Lilac's Impressions: Fall 2014 (Week 2)

The second week of Fall Impressions has begun! Last week, it was a HUGE catch up game as I started out with 21 series! Out of those 21, three have received passing grades: Amagi Brilliant Park, Garo, and Magic Kaito 1412! Meanwhile, of the remaining 18 that I covered last week, 7 series were dropped! Today I have 11 series to take on with about half of them getting their grades this week! I hope these remaining series are ready and raring to go!

Celestial Method
Episode 3

While watching this episode, I kind of got some mixed feelings. Mostly in the area of characters. For a good amount of the episode, I didn’t really like some of the characters because they were either really dumb or just really mean to others. I had been contemplating dropping this series because of it, along with the story not really going anywhere. At least until the last few minutes of the episode were a lot of flashbacks happened and Nonoka now remembers what happened seven years ago before she moved. That in an of itself was rather helpful to me because I was beginning to wonder where the series was trying to go and how it was going to manage to get there. Although I feel a little bit better about it, I’m still having some issues with characters and the roles they are going to play for this series. This one is a tough one, for me, but I’m going to give Celestial Method a Tentative Fail (On-Hold) grade. What it came down to was the fact that it’s a little bit too slow to me and I don’t really think I could be excited to see it week after week. It has something interesting there, but I think I can wait till it finishes and then just straight marathon it.

Final Grade: Tentative Fail (On-Hold)


Cross Ange
Episode 3

And here I am with another tricky series to talk about. There’s quite a bit going on with this one, including three deaths right off the bat. Then you give our main character a new kind of resolve and suddenly she becomes a tough girl. I think this is trying to take things a little too quickly. To be fair, they are trying to get the viewer into the show, and most people do have a three episode rule in order to make that decision so rushing the series makes some sense in that regard. However, now there are quite a few questions people may be trying to get answers to. This could also be a good thing so, that way, the viewer may be prone to continuing the series. Question now is, should I really continue it? That’s a even tougher call than with Celestial Method. I do kind of like what has been shown so far, though the amounts of fan service aren’t that necessary. The characters are a mixed batch, but I don’t exactly like many of them. As for Ange, I find her character development, as of right now, to be the most rushed piece of them all. Though, I still have that curiosity. So, what I’m going to do is give Cross Ange a Tentative Pass grade for the season. I’m still terrified about how dark it will go like Valvrave did, even though I have only heard rumors and haven’t actually seen it, but I’m willing to give this series a chance.

Final Grade: Tentative Pass


Gugure! Kokkuri-san
Episode 3

This series makes me very happy. I’ve been so busy and stressed out lately that watching this show helps me get a laugh and some smiles in! And since Nozaki-kun is over, I’m going to need something to replace it and Kokkuri-san is just what I’m looking for! There isn’t really a story for this one as if just goes from day to day and the lives these characters live. It can sometimes be so amazing how a simple premise like that can make for some of the most amazing comedy! And I’m normally one for some really thought provoking work! Doesn’t mean I won’t pass up on the fun series though! And, honestly, the writing in this series can actually be rather clever at times. Though there are some jokes that go over my head, but that’s more of a difference in culture and the style of humor. Otherwise than that, I’ve managed to catch everything and it has just been tons of fun! Therefore, Kokkuri-san will be joining Garo with the grade of BIG FREAKING PASS!!! I want so much more and I can’t wait to get it!

Final Grade: BIG FREAKING PASS


Parasyte -the maxim-
Episode 2

You know, this series has so much going for it and I keep getting excited every time I watch it. This episode in particular has gotten me to start a thing called “Oh Migi” because Migi does or says some of the oddest and most amusing things. I guess what makes this even more interesting is that he is able to get a sense of Izumi and his well being. For example, Migi brings up Izumi’s desire to “mate” with Murano which was what helped me make that connection. It also seems like Migi will have some fun developing as well considering he did decide to protect Izumi rather than transfer himself to one of his comrades. As for Izumi, his relationship to Migi is essentially a balance with one being kind and considerate while the other being blunt and rather violent at times. This, in turn, is affecting Izumi through some of his outbursts like telling that gang at the sandbox that he’ll eat them. I sense a great effect these two will play on each other throughout the series. Parasyte is still very strong for me, so next week it will dive right in once more and then get it’s final grade for the season! Just be careful, cause, for some reason, it keeps dropping something…… THAT BASS!!!! *suddenly starts playing dubstep* ……. I’ll go sit in the corner now.


Rage of Bahamut: Genesis
Episode 3

Back to the unexpected series of the fall! This episode was actually a lot more fun than I originally believed. Last time I had my worries about it going a little too fast, however it has kept the slower pace that the second episode had. Not only that, but there were some little twists here and there that I didn’t expect! And now, we have ourselves another major character added into the mix: the necromancer Rita. Overall the episode was just a good amount of fun to me! Now, as for the grade I’m going to give this series, it’s surprised me a lot since I started it out and I don’t have enough complaints in order to drop it, including whether or not I’d be excited to watch it every week. I think this last episode, alone proves that much. Therefore, Rage of Bahamut is going to receive a Passing grade from me this season. It’s a case where the basic summary that I found beforehand just wasn’t enough to tell me what this series plans to be. That caused me to be hesitant with it, but I’m glad to have been proven wrong! I’ll be happy to know where it decides to go next!

Final Grade: Pass


Shirobako
Episode 2

Last week, this series had one of the more enjoyable first episodes that I had seen this season. This time, however, I think it has gone down a bit. I think the issue I’m having with this one is the fact that since the first episode was quite a bit of fun and made me laugh so much, this second episode didn’t really have that energy. It didn’t become flat for the entire episode, no. There were some fun moments, but they were rather few. As interesting as this series has been and as much fun as I did have with the first episode, I think I’m done with this one. It was certainly worth the try since I have enjoyed a decent amount of P.A. Works’s recent properties like Eccentric Family, Nagi-Asu, and Red Data Girl. However, this one just lost some energy along the way and it had a difficult time trying to pick that up once more. I think this will be a good marathon after it finishes, just not right now.

