Anime Fall '08 Anime Season

[Meggido]

[B]Vampire Knight Guilty[/B] - Ep 1 picks up pretty much where the first season left off. However it seems like this is where the slight changes from the manga begin. Sort of to fill in the discrepancies between the end of the anime and the same scenes in the manga they've changed the first ep to fit this. I'm kind of a purist at times so this annoys me but I'll stick with the series through to the end.

[B]Toradora![/B] - Ok I picked this up to check it out originally. After 2 eps I'm sticking with it.I'm not suprised that it seems to move as quick as it is. I haven't read the light novels but the manga also based on the light novels moves just as quick, however it did flesh out the basketball scene a lot more than the anime.

[B]Tales of the Abyss[/B] - Can't wait for episode 3. I've actually started playing the game alongside watching the anime. I'm such a Tales fan XD

Still have to watch Clannad After Story ep2 (yay), and waiting on 1 of two groups to release EF ~ A Tale of Melodies. I don't mind chihiro but after they released some dodgy encodes/subs for World Destruction and Sekirei which I watched last season I wasn't too pleased with their work.

[Shinmaru]

The amount of people creaming themselves over [b]Ga-Rei -Zero-[/b] on other forums is astounding me. I watched the second episode yesterday, and just about all the interest the ending of the first episode drudged up in me was destroyed. The only character that interests me whatsoever is the villain, a psychotic, katana-wielding ghost chick who [spoiler]killed all the main characters in the first episode[/spoiler] and whose bloodlust cannot be sated, apparently. Basically, my interest in this show stems from my status as a guy. I could not recommend this show less; I certainly would not be watching it if I had anything better to do.

I watched the first two eps of [b]To Aru Majutsu no Index[/b], and it is fun, although not really great in any way. The story could end being something solid, however, and I like Index. Hopefully the main character does not whine about his power as much as he has in the first two eps -- that will get annoying very quickly.

Second ep of [b]Hyakko[/b] is fun -- it appears as though it will be worth sticking with for the duration of the season. [b]Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka[/b]'s second ep also showed enough improvement for me to gain a bit of confidence in it. I am still a bit wary of it, though, and I am bracing myself for the series to let me down at any moment lol.

[Doublehex]

I will split my anime list into three categories - [B]M[/B]ust [B]W[/B]atch [B]Now[/B] [MWN], [B]C[/B]an [B]W[/B]atch [B]A[/B]nother [B]D[/B]ay [CWAD], and [B]T[/B]TGL [B]D[/B]rill [B]T[/B]o [B]T[/B]he [B]F[/B]ace [TDTTF]

[CENTER]---

[B]MWN[/B][/CENTER]
[QUOTE]Tytania[/QUOTE]

Space Opera? That's all you need to tell me. Not to mention the studio also made Mushi-shi. This show has to be gold, at the very least.

[QUOTE]Stitch![/QUOTE]

An anime adaption of one of those great Disney movies? One of the few that still remains precious in my mind after I have grown into an adult?

Hell yes.

[QUOTE]Gundam 00 Second Season[/QUOTE]

I have already started to watch this. Unless they botch it like Code Geass R2, then this will be a welcome change from Gundam SEED.

[QUOTE]Hyakko[/QUOTE]

I usually watch dramas, and since CLANNAD is the only comedy I watch, I need to add another to the list. This looks promising.

[QUOTE]Kannagi[/QUOTE]

It looks quirky enough to be of some interest.

[QUOTE]Michiko To Hatchin[/QUOTE]

Premise: a whore teams up with an innocent, little girl to destroy a great evil.

Whore...innocent little girl to destroy a great evil.

Whore...to destroy a great evil.

:D

[QUOTE]Yozakura Shijuusou ~Yozakura Quartet~[/QUOTE]\

I love my superheroes, so this is gonna be worth it. After all, it's not like we haven't had enough of our superhero anime, right?

[QUOTE]Clannad ~After Story~[/QUOTE]

The very [I]moment[/I] I finish CLANNAD, I will watch ~After Story~.

[QUOTE]Kurogane no Linebarrel[/QUOTE]

I really, [I]really[/I] want this to be a success, because I don't want GONZO to die! They make some good anime! RomeoxJuliet and Blassreiter come to mind.

[QUOTE]Casshern SINS[/QUOTE]

[youtube]emYqURahUKI[/youtube]

'Nuff said.

[QUOTE]Bihada Ichizoku[/QUOTE]

A show about cosmetics. A show that is an ad. A show that just screams 'Let them eat cake.'

This is so going to suck.

Bring it on!

[QUOTE]CHAOS;HEAD[/QUOTE]

I love my psychologically messed up shows, and just by the title the show should at the very least be [I]interesting[/I].

[QUOTE]Hokuto no Ken Raoh Gaiden: Ten no Haoh[/QUOTE]

I WILL DESTROY YOU WITH MY FIST AND HEART!

