Summer 2014 – Season Preview

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Clik here to view.The Summer 2014 anime season is already upon us! With no time to spare due to all the thrilling and sensational anime that are already out or going to air soon, this Summer 2014 Season Preview will provide a glimpse of what I have planned for the season and some of my initial expectations for all the new shows and sequels this season. So what exactly am I looking forward to the most for the next three months? Let’s find out!

Let’s start the season preview off with some of the more familiar names returning to Japanese televisions this summer. The number of sequels, retellings and other extensions of existing anime franchises this season is quite substantial but most of the attention is being devoted to some of the big names that are starting up again. The list of continuations for Summer 2014 are: Ai Mai Mi: Mousou Catastrophe, Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Crystal, Fate/kaleid Liner Prisma Illya 2wei!, Free! Eternal Summer, Kuroshitsuji Circus Hen, Persona 4 The Golden Animation, Pri Para, Re:_Hamatora, Sengoku Barasa Judge End, Shin Strange+, Space Dandy Second Season, Sword Art Online II, and Yama no Susume: Second Season. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately for some), I haven’t watched the original shows from these anime franchises, so I am not in a position to provide accurate information and predictions on each one, especially the shows I haven’t watched. As always, I’ll skip over the anime that I know nothing about because you probably already know what you’ll be watching and there are better resources out there for those franchises. So instead, in the section below, I’ll be providing my input to the shows that I am familiar with and can provide some explanation as to why I’m planning on continuing them. (Note: I am not including Monogatari Series Second Season: Hanamonogatari here because it is not a traditional TV anime; it is starting in mid-August and only spans half the season. I will watch it for sure when it comes out, though.)

The order of anime listed below is neither chronological nor alphabetic but ranked in order of my personal anticipation and how likely I believe I will watch that anime this season. Every anime is evaluated and placed into one of five tiers ordered: Will watch, Likely watch, Maybe watch, Doubtful but it gets a shot, and No dice. Within each tier, the anime are listed alphabetically. Dates are not included because who knows when and where these shows will be subbed and available to watch (which really is the most important!). So with that explanation and introduction, here is my preview for Summer 2014:

Ai Mai Mi: Mousou Catastrophe

Opinion: Ai Mai Mi isn’t the most memorable of the rapidly expanding field of 3-minute long comedy anime, but the original series was certainly a success, providing hearty laughs on a range of silly topics. Expect more of the same with a second season of Ai Mai Mi, an anime that provides its value through a series of rapid-fire jokes at the expense of its cast of four overly-enthusiastic and bizarre girls and the wild world they live in.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Persona 4 The Golden Animation

Opinion: Persona 4 is returning as an anime this season, though this time it will be based off the PS Vita re-release of Persona 4 titled, Persona 4 The Golden. And since this anime is technically based on the re-release of the Persona 4 game, it might not be a sequel in the traditional sense since the anime will cover most of the material that was present in Persona 4 The Animation. However, I’m not sure how much the new series will cover of the original Persona 4 story, so I’m placing it here with the other continuations and figure that most watching this will already be familiar with the original anime or the video game. I’m not sure what will be new with this season of Persona 4, but with a new character and new storylines, there will be plenty of different material for fans of the franchise to enjoy. The original anime suffered when its art director quit AIC and the quality dropped noticeably, so it will be interesting to see how A-1 depicts this adventure. Even if it were the same anime as before, I think watching it interpreted and produced by a different studio is reason enough to give this anime a chance. That and Persona 4 was an outstanding anime back in 2011-2012, one of my favorites of those years, so I won’t mind reliving it all over again this summer.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Space Dandy Second Season

Opinion: Airing back in January 2014, Space Dandy returns for its second half this summer with a similar style, personality and flavor that made it a favorite from this winter. However, with a lengthy pause between first cour and second cour, I’ll expect there to be some improvements in the series given that the staff and studio had some time to reflect on the first season and access what they’ll want to do different with the remaining episodes. Even if nothing changes, Space Dandy will be among the top anime of this season like it was for the winter. However, I am looking for improvement in the series this season and for this half to build off the first half and to reach new peaks. No doubt, I will be picking up Dandy again for another dose of zany space adventures.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Yama no Susume: Second Season