HOW IS THIS ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE?!?!

Trinity Seven
Episode 2

Oh joy. The one show I was least looking forward to this week. And, after this episode, I think I have a good reason for that statement. This series is really trying to be something different, but there are a lot of dumb fetishes that are being attempted here that just make no sense to me and just rub me the wrong way. I mean, when four characters are stuck in a room three of them really have to pee. And for some reason, the reaction and faces they made are sexy or something! I couldn’t make this crap up even if I wanted to. The characters are still nothing more than a bunch of stereotypes and the story hasn’t gotten better after the first half of episode one. Why did they have to go to the school?! Things would have been moderately more interesting if they didn’t. As you can tell, I do not like this series, and I think I was crazy for even letting it go this far. Although… I do still have to watch it over at Rainy Day right now. I guess deciding what I’ll use my first drop on will be interesting since World Trigger sucked too. Ah well, Trinity Seven is junk. Don’t watch it if you can stay away from it.


When Supernatural Battles Become Commonplace
Episode 2

You know, for a series where the title mentions supernatural battles, there haven’t really been many of them. But, to be completely honest, I’m fine with this! This episode, instead, has a bit of a misunderstanding with a letter thinking it was a love letter. I guess you can say that’s a different kind of battle in and of itself. This series has been able to stay consistent with it’s humor and the kind of story it looks to be heading. Although there doesn’t seem to be a straight plot line right now, even if it never were to get one I would have no complaints. That’s because this series is more about kids who happen to get powers one day and just live normal lives. It doesn’t take the normal route and turn them into superheroes who try to save the day. That’s something new and different that I can enjoy quite a lot! So, as you can probably guess, When Supernatural Battles Become Commonplace will be headed into Week 3 for it’s seasonal grade! Trigger, you’re doing rather well with this one! Keep it up!


Wolf Girl and Black Prince
Episode 3

And here I am with probably the third tricky one to deal with in terms of grading this week. For some reason, I feel like I shouldn’t like this series. At this point, it just seems like your cliched romance series with the heroine slowly falling for her prince all of a sudden and the prince denying her until the very end. At least, that’s how the cliche tends to go or something similar to it. It’s weird but I kinda do like the series. Something about it has me a tiny bit interested in it. Maybe it’s the characters or something else, I don’t know. However, in terms of grading this one, it’s a tough call. To be honest, I’ve been seeing quite a few high school romance series lately and I wouldn’t mind a break this season. What I’m going to do here is place Wolf Girl and Black Prince in with the Tentative Fail (On-Hold) series this season. The whole cliche problem is just standing out to me quite a lot and, again, I think I need a good break from high school romance. I’ll pick up up again later.

Final Grade: Tentative Fail (On-Hold)


Yona of the Dawn
Episode 2

Now that we have the establishing episode out of the way with Yona, what comes next? Well, we basically finish the moment that started it all with Yona and Hak escaping from the kingdom after Soo-Won’s betrayal. Add in some development for the characters and then finish it off with a scene from what seems to be the story’s present time, and here we are at the end of episode two! I just said that I needed a break from romance series, but I may not be getting that with this one since it, technically, is one. The development has just seemed so natural and fluid that it makes it easier for me to sit through. And, as of now, it looks like Yona’s character will really begin to grow from this point on. Yona of the Dawn has been good to me so far, so I’m going to be sending it to Week 3 and let it get it’s grade! We’ll see what’s next for our princess and, what seems to be, her love interest. Hey now, I can root for a Yona and Hak relationship if I want to!

Your Lie in April
Episode 2

Last week I had some mixed feelings about this one, and it’s one of the series this season that I wished to be something good. After this episode, I’m starting to feel much better about it. I can see it starting to take shape much more easily and it is working it’s way into my heart. Because I am strongly supportive of the Arts in pretty much all forms, hearing that violin come from Koari this episode was simply amazing! I can understand what the series is working towards and that is a love of music and letting it reach out to people and touch their hearts. It’s the kind of theme that really can work well in this kind of situation, and this series is really starting to do well in that regard. It’s not often that I can somehow manage an almost complete 180 on a series in terms of opinion, but it’s happened here. Your Lie in April moves on to Week 3.

And now, an update on all this progress!!

Already Graded:
BIG FREAKING PASS
Garo The Animation
Gugure! Kokkuri-san

Pass
Magic Kaito 1412
Rage of Bahamut: Genesis

Tentative Pass
Amagi Brilliant Park
Cross Ange

Tentative Fail (On-Hold)
Celestial Method
Wolf Girl and Black Prince

Fail
None

Currently Watching (ep.)
Parasyte (2)
When Supernatural Battles Become Commonplace (2)
Yona of the Dawn (2)
Your Lie in April (2)


Dropped (ep.)
A Good Librarian Like a Good Shepard (1)
Denki-Gai (2)
Fruit of Grisaia (2)
In Search of the Lost Future (2)
Laughing Under the Clouds (1)
Shirobako (2)
Terraformers (1)
Trinity Seven (2)
World Trigger (2)


Other Series (ep.)
Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works ()
Mushi-shi: Sequel Chapter ()
Psycho-Pass s2 (pending s1 completion)
Selector Spread WIXOSS ()
Yowamushi Pedal: Grande Road ()


We’re down to the final four series this season! Next week, Parasyte, Supernatural Battles, Yona, and Your Lie in April will receive their season grades! It will be interesting to see where everything ends up! Until next time, otaku on my friends!