[QUOTE]Kurozuka[/QUOTE]

This looks [I]really[/I] interesting. Someone from the Feudal Era of Japan is immortal, and is forced to watch as his country changes from the days of honor to people locking themselves in their rooms for years, and people committing suicide at an alarming rate, not to mention that whole Emperor declaring he is no deity business.

[CENTER][B]CWAD[/B][/CENTER]

[QUOTE]Hakushaku to Yousei[/QUOTE]

This looks interesting. Some sort of fairy tale romance kind of thing. Might be either good, or so bad I will want to hang myself. Or at least indulge in some Watchmen to purify my brain.

[QUOTE]Nodame Cantabile Paris-hen[/QUOTE]

I guess this is the second season to a show I have never heard of before. Guys, tend to lend me some advice here?

[QUOTE]Jigoku Shoujo Mitsuganae[/QUOTE]

Again, [I]another[/I] show that is in it's 2nd+ season, and I have never even heard of it. Good Lord.

[QUOTE]Vampire Knight Guilty[/QUOTE]

Okay, I heard of a show with another season! Yes! Now, I have been meaning to watch Vampire Knight for a bit, I just haven't gotten around to it. So, at the rate this is going, I'll watch VK: Guilty on December 31st. Because that's how I work.

[QUOTE]Noramimi2[/QUOTE]

Jeez, another season to an anime I have never heard of. This looks more like an "Aww, so kawaiii~!" than anything else. So, I may give it a shot...

[QUOTE]Rosario to Vampire CAPU2[/QUOTE]

No surprise, another season to another anime I have never heard of before. It looks interesting - the plot reminds me of some kid horror book about some kid that goes to a school attended entirely by monsters.

...Wait a minutes, it's the same exact plot! :o

[QUOTE]Shikabane Hime: Aka[/QUOTE]

So, a girl in a school uniform has to kill 108 zombies in order to get to heaven. I don't know if it's because she's in a school uniform, the zombies, or the messed up Catholic teaching, but this does look somewhat interesting.

[QUOTE]Toradora![/QUOTE]

A guy who is rejected by just about everyone falls for a girl who is rejected by her family? Bring on the melodrama!

[QUOTE]Ga-rei-zero[/QUOTE]

So a boy who can see ghosts teams up with a female agent of an anti-supernatural regiment. I sense romance along with some messed up situations.

Besides, like somebody said, it's Ghostbusters: The Anime. That merits a viewing.

[QUOTE]Akane Iro ni Somaru Saka[/QUOTE]

A -somewhat- interesting twist on the anime romance. The boy goes to school...with his fiance! I wonder if the others will expect them to make out in the hallways, if only because the teachers can't tell two engaged teenagers not to show their love for each other.

[QUOTE]Ef ~A tale of melodies~[/QUOTE]

Another season to a show I have never heard of. I need help.

[QUOTE]Tentai Senshi Sunred[/QUOTE]

I really just do not know what to say about this.

[QUOTE]Junjou Romantica 2[/QUOTE]

I now regret not making a 4th category totally committed to shows I have never even heard of that now sport another season.

But it's shoujo, so it's all good.

[CENTER][B]TDTTF[/B][/CENTER]

[QUOTE]Battle Spirits Shounen Toppa Bashin[/QUOTE]

...What? A card game anime? Didn't this became extinct after Yu-Ki-Oh announced he was a hermaphrodite?

Wait, he didn't that. That was just my wishful thinking.

[QUOTE]Tales of the Abyss[/QUOTE]

After Tales of Symphonia, I refuse to take part in any sort of Tales related products. Seriously, Namco was retarded as hell to make ToS. They were even [I]more[/I] retarded to cut the budget of the Xenosaga series in favor of Tales.

Ranting aside, no. Just no.

[QUOTE]Kemeko Deluxe[/QUOTE]

The description didn't make any sense. AniDB needs an editor.

[QUOTE]Skip Beat[/QUOTE]

Shoujo mean nothing to me. They are usually overly dramatic, unrealistically romantic, crap. The art style means nothing to me as well.

[QUOTE]To Aru Majutsu no Index[/QUOTE]

Again, the summary made no sense to me. AniDB needs an editor.

[QUOTE]Macademi Wasshoi![/QUOTE]

The art style did me in long before the lack of an actual description.

[QUOTE]Kuroshitsuji[/QUOTE]

So..a butler named Sabastian serves a 12 year old master.

Where is the intrigue in this? Is there any, even? What's the point? I'll pass.

[QUOTE]Kyou no Go no Ni[/QUOTE]

I feel dirty.

[QUOTE]One Outs[/QUOTE]

I'm not a big fan of sports. In either the game, or media.

