Kyousogiga Impressions

I'm not going to do a full review because frankly, I'm still trying to wrap my head around what went on in those 20 or so minutes. Yeah, I'm not even going to pretend I had a single idea what was happening. There were many similarities to Alice in Wonderland in Kyousogiga, such as having to find the 'rabbit' to return home and the whole accidentally ending up in another world thing with 'Mirror Kyoto'.

The way the story was told was very haphazard making it difficult to understand and it's hard to explain what was happening without giving away the whole thing. You'd be better off watching it yourself. I think somewhere along the way the producers assumed it would be easy enough to figure out everything you need to know while trying to understand what was going on.

Despite not understanding what was going on, I still found it to be an enjoyable watch. It was crazy, weird and wild and it would be really nice to see more to it, if only to tie up all the loose ends and make clear what was happening. The characters were quirky and interesting. Visually, it was stunning. I really loved the artwork and animation. The soundtrack wasn't particularly memorable at all. It was also really nice to see Kugimiya Rie in a role besides the type-casted 'tsundere loli'.

Overall, it's really not a waste of time to watch. If worse comes to worst, you'll end up thinking "WTF did I just watch?" but you definitely won't be alone if that happens.

D-1: The End of 2011

2011 marked the first year where I did not go a single day without anime whether it be one episode or an entire series. Despite it being my HSC year, I went from only having seen Yu-Gi-Oh, Sailor Moon, Beyblade, Vampire Knight and a few other series to closer to 100 series. 2011 also marks the year where I started following currently airing series. 2011 is the year where I really fell in love with anime. I became a lot more critical of it but I also enjoyed very much. While it was the year I started following anime, I didn't follow as much currently running anime as I would've liked to. I kind of inundated myself a little during the spring season so during the rest I watched a lot of older series to expose myself to the wide variety of anime that are available.

I started this blog in February with the intention of writing reviews and getting my opinion out there but I didnt' really have a lot of time throughout the year to put enough thought as I would like to into writing anything so I'm sorry for the lack of those. I know I will definitely have more time with the coming new year so expect more reviews coming out. I won't go down the track of covering anime weekly any time soon, however, as I honestly don't pay close enough attention each week to write about one episode in such great detail. There are already many blogs who cover anime that are much more established than I am around in any case.

I watched quite a bit of anime this year. Some were amazing and some were terrible, but I feel like I've only dipped my toes into the metaphorical ocean of anime that is out there. When I started this I honestly didn't think my interest in anime would survive long enough for me to keep writing but alas, it has. I know there are a lot of great and not-so-great series out there that I have yet to discover. So with that, see you on the other side in 2012~!

D-2: Top 10 Anime of 2011

I know I'm fairly limited in what I had to choose for this so consider this a 'best of what I've seen' rather than an absolute best of.  A list of what I've seen can be viewed here.

10. Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukanai

I picked this series up 5 episodes in because I noticed the art was similar to Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko and I was pleasantly surprised. It was refreshing for me. What I really loved about this series was the humour. It was awkward and hilarious and I really enjoyed it.

9. Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu Ni

Forget profound plot development and epic fight scenes, Baka to Test is just here for a good laugh. While I didn't enjoy it as much as the first season because of the lack of constant summon wars, I still loved the cast of interesting characters and their crazy antics.

8. Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto

Hands down the most fun I've had while following any series was during Star Driver. It's so over-the-top with the flashy fights, the colours, the Ginga Bishounen and everything but I've honestly never had so much fun watching anything in my life. It's not overly profound or anything but I really enjoyed waiting up on Sunday nights for the release even though I had school the next day.

7. UN-GO

UN-GO is officially the last series I completed before the end of 2011. What people said about it initially made me hesitant to pick it up but when I did I was hooked. Though purely as a detective anime, it isn't fantastic, there is something about the underlying themes that really had me interested.

6. Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail

Black Lagoon is my favourite series. Ever. I really enjoyed this except for the fact that there was too much of a gap in between the episodes and it was really just a blood bath most of the time. I really did enjoy it though.

5. Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko
4. GOSICK
3. Usagi Drop
2. Fate/Zero
1. Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokuta wa Mada Shiranai

The top 5 I mentioned as the top series per genre and you can read what I said about them here.

D-3: Biggest Disappointments in Anime of 2011

Again simply my own opinion, as you are entitled to yours. Anime I watched can be viewed here.

1. A-Channel

It wasn't like I was expecting a masterpiece of anything but A-Channel wasn't even as close to as entertaining as I thought it would be. It wasn't even funny. It just felt like a Lucky Star wannabe to me. After a while I started getting really sick of the characters and the mediocre scenarios.

2. C: The Money of Soul and Possibility Control

The premise was quite interesting and it was one of my most anticipated series of spring 2011. Sadly, felt like it became unnecessarily convoluted when it tried to be too much. Visually it's stunning but story-wise it just didn't cut it for me.

3. Steins;Gate

I haven't finished this. I don't know if I'm ever going to stay awake long enough while watching it to be able to. After all the hype that was going around for this series, I was expecting something awesome. However dumb this sounds, I feel like I should like it. The set up is great, the characters are great, but for some reason, I just find it extremely boring. In fact, it's so boring that I fall asleep not even half way into the episodes.

D-4: The Best Anime of 2011 「MISCELLANEOUS」

Not entirely sure I should label this as 'Best of' but anyway. Again just my personal opinion. List of anime I watched can be seen here.


Favourite Characters
Male - Kinji Tooyama

Purely for the endless laughter at 'Hysteria Mode'.

Female - Touwa Erio

She's interesting and completely adorable. What kind of normal 16 year old girl believes she's an alien and constantly wraps herself in a futon?

Other - Inga

Inga gets a separate category because I simply have no idea if Inga is male or female. "He" can change into a woman so I really have no clue. In any case, I really liked Inga's characters and it was one of the things I enjoyed while watching UN-GO.

More than I Expected - Infinite Stratos

It's really nothing more than harem and mecha but it really wasn't bad like I expected it to be. I was pleasantly surprised that I thoroughly enjoyed this series despite everyone always asking me why I would enjoy such a thing. I really liked the mecha...

Not What I Expected - Oretachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai

I wasn't expecting much out of this series to be honest, but I definitely was expecting to understand what was going on. This is the show where at the end you go "WTF DID I JUST WATCH?" I kid you not. Everything was so convoluted I had no idea what I was watching most of the time. I did tie in together at the end though... somewhat.

Mediocre Show of the Year - Dantalian no Shoka

It wasn't bad by any means but it wasn't really good either. It was just average. Never more never less. I never really enjoyed what I was watching it but I didn't dislike it either.

Worst Show I Saw - Sekaiichi Hatsukoi

Well, I don't know if I was expecting to enjoy this. I think I was expecting more than a shallow top/bottom yaoi but I suppose I should've known. I'm fairly sure I'm in the target demographic of this series but I just found everything about the series so shallow. The characters, the romance, everything.

D-5: The Best Anime of 2011「GENRE」

Part 2 of the countdown to 2011 with the best anime of 2011 in each genre. Keep in mind that this was my HSC year so I am limited to the series that I was able to watch, which you can see here. I am excluding series that are running into 2012.

Action - Fate/Zero

Fate/Zero has truly moved into a class of it's own in all aspects of the anime. Ufotable seems to have left Studio DEEN's adaptation of Fate/stay-night in the dust with their adaptation of Fate/Zero. While the action sequences are great, Fate/Zero is also much more than simply flashy fight scenes with magical powers. It is a combination of good story telling, interesting characters, beautiful animation and an amazing soundtrack by Yuki Kajiura (who did Tsubasa Chronicles, one of my favourite soundtracks). Altogether, Fate/Zero is a real quality production that I won't be forgetting any time soon.

