I used to (try) to do this quarterly (as in every 6 to 7 episodes), but it tended to not go too well since I was at various stages of watching different series, and so shows often were not on a quarter mark at the same time, resulting in my putting off, and in the end never actually doing, this. Thus, I shall do what everyone else does and do it monthly, so hopefully I’ll actually do it this time.
In any case, here are my thoughts on the whopping 7 anime series I’m watching this season. Subbed episodes watched in ():
First Tier
1. Nijuu Menzou no Musume (3)
A.k.a. The Daughter of Twenty Faces, a.k.a. Chiko, Heiress of the Phantom Thief.
I like this show. I really like this show. I’m not exactly sure why, as the genre isn’t one I typically watch a lot, but there is just something about shows set in the mid-1900s (but with some fancy technology! who can say no to futuristic dirigibles?) about a mysterious thief and a girl who tags along with him just makes this an interesting show, and it’s being executed beautifully so far I think.
I still think it’s still largely in the pre-story, if you will, three episodes in, but I’ll be really interested to see how this series goes once Chiko actually starts getting into some action.
This probably wins out over Kurenai as the best show so far based on animation, as I think the animation in this show is a little cleaner.
2. Kurenai (4)
And speaking of Kurenai, it comes in 2nd so far this season, albeit a close one. Much like Nijuu Menzou, this is in a genre which I don’t typically watch. So far this has been interesting, and the interaction between Shinkuro and Murasaki is a highlight of the show, though there is still quite a lot which has been hinted at, but not revealed yet.
I think the main weakness of this show is it’s animation. This is kind of an odd topic as the animation is pretty good, but at times it just looks…weird to me. I’ll probably get used to it eventually, though. Also, I think this series is on a little shakier ground in that I think it has a better chance of falling into something I don’t like, though it hasn’t shown much indication that it will yet.
Second Tier
3. Soul Eater (3)
This is a late pick up on my part based on how well received it appeared to be by other bloggers. The best way I can describe this show is “kookie,” but I mean that in a good way after 3 episodes. The premise seems interesting enough, though the show itself has said that it’s just finished with the prologue, so we’ll see how good it is now that we’re into the real part of the show. At least this show has been reasonably entertaining.
4. Maid Guy (3)
Maid Guy is in the 2nd tier, but just barely. I think I gave it the benefit of the doubt in that it wasn’t supposed to be much more than a comedy where Maid Guy torments the female lead, and it has definitely been that. The fact that I’ve found it more entertaining than the other series blow this also helps it out (though that doesn’t say much about those other shows).
Having said that, this series is still teetering on disaster and can still become a bore if it’s creators let it. Right now it’s doing fine, but it can definitely go either way at this point.
Third Tier
5. The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk (4)
After a hilarious first episode, this series settled down into what it intended to be: a fantasy, adventure series. That led to a hard landing after the 2nd episode, but I think it has since at least brought itself back to the point where it has a potential to be a good series. It’s not there yet, but it can be. Now that they’re actually in the tower and going around, I’ll have to see whether this series heads up or down itself. It definitely looks like they’re trying to infuse some comedy into it here and there, but they just haven’t quite hit the mark yet.
6. Real Drive (2)
You know it’s a bad sign when you’ve watched two episodes and you don’t have much of an idea of what is going on. It has great animation, though that can be a negative when you have a 70 year old man-service scene in the first episode. Also, if you need to start creating definition cards at the end of the episode which are paragraphs long, perhaps you need to rethink how well you are explaining things in the show itself. This series definitely has one of the more interesting premises this seasons, but it’s also off to one of the worst starts as well.
7. Special A (3)
I’m invoking the “Shakugan no Shana II rule” and putting my most disappointing series so far in the rear. After a promising first episode, this series has seriously gone downhill fast. I can see the jokes. I know they’re intended to funny. But they just aren’t. Also, who has heard of a school-based romance comedy with no school related activities, no significant romance, and very little actual comedy (at least that makes me laugh much)? That’s what I thought.