[Sangome]

[SIZE="1"]Just watched the first episode of Toradora!...with extremely mixed feelings. It seems like one of those series that gets progressively better as it goes on, but will be a pain to watch until then...I'll watch a couple more episodes, to give it a fair shot, but right now, I'm not too hopeful at all.[/SIZE]

[Doublehex]

I've just watched Chaps;Head. I don't think I'm going to like it too much. Just a very bland first episode.

[Shinmaru]

[quote name='Sangome'][SIZE="1"]Just watched the first episode of Toradora!...with extremely mixed feelings. It seems like one of those series that gets progressively better as it goes on, but will be a pain to watch until then...I'll watch a couple more episodes, to give it a fair shot, but right now, I'm not too hopeful at all.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

If you don't like ep2 much, then I don't know how you will feel about the rest of the series -- ep2 is definitely [b]Toradora![/b]'s best so far, I think, and it's also the one that displays the show's potential to be more than an average tsundere series. So many things are done right in it, and it takes the show in a direction I did not think it would go in for quite a while. Hopefully you will enjoy it. :)

[quote name='Matt']I've just watched Chaps;Head. I don't think I'm going to like it too much. Just a very bland first episode.[/quote]

What is bland about [b]Chaos;Head[/b], if you don't mind me asking? I think it has the most interesting first episode I have seen this season.

[Doublehex]

It was bland in the presentation, I suppose. A kid who is obsessed with games and anime, has delusions, sees a gruesome murder, and now he starts to see even [I]weirder[/I] things. What a great concept!

But, the way it was executed, was just a big bore. I was just very bored throughout the entire episode. I was putting my pointer over the bar, just to see how much longer it was. I decided just to X it, at 20:00.

I was just bored. That's never a good sign. There were some chuckles, to be sure, but the rest just never kept my interest.

[Sangome]

[SIZE="1"]...Alright, you got me, Shin. Episode two of Toradora! pretty much restored the faith in the series and has convinced me to stick with it. I dunno what it was...so many things were done right, yes, and I suppose the fact that I could relate with Taiga's situation a little [i]too[/i] well...

Also, the last anime of the new season, [b]Michiko to Hatchin[/b], has debuted...anyone seen it yet? It looks pretty freakin' cool from what I can tell. Still need to see the subs, though.[/SIZE]

[Ikillion]

[COLOR=#35160f][SIZE="1"][FONT="Trebuchet MS"][quote name='Sangome'][SIZE="1"]
Also, the last anime of the new season, [b]Michiko to Hatchin[/b], has debuted...anyone seen it yet? It looks pretty freakin' cool from what I can tell. Still need to see the subs, though.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

After the first episode it feels like the lovechild of Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop which is awesome in itself. The first episode was kind of slow but it was understandable since it really built up on Hana's character.

Judging by the action in the opening and near the end (to a point) I'm willing to say that this has the potential to be one of my favorite shows this season.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Shinmaru]

Ep3 of [b]Toradora![/b] is not quite as good as the previous episode, but it is still fun. Taiga having all that work put upon her because Ryuji wants to work side by side with Minori is funny. I think I like Minori better in small doses, though; her energy is nice, but too much of it can get sort of annoying lol.

[b]Clannad[/b] is also chugging along -- it's getting into the drama now. Sunohara [spoiler]falling for Sanae is amusing, but he is definitely way too passive. It is pretty obvious he was tweaked about Tomoya and Mei getting into a (fake) relationship, but he just won't come to Mei's aid even though something is clearly wrong. If it has something to do with the soccer club, then maybe Sunohara could not defend himself there, and maybe because of that he believes he is ill equipped to defend others?[/spoiler]

[b]Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka[/b] took a step back with its latest episode. The second one had some funny moments and showed some promise, but the third episode is pretty boring. There is really nothing done to separate it from other shows that do similar episodes. Blah.

Also, in probably the most disappointing move of the season so far, I dropped [b]Yozakura Quartet[/b] after three episodes. You wouldn't think a series about superheroes could be so dull, but you would be wrong. I just cannot get into anything with that series -- it sucks, because I looked forward to seeing it so much.

[Sangome]

[SIZE="1"]Finally saw [b]Michiko to Hatchin[/b]...this is definitely going to be my favorite series of the season. I adore the atmosphere of it, Michiko's hot [strike]I need to stop incriminating myself[/strike], and...yeah. Looks to be a great series.

[spoiler]I wanted Hana's family to be burned alive. They were horrible, especially those snot-nosed punks. I know what it's like to be picked on, but that...ugh. I woulda ran them over if I were Michiko.[/spoiler][/SIZE]

[Doublehex]

[quote name='Shinmaru']Also, in probably the most disappointing move of the season so far, I dropped [b]Yozakura Quartet[/b] after three episodes. You wouldn't think a series about superheroes could be so dull, but you would be wrong. I just cannot get into anything with that series -- it sucks, because I looked forward to seeing it so much.[/QUOTE]

I can't believe this. A superhero anime...dull?!

