The Impression Series: Winter 2011/2012

The customary impression series was kinda late this season, because of the same old crappy work excuse, as you guess it. Though recently it's getting harder for me to watch anime because I just bought some awsm ps3 games that I just had to play no matter what. Nevertheless, I enjoyed many of Winter 2012's show because it had almost every kind of series that I like to watch - sports, drama, thriller, school romance, comedy slice of life, action, old crap...it's hard to ditch any.

Amagami SS+
MAL/Official site
Genre: romance
Studio Production: AIC
Number of Episodes: 12

Comments: When I first watched the first season (bear in mind I never played the game), I like the series a lot. Less drama, more romance, some comedies are just about right for my viewing pleasure. And now comes the sequel, which is pretty much a continuation of whatever left from season 1, and I still like what I'm seeing. For some girls, it was more or less a continuation and complimentary 2 episodes to add to things happening in their respective arc in season 1, while for other, their relationship with Junichi was brought to a new level (Rihoko’s), which was sweet to say the least. Though for Haruka senpai, I don’t think her arc in this sequel will continue from where her arc left in season 1. You know, 10 years, married, kids…. Anyway, I hope the animation quality is consistent till the end of the series (in season 1 there’s a noticeable decrease of quality during Nanaka’s arc).
Verdict: 4/5 (must watch)

Daily Lives of High School Boys
MAL/Official site
Genre: comedy, slice of life
Studio Production: Sunrise
Number of Episodes: 12

Comments: aka Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou. What a boring English title, if you ask me. For a comedy slice of life, you don’t expect anything but laughter from watching the characters do random and stupid things in their ordinary daily lives, and the series gave exactly that – three idiots in Tadakuni, Hidenori and Yoshitake spending their youthful school life doing random things, hanging out with friends and such. Wow, I’m watching a male version of Lucky Star/Yuru Yuri huh? I have to admit it felt awkward at first to watch a boys comedy slice of life series, but seriously it was awesomely hilarious, way funnier than I would expect. Lots of parody and gag jokes that made me laugh nonsensically; I knew I just had to watch this show. Even though Tadakuni is supposed to be the main guy out of the three, it seems to me that Hidenori is taking the spotlight more than the other two (much like how Kyouko did to Akari in YuruYuri), maybe partly because he was voiced by the perfect seiyuu for this kind of comedy (his monologue at the end of episode 1 reminded me to Kyon a lot). The riverbank scene in episode 1 was gold, particularly because the clever use of the lines into the ED song. How I wish ED songs in subsequent episodes would have that kind of uniqueness. I found episode 2 and 3 slightly less humorous than the first, but overall I really enjoyed the show as a whole. By the way despite what’s supposed to be a boy’s show, some random girls do appear in the show from time to time, like Tadakuni’s little sister, the riverbank’s literature girl, and in ep3 there’s even a short skit of girl trio at the end hanging out like what Tadakuni, Hidenori and Yoshitake often do.
Verdict: 4.5/5 (must watch)

Area no Kishi
MAL/Official site
Genre: romance, sport
Studio Production: Shin-Ei animation

Number of Episodes:
Comments: Finally another sport anime that I love, and it’s football! I had a blast watching Giant Killing 2 years ago (despite their subpar animation), and Area no Kishi has the potential to be even better. The story is focused on Aizawa Kakeru, an avid football fan and player who lives in the shadow of his genius brother Suguru, believing that he has no footballing talent whilst also haunted by his past incident that caused him to hesitate to use his left leg on the pitch. Later, he lost his spirit and decided to depart from the sport he love altogether, but a dramatic tragedy eventually changed his heart…You'd sometimes get pissed off for an indecisive, lack of confidence guy like Kakeru, but then you just know that this is the kind of guy that often highlight many anime and rise to the occasion. Especially after what’s happening in episode 3. If Giant Killing focused more on things on the pitch, Area no Kishi is more on things off the pitch, hence more drama (much like Whistle I guess). The animation was okay at best, at least much better than the awkward Giant Killing, and the story was interesting, albeit predictable . You’d be lying if you can’t tell that the mysterious masked man was Seven all along. Then the accidents, the transplant, Kakeru’s resolve…much of them was predictable, but as someone who enjoy football, I won’t complain much as long as I got to see some football action. Seems like Kakeru is Hernandez-type player - a poacher, clinical finisher.
p/s: I hate the term “soccer”. By the way, what the hell is sideback? Conductor? One top? I’d prefer if a more common commentary/punditry terms were used (Fullbacks/Playmaker/Lone striker etc)
Verdict: 4/5 (must watch)

Zero no Tsukaima F
MAL/Official site
Genre: magic, comedy, romance
Studio Production: J.C. Staff
Number of Episodes: 13

Comments: My god I can’t believe I’m still sitting on my couch every week, watching this. Was ZnTF any worse than the previous three? (or two, because I thought the first season was well done) So far I wouldn’t say it was that bad, but it wasn't improving much either. It’s still the repetition of same old story of Louise getting tsun2 and dere2 toward Saito, followed by some crisis and action before Saito (or anyone else for that matter) came for the rescue, then the customary Louise’s explosion to end the episode; but since this is the so-called FINAL season of the series, at least I want to see how the story ended, no matter how brilliantly (if any) or poorly executed.
Verdict: 3/4 (watching)

Brave 10
MAL/Official site
Genre: action, comedy
Studio Production: Studio Sakimakura
Number of Episodes: 12

Comments: I can't help but think about Sengoku Basara (and sometimes, Hakuouki) the moment I watched this anime. You know… full of bishies, history twists, superpowers…only that this time around the story took place at the end of Sengoku era, where Yukimura Sanada rules the Ueda Castle and most of the well-known Sengoku era samurais were history (except some like Date Masamune and Tokugawa Ieyasu). The story focused on 10 brave (duh) warriors who assisted Yukimura against Tokugawa’s suspicious scheme, with two of the braves, Kirigakure Saizo and Isanami Izumo taking the center of the stage all due to the incident at Isanami’s Izumo shrine. Watching Isanami always trying to cling around her savior, Saizo without his consent was always fun. Anyway, I LOVE the show as far as episode 4 goes, one reason being it gave the vibes of Sengoku Basara (a less serious and humorous sengoku period) which I always like, some nice actions with supernatural powers involved, and great animation (and character designs) to boot. The OP and ED song sounds a bit awkward to me at first, but as I watched one episode after another, I found myself starting to like the songs.

Verdict: 4.5/5 (must watch)


to be continued