This Seasons Anime

Ξ April 18th, 2006 | → | ∇ |

A short run down for you of the few you should pick up:

xxxHolic. No this isn’t a porno; the triple X is actually “silent” according to the intro on the show. It arguably has the best opening and ending music that I’ve heard in a long time, the animation is fantastic and totally original (as expected from Production IG) and the story is strange, yet, vivid and unique. Not “sex doll” or “typical fantasy” like other Clamp offerings. She has a unique way of selling her product and getting payment, usually in the without letting the recipient know, and if the movie that’s been out recently before this is anything to go by this serious should get pretty awesome.

Black Lagoon. Oh. Hell. Yea! Talk about killer, multi-dimensional story with mercenaries and lots of action. I can see this having great potential, and whilst the lead female in it (Levi) is typically “hot” in her short shorts, she also has the “less than sexy” arrogant attitude rather than “cutesy wootsie” that plague so many anime into complete unrealism and stupidity. She doesn’t act sexy, she doesn’t try to be sexy, she just kinda is. There’s also the ’stereotypical’ hard man black dude whose cucumber cool and with the persona that you’d want him as your best friend rather than any alternative. Finally there’s also a cracker computer geek: you can’t fight wars without the digital edge these days it seems. All the voice actors are excellently suited, as is the animation and rockin’ music.

Ray. Oh you need to read this manga before watching the series. Only one sub group has picked this up, and the first episode doesn’t offer that much but I’d totally recommend the manga. However, ADV, in typical fashion decide to release it on a schedule that’s marked by eons. It’s about an unlicensed surgeon chick (think Tifa, FFVII) who is trying to find out about her past, and who gave her eyes that can see through things. It works well, but the manga is better. For starters she should have beautiful baby blues, not deep red like in the animation.

Tokko. Not much I can say about this yet, but it’s a 15+ so violence and gore are a given in this “action horror”. Apparently it’s about violent murders in the city which the police investigate along with some kid/guy who finds that they end up fighting against these “monsters” with swords rather than guns. Given a katana or a colt I know what I’d be hauling at 30 feet. Sounds a bit “meh” with the monsters and “special swords skills can only win” but it might be worth it.

School Rumble: 2nd Semester. Without a doubt comedy at it’s best. Pick up the first season for definite though if you’re not already a fan but this is definitely an anime worth watching. It’s Full Metal Panic, but without the crap and better than ffumofu.
The new opening song has to grow on me a little after the last one was just so perfectly iconic to SR, and the lass who sang it was incredibly cute, to the point of making a room full of puppies look like shit filled gargoyles in comparison.

Finally there’s Higurashi no Nakukoroni, which is apparently about some village where people die and disappear at certain times of the year, but I haven’t watched it yet. It sounded good although it’s not been picked up by popular sub groups.