This beyond my comprehension as a Comic Book Geek.

[Shinmaru]

[quote name='Matt']I can't believe this. A superhero anime...dull?!

This beyond my comprehension as a Comic Book Geek.[/QUOTE]

Trust me, I was shocked, too, but it really is boring. No bones about it. The characters are mostly boring, and the action is nowhere near exciting enough to make up for that. Terribly disappointing show.

[Doublehex]

[quote name='Shinmaru']Trust me, I was shocked, too, but it really is boring. No bones about it. The characters are mostly boring, and the action is nowhere near exciting enough to make up for that. Terribly disappointing show.[/QUOTE]

Well, maybe it's one of those shows that are slow to start. You know, like Blassreiter?

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]Holy crap, I'm up to a dozen shows. And I haven't even watched any of Hyakko yet.

[hr]100[/hr]
[b]Favorites[/b]

[u][b][url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=9701]Clannad ~After Story~[/url][/b][/u]
I'm still waiting for the widescreen versions to start being released but, you know, it's Clannad. I don't even need to have seen it to know it's awesome.

[u][b][url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10128]ef - a tale of melodies[/url][/b][/u]
Melodies has so far been every bit as great as Memories was. I love the artistic style of this series coupled with the delicious romantic drama. And Mizuki is love.

[u][b][url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10149]Tales of the Abyss[/url][/b][/u]
Fantasy/adventure, game-based anime gogogo! I love good fantasy series and TotA is delivering. It's also making me want to play the game.

[u][b][url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10050]Toradora![/url][/b][/u]
I knew I was going to like this series if only because of the tsundere, but it's turning out to be even better than I thought. All the main characters so far are plenty amusing and it doesn't ride on the tsundere alone.

[hr]100[/hr]
[b]Very Enjoyable[/b]

[u][b][url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10247]Shugo Chara!! Doki[/url][/b][/u]
Continuing where the first series left off, Doki is just as full of magical girl moe as the first one was. And we finally, finally get to see more of Dia! This makes me happy.

[u][b][url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10182]Chaos;Head[/url][/b][/u]
Dagger's fanspazzing has not lead me astray yet. Takumi's delusions and paranoia have been amusing to watch and the mystery elements are intriguing. There is also an abundance of long, pink hair, which I enjoy way too much.

[u][b][url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=9295]Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens[/url][/b][/u]
This one turned out to be a lot better than I expected. I figured it would be mediocre and generic but it's been hilarious in the three episodes I've seen so far. Ep3, in particular, had a ton of bits that cracked me up. I love Nagi's personality and watching her toy with Jin is great fun. And the girls' hair is excessively animated, which I am also enjoying way too much.

[hr]100[/hr]
[b]Worth Watching (Probably)[/b]

[u][b][url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10095]Akane-Iro ni Somaru Saka[/url][/b][/u]
It's disappointing that a series with such a loaded cast isn't better than this, but I've still been enjoying Akane-Iro enough to stick with it. Then again, I watch a lot of school romantic comedies even if they aren't the greatest. I dunno if this will be worth watching for people who are't already fans of the genre.

[u][b][url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10167]Kyo no Gononi[/url][/b][/u]
So far, this has mainly just rehashed material from the previous OAV, and the new content wasn't that great. In some parts of the first two episodes it felt like they stretched things out just to kill time. But, while I'm not too impressed since I watched the OAV first, I'll stick with the series if they have new content that's on par with the stuff that was already in OAV.

[u][b][url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10044]To Aru Majutsu no Index[/url][/b][/u]
I just can't shake the feeling of similarity between this and Shakugan no Shana. Which makes me uneasy since Shana was decidedly mediocre and the tsundere ended up being most of my reason for watching it. Index even has a similar catch in that, if it's also mediocre, I will probably keep watching for the amusing lolis.

[u][b][url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=9602]Michiko to Hatchin[/url][/b][/u]
This is not exactly the type of anime I generally watch but, hey, I do enjoy variety. Ep1 was nearly all character introduction so we'll see what happens from there. It seems like I could either end up really liking it or being completely bored with it, depending on how things go.

[u][b][url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=9011]Kemeko-DX[/url][/b][/u]
I was not impressed with the first episode, which made me sad because I thought this show would be funnier. It had a few laughs but nothing that great. With everything else I'm watching, it may end up getting dropped if it doesn't improve.

[hr]100[/hr]
[b]Dropped[/b]

[u][url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=9816]Yozakura Quartet[/url][/u]
The first episode was lame and, from what Shin has said, the next couple aren't any better. I wasn't very interested in this show to begin with, anyway.[/color]

[Shinmaru]

Gave a rough outline of this on my World, but I have caught up on a few series, so here is a revised list of what I have seen this season -- with reasoning!

