So starting last season and continuing as far as I am entertained by anime, I watch several series of anime that are being released during that season. My rules are that I will wait till 3 episodes are out then watch 3 episodes at a time, before waiting 3 more weeks to watch the next 3 episodes. There are some anime I know are coming out and specifically choose to watch them but mostly I watch random series and if I like it I keep watching. This way I can see anime that is outside the mainstream and give all sorts of genre tries. That being the case I think I will start off my blog with a ranking of the shows this season I'm watching and my quick thoughts on those shows.
1. Hamatora - This show has it all and does it all well. It's funny with wacky little jokes, and funny personalities. The animation is beautiful with extra emphasis put on the coloring. The quality isn't as top notch as say movies or Space Dandy but not lacking at all either. The story is very detailed and the characters are very well thought out. There is great action with superpowers and a detective agency. I would say though that this show isn't a detective show. I would end up suggesting this to anyone who wants to watch a good anime.
2. Space Dandy - This show has superb animation above all else. Since it is a space show with aliens the characters end up being very creative. This show was and keeps being compared to Cowboy Bebop because of the shared director and that it's set in space but it really is nothing like Cowboy Bebop besides those 2 reasons. If someone was expecting it to be like CB they should be very disappointed but it seems like people still love it and think they are similar. It is funny at times with generally good characters and the story is non-linear. The characters actually die a few times, but the next episode starts over like nothing happened. I usually don't like this but in this case it gives a lot of freedom to the crew. The way the show is made Shinichiro Watanabe comes up with loose ideas and gives guest directors and writers free reign to spice it up. It's generally worth watching and very accessible since it's on Toonami.
3. Strange + - This is a short format show with 3 min. episodes. This is very limiting but those 3 min. are nonstop laughing from me. It also has an interesting story and characters I wish to know more about. It would be much better if it had more time.
4. Sakura Trick - This show is Shojou Ai, or girls love. That will give it a bad (or good) reputation right there. But this show isn't hentai so don't worry. This show is cute cute and more cute. The art is cute, the characters are cute, the story is cute. The show is usually separated into 2 shorter stories and it's rather simple. the characters are very innocent and that is what brings a happiness to the viewer. There isn't much else to it though, just innocent girls being cute.
5. Log Horizon - The third show I've watched that is about people being stuck in a video game. It does a much better job of describing the world of the video game though and explaining the rules of this world, even the meta rules. The show picks out a few characters and has them interact a lot but mostly just keeps expanding the universe each episode. The show is good but nothing special, but at the same time doesn't really have a weakness either. There can be some short story arcs that get a bit boring though. This is the second season of this show also, it started last season.
6. Gundam Build Fighter - This show also started last season. Unlike most Gundam series this one takes a step outside it's universe. It is about kids building Gundam models and using them for battle with a bit deeper of a story waiting to pop up. Animation is great but Gundam likes to hit on anime tropes a bit too much and the story lacks for it. Their characters are also stereotypical shonan but I guess with a franchise like Gundam they want to play it safe.
7. Nourin - When I was searching for a new show to watch this season I saw about 3 shows about idols, and I could care less about Japan's obsession with idol girls. (Or American's obsession with them) It seemed like I wouldn't find anything else though so I started up this one. Really it seems like a fan service show. There is no nudity but lots of sexy poses and such. On the up side the show has good characters, and character designs. The guy friend of the main character makes me laugh almost every episode because he is so goofy, and it contrasts with his usual persona of being very smart and boring. The story kind of keeps me interested but the main characters idiocy kills me, and it's very stereotypical of fan service type anime. It kept my interested with a few good points but it doesn't have a ton going for it.
8. D-Frag - This show had a very goofy premise so I started it up. It doesn't execute well at all though. The art isn't great, the characters aren't great, the story falls short of what it could be. It is still unique and it has good moments though and that's what keeps me watching.
