Midterm Grades: Spring 2007

It's time to dish out a preliminary assessment of the anime I picked up from the spring 2007 season. I've decided to go with a letter grade system for a report card sort of feel. If you're not sure what the grades imply, you'll find more info here.


Darker Than Black

Episodes so far: 12

Premise in terms of other anime: Darker Than Black = (Scryed + Cowboy Bebop) / 2

Motivation for watching: The title sounded pretty cool.

Good call: Somebody dies in every episode.

Bad call: Artificial racial diversity. Why are most of the people running around Japan either Chinese, White, Black, or Indian?

Notable checklist inclusions: Graphic violence, supernatural power, random cat

Tragic checklist exclusions: Lesbians, dinosaurs

I want more: Girl with the grey hair. She seems useful but hasn't gotten much screen time.

I want less: Annoying unexplained terminology.

Best character: Hei

Please kill off: The ice guy, unless he ever says "Let's kick some ice", in which case he'd be "cool".

Does loving this show make you a pedophile: No

Bold Prediction: Hei dies.

Projected Trend: The show should get better with every episode.

Other Thoughts: If Pizza Hut can survive both the Britannian invasion and the post-apocalyptic future, then Italian Village Pizza must be God.

Midterm Grade: B+


Claymore

Episodes so far: 13

Premise in terms of other anime: Think Berserk, except every warrior is a blonde chick

Motivation for watching: I'd recently finished watching Simoun, and Claymore just happened to have a one word western-sounding title. Seriously. I picked up the show on little more than a whim, and it payed off big time.

Good call: Silver eyes.

Bad call: Raki being useless.

Notable checklist inclusions: Graphic Violence, Themes of Hatred/Suffering/Revenge, List of progressively revealed elements

Tragic checklist exclusions: Time travel, Pimp in a white suit

I want more: Simultaneous subplots

I want less: Raki being a little crybaby bitch

Best character: Teresa of the Faint Smile

Please kill off: Ophelia

Does loving this show make you a pedophile: No

Bold Prediction: Raki will become useful.

Projected Trend: Claymore will definitely be one of my all-time favorite action animes.

Other Thoughts: Can a Claymore's nude body really look that bad?

Midterm Grade: A


Idolm@ster Xenoglossia

Episodes so far: 11

Premise in terms of other anime: Idolm@aster Xenoglossia = (Gundam + Negima) / 2

Motivation for watching: Makoto fanart

Good call: Using penguins the same way I'd use dinosaurs.

Bad call: Robots with feelings.

Notable checklist inclusions: Comical Victimization, Giant Robots, Soft-spoken girl voiced by Mamiko Noto

Tragic checklist exclusions: Hilarious ambiguously gay dude, Failed confessions

I want more: Sleepy girl, cosplay girl, and that nurse who looks like Shizuru.




I want less: Forehead girl.

Best character: Makoto

Please kill off: The lollipop girl

Does loving this show make you a pedophile: Maybe

Bold Prediction: Makoto will acknowledge that robots have feelings.

Projected Trend: It's a decent show, and it'll probably stay that way.

Other Thoughts: Why is there always an extended delay before any girl realizes she's naked and/or caught in a compromising position?





Midterm Grade: B (Honestly, it's not bad)


El Cazador de la Bruja

Episodes so far: 13

Premise in terms of other anime: El Cazador de la Bruja = Noir � Europe + Mexico � 5 years off everybody's age

Motivation for watching: Soundtrack by Yuki Kajiura

Good call: Intro by Savage Genius

Bad call: Too much filler at the beginning of the series

Notable checklist inclusions: Soundtrack by Yuki Kajiura

Tragic checklist exclusions: Stylish visual effects

I want more: Ellis going berserk

I want less: That damn taco song

Best character: The secretary with the split personality

Please kill off: The blonde boy with the camcorder

Does loving this show make you a pedophile: Yes

Bold Prediction: Nadie and Ellis survive, the blonde boy dies

Projected Trend: Steadily uphill, levelling off once the final arc hits full swing.

Other Thoughts: All the characters seem younger than their Noir counterparts, and the themes are less mature. Is the target audience supposed to be younger too?

Midterm Grade: B-


Lucky Star

Episodes so far: 12

Premise in terms of other anime: Azumanga Daioh for hardcore otakus

Motivation for watching: The greatest intro ever

Good call: The karaoke ending sequences

Bad call: Changing directors for no reason

Notable checklist inclusions: Catchy dance sequence, comical victimization, stylish visual effects

Tragic checklist exclusions: Themes of Hatred/Suffering/Revenge, Alternate universe filler

I want more: "Haha" jokes

I want less: "I get it" jokes

Best character: Konata

Please kill off: Akira (although hating her sets up some sweet moments in episode 12)

Does loving this show make you a pedophile: Yes

Bold Prediction: No character ever gets a boyfriend

Projected Trend: Absolutely no clue. Some episodes are strong, some bore me to death.

Other Thoughts: I barely get half of the reference-based jokes. I have so much to learn...

Midterm Grade: B-



Pizza Hut survived 2163 doomsday scenarios