[b]Favorites[/b]

-- [i]Chaos;Head[/i]: Definitely my kind of anime. Takumi is an interesting main character -- I think he is less an otaku stereotype and more just a deeply flawed person. I like the way his paranoia has shaped the way the mystery has unfolded so far. [spoiler]Takumi believes the world is acting against him, and then, once he lowers his guard, the person he came to trust betrays him because she believes he is the murderer.[/spoiler] The look of the show is solid, too. I enjoy the way it contrasts the cheery, shiny, "moe" look of the regular world with the more grotesque world of Takumi's delusions.

-- [i]Clannad ~After Story~[/i]: It's done a solid job of building upon what was so great about the first season -- excellent comedy mixed with interesting personal drama. The first two eps are lighthearted and quite funny (especially the second episode, which features much Sunohara hilarity), and the third ep has an interesting dilemma. Aside from that, I like how Tomoya continues to develop into a more mature person. He still like to joke around, but he has learned to deal with the consequences of his actions.

-- [i]Toradora![/i]: I am an unashamed romantic -- put a good love story in front of me, and I cannot take my eyes away. What really makes this show worth watching is the excellent chemistry between Ryuji and Taiga. They are [i]so[/i] believable as a pair; they just [i]work[/i] together, even if they can't see it. It's formula, but it's [i]good[/i] formula. The second episode is one of the best I have seen this season. It does a remarkable job of making both Ryuji and Taiga utterly sympathetic (the [spoiler]kicking the post scene[/spoiler] is particularly well done). A definite must for romance fans.

-- [i]Kurozuka[/i]: Checked this out due to Fasterisk's recommendation, and I am glad I did. [b]Shikabane Hime: Aka[/b] has been disappointing (which I will get to later), and I am desperate for great action, which this show has provided in spades. Basically it is about a man who meets an immortal woman in the woods, falls in love with her and then [spoiler]becomes immortal himself with her help.[/spoiler] A few people have compared it to [b]Mnemosyne[/b] -- it's about as violent as that series, although the sexuality is nowhere near as graphic (and, as one reviewer amusingly put it on MAL, [b]Mnemosyne[/b] has "more lesbians"). First two eps are quite good; definitely looking forward to the third one, which appears to contain [spoiler]the first big time leap in the series[/spoiler].

-- [i]Shugo Chara! Doki[/i]: Not much to say after the first ep (which is a recap of the first season), but after the excellent first season, this would have to be butchered pretty badly to not be a favorite of mine.

[b]Very Good[/b]

-- [i]Mouryou no Hako[/i]: The first episode made me go, "o_o" more often than not, but it is intriguing. I am interested to see how the relationship between the two girls develops and how that ties in to the overall premise (which, as described on MAL, is completely different than how the first episode went lol). A lot of the random vagueries (is that a word? It is now) threw me for a loop -- the head in the box (WTF?), the two girls [spoiler]being reincarnations of each other[/spoiler], etc. If the story develops into too much of a headache, though, I will at least stay for the atmosphere, which is wonderful.

-- [i]Michiko to Hatchin[/i]: Very entertaining first episode. You can tell from watching this that Michiko will definitely be a heroine to remember, haha. Looking forward to lots of wild action and awesomeness from this.

-- [i]Kannagi[/i]: I bit because of Des and was entertained. Nothing super amazing, or anything, but there have been funny moments, mainly with Nagi getting her way all the time and making life rough for Jin. I like Jin's friends, too. They seem like a fun bunch, actually.

-- [i]Hyakko[/i]: Like [b]Kannagi[/b], it's nothing stellar, but it's funny enough to be a fun watch. It's similar to [b]Minami-ke[/b] in that 90 percent of the humor comes from the disparate personalities of the girls bouncing off each other, although [b]Hyakko[/b] is nowhere near as funny as [b]Minami-ke[/b] right now.

[b]Decent[/b]

-- [i]Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka[/i]: This is one of the more frustrating series of the season. The first episode is OK -- has a few funny moments and shows some promise. The second episode pays off that promise by being generally solid, with some genuinely funny moments and good character interaction. Then the third episode throws that all way by being totally boring. As Des writes, it is probably not worth watching if you are not a fan of school romantic comedies, even if the cast is like an all-star lineup.

-- [i]Kyo no Gononi[/i]: Definitely disappointing after the stellar OVA (which is hysterical but also the very definition of [i]ecchi[/i], haha). For one, the TV series is nowhere near as stylish -- the character designs are highly simplified, and the animation in general is not as good. Every time the show does a story the OVA already covered, it invites unneeded comparisons to a far superior product. I think the new content has been funny enough (though maybe that's just because I have not seen it before), so I would like the anime to feature more of that.

