and survive. Moguzo the warrior, Ranta the dark knight, Yume the hunter, Shihoru the magician, and Manato the priest aren't the strongest party members around, though. In fact, their awkward group can barely manage to escape from Grimgar's weakest breed of goblins. Life in this fantasy kingdom is a desperate bid for survival, not some silly game, but every once in a while, Haruhiro feels like maybe it was a game that he somehow forgot about.

I’ve stayed well away from all of the “teenagers trapped in a game/fantasy world” shows the past few years and I intended to do so with this one until I read ANN’s reviews, which were mostly positive. The visual style of the show is amazing though the story in the first episode is pretty threadbare (sans the usual info dumps indicative of most light novel adaptions).


Dagashi Kashi

Kokonotsu Shikada is really tired of his friends calling him "Coconuts" all the time. The only thing that annoys him more is his father's insistence that he give up on drawing manga and take up the family business, a Japanese snacks (or dagashi) store, instead. It doesn't help poor Kokonotsu's case that he's already a far more competent shop owner than his dad, but just when their generational head-butting has reached a fever pitch, another candy fanatic comes bursting into his life. City-slicker Hotaru Shidare is the heir to a world-famous sweets company, and she's absolutely obsessed with all things sugar and sodium. She immediately takes a shine to Kokonotsu, and even though she's totally coconuts herself, Kokonotsu can't help but notice her resemblance to the heroine he's been drawing for so many years. That just leaves one last little problem: Saya Endou, a cafe waitress who also has a downright scary romantic fixation on Kokonotsu.

Worth watching just for Hotaru Shidare, which I guess is the point as she is enormously popular online in Japan. Whether she can carry an entire season remains to be seen, but she certainly carried this first episode.

I know I' late to the party, but here are the first few I'm planning on taking a look at.

-Oshiete! Galko-chan
--It's supposed to be shoujo-comedy and I love shoujo comedy.

-Active Raid: Kido Kiyoshushitsu Dai-Hakkei

--It's a nice mecha action and personally, I don't think I got enough mech-action this summer thank you.

-Myriad Colors Phantom World

--I've never read the manga, but people have been trying to get me to read it for a while now, so I'll use this as a primer. The thought of a world created entirely by imagination and the protagonists not being aware of it reminds me a lot of 'Little Busters' as well.

-Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku o!
--Dude dies and goes to his personal heaven. Not sure why, but this interests me.

-HaruChika: Haruta to Chika wa Seishun Suru

--Band camp and wind instruments...that is all.


Also looking forward to the One Punch Man OVA because freakin One Punch Man come on; and the Bikini Warriors OVA, if I likes it I may watch the series.

AOKANA: Four Rhythm Across the Blue

In the far-flung future, in the middle of a four-island archipelago somewhere south of Japan, the fantasy of flight has become an everyday occurrence. Asuka Kurashina may be a clumsy ditz, but she's always dreamed of flying through the skies, so she can't wait to move to Kuna Island and start using her new Grav-Shoes, even if her inexperience sends her crash-landing down on her bottom over and over again. It isn't long before her hyperactive antics land her in trouble with one of the island's biggest bullies, and she gets challenged to a duel of aerial acrobatics in the archipelago's hottest sport, Flying Circus. She's got a lot of work to do, but with the help of her new friends, Asuka might just be able to find her wings and learn to soar like a flying fish!

For a show based on an adult visual novel about girls who fly wearing short school uniform skirts, there is a surprising lack of fan service. In fact, there was not a panty to be seen the entire 25 minutes - only a quick bra shot before the eye-catch.

ANN’s Hope Chapman called it “cute sexy fluff” and I’ll spot her the “cute” and “fluff”. It probably would have worked better if the flying was based on magic rather than anti-gravity and the premise that such flying is only allowed on a four-island archipelago in the Sea of Japan is ludicrous. That being said, there is some thought given to the ramifications of the tech - you have to be formally instructed on how to use it and there are dedicated “departure / landing pads” within urban areas.

The animation is pretty basic - the glory days of GONZO are clearly well in their past. The first episode was watchable, so I may keep with it.

Kiskaloo wrote:Worth watching just for Hotaru Shidare, which I guess is the point as she is enormously popular online in Japan. Whether she can carry an entire season remains to be seen, but she certainly carried this first episode.

