Random Musings - The Shortlist of Fall 2006 Anime October 14
Earlier this week, a friend asked me what my favorite show this season was. My answer was “Negima.” If I had to say my top-three series for this new season, they’d be:
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Negima!? is number one because it wowed me like no other show did. Maybe it’s because I didn’t have very high expectations or maybe it’s because Shinbo Akiyuki’s style and approach to the series appeal to me so much. The animation production by Gansis/Shaft is also better than almost every other series out there. The show is weathering a lot of vocal criticism, but I personally love it and eagerly anticipate the type of alternate retelling that future arcs of the story will get.
CODE GEASS is a close second partially because I have a soft spot for Sunrise mecha shows, but mostly because I think the show just kicks ass. I mean, it has a questionably evil main character, a female lead who gets shot in the head in the first episode and hasn’t been heard from since, plenty of mecha battles, and a large cast with tons of story potential. And as I said in my second episode entry, Lelouch is becoming one of my favorite characters this season.
Rounding out the list is the surprisingly good Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru, OtoBoku for short. Good is of course a relative term. While Negima’s first episode had the wow factor, OtoBoku’s first episode was pure mindless entertainment that left me with a smile on my face. If Strawberry Panic was any proof, yuri and relationship drama can carry a show pretty far, though with OtoBoku it’s more like pseudo-yuri since the main character merely looks like a girl.
And since I’m talking about what I’m enjoying the most, I’d also like to point out how good some of the OPs and EDs this season are. The best new OP, hands down, is YUI’s Rolling Star from Bleach. ED-wise, my favorite new one is OtoBoku’s Beautiful Day by Sakakibara Yui - it’s really catchy and has been stuck in my head all week. Other notables include FLOW’s COLORS from CODE GEASS and Atsumi Saori’s Ai from Kujibiki Unbalance, and Porno Graffiti’s Winding Road from Ayakashi Ayashi.
I’d also like to take this chance to semi-finalize the shows that I’ll be blogging about:
Mondays: Pumpkin Scissors
Tuesdays: D.Gray-man and DEATH NOTE
Wednesdays: Negima!? and Bleach
Thursdays: Kanon and CODE GEASS
Fridays: Catch-up
Saturdays: Ayakashi Ayashi and OtoBoku
Sundays: Tsubasa Chronicle and Catch-up
I currently have Fridays and Sundays marked as “Catch-up” because I need to have a bit of breathing room during the week. Part of the reason I’m doing this for Sundays is because I didn’t feel like taking on La Corda D’Oro or Galaxy Ange-Rune, so I’m just sticking with Tsubasa Chronicles (albeit a day late) for Sundays until it ends in a little under a month. But the bigger reason is that Sundays usually end up being group meeting days for my numerous school and work-related projects, so I’m fairly occupied. As for Fridays, I decided not to pick up Kujian since it didn’t leave me with that favorable of an impression. I’ve considered maybe blogging another Thursday show or even NANA on Fridays, but as of right now I’m not sure what I’d add, if anything.
In closing, I’d like to say that the above list is only 10 series strong - with one soon ending - which is significantly less than the number I’ve been taking on in past seasons (~13). For days like Monday, I’d love to take on a second show (Lovely Idol), but I just don’t have the free time. Hopefully once this hellish semester is over, that won’t be so much of a problem.
kiggam at 1:46 am on October 14th, 2006
kewl
Zanarky at 1:47 am on October 14th, 2006
Dang, you’re not gonna blog Yoake =[
danielpenna at 1:49 am on October 14th, 2006
Excuse me for not catching up with the happenings of this site, but what happened to the guys that were helping you with this site ? Are they taking up any shows this season ?
ceecee at 1:55 am on October 14th, 2006
I miss your NANA entries!!! So if you’re considering another series NANA gets my vote =D
But if you’re not, no worries!Thanks for all the your efforts!
anne at 2:09 am on October 14th, 2006
it’ll be good if someone blogged about la corda d’oro though… sad sad…
Omni at 2:10 am on October 14th, 2006
Judge is thinking about blogging a new series, but we’re still working out the details.
Seleria was only helping out for the rest of Honey and Clover II, and I haven’t talked to her in a while.