-- [i]Shikabane Hime: Aka[/i]: OK, after watching [b]Kurozuka[/b] and [b]Michiko to Hatchin[/b], I cannot think about this series without being disappointed. The first ep had some very good action, but it's as if the series has gone out of its way to avoid action as much as possible since then. Without that, my interest in the series has plunged, because I do not think the characters are too interesting. Undead schoolgirls fighting corpses for two or three minutes an episode can remain entertaining for only so long. However, it does at least appear as though the story will be picking up soon, which will be a nice boost for the series.

-- [i]To Aru Majutsu no Index[/i]: I am not normally into this type of fantasy, but the show has been solid enough so far (with a damn good action sequence in the second episode). Random thing I think is funny: Index sometimes sounds like Chiaki from [b]Minami-ke[/b], even though Minori Chihara is not voicing her.

[b]Terrible[/b]

-- [i]Ga-Rei -Zero-[/i]: I have thought -- and written -- about this show enough. Unless my favorite psycho ghost chick kills people for 10 straight minutes in the next episode, I am going to drop this. Well, either that, or watch just the parts with her in it. >_>;

-- [i]Yozakura Quartet[/i]: Soooooooooooo disappointing. Almost nothing has happened in the first three episodes, and the series is already a quarter finished. That is a bad, bad sign. Take it from me -- stay away.

[Magus]

I was just browsing through Funimation's site happened to come across [b]Shikabane Hime[/b], and going by a picture alone kind of got me interested. And then I do a bit of research to find out that it's done by Gainax... Kind of a blow to the gut since I'm not particularly fond of what I've seen from Gainax. (Gurren Lagann turned out to be fairly decent in the end, though I don't care for the character models)

I'm also curious about [b]Tales of the Abyss[/b]. Seeing how I'm still playing the game and whatnot. I do wonder when and if we get an english version, will they get the voices from the game for reoccurring roles?

[Shinmaru]

[quote name='Phenom']I was just browsing through Funimation's site happened to come across [b]Shikabane Hime[/b], and going by a picture alone kind of got me interested. And then I do a bit of research to find out that it's done by Gainax... Kind of a blow to the gut since I'm not particularly fond of what I've seen from Gainax. (Gurren Lagann turned out to be fairly decent in the end, though I don't care for the character models)[/QUOTE]

If I remember correctly, you're an action fan, right? [b]Shikabane Hime: Aka[/b], at least through three episodes, has been a disappointment on that front (that is the main reason I watched it, haha). The story shows signs of picking up soon, but the characters also need to pick up, because they're not that interesting. If it's action you're looking for, [b]Kurozuka[/b] offers the best action, but I don't know if the sexuality might be a bit of a turn off (lol). It's not explicit, or anything, but it is definitely sexualized. I've seen just one episode of [b]Michiko to Hatchin[/b] thus far, but that also shows signs of offering good action.

[Magus]

[quote name='Shinmaru']If I remember correctly, you're an action fan, right? [b]Shikabane Hime: Aka[/b], at least through three episodes, has been a disappointment on that front (that is the main reason I watched it, haha). The story shows signs of picking up soon, but the characters also need to pick up, because they're not that interesting. If it's action you're looking for, [b]Kurozuka[/b] offers the best action, but I don't know if the sexuality might be a bit of a turn off (lol). It's not explicit, or anything, but it is definitely sexualized. I've seen just one episode of [b]Michiko to Hatchin[/b] thus far, but that also shows signs of offering good action.[/QUOTE]
Yessir. Action all the way, but I'm beginning to branch out here and there. What do you mean by the characters need to pick up? They're that dull and boring?

I did manage to check out the 1st episode of Kurozuka last night and I was impressed. Intro sort of reminded me of Death Note. And by the looks of it, it looks like it's suppose to be the ninja/samurai type anime so that's a plus. Artwork/animation is gorgeous. Didn't see anything in terms of sexuality, but from the way you put it, it sounds like it's heading in the direction of Basilisk. (Looks that way too.)

[Shinmaru]

[quote name='Phenom']What do you mean by the characters need to pick up? They're that dull and boring?[/quote]

Basically. They are just not that interesting -- they are cardboard cutouts doing whatever is dictated by the plot.

[quote]I did manage to check out the 1st episode of Kurozuka last night and I was impressed. Intro sort of reminded me of Death Note. And by the looks of it, it looks like it's suppose to be the ninja/samurai type anime so that's a plus. Artwork/animation is gorgeous. Didn't see anything in terms of sexuality, but from the way you put it, it sounds like it's heading in the direction of Basilisk. (Looks that way too.)[/QUOTE]

The sexuality is mostly in the second episode -- again, nothing really graphic, or anything, but it is definitely meant to be sensual/erotic. That sort of thing does not bother me at all, and the way it is done fits into the story well, but I thought I should warn you, just in case.

It is a gorgeous series, though. From what I am reading, Madhouse has put much of its resources into [b]Kurozuka[/b] this season, and it really shows.