Other notable series: Roberta's Blood Trail (even though it's an OVA because if I had to pick a series that had truly ended, then I'd probably have a hard time choosing one that was really above the rest)

Comedy - Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko

While it's not purely comedy driven, Denpa Onna is still the best anime that falls under this category in my opinion. The first three episodes were a lot more than I expected and could've functioned alone as a separate series. I know quite a few people didn't enjoy it after it reverted to a standard slice-of-life kind of story but I surprisingly still found it extremely enjoyable. That probably had something to do with the amazing artwork and the interesting mix of characters that never failed to amuse me.

Other notable series: Baka to Test: Shoukanjuu Ni, Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukanai

Drama - Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai

I was never meant to pick this series up during the spring season this year, so it ended up being the reason I was watching a lot more than I could handle. Surprisingly, AnoHana turned out to be a lot more than I expected, becoming on of my favourite series of the year, and of all-time so far. I'm not exaggerating at all when I say this series made me cry in every single episode. What can I say? I'm a sucker for sad dramas. I really, really loved the way this story was told.

Other notable series: Hanasaku Iroha

Mystery - GOSICK

Detective stories are never out of style but the difficult thing is making it interesting. I really liked the some of the cases they had to offer. While the story was fairly linear and somewhat episodic initially, I liked the darker turn it took at the mid-way point. The main characters were fairly standard with the odd detective and the sidekick, or the loli tsundere and the male lead that was made to show character development. The supporting characters really made up for that though. While everything seems standard in hindsight, it wasn't something I consciously thought about while watching. GOSICK was definitely a really good series that I enjoyed this year.

Other notable series: Un-Go

Slife-of-Life - Usagi Drop

Usagi Drop really could be a page out of the book of someone's life. It doesn't romanticise or exaggerate what would happen if a young girl were to suddenly become a part of a middle-aged man's life and what they would both have to go through. It's not overly dramatised and it is the kind of story that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I wasn't too keen on the series initially when it was recommended to me by a friend but I couldn't help but fall in love with all the characters. There is a real charm about the series that is really rare in anime nowadays.

I'm a little disappointed that I couldn't put anything under romance or sci-fi, especially since romance is one of my favourite genres, but there was really nothing that I could specifically put under each genre as a major focal point.

D-6: The Best Anime of 2011「PRODUCTION」

Kicking off the countdown to 2012 with the best of 2011 by production. Please keep in mind that these are purely my personal opinions and therefore are constrained to the 40 or so anime I was able to see this year. That being said, let's start.

VISUALS
Visuals are a huge part of why I watch anime. If it doesn't look 'pretty', the chances of me picking up the anime is reduced by 50%. If it looks nice, you can't guarantee I'll like it, but I'll definitely watch it. So here are my top 3 for 2011.

3. Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko

This series might not have any of those epic fight sequences the animation looked beautiful. I loved SHAFT's fancy camera angles and the scenery. I also adored Buriki's character designs. Definitely my favourite character designs for the year.

2. Shakugan no Shana III

Shakugan no Shana is one of my favourite series and I've always recognised it for it's impressive visuals. The finale definitely did not disappoint in that aspect.

1. Fate/Zero

Ufotable did an absolutely amazing job with this. It definitely doesn't look like a low budget production and I don't think I've ever seen so much work put into an OP in my entire life. Hands down one of the most beautifully animated series I've ever seen.

Other notable series: 
Hanasaku Iroha, Guilty Crown

STORY
While visuals are the part the gets me to start watching, the story is by far the more important factor that keeps me coming back.

3. Usagi Drop

The kind of story that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It didn't have the over the top melodrama that this kind of series generally has and I liked that.

2. Fate/Zero

Shaping up to be one of my favourite series of the fall season and perhaps of the year, Fate/Zero is full of clever dialogue and cliff-hangers that keep me coming back for more. I've also read that it's quite faithful to the original light novel but I haven't read that.

1. Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai

A beautiful tear-jerker.

Other notable series: 
Gosick, Ao no Exorcist

SOUND
Where would a series be without the awesome background music to set the mood for the story?