Stacy was only helping out for the rest of Ouran and has a busy job now.
Kenn has been missing for the past two weeks, and has half-finished entries on Inukami still waiting to be completed.
I’ve almost given up on getting help because people just either don’t have the language skill or dedication to do this. But if you’re reading this and you think you’re qualified, send me an email with a sample write-up of your choice of show.
Kit-Tsukasa at 2:14 am on October 14th, 2006
You should give Gift ~Eternal Rainbow~ a try. Probably blogging it on Friday even though it airs on Thursday, but I guess you do need a breather during the week since you are very busy most of times now with work and all the other shows you have already decided to blog this season.
Gil at 2:22 am on October 14th, 2006
So no OtoBoku?
coco-0106 at 2:28 am on October 14th, 2006
Ohhh man, i’m gonna love tuesdays! D Grey man and Death Note!!!!!! >_
S at 2:28 am on October 14th, 2006
Please blog Nana!!!
Refrainz at 2:39 am on October 14th, 2006
If your refering to if OtoBoku is getting blogged Gil, it’s on the Saturday slot
Omni at 2:56 am on October 14th, 2006
I saw the first episode of Gift. Spent the entire time thinking about how much it was like DC with. To name a few, Gift has:
-A Nemu-lookalike
-A Sakura-lookalike
-Junichi’s voice actor as the male lead
-Aisia’s voice actress
-A Suginami character
I couldn’t get past the DCSS stigmata, and Thursdays were already so crowded.
ctjanus at 3:23 am on October 14th, 2006
@Omni
Do you watch any of the other anime for a season besides the ones you blog??
Only ones that i watch that you are blogging is
Negami
D-Gray man
Otoboku
Found these 4 to be quite enjoyable also might want to watch them even if your not blogging them =)
Busou Renkin
Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shukufuku wo!
Asatte no Houkou
Sumomomo Momomo
Happiness! is alittle weird. So Ren is a guy dressed as a girl eh, thats alittle much lmao.
yukina at 3:27 am on October 14th, 2006
Aww…what about the second season of Jigoku Shoujou??
kdp at 3:27 am on October 14th, 2006
Thanks Omni! I like your list!
Mentar at 4:48 am on October 14th, 2006
Good list, IMHO. If you can pull this off, you’ll do people alot of favors
Personally, there are two shows which I’ll add to my menue: Yoake gives me some very good vibes, with a kind gentle romance undertone which is all but missing in most shows of this kind nowadays. Also, Asatte no Hokou as a VERY interesting slice-of-life show and good characters so far. However, both shows should be available as subs very quickly, so they should be fine even without Random Curiosity’s care.
Noein at 5:03 am on October 14th, 2006
You have great taste in quality anime Mentar. Asatte is by far the best show I’ve seen this season with Yoake a distant second. As of right now there are three groups subbing Asatte so it has to make you feel good that if one or two groups gets lazy and slacks off Saiunkoku Monogatari and Higurashi no Naku Koro ni you can fall back on another
Rane at 5:10 am on October 14th, 2006
Do NANA, Tokimeki and Sumomomo on Friday please. None of the other blogs follow these.
Gloranor at 5:22 am on October 14th, 2006
What about Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto? So far I found it pretty enjoyable, the visuals are, from what I could tell from my not-so-good wmv/wma .wmv raw pretty good, the music is nice (esp. OP song), and the story has potential (besides, I’m getting Blood+ vibes - maybe because of the blue eyes and the whole “2 ancient forces battling” background…). And its on late thursday/early Friday to boot!
(And its also, as far as I can see, the most unnoticed series so far - it hasn’t even an entry on blog好き - the only mention I’ve found so far was in a summary for all episodes that week)
Ahuri at 5:36 am on October 14th, 2006
It’s too bad Bleach had to move to Wednesdays, I’ll miss the NANA entries (are you sure you don’t feel like giving up on the fillers and blog the upcoming drama instead? :p)
I totally agree with Negima!? being the best thing this season. Code Geass also seems to be doing well (here’s hoping it gets as good as ZEGAPAIN), and OtoBoku doesn’t look bad, although I’m not a fan of yuri. Kanon and Death Note would be on my top 3 with Negima!?, but you’re already blogging them so it’s all good