Summer 2015 Anime

So, it's that time for all of us tropers to announce what we'll watch, what we'll try, and what we'll toss in the bin. I'll start:

Will Watch

• Akagami no Shirayukihime: What really impresses me about this spin on the Snow White tale is its focus on medicine and that the manga throughly develops their characters. With intelligent and emotionally rational characters and its simple yet effective story that honestly tells its viewers its premise from the word go, I think I’m going to enjoy this one.
• Chaos Dragon: What can you get from playing a tabletop game with the Urobutcher and the creator of Durarara? Well, if this anime’s preview is anything to go by, potentially an incredible story that delivers on the creators’/players’ strengths. I can’t honestly say I play a whole lot of tabletop RPGs, but I know they have potential to create spectacular stories like Planescape: Torment, so I’ll keep my eyes peeled on this one. I only have two concerns for this show: 1. The animation studio (Silver Link) made Watamote. It was also responsible for the creation of the abortion known as OniAi, which reflects Silver Link's inconsistency with quality shows. 2. Anime original series can easily waste the potential of their premises or lose track of their pacing.
• Gangsta.: Having read a few chapters of the manga, I can safely say that this series has some potential. The unique dynamic between the two leads is intriguing and the animation studio in charge (Manglobe) is right up my alley. I just hope that after this season Manglobe can make a deal with [adult swim] to give us an FMA-Brotherhood treatment of Deadman Wonderland. Seriously, the final fight between Shiro and Ganta is screaming to be animated and Americans (like myself) will be more than happy to support such a series.
• Overlord: Check out my previous post on the show, but in short I think this is the shot-in-the-arm Madhouse and gaming anime (aside from Log Horizon) needed.

Will Try

• Dragon Ball Super: As someone who grew up watching DBZ, the first episode will be worth watching. That said, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it and I really hope Toriyama isn’t just creating new canon material for the Dragon Ball franchise just ‘cause.
• God Eater: Given that ufotable is making this adaptation, I guess it is worth a shot if nothing else than to watch excellent animation. However, Video Game Movies Suck and so do anime adaptations, so I will probably relegate this to my standby list unless it becomes an AOTY contender.
• Ranpo Kitan: After the batshit insanity that was Punchline, it seems that Noitamina is going back to the mystery genre with this one. The show is inspired by Ranpo Kitan’s Kogoro Akechi books, so I’ll check out a few episodes to see if this has a larger mystery or if it will be a episodic procedural. If it’s the latter, I’ll probably relegate this to my standby list. Still, it’ll be worth checking the pilot out.
• Rokka No Yuusha: I was initially impressed with the trailer, but as I read into the LN’s page it strikes me that the author is beating around the bush. I have no patience for shows that are guilty of The Chris Carter Effect and I’m not happy to hear that the Light Novel series is guilty of this as well. I’m hoping the first few episodes will shake things up, but I got to admit that I’m not feeling so confident about this show anymore.

edited 25th Jun '15 9:28:06 PM by sanfranman91

The Cart Driver now has his season preview up

Oh this guy. I'll take Random C instead, thanks.

Hey now, Scamp's a good Irish lad. I won't hear a word against him.

Man, I'm gonna have to watch that ecchi thing if Mizushima's directing.

edited 18th Jun '15 6:30:46 AM by majoraoftime

fite me irl m8

I'm really only watching Aqaurion, Prisma Illya, and Chaos Dragon for sure. I'll wait for Randomc to review the first episodes of everything before deciding on anything else like I do every season.

I'm nearly finishing a season preview for my blog. Just wait.

Now that Charlotte has finally deigned to release it's premiere date, we have start times for everything

Except SuzakiNishi, which is one of those weird things that no one cares about

Adding Charlotte to my list since I just discovered it has a sub group I like planning to sub it. Now the wait for the next two or so weeks to pass begins.

Hooray! My season preview is up!

That was quite enjoyable.

Yep, this is pretty funny.

The Bikini Warriors entry sums up my impressions.

… I'm kind of intrigued by This is a Seiyuu actually.

edited 23rd Jun '15 4:22:40 PM by Lyendith

Dragon Ball Super is my main watch.

I might check out Super when they start dubbing it, because it's one of those franchises where the dub is genuinely superior. The Funimation VA and scriptwriter team have really grown into their roles - it's a good chunk of what made Battle of Gods so great.

