I haven't watched an anime in a long ass time. Mostly I just read manga/manhwa now. Is there anything in the last few months that is a MUST watch? Kind of like a Death Note, Code Geass, or Madoka Magica?
The short story: Nothing as good as what you listed, although there were quite a few great shows. There are two, maybe three shows in their final stretch right now that have a very good chance of being at or near god tier in my book. Have you watched anything since Madoka and Steins;Gate? That was what, Spring 2011? I'll just cover the last year or so.
-If you've missed all the way back to Spring 2012, Tsuritama and Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine were stellar. They're my favorites of the completed shows I'm about to mention. Very high ranking for me. There was also Sakamichi no Apollon (Shinichiro Watanabe and Yoko Kanno reunite), which I didn't finish. It was well-received, but had a hard time living up to the massive expectations of Cowboy Bebop.
-Summer 2012 was a dark, ugly time for anime. Sword Art Online got a lot of hype and was entertaining enough. Not a classic by any means, though. It can be skipped. If you enjoyed Black Lagoon, both seasons of Jormungand should be a great watch. Kyousogiga was a great little ONA that completely deserves a full blown show. Humanity Has Declined was the surprise of the summer season. Again, not a classic by any means, but definitely a unique, funny show.
-Fall brought quite a few good picks. Except none of the good ones are actually done yet. Four or five weeks to go. Psycho-Pass and to a lesser amount, Shin Sekai Yori are my potential god tier picks. They're really gonna have to crash and burn to flunk. Psycho-Pass spends maybe 2 or 3 too many episodes as what seems to be an episodic cyber-detective show but then around episode 9 or 10 begins tying it all together and shifts gears to a spectacular sci-fi focused on what makes a criminal. Shin Sekai Yori is a fantasy/sci-fi in a different vein and I'm a bit more of a loss to quantify it in a sentence or two. ESP becomes standard among the few remaining humans, and it follows a pretty spread-out time line with some good twisting and turning. pomegranate just hit the fan and it's very satisfying at the moment, despite a slow start. Robotics;Notes is another good pick from Fall that's finishing up. It's biggest problem is that it's the next title from the Steins;Gate guys. Tough act to follow. The plot moves a little slowly and none of plot lines have really come together yet. There's still time for that but since I'm not familiar with the source VN, I'm 50/50 on whether it will end as just "another good show" or something more.
Magi is a terrifically satisfying shounen that started in Fall, if you're into that. There's also JoJo's Bizzare Adventure and Zetsuen no Tempest. I've fallen behind on both to the point where I'm just going to let them finish and marathon the last 2/3rds of each. JoJo is hard to pass up. It's the definition of over-the-top. I actually enjoy gg's troll Cockney English fansubs to add to the absurdity. I was starting to bore of Tempest after the first 4ish episodes, but I've only read good things since, and it's more or less a genre I enjoy.
Oh, and Nekomonogatari.
I can't give much input on many slice-of-life/moeblob/romcoms. Not my area.
2013-02-17, 08:13 PM
madanthony
Re: Currently Airing Anime
Weekend shows:
Ixion Saga DT 19: I think the preview for next week was the funniest part of the show. That's a first.
Black Rabbit and those other kids 6: Shiroyasha never ceases to amuse me. I really like that VA, makes me excited for more Railgun. Can never quite see up her skirt. Ha.
As a one-cour show, where is this going though? Feels more like a long-running type of thing.
Maoyuu 7: When does the Mage get involved in all this? I realize the naming scheme is to generalize fantasy tropes about those characters, but "Older Maid Sister" is an unruly thing to call a character.
Shin Sekai 20: Clenched up an unreasonable amount during this episode. So tense. I hope Satoru made it. Alpha characters are a shame to waste.
Spoiler
Was that Maria's hair in the preview? Couldn't be.
