Ask John: What’s John’s Opinion on the Spring Season Shows (Part 2)?

Question:
Since I’ve been fortunate enough to watch all of this month’s new TV anime that have aired so far except for Shiawase Haitatsu Taneko and the Yuruani? shorts, here’s my personal perspective on another batch of new titles.

Answer:
I’m very pleased that the first episode of Astalotte no Omocha matched my expectations. As I suspected that it might, the debut episode feels similar to Zero no Tsukaima but lacks the tone of spitefulness present in Zero no Tsukaima. And while Zero no Tsukaima always feels a bit like it’s consciously trying to evoke genre conventions, the first episode of Astalotte no Omocha feels like it’s merely trying to be cute and entertaining, which makes it feel more natural and breezy, and easier to enjoy.

Although it’s not quite as horror focused as the original Dororon Enma-kun or any of the Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro anime, the new Dororon Enma-kun Meramera does seem to exhibit all of the expected characteristics of a Go Nagai children’s anime. The show is very energetic and very animated in the sense that everything is exaggerated, slapstick, and stylized. It’s fun, but it also feels like it expects and forces viewers to partially interpret the narrative details out of implication rather than clearly developing a fully constructed and explained narrative. Adult viewers used to certain conventions of typical storytelling will notice the leaps and gaps, but younger viewers will probably be too enthralled with the momentum of the show to notice anything else.

The Duel Masters franchise has never been top tier hobby anime, and while the debut episode of Duel Masters Victory is serviceable, it feels even less interesting than several of the premiere episodes of previous series.

The four-minute long first episode of Shigeo Shichiji’s Flash anime series Fujilog suggests a dialogue-based sort of Japanese take on The Simpsons. It’s a domestic comedy about a family including a hapless middle-aged man and a largely ignored grandfather. The first episode seems adequately entertaining, but it’s certainly not a type of anime that will appeal to fans of conventional otaku-oriented or shounen/shoujo anime.

Apart from an energetic new opening, Gintama’ seems to be a return of the same old but proven popular formula. As I’m a sucker for in-jokes, I do have to admit that I especially enjoyed the extended Dragon Ball homage and the references to One Piece.

At this point, I think I have to presume and accept that a tone of narrative development that seems partially incomplete or unexplained is Hen Zemi‘s identifying characteristic. The first episode of the television series looks like its art design is slightly simplified from the OADs, but the animation quality seems unchanged.

Speaking objectively, there’s nothing bad or wrong with the premiere episode of Hoshizora e Kakaru Hoshi, but it doesn’t distinguish itself in any practical way at all. Viewers that are familiar with other average eroge adaptations like Lamune, Wish, HaniHani, AkaSaka, DC, Canary, or H2O will find this particular one exceedingly familiar.

Without translated dialogue, I can’t comprehensively critique the debut episode of Hyoge Mono. My impression of it is that the show is a fictionalized historical drama that periodically loosens up with focus on humorous character ideosyncracies. This seems like a show with a degree of crossover appeal between hardcore otaku and more casual, mainstream Japanese viewers that can both appreciate this not entirely dry and academic look at Japanese history.

I wonder if the Jewelpet anime is starting to use slightly more grown-up gags and references because its long-time viewers are now starting to get just a little bit more mature. Jewelpet Sunshine certainly won’t win over any new viewers that aren’t already fans of, or are pedisposed to like mascot anime like Tamagotchi, Onegai My Melody, and Jewelpet, but this new series surprised me a bit by presenting a degree of slapstick and absurdist humor that I’m not used to seeing in the Jewelpet franchise. Parodies of pinky violence movies and hot-blooded sports anime were a bit of a surprise. Seeing a Cat’s Eye reference was even more unexpected.

Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai II should satisfy its established fans and may possibly create a few new ones. Personally, I still find protagonist Keima Katsuragi aggrevatingly self absorbed and casually cruel. However, the debut episode of the second series presents its conflict with such an approach that it doesn’t feel so much like Katsuragi is solely manipulating and taking advantage of girls for his own benefit.

I presume that established Kampfer fans will find the Kampfer: Fur Die Liebe series an enjoyable return visit with their beloved characters and relationships, but the first episode reminds me clearly of why I didn’t persue watching the first TV series. I usually defend fan service and even exploitation within anime, but the first episode of Fur Die Liebe is the worst sort of uninspired, uncreatively gratuitous fan service pandering that gives “fan service” its poor reputation.

Mariaholic Alive certainly picks up right where the first series ended, both narratively and stylistically. The opening animation sequence and especially its theme song are great.

I’m aware that Metal Fight Beyblade has a small cult following, and I respect that. But I can’t join that clan because I simply can’t set aside disbelief far enough to just enjoy this show. The first episode of Metal Fight Beyblade 4D takes the series to an entirely new level of impossible physics-defying exaggeration. These toys that the kids play and battle with are no longer just spinning tops. They’re now practically cosmically empowered weapons of mass destruction that have an intelligent, psychic bond with their owners. The show may certainly be fun for viewers that appreciate its way over-the-top absurdity that’s played entirely straight. But I just can’t watch the show without constantly thinking to myself, “That’s not remotely logical or even physically possible, even in the loose-physics world of anime.”