I picked Dagashi Kashi up when I was looking for something light to watch, and I'll pay that. So far, at least insofar as one can judge these things from a single episode, it's pretty entertaining, and better than the synopsis led me to expect... not least because the premise is significantly less daft than the quick description.


Other than that, Dimension W I also wound up enjoying the first episode of. It's got some interesting character designs and, again insofar as it can be judged from a single episode, is floating in feel somewhere between Gunsmith Cats, eX-Driver (though, that may be the fault of the OP) and some variety of crime procedural/private eye show.

Plus, I'm always down for something with a grumpy anti-hero lead.

It also gets my prize for best OP animation dance...

One person commented to the effect that a decade ago Dimension W would have been generic, but now it seems refreshing.  I'm inclined to agree with that assessment.  Its got some cool factor (though another person who commented on the show thought it was trying too hard).

I also saw the first episode of Konosuba.  Its another end up in a game world sort of series, but it takes a different approach... a sadistically comedic one. Not sure how the series is going to develop as a whole, but I found the first episode entertaining enough that I'll at least give the second one a try.

Active Raid, Erased, Haruchika, and Phantom World all got a boost from their second episode.  I still consider Haruchika a weak show, but at least I could more or less follow this week's mystery.  Erased continues to interest me despite the reservations I had about the leap back in time.  And I really liked the second episode for Active Raid.  With the first episode having established things, the second episode is able to settle in and focus more on a couple characters.  I'm also thinking that there's something more serious lurking underneath the show's hood despite the director saying the show is silly -perhap he merely meant it was silly in comparison to Code Geass.

Alright Now!!

Active Raid
Episodes 1-2

Well to start, I’m not sure if I like the OP. To be honest, it seems like it’s simply trying too hard to be cool.On initial runs though, the show seems to pick up quickly with one of the more subtle role calls I’ve seen in a LONG time. Also, I kinda expected a lot more fan-service as I drew initial comparisons of this to Burn Up W, but what was their was thankfully subdued. One thing to note though is that the character of Asami occasionally switches to English when she’s particularly emotional about whatever, yet there hasn’t been any exposition as to why. Personally, I find this confusing.

In the second episode, a supposed primary antagonist makes himself known and surprisingly he seems to have heavy Marxist leanings, something you truly don’t see in entertainment these days without them being Russian, Slavic, or other Eastern European. What I’m also interested in is the subtext of there being a ‘quicksand problem’ that had only slight exposition in a scene but I’m hoping gets elaborated upon much more by the 5 epi cutoff. I’m going to give it a solid shot, so I’m hoping it doesn’t let me down.

Also, is it just me, or does Rin spark comparison to Nene Romanova from Bubblegum Crisis?
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Oshiete! Galko-chan
Episode 1


It seems the short-epi series is becoming a thing in straight comedy anime. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be working much with the slice-of-life genre..The episode starts quick with a role call that takes less than a minute, but then deteriorates from then on. The core group seems to be solid enough as their differences play off each other quite well...but after the initial joke intro, the toilet humor flies strong and doesn’t let up...in a bad way. This is unfortunate because the series namesake seems to be a garden variety basket-case and if not for her “assets” would most likely be lost behind her stronger counterparts. Before anybody criticizes me for criticizing this series due to my liking a similar series. Please remember that Himegoto had a central plot based around a central issue and above all, a central protagonist; which used crude humor to communicate that central plot.

If the humor was more varied, I think I would’ve really liked this show. Unfortunately, I’m checking out after one.
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Kono Subarashii ni Shukufuku Wo!
Episode 1


To start...this shit is bananas! A kid dies after (attempting) to save some girl and gets transported to a LARP world where people ain’t just LARPing for the sake of LARPing, but where LARPing is a straight-up life or death struggle and shit. Oh, and apparently Goddesses puke rainbows when they’ve drank too much booze. This show kinda feels like somebody watched “Ah1 My Goddess!” and “Sakura Taisen” back to back and decided to combine the two.

