Otaku Spotlight: Winter 2012 Anime
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Welcome to the new year in anime. With a handful of new titles, I want to say that the Winter season has been fairly impressive and satisfying. Of course, that depends on what kind of anime you enjoy watching. Highlighting the season is a horde of comedies, plenty of mecha and a little wee bit of sensual appeal—if you’re into that stuff.
So now that we’re about halfway through the season, it’s business as usual as we select our favorite show of the season.
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Favorite Series: Another
Another has exceeded my expectations in every single conceivable way. Not that I had many expectations for the show to begin with. I knew nothing of what it would be about, how serious it would turn, or just how graphic it would be. The only reason why I picked this show up was because of its vague and mysterious synopsis. But just because I had no expectations of this show doesn’t mean that it didn’t blow me away.
To say it’s phenomenal would be an understatement. Horror and mystery don’t really appeal to me, but they come together in this anime in a way I can’t resist. This show pulls me in on a weekly basis. Even the quieter scenes are rife with meaning and tension. The characters are compelling, the plot is intriguing, and the whole thing is entertaining on so many different levels—some that I would normally shy away from. Even if you’re a bit squeamish like I am, this is a show worth having nightmares and nausea for.
Also Watching This Season: Amagami SS+ Plus, Ano Natsu de Matteru, Another, Area no Kishi, Nisemonogatari, Rinne no Lagrange
Watching From Past Season(s): Mirai Nikki
Biggest Surprise: Rinne no Lagrange
Biggest Disappointment: Area no Kishi
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Favorite Series: Aquarion Evol
Aquarion Evol gets my pick for my favorite show this season. The choice for favorite was a bit difficult considering the epic action and music in Senki Zesshou Symphogear as well as the continuing awesome fun in Bakuman 2, Guilty Crown, and Gundam AGE. However, for an anime premiering this season, Aquarion Evol proves to possibly be my favorite of the new shows this season and possibly for this year. Aquarion is so good that it almost makes me not even want to see the other Aquarion series and just permanently entomb this one as the only one. It is just that good.
Aquarion Evol starts off with my favorite opening and ending theme and animation of the season. Each of the images in the style of the ending theme makes me want to keep them as a wallpaper as they look so fresh and antiquated but with our characters in such cool poses. The opening song sounds so dramatic and always hooks me in for each episode. The instrumental of both pumps me up and fills me with so many emotions.
For the series itself, the characters are quite defined and memorable. It is possibly one of the few shows in which I have no qualms with any of the cast. The main character, Amata, is always so quick to rise to the occasion and surprises me with his mecha fighting prowess. His personality outside of the mechas is always so sincere, and at times hilarious. I love how he flies off whenever he gets excited. Other side characters are memorable in their own way; one of the villains, Kagura, especially, never ceases to amaze me with his lines and his wolf like skills. “You stink, deliciously,” is probably the most memorable line this season. Shrade, Cayenne, Andy, and even Zen Fudou are quite nice. Lastly, the action in the show is amazing and the shocking and mindblowing moves employed by Aquarion whenever it fuses is incredible.
Overall, Aquarion Evol is a fun anime that never gets old and stays fun. I hope it stays this way for the remaining episodes in its 26-episode run.
Also Watching This Season: Another, Area no Kishi, Brave 10, Daily Lives of High School Boys, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED HD Remaster, Mouretsu Pirates, New Prince of Tennis, Rinne no Lagrange, Senki Zesshou Symphogear
Watching From Past Season(s): Bakuman 2, Bleach, Katekyo Hitman Reborn!, Naruto: Shippuden, One Piece, Steins;Gate, Toriko, Hunter x Hunter (2011), Mirai Nikki, Mobile Suit Gundam AGE, Guilty Crown, Tiger & Bunny, Nichijou, Persona 4 The Animation, SKET Dance, Mawaru Penguindrum, Phi Brain: Kami No Puzzle
Biggest Surprise: Another, Senki Zesshou Symphogear
Biggest Disappointment: Brave 10
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Favorite Series: Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou/Natsume Yuujinchou-Shi
After the first 6-7 episodes of both series, I just couldn’t decide between the two as my favourite. They’ve both only had one weak episode thus far and I’ve enjoyed each series for its own reason.