BGM - Kore wa Zombie desu ka?
I don't feel as if I've heard any outstanding soundtracks but when I think of background music that I like this particular show comes to mind, especially with this track.




OP - LiSA - oath sign (Fate/Zero)




Other notable OPs: 
KOTOKO - Light My Fire (Shakugan no Shana III), Oogame Akua - Os-Uchuujin (Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko), Nakano Aiko - Camellia no Hitomi (Hidan no Aria)

ED - Komine Lisa - Unity (GOSICK)



Other notable EDs:
Aoi Eir - MEMORIA (Fate/Zero)

Insert Song - Tomatsu Haruka - Monochrome  ~version de l'apprivoiser~

Another「PREVIEW」

Title: Another
Type: TV Series
Episodes: 12
Producer: P.A. Works
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Airing: January 9, 2011

Synopsis:
26 years ago, in a third-year classroom of a middle school, there was a student named Misaki. As an honors student who was also good at sports, the charming girl was popular with her classmates. When she suddenly died, her classmates decided to carry on as if she was still alive until graduation. Then, in the spring of 1998, a boy named Sakakibara Kouichi transfers to that classroom, and he grows suspicious of the fearful atmosphere in that classroom. In particular, there is a beautiful, aloof girl named Mei Misaki who wears an eyepatch and is always alone drawing pictures.

PV


Thoughts:
I love this sort of horror. I get really scared while I watch it but I definitely enjoy watching it. I was really afraid while watching the PV and that was during the day. Hopefully it doesn't fall short on the predictability side of it and manages to remain suspenseful. It's being done by P.A. works who also did Hanasaku Iroha and Angel Beats so for sure it's going to look good. I haven't seen any good horror lately so hopefully this is it.

Winter 2011-2012 Anime Chart

Click through for full image.

Source; neregate

What I'm watching:
☆ Kyousogiga (Apparently only 30 min long though)
☆ Another
☆ Inu x Boku SS
☆ Mouretsu Pirates
☆ Brave 10
☆ Black Rock Shooter
☆ Kill Me Baby

OVAs/Specials:
Infinite Stratos, Hidan no Aria, Holy Knight, Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko, Gyo, Usagi Drop

Dantalian no Shoka Preview and First Impressions

Airing
June 16, 2011 @ 0123
Every Saturday.

Producer
Gainax

Genre
Fantasy, Supernatural

Synopsis
Hugh Anthony Disward inherits an old mansion and a personal library from his grandfather. In the basement of the mansion, he meets a mysterious girl, Dalian. She is a Dantalian and a gateway to "Dantalian's bookshelf", which stores the prohibited books of the demons.

"Gensho (Illusory Books)", the prohibited books, endanger the balance of the world, but people are fascinated by the taboo. Hugh and Dalian solve the cases involving Gensho with their ability to access the Dantalian bookshelf.

Pre-season Thoughts

"I see a gun, fire, and Victorian era style. Disregard everything because this is the most necessary thing to pick up this season." 

As you may or may not know, I choose anime by the art style first. The ones I pick are always usually not the best but I have a far better chance of being able to finish it. Plot wise it sounded pretty original. I'd never heard of anything like it before so I wouldn't be expecting much coming into this series, albeit it seems like the typical anime I'd watch.

Typical anime for me = tsundere girl + boy + some sort of magic + MacGuffin

Considering the prospects as a whole, I wasn't expecting a masterpiece. I was just looking for a bit of fun.

PV


First Impression
It started off nicely, clearly explaining the situation. It wasn't overly poetic or beautifully done or anything but it set the premise for the story so you kind of actually know where the story was heading. I guess that denotes predictability in a way, but hey, it's the first episode. In a way, I found it a little boring at the beginning. I mean, I knew what was going to happen but at least it didn't confuse me. The art was somewhat mediocre. It was a bit strange seeing how insanely pale Dalian was. What I wasn't expecting was that it was a little scary. (Maybe it's just because I watched it in the middle of the night. Who knows.) Yes, I was thoroughly creeped out. Not to mention that ED. How freaky is the girl in the ED? I was scared watching that during the day.

