Gintama is getting a new anime series premiering in April 2015. Based Santa-san has delivered once again and in thrilling fashion nonetheless. My body is beyond ready for more of my bro Gintoki's legendary antics.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-12-21/gintama-gets-new-tv-anime-series-in-april/.82455
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Can't believe it has been 2 years since the last airing. Time flies by too quickly, but at least you get more Gintama!
I'm certainly late to the party but still in time for the third arc that is starting next month.
The on-going JoJo manga started publishing when I wasn't even born and had an anime adaptation once before in the 90's. JoJo is rather popular in Japan thanks to the fabulous art style and poses the character's strike (which get referenced quite often in other works).
The show is well done style over substance and riddled with shonen antics so you either go with the flow or stay away from it. That said, the members of the Joestar family are actually not that dumb and often win thanks to their wit.
Here is hoping we get to see a lot more arcs in the future!loading replies
I went in not expecting to like it that much but I ended up finding it very enjoyable. It's just so over the top it's actually entertaining and the fighting scenes are well done and I enjoyed the art style they went with. I'm also looking forward to the next season! (Stardust Crusaders?!)
Fck! They just canceled Community! R.I.P
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Sad times, just when we'd recovered from the "gas leak" season :(
The Nastume Yuujinchou series is a powerful and heartwarming fantasy masterpiece among the anime world. I absolutely loved the series and couldn't stop watching till the very end. The quality through all 4 seasons was just superb without a hint of drop-off. The range of emotions and themes covered in Nastume Yuujinchou is beyond impressive. It would have me ROFL with Nyanko-sensei's antics in one minute to within Clannad-esque tears in the very next. However, what truly struck me was how N.Y. was able to find a duality/struggling conflict within all of these different themes and truly challenge the feelings and emotions of the viewer. This was done by creating such spectacular characters from Natsume and his family/friends down to the individual youkai that we meet for only a single episode. The creators do a magnificent job getting us emotionally invested in this world via these relatable and lovable characters. It's an amazing ride (and I hope we get another season) as we join Natsume on his journey as he learns to accept and understand his ever changing world, the people/youkai around him, and, ultimately, himself. This is right at the top of my list of must watch anime. Don't think. Just watch.
loading repliesSeason 5 coming this FALL!!!!! REJOICE!!!! (Of course, I have forgotten everything that has happened in this series...)
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-03-20/natsume-book-of-friends-tv-anime-gets-season-5-this-fall/.100011
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Woop! Best news I've heard all week! Loves me some Natsume
The Nastume Yuujinchou series is a powerful and heartwarming fantasy masterpiece among the anime world. I absolutely loved the series and couldn't stop watching till the very end. The quality through all 4 seasons was just superb without a hint of drop-off. The range of emotions and themes covered in Nastume Yuujinchou is beyond impressive. It would have me ROFL with Nyanko-sensei's antics in one minute to within Clannad-esque tears in the very next. However, what truly struck me was how N.Y. was able to find a duality/struggling conflict within all of these different themes and truly challenge the feelings and emotions of the viewer. This was done by creating such spectacular characters from Natsume and his family/friends down to the individual youkai that we meet for only a single episode. The creators do a magnificent job getting us emotionally invested in this world via these relatable and lovable characters. It's an amazing ride (and I hope we get another season) as we join Natsume on his journey as he learns to accept and understand his ever changing world, the people/youkai around him, and, ultimately, himself. This is right at the top of my list of must watch anime. Don't think. Just watch.
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No news of another season yet (although I'd certainly welcome one!) but we do have a couple of OVAs to look forward to soon!
Review by deanzel
VIP11Cross Game is absolutely one of the best anime shows (not just sports anime) that I've seen. Period. It is another masterpiece written by Mitsuru Adachi (of Touch and H2 fame). From the first episode (which is absolutely heartbreaking and a must-watch), the show just captures the viewer's attention and never lets go. The best part of Cross Game is that it is about more than just baseball. So much more. It is a story about dealing with the death of a loved one (it has a very similar feeling to AnoHana), friendship, and how two people grow and nurture each other through hardships and successes. The story may be a little bit predictable at times, but Cross Game is more about the total journey. Don't be intimidated by the length. Time flies and there really are no filler episodes (except for one recap episode) and by the end, I was wishing that the show would never end. The characters are truly what make this show exceptional and Aoba is one of my favorite female protagonists of all time. She is way more than just a tsundere and has so much depth to her character. Do yourself a favor and watch this masterpiece. It'll have you on the edge of seat the whole time.
