Your hands….they block my view….

So I finally got around to checking out some of the new material this season (instead of tackling my extremely long ‘to-watch’ list), which means I forced myself through episode after episode and was either pleasantly surprised, or rolled my eyes nearly out of their sockets. Here’s what I’ve seen so far.

Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto ~ Natsu no Sora

Fansubbers are getting lazy. Is it so hard to translate translatable titles nowadays? It’s not like it’s a Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto, I’d be perfectly happy with a "Someday’s Dreamers~ Natsu no Sora" at the very least.

In any case, I like what I’m seeing so far, although I’m not too sure about the contast between the realistic backgrounds with the flat, 2-D characters. It’s certainly different, that’s for sure. In any case, I’ve always been a fan of slice-of-life series…. for me, a good plot is nothing without good characterization, and so far I’m pretty happy to see the story through the POV of our leading girl, Sora.

Natsume Yuujinchou 

Watching this makes me feel really guilty for not finishing Mushishi or Mokke or Shounen Onmyouji or Kekkaishi or…. 

Maybe I can break the chain of bad luck with Natsume?

Birdy the Mighty -DECODE- (AKA Tetsuwan Birdy -Decode-)

…In which a kick-ass, scantily-clad alien Inspector who strives for justice and establishes her dominance over her male counterparts, finds herself having to get in touch with her own male side.

Birdy is certainly something. I haven’t seen the original, so I’m hoping my experience with Birdy wont lead to confusion. Certainly features the best action scenes this season, hands down.

(Which isn’t saying much, now that I think about it….)

Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu (AKA Haruka Nogizaka’s Secret)

Nogizawa Haruka seems like the perfect girl, except for one little problem: her love of anime. When one of her classmates finds out, will it be the beginning of the end of her happy school days?

I have a love-HATE affair with ecchi+/harem series, lately with the stress on the HATE. Wishy washy, indecisive leads (who have such amazing luck with girls, you can’t help but wonder how many blind and maimed they had to heal, or how many rear-ends they had to fervently kiss in their past lives) have been the bane of my anime existence for many years now. In fact, the first time I saw the main male lead, I shivered in fear with thoughts of Keitaro from Love Hina. Luckily, my first impression was wrong. I liked the way he called Haruka out in the first episode (like a true pimp) to clear up the misunderstanding between them. I also like how cute and clumsy Haruka, unlike some other female leads who shall remain unnamed, is very gentle and doesn’t seem like the type who’d beat the crap out of the lead just because he accidentally saw her underwear.

SEQUELS

Mission E

Um, so,  is no one going to sub this? 

A lot of people were turned off by the slow pace of the prequel, but I kinda liked Code E, so naturally, I jumped on this.

The sequel to Code E returns, but not in the way I originally expected. Everyone’s all grown up and badass now. Except Chinami. (T_T) I really wanted to see her reak some (controlled) havoc with her powers, but maybe I’ll have to wait longer than I thought. I’m disappointed in fact that even though years have passed 1) her character design is essentially the SAME and 2) her voice sounds incredibly childish now. (I bet 20 Mexican pesos Koutaro hasn’t changed much either…)

Zero no Tsukaima~ Princess no Rondo  

Watched Season 1, Didn’t finish Season 2, and now watching Season 3, aka Princess no Rondo. The only reason I’m watching this show now is for the Saitou x Louise moments—-as long as  Louise come to honest terms with her feelings for Saitou, stops treating him like a dog + stops beating him and blowing him up with her wand, I’ll be happy. Doubt that’ll happen though. 

In the meantime, here’s to hoping that this time around the writers can incorporate the romance/H, comedy, and actual serious plot in a way that doesn’t make me want to self-flagelllate.