Spring Anime 2014 (Part 8)

Title: Captain Earth
Release Date: April 5, 2014
Studio: Bones
Genre: Science Fiction, Mecha
Premise: Second-year high school student Daichi Manatsu is drawn to Tanegashima after a mysterious circular rainbow appears in the sky. Deep underground he finds the Earth Engine Impacter - a giant robot designed to intercept alien threats.

Verdict: Now that's how you do a mecha. The level of talent here is truly remarkable; with scripts penned by Yoji Enokido (FLCL) and direction from Takuya Igarashi (Soul Eater, Star Driver), Studio Bones delivers a solid, traditional mecha series.

Daichi Manatsu is a typical mild-mannered teenager, aside from the fact that he is calmly failing out of his second year of high school. He's also not too keen to hang out with his peers, turning down an invite to a classmate's villa. Both seem to have something to do with the boy's dead father, an astronaut who died in an accident when Daichi was just a child.

After the disk rainbow appears in the skies above the island where his father trained (and died), Daichi runs away to the island and revisits his childhood haunts. One of these hangouts happens to be a large base with hundreds of sublevels. Deep in the underbelly, he discovers a strange mute boy who leads him to a stranger elevator and...well you know how this goes.

The pilot is far from perfect. I refer to this as a "traditional" mecha because there are a lot of familiar tropes here - a troubled male protagonist with complicated feelings about his father (aka "daddy issues"), a looming (but possibly just misunderstood) alien threat, and a mysterious female lead with an adorable companion animal, just to name a few. But instead of feeling tired or exasperated, the episode left me only with feelings of nostalgia and anticipation for what's to come. This deserves a spot on your list is you have any love for all things giant and robotic.

Spring Anime 2014 (Part 7)

Title: Mekakucity Actors
Release Date: April 12, 2014
Studio: Shaft
Genre: Supernatural, Sci Fi, Action/Adventure, Comedy, Mystery
Premise: Based on the series of Vocaloid songs. A series of incidents on August 14th and 15th draws together a group of teenagers with eye-based powers.

Verdict: Jesus Tap dancing Christ that was pretty. It may not be clear what exactly is happening by the end of the first episode, but it's certain that Mekakucity Actors is a feast for the eyes. For the uninitiated, the show is based on a hugely popular series of music videos using the popular Vocaloid software. Each song deals with members of a group of gifted teens who call themselves Mekakushi Dan (lit: "Blindfold Gang").

It is probably due to the established fandom that the first episode dives right in with little exposition. The first character introduced is Shintaro Kisaragi, a NEET shut-in with a mysterious AI , named ENE, living on his computer. After a mishap involving an open soda bottle and a keyboard, Shintaro works up enough courage to venture into the outside world and off to the nearest hardware store. Things go smoothly for Shintaro's first day back in society...until a terrorist group attacks the same hardware store and holds everyone prisoner. Things only get more interesting for there.

As mentioned above, Shintaro's world and its wonderfully weird goings-on look absolutely amazing. Shaft is still fond of playing with colors, painting the locales with a bright, vibrant palette. Director Akiyuki Shinbo, already winning this year with the super-fun Nisekoi, seems to be having a lot of fun teasing viewers with hints of the craziness to come. And I can't wait to see more.

Spring Anime 2014 (Part 6)

Title: Mahouka KouKou no Rettousei (The Irregular at Magic High School)
Release Date: April 5, 2014
Studio: Madhouse
Genre: Sci Fi, Fantasy, School Life
Premise: Based on the light novel by Tsutomu Satou. Siblings Tatsuya and Miyuki Shiba are about to begin their studies at the distinguished First High School, a top-tier magic academy. Not all is well, however, as the school is divided between elite Course 1 students and lower-ranked students of Course 2.

Verdict: Well it wouldn't be high school without a clear social division along class lines, would it? Tensions flare early and often in this first episode, and you can bet that spells are going to fly between Course 1 and Course 2 before the end credits roll.

After a brief vignette showing magicians doing battle in a futuristic environment, the show opens with Miyuki and Tatsuya on the morning of their induction ceremony. Miyuki can't believe her brother has been placed in Course 2 (he destroyed to written test, but had the worst practical scores), and it soon becomes clear that Tatsuya is hiding something when it comes to his magical abilities.

The rest of the day is spent introducing classmates, including shy bespectacled aura-reader Mizuki Shibata, chipper, baton-wielding Erika Chiba, and Leonhard "Leo" Saijo. Things go smoothly until Miyuki attempts to sit with her brother and his Course 2 buddies, prompting an intervention from the other Course 1 students. Barbs are traded and the two sides come to blows, attracting the attention of the school's disciplinary committee.