With Natsume Yuujinchou-Shi (image above), I do have a particular bias to more lighthearted series and it was an anime just up my alley. The characters, music, artwork and stories contained within nearly every episode have really captured my attention and imagination.
With Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou, it has been nearly non-stop laughs from episode one. There’s a wide and colourful cast of characters and a variety of gags that have almost always hit the mark with me. Compared to what else I’m following this season, Danshi has been a nice remedy for all the annoyances I’ve had with following terrible series.
Also Watching This Season: Ano Natsu De Matteru, Brave 10
Watching from Past Season(s): Guilty Crown, Hunter X Hunter, Mobile Suit Gundam AGE
Biggest Surprise: Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou/Natsume Yuujinchou-Shi
Biggest Disappointment: Brave 10
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Favorite series: Papa no Iu Koto wo Kikinasai
I’m just going to take a slide step and throw a curve ball. (When is baseball season starting?) Instead of going with the best comedy of the season (Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou) or one of the better romantic comedies ever (Ano Natsu de Matteru), I’m going to opt for my favorite feel-good series of the season—that being PapaKiki.
I think most people are turned off by the title and the implications of having three young girls (ages 14, 10 and 3) living with a university student. It’s set up perfectly for all kinds of naughty habits and implied pedophilia and incest. However, that’s far from the truth if you actually watch beyond episode one. With some flair for the dramatic and a huge dose of cuteness (oitan~!), PapaKiki is a captivating family-centered series designed to remind us of valuable lessons about life: that family is important and that trust in one another is a form of love lost in translation in the midst of indecency that may be accepted as the norm today. (Or just line it up next to High School DxD and I’m completely right in this regard.)
Even with fan service and tsundere madness outlining the series, a certain level of delicacy is needed to truly appreciate PapaKiki. Honestly, it isn’t the best show this season but I still choose to spotlight it because: a) neither I nor anyone else on the staff is covering it, b) it’s family-oriented, c) the male lead is dependable and d) Hina.
And if I was seeking a legitimate romantic partner for oitan, I’m sure Raika is the frontrunner as it was implied in the first episode, so that should dispel any chances of incest wincest. (Sorry, Sora fans.)
Also Watching This Season: Amagami SS+ Plus, Ano Natsu de Matteru, Another, Black Rock Shooter, Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou, Nisemonogatari, Senki Zesshou Symphogear, Zero no Tsukaima F
Watching From Past Season(s): Guilty Crown, Mirai Nikki, Persona 4 The Animation, Pokémon Best Wishes, Shakugan no Shana III
Biggest Surprise: Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou
Biggest Disappointment: Amagami SS+ Plus
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Favorite Series: Rinne no Lagrange
Usually at this point in the season, I don’t have any trouble choosing my favorite series. But unfortunately, I’m caught between an adorable tsundere and a barking space alien. Inu x Boku SS loses to Rinne no Lagrange by just a hair, and that hair belongs to the lovely Lan. The setting in Rinne isn’t anything new, but I’m beside myself with how much I love the characters, the art and the atmosphere. The girls are so easy to relate to that even the air-headed Muginami has wormed her way into my heart. With the plot steadily picking up and some rather unexpected twists in the past episodes, I have high hopes for Rinne. Maru!
Also Watching This Season: Ano Natsu de Matteru, Another, Black Rock Shooter, Inu x Boku SS, Nisemonogatari
Biggest Surprise: Inu x Boku SS
Biggest Disappointment: Nisemonogatari
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What is your favorite anime from this season? Let us know in the poll, comments or with reblogs!
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