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]I finally got around to watching [b]Kyo no Gononi[/b] ep3 and, while most of it was more rehashing, the last section was original and absolutely hilarious. It was basically what I'd been waiting for to renew my faith in the series. The OAV only covered so much, so the series is going to have to switch to more original stories soon?and if they're as good as that one I'll be happy.

On another note, I wish Chibi would start getting their releases out. Chihiro's have missing lines and don't even translate the OP or ED. :animesigh[/color]

[Rachmaninoff]

I finally got into [B]Tales of the Abyss[/B]. I love how beautiful the animation is and how true to the characters they've been for it. It's such a stark difference from the anime for Tales of Symphonia where they crammed so much into just four episodes.

So to see them really doing justice with Tales of the Abyss is fantastic. The other, though amusing, you really needed to have played the game but this, it's not necessary. It's fleshed out enough that you can really enjoy it without having played the game.

[Shinmaru]

So, now that a lot of shows have finished, what were everyone's favorite shows? Here's my list:

1. [b]Toradora![/b]
2. [b]Gundam 00[/b] season two
3. [b]Clannad ~After Story~[/b]
4. [b]Shugo Chara! Doki[/b]
5. [b]Chaos;Head[/b]
6. [b]Kannagi[/b]
7. [b]Kurozuka[/b]
8. [b]To Aru Majutsu no Index[/b]
9. [b]Kyo no Gononi[/b]
10. [b]Hyakko[/b]
11. [b]Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka[/b]

[b]Will watch later:[/b] [b]ef - a tale of melodies[/b], [b]Mouryou no Hako[/b], [b]Michiko to Hatchin[/b], [b]Tales of the Abyss[/b], [b]Skip Beat[/b]
[b]Dropped:[/b] [b]Ga-Rei Zero[/b], [b]Yozakura Quartet[/b], [b]Shikabane Hime: Aka[/b]

[b]Toradora![/b] is an easy No. 1. Great cast of characters, a well built story, excellent comedy, etc. Ep13 of the series is also the best single episode I have seen this season -- a perfect end to the current story, with very emotional payoffs. Everything 1-9 I enjoyed and had no regrets watching all season. [b]Hyakko[/b], while amusing, is just decent, and [b]Akane-iro[/b] is terrible. I have no idea why I finished it.

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]My list ended up a fair bit different at the end of the season than in my last post so I'll follow suit I guess. Numbers in parenthesis are how many episodes I've seen out of the total.

01. [b]Toradora![/b] [size=1](10/25)[/size]
02. [b]Clannad ~After Story~[/b] [size=1](9/24)[/size]
03. [b]Tales of the Abyss[/b] [size=1](14/26)[/size]
04. [b]Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens[/b] [size=1](13/13)[/size]
05. [b]Shugo Chara!! Doki[/b] [size=1](13/51?)[/size]
06. [b]To Aru Majutsu no Index[/b] [size=1](13/24)[/size]
07. [b]Chaos;Head[/b] [size=1](12/12)[/size]
08. [b]Kyo no Gononi[/b] [size=1](13/13)[/size]
09. [b]Hyakko[/b] [size=1](7/13)[/size]
10. [b]Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka[/b] [size=1](12/12)[/size]
11. [b]Kemeko-DX[/b] [size=1](12/12)[/size]

[b]Michiko to Hatchin[/b] releases from the group I've been following have been slow and I haven't seen enough of it yet to rate it. And I'm also hoarding episodes of [b]ef - a tale of melodies[/b] and DVD releases of [b]Hidamari Sketch × 365[/b] to watch once they're complete.

I'm still waiting on my group of preference's releases of [b]Toradora![/b] so I haven't finished out the season's worth of episode of it yet. But from what I've seen and what I've heard of later episodes, it only gets better. It started off good and has been doing nothing [i]but[/i] getting better, until it finally clawed its way over Clannad to claim its position as my favorite of the season.

[b]Clannad ~After Story~[/b] is basically just more Clannady goodness to match the first season. Which I am perfectly happy with, considering it can go from making me burst out laughing to fighting back tears in the span of a single episode if it wants to. Yes, I still wait for the widescreen versions so I'm behind.

[b]Tales of the Abyss[/b] has provided me my fix of fantasy/adventure anime this season. I've not played the game, but so far the anime is doing a great job standing on its own. Not the best of its kind, but it's still excellent and I love the genre.

[b]Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens[/b] faltered a bit at the end (it needs to stick to comedy; too much drama doesn't work well), but it also set things up for a second season. DO WANT.

[b]Shugo Chara!! Doki[/b] has mostly been business as usual. Nothing too exciting but still plenty amusing, and a couple episodes have been some of the funniest in the entire series. Anything involving Nagihiko and Rima together is gold.

[b]To Aru Majutsu no Index[/b] continues to seem like a better-done Shakugan no Shana to me, only with a loli instead of a tsundere. It's ranged from good to meh with its few mini-arcs but has never been bad.

