Mistakes of Youth: The Blog (Powered by EXCELLENCE!)

In any given anime season, there are a select few shows you start on, but somewhere along the line they get lost in the shuffle. It is sometimes due to one having too much on their plate, or it can be due to slow release schedules. There are also shows that you start on that you may totally hate, or just are just indifferent towards, that you drop. This post is devoted to those forgotten shows, both the lame ones and the pretty good ones.

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• Since I was two episodes behind, I dropped Yozakura Quartet. Despite the harsh things I say about it elsewhere, it’s not an altogether bad show. The character interaction is great, but that’s not really enough to save it from its really bad plot. The show also has some slick character designs, it’s just that the bozos over at Normad can’t present them properly at all. What’s with all those dumb bright colours? Man, it’s like the only good show they’ve ever made is Chocotto Sister! *CONTROVERSIAL STATEMENT*
• I am also two episodes behind on ef – a tale of emo losers but I won’t be dropping that, even though I think the show is terribly written. It’s a SHAFT show, so I have some moral obligation to see it through. That said, the SHAFTness of it sucks, too. Shin Oonuma really is a talentless hack who is simply a mere shadow of his master. I guess the openings and endings are neat, though.
• To Aru Majutsu no Index has finally come out of its funk and is entertaining again. The latest arc wasn’t especially great, but it was fun and lacked the menacing walls of text that plagued the first six episodes. The show still needs to bring in more of the girls, but I guess Index is enough for now~
• Michiko and Hatchin is a really great show, and I should write a longer entry about it eventually. What sets it apart from the rest is its film/TV drama like nature. The directing is that of a live action piece, and never feels too cartoony. However, I do think the direction falters in some areas, but we can forgive Sayo Yamamoto for that, right?
• Speaking of me missing images on Danbooru, how did I miss this (very not safe for work) work of art? This is the best piece of Mikuru porn I’ve seen in a while, and every naked picture of Mikuru I have is amazing.
• So I guess that Touhou anime has a cast of real voice actors. My Touhou-Fuhai is still weak, but this seems pretty cool.
• I don’t really mind the art in ChäoS;HEAd, but I guess I’m speaking as someone who draws worse than that.

Current
Casshern Sins: Great art direction but the writing is so boring. I’m pretty sure Casshern says JUST WHAT AM I in every fucking episode.
ChäoS;HEAd: It’s always super special! I like this one a lot.
Clannad ~After Story~: Hit and miss. Needs more Mei and/or baseball episodes.
ef – a tale of melodies: This is like a Shinbo show except not good.
Ga-Rei-ZERO: I mostly like it. Really dig the opening/ending tunes.
Golgo 13: ….
Jigoku Shoujo Mitsuganae: It’s like the writers on this show compete on who can write the crappiest episode.
Kannagi: Yamakan’s direction is great, and the production values are flawless, but the plot stuff lets it down.
Kemeko DX: Nice tits. Humour is hit or miss.
Kurogane no Linebarrels: This show is about man things like robots, tits and giant black men named JACK SMITH who cut airplanes in half.
Kyou no 5 no 2: I guess it’s fine but I still don’t know any of the character’s names.
Michiko to Hatchin: Uneven, but on the whole extremely well done.
Rosario + Vampire CAPU2: This show has moments of genius, actually. Moments of genius mixed with many moments of utter stupidity.
Shikabane Hime: Aka: This show is incredibly trashy, but it takes itself so seriously that I can’t help but take it seriously too. Gainax’s work also really helps it.
Tentai Senshi Sunred: Mostly funny. Some moments fall flat, but mostly funny.
To Aru Majutsu no Index: Pretty entertaining fluff after a string of terrible opening episodes. Let’s hope it stays this way!
Toradora!: I really like this, even though I can’t find a character to like. Taiga is almost cute, but she’s too violent.
Tytania: :V
Yozakura Quartet: This has a really shitty plot, but the direction is ok. Good voice acting, too.
Zettai Karen Children: Not as good as Hayate, but a thoroughly enjoyable year-long show.

Not Current
Windy Tales: Finishing this soon.

Reading
Hayate no Gotoku: Comic version is pretty good so far, but Kenjiro Hata is kind of a bad artist but works around his failings well.
Ikoku Meiro no Croisee: What? There’s only one volume so far? It’s been a year! Where’s volume two :(

I guess I’ll read more of the Tsukuyomi manga soon.

I don’t know what it is that compels me to write about mediocre-to-average shows by Studio Normad, but whatever.

Kou Matsuo isn’t a director whose work I’m terribly familiar with. I did however really like Kure-nai, so I figured Yozakura Quartet would be good, too. And it is! Almost.

One of the things that made Kure-nai work was how naturally directed the character interaction was. I won’t say it felt unscripted or improvised, but it had a looseness to it that you don’t see in many cartoons. Plot centric scenes were also handled in a very natural way, but they still managed to carry a strong sense of drama.

Yozakura Quartet has some of the Kure-nai magic when the characters are just doing slice of life stuff, but when plot things happen the show gets really bad. Maybe Matsuo doesn’t care about this plot, and I don’t blame him– becuase it sucks. And that is what brings Quartet down. Its plot is so generic, bad and poorly explained that I just don’t care whenever it rears its head.

Normad’s animation is also pretty average, as usual. They’re an ok studio but they really need to find a way to actually animate things. They draw still images and character designs well, though!

Current
Casshern Sins: Arty retro stuff. Sometimes boring, but mostly good.
ChäoS;HEAd: Moe psychological thriller. I can dig it.
Crannad ~After Story~: The first arc was great, but now it’s getting into “NOT THIS SHIT AGAIN, KEY” territory.
Detroit Metal City: Hahahaha, the rapping episode.
ef – a tale of melodies: Behind on this already.
Ga-Rei -Zero-: I dunno. Kinda good.
Jigoku Shoujo Mitsuganae: Lesbians send you to hell.
Kannagi: JIMI, DA NE. The opening is almost the best part of this show, but the real stuff is mostly good. I wish Nagi and Jin would argue less. It’s not funny like when Kohei and Hazuki do it.
Kurogane no Linebarrels: This show is just funny.
Kyou no 5 no 2: Not as good as the porno OVA, but decent. Kind of boring at times.
Michiko to Hatchin: SASSY, CRASSY, ASSY. Need more episodes~
Rosario + Vampire Capu2: You know those people who hate 0nT but watch it anyway? That’s how I am with this damn show.
Shikabane Hime: Aka: On hold because of FUNimation faggotry. I like it, though.
To Aru Majutsu no Index: Hey let’s talk for 30 minutes then make something exciting happen at the end of the episode only for the following episode to be more talking. This show needs to be fixed soon.
Toradora!: I think I love it. Such great character stuff here.
Tytania: I almost love it. Too gay, though.
Yozakura Quartet: I feel the Kurenai magic every now and again, but overall not that great. Good ending song, though.
Zettai Karen Children: Absolutely Lovely! That’s why it doesn’t lose!

Not Current
Gankutsuoh: Pretty good except all the characters who aren’t the Count are dumb cunts.
Mushishi: Pure brilliance.
Windy Tales: Almost pure brilliance.

Manga
Slowly reading through some manga in both Japanese and English.