There’s some series I knew would suck this season. As I’ve already said, H2O was pretty much horrible in every aspect, and so I’ve dropped that already. Rosario + Vampire, well I reluctantly got through the first episode of that. I didn’t even get halfway through the second episode though before I decided I’d rather roll around on hot coals than watch that garbage any longer. It’s now joining H2O.
On to the stuff that doesn’t suck now. And I’m actually happy to say that two series in particular are well and truly making up for the shortcomings of H2O and Rosario.
The first is [obviously] Spice and Wolf. The second episode was still as damn fantastic as the first one was, I just can’t fault it. The second is the other that I’ve been salivating over: Shigofumi. The fansubbers were a little slow with this one, but Goddamn, this series just doesn’t dissapoint. Well, I do have one complaint, and I’ll get that one out of the way quickly: the character designs probably aren’t as good as I expected them to be. But at least the characters have noses (one of my pet peeves with character designs). The animation is nothing really special either, but at least J.C. Staff actually put in some effort. Unlike Artland and their shitty abortions.
That said, the first episode looked extremely promising. It’s a little slow at first, but had the kind of ending to it that made me search for my jaw (and episode 2). But that’s to be expected with Ichiro Okouchi pulling the strings - Code Geass was the sort of series you just couldn’t put down once the main arc started.
Episode two was finally subbed by Kagami, and surprisingly quickly. And without progressive subtitles too - unlike FTP’s. But I digress. The second episode just reinforced my opinion that what the series lacks in solid character design, it well and truly makes up for in plot. In that department it’s brilliant. Kana Ueda also does a great job of the whole emotionless role of Fumika, while Yuki Matsuoka was a nice surprise as the hyperactive staff who talks just a little too much. Especially considering the last series I heard her in was pretty much Azumanga Daioh as Osaka - the polar opposite of Kanaka.
Between Shigofumi and Spice & Wolf, there’s a pretty damn good ten weeks of anime still to come - and probably a few new wallpapers as well.
I’m somewhat surprised the animation isn’t that great as J.C. Staff did quite a good job on the Shakugan no Shana Second animation. It may well be that they’re putting a lot more of their animation resources into the Shana project as it is the more visually demanding series they’re working on this season.
Yeah, I thought they did quite a good job on the Read or Die TV series too. Not that it matters - I don’t think the animation is bad, it’s just different. It’s not like, say, ef… or H2O. I’d even say the animation in Minami-ke ~Okawari~ is worse than Shigofumi.