While there hasn’t been much in the way of actual action to the series, th humor is enough for me to give this show a solid chance...at least for another episode.
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Haven't had enough off time to see about doing a proper watch of Myriad Colors Phantom World or HaruChika, but hoping to get it done by mid-week along with a proper write up to Oshiete! Galko-chan's replacement.

On another note...Assassination Classroom gets a second season but Mission! School can't get an anime adaptation?



And for the record so is MangaFox.

There's an Ajin show?? I thought it was just going to be a movie! I'm SO hyped! I read a lot of the manga and I HIGHLY recommend it. Gonna go watch it now!! X3

Just to get in on the fun, 

Schwarzes Marken - There is such a thing as too innocent, and the West Germany pilot epitomizes it.  Overdoses on it, in fact.  I might go back to it, but doubtful.  And, as in Total Eclipse, plugsuits.

BKK/BRNK - I love the artwork, especially the guy with the bowler hat.  Great soundtrack.  The head villain-ness is too over-the-top for my tastes, but the rest of the show makes up for it.

Air Gear, uh, I mean, Aokana - the rest of the show is mediocre, but the twin contrails that the grav shoes leave is just mesmerizing.  I may watch it just for that.

Myriad Color Phantom World - clicked in on the fan service part, turned it off.

Active Raid - I think I watched it, and I think I was called away to do something.  I don't think it was compelling enough to remember to resume, so...

Konosuba - Another life-in-WOW show, but this one adds a bit more fanservice and humor.  The fanservicing is tolerable, and the humor is decent - neither the male nor female lead are the continual butt of the joke, so it's not as monotonal as it could be.

Divine Gate - Kisk pretty much nailed it.  Emo protag with a tragic past.  Magical high school.  However, the future visualizations are much better than Irregular at Magic High School (I loved the pervasive hologram-as-functional-tools in Psych Pass), and the ending of episode 1 looks like everything just got upended.

Grimnar - Yet another life-in-WOW.  It's late, I'm tired. I watched a little of it, but will have to finish it later.  This one looks more serious, but everyone is so nerfed that it feels overdone.  Yes, we get it.  You're all level-1 adventurers, but do you have to be so STUPID?  I think I prefer Konosuba over this, in large part for the sadistic humor that a prior commentator mentioned.

Okay, finally got around to posting this.

Haruchika
-Episodes 1-2


So Haruka suddenly wants to be a ‘cute girl’ , whatever that is, and sees playing the flute as a means toward that objective, and she has chibi voices in her head to guide her...okay. The whole childhood friends reunion was in fact cute and gave me a few chuckles here and there, but then turned really weird as an awkward love triangle emerged. In the second episodes we get introduced to the OP which seems to run on incoherently and the ED which seems to be artificially extended for the purpose of an unnecessary episode recap. Also we see that the leads prove themselves to be a pair of obnoxiously manipulative little shits. To obtain an objective selfishly is something I can admire, but to take advantage of a personal tragedy hits me right in the feels in all the wrong ways.

While the slice-of-life aspect of the series is endearing a bit, it gets heavily overshadowed by the ‘mysteries’ in a bad way. In this way I liken this series to “Spiral” in that the exposition of the main character being a “genius detective” became more important than finding out exactly WTF IS GOING ON WITH THE BLADE CHILDREN. The series would most likely be much stronger as a student drama revolving around the rebuilding and prospering of the school’s brass band club, but that would require interaction of characters aside from the two leads which it appears there be little to none of. A show with a  lot of potential, but little in the way of substance, Haruchika seems to be trying hard and achieving little. For that reason I’m going to say goodbye after two episodes.
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Myriad Colors Phantom World
-Episodes 1-2


To start, the first episode opens itself quite interestingly as it details cognitive perception in a laymen’s view incredibly well. Also it benefits from a very strong OP with an integrated roll call (thank Jebus) and a catchy tune (more Jebus). Fan service is apparent, but is greatly subdued and even a bit funny as it seems to be most noticed by the chibi-character. As the plot gets going the school itself seems to be pretty damn messed up as they seem to pay the students to dispatch “Phantoms”. Halfway through the first episode though I officially became interested when I see a girl who could literally eat ANYTHING.Then it hits me, if the commercial break scenes are anything to go by, this show is officially The Matrix meets Final Fantasy. Mai is an elemental monk like Sabin from FF6, Haruhiko is freaking Relm from FF6, and Reina is none other than Quina from FF9 only without the badass blue magic.

