I picked up several shows from Fall 2008, but I’m only giving midterm grades for these five. You know why? Because most of them were too damn short. One season = 26 episodes. Let me reiterate:
1 Season = 26 Episodes
I’m generous enough to give out midterm grades for series with 24 or 25 episodes. 13 episodes? Not a chance. You don’t know shit about a series after 6 or 7 episodes. You might as well be writing a first impressions post.
Clannad After Story
Episodes seen so far: 15
Premise in terms of other anime: Clannad Season 1 – half the cast
Motivation for watching: As an anime blogger I’m obligated to watch anything done by Kyoto Animation no matter how much it sucks.
Good call: Minimal Fuko
Bad call: Minimal MamiKotomi IchiNoto
Notable checklist inclusions: Stylish Visual Effects, Random Cat, Dinosaurs
Tragic checklist exclusions: Comical Victimization (several attempts, but complete failure to be comical), Lesbians, Time Travel
Best character: Tomoya (runner up: the dinosaur on that book cover)
Please kill off: That little girl who skips around during the first four seconds of the ending sequence
I want more: Serious business
I want less: That damn Dango song
Does loving this show make you a pedophile: No (unlike the first season)
Bold prediction: The robot dies
Projected trend: Getting better. I foresee less screwing around and more legitimate drama.
Other thoughts: I still can’t figure out when/how Nagisa got pregnant.
Midterm Grade: B
Toradora
Episodes seen so far: 16
Premise in terms of other anime: (Every school life anime ever made) / (# of school life animes ever made)
Motivation for watching: Michael’s biggest fanboy craze since Code Geass R2
Good call: Evil eyes
Bad call: Inko
Notable checklist inclusions: Failed Confessions, Ghosts, Trademark Infringement
Tragic checklist exclusions: Hilarious ambiguously gay dude, Giant Robots, Catchy Dance Sequence
Best character: Ryuuji
Please kill off: Inko
I want more: Violence
I want less: Inko
Does loving this show make you a pedophile: Yes
Bold prediction: Inko finally says her name, inspires Ryuuji/Taiga, gets shot with an arrow
Projected trend: Consistent, perhaps even downhill. Good luck topping episode 16.
Other thoughts: It really is “a touching story about the power of love.“
Midterm Grade: A- (would’ve been a B+ before watching episode 16)
Tytania
Episodes seen so far: 14
Premise in terms of other anime: Legend of the Galactic Heroes + Moé
Motivation for watching: I heard it was the second coming of Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Good call: The ending song (I didn’t care for any of LoGH’s)
Bad call: Giving half of the male cast girly, vision-impairing bangs
Notable checklist inclusions: Rivalry, Character who vaguely resembles me, Graphic Violence
Tragic checklist exclusions: Soft-spoken girl voiced by Mamiko Noto, Tournament Competition, Obligatory Hot Springs
Best character: Fan Hyulick (Jouslain isn’t far behind)
Please kill off: Zarlish’s mother
I want more: Manly tea-pouring
I want less: Episodes without Fan Hyulick
Does loving this show make you a pedophile: No
Bold prediction: Moé Princess does something useful
Projected trend: Rising (assuming Fan Hyulick gets more involved)
Other thoughts: Tackling someone with a gun into a pool of man-eating fish is a pretty cool way to die.
Midterm Grade: A
Jigoku Shoujo Mitsugane
Episodes seen so far: 14
Premise in terms of other anime: (Jigoku Shoujo Seasons 1 & 2) / 2 + those Lesbians I’ve been asking for since Season 1
Motivation for watching: Saw the first two seasons
Good call: Regular characters
Bad call: Opening song no longer by SNoW
Notable checklist inclusions: Themes of Hatred/Suffering/Revenge, Lesbians, Soft-spoken girl voiced by Mamiko Noto
Tragic checklist exclusions: Frequently updated intro/ending visuals, Badass mid-episode transitions, Soundtrack by Yuki Kajiura
Best character: Sparkly Wanyuudo
Please kill off: Kikuri
I want more: Change-up episodes (multiple people dying, unexpected characters dying, no deaths at all, etc…)
I want less: Cheesy Enma cosplay fanservice
Does loving this show make you a pedophile: Depends on the episode
Bold prediction: There will be a fourth season regardless of how conclusive this season’s ending may seem
Projected trend: It’ll have its ups and downs. You can never tell with this show.
Other thoughts: Enma needs a new computer
Midterm Grade: B
One Outs
Episodes seen so far: 15
Premise in terms of other anime: (Hiruma + Akagi) / 2 + Baseball
Motivation for watching: Can’t turn down a gambling anime
Good call: Non-pedophilic character design, except for…
Bad call: Tokichi’s anorexia
Notable checklist inclusions: Mangled English, Non-Mangled English, Exaggerated Foreign Accents
Tragic checklist exclusions: Dinosaurs, Lesbians, Failed Confessions
Best character: Tokichi (did I just pick the male leads as my favorite characters for every show that has one?)
Please kill off: Big Momma
I want more: Kojima. He’s interesting enough to warrant screen time, not to mention he has manly sideburns.
I want less: Tokichi’s teammates acting like he’s crazy every time he develops an unconventional tactic. By now they should know better.
Does loving this show make you a pedophile: No
Bold prediction: The Lycaons win the championship
Projected trend: Consistent
Other thoughts: If the losing team forfeits the game, don’t they keep the score instead of changing it to 9-0?