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This is a series I have considered trying many times. I'm not that into sports anime mind, but if there's enough else there to keep me interested I might still be convinced to try it.
This is the most emotional anime that I've ever seen in my life. Probably my favorite anime ever so do what ever you can to watch this ASAP.
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Play the Visual Novel man! Even more Kyou goodness to be had :P
Man, season 2 was intense. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I really hope Madhouse continue the story as we've once again ended in a place that is most definitely not at the end.
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Nah. There are hints of romance there but it's mainly about playing Karuta. Which is more interesting than it sounds, honest!
Man, season 2 was intense. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I really hope Madhouse continue the story as we've once again ended in a place that is most definitely not at the end.
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I haven't seen it, but It's supposedly similar. The main difference is it's aimed at a Shoujo/Josei demographic, rather than Shounen I think. I've found it very enjoyable though.
Just a spectacular, beautiful and mesmerizing anime. I was initially hesitant to start this because it seemed like it wouldn't be too exciting and able to hold my interest well but I instantly became addicted. It's a very easy show to watch as each episode is a story contained within itself, has its own theme, and you really don't encounter the same thing twice. Also, not all the stories end up happily and some are just heartbreaking which lend to keeping everything fresh. The creators masterfully created this world filled and thriving with mushi that just immerses you completely. Ginko is the perfect MC for the tone and themes of Mushi-shi with his calm, gentle and understanding nature. The only complaint I had was that literally every main male and female character looks the same (I honestly couldn't tell anyone apart between 75% of the different episodes). This is definitely up there on my list and a very relaxing and magical journey that is a very easy watch.
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Still slowly going through this series myself, enjoying it on a very slow burn but I also love it. You're right that a lot of characters look similar, that would be my only criticism but it's a minor one really - the series is just great.
If you liked this, Natsume's Book of Friends might be worth a look too:
http://trakt.tv/show/natsumes-book-of-friends
It deals with somewhat similar themes, although the mood is quite different. I enjoyed it anyway :)
Season 2 confirmed! Prepare for more "will they, won't they" teasing and probably nothing resembling a resolution in sight :D
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@deanzel Bring it!
Honestly though, at first I thought this was cliché trash (and to be fair it still is :P), but the series did grow on me and I am genuinely looking forward to more!
YES!! A second season has been green-lit and is coming (although we don't know when). This was one of my favorite shows from the past spring and 8man is one of my favorite male MCs to come around in a while. I've already read some of the next light novels and, rest assured, there is plenty of goodness to come.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-04-16/my-teen-romantic-comedy-snafu-anime-gets-2nd-season
http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1147499loading replies
Although I wasn't as wowed by it as you, I'd be quite happy watching another season.
This show is not for everyone but even so it was the funniest one from the last season (the only competition being Space Dandy).
The whole thing is really well made, starring a strong cast, having consistently good art and featuring fitting music and even having themed songs (not to mention the mini-story in the ED).
One would think that being the second work of Production I.G.'s offshoot Studio WIT, who had a bit more than just a hit with Attack on Titan, it would garner a bigger following even outside of Japan... apparently not. I can only imagine that it's because it appears to be dry to some folks. The humor is often very random and requires a certain knowledge of Japan (I cannot phantom how many jokes I possibly missed) but even then there is still slapstick and plenty of fun animal characters to enjoy.
If you end up in hell you better see to that it's the Japanese one (and not the European).loading replies
Yep, agree with everything here. This type of comedy works for me and I'm really enjoying every episode of this series. I can definitely see why it wouldn't be some people's cup of tea, mind you.