The second episode is much the same silliness with a “UFO thrown in for good measure. If there is going to be an overarching plot, I don’t care as the silliness is enough to keep me around. Count me in for the long haul in Myriad Colors Phantom World.
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Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu
-Episodes 1-2

I have no idea why, but  like (almost appreciate actually) that the first epsiode is of the protagonist getting released from prison. Also, I’m going to guess that the time period for this series is mid-80‘s to early 90‘s as tape players are a thing; being from a time in which I myself was a mischievous little shit( no really), this series is already making me all kinds of warm inside. What I mostly love about this series so far is the whole “follow your dreams” vibe I’m getting from the main male proto and the main female proto. Although it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s lost on a less experienced or a less mature audience. The best thing I can compare this to is a Marty Robbins album. It rolls along slow and steady like a freight train, but hits sharp and deep like a razor blade. As such I’m dialing in for the full ride. I am more than eager to see what becomes of this series.

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Welp, now that I’ve found my replacement for Galko-chan, I need to find a replacement for Haruchika...and it just so happens that I recently heard that an anime adaptation for my favorite game of 2015 is currently airing on the season. Phantasy Star Online 2...here I come!!

Yes, I sprung for it off of PlayAsia (because J-list is a ripoff when it comes to games), and I had to install it on a VMWare setup running J-spec emulation and I downloaded the English fan-patch (before there was an official one) and I don’t care. I love me some Phantasy Star.

Active Raid
Consistently entertaining enough to counteract the silliness. I feel Taniguchi and Arakawa are becoming more comfortable with the format of the show as I see it continuing to move in a positive direction.

AOKANA: Four Rhythm Across the Blue
As Asuka noted, “everyone is so nice” – even the protagonists. That’s refreshing so I’m continuing with it.

BBK/BRNK
Strongly reminded of a BONES science-fiction show and I like BONES science-fiction shows. That they are working to get back to “Treasure Island” is helping with keeping me interested.

ERASED
The best mystery show I have seen since Another.

GATE
Series 2 picks up right where Series 1 left off and carries forward everything that made Series 1 a pleasant surprise.

Myriad Colors Phantom World
I hate Ruru with the heat of a million suns. She’s perilously close to driving me away from the show, along with the constant info dumps from Haruhiko, but Mai and, especially, Reina are cool and hopefully Koito becomes less of an enigma as the show progresses.

Ooya-san was Shishunki!
Amusing, but the “casual creeper pedophilia” of the male lead is unwelcome.

Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū
Still liking this show, even though it has moved to “flashback mode” with the second episode, set between the 1920s and 1940s and covering the early careers of Yakumo and Sukeroku. While I have been enjoying them, I really bonded with Kyoji and Konatsu in the 1970s with the first double-length episode and I hope it returns to them in the near future. 


I have been waiting for Funimation to launch their Apple TV app this month, so I have not been following Dagashi Kashi, Dimension W, Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash, Haruchika and Snow White with the Red Hair Series 2. Once the app hits, I will binge-watch them.

Norn9, Ojisan to Marshmallow and Girls Beyond the Wasteland have all been dropped.

I am SO glad I waited to DL Active Raid for a couple weeks. Episodes 6 & 7 brought the straight-up feels and Episode 8 was JUST what I needed after those two.

Active Raid continues to be just entertaining enough to keep me watching. I admit it is usually the third show I go to after catching up on ERASED and GATE and not just because it is first in my Crunchyroll cue.

Kiskaloo wrote:Dimension W

Funimation is one of the Production Committee members for this show and it’s obvious why - this will be the next Bandai Visual show to hit big in the United States. I’m actually a bit surprised it’s not being simulcast on Adult Swim same-day as the Japanese broadcasts (as Space Dandy was), but it is definitely going to be on that block and I expect it’s going to be a hit when it does.

So last night was the debut of the dubbed version of Dimension W on Adult Swim. Which puts me in somewhat of a quandary...