What I'll be watching:

• God Eater
• Non Non Biyori Repeat
• Sore ga Seiyuu!
• Himouto! Umaru-chan
• Gakkou Gurashi
• The iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls S2
• Fate/kaleid liner Krisma Illya 2wei! Herz!

I'll take a look:

• Ranpo Kitan Game of Laplace
• Rokka no Yuusha
• Charlotte
• Million Doll
• Over Lord
• Kuusen Madoushi Kouhosei no Kyoukan
  • This one's giving me huge harem/ecchi vibes. I just hope it doesn't get too bad.

edited 24th Jun '15 8:14:40 AM by HanabiraKage

I looked into the manga adaptation of Gangsta, and I've gotta say, it seems like it's trying really hard to be Black Lagoon in many respects. Of course I don't know how true that is but it's not exactly selling me on it.

I think it's pretty clear by now what I'll be watching, but anyway:

Definitely watching:

• Damn, it feels good to be a Gangsta.
• Ushio and Tora
• Red-Haired Snow White
• Ranpo Kitan, Kishi aside
• Gatchaman Crowds insight HAAA Aajiiiiiiiiiimmesu.
• Durarararararararararararara!!x2 Motion
• Wakako Zake

Giving them a try

• God Eater
• Blue Spring x Machine Gun
• Chaos Dragon pls have gazebo fighting
• Gakkou Gurashi
• Junjo Romantica 3
• Dragon Ball Super
• Prison School is not in my definitely watching list because J.C.Staff's track record
• Suzaki Nishi because what is this

Not even once

• Classroom Crisis because arrrrrghhhhhhhh why
• Wagnaria!!! unless episode 1 is Inami being burned at the stake, GARO style.
• Any short that is not Wakako Zake
• Himouto
• Charlote FUCK YOU KEY

edited 25th Jun '15 7:51:50 AM by Logograph

I can see Working!!! actually resolving three extant plot points, as it's supposed to coincide with the final volume of the manga: Yamada's family problems (which is entwined with Souta's family, as Yamada's mum is the secretary of Souta's mum), Yachiyo and Satou, and yes, Inami and Souta.

Still leery about the changes done to the Gate anime, as the manga was more or less perfect, especially in how it portrayed the Empire.

edited 25th Jun '15 9:21:26 AM by MyssaRei

I'm going to be looking into Gate simply because of all the horror stories about how hilariously right wing it is.

Rest assured, it does have the usual combo of flagrant far-right nationalism and skeezy otaku bullshit (see also, HSOTD and Mahouka).

When is RandomC going to put out their season preview anyways? The new season starts next week and they normally put out their previews within a week or two of the new season starting but so far there's nothing up on their site.

Will watch:

• Charlotte
  • With Shirobako, P.A. Works definitely showed that haven't lost their touch. If Maeda didn't get fucked over by the production committee like he did when he wrote Angel Beats! this might end up being good. He's a talented composer and writer that brought you Clannad and Little Busters!, and with Aniplex' funds on backup, there's little to worry.
• God Eater
  • Having played the game (GE: Burst), I'm curious how they'd adapt the story. There's unquestionably a lot of moments to show off ufotable's animation flair, but the story itself is a fairly straightforward Shonen tripe.
• Gakkou Gurashi
  • On one hand, I'm thrilled about this. If done well, it could very well be the best of its season. On the other hand, it's Lerche and they're doing four shows this season, which means there's a high chance of GG getting the short end of the animation stick. A man can hope, though.
• Non Non Biyori Repeat:
  • I don't think having 'Repeat' as the second season moniker is a good idea. Regardless, it'd probably be true to the first season, which means countryside slice-of-life and cute girls with occasional emotionally calming episodes. With ARIA on by backlog, though, this might be slightly overkill.
• Gatchaman Crowds Insight
  • The first season attempts to be a commentary on social networks... and kind of failed. I still enjoyed it for what it was until the final episode (in which everything just went bonkers until much later when we got the director's cut). Other than that, it has a really excellent soundtrack.

Will try:

• Ushio and Tora
  • Not a fan of the art style, but will try anyway. This season could use some more action.
• Chaos Dragon
  • One of the most well-constructed settings in fiction was born of a TRPG session, so I wouldn't dismiss this series just because of that. Chaos Dragon doesn't promise such things, definitely, but the general reception to the pre-air seems to be fairly positive.

Not as good as Spring, definitely.

Also, there's a character named Pino Co Lada

And a loli goth called Rory Mercury.

This is going to be such a trainwreck…

I don't see how it's any better than Heavy Object, where everyone was named after an alcoholic drink or an entree.