Winter 2015 Anime Preview: Part 2, Part 2

I acknowledge that many of you will never reach this apex of taste, but hopefully this post will be a helping hand.

Tantei Kageki Milky Holmes TD (Tantei Opera Milky Holmes TD)

Animation Production: J.C. Staff (Twin Angel, Zero no Tsukaima Princess no Rondo, Taisho Baseball Girls), Nomad (Rozen Maiden, Time Paladin Sakura, Sola)

Manga: http://www.mangahere.co/manga/tantei_opera_milky_holmes_radical_time/c001/

Light Novel: N/A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGQ9nWVu8Us

Milky Holmes is one of those series I *really* wanna get hyped about. But considering I’d have to get through three fucking seasons to catch up, the last of which was universally panned from the few hardcore fans who watched it…

…it makes getting into these little girls seem like more trouble than it’s worth.

 

 

Soukyuu no Fafner: Dead Aggressor – Exodus (Fafner Exodus)

Animation Production: Xebec zwei (N/A. This’ll be zwei’s first actual production.)

Manga: N/A

Light Novel: N/A

The first season aired in 2004, and even I’m not old enough to have started watching anime back then.

You’re a decade too late, Xebec2; most of your target audience is dead by now.

 

 

Kamisama Hajimemashita 2 (Kamisama Kiss)

Animation Production: TMS Entertainment (Gallery Fake, Yowamushi Pedal, The Pilot’s Love Song)

Manga: http://www.mangago.me/read-manga/kamisama_hajimemashita/mf/v01/c001/3/ (low quality)

Light Novel: N/A

This series makes me as giddy as a girl in an upscale tampon shop (designer tampons are a thing, right?). I recommend the original series every chance I get, because it is pure, unadulterated shoujo concentrate. That was probably redundant, but I don’t even care because I’m so fucking excited.

Sure, it didn’t have a novel premise — or anything novel, really — but it’s an ideal shoujo because it doesn’t have any serious drawbacks. Normally, shoujos need to be qualified (“Oh, just ignore the douchebags in Fruits Basket; they get better in the end”, or “There’s only a little bit of rape in Bible Black; don’t pay it any mind”), but Kamisama comes with no asterisk marks.

Now, I’m not saying it’s “clean” (and qualifying quality by inoffensiveness is about as far from critical thought as possible); I’m saying it’s a show you don’t need to feel awkward about introducing your friends to, because there aren’t any stupid snags in the narrative. And it’s good, so you watch it too.

 

 

The IDOLM@STER: Cinderella Girls

Animation Production: A-1 Pictures (Gyrozetter, Kannagi, Magic Kaito 1412)

Manga: N/A. Shit’s based on a mobile game.

Light Novel: N/A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldYsttI15-Y

Jesus, I wish this Idolm@ster/Love Live craze never took off. So far the only idol anime I’ve ever enjoyed has been K-On. Seriously, someone wanna tell me the benefit of having a cast so large that creating a Top-100 list would still leave some “main characters” by the wayside? And by “characters”, I’m being generous. More like walking tropes disguised as… oh wait, they aren’t disguised as anything.

I mean, just look at this one. Cinderella Girls is based on a goddamn mobile game. Why the fuck would you have any expectations of a Skinner Box adaptation? I hope it’s only 3 minutes long so I don’t have to review it and the suckers who like this shit don’t have to waste their time.

Edit: I, uhh… take that back. Nobody told me how cute Riina is.

That skirt alone would be enough, but– I’m sorry, I was out of line before. I didn’t know.

 

 

JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken: Stardust Crusaders – Egypt Hen (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders – Egypt Arc)

Animation Production: David Production (Hyperdimension Neptunia, Level E, Dogs: Bullets & Carnage)

Manga: http://bato.to/read/_/112663/jojos-bizarre-adventure-part-1-phantom-blood_v1_ch1_by_ignition-one (Part 1 here, though this arc covers Part 3)

Light Novel: N/A

I suppose if you snorted enough coke, you could get through the first two seasons without falling asleep. Can’t say I recommend wasting blow like that, but it’s your money.

Oh, wait, are we still doing the thing where we ironically pretend to like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure because it has muscly guys being muscly? …We are? Shit. Okay, one sec.

Hello laughing, do you kids know what’s cool? Posing. And only the top posers are qualified to like “the JoJos.” So get hype for this 10/10 anime. It even goes up to 11/10 (dank-epic 4chan reference, lol). Yo and diggety.

 

 

Durarara!!x2 Shou

Animation Production: Shuka (N/A. This will be their first production.)

Manga: http://bato.to/read/_/35774/durarara_ch1_by_bakana-haven

Light Novel: http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Durarara!!

This season is a good excuse for me to finally finish Durarara. That picture too.

 

 

Aldnoah.Zero 2nd Season

Animation Production: A-1 Pictures (Oreshura, Persona Trinity Soul, Space Brothers)

Manga: N/A

Light Novel: N/A

(There are spoilers in the PV, so don’t watch this if you didn’t watch season 1.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-VXxklSAtI

I didn’t like Aldnoah.Zero, and the ending didn’t inspire even the most minute amount of emotion in me, but I feel obligated to watch this second season. I mean, what if my moral support helps convince Japan to make a good mecha this decade? Worth a shot, right?

You do your part too. I need my Geass itch scratched.

 

 

Shounen Hollywood: Holly Stage for 50

Animation Production: ZEXCS (Cuticle Detective Inaba, Diabolic Lovers, Flowers of Evil)

Manga: N/A

Light Novel: N/A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XScpcz8NpaI

Who asked for this, and what broke them so badly?

 

 

Go! Princess Precure

Animation Production: Toei Animation (World Trigger, Toriko, Sailor Moon Crystal)

Manga: N/A

Light Novel: N/A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n06V1wtHUXw

New year, new Precure to drop after two episodes.

 

 

Kuroko no Basket 3rd Season

Animation Production: Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell Arise, Gargantia, Loups=Garous)

Manga: http://bato.to/read/_/13452/kuroko-no-basket_v1_ch1_by_dragon-piece/2

Light Novel: N/A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvnJ1zb_MAo

Fujoshi need apply. Everyone else, yeah, the series is good. But so are others, and I know you haven’t watched Shigofumi yet.

 

 

 

Summary

Kamisama Kiss, Drrr, Jojos (#wink), im@s = hype

Kuroko, Aldnoah = okay, fine

Hollywood, Precure, Fafner = eh-tier (I wish I meant that in the Canadian sense)

Shigofumi = for reals, make this the New Year’s resolution you keep