The series earns points for its integration of science fiction and fantasy elements, a kind of anachronistic ballet. Magicians cast their incantations with pistol-shaped Casting Assistance Devices (CAD), and ninjitsu is revealed to be an ancient magical art. Satou's world smoothly combines these disparate elements to make a magical school show unlike any other. If the light novel and manga's impressive sales numbers are any indication, Madhouse has another hit on its hands for the spring season.

Spring Anime 2014 (Part 5)

Title: No Game No Life
Release Date: April 9, 2014
Studio: Madhouse
Genre: Fantasy, Psychological, Comedy
Premise: Sora and Shiro, a brother and sister pair of hikikomori NEETs that excel at online games, reign undefeated under the moniker "BLANK." After defeating a mysterious opponent, they are transported to an alternate reality where everything from petty disputes to national borders is decided by playing games.

Verdict: This is the latest in a line of popular "socially awkward loner gets sucked into favorite game" series that have popped up. First came Sword Art Online and Btooom! in 2012, followed by last year's Log Horizon. It's easy to see why shows like these would appeal to members of Japanese society's robust gaming otaku subculture. The protagonists of these series are usually quiet, withdrawn, unproductive members of society, gaming to escape their mundane realities.

When they wind up living their favorite pastime, they usually react with elation - here their formerly useless skills are suddenly invaluable, the countless hours spent honing odd abilities finally bearing fruit. However, at the end of the day, all of these slackers-turned-heroes try to return home. At the end of the pilot, our fearless protagonist Sora notes this trope and proceeds to do away with it completely: "Why would they try to go back to a world like that?"

This is the mentality with which Sora and his sister approach life, scorning the outside world, sunlight and other people. They play online games from sun-up to sundown, subsisting on rations and convenience store food. The pair is on the tail end of a five-day gaming bender when they receive a strange invite from an anonymous source online. After a pitched battle of computer chess, brother and sister are whisked away to Disboard - world ruled by gaming. Sora and Shiro waste no time diving into their new environment, traveling to a town where a new king is being determined via poker game.

The fantastical setting, and Shiro and Sora's nonchalant, devil-may-care reaction to it, is very intriguing. It also doesn't hurt when a studio as world-renowned as Madhouse is handling animation duties; even the most mundane games become suspenseful action sequences. It will be interesting to follow this series and see what shenanigans Sora and his sister get up to in their new digs.

Spring Anime 2014 (Part 4)

Title: Hitsugi no Chaika (Chaika the Coffin Princess)
Release Date: April 9, 2014
Studio: Bones
Genre: Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Premise: Based on the light novel series by Ichiro Sakaki. Toru Acura has lost all purpose in life, wandering the countryside in search of work. When he stumbles across Chaika, a coffin-toting, gun-wielding wizard, Toru and his sister, Akari, join Chaika on a quest that will affect the whole land.

Verdict: From the opening scenes, I found myself drawn into this world and its fantasy/steampunk atmosphere. The show is a heady mix of swashbuckling swordplay, magic rifles, Victorian clothing and, interestingly enough, carnivorous killer unicorns (more on that later).

After a brief monologue wherein our titular character is given a cryptic task that will set several things in motion, we are introduced to wandering worker-for-hire Toru Acura. A retired soldier who fought in the wars that led to the fall of the Gaz Empire prior to the series, Toru has lost all motivation after leaving the military. While scouring the mountain he calls home, Toru encounters Chaika, mistaking her for a rabbit. Their encounter is interrupted by the arrival of the aforementioned unicorn.

An entertaining chase and subsequent battle ensue, allowing Studio Bones to show off its prowess with slickly animated action sequences. Both Chaika and Toru display some visually impressive fighting styles, eventually triumphing over their not-so-cute-and-cuddly mythical prey. After a short trip into town and a humorous run-in with Toru's unemotional and hyperviolent sister, Chaika finally reveals her quest to the Acura siblings: the retrieval of a highly sought after magical artifact from the home of a local war hero-turned-aristocrat. Things head in an interesting direction from there, as the mark for the heist seems to be expecting unwanted visitors.

Hitsugi no Chaika is spinning an interesting thread so far, with intriguing characters and hidden plots aplenty. Keep an eye on this one if you like your fantasy violence mixed with a bit of mystery and intrigue.

Spring Anime 2014 (Part 3)

Title: Black Bullet
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Studio: Kinema Citrus
Genre: Action/Adventure, Sci Fi, Comedy
Premise: Based on the popular manga by Shiden Kanzaki. It has been 10 years since the Gastrea first attacked humanity. Now, mankind fights back with pairs of Initiators, girls born with Gastrea DNA, and Promoters, agents tasked with watching and handling their Initiators. A young Promoter, Rentaro Satomi, and his Initiator, Enju Aihara, face off with a mysterious man who vows to destroy the world.