Overall, the first episode was a bit rushed. It did introduce the story but everything happened way too fast and too much  happened in a short time span. It didn't seem to flow very well. Hopefully this show won't become episodic. There are only 13 epiosdes.

And another thing. I've noticed a lot of people comparing this to GOSICK. I guess Hugh and Dalian are somewhat similar to Kujo and Victorique in that they're a male and a female. Oooh, what a striking resemblance. The leads are of the same gender. Wonderful. Seriously though, the only similarity I've noticed is the Victorian era style. Really.

Can't say I minded the start too much really. It's obviously not ever going to be the best anime in the world and I'm honestly not expecting much more out of it. I mean, if it did offer more, I wouldn't be complaining but I can enjoy it just the way it is.

Usagi Drop Preview + First Impression

Airing:
8th July 2011 (Yes, that was last week.) 0045

Producer:
Production IG

Genre:
Slife of Life

Synopsis:
Going home for his grandfather's funeral, thirty-year-old bachelor Daikichi is floored to discover that the old man had an illegitimate child with a younger lover! The rest of his family is equally shocked and embarrassed by this surprise development, and not one of them wants anything to do with the silent little girl, Rin. In a fit of angry spontaneity, Daikichi decides to take her in himself! But will living with this overgrown teenager of man help Rin come out of her shell? And hang on, won't this turn of events spell doom for Daikichi's love life?!

Fansub:
I do believe I'm watching Doki Fansubs. (Why is the fansub important? I've got no idea. In any case, anything is better than HorribleSubs ripped of Crunchyroll. To be honest though, after watching all these Korean shows, any Japanese fansub is way better.) 

Thoughts:
At first, I didn't really notice this show because the art really isn't too eye-catching. That's an understatement really. I had a look at the chart for the 100th time a few days before the season started and actually read all the synopses and thought it sounded really interesting and really felt like it was something I had to watch. So I ditched my plans of watching Blood-C (which I heard isn't too good) and went with this instead. 

PV:


First Impression:
Truly and completely honestly, my first thought was 'the art is weird'. The colours aren't that nice and it takes a bit to get used to. Well, for me it did. I didn't really like the way the scenery was done, but hey, each to their own. Story-wise, it was a good introduction episode. Nothing too extraordinary but it was nice. The story isn't extra special or different but I'm looking forward to a heartwarming series.

「PREVIEW」Ikoku Meiro no Croisée

Airing:
4th July 2011 0030

Producer:
Satelight (Fairy Tail, Macross Frontier, Shugo Chara)

Genre:
Slife of Life, Historical

Synopsis:
Based on manga by Hinada Takeda, who did the art for Gosick. Maybe that's why it caught my eye. 
The story takes place in the second half of the 19th century, as Japanese culture gains popularity in the West. A young Japanese girl, Yune, accompanies a French traveller, Oscar, on his journey back to France, and offers to help at the family's ironwork shop in Paris. Oscar's nephew and shop-owner Claude reluctantly accepts to take care of Yune, and we learn how those two, who have so little in common, get to understand each other and live together in the Paris of the 1800s.

Fansub:
According to fansubwiki, it's Interrobang. They're slow. My life is over. Just kidding. I'm just going to have to wait and see.  I should be thankful to those who sub these shows considering I don't understand much Japanese, especially conversational Japanese.

Thoughts:
This was the third series I decided to pick up this season with the firm decision that it was just something I had to watch. Oddly enough, it was the last series to catch my eye and I only saw it on about the 10th time I had a look at the chart. There's just something about the story that sits well with me. It really sounds like a beautiful story. I don't want to expect too much and see it fall flat but I'm hoping for something enjoyable. It doesn't have to be spectacular but I just has to be worth my time.

PV:

Spring 2011 Anime Rankings

To begin my April wrap-up, I give you my two cents on the current season of anime. This season was a definite improvement from the last. As with any other forms of media, how you view it is all really a matter of taste. It's virtually impossible to comment on anything subjectively, so here's my take on spring 2011.

1. Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai (AnoHana)
Never have I seen a more touching story in my life. It's quite emotional. I was initially very skeptical about the sort of anime this was going to be and was never planning on watching it at all. The characters are also very easy to relate to. I feel a potential masterpiece in the making here but there's still a long way to go. Have I mentioned long title is long? Well it is.




2. Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko
Too cute for words. It's absolutely adorable and I really have nothing to complain about except maybe the fact that the plot is very well disguised. Everyone is comparing it to Shaft's previous production, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica, which I found insanely boring in the 2 episodes that I have seen. So far, this show is in many ways superior. I also love the OP. It's so cute.



3. Hanasaku Iroha
It's an absolute work of art. Visually, it's the best so far this season. I'm not all for the melodrama though. It doesn't stand out too well but themes wise, I'm really liking this. Reality is harsh. This series still has a long way to go though and I guess I'd like to see a little more originality but it's a solid #3 so far.

4. Hidan no Aria
Now who doesn't love tsundere lolis with weapons? Seriously though I'm loving this show. It reminds me very much of Shakugan no Shana which is one of my all time favourite light novel/ manga/ anime. So far, it's one of the better ones this season. Excuse the language but SHIT'S GOING DOWN NEXT EP.

---

5. Moshidora
It's a little dry at times but it's starting to pick up after 3 episodes. I don't really know how it stacks up to other sport anime considering this is the first I've ever seen. It's quite interesting though.

6. Deadman Wonderland
The set up is a bit unbelievable but I'm still interested in the story nonetheless. Even though you kind of know what's going to happen in your mind, you still feel that suspense while watching it and I like that. I even spoiled the story for myself and am still curious to see how it all connects. Well I didn't spoil it per se but I did look up who The Red Man was.

7. A-Channel
It's a little like Lucky Star.... just not as funny. The gags get a little bland at times but all in all it's not a terrible show. Yet.

8. Sekaiichi Hatsukoi
Honestly, I don't mind shounen-ai or yaoi but this makes me cringe a little while watching. The drama, however, is no different than that which you would find in a typical male x female romance so it's not terrible. It's more awkward than dramatic sometimes...

9. Ao no Exorcist

Another disappointment. It was probably over-hyped. It's so predictable but the visuals are definitely a plus. Also, the ending theme is absolutely terrible but I probably dislike k-pop too much.

10. C
The art is weird, it's boring and the male protagonist is a wimp. I'll be ecstatic if the plot gets somewhere. I really will because right now I'm disappointed in something that was so highly anticipated.

11. Steins;Gate
The concept of time and time travel is really the only reason I keep trying to watch this show every week. Frankly though, it's so mind-boggling. Not to mention all those references I don't understand.

12. Dog Days
This show is kind of amusing at the most. It seems very childish. I'm not entirely sure if I'm watching this too superficially. I really don't know if there's anything more.

13. Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi
Your typical harem + shota boy + notions of incest. What am I watching? I feels as if I'm watching Shuffle all over again. I didn't like Shuffle but there are striking similarities character-wise.

14. SKET Dance
I don't know how the title has anything to do with anything in the story. There isn't even really a story. It's a very episodic show and it reminds me of those Saturday morning cartoons with your local team of 'superheroes'. It's really not a fantastic show.

15. Astarotte no Omocha
It's a little twisted to say the least. Visually, it looks very princess-y. It's also currently missing any form of plot development.

16. Oretachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai
It's extremely disjointed. There were way to many characters introduced in the first couple of episodes and I don't remember any of their names. There isn't any sort of plot here either. Biggest disappointment of the century.

---

1-4: These shows really stack up this season and are something I would encourage others to pick up. This season is a lot better than the previous, that's for sure.

5-6: The good kind. Not fantastic but better than average.

7-13: My average kind of show. I see a lot more of these as I start to watch a lot more and stray away from shows I know I'll like.

