Lilac's Impressions: Fall 2013 (Week 1, Pt 2)

We’re half way done with Week One! Let’s see what eight more shows have in store for us! I changed the release schedule for this half of the Impressions to Friday, now that I know the Fall schedule much better. So Part 1 is on Sundays while Part 2 is on Fridays. Sound good? Awesome!

Ace of the Diamond
Episode 1

I mentioned this before and I’ll mention it again, the Sports Anime genre is pretty unknown to me. I’ve seen some Prince of Tennis and then, recently, there was Free! This season I have two sports anime, and Ace of the Diamond is one of them. First thing’s first, this is a nicely animated sports show. Now I believe the last recent Madhouse anime I saw was High School of the Dead, so it’s nice to get good quality animation for a sports show. Now, story wise, it takes about ten minutes before the story really gets going as Eijun is offered to attend high school and play for a famous baseball team. It also has fun with some typical cliches and humor to keep it from being overly serious. Just like the woman from the high school sees potential in Eijun, I see it in this show. I am concerned with some of the pacing and how it used its time in this episode, but I’m not ready to let this go just yet.


Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova
Episode 1

During my Early Impressions, I said that Arpeggio was really back and forth for me and I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to watch it. Now, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to watch it. The animation for the show is entirely CG character models, similar to what King of Thorn did. I’m not a big fan of this kind of style yet, so I would normally let it slide and try to keep going. However, the story is rather flat and boring that I’ve lost all interest in it. It may be because military things like this aren’t my cup of tea, but regardless Arpeggio is done. Someone else might be interested in it, but I know it’s not for me.

CRAP! WHAT AM I DOING HERE!?!?!

BlazeBlue: Alter Memory
Episode 1

So we have BlazeBlue, the first of two shows I’m looking at that FUNimation picked up this season. This one is also based on a video game, and considering how Danganronpa went last season, I’m a little iffy here. I’m going to spoil my choice right now and say this show is being dropped. It just goes straight into the story with almost no back story or exposition in it. And then there’s the part where I don’t like a single character in this show. I guess this is one of those instances where if you’ve played the video game then this is for you. But I don’t play video games very often so this one is certainly not for me. NEXT!

WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!?!

Galilei Donna
Episode 1

Alright, time for a series I was really looking forward to! ..... And my brain now hurts from it. It just dove right in without any back story behind it. Worse still, Galilei Donna decides NOT to tell us what’s going on or explain things. What is this inheritance this guy is after? Who IS this red headed guy trying to kidnap the girls? What makes these girls oh so special that they get targeted in the first place? Absolutely nothing is explained! I was really looking forward to this and was hoping to pass it, but now I’m disappointed because I’m dropping it after the first episode! Now I need something to make this pain in my brain go away...


Meganebu!
Episode 1

Much better! I’ve been rather excited for Meganebu, though the only reason I decided to pick it up was the whole guys wearing glasses (I can be superficial sometimes, leave me be!). But, now that I’m seeing it, does it really interest me? Well, it certainly is out there, I’ll tell you that much. Meganebu reminds me of Kill La Kill with how over the top it is, though in a completely different way. The story doesn’t really have a plot at this point, which is ok because I got to enjoy the wacky boys of the Glasses Club. Plus all that pretty animation. It’s oh so pretty! If anything, I would keep watching Meganebu for the animation alone, but I would love to know that there’s more story to it. For now, it stays.


Samurai Flamenco
Episode 1

Now I’ll get to find out what the heck this series is. About damn time! This series is basically what happens when that dream you had about being a superhero when you were younger doesn’t really go away. There are moments that can be rather cheesy, but a lot of comic books and comic book movies tend to be this way, so it fits. The animation is on and off. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t, but that’s fine. The part I am really liking about this show right now is the characters. Goto and Masayoshi are such a great pair and really balance each other out in the first episode. Yeah, I’ll keep watching Samurai Flamenco. I gotta get my superheroes some where!

I don't like you.... GET OUT!

Unbreakable Machine-Doll
Episode 1

FUNimation, we need to have a chat. Why did you pick up this show? I’m dead serious here. Why? This one is probably the worst show that I have seen from this season. I almost stopped watching after five minutes, but I got hopeful that it would get better. Well, I was completely wrong. The animation doesn’t look all that great, the story hasn’t gone any where right now, and then there’s Yaya. Yaya alone is the reason why I’m dropping this show. If this is a “preview” as to what I’m getting from this show, then I don’t want it. FUNi you really need to step it up cause the actual good shows are being taken. That being said, FUNi I still love you but please get better shows for your simulcasts.


Yowamushi Pedal
Episode 1

Sports anime have been growing more and more these past couple of years to the point where two from this season made it on to my Impressions. Let’s look at the second Sports anime of the Fall Season, Yowamushi Pedal or Yowapeda according to Crunchyroll. I’m not sure about this one. It has nice character introductions, some humor sprinkled in, and much better CGI use than Arpeggio. My only problem right now is the story. I know where it wants to go, but it’s taking a little bit of time to get there. It’s fine, but only as long as we actually get the ball rolling by episode three. If we don’t have a story forming by then, there we may have a problem. For now, Yowapeda is moving to next week. Time to see where it wants to go!


So we are finished with Week 1. Let’s see where all these shows stand shall we?

Currently Watching:
Diabolik Lovers (ep. 3)
Ace of the Diamond (ep. 1)
Beyond the Boundary (ep. 1)
Coppelion (ep. 1)
Golden Time (ep. 1)
Kill La Kill (ep. 1)
Meganebu! (ep. 1)
Nagi no Asukara (ep. 1)
Samurai Flamenco (ep. 1)
Strike the Blood (ep. 1)
Yowamushi Pedal (ep. 1)

Dropped:
Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova (ep. 1)
BlazeBlue: Alter Memory (ep. 1)
Galilei Donna (ep. 1)
I Couldn’t Become a Hero, so I Reluctantly Decided to Get a Job (ep. 1)
Log Horizon (ep. 1)
Unbreakable Machine Doll (ep. 1)

Not Yet Aired:
Pupa

That’s it for Week 1! We start the first half of Week 2 on Sunday, so make sure you come back for that! Until then, otaku on my friends!