First Impressions of Winter 2011 Anime Series
First, the loving spoonful:
- I will definitely watch:
- “Yumekui Merry”
- “Beelzebub”
- “Kore wa Zombie desu ka”
- “Level E”
- I will give it another episode
- “Gosick”
- “Puelle Magi Madoka Magica”
- “Infinite Stratos”
- “Dragon Crisis”
- Crap
- “Freezing”
- “Rio Rainbow Gate”
More Details about the series:
- “Gosick” (“Gothic”) — A really nice and normal Japanese boy transfers to a boarding school in a fictional European country in the Alps. For reasons I didn’t quite understand the students nickname him “The Dark Reaper”. He joins up with mysterious doll-like Goth-Loli named Victorique to solve crimes for a buffoon police detective. The girl is a typical spoiled-ojou type and the boy, Kujo, is sucked along into the madness by his own curiosity. It’s not a particularly original series, but the first episode was well done and piqued my interest. First Impression: 3/5
- “Rio Rainbow Gate” — This series is about the adventures of the dealer Rio (aka “The Goddess of Victory”) as she spreads luck and fan service through the fictional Howard Casino. This show is 100% fan service — Boo! First Impression: 1/5 (by the way, Rio would be fired instantly for losing too much money for the house…stoopid…)
- “Puella Magi Madoka Magica” — There was a glass school, chanting cotton balls with teeth and mustaches, butterflies, rave music, and tween girls running around with a cat-rabbit creature. Message to the animators: STOP TAKING DRUGS! THEY ARE BAD FOR YOU! I don’t know what the heck was going on in that anime and I’m not sure I want to. The main character looks freaky to me because she has the face and hairstyle of a 4-year old on the body of a 12-year old. First Impression: 1/5, BUT, worth a second look because the first episode may have been super messed up for shock value. Hopefully some sort of story will be revealed in the second episode.
- “Yumekui Merry” — A boy who can predict other people’s dreams has the same dream every night — He’s being chased by an army of cats. One day a mysterious girl lands on him and later she appears in a waking dream he’s having. In the dream she defeats the cat boss and demands that the cat boss take her back to the dream world. I love the Cat Boss and my interest is definitely piqued. First Impression: 4/5
- “Infinite Stratos” — By some miracle a boy is able to pilot a gundam that only girls can pilot. He ends up going to an all girls boarding school to learn to master this gundam only to become roommates with his shy and violent childhood friend. In general this show looks stupid, but I do want to see the boy kick this obnoxious British girl’s behind in the gundam battle that is promised for episode 2, so I’ll stick around for that. First Impression: 2/5
- “Beelzebub” — Delinquents and an angry infant who’s the son of Satan. Need I say more? First Impression: 5/5
- “Kore wa Zombie Desuka?” — Some poor smuck of a boy is murdered, resurrected by a cute necromancer, and then runs into a magical girl with a chainsaw in the town cemetery. Stuff happens and in the end he’s a zombie and a magical girl cross dresser. You had me at “zombie”. First Impression: 5/5
- “Level E” — A kid on a baseball scholarship moves to a new city, only to find himself rooming with a freeloading Bishonen alien. The interactions between the kid and the alien are priceless and the story has hints of a world like the one in “Men in Black”. First Impression: 5/5
- “Freezing” — I couldn’t pay any attention to the first episode, so I don’t know what happened and apparently my brain rejected it within 30-seconds. First Impression: 0/5
- “Dragon Crisis” — Meek boy, Ryuji, and his well-endowed treasure hunting second cousin steal a dragon from some criminals. The “dragon” is a fire breathing ‘tween girl who is extremely attached to Ryuji, AND, Ryuji may know this girl because she’s appeared in his dreams. First Impression: 2/5 — Lame, but the promise of a kooky scientist father earns this series a second look.
Lovely Manga 
•I will definitely watch:
Yumekui Merry: Love manga and anime
Beelzebub” anime and manga good
Dragon Crisis: like the story
Freezing: Love the manga
Kimi ni tokoke: Love it
•I will give it another episode
-Gosick: Interesting
-Puelle Magi Madoka Magica: liked music hope for story
-Infinite Stratos: Need another episode for answer
•Crap
-Rio Rainbow Gate: I see no story
-Kore wa Zombie desu ka: Zombie and magicalgirl First episode left bad impression
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What about kimi ni todoke? Which ones strongly recommennd?
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Series I'm definitely checking out are:
– Beelzebub (because it's one of the few shounen series I absolutely love~ )
– Kore wa Zombie desu ka (because cross-dressing + zombies = LULZ <3)
Yeah… I guess I don't really watch much anime, but I do enjoy looking at all the different OP/EDs even if I have no interest in the actual series Lmao xDDD
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I already saw some images.
