Summer 2011 – Week 8 – Short Thoughts

No.6 reminds me of something else every time I watch it.  Why was this week the best of Idolmaster and the worst of Ikoku Meiro no Croisé?  And am I changing my opinon on a character from Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu II after one episode?  All these and other short thoughts on fifteen current anime are all below.

Usagi Drop – 8

You can see a whirlwind of emotions within Masako throughout the entire episode.  Whether she’s exhausted, irritated, astonished, regretful, or jealous, you can clearly see those feelings on her face and in her body language.  Of course, you can see the emotions of every character in this series, so that’s nothing new, but Masako has generally been stubborn and impassive since her introduction four episodes ago.  But that façade melted away and she journeyed through a series of emotions when she finally saw Rin again.

Summer 2011 – Week 7 – Short Thoughts

Problems with the tension in Kamisama Dolls?  Is Blood-C finally becoming a good or interesting anime?  And what would No.6 be like without certain elements of its story?  This and other short thoughts on fifteen current anime are all below (although this is several days late, so some of these shows are from last week.  Sorry!).

Usagi Drop – 7

One bothersome aspect of children in modern anime is that they often seem unbelievable.  They regularly fulfill the role of a minor character used for cuteness or comedy and typically follow the stereotypical moe outline that has been obviously successful.  But those characters never seem realistic, instead being the byproduct of a formula for maximum likeability and popularity.  Fortunately, the children of Usagi Drop, Rin, Reina, and Kouki, are believable as real children while still being adorable and humorous.

Summer 2011 – Mid-Season Review

We’re roughly at the half-way point in most of this Summer’s anime, so let’s take a moment to reflect on how the first half of this season has been.  I’ve been following 10 shows that started this season (not counting the 3-4 minute shows either) and have continued with 5 from the Spring meaning this will be a rather enormous review.  But to begin, some thoughts on how the entire season has done including a common complaint across the board.

Usagi Drop – 6

There’s just something so simple and charming about the art style in Usagi Drop, that it just suits the story, themes, and atmosphere of the anime perfectly.

Summer 2011 – Week 5 – Short Thoughts

Is something missing from this season’s Baka Test?  What’s my new favorite sketch in Nichijou?  And is there a pattern to noitaminA anime?  Plus other relevant or tangential thoughts on this Summer’s anime.  (Beware of some spoilers on episodes you haven’t watched yet!)