2013-02-17, 10:18 PM
DrRusty
Re: Currently Airing Anime
Thanks, I'll check out Psycho Pass
2013-02-19, 04:05 PM
Razmos
Re: Currently Airing Anime
Shinsekai Yori episodes 1-8: I watched the first episode and was skeptical. I didn't get what was going on really, but It had potential so I gave it a chance. And I must say, i'm not impressed. The artwork and animation gets worse as the episodes go on, the characters are incredibly unlikeable and have no interesting qualities, am I supposed to care about these characters? I don't. What is the point of a "Break the cutie" story If I don't care what happens to the characters? The plot tries way too hard to make the setting seem horrible, but nothing horrible has actually happened yet, the characters reactions are overblown and there is absolutely no reasoning given for their actions.
The way it is animated makes it hard to tell what is going on most of the time, and when stuff does happen it is incredibly underwhelming. the music seems out of place too. The show doesn't seem to be able to settle on a consistent theme.
Nothing about this show fits right for me. I kept hoping it would get better and I would start to understand what's going on, or I would start caring about the characters, but I didn't and I think I've just wasted my time.
2013-02-19, 04:56 PM
yoosergio
Re: Currently Airing Anime
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrRusty
I haven't watched an anime in a long ass time. Mostly I just read manga/manhwa now. Is there anything in the last few months that is a MUST watch? Kind of like a Death Note, Code Geass, or Madoka Magica?
Besides what madanthony already said, there are other 3 great ones:
First off is Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon. This really is a hate it or love it series. Sadly, most people seem to be on the "hate it" side, and I blame Hadena for that. Most people dismiss it because they "don't understand what's going on". It's reasonable to be a little overwhelmed since it's an info-dump heavy series, but thanks to that it has amazing world building.
Another one is actually my pick for AOTY, Space Brothers. It's a fun and emotional series about a guy trying to catch up with his little brother who has already achieved their dream. It's been airing since last Spring, so it is long, but it's awesome.
The last one is from last Fall too and will end soon, Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo. I didn't expect anything out of this series when it started, and it turned out to be great. Don't dismiss it just because it looks like a generic romcom. It was my favorite last season since Psycho-Pass and the others didn't really pick up until late into the season.
Also, Inferno Cop.
Quote:
Originally Posted by madanthony
I was starting to bore of Tempest after the first 4ish episodes, but I've only read good things since, and it's more or less a genre I enjoy.
I wasn't sure about Tempest at first either, but episodes 8-12 were freaking amazing. The manga is ending soon too, so I have to read that after the anime is finished, since, sadly, I don't think it'll get a second season.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Razmos
Shinsekai Yori episodes 1-8: I watched the first episode and was skeptical. I didn't get what was going on really, but It had potential so I gave it a chance. And I must say, i'm not impressed. The artwork and animation gets worse as the episodes go on, the characters are incredibly unlikeable and have no interesting qualities, am I supposed to care about these characters? I don't. What is the point of a "Break the cutie" story If I don't care what happens to the characters? The plot tries way too hard to make the setting seem horrible, but nothing horrible has actually happened yet, the characters reactions are overblown and there is absolutely no reasoning given for their actions.
The way it is animated makes it hard to tell what is going on most of the time, and when stuff does happen it is incredibly underwhelming. the music seems out of place too. The show doesn't seem to be able to settle on a consistent theme.
Nothing about this show fits right for me. I kept hoping it would get better and I would start to understand what's going on, or I would start caring about the characters, but I didn't and I think I've just wasted my time.
I totally agree with you (except on the music part), especially on the animation. The designs have been really inconsistent, and animation is at times amazing and at others terrible. I guess that's what happens when A-1 does about a thousand shows a season.
However, since /* the last timeskip */, it has been surprisingly good. Let's see how it keeps going and how it all ends.
Japanese dub of My Little Pony. Good god. It was bad enough when the rest of the world were bronies, please don't involve the Japanese, this is going to get creepy (...creepier) fast
2013-02-21, 08:17 PM
Flonne
Re: Currently Airing Anime
The only nonsequels on that list I am even interested in watching the first episode of are Aiura, Shingeki Kyojin, and Hentai Ouji. The rest looks boring/terrible. Oh well, every season can't be a winner...still, only watching 1/3 the number of shows next season will give me a lot more free time, I guess!
