OK yeah, despite my rant, there are shows this season that I do like without finding any major negative flaws. It may be due to personal preference or maybe I’m just right? Who knows? Let’s get to these:
1. Thank God moe fan service doesn’t have to be forcefully mixed with pain…DA PAIN! DA PAIN~
Ex. K-On!!
What? Of course this show doesn’t really do anything! I know that! But at the end of the day, moe blob service is moe blob service. They do it without forcing any plot into it – or they do it without any plot! But, what the hell, that’s what most of us who watch this stuff are asking for. These girls are cute, their antics are fun and they don’t pretend to be grown ups.
The animation is great, the realism, as much as there is, is great, and it’s cute girls in a band and…THERE IS AZUNYAN!!! There is Mio! What more can a hardcore fan ask for, eh?
2. Hey, it’s not really a parody and it really doesn’t have anything to do with Chinese history, but the Otaku who care will love it anyway! Plot? That’s just for the fun of it.
Ex. Shin Koi Hime Musou
It’s just the opposite from K-On!! The creators throw in plots but really, who gives a shit about the plots? There are cute girls being adorable and acting cute in their own little ways. Oh and, they carry weapons and fight, awww…how cute. Fan service, moe service, chibi service and other types of services in one show and it doesn’t feel awkward! Now there’s something truly brilliant! No thinking required! No false emotions projected! No attempt at complex plots because…they don’t know how! That’s fine, stick with your strength. Attaboy to get the right niche audience.
3. Gosh, is it so hard to show us the realistic Edo-era without cute girls or handsome young fellas (yeeewwww)? No, thank God! Here’s something that’s real!
Ex. House of Five Leaves/sarai-ya goyou
Finally, finally good drama without all the over-dramatics. Finally, realistic scenerios backed by plain in apperance yet unique in depth characters. Finally, REAL JAPANESE DRAMA in our preferred medium! This is the real thing, folks! You watch it and you get a sense that yeah, this is the real deal. This shows what Edo-era was like back in its heyday. It’s not pretty, it’s not flashy, but it’s got meat and potatoes, or rather, plenty of dangos, and that’s what counts, folks. Genuine stuff. It’s not because it ain’t got fan service or bishonen or bishojo, it’s because it’s got real substance and true to what it can do.
4. One hot chick with real feelings on top of a fun and exaggerated personality that doesn’t annoy (ME, at least)? A different entry angle at school romance? REALLY?
Ex. B gata H kei
OK yeah, she’s the stuff that Japanese high school girl legends are made of – a horny virgin who never had a boyfriend and yet stuck on this plain guy, who thankfully isn’t another Otaku-in-the-machine-of-fan-pandering. Facepalm? Well, not quite. You see, if the plots are outrageous and simply make eyebrows shoot through the roof, then you’ll need a lead that makes a commanding performance…AND WE HAVE THAT! Tamura Yukari’s Yamada is cute, stylish, vulnerable, and best of all, NOT AFRAID OF BEING HORNY! None of that old fashioned pure girlfriend for your friendly neighborhood otaku virgin crap (forgive me, Belldandy/Kikuko-sama)! What more can I say? Yamada’s funny, wacky, with hair extension like the pink parts of this, and she takes over the show. With quick pacing and an interestingly exaggerated rival, plus a few spoonfuls of fan service, it’s a winner in my book.
5. Kuwashima Houko-fest, or a show that she uses her girl voice.
Ex. Hakuouki
OK yeah, this one is an obvious bias on my part. But hey, I’m also a houkoholic. That said, she often does artistic shows or shoujo shows with great plots, excellent characters without extra filling. She showed mastery in voice-acting in shows like Saiungoku Monogatari, where she led and shined and stole my heart. Bishonen? Where? OH…Riiiiight.
Aside from her, this show does have intriguing plots. But of course, it’s a girl-fantasy story so the plot isn’t all that impressive. One thing we can count on is that girl-shows often have much better plots and gorgeous settings. That’s what this show has. Of course it’s unrealistic that the Shinsengumi is experiencing with a superhuman drug – that’s WWII. But aside from that, Houko-chan is so cute…Ah…What more can I ask for? No glaring flows, no overstuffing with drama, no nonsense for the sake of nonsensical. It goes down easy without bad after-taste.
Of course, there are more shows out there, but I haven’t watched many of them. I’m indifferent toward Senko no Night Raid. As for KissXSis…Uh…DO YOU REALLY WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT THAT? I think it’s best that we leave that taste in our mouths in private.
Don’t get me started on Seikon no Qwaser.
Only watched 1 episode of K-On so far. I liked last OP better. I feel it’s too commercial now.
Hakuouki is definitely a women killer anime. I hear Hijikata is the most handsome in the game, but Saito looks the best in the anime. Girls think some seiyuu has bedroom voice, which I can never understand. Yukimura is very average looking, but I like average looking girls. The fact that she is a girl is already great for me. And she fooled me. Female crossplayer. Opposite of Hideyoshi! I just listened to Watashi Rashiku, Nadesico song. Very old, but natsukashii. Saiunkoku is really interesting. Her father is Char.
This Koihime picture is out of touch. I don’t think they had bikini in ancient China. Koihime story is like medieval pageant. It’s comedy but also a good story for kids to learn how to be a good person. Each episode contains a life lesson. If I watched Koihime in my childhood, I would’ve been a good adult. Instead I watched City Hunter, so I grew up like this, mokkori all the time in front of Yamada. 🙂
Dude, you have to have an article on the Medival Pageant part. Also, what life lessons?
Well, watching City Hunter will make any good boy into a leech…I understand. ^^::
Houko-chan’s voice was a lot lighter than. Ah…I love her. I’m a houkoholic.
K-On!!…What can I say? It’s an anime company trying to make a buck. It’s to be expected…We who are on the Shurado hate it, but that’s life, ne?