Finished Kotoura-san. I wish it were better, so much better, because Kotoura herself is a precious lead. Worth it for that smile in the end though, personally.
Second favorite Tezuka self insert joke: In Black Jack, he writes himself as one of the random patients in a hospital, who suffers from chronic deadlinitis.
Also, Blackjack has some issues, but for the most part it's pretty fun.
For me, it's not so much about the quantity of information delivered, but the means of delivery. 'Cause we have these upbeat strings pushing our attention forward, but for the most part, the trailer is shots of characters without context or drama. So knowing nothing about this iteration of Gundam, I can only presume it's about people and sometimes robots. Which I already knew, so what was the trailer for?
What I'm saying here is that the trailer doesn't do anything to make me prioritise this robot throwdown over any other.
I'm of two minds about that. On one hand I get that and agree since the more accessible your presentation is the better, but on the other it's for the second season. I'm more in agreement with you on the first season's PV which I think is pretty bad.
Second favorite Tezuka self insert joke: In Black Jack, he writes himself as one of the random patients in a hospital, who suffers from chronic deadlinitis.
Also, Blackjack has some issues, but for the most part it's pretty fun.
I'm kinda curious what issues you're alluding to here.
Yuzuru Tachikawa (Death Parade, Zankyou no Terror, KlK's 7th episode), for directing and storyboarding, Yoshimichi Kameda (FMA: B, EVA 3), for animation direction for at least the first episode and key animation.
Apparently the director is behind Death Parade, the series composer also ran Seraph of the End, and the animation director is mainly a key animator, most of his work on things I haven't seen, although what I have seen is all good-looking stuff.
Sorry about the chainpost, at least they're all on-topic? Anyway, here is my totally self-indulgent, vaguely stream-of-consciousness impressions of the Summer 2016 season. Hopefully it'll be helpful, knowing who I am. Or something.
91 Days: Finally another Prohibition-era anime! And one that is, two episodes in at least, fully committed to the tone and setting and does a wonderful job at that. It's by Studio Shuka, same folks behind DRRR!!, directed by Hiro Kaburaki (same person behind the well-received Kimi ni Todoke and KnT S2), with the very capable Taku Kishimoto working on the composition (of BokuMachi fame). What I like the most, I think, is how focused it is on telling a ruthless revenge story and not straying from that path, while making a point of developing characters with subtlety. Particularly, as concerns Avilo's greatest strengths and weaknesses, which does a good job of humanizing him. It's one of my favorite shows of this season so far.
Alderamin on the Sky: Honestly I'm not entirely sold on this just yet, but in the same turn I don't yet have a reason to, like, drop it. The first episode was relatively underwhelming, with everyone but future "Lazy General" Ikta and his ideological opposite Yatori being the most fleshed out. This hasn't changed quite yet, though I do like how the anime isn't trying to be overly dramatic about war, and how - according to the LN readers anyway - it's supposedly well-liked in the LN community for how it tries to be different, which I can get behind. Apparently it's an upgrade to the manga too, by lessening some of Ikta's behaviors to fit with the serious tone (such as toning down on the perversion), if not cutting them entirely. Plus, and this alone could honestly keep me watching for at least a few more episodes, I really like how Kunio Katsuki adaptedtheoriginal art. Also apparently the music is by the same guy, Keiji Inai, behind DanMachi and more importantly because Inane and Vash recently sold me (more) on it, Karneval. I wouldn't say I have the highest hopes, but I doubt it'll be taxing.
Amanchu!: Gay diving by the woman behind Aria, Kozue Amano, with Junichi Satou of the same fame who is director for both (alongside loads of other shows), which should tell you enough if you're familiar enough with either of them. That said, it's a real cozy, slow-paced SOL show with a seeming focus on making the best of your experiences, even or especially, new ones. It's a sweet show that I recommend, if not for everyone, with the careful character interactions really pushing it over the top (if not into AOTS territory, probably, but even Flying Witch had stiff competition there).
Bananya: I actually dropped this on episode two, even though it's a solid three minute show. There is a cat that lives in a banana, his name is Bananya, and he hops around in a banana all cat-like with his other banana-cat friends. It's cute, I just hate fun.