Spoiler
I wonder when the most recent chapter of kissxsis will air as an OVA...first time I've ever seen a censor bar made entirely from a manga panel separator. Not even a multi-page spread! That's some professional grade censoring, right up there with "reflection of vagina in a water faucet" from TLR:D.
I'M TOTALLY GONNA WATCH THE HELL OUT OF GILRS AND PANZER.
Misspells aside, I can't wait for the season to start. 9 shows I will be watching, all of which I have been very eagerly anticipating since their announcements. Two of which I currently scanlate their mangas, and had my hand in working on one version of another's manga adaptation a while back. Some OVAs I want to see as well. And unfortunately even though the Steins;Gate movie comes out in April, we won't see a DVD/BD release for 5-6 more months after.
2013-02-21, 11:42 PM
Sorien
Re: Currently Airing Anime
Quote:
Originally Posted by FoolsLove
I'M TOTALLY GONNA WATCH THE HELL OUT OF GILRS AND PANZER.
Misspells aside, I can't wait for the season to start. 9 shows I will be watching, all of which I have been very eagerly anticipating since their announcements. Two of which I currently scanlate their mangas, and had my hand in working on one version of another's manga adaptation a while back. Some OVAs I want to see as well. And unfortunately even though the Steins;Gate movie comes out in April, we won't see a DVD/BD release for 5-6 more months after.
By the way, I appreciate those scanlations. You keep picking up my favorite mangas when I'm getting ready to drop them from lack of any updates.
2013-02-22, 09:12 AM
Razmos
Re: Currently Airing Anime
Vividred operation episode 7: A surprising lack of fanservice in this episode, and a nice dose of plot that really makes me wonder what the Alone are trying to accomplish and how Rei fits in. Why does she only have 6 shots left?
The animation during the fight at the end was really, really good.
2013-02-23, 12:52 PM
Flonne
Re: Currently Airing Anime
gj 07
brushing hair: the animation
2013-02-23, 07:13 PM
FoolsLove
Re: Currently Airing Anime
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flonne
gj 07
brushing hair: the animation
DON'T CARE. MEGUMI LOOKS AWESOME WITH HER HAIR DOWN.
Seriously though, really loving GJ-bu.
2013-02-23, 08:17 PM
Flonne
Re: Currently Airing Anime
Quote:
Originally Posted by FoolsLove
DON'T CARE. MEGUMI LOOKS AWESOME WITH HER HAIR DOWN.
Seriously though, really loving GJ-bu.
mondaijitachi and that are the two best unknowns of the season by far.
Will be watching OreImo2, Shingeki no Kyojin (slow scans), Hataraku Maou-sama! (manga was funny), Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko (scans like, stopped or something), and Railgun S.
Aku no Hana's art makes it seems like it might be dark and psychological, so despite the screwed-up premise I might give it a shot.
There was some minor hype over Suisei no Gargantia, so I'll check it out. Premise feels a little like ARIA (slice-of-life, iyashikei) meets Alyosha (Young russian assassin is put out of a job by her superiors. Trained from young to kill, she struggles to learn how to live a normal life in Japan. Comedy).
I'll probably give Aiura a shot. Hope it's as random and hilarious and Nichijou...okay, that might be too high a standard. I'll just hope that it'll be at least half as funny as Nichijou.
Might pick up Devil Survivor 2.
EDIT: OMG HANASAKU IROHA MOVIE. THIS I GOTTA SEE.
There was some news some time ago that stated there would be some kind of Hanasaku Iroha project coming up soon...so this is it, I suppose.
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni movie? I wonder what this'd be about?
2013-02-23, 10:52 PM
madanthony
Re: Currently Airing Anime
Hmm. Spring does look a bit light. High on quality, low on quantity. Not so bad a thing.
Put me down for:
Gargantia (I.G. sci-fi/mech with Urobuchi script? Yessss.)
