The 2007 Spring Season so Far (Comedies)

This is the continuation to my last post but this time it covers the comedy shows of the 2007 spring season.

1) Seto no Hanayome

This show is absolutely MAD and that is exactly why I love it. The best comedy show this season. I must admit that I've always hated Haruko Momoi's voice but for some strange reason, she did very well playing the role of San chan. I love it whenever she gets serious and starts talking about the chivalry of mermaids (one of the staples of each episode). The ending animation reminds me of the Genshiken ending animation (I wonder if that is intentional?!). Of course, the title of “coolest anime male character” this season must go to Masa san (he's got an afro after all!).

2) Nagasarete Airantou

My second favourite comedy this season. This show is so childish but that is exactly why I like it. Even the fanservice is childish. A bunch of quirky characters and a bizarre premise makes for an enjoyable watch every episode. The opening and ending songs are great and Yui Horie's role as Suzu brings back pleasant (not so distant) memories of her role as Manabi in Manabi Straight. Incidentally, did anyone else notice that the character design of the main male lead in this show, Ikuto, is not that different from the character design of the main male lead in Seto no Hanayome, Nagasumi?!! I guess Japanese animators ran out of ideas for male character designs.

The 2007 Spring Season so Far (Non Comedies)

Below is a short evaluation of some the 2007 spring season shows that I'm currently watching.

1) Victorian Romance Emma ~Second Act~

Even before the current season started, I had a strong feeling this would be my favourite show of the season and it did not disappoint in that regard. Why did I think so? Well, it's because I adored the first season and considered it as a masterpiece. The first season was emotionally overwhelming (at least for me) and words fail to describe the main character of the show, Emma. It's no surprise then that the second season continues the successful record of the first season. The first episode of the second season even brought tears to my eyes which is something that never happened to me before when watching the first episode of any other anime show. Let's hope the second season continues it's strong run and conclude the story in a satisfactory way.

2) Seirie no Moribito

This show is by far my second favourite show of the season. I only watch fantasy shows if the story and art quality are high and this show fits that bill perfectly. It has all the signs of an epic tale and the story has elements of political intrigue and a background setting that resembles ancient china, all of which make this show more appealing to me. Balsa is also a very strong, wise and admirable character and all the other characters are also interesting. The art quality doesn't disappoint as one would expect from Production IG. I also love the opening because it gets me excited over the show.

3) Romeo x Juliet

I'm really enjoying this show so far and I think the changes made to the original play make the story more interesting (I'm always weak for stories of rebellion against tyrants). My only complaint is that the political side of the story is not moving as fast as it should be. I know this is meant to be a romance story first and foremost but I really want to see developments in the political side of things (i.e. Putting forward plans to overthrow the Montague regime). I absolutely love the opening and the ending is great as well.

4) Bokura no

I decided to watch this just to see how shocking it can be since I heard that the manga story is very shocking. The progress was a bit slow and the story didn't really pick up until episode 5 so I have yet to give my final verdict on this. I absolutely love the opening because it gives an ominous feeling about the show.

5) The Skull Man

Stories about revenge tend to be powerful and that is why I became interested in this show. The mystery aspects are also appealing. I generally hate superhero stories but this is not a story about a superhero but rather a mysterious man with an agenda (probably revenge). After watching the first 5 episodes, the story is still intriguing but I still can't tell how the show will end as there are still a lot of mysteries to be solved (albeit I have some good guesses regarding some of the mysteries). I really like the ending and I believe the animation used in the ending contains clues about the tragic past of the man behind the skull. I love the old school character designs and I guess they fit the story very well since it takes place in the 1950s (or was it the 1960s?). The two main characters, Hayato and Kiriko, are very likable and I guess they complement each other in a funny kind of way.

6) Hitohira

I can't really give a decent evaluation about this show since I only watched the first 2 episodes. I can, however, say that I liked what I have watched so far (especially episode 2). The story concept is quite interesting and I always have a soft spot in my heart for stories dealing with the theatre (I am a big fan of Daddy Long Legs after all). The character designs are average but palatable. The music is great (I love the opening and ending). The characters are interesting enough and even a character like Kana turned out to have an interesting side when I thought she was just there for comic relief purposes. The secret that Nono is trying to hide is another interesting aspect of the show. It might be related to some throat condition she might have (like cancer or something) but that is just my guess.