Fall Anime 2011: Gundam Age (Not Quite Gundam)

Posted by Neko Kyou in Thoughts on November 23rd, 2011

I started watching Gundam AGE knowing full well that it’s going to be much more “cartoonish” compared to Gundam SEED, Unicorn and 00. But I was not all that much prepared for what felt like a serious, more life-sized version of SD Gundam.

So the designs so far hasn’t shown anything that great, with the exception of the UE Mobile Suits, which I thought was pretty cool. The first episode of AGE is pretty much the standard fare of most major Gundam series.

Sunrise has gone a bit nuts with the story mechanics by pulling out the ridiculous AGE system. While Gundam has never exactly been “logical”, it has always been somewhat theoretically possible. But now it has gone more towards the pretty much impossible evolution theory as Gurren Lagann, Vandread and Eureka 7.

The AGE system will not only take enemy data to create new equipments, it will do so within seconds. Plus, it will give the new equipment a name to boot!

What’s really interesting about Gundam AGE is how no one still have any clue who the enemy is, even after 14 years of fighting against them. At some point it would seem like the enemy mobile suits are automated without any pilot, but at the same time, it has also taken actions to suggests that there is someone in the cockpit.

Maybe they’re trying to appeal to the younger kids with its new design while at the same time giving old fans some kicks by bringing back the the weird deformity, weird angles and (at times) a story progression that doesn’t really make any sense – like how everyone seems to be fine with sending a little boy out to fight an enemy the army can’t handle without much resistance.

Since we know that Gundam AGE will span across 3 generations, it would be fun to see who Flit, the current main character, will end up with to produce the next generation pilot! ^^;

I actually do look forward to more Gundam AGE to see where Sunrise will take this. The direction AGE is taking is definitely something that we haven’t really seen before in the past and I feel that if we just let loose a little Gundam AGE might actually end up to be really good. Fingers crossed!

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Fall Anime 2011: Working’!!

Posted by Neko Kyou in Thoughts on November 15th, 2011

Working!! was one of the more enjoyable anime from last year, and fortunately the second season showing this season is following the same formula.The biggest difference between Working’!! (2nd season) with the first season is the color palette used.

Working is a light comedy taking place mostly in the family restaurant Wagnaria. Each member of the cast has a whacky personality, such as the main character’s obsession with anything small and cute (including his tiny senior), an air head waitress who carries around a katana (freaking out all the customers) and a cook with the most innocent looking face, but with the most evil thoughts (my favourite character!).

The second half of the first episode was rather disappointing and had me worried that the new season won’t be able to live up to its predecessor. Fortunately, it picked itself right up from the 2nd episodes onwards so for that I’m really glad!

If you’ve never watched Working before, I suggest you go back and start from the first season before starting on the new season. Even though it’s a light hearted comedy that can be easily picked up, you won’t be able to appreciate the finer, subtler running jokes without knowing it’s history.

I still think the first season’s OP was one of the best from last year and the animation sequence still heavily reminds me of Azumanga Daioh.

You can see the resemblance below:

Working!! OP

 

Azumanga Daioh OP

 

Working’!!’s OP – Coolish Walk, while is still catchy, is nowhere near the level of “Someone Else”.

 

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Fall Anime 2011: Ben-To

Posted by Neko Kyou in Thoughts on November 5th, 2011

Grudge over food can be a scary thing, and this season’s Ben-To captured that almost perfectly!

I’ve not really had the chance to start watching most of the new series this season besides Bakuman season 2, so Ben-To was an excellent and hilarious start bwahahaha!

A bunch of high school students camping at the local mart, waiting for the store staff to put on the half price stickers on the leftover bento. .

That’s when the fun starts – a battle royale suddenly erupts to decide who gets the heavily discounted packed meals!

It’s quite literally a battle anime and the battlefield is in the bento sections in the various supermarkets around town. It’s not only just between high school students, there is even an adult, dubbed as “the Boar” takes part in the race for the half priced bentos.

While the idea itself may sound absurd, it’s definitely interesting and funny. It isn’t purely just battles and fan service shots, the characters that has shown up so far are a pretty interesting bunch themselves.

There is even one female character whose face has not been shown to the viewer, only her “assets”.

Definitely a thumbs up from me. Ben-To is highly recommended watch this season!

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Bakuman Season 2 Anime Announced!

Posted by Neko Kyou in Coming Soon on July 30th, 2011

As seen on the latest chapter of Bakuman #142. We’ll be seeing one of the most interesting arcs of Bakuman so far somewhere in the new season, so I’m really looking forward to it 😀

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