I really enjoyed this series, it's just a shame that it was marred by some major budget issues (some episodes are practically slide shows) and not having any kind of conclusion when it ended. Anyone who watches this and enjoys it should probably check out the Manga to find what happens next ;)
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@deanzel I went with sub. No idea what the dub is like. Also the rip I found for this was by a group called Centaur. No idea if it's better than E-D or not but I would guess it probably is (I generally don't rate their release very highly). That said, I don't think there are any "amazing" quality versions of this series - it's one of those old Gainaxey ones that didn't really get a remaster I think.
Still a worthwhile, if somewhat flawed, watch though.
Season 2 has been confirmed as per last episode. That is good news!
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As may I. Looks like Netflix has picked it up too!
A second season is officially coming my friends. So f'n based. What a great year for anime sequels. Keep em coming Japan.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-03-15/durarara-gets-new-tv-anime-series
http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1110653loading replies
HOLY CRAP! That's fantastic news!
Just confirmed that the Fate/stay night 2014 series will cover the Unlimited Bladeworks route and there will also be a Heaven's Feel movie released later on. Whoa. That's a whole lot of Fating to come. Take a bow, ufotable. You deserve it.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-07-27/new-fate-stay-night-tv-anime-is-unlimited-bladeworks/.77058
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-07-27/fate-stay-night-heaven-feel-route-gets-film/.77059loading replies
@deanzel Don't think Urobutcher had any involvement with the original F/SN. He was involved with F/Z as I believe he had a hand in the writing of the novels, but F/SN is all Kinoko Nasu.
/TYPE-NERD mode off.
I've added my two cents about the show previously and I'm happy to say it hasimproved (even my wish of a better OP was granted). Where as most anime play it save in an detached setting, Silver Spoon keeps it's Slice of Life grounded and has characters dealing with real-life issues. The start was a bit slow imho but Hachiken keeps on growing throughout the show. If we're lucky another season will be made but this would still be an ending I could live with. It's not selling that well but the manga is still ranked highly.
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Totally agree. Second season was a definite improvement and the ending is satisfying while leaving the door open for more (which I'd definitely welcome).
Bravo, A-1 Pictures! Their best series for quite a while that's for sure.
I don't have any strong feelings about Silver Spoon but I thought I'd give my two cents about it now that the first cour is over: It does what it sets out to do pretty well. Given that there are kids today that don't even know where their food comes from it's nice to see that something on the topic of agriculture can get an anime adaptation (helps that the mangaka wrote Fullmetal Alchemist though). One of the topics that the plot always seem to come back to is the breeding of live-stock and being able to eat it afterwards. I felt that this always got treated a bit one-sided. The Japanese way is always the right one so for example when the chickens are kept in tiny cages no one questions it. The only thing I wish for is that the second cour gets a better OP because the current one is kinda akward.
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Well you got your wish on the OP at least? :P
The best way I can describe the series for me personally is "mixed bag", and that's exactly what Space Dandy is. Every episode is standalone and very different in style and tone, which can be a good thing as you never know what to expect next, but also a bad thing if they very quite a lot in quality.
For me, I really didn't like some of the earlier episodes, and that very nearly put me off the entire series as a result. Fortunately, most of the later episodes are pretty decent, and a couple are even what I'd call excellent (still a couple of stinkers, mind).
Overall, the series (so far, I'm aware there is a second season coming) gets a hard earned 7 from me. I can't say I'd recommend it entirely as I really didn't like or outright hated some episodes, but there are some pretty good ones in there that are still worth checking out (and hell, if you wanted, you could just cherry pick the good ones and ignore the rest, as each episode is fairly standalone anyway). The animation quality is pretty good and there are some pretty cool looking action scenes (bravo, Bones) and the soundtrack is pretty cool too and for the episodes that worked for me, they were very well done.
One last thing - For me the weakest part of the series (and probably why some episode don't just "not work", but outright fall flat on their faces for me) is the main characters. Dandy especially. I don't find him to be an interesting character, nor does there appear to be much dimension to him. All the interesting things that make the series worth a watch just kind of happen around him. QT and Meow at least get some character development, so far Dandy just kind of walks into things and they happen through no skill or involvement of his own.
I expect my opinion will be much the same by the end of season 2, but we'll see!
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Now that the series is over I still stand by my initial review, although I thought the quality of episodes in season 2 was a bit better.