14-16: Why am I even watching this? I just want to expand my horizons. Seriously.

Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko「PREVIEW」

Airing:

April 15 2011

Producer:

Shaft, Starchild Records

Synopsis:

The story revolves around a highschool boy named Niwa Makoto. He lives with his aunt’s family since his parents are away on business. It is there where he meets his mysterious cousin of the same age Touwa Erio — who happens to tie a futon mattress around her upper body and is a self-proclaimed alien. Her staple food is pizza. Erio had been missing for half a year and was found floating in the sea. She doesn't remember anything about what happened during that period of time, but she began to think that it was the act of an alien and wanders the neighbourhood wrapped in the futon.

Genre:

Comedy, Sci-Fi

My Thoughts:

First thought: Wow, the art looks so cool!

Second thought: Obvious ecchi from the suggestive picture... do I really want to watch this anymore?

And then after seeing the survey done by Dengeki, I actually went on MAL and re-read all the information. It turns out the synopsis sounds quite interesting. Well to be quite honest, it sounds like a This Ugly Yet Beautiful World x Yumekui Merry. One which I found to be a really nice anime whereas the other turned out to be a total snorefest that has ended and I haven't finished.

Only time will tell. I'll give this show a couple of episodes to impress me.

Summer 2011 Anime Chart Version 1

Here we have the Summer 2011 Anime Chart.

Source: Neregate

Most of the OVAs weren't on my list and one of the series. They've been added to my list which is a bit more extensive than this one in terms of TV series. You can view my list HERE which I have compiled for my own personal reference.

Japan Airing Times for Spring 2011 Anime

I'm not entirely sure how official these are but I'll post it anyway for series that I have posted previews on. I will update on any changes.

Source: Countdown Anime

April 2nd:

Dog Days - 11:30 pm

April 4th:

Oretachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai - 12:30 am

April 6th:

Steins;Gate - 2:05 am

April 8th:

A Channel - 1:40 am

April 9th:

Sekaiichi Hatsukoi - 1:05 am

April 11th:

Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi - 9 am (supposedly 1 week postponed, unsure if postponed from this date or already postponed)

Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL - 7:30 pm

April 15th:

C: The Money of Soul and Possibility Control - 12:45 am

Hidan no Aria - 1:25 am

Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko - 1:55 am

April 17th:

Ao no Exorcist - 5 pm (rescheduled from the 10th)

Summer 2011 Anime

This is actually just a list of shows that are rumoured to be airing in 2011 with not many actually confirmed for the summer season. This list will be updated from time to time.

Source: AnimePH, Countdown Anime, Fansub Wiki, MAL, Neregate

Italicised titles are supposedly confirmed for July 2011/Summer 2011.

Bolded titles are ones I'm looking forward to.

Struck out titles are ones that are airing in the Fall season (which is ages away).

Anime TV Series:
Aquarion Elvo
Ashura
Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu 2
Bakuman II
BB Senshi Sangokuden
Ben-To

Blade

Blood-C
Code Geass Gaiden: Bokoku no Akito
CHINKA
COPPELION
Dantalian no Shoka
Dungeon & Fighter
Fairy Princess Minky Momo
Fate/Zero
Gakuen Hakkenden
Girls’ Work
Haiyore! Nyaruko-san
Idolm@ster
Ikoku Meiro no Croisée
Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi
Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angels
Kami-sama no Memo-cho
Kamisama Dolls
Kizumonogatari
Kupu~!! Mamegoma!
Kyokaisen-jou no Horizon
Last Exile 2 – Ginyoku no Fam
Maihime Renpuden
Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!!
Maken-Ki!

Manyuu Hikenchou
Mashiro-Iro Symphony: Love is pure white
Mayo Chiki!
Minori Scramble!
Moretsu Uchuu Kaizoku
Mudazumo Naki Kaikaku The Legend of Koizumi
Natsume Yuujinchou Daisanki
Nekogami Yaoyorozu
No. 6
Otoboku 2
Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru 2: Futari no Elder
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt II

Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle
Pyu to Fuku! Jaguar
R-15
Ro-Kyu-Bu!