Of these series of this year.
I believe that that exists for all the tastes.
Since it is very interesting
Regards.
Chile
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“For reasons I didn't quite understand the students nickname him “The Dark Reaper”. “
= the anime didn't explain? If I remember the manga correctly, it's because when a foreigner arrives in that coutry, misfortune shall happen (according to their superstition). and it just so happened that when the main character arrived, bad things occured. So stupid.
I only checked out Beelzebub, Merry, and Magica among the list. Similar impressions. I haven't seen Level E yet but I already know it's awesome, haha. I haven't seen GoSick yet either but the manga disappointed me greatly and I think the only way the anime can redeem for it is that if it'll deviate a lot from the manga… and seeing the previews of the next episode *spoiled herself* gave me hope.
As for the rest I haven't seen yet… shall check 'em out over the weekend~
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@Anonymous #2 — “I wasn't able to watch more than the first few episodes of the first season of “Kimi ni Todoke”. It was WAY too sweet for me and didn't hold my interest. Sorry :(. Perhaps some other folks can comment about the second season.
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kimi no todoke: a sweet, sweet one (too sweet?)…very similar to the manga (too similar?)
but a story very refreshing and I'm always smiling reading or watching it (and after too)… so I will definitely watch (I have the impression to be 15 years younger !)
I will definitely watch:
Yumekui Merry : strange and I want to know more
Kimi ni tokoke
I will give it another episode (or two)
infinite stratos
freezing
•I will give watch the first episode soon:
Beelzebub
Gosick
Kore wa Zombie desu ka
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Series I will definitely watch:
– Level E: OMG!! Yoshihiro Togashi's series!!!
– Kimi ni todoke 2nd season: love the story, it's so sweet!!!!
– Starry☆Sky: HOLY SHOOOOT!!! Just take a look at the insane cast list: Midorikawa Hikaru, Sugita Tomokazu, Ono Daisuke, Hoshi Soichiro, Kamiya Hiroshi, Fukuyama Jun, Yusa Kouji, Kishio Daisuke, Ishida Akira, Suzumura Kenichi, Nakamura Yuichi, Hirakawa Daisuke, Kondo Takashi, Yoshino Hiroyuki, Suwabe Junichi!!!
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Ah…I forgot, Miyano Mamoru is one of the S☆S cast, too.
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I've tried:
Beelzebub: hilarious XD I ended up reading the manga after watching the first episode >u<
Kimi ni Todoke: liked the first season and so far ep.1 looked promising.
Level E: the art isn't my type but i have high hope for the story.
Kore wa Zombie desu ka: well, kinda silly but funny at the same time. Gonna give it a few more episodes.
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Great opinions everyone! Keep 'em coming! Like Daniela said, there's something for everyone's taste this season :). I will have to check out “Starry Sky”.
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Starry Sky, I like the series but do not appreciate the shortness of the episodes and the time skips I feel like we are missing alot since every episode is 11 minutes and there is no story line, its like you have to read the manga to know what the anime episodes are about, there is really no build up of story just timre skips and jumping around. I feel cheated when i watch episode its like suppose to know i dont like that
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Considering i am not that i don't watch alot of series'…..:
What i am watching:
Kimi ni Todoke: Because it was the best anime i watched when it aired, freaking awesome diverse characters and it has great sense of humor, made me think how sweet and optimistic highschool romance really should be.
I miss Sawako and Refreshing-kun already (even though i am an avid reader to the manga ) 😀 😀
No high school story clicked with me like this one did, none.
Freaking awesome series, %100 going to watch the second season.
What i tried:
Beelzbub: Everything i saw in the first episode was mediocre at best, from the dialogue to the animation to the music, nothing stood out at all, the comedy wasn't that funny IMO.
Don't see whats the hype for.
well, thats it, if word of mouth spread about a series being really unusual ill check it out.
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I think “Beelzebub” appeals to that “12-year boy” slice of personality that is stuck inside of some of us. It really is gutter humor, but I'm one of those people who needs some low-brow humor once in a while ;p.
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I don't understand starry sky, a lot of beautiful guys and one girl…episode way too short.. and the story????
I will watch more to understand but for the moment it's rather strange!
And I agree 100% with your comment SilverLunar about kimi ni todoke, I'm missing high school and romance when I read this manga!
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@Saya — I'm going to post your comment without the link. I'm sorry, but I don't want to link to raws.
———-
Saya has left a new comment on your post “First Impressions of Winter 2011 Anime Series “:
LOL…ture, you have to know S☆S's storyline in order to understand the anime. It was originally released as several CD dramas and an otome game (well, actually 4 games, 1 for each season with 3 love interests in each). The manga anthologies for this series are like the anime as well (short stories about the characters of each game), so reading the manga will not be much of help.
