Some Updates

Some updates regarding pending reviews.

Area no Kishi is dropped from reviews since I've fallen too far behind. There's just not much to write about when it comes to sports anime. This is the one important lesson I took out of this.

No, I haven't forgotten about the Ano Natsu de Matteru review. It is still a work in progress. I just haven't found the time and motivation to finish it. I'll try and complete it when I catch up with everything else.

Currently awaiting GetWet to release the last few episodes of Senki Zesshou Symphogear. As of today (May 10th, 2012), they have released up to Episode 11, which I will review soon. Other than that, I'll just have to play the waiting game. Hopefully, the last two episodes are released before this season ends.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more reviews~

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 12

So... that MIB claim wasn't a lie?

There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that things were going to get emotional real soon. With AnoHana's finale being a real tear-jerker, I expected no less from AnoNatsu; Ichika's departure was inevitable, but her return was questionable. To heighten the impact of the first emotional scene, more Kaito x Ichika moments were shown prior to the climatic events that happen at "the place". Yes, the whole separation was indeed depressing, but seeing as how they still have a chance to see each other again, it wasn't too, too sad. I did find the dialogue a bit cheesy, though.

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 11

Well played, Lemon.

Well, it's not like Ichika's sister came to Earth for any other reason other than to bring her imōto back to their planet. Despite the fact that this was a totally different episode, it was too similar to Episode 9 for my liking. Kanna getting emotional once again when it came to Ichika's insecure and weak feelings towards Kaito didn't have as much impact as it did the first time. On Ichika's side, one would think she'd put up more of a fight when it came to the prospect of going back, so I do think she deserved to be yelled at by Kanna again. Maybe now she'll think more about her relationship with her boyfriend.

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 10

Random screenshot of Rinon is random.

Now that Kaito and Ichika have each other, the focus shifts to the three heartbroken friends. Although each of them puts on a mask of composure, their true feelings cannot be hidden. Deep down inside, Kanna, Mio and Tetsurō are all obviously hurting, but each does not want the other two to know. The common issue of wanting to help their love interest, but at the cost of their happiness has emotionally crippled the three; it is seen most in Kanna who, although she tried to convince herself that she had made the right choice, cried through the night, troubled by what may have been regret.

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 9

Evasion is futile!

Beginning with the revelation of the truth that I thought wouldn't happen until near the end, the episode started off on the right foot. The shock factor was probably what kept everyone from bombarding Ichika with questions. But because of this inevitable development, it was obvious that things won't ever be the same again. The relationship between Ichika and the others was bound to get awkward and the question of whether or not she ends up going back to her planet arises once again. But most important of all, how will this affect her relationship with Kaito?

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 8

Ichika: No glasses > Glasses

After what transpired last episode, things were bound to get awkward between the parties involved. Nonetheless, the five try and continue living life like always, with their feelings more or less obvious now. Both Kaito and Mio have openly expressed their love for Ichika and Tetsurō respectively, with the two at the receiving end seemingly feeling the same. Although the progress the two pairs are making is very nice to see, I can't help but feel sorry for Kanna since she's the only one left heartbroken. Her hopes were all but crushed at the conclusion of this episode and I think she knew it. Now it seems like the only way she'll end up with Kaito is if Ichika has to leave, which is not out of the question since Ichika would've been taken back to her planet this episode if it weren't for Kaito.

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 7

＼（＾∀＾）メ（＾∀＾）ノ

Seven episodes in and things are just getting started. The relationship web now seems less tangled and messy, Lemon is still trolling everyone and it seems Ichika's going to run into some problems in the near future given that Rinon is acting strangely now. The romance aspect of this show is being handled quite well. Both the Kaito x Ichika and Tetsurō x Mio pairings took big steps in this episode, resulting in a couple of beautiful (pseudo-)confession scenes. In a way, this all happened thanks to Kaori and Chiharu, even though they seemed to have caused unnecessary drama. Without their appearance, who knows how long the four people involved in the two aforementioned pairings would have waited for until one took the initiative to make a move?

