Dilettante Fascination
- Nanoha Movie
- Hyouka
- Fate/Zero
- Accel World
- Gundam Age
- K-On!
- Sword Art Online
- ?
- Eureka Seven AO
- Tari Tari
- Tiger and Bunny
- ?
- Rinne no Lagrange 2
- ?
- Madoka
- Smile Pretty Cure
- ?
- Dog Days’
- Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon II
- YuruYuri 2
Take it however you will. Since a mag is just another form of media, there’s always an inherent form of bias, but it seems to be an undeniable fact that Hyouka’s a success. The popular character poll hasn’t changed much, with the top male/female being Hyouka’s main two. Furthermore, it takes top pick across many different polls.
Do I personally agree with this poll? Meh. No. I think SAO should be above Accel World (although another poll does show it to be the most addictive watch of the season). But hey, that’s the point of polls, right? The inherent form of bias comes from the crowd they select to question, so mileage varies among different populaces.
Sly Kiritsugu vs Kayneth with a mercury shield [from Fate Zero]
(via fuckyeahanimescenery)
September’s issue of Newtype contained a small Master/Servant booklet. Interesting stuff in it…More later.
As the Spring season comes to a close this week and the Summer Season starting right on its heels, it’s about time I bring this season proper closure.
I had a whopping 17 shows on my list this season. It’s a lot more than I usually take up which is normally 5 or 6. There were a lot of interesting shows in the Spring preview, so I thought it would be a good idea to check them all out.
…I’m never doing that again. While I’m an avid supporter of expanding one’s mindset (in this specific case, by watching shows with diverse elements and of various genres), keeping up with 17 shows was a burden which actually dulled my excitement towards watching anime as a whole. Most of the time I’d stockpile a specific show for weeks on end and then marathon later. Of course, most of this was due to the end of semester finals studying, but I never recovered from the three week backlog it caused.
This season was on the verge of being a hassle, which is what something done for enjoyment should never become. Fortunately, there were just enough interesting shows to keep my motivation up to complete the season on time (for the most part).
That said, I’m posting my final priority list with scores, with a mini-blurb of thoughts on each show in twenty words or less (not unlike my Spring 2012 watch list post). Consider this a follow up to the initial Spring 2012 post, and note how priority doesn’t always equal the highest objective score. A * denotes a series continuing into the summer season.
- Fate/Zero 2nd Season — 10 — It’s a pity that such an amazing show is limited by it’s status as a prequel to F/SN.
- Sakamichi no Apollon — 9 — Manga fleshes things out a bit better, but anime cuts corners in all the right places.
- Lupin the Third: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna — 9 — The tongue-in-cheek “Story of Mine Fujiko” thing at the end was very witty.
- Aquarion Evol — 8 — Troll anime of the season. Best soundtrack of the season too, though.
- Eureka Seven AO* — 9 — Very “Evangelion”-like with real world political themes interwoven into it.
- Tasogare Otome x Amnesia — 8 — The final arc trumps the original content by miles. And I don’t say that often.
- Tsuritama — 8 — Melodrama was excessive at times, but seeing everything tie together at the end was cool.
- Sankarea — 8 — The ending is literally an open door for a second season.
- Acchi Kocchi — 8 — Gotta watch the calorie intake. Very “sugary”.
- Nazo no Kanojo X — 8 — Simple first love story. Ended as simple as I thought it would.
- Accel World * — 8 — I think otaku like to project themselves onto the main character…
- Mouretsu Pirates — 8 — At least the last arc is somewhat interesting.
- Natsuiro Kiseki — 7 — Ha. Rocks can have cousins. All lessons it tries to teach are undermined by the rock’s presence.
- Hyouka * — 8 — Just because it’s animated well doesn’t mean it makes for good mystery. At least some character development is starting…
- Medaka Box — 7 — Ha. Cheat code moment happened. Why does it have a second season?
- Uchuu Kyoudai * — (8?) — On-hold. Got bored.
- Jormungand — (8) — Dropped. Bored.
TL;DR—Final Score for the Spring 2012 anime season—8.176. ~B. Not half bad.
Stay tuned. I’ll have an “Anime Watch List for Summer 2012” in three weeks :D
Fate/Zero finale script cover
Source: @cowboybibimbop via Twitter
__________________________
“to be Continue for Next Generation Children”
Oh what a tease ufotable.
It’s really set up that way too. The ending of Fate/Zero had no concrete closure. Saber’s feeling guilty, Kirei wants more, and Waver’s preparing for a journey. The only form of “closure” would be Kuritsugu’s bittersweet “consolation prize” at the end of the war. He didn’t get what he wanted, but he at least was able to salvage something from it (Shirou).
This just makes Fate/Zero segway directly into Fate/Stay Night, so I can’t really argue for the way it ended. Those who have watched F/SN (myself included) knew that Fate/Zero wouldn’t end well for all parties involved, and indeed it didn’t. But the series as a whole was absolutely brilliant.
(Here’s hoping ufotable does Heaven’s Feel…)
The man who lost.
Man, was that a great series. I have no words. Easily tops the list for Spring 2012.
(via kagayaita)
she-dreamt-she-was-a-bulldozer:
Fate/Zero Episode 23: The Ocean at the End of the World (2012) Ufotable
I want you all to keep in mind that this is a scene in which a female King Arthur goes under suppressive fire from a magical machine gun wielded by an insane Lancelot.
Let’s all just take a moment to appreciate that a show like this exists.
On paper, the statement sounds absurd. But it friggin’ works.
On a related note, watching Episode 24 on Father’s Day (and watching that scene) has left the strangest aftertaste in my mouth.
…Happy Father’s Day?
(via fuckyeahanimescenery)
Piano and Viola—perfect combo for delivering a powerful, emotional song.
Anime fan or not, it’s worth a listen.