A brilliant anime with a very different art style and presentation. The story, as it were, is narrated to us by the nameless protagonist, as he agonises over how to pursue his "ideal campus life". Along the way he meets several other unusual characters, including his demonic-looking partner-in-crime Ozu and the mysterious Akashi, both of whom he seems to share a strange link with.
One complaint some people have with the series is that the narration from the protagonist is very fast and it's very difficult to read the subtitles in time. Whilst the dialogue is indeed quick, it is possible to keep up if you concentrate enough. Even if you find yourself needing to pause occasionally to digest a particularly verbose line, I would still absolutely recommend everyone give this series a go. Amongst a myriad of other, more "standard" anime, this one definitely stands out.
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@deanzel It's worth it man. Trust. And it's not as bad after a few episodes.
I'm enjoying this series but I wonder what kind of "ending" it will have. From what I can see this series is covering the events of the "Introductory Chapter". There is then a "Closing Chapter" set 3 years later that seems a lot longer and introduces a bunch more characters. I wonder if the plan is to have another season to cover this at some point.
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@maniacb Almost a decade later and I finally completed the Visual Novel on which this was based. For anyone interested in where the story goes after the anime series I would highly recommend it, this barely scratches the surface of where our characters all end up and it was a very satisfying read indeed.
Season 2 (Astral Ocean) - a bad sequel and, taken standalone, a bad show. Awful directing, annoying one-dimensional characters, a messy, convoluted plot. Overall, just bad.
Even if you liked E7, I wouldn't recommend this.loading replies
@dgw Yes probably, although the comment is from 4 years ago and I'm not sure you actually could do that on the previous version of trakt.
Eureka Seven (only talking about Season 1, not AO) is another very well done series by BONES. E7 is a lot of things all put together in one 50-episode package from action-mecha to SOL to philosophical piece, but the true heart of this series is the developing romance and characterization between the two leads Renton and Eureka. This is the one thing that remains constant throughout the series entire run, gets developed very well and imo is the strength of the series (although Renton can get on my nerves at times). The rest of the large cast is excellently developed in particular Holland who serves as a dynamic and intriguing foil to Renton. The action and animation stand the test of time and still look great. I also like how Bones ambitiously incorporates tons of elements and themes from previous sci-fi and mecha franchises (hello EVA). The biggest weakness for the series is that there isn't a very clear overarching plot for the first half of the series and there are quite a few filler episodes dispersed throughout (even though they are enjoyable). Thus, if you don't keep at it, this is definitely not the easiest series to finish with its 50 episode length. Still, this series does a lot more things right than wrong and is very enjoyable to watch all the way through. Just avoid Astral Ocean...
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Glad you enjoyed it. I think I might be one of the few people who sadly didn't. I did quite like E7 itself for most of the series but I didn't like the ending at all and it kind of spoiled the whole thing for me. I think I would have given it a 7/10 or so at that point though. But AO just shat all over everything and worsened my opinion of the whole damn franchise :(
Review by dunpealhunter
VIPOG14It does not happen often these days that an anime, or any tv show for that matter manages to get such a tight grip on me. But Made in Abyss manages to do it with flying colors.
For me Made in Abyss is the complete package. The story is captivating, the characters are very likeable, the music is perfect for setting the overall feeling you are supposed to get, and above all, that feeling for wanting to experience the unknown, to venture out into the debts of the abyss (no pun intended) and that feeling you get when watching this anime in your underbelly of yearning for something more, and to press on, no matter the consequences or the dangers is in my opinion one of the absolute cornerstones of this anime that makes this a masterpiece!
The story starts off very innocent and cute. And from the first few episodes you might think that this anime might be just a light anime because of how young the children are, with some comic relief. But if you keep watching that you will see that with every episode as Rico and Reg go deeper into the Abyss the story gets more darker and more disturbing.
To be frank, i did not fully understand when Rico and Reg said goodbye to their friends in episode 3 that goodbye really meant farewell forever. But as you can see in the later episodes (at the very least for Rico) there is no coming back alive once you go down the Abyss deep enough. In my opinion that makes Rico her fortitude and resolve to venture into the unknown, and leave everything and everyone she loves and knows behind even more daring and captivating.