Shingeki no Kyojin
Railgun S
Azazel-san S2 (TRUCK YEAH. BEST SHOW.)
A few others look like potential pick-ups, but I'm not holding my breath.
Noitamina block is pretty sad though. Just a rerun of Katanagatari? Which, admittedly I never finished, and probably will while I'm thinking about it. I usually look forward to Noitamina offerings. On the other hand, we get the Anime Mirai projects.
2013-02-23, 11:10 PM
Hanabira.Kage
Re: Currently Airing Anime
Shin Sekai Yori Ep 21 - Oh. My. God.
Spoiler
I wonder what happened to Maria and Mamoru though? I won't think it impossible that they were either killed or lobotomised like the Bakenezumi queens to keep producing children till they die of exhaustion.
On another note, an entire army of closely-packed Bakenezumi? I've got an idea regarding how to kill them all in a second or two. Use psychokinesis to pack air molecules together densely, forming a large and possibly invisible blade, long enough to reach from one end of the army to the other. Send it through the army. Instant decapitation of the entire group with minimal effort, instead of exploding them one by one.
Circumventing death feedback? Use hypnosis or psychoactive drugs to induce hallucinations, to make targets appear non-human in form. Or simply have the cantus user stand far away, evacuate all allies and civilians, and have him perform a large-scale attack on an area where the target (in this case, a fiend) is, without telling the cantus user that his target is a human. And hope that the target doesn't show itself.
2013-02-23, 11:18 PM
madanthony
Re: Currently Airing Anime
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hanabira.Kage
Shin Sekai Yori Ep 21 - Oh. My. God.
Spoiler
I wonder what happened to Maria and Mamoru though? I won't think it impossible that they were either killed or lobotomised like the Bakenezumi queens to keep producing children till they die of exhaustion.
Spoiler
They're so dead. Fiend-child was creepy as hell with the alternation between giggling and screeching.
2013-02-24, 12:17 AM
JoeTang
Re: Currently Airing Anime
Quote:
Originally Posted by FoolsLove
DON'T CARE. MEGUMI LOOKS AWESOME WITH HER HAIR DOWN.
Seriously though, really loving GJ-bu.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flonne
mondaijitachi and that are the two best unknowns of the season by far.
Both are such amazing shows, especially with the bath scene in Mondaiji this week, and the addition of Tamaki for GJ.
I'm probably going to be watching a lot of the shows next season as well. I'm amazed Hyakka Ryouran has a sequel. I thought it ended rather definitively, but I guess I forgot how it happened. I enjoyed the artwork and the initial story, but the ending for the first season was lackluster to say the least. I'm also surprised there's a season 4 of Hayate no Gotoku. I guess they mentioned it in this weeks chapter, but I expected a bigger announcement about it. They still haven't caught up to last season's story. I thought it started off rather slow, but the ending where everything came together was quite nice. I'm still confused over the continuity of how her father, Shin Hayek is an American though.
Looking very much forward to more Nyaruko as well as some delicious Railguns. Date A Live sounds like it will be a terrible fast-paced adaptation of yet another light novel that doesn't explain enough, but I'll watch it like the others. RDG seems a bit vague. MAL's has more info, but still not enough for me to know what type of series this really is. I recall the name Yuyushiki from the commercials on Hidamari Sketch, and all the VAs are relatively new. Seems like it would be interesting.
What the pineapple type of premise is that for Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge though? That sounds so bad, I have to see episode 1.
The most important thing of Spring 2013 though is the EVANGELION 3.0 BLURAY
2013-02-24, 10:45 AM
FoolsLove
Re: Currently Airing Anime
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeTang
What the pineapple type of premise is that for Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge though? That sounds so bad, I have to see episode 1.
The most important thing of Spring 2013 though is the EVANGELION 3.0 BLURAY
It's based off a manga, so if you want to see now, the first several chapters are scanlated, conveniently that's one I'm doing with my group. It's actually a fairly decent series, contrary to what its description would leave you to believe. MC definitely has a massive hair fetish though.
