Spring 2015 – Season Preview

The beginning of Spring is known for one thing in Japan and one thing only: a new season of anime. Also cherry blossoms and probably several other things, but those aren’t nearly as iconic to springtime in Japan as the debut of roughly 50 new TV anime in addition to an ever growing number of shorts, OVAs, and movies. As always, the focus of these previews will be on the newly airing TV anime which I will provide my assessment and plans for the next three months. What, exactly, should we be looking forward to for the Spring 2015 anime season?

Summer 2013 – Season Preview

The calendar has turned and July is upon us, marking the conclusions of a number of beloved anime last week and signaling the advent of dozens of new shows for the next three months.  As with every other season preview here, this one will take a complete and comprehensive look at all the shows airing this Summer with a special focus on all the new franchises and series premiering for the first time.  Also included in a quick note about my plans for this season which will include a hiatus to some extent which will likely changed how I write about anime this season.  So with that, onto the anime for Summer 2013!

12 Days of Anime (2012) – Day 12 – 13 Hours in Tokyo

Today marks the return of the 12 Days of Anime, the series of posts recounting and detailing the twelve greatest moments, influences or events of the year in regards to my anime/manga life.  Over the next twelve days, ending on Christmas Day, I will have a special post documenting some exceptional and unforgettable thing that happened to me this year in hopes of sharing this cherished memory with you and adding a bit of personal touch that otherwise remains absent from this blog.  Be sure to check out the other blogs participating in this tradition and enjoy the fun and celebrations.

In late 2011, my family was planning a vacation to Thailand, the first trip to Asia in my life.  During the planning stages, I took the initiative to see if we or I could spend some time in Japan either heading in or going home.  Since the Thailand portion of my trip was being paid for, I was informed that this excursion would need to be financed by myself but that I could leave a day early to fit it in.  With these circumstances in place, the only chance at visiting Japan was a 22-hour period between arriving from Bangkok and departing to Seattle.  It didn’t even take me a second to decide nor did I even look at the estimated bill; I leapt at the opportunity and this… this is my adventure:

Nisemonogatari – 11 (Finale)

When an anime does not meet expectations, it is frequently portrayed as a negative on the series rather than on the individual’s expectations.  Regardless of how unrealistic or grandiose the initial expectations are, the unfortunate outcome usually places the blame on the anime, often times summarized as, “it wasn’t as good as I expected.”  While that method is certainly fair and appropriate for some anime, it isn’t for others or anime in general.  Evaluating Nisemonogatari based off my expectations alone, which is what I did after watching this finale, is a misstep I took in properly judging this anime.

Winter 2012 – First Week Impressions (Part 1)

This post reviews Rinne no Lagrange, Kill Me Baby, and High School DxD.

Winter 2012 – Season Preview

Alright, time to take a moment and prepare for the upcoming Winter anime season.  After a quick glance at what’s planned for the first anime season of 2012, it appears to be another season heavy on sequels but there are plenty of shows with potential.  And of the new anime airing this season, there is no clear-cut favorite right now meaning this should be an interesting season to see how everything plays out.