Verdict: Hyperviolent prepubescent girls haven't looked this good since Gunslinger Girl. There's something to be said about Japan's obsession with cute-as-a-button moeblobs who can utterly destroy opponents several times bigger than them. That's a subject for another post, however. Despite the use of such a tired character archetype, Black Bullet is aiming to please with a heady mix of mystery and sci fi action.

Things get rolling quickly with a brief prologue segment; a young Rentaro witnesses the beginning of the Gastrea invasion, watching in terror as a hideous creature falls from the skies. The show then jumps ahead 10 years, catching up with a grown-up Rentaro who lives as a Promoter. His day-to-day consists of hunting the Gastrea, giant monsters that infect and transform any person they touch, with his overly affectionate (and jealous) Initiator partner, Enju.

Rentaro is in the middle of investigating a Gastrea attack when he encounters a strange masked man who vows to destroy the world. Although he fights valiantly, Rentaro is hardly able to put a scratch on the guy, who proceeds to jump out of window and vanish. The rest of the episode is devoted to exposition and introducing secondary characters, including Rentaro's fiery boss at the civil security agency, Kisara Tendo.

The pilot serves as a simple introduction to Rentaro's world, and leave plenty of questions to be answered. Who is the man in the mask? What is the secret behind Initiators, born with Gastrea DNA but unaffected by it? Will Enju ever stop trying to jump Rentaro's bones? Even with a short track record, fledgling studio Kinema Citrus has done a solid adaptation job so far.

Spring Anime 2014 (Part 2)

Title: Soul Eater Not!
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Studio: Bones
Genre: Supernatural, Action, Comedy
Premise: This series returns to the halls of Shibusen's weapon meister academy with a new central trio of heroes: Tsugumi Harudori, Anya Hepburn and Meme Tatane.

Verdict: I have a general rule about not reviewing sequels or second seasons of established series, but spin-offs provide a nice loophole. Although set in a familiar universe, they give audiences a chance to experience a brand-new story or revisit past events from a new perspective. Set before the events of the original series, Soul Eater Not follows Tsugumi Harudori, a first-year Shibusen weapon with the ability to become a halberd.

When her weapon abilities manifest during an accident in her apartment, Tsugumi decides to hop on a plane to America, beginning studies at Shibusen. Joining her are a pair of first-year meisters: air-headed Meme Tatane and aloof rich girl Anya Hepburn. Together, the trio of female leads tackle their first day of classes - attending orientation, picking weapon/meister partners and even battling a few unruly classmates.

There are a few pleasant cameos by regulars from the original series, but it's doubtful that they will turn up again if the show plans to spin a separate narrative.

The gang's all here! ... But only for five seconds at a time!

Although the faces are new, Studio Bones' A-list production talent is instantly recognizable. Director Masakazu Hashimoto appears comfortable at the helm, deftly handling the emotional beats of the three female leads. Even after four years, Shibusen still feels like a lot of fun.

Spring Anime 2014 (Part 1)

Title: Selector Infected Wixoss
Release Date: April 3, 2014
Studio: J.C. Staff
Genre: Supernatural, School Life, Card Battle
Premise: Ruko Kominato is having trouble making friends at her new school. Everything changes when she becomes a Selector, a special type of girl who can gain power by winning battles in Wixoss (read: we-cross), a popular card game.

Verdict: If there's one thing anime has taught me, it's that the fate of the world is often decided by children's card games. This series looks like it's going to take this principle and run with it, adding a dash of Puella Magi Madoka Magica's gritty edginess along the way. The dark mood is established early, as two black silhouettes engage in a battle to the death before the opening credits roll. We are then introduced to Ruko, affectionately called Ru-chan by her grandmother, a shy but likable high school student who shares an apartment with her grandmother and older brother.

Ruko is introduced to the world of Wixoss quite quickly when her grandmother buys her a starter pack, hoping it will help her make friends. Oddly enough, the first friend Ruko makes is one of her cards. It is eventually explained that certain Wixoss cards possess sentient avatars with wills of their own; when these cards, called RLIGs, find their way to the right owner, that person becomes a Selector. Selectors who win card battle obtain more power and come closer to being named the "Eternal," a Selector who is able to become her idealized self and have any wish granted. However, if a Selector loses three battles, she is stripped of all power and banished from the world of Wixoss forever.

There are plenty of talented names involved with this project and it shows. J.C. Staff's top-caliber animation skills are on display again. Tama does battle with other RLIGs in a mesmerizing alternate dimension, and a haunting dream sequence in the middle of the episode should provide plenty of (gorgeous-looking) nightmare fuel for younger viewers. Wixoss is directer Takuya Sato's first project in three years, but considering his last work was 2011's spellbinding Stein's; Gate, the series is in good hands. Add in the tight scripts of prolific anime scribe Mari Okada (Nagi no Asukara, Blast of Tempest), and this could shape up to be a must-watch.