It's time to dish out a preliminary assessment of the anime I picked up from the spring 2007 season. I've decided to go with a letter grade system for a report card sort of feel. If you're not sure what the grades imply, you'll find more info here.
Episodes so far: 12
Premise in terms of other anime: Darker Than Black = (Scryed + Cowboy Bebop) / 2
Motivation for watching: The title sounded pretty cool.
Good call: Somebody dies in every episode.
Bad call: Artificial racial diversity. Why are most of the people running around Japan either Chinese, White, Black, or Indian?
Notable checklist inclusions: Graphic violence, supernatural power, random cat
Tragic checklist exclusions: Lesbians, dinosaurs
I want more: Girl with the grey hair. She seems useful but hasn't gotten much screen time.
I want less: Annoying unexplained terminology.
Best character: Hei
Please kill off: The ice guy, unless he ever says "Let's kick some ice", in which case he'd be "cool".
Does loving this show make you a pedophile: No
Bold Prediction: Hei dies.
Projected Trend: The show should get better with every episode.
Other Thoughts: If Pizza Hut can survive both the Britannian invasion and the post-apocalyptic future, then Italian Village Pizza must be God.
Midterm Grade: B+
Episodes so far: 13
Premise in terms of other anime: Think Berserk, except every warrior is a blonde chick
Motivation for watching: I'd recently finished watching Simoun, and Claymore just happened to have a one word western-sounding title. Seriously. I picked up the show on little more than a whim, and it payed off big time.
Good call: Silver eyes.
Bad call: Raki being useless.
Notable checklist inclusions: Graphic Violence, Themes of Hatred/Suffering/Revenge, List of progressively revealed elements
Tragic checklist exclusions: Time travel, Pimp in a white suit
I want more: Simultaneous subplots
I want less: Raki being a little crybaby bitch
Best character: Teresa of the Faint Smile
Please kill off: Ophelia
Does loving this show make you a pedophile: No
Bold Prediction: Raki will become useful.
Projected Trend: Claymore will definitely be one of my all-time favorite action animes.
Other Thoughts: Can a Claymore's nude body really look that bad?
Midterm Grade: A
Episodes so far: 11
Premise in terms of other anime: Idolm@aster Xenoglossia = (Gundam + Negima) / 2
Motivation for watching: Makoto fanart
Good call: Using penguins the same way I'd use dinosaurs.
Bad call: Robots with feelings.
Notable checklist inclusions: Comical Victimization, Giant Robots, Soft-spoken girl voiced by Mamiko Noto
Tragic checklist exclusions: Hilarious ambiguously gay dude, Failed confessions
I want more: Sleepy girl, cosplay girl, and that nurse who looks like Shizuru.
I want less: Forehead girl.
Best character: Makoto
Please kill off: The lollipop girl
Does loving this show make you a pedophile: Maybe
Bold Prediction: Makoto will acknowledge that robots have feelings.
Projected Trend: It's a decent show, and it'll probably stay that way.
Other Thoughts: Why is there always an extended delay before any girl realizes she's naked and/or caught in a compromising position?
Midterm Grade: B (Honestly, it's not bad)
Episodes so far: 13
Premise in terms of other anime: El Cazador de la Bruja = Noir � Europe + Mexico � 5 years off everybody's age
Motivation for watching: Soundtrack by Yuki Kajiura
Good call: Intro by Savage Genius
Bad call: Too much filler at the beginning of the series
Notable checklist inclusions: Soundtrack by Yuki Kajiura
Tragic checklist exclusions: Stylish visual effects
I want more: Ellis going berserk
I want less: That damn taco song
Best character: The secretary with the split personality
Please kill off: The blonde boy with the camcorder
Does loving this show make you a pedophile: Yes
Bold Prediction: Nadie and Ellis survive, the blonde boy dies
Projected Trend: Steadily uphill, levelling off once the final arc hits full swing.
Other Thoughts: All the characters seem younger than their Noir counterparts, and the themes are less mature. Is the target audience supposed to be younger too?
Midterm Grade: B-
Episodes so far: 12
Premise in terms of other anime: Azumanga Daioh for hardcore otakus
Motivation for watching: The greatest intro ever
Good call: The karaoke ending sequences
Bad call: Changing directors for no reason
Notable checklist inclusions: Catchy dance sequence, comical victimization, stylish visual effects
Tragic checklist exclusions: Themes of Hatred/Suffering/Revenge, Alternate universe filler
I want more: "Haha" jokes
I want less: "I get it" jokes
Best character: Konata
Please kill off: Akira (although hating her sets up some sweet moments in episode 12)
Does loving this show make you a pedophile: Yes
Bold Prediction: No character ever gets a boyfriend
Projected Trend: Absolutely no clue. Some episodes are strong, some bore me to death.
Other Thoughts: I barely get half of the reference-based jokes. I have so much to learn...
Midterm Grade: B-