12 Days of Anime (2012) – Day 4 – Awakening to the Sports Genre

Unbeknownst to most, if not all, I am a passionate and fervent sports fan.  All throughout my life, sports has had a fundamental and irreplaceable role.  Even today, I spend more time watching, following, and discussing sports than all my time spent on anime, manga and this blog combined.  You figure it’d only be natural for me to be a fan of sports anime seeing how enthusiastic I am about sports.  Well, for whatever reasons, I never found myself interested or excited about any sports anime, save for Battle Athletes Victory back in the 2000.  In fact, I believe that was the last true sports anime I’ve watched (shows like Softenni do not count).  Then, in Autumn of 2011, I started Chihayafuru, an anime revolving around one girl’s love of competitive karuta.  It wasn’t until well into the second half before I realized I was watching a genuine sports anime.  Not only that, but I was loving it, too!

12 Days of Anime (2012) – Day 6 – 2 Year Anniversary and Lessons from Anime Blogging

December 20, 2012 marks the second anniversary of Avvesione’s Anime Blog.  Over the course of these two years, I have done more than just write about anime here; rather, it’s a clumsy combination of critiquing, evaluating, and reflecting upon various aspects of various anime presented in the form of words accompanied by unrelated but cute or amusing screenshots.  As a result of this blogging experience, I have learned an exceptional amount about how to properly articulate my assessment and perception of anime as I discover what it is about these shows that I like and dislike.  It has been a tremendous experience in improving my understanding and appreciation for anime.  However, not every aspect of blogging is marvelous or even significant.  Sometimes it’s frustrating or taxing, inconvenient or annoying.  But learning to deal with these negativities is one area where I felt myself grow as an anime blogger in 2012.

Robotics;Notes – 4

Presently, GunPro1 resides in an abandoned airport hangar, resting incomplete.  Through anyone’s eyes, the project is nothing more than an unfinished structure of welded steel in the shape of a torso crowned with a masked helmet.  But to the people who are at the heart of this project and those potentially linked with it, GunPro1 appears to be much more than it truly is.  Whether it is the manifestation of a lifetime of dreams, a rational and fully-functional giant robot, or an opportunity for unique corporate advertising, everyone associated with GunPro1 has their own, distinctive vision for this arising giant robot.  However, these conflicting interests and completing influences may ultimately keep this project grounded and forever incomplete.

Robotics;Notes – 1

“Does it really have to be a giant robot?”

Well, isn’t it obvious?  What Akiho is doing is much more than just building a giant robot; no, what she is trying to do is something that no mere normal robot can do.  Her goal isn’t limited to just constructing a walking steel behemoth but to manifest her hopes and dreams into a living symbol of inspiration, aspiration and astonishment.  It is in these giant robots that we find much more than just metal, wires, and plasma weapons with infinite ammo.  No, these giant robots serve as a beacon of hope, an ambassador of our dreams, and reflection of how we always strive, or should always strive, for greatness and glory.  It is this that makes giant robots more than just giant robots.  That and they do look pretty damn awesome.  So yes, to answer your question Ms. Vice Principal, it really does have to be a giant robot.

Autumn 2012 – First Week Impressions (Part 3)

This post reviews: Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo, Girls und Panzer, and Psycho-Pass.

Autumn 2012 – Season Preview

Seeing as the Autumn anime season is already upon us, a number of anime having recently aired with fervent discussions trailing closely behind, there’s no better time than now to provide a brief overview to the assembly of anime premiering this season, primarily composed of my thoughts, opinions, and general hype for each show.  So what anime am I keeping my eye on that might be wise to do the same?  Come and let’s explore what is to be the Autumn anime season of 2012!

Moyashimon Returns – 11 (Finale)

What made the original season of Moyashimon a celebrated and beloved anime were its awkward and lively characters and the zany comedy that accompanied the lives of freshmen at a wacky agricultural university outside of Tokyo.  The second season, Moyashimon Returns, was doomed to mediocrity from straying from this effective recipe, instead opting to delve heavily into drama and introduce new characters who never assimilated to the golden standard of this anime.  However, this occurrence of a sequel failing in comparison to the original is not something exclusive to Moyashimon.  In fact, I’d be inclined to say that’s the norm for sequels in anime, a disheartening trend based on a number of critical factors.