Last part of the mid season reviews. I’ve got four good ones in here. Originally this was going to be split in two, but I like all of these shows too much to split them up.
Death Note
Without knowing a ton about this show, aside from the obvious hype it had before it aired, I’ve really been surprised with almost every episode. All around, it’s a solid show that I never would have thought jumped off the pages of Shounen Jump. I also now hold my cell phone all goofy, and I sit like a frog, and I bite my nails, and I have the sudden urge to play tennis. Oh shi- I’m not that smart. Oh well.
Sumomomo Momomo
This show is so funny, it makes me smile with delight every episode. Putting aside the chauvinistic nature of the reason that Sumomo is out to bed Koushi, her attempts at love are a riot. Add to that the “I want to be rocked senseless” Iroha, and the “I wish I was normal, and not a dominatrix martial arts master” Sanae, and you’ve got a recipe for harem goodness. I don’t care much for the rest of the characters in the show, but the girls more than make up for it. The plot of the 12 sided war is also not really fleshed out as far as the fansubs have gotten, but I don’t care. Funniest show of the season, at least out of what I’m watching…how many comedies am I watching? I might be a little biased, but it’s alright. The show’s animation is also pretty decent with just the right sprinkling of fanservice. Uma Kamen is a bit higher with the service, but that’s alright.
Now on to my two favorite shows this season:
Asatte no Houko
This is a slice of life show. By default, I will likely rate this show highly. I love it. Really love it. One of my favorite things about slice of life shows is the attention to detail of the whole of the production. Character designs are well detailed, backgrounds usually look like someone loved a canvas thoroughly, and stories are simple and easy to follow. After a long day at work, losing myself in someone else’s life is a grand prospect that I can’t wait to do. Asatte no Houko is no exception. What usually suffers in these types of anime is the animation itself. Movement is a little choppy in places, but it’s not so bothersome when you’re engrossed in the story. With Karada and Shouko switching places as they did, it lends itself to a wonderful story of a little girl that has to grow up in a hurry. From learning how to use a bank to dealing with the crushed feelings of the girl left behind, it’s an experience that’s believable even if she didn’t suddenly become a 20 something. Asatte no Houko is one of the finer examples of this genre. Highly recommended if you enjoy slice of life with a dash of drama.
Kanon (2006)
This show ties with Asatte no Houko with my favorite show of the season. Between Kyoto Animation, Key’s tug-at-my-heartstrings storytelling, and the gorgeous production values, you have a clear front runner on almost any list. I’ve said before, numerous times, that the 2002 TOEI version of this show didn’t do it for me, and like Yuuichi, I forgot almost everything about it. So like him, I remember more and more of the comings and goings of this story every week I watch it. Because of this, I feel connected to Yuuichi more than I thought I would. What has surprised me is that I’m laughing a lot more than I thought I would, and that I’m enjoying this much more than I expected to. As fun as dramas can be, they’re still drama and they can get saddled in a ton of muck. I’m happy to see that the slower pacing of the show, combined with the production design has lended itself well to this remake. With one sad story completed, I look forward to the rest of the resolutions as they come.