But I would still suggest people to play the game or at least read the game plot from somewhere before watching its anime. The 13 guys in this series are HOOOOOTTTT and their seiyus are amazing, so definitely check it out! XD
———-
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Yeah, I agree with most of them (well the ones I have watched). 🙂 So far, I'm really liking Level E, seems really funny (I adore those puppets) and freaky sometimes, and Yumekui Berry, it's interesting so far
Definitely watching these two and there are kitties in both of these!<3 cats!
Beelzebub was humorous also and Infinite Stratos was decent, I wish it wasn't like a harem though..So Probably be watching these two also.
Kore was Zombie desu ka didn't interest me at all though; it just seemed a bit off. I did like the zombie main character though, poor guy. 🙂
urgh. But that's just me.
Starry Sky: Love the art & voices, but where's the plot? it's way too short to have anything develop!
Sort of disappointed with Gosick.
Hated Freezing, ecchi much?
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I'd suggest you give Freezing another chance. However I will say that the anime does not do the manga justice. It's pretty violent and somewhat dark, but it got an anime for a reason.
Dragon Crisis and Infinite Stratos are ones that appear to build upon itself, kinda forcing you to see it to the end.
Definitely watch Yumekui Merry. Now if only someone will translate the manga
Rio Rainbow Gate is nothing more than a fanservice show that people can just fap to. Who the f*** throws a possible straight flush for a four of a kind?
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Beelzbub :: I found it to be hilarious. But, what can I say.. I have a high sense of humor..lol. However, I do not like the fact that the baby is ALWAYS naked. It disturbs me a great deal.
Gosick :: No, thank you. I am not a fan of those types of female characters. ::shrugs::
Rio Rainbow Gate :: Please.. why must they do animes like this!? It's because of these types of animes that my family is wondering if I'm secretly a fan of “ecchi” or “hentai” stuff ::deep depressed sigh::
Kore wa Zombie desu ka :: I can't get myself to watch it.
Starry Sky :: I really want to play the game, but.. eh.. the anime might not be so great. It was a little cheesy.
I do like their uniforms though!
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I think the reason starry sky is so frustrating is because alot of us dont have access to the 4 games that are released and as well I have never seen the manga, so if the anime is based on you knowing the games and manga than we are screwed to build an anime that cant stand alone i believe is a waste of money if its based on other media for it to have a strong story, they should of made the anime to be able to stand alone without the games or manga
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The bad English of Starry Sky left me wondering wth this show was about. Not to mention the extremely strange coincidence of having only one girl in a school that focuses solely on astronomy. I've never in my life heard of these kind of circumstances except in the 1800s when women didn't go to universities as much. And the short episodes with no real plot does not appeal to me. Yeah, the characters look good and the seiyuus are probalby big stars but if your show doesn't make sense to most fans then why spend so much time and money on it.
/ rant
We watched the first episode and a bit of the second of the first season of Kimi ni Todoke in my uni's anime club and it was booed off by the girls. Too shoujo-y for us.
I really wish Sunrise would hurry the hell up with Boukoku no Akito so we could get something, even if it's just an OVA, from the Geass verse.
That, or something similar to Hakuouki. Man that show was cool.
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I haven't watched Gosick the anime nor read the manga version but I read the novels and I heard from my brother who has watched the anime that the story is told differently. I personally love the novel, I buy it off Amazon and it's a great read. I have Volumes 1 and 2 can't wait for 3 to come out. 😀
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I agree with most of your impressions for this season. 😛
Shows I'll be watching:
******
– Beelzebub (I hope they stop spamming electrocution jokes soon, though)
– Yumekui Merry (was surprised by this show, didn't have high hopes)
– Kore wa Zombie desu ka (awesome)
Shows I'm holding out on:
******
– Infinite Stratos
– Puelle Magi Madoka Magica (losing hope)
– Gosick (might be getting better! cute characters help, hah)
– Fractale
Shows I gave up on/am not watching:
******
– Freezing
– Dragon Crisis (episode 2 was a disappointment)
Totally unrelated, I was bored a few weeks ago and decided to play some dating sims from Japan (note that I have a very, very rudimentary grasp of Japanese, so the whole idea was flawed to begin with). After reading some manga and talking to some friends, I somehow ended up with the idea that I had to play Starry Sky.
I cracked up so badly while playing, just because of the concept and the way the whole thing felt.
The fact that I'm male is probably the source of most of the entertainment I gleaned from that game. 😛
I'm still planning to watch the anime, though, hahahaha.
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