I really REALLY hope that this anime gets a second season. Because this anime is the very reason i watch anime in the first place. I can wholeheartedly recommend this anime to anyone. Trust me, you will not regret it.
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@dunpealhunter You're in luck! Second season has been confirmed :D
This show is way better than you would expect from a promotion tool for someone's 3D avatar. Except for one episode the gags are fun and Miss Monochrome has to go through quite some suffering but get's a wonderful christmas miracle in the end.
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@sp1ti Yeah they are quite hit and miss by their very nature really.
I only know of Yui Horie because she's been around for years and was in the first anime series I watched properly (Love Hina). You'll usually see her in at least 1 series a season (She's Hanekawa from Bakemonogatari, for example). Not quite as busy as Kana Hanazawa though (Nadeko) who sometimes seems to be in 3-4 series every season. Anyway I'll shut up now, I'm honestly not that big a seiyuu Otaku, I just recognise voices very well to the point where I remember the more well-known ones by name.
By the way, if you want another decent 5-minute show I'd recommend giving Today's Asuka Show a try. I've found it to be very enjoyable personally:
This show is way better than you would expect from a promotion tool for someone's 3D avatar. Except for one episode the gags are fun and Miss Monochrome has to go through quite some suffering but get's a wonderful christmas miracle in the end.
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Thanks for the recommend. It wasn't exactly mindblowing but it was an enjoyable short watch each week :D
Also I quite like Yui Horie and it's nice to see her still doing stuff :D
Good show but it was WAY too short. This should have been 24 episodes at least in order to really flesh out the other characters and their backstories. Still, it's a great show.
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Looks like Key are finally doing Angel Beats as a Visual Novel (http://vndb.org/v13774) so you may have your wish in some form soon ;)
Through 4 episodes, I think that this is the best show that is airing this season so far. It is an amazing combination of wit, comedy, epic "battles" and, of course, fanservice (Shiro = moe). The brother-sister MC combo of Sora and Shiro have vibed perfectly so far and I can't wait for the new episode to air each Wednesday. It reminds me of the setup in Mondaiji-tachi ga Isekai kara Kuru Sou Desu yo? but has many more interesting premises and brings more intellectual charm and humor imo. The art/colors take a little getting used to in the beginning but I don't mind it now. Madhouse is really showing off their stuff with this and I hope that a second season is in the works soon. Definitely give this a shot and watch a few episodes for the action to really heat up.
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Well I watched up to episode 3 just now and I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I'm enjoying it. I was initially put off because I've been let down by this "leet gamer trapped somewhere" concept too many times recently (SAO and Btooom! come to mind. Btooom! being by Madhouse too I think?) but so far the series does seem to have a bit of charm and humour to it (along with the loli and standard fanservice) - so far I'm genuinely enjoying the ride and the characters.
Episode 1 on its own wasn't incredible but I found episode 2 especially to be a real ramp up in humour and plot drive. I hope they can keep up the pace and don't fall into a holding pattern about halfway through, which often seems to happen for these 1-cour shows.
Score-wise I'd say it's 6-7 at the moment. On average I tend to rate things 1 point higher than you anyway though, I've noticed @spt1i :P
Through 4 episodes, I think that this is the best show that is airing this season so far. It is an amazing combination of wit, comedy, epic "battles" and, of course, fanservice (Shiro = moe). The brother-sister MC combo of Sora and Shiro have vibed perfectly so far and I can't wait for the new episode to air each Wednesday. It reminds me of the setup in Mondaiji-tachi ga Isekai kara Kuru Sou Desu yo? but has many more interesting premises and brings more intellectual charm and humor imo. The art/colors take a little getting used to in the beginning but I don't mind it now. Madhouse is really showing off their stuff with this and I hope that a second season is in the works soon. Definitely give this a shot and watch a few episodes for the action to really heat up.
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Okay fine! I'll give it a go. I have been paying attention to the higher-than-average ratings. To be honest though, the premise did put me off a lot as I'm pretty sick of Otaku pandering stuff lately.
But fine. Since you insist :P