Hitori no Shita: The Outcast: Meanwhile, I would recommend avoiding this show, unless you're in the mood for something that doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. I actually really like the character designs, and apparently it's an adaptation of a Chinese webcomic, which... I am mixed on. Even if I'm not one to call all webcomics bad, most of the humor reminds me of the weaker jokes in Tower of God except now even harder to ignore as I'm forced to look at them. Like, I don't remember the last time a standard angry shounen protagonist felt this bothersome to me since... Naruto, I guess? Shrug It's hard to get attached to any of them, let alone the MC, and it doesn't help that it appears to be most of the staff's first job. Plus you have corpse-fucking and incestuous overtones in the second episode, which even reading charitably, I have trouble seeing as compelling. My thoughts were pretty much "I'm sure they were supposed to be creepy, and would be in another context, but oh well." I'll be following it, anyway.
Love Live! Sunshine!!: This is actually my first idol show, so I feel like I don't have much to say, beyond it being very much get what you expect and get it done well at that (a friend even confirmed its being a good entrance to the idol genre). Characters are adorable and relaxing, the music works, everything is so animated and colorful, it's all exactly what I wanted and I love it. Most or all involved have good pedigree, are in their element... not that, granted, I'd expect anything but at least passable quality from Love Live!. Definitely continuing.
Mob Psycho 100: I feel like @Odradek could sell this better than I could. By ONE, same man behind OPM, and is essentially a fantastic adaptation in every way as far as I can tell. The jankiness is kept but given remarkable fluidity, the art style is unique, beautiful (to me anyway), and frequently changes all while still keeping very much in tone with the bizarre world. The OP is wonderful and gives you a good idea of what you're getting into. Easily one of the most visually compelling and fun to watch shows for me, of what I'm watching.
New Game!: Cute Girls Making Cute Games, the anime. Like with Amanchu, this strikes me as more blatantly like it or dislike it material, given the chill everything. I like it though. Again, can't hold a candle to FW personally - hard not to compare - but it works fine for what it is. Far as adaptations of comedy 4koma go, it's good, plus it's backed by the same man that worked on Nozaki-kun as Chief Director.
Orange: Meanwhile, I feel like Vash could and already has sold it better than I could, in part because however much I'm anticipating the second episode whenever I get to it, it... just hasn't held my attention? Still, the potential playing around with sci-fi concepts, in this case changing your future thanks to your future self, is intriguing and it looks to be serious enough. Everyone is likable, too, which strongly helps. I'm just having trouble figuring out what to say.
Sweetness and Lightning: This is super cute and probably my favorite of the SOL shows so far. Can I just leave it at that? Oops. A widower and his young daughter live on bland food, until they run into the daughter of a restaurateur, and they all learn to make delicious food together. It is gorgeous, and adorable, and sweet, and everything just feels like it should. Inuzuka clearly still feels for his missing wife, but wants to make his daughter happy like she did for them with her cooking, and it's just fun. Never mind that Tsumugi is actually voiced by a child, and is animated like one too. I think it's in my top five shows so far, but, well, it is true that that isn't saying much.
Kobayashi then happily began talking about what it's like at the recording studio. "It's great," he said. "We'll get people coming in partway through the show, and they might not know what's happened or how the loop mechanic works or whatever, so they'll come ask me about it. Everyone's getting friendly, we're all having fun, chatting away. And then recording starts and Subaru shows up and ruins it all. At the end of the day, there's just awkward silence (laughs). For one episode in the second arc, after we finished recording the first part, not a single person in the room wanted to talk to me—except for Puck's actress, Uchiyama Yumi, who came up and offered me some hard candy, trying to lighten the mood (laughs)," he recalled, which got a big laugh from the whole audience.
I'm really wanting to like Orange more than I do, but I don't mean that as an insult. So far it's technically impressive and stylish from any way I look at it, the premise is up my alley now that I'm familiar with it, I like the designs and palette. I also fundamentally sympathize with Naho - really, who couldn't? She's got a relatable issue on her end even if with a sci-fi sorta twist - but it just doesn't emotionally grab me like it has so many others so far.
Not gonna drop it though. Definitely not drop-worthy for me.
Comments
To lighten the mood. (Re:Zero 15 spoilers.)
Save me from this precious child before she destroys my heart.
IBO Season 2 PV, for you Gundam dorks.
Also, Blackjack has some issues, but for the most part it's pretty fun.
animated
Tharja, what are you doing in a puppet show.
(Yes, I know it's not anime, but we don't exactly have a Taiwanese Puppet Wuxia thread.)
The animation direction for what I've seen has been pretty wild. Should look up who's running that dog and pony show.
^ Accursed ninja! :P
"Wilhelm, who was that?"
Subaru, he literally just introduced himself to you.
And the staff is great too, nice.
Hopefully it is inexpensive?