Sacred Seven
Sengoku Gyoujin Dullahan – Kagen no Keishousha
Shakugan no Shana III
Shinryaku! Ika Musume II
Shinryaku-Ika-Musume
Tamayura

Tantei Opera Milky Holmes

Usagi Drop
Uta no Prince-sama
Valkyrie Complex
Yondemasuyo, Azazeru-san
Yuri Seijin Naoko-san
Yuruyuri

Anime OVA/OAD/ONA:
Air Gear: Kuro no Hane to Nemuri no More - Break on the Sky-

Appleseed XIII

Baby Princess 3D Paradise 0 [Love]
Carnival Phantasm (Type-Moon Project)
Cencoroll 2

Fairy Tail: Youkoso Fairy Hills!!

Hakuouki Hekketsu-roku

Highschool of the Dead: Drifters of the Dead

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kira - file 0.1

Katteni Kaizou

KissxSis

Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?

Kuttsukiboshi

Saiyuki Gaiden

Valkyria Chronicles 3

Velvet Under World

Yurumates Huh?

Anime Movies:
Berserk Movie
Eiga K-ON! Movie
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood - Movie
Hayate no Gotoku Movie
Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha The Movie 2nd
Momo e no Tegami – A Letter to Momo
Sora no Otoshimono: Tokei Jikake no Angeloid
To Aru Hikuushi e no Tsuioku

Winter 2010-2011

The winter season will be over in a couple of weeks with a few of the anime being delayed a little longer. I will probably be posting reviews in the coming weeks for the ones I have seen.

Anime that will be watched to completion/already completed:

• Haiyoru! Nyaruani: Remember My Love(craft-sensei)
• IS: Infinite Stratos
• Yumekui Merry
• GOSICK (won't be ending for a while)
• Dragon Crisis!
• Kore wa Zombie desu ka?

Potential completion/will watch:

• Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica
• Beelzebub
• Fractale
• Goulart Knights
• Fortune Arterial OAD

Dropped:

• Starry Sky
• Horou Musuko
• Cardfight! Vanguard

Hidan no Aria「PREVIEW」

Airing:

April 1 2011

Producer:

J.C. Staff (YAY! They did Shakugan no Shana)

Synopsis:

The story takes place in Tokyo Butei High School, a special school where armed detectives — "Butei" — are trained to use weapons. Kinji Tooyama is a second-year-student who has a special ability, but he keeps it a secret to maintain an ordinary, peaceful life. However, when he gets caught in a bombing on the way to school, he encounters H. Aria Kanzaki, the most powerful S-Rank Butei student in Assault Studies.

Genre:

Action, Comedy

My Thoughts:

Oooooh, my tsundere senses are tingling. Seeing the picture of Aria instantly makes me think "TSUNDERE ALERT!" at once. Well, I really like tsunderes as characters. They're so adorable. I don't know why but I'm looking forward to this one the most and it just happens to start airing right in the middle of my half-yearly exams. Great. I guess I just like girls with weapons... because I wish I could be a girl with a weapon. Don't laugh. It's so not funny. Did I mention I like the art style? It reminds me of Shakugan no Shana and Yumekui Merry. I also have this feeling I'll like the main character. We'll just have to see how she stacks up against my other favourite characters.

Some PVs:

Vampire Knight on ABC3

Airing:

Monday - Friday 8pm from March 28 2011

I am beyond excited for this. I checked everyday for the times it was going to air when I found out it was going to air on ABC3 (Obviously you can tell I'm a avid fan of Vampire Knight). Even though I find the manga more enjoyable than the anime, I will be watching it on TV anyway because anime on Australia free TV is such a rarity it's not funny.

On another note, also relating to Vampire Knight, I can't wait for volume 12 of the manga to come out! I read volumes 1-11 in about a week only to discover it ends on kind of a CLIFFHANGER! I could read scanlations if I wanted to but they're so uncool.