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 6

Have fun, Kaito~

Okay, I honestly didn't expect things to get any more complicated than they already are. It's enough that Ichika and Kanna are fighting over Kaito, but to add another girl, no less a childhood friend, into the mix is pushing it. Poor Mio can't relax anymore either as she, too, finds herself in a difficult situation. However, even though it may seem like I wasn't satisfied with this episode, in reality, I actually loved it. What happened may be cliché, but it was still interesting, to say the least. I really enjoy the pacing of the story and I had a good laugh or two while watching the episode. Whether Kinoshita Kaori and Arisawa Chiharu are going to stay for the remaining six episodes or not still remains a mystery. One thing's for sure though, they have definitely impacted the lives of the other four.

Minor Delays

Reviews will most likely be delayed until Friday since I have a midterm tomorrow and assignments to work on. This delay affects the following:

• Another - Episode 6
• Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 6

Thank you for understanding~

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 5

Problem?

It turns out that the prologue isn't over yet. So with only seven episodes left, one may wonder whether or not the whole show is just going to be one long flashback up to the time when Ichika has to leave. But back to what happened in this episode, I thoroughly enjoyed the increased complication of the love polygon and Lemon's movie "script". To be honest, part of the reason why I'm continuing to watch this show is because of how amusing Lemon is. The way she effortlessly trolls the others is just amazing. Not to mention her analysis skills seem extremely sharp (it's as if she knows that Ichika is an alien). Ah, but let's not forget Rinon - my 2nd favorite character of the show. "It's" (I'm going to assume "genderless" here) actions during the non-serious portions of the show never fail to make me laugh.

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 4

Lemon + Rinon = Win

Apparently, the past four episodes were just part of the prologue. Now the question is whether a good story can fit into the remaining eight episodes without any noticeable rushing. It doesn't sound like an easy task to do, especially considering that even 12 episodes are, at times, not enough for an anime to deliver a memorable story. But at the same time, the chances of the story being dragged on should be lower.

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 3

Mmm... cup ramen

Another episode that, although had some sci-fi implications, mostly consisted of enjoyable slice-of-life content. Two of the girls start making their moves in an attempt to get their love interest's attention while another observes and enjoys the action from afar. Add a tiny and comedic misunderstanding in the end and that's basically the episode. But if you look closely, you'll see that there were a few messages hidden within the seemingly simple dialogue in this episode that may be indicators of possible happenings in the future.

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 2

Lemon is such a troll!

Not much happened in this episode in terms of plot development, but potential love triangles have revealed themselves. The sci-fi isn't a prominent aspect once again, with only a bit of it showing up at the beginning and the end. I felt a much stronger Ano Hana vibe as I watched the group hanging out together as the lovely summer sun shines through the windows of Kaito's house. This kind of slice-of-life aura is what I was expecting out of this series. Although the little bit of sci-fi took me by surprise (and slightly disappointed me), episodes like this definitely make up for it.

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Episode 1

Well, I certainly didn't expect to see something like this...

After watching the first minute or so of Ano Natsu, I started having doubts on whether this was going to be just a slice-of-life romantic comedy. Everything up until the ending temporarily rid me of these doubts. But then it came. That small, fat pink thing in the screenshot made me reluctantly acknowledge the fact that there was going to be a sci-fi aspect to this show; a slight disappointment, I must say. It's not so much that I dislike anything sci-fi, but I was expecting more of a "normal" story when I first read the synopsis. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this episode. The AnoHana and Toradora! feel gave me a sense of nostalgia and seeing the familiar art and character designs put a smile on my face.

Ano Natsu de Matteru - Preview

I honestly have high hopes for Ano Natsu de Matteru (shortened to AnoNatsu). With that being said, romantic comedies generally always appeal to me so that may be partly why I'm confident in AnoNatsu. The story seems to be your typical slice-of-life plot that focuses on the lives of a group of friends who share common interests - with filmmaking being the shared hobby this time around. Personally, I am not too interested in filmography, but it's not like I find it boring either. Anyhow, I'm looking forward to this show and hopefully it'll live up to my expectations.

Winter 2012

A new year means lots of changes and that is exactly what I have planned for my blog this year. Gone are the days of one-paragraph reviews followed by a wall-of-text summary; they are replaced by short paragraphs of pure reviewing and thoughts. I think this will enable me to pick up more shows and make it easier and more interesting for people to read. I'd like to thank everyone for supporting my blog by just reading it (the increase in pageviews recently has been encouraging) and I hope that this year will be a great one.

I've decided to blog about several shows this season. I may add or remove some depending on my schedule and preferences. For now, the list of shows I plan to watch for the Winter 2012 season are below.