Oh Lord. Oretachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai is trying to be the Durarara of galge anime so bad that it literally hurts. Durarara ultimately didn’t have anything to say, but at least it felt like it did, which is what kept it viable and interesting. Oretachi doesn’t even seem to be conscious of trying to present some sort of compelling narrative. It seems to presume that it can suffice on lame Japanese dialogue-based humor, panty shots, uninspired sexual innuendo gags, and as much cribbing from Durarara as it can get away with. While I’m sure that there will be some otaku that give the show credit or even claim to like it for its “unique” approach and parody of galge standards, an objective analysis has to reach the conclusion that this is a stylistically interesting but entirely hollow and artificial show. Lighthearted comedy is fine, but this feels empty and superficial, as though it was created by committee for the purpose of filling a niche instead of lovingly created by creators that actually cared about it. It feels like a cheap knock-off instead of something that creators put their heart and feelings into creating. On a side note, I’m horrified by Crunchyroll’s translation of “ronin” as “freeloader.” While I suppose a ronin may technically be partially a “freeloader” on the goodwill and opportunity of Japanese society, the commonly applied definition of “freeloader” is so different from the meaning of “ronin” that I needed several minutes to understand what the characters were talking about, and I imagine that less astutely aurally observant viewers will be left entirely confused by the subtitled dialogue.

Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream isn’t the first anime about ice skating, but it may be the first anime specifically about ice dancing. While I can give it that credit, I can’t give it much more. The first episode is certainly not bad, but it does nothing to distinguish itself from other conventional shoujo anime, either. In tone and style, I’m reminded of anime like Mamotte Lollipop, Cooking Idol Ai! Mai! Main!, Harbor Light Story, and Idol Densetsu Eriko.

Largely because I’m not an especially big fan of Masami Kurumada’s work, I’ve never been especially interested in Ring ni Kakero, but the first episode of Ring ni Kakero 1: Sekai Taikai Hen was easier for me to enjoy than the debut episode of the prior series. Unlike the prior series that seemed to diverge into ninja street fighting, the beginning of the current series wastes no time in getting into conventional, if hyperbolic, boxing. And the boxing, finally, is absurdly exaggerated enough to finally be moderately enjoyable in and of itself, because it’s such goofy, over-the-top spectacle.

Although not quite as absurdly heavily censored as the broadcast first episode of the first series, the broadcast first episode of Seikon no Qwaser II is still quite heavily censored. Looking beyond that, as much as possible, the art design remains attractive and the animation quality still passable.

The first episode of Sekaiichi Hatsukoi seems promising but delivers very little alone. The art design is nice but not much different from yaoi standards. The characterizations, likewise, seem par for the course. The first episode suggests to me that the narrative may become interesting as it develops and spends more time depicting and developing the contrasting personalities of its leading men, but the first episode spends most of its time just establishing the setting, setting the stage. Fans of yaoi anime may want to pay attention to this show to see if it does fulfill its early promise. However, not being an especially big yaoi fan, I think I’ll concentrate my attention on other concurrent shows that more immediately capture my interest.

The premiere of SofTeni served exactly what I expected. This is no Aim for the Ace. It skews closer in tone to Umisho or an even more lighthearted and superficial Taisho Yakyuu Musume. The show is so insubstantial that, although it’s not bad, it doesn’t offer much to motivate me to keep watching. I do appreciate the Ashita no Joe and Nausicaa homages, but they’re very brief and don’t contribute a lot to the episode. I’m also confused by the debut episode’s seemingly highly arbitrary and inconsistent censoring.

The first episode of Tono to Issho ~Gantai no Yabou~ is twice the length of any of the first season episodes, but it still looks like high quality fan created Flash animation. But it’s still funny, so that’s what primarily matters.

The Toriko x One Piece cross-over, which I guess counts as the first episode of the Toriko TV series, is certainly adequate but also seems to focus attention on a weakness in Toriko. One Piece is vibrant, in part, because of its engaging cast. Toriko himself isn’t especially engaging as an individual character, and his sidekick Komatsu is nearly a non-presence. The story is engaging because of its situations rather than because of its combination of situation and characters. Shonen series like these can work. For example, D.Grey-man likewise doesn’t really have individually engaging characters. But I’m personally much more interested in series like Naruto and One Piece that concentrate a lot of effort on their characters.

The first episode of the Yondemasuyo! Azazel-san TV series is okay. Actually, I like it more for the Sazae-san parody than its own content, but since this is an introductory episode, I anticipate that the series will get marginally better as it develops.

Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal started off well but eventually succumbed to the conventions that I dislike. This series launches a new story with Hyuma, a new protagonist, getting back to the core game and puzzle emphasis of the original series rather than the partial sport focus of 5D’s. This series also takes a cue from Denno Coil, making its duels a bit more realistic and plausible. However, the series falls back on the Hikaru no Go style convention of putting a relative amateur in over his head and letting him succeed not because of his own knowledge, skill, or talent, but because someone else does most of the work for him. The entire concept of Hyuma exploiting a more experienced guide to help himself win contradicts his earlier established personality that values accepting challenges, even if he can’t overcome them himself.