[b]Chaos;Head[/b] was not especially my kind of show to begin with. While it started out interesting, it gradually got to the point where I didn't care about the story and just wanted to see the girls kick *** with their giant swords. Oh yeah, and moe over Kozue's awesome twintails. The show's mythos did intrigue me but it went straight from total mystery to huge information dump and ended up spending more time explaining it?multiple times, at that?than actually doing things with it.

[b]Kyo no Gononi[/b] gradually got better as it moved away from redoing stuff that had already been in the OAV to new chapters. But some of the new chapters were also not that great. Though I actually liked the new character designs, the series wasn't as consistently funny as the OAV.

[b]Hyakko[/b] has been another average high school comedy. Not much to say here.

I'll admit it now, the only reason I didn't drop [b]Akane-iro ni Somaru Saka[/b] was because of the pretty character designs and the awesome voice cast. There were a few funny bits here and there but otherwise that's all the show had going for it.

I should probably put [b]Kemeko-DX[/b] above Akane-iro, but I [i]really[/i] liked Akane-iro's character designs and voice cast. Whereas I at least loved those two things about Akane-iro, Kemeko-DX was just overall mediocre. The best thing about it was two of the side characters being voiced by Kugimiya Rie and Noto Mamiko. And then the second was Kemeko being voiced by Saito Chiwa. There are much better shows out there for the kind of stupid/ecchi humor that the series focused on and the only reason I didn't drop it was because I had too much time on my hands.[/color]

[Sangome]

[SIZE="1"]My list isn't going to be as long as your guys', but I figure I can contribute, at least.

1. [B]Toradora![/B]
2. [B]Kannagi[/B]
3. [B]Tales of the Abyss[/B]
4. [B]Goku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei[/B]
5. [B]Chaos;Head[/B]
6. [B]Michiko to Hatchin[/B]

Like the both of you, I have to rank [B]Toradora[/B] at number one for the season. Despite a slow first episode, everything after that just explodes into hilarity, along with some well thought out drama in the lives of some of the characters. The cast of characters is great [yes, even Ami, who I am vocal about despising], the comedy, while sometimes cliche, fun, and it just gets better and better. However, I do wonder how it'll hold out for another twelve episodes, but at this rate, I'm not too worried.

While I was late to the party on this one, starting it just as episode 8 came out, I don't regret watching [B]Kannagi[/B]. I actually woulda rated this above Toradora, but I had to knock it down a notch because some of the episodes were really hit and miss for me. But then came the last batch of eps, which turned on the srs bizness factor, and then the comedy all came back in literally the last few minutes of the finale. While I do think that was an awesome way to end it, it definitely left some room for a season two. Let's just hope all the "second-hand Nagi" nonsense doesn't get in the way. [For those of you unaware of the controversy, click [U][URL="http://anime-comments.blogspot.com/2008/11/kannagi-latest-manga-chapter.html"]here[/URL][/U]. Warning for language on the blog, but the blog also links to the actual article, which you may look into for further detail, but some of the ads/discussion on it may be NSFW, so click at your own discretion].

Being a huge fan of the original game, it was pretty much a given that I'd be watching and enjoying [B]Tales of the Abyss[/B]. The anime has been doing a splendid job of keeping true to the original game and not omitting anything major or cramming things in [although things do get sped up a little after episode 11]. You do not have to have played the game in order to enjoy the anime, however, it's highly recommended to get more entertainment out of it, IMO. As of right now, the only problem I have is the art. While it's a decent art style on its own, I definitely prefer Kousuke Fujishima/Production IG's anime art/cutscenes from the original game to the anime's style. If you've not played the game but are enjoying the anime, I highly suggest giving it a try. Fangirl bias aside, the game is excellent and deserves your time.

Would [B]Goku SZS[/B] be considered part of the fall season? Even though only two episodes have been released, and despite it being an OVA, I think it would...regardless, Goku SZS provided even more cracktastic fun in the one episode I've seen so far. Although I really do hope a season three comes down the line sometime soon...

[B]Chaos;Head[/B]. How good you started out to be! Then about halfway through, you just turned into utter crap. I'm not letting that prevent me from playing the visual novel, as I'm sure it's immensely better...but it's just disappointing. The latter half was rushed as heck, most of the plot twists became predictable, and Takumi...ugh, Takumi. And the final episode pretty much became a generic shounen series, complete with a crapload of censorship. I understand it probably have tp have been done, but if you're gonna censor...make it so that I actually get what's going on. Cause I had no fricken idea.

And finally...I had such high hopes for [B]Michiko to Hatchin[/B]. I liked it a lot, despite it being episodic, but then the episodic nature started to get steadily more boring...and I just couldn't motivate myself to finish it. This woulda been ranked above Chaos;Head, but I actually finished C;H, whereas I dropped MtH after episode 8.[/SIZE]