As noted, I have not been watching any of the Funimation-licensed shows as I await their Apple TV app. And I tend to lock onto the first version I hear in terms of language. For example, I can only watch Ghost in the Shell in English because I first saw Stand Alone Complex in English and the Japanese cast sounds "wrong" (just as the English cast does for shows I originally watched in Japanese). While I did see the first episode of Dimension W in Japanese, it was months ago and don't remember how the Japanese cast sounded. So the English dub cast  is the most current one and in general I like Funimation's stable of voice actors, who did a solid job here, as well.

I imagine I'll marathon the Japanese version because it's broadcast run is almost over and if I stay with the dub, it will be almost summer before I am caught up and watching it again reminded me of how much I liked the show. Though it was nice to be able to focus on the show and not the subtitles...

GOD EATER - EPISODE 10

So five months seems to have been enough time for ufotable to get caught up and if the next three are as amazing as this one, it was time well spent.

Once again, if you bailed on this show early, do yourself a favor and come back to it. It's seriously worth the time.

Finally have time to start finishing the Winter season as the Spring season prepares to kick off.

Active Raid – B-
In general I found it became better as it went along, though I consider Mythos and LOGOS as relatively failed antagonists.
 
 
AOKANA: Four Rhythm Across the Blue - B
I did not find this to be a great show, but I did find it to be a very entertaining and enjoyable one thanks to the cast of characters.


BBK/BRNK – B-
Not as good as a true BONES show in terms of story, though it did tend to nail the character archetypes. The show has pretty much been confirmed for a second season and I will be there for it.


ERASED – A-
Not as good as it could have been, especially with the final arc that resolved the story, but still the best of the Winter shows I watched. 


GATE – B+
I found Season 2 to generally be an improvement on Season 1, but the finale was not very satisfying. It tied up the loose ends, but there were so many that the final bow was not very neat, IMO.


Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash – B
A decent enough RPG simulation.


GOD EATER – A-
It stumbled out of the gate, feeling like a copy of Attack on Titan with more fan service. However, it soon enough grew some legs and as it learned to walk, it walked with confidence, becoming one of the stronger shows of 2015, even if it needed a fair bit of 2016 to complete it’s run. It really deserves – and needs - a second season, IMO.


Haruchika - Haruta & Chika - B+
Not to the level of Sound Euphoneum and Hyōka, but still a very enjoyable show - probably my second-favorite series after ERASED.


Myriad Colors Phantom World – B-
For me, this show was saved because it was handled by Kyoto Animation. While certainly their weakest project I have seen, they have a way of making really enjoyable-to-watch characters. I’d have stayed with it just for Reina Izumi, but Mai Kawakami, Koito Minase and Haruhiko Ichijo also made the show worth completing.


Ooya-san was Shishunki! - C+
Your standard kind of mediocre three-minute anime to promote what is probably a kind of mediocre 4-koma manga. 


She and Her Cat ~Everything Flows~ - A
An alternate re-telling of Makoto Shinkai’s 1999 short film She and her Cat. While Shinkai was not involved, the four shorts were directed by KyoAni alum Kazuya Sakumoto and he and script writer Naruki Nagakawa did a fantastic job.


Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū - A-
Not a huge fan of the characters, but the writing is so amazing... Approved for a second season that will take place back in the 70's with Yotarō and Komatsu so I am very psyched about that.

I enjoyed Active Raid, but agree that the antagonists were a weak point.  Too vague and inscrutable.

Grimgar was unusual for a trapped in a RPG story -almost a bit of a deconstruction.  I think it ended strong, but overall suffered from being too slow paced.

I wasn't too keen on the direction Erased went towards the end, but the final episode managed a decent recovery.  Overall its still one of my top picks for the season.

Another of my top picks for the season was Phantom World.  A lot of people hated on the show for being episodic and not very plot driven, but I thought it was a lot of fun, and that it's finale did a fairly good job of utilizing themes and elements from earlier episodes.

Perhaps my favorite show of the season however was Konosuba.  Sure, the humor was kind of low sometimes, but it was a riot.  I'm really looking forward to season two.

Rakugo was not the show I was most into, but it was very well done.

Dimension W - C+

Many have called the second half a "train wreck", but I didn't find it so, even if I thought it was generally weak. Overall, I think the dub is better than the sub and that is probably why I stuck with it to the end.

Just finished Gate. Loved it! A- from me! Wish there had been more though.