Autumn 2009 TV Anime Part IV （平成二十一年秋期放送開始ノ新作テレビアニメ其ノ四）

Posted On October 15, 2009

Shin Koihime†Musou: Otome Ryouran Sangokushi Engi

The good thing about all these sequels is that they all seem to be doing a good job of delivering what people loved about their predecessors. This is great for shows I loved, like Natsu no Arashi and Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu, but it’s not really helping Koihime†Musou. This first episode reacquaints us nicely with the cute cast from last season, along with a  taste of the various formulaic situations they are to be tangled up in. This was fine for a single season, but after Shin Koihime†Musou’s opener, I don’t think I really need more. In fact, I’d be more content to just manipulate myself to the game CGs.

This one is probably getting cut loose, but I may marathon it on a dead weekend for the sake of completion.

To Aru Kagaku no Chou Denjihou (Railgun)

Unlike all the sequels this season, To Aru Kagaku no Railgun–the spin-off series to To Aru Majutsu no Index–makes it quite clear that Things Will Be Different right off the bat. The tone is a lot lighter; free of the oppressive amounts of exposition that hurt Index, and is instead replaced with cute character interaction and some decently composed action. However, after two episodes, I’m not feeling much from this show. I’m not sure if it’s the drastic shift in tone from Index, or the fact that it’s just not to my tastes. I think once I get to know the characters a bit better, I’ll start to enjoy it more.

The animation is great, but that goes without saying. I feel sorry for the dudes who have to draw all those flowers on Uiharu’s head.

Anyamaru Tantei Kiruminzuu

Along with being one of the shows with the least English-language press this season (it’s not even been subbed!), Anyamaru Tantei Kiruminzuu is also one of the strangest shows of the season. The show itself isn’t that strange by the standards set by 60 years of Japanese animation, but the fact that both the opening and ending themes are sung in an Asian langauge that’s not Japanese, along with the show’s curious placing at 17:30 makes you wonder just who the target audience for this show is. Well, from the overly cutesy design work and the premise, this show is clearly meant for children and pedophiles, but the issues of the songs and timeslot are curious.

As far as the show itself goes, there’s not much to say about it aside from the fact that it’s just adorable. Given the nature of the show and its 50 episode length, it’ll be a slow moving affair, so there’s not much to write about aside from the fact that it’s just cute, and it has some really cute girls doing some really cute things while dressed in really cute animal outfits. One notable thing about this show is that it’s Tange Sakura’s return to anime after 10 years of inactivity. That said, I’ve only ever heard her as Sakura in Cardcaptor Sakura, so her role here didn’t really stick out to me as her until I checked the credits.

This show will be one to keep an eye on, at any rate.