Opinion: The original Yama no Susume was a pleasant and charming 3-minute per episode anime that explained and explored the world of hiking, climbing, camping and mountaineering through the eyes of a shy teenage girl, Aoi, and her extrovert childhood friend, Hinata. This new season, however, will expand each episode to 15 minutes and run for a total of 24 episodes, thus making this season 10 times longer than the first one (360 minutes versus 36 minutes). The 3-minute episode formula worked for the first season of Yama no Susume, so the change in episode and season length will have a substancial impact on each subject, each story and how the characters are able to grow. The series will need to adapt to these longer episodes, but with longer episodes, the series will be able to provide depth where it couldn’t before and complete stories in a timely manner, such as completing a mountain in one episode rather than splitting them between several episodes. And unlike before, there’s now a new opportunity to expand on the characters (Aoi’s shy personality) and plot (Aoi’s and Hinata’s friendship and challenges), so this season should be more meaningful and expressive than before. However, I do wonder if the series will retain that enchantment and charisma that made it one of my favorite short anime. I’m thrilled to see we’re getting 10 times the material as before, but I’m curious about how this will affect the quality and value of the anime. Hopefully these fears evaporate before the first episode is over.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Crystal

Opinion: The original Sailor Moon aired in Japan back in 1992 and was brought over to the United States in the mid-90s. It was then when I found myself watching anime regularly for the first time, and I still have fond memories of Sailor Moon whenever I think of it or think back to that era. However, as you might imagine, my tastes in anime have matured and developed over the decades and, though I enjoyed Sailor Moon as a kid, I’m not sure I’ll enjoy it again as an adult. It’ll be fascinating to see how the new series differs from the old, not just in animation style and voices, but in society and technology. I’ll be certain to give the first few episodes of the new series a try, but I’m not sure if I’ll be up for watching the whole series; there’s just something about the art style that puts me off. However, like any show with a unique art style, I figure it’s something that’ll need an episode or two to adjust to. Nevertheless, I’m happy to see a continuation of the Sailor Moon franchise in this era and will be giving the new anime series a chance.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Sword Art Online II

Opinion: Sword Art Online is really a tale of two anime for me. One on half, you have a gorgeous anime with breathtaking scenery, an innovative and imaginative setting, and a soundtrack to remember. That part of Sword Art Online I liked and liked quite a bit. The other half, however, was frustrating and bothersome. The stories was abject and narcissistic, the characterization was unsophisticated and straightforward, and there were no genuine maturity or challenges for Kirito. Everything related to the story and characters was both simple and stupid with the solution to everything being ‘I’m Kirito and I’m going to solve this, and now I just solved it’. The entire first season was split between those two halves with part of me loving it and part of me hating it. I figure there will be more of the same for me this season with part of me enjoying the sequel and part of me detesting it. I’m willing to give the second season of SAO a chance, especially since it will be set in a new gaming world, and there’s always the opportunity for the anime to try something different to see if it improves. And even if it doesn’t and goes back to the same formula as the original series, the anime will still be watchable. The real question for Sword Art Online II, though, will it be enjoyable?

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Fate/kaleid Liner Prisma Illya 2wei!

Opinion: The first season of Illya started out strong, quickly descended into mediocrity in the middle, and then hit rock-bottom in the final episodes. The OVA that came out after redefined rock-bottom for the anime with its terrible, terrible buruma/dancing episode, and at that point, I was ready to be done with this series. However, watching the PV again and reading up on the new series has sparked a small interest again in this series, and I’m willing to give the second season an episode or two just to see if it’s worthwhile. I really didn’t find myself enjoying the end of the original and I figure the sequel will just continue going downhill from where it left off. If not, then maybe I’ll reconsider picking up the series again, but for now, I think I’ll pass on Illya this time.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Re:_Hamatora

Opinion: The original Hamatora was bad. The series felt pretentious, the story was a patchwork of anime clichés, and the comedy was woefully unfunny. The cast of characters was a mixed bag with some being great (Honey, Ratio) and others being pathetic (Nice, Moral). Fortunately for me, it seems as though Nice and Moral are absent from this season, at least for the time being, so maybe the series is trying to rectify its mistakes and put together something more tolerable or maybe even fun. Whatever the reason and whatever the result, I am kinda interested in this new season though I know it’s against my better judgment after being disappointed with the first season. However, with Nice and Moral gone, maybe the dynamic of the series will improve enough for me to enjoy the series again. I guess after one or two episodes, I’ll know whether I’ll be watching Hamatora again or dropping it for good.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

The next section of the preview contains all the new franchises that are starting up in Summer 2014. After reviewing and researching all the shows, I am rather surprised at how massive this season is in terms of total shows, especially for a summer which is traditionally one of the lighter seasons of the year. Additionally, there are quite a few anime that have a lot of potential, too, making this easily the most attractive season of 2014 in terms of previews. However, what really matters is how these anime perform for the next three months and that will dictate if this season is truly better than the rest. As for the shows I’m planning on watching this season, here is my season preview:

Aldnoah.Zero

Opinion: Perhaps the highlight of Aldnoah.Zero, at least for me, is the names behind this new anime project, specifically director Ei Aoki (Fate/Zero, Wandering Son), creator Gen Urobuchi (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero, Psycho-Pass), series composition Katsuhiko Takayama (ef: a tale of memories, Mirai Nikki, Tasogare Otome x Amnesia) and music by Hiroyuki Sawano (Guilty Crown, Shingeki no Kyojin, KILL la KILL). That all-star production team is reason enough for me to get overly excited over this anime… but there’s more. The plot of this anime revolves around a Martian invasion of Earth by fearsome mecha, so a sci-fi setting that promises action, drama and hopefully psychological torture. The art style and character design seems pleasant, though slightly plain. The PV showcases quite of bit of energy and excitement, so the anime should be lively, though I do expect there to be dialogue-heavy scenes later on. I’m really curious to see what this anime is about, especially since Urobuchi’s name is synonymous with top-tier anime these days. It’ll be interesting to see how this anime competes and compares to the other top anime of Summer 2014.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Zankyou no Terror

Opinion: Given the track record of Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Sakamichi no Apollon, Space Dandy), the man who will be directing this physiological terror-themed thriller, you can already chalk up Zankyou no Terror as another anime marvel. Everything he’s worked on has been phenomenal; a catalogue of his competence, talent and vision as a director on a diversity of anime projects. Zankyou no Terror appears to be his most serious and somber anime yet, given its themes of death, destruction and chaos, so it’ll be stimulating to see how this style contrasts his other work, especially his other anime this summer, Space Dandy. The aspects of this anime beyond Shinichiro Watanabe also give this anime promise. Based on the animation and art style shown in the PV above, the production values are astonishing, which is fitting as this is a noitminA anime. We don’t know much of the story or characters at this point, but the mysterious and secretive vibe thus far bodes well for an anime of these themes and this nature. As such, we can expect this to be one of the premier anime of the season. There is no doubt that I’ll watch Zankyou no Terror this season.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Akame ga Kill!

Opinion: Akame ga Kill! looks to be one of the stronger anime of Summer 2014 based on its entertainment potential alone. I wouldn’t mind watching Akame ga Kill! for its excitement and action, especially if the anime is as dynamic and exhilarating as its PV foreshadows, but I am hoping for some depth and technical detail to complete the other half. If there’s some decent characterization and coherent story development, then that might be enough for this to be one of the top anime of the season. I’m already intrigued by the fantasy setting and happy with the character designs and the quality of the battle animation shown in the PV. Tatsumi’s determination to right the world of its corruption and inequality makes him attractive as a protagonist, but hopefully the anime isn’t too idealistic or heavy in its moral justice, especially if the antagonist are cartoonishly evil villains. I won’t mind it if it’s played out as straightforward heroism or even if it’s comedic, but the main issue I think I’ll have with this anime is if it takes itself too seriously. Otherwise, I don’t really have any issues with this anime and am looking forward to it this summer.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Glasslip

Opinion: Glasslip appears to be a somewhat standard PA Works anime, a simple, tranquil slice-of-life anime that’s heavy on friendship with subtle hints of romance. The atmosphere of this anime is both serene and soothing, a mood that’s sure to make this anime enjoyable while giving it a certain charming aura. I don’t expect much in the way of drama or conflict in this show nor do I expect there to be any fantasy elements or magic to take away from the realism of these characters and their relationship. Instead, it looks to be a group of fairly normal kids in a seaside town in Japan just living their lives together. I might be wrong about this but it seems to be something along those lines at this point. And though that might sound boring to some, it really appeals to me this season. A slice-of-life anime that’s grounded in reality really needs a strong cast of characters and the right type of mood, and Glasslip appears to have both elements. If I’m wrong and this turns out to be another fantasy/magic slice-of-life, then the anime will need some wit and quality humor to go along with a strong set of characters. And Glasslip might have that too, though that wit and humor are derivative of the writing and that aspect remains to be seen. Whatever type of slife anime it ends up being, it looks as though Glasslip will be worthwhile to pick up, relax with and enjoy watching.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Hanayamata

Opinion: The central element to Hanayamata is yosakoi dancing, a subject I haven’t really encountered all that much in anime. Couple that with a fated meeting between Naru, a normal highschool girl who likes fairy tales, and Hannah, an American transfer student who claims to be a fairy, and you have one of the more original and innovative stories of this anime season. Yosakoi dancing is a style of traditional Japanese dance that’s up-tempo, energetic and full of movement and emotion. What this translates to, at least for an anime, are many scenes with graceful animation and gorgeous art work, two things that I am sure to adore in Hanayamata. The fantasy elements, or at least the fairy tale and fairy parts, are sure to add a distinct flavor to this anime too, and one that should contrast nicely with the yosakoi dance. I’m not sure how heavy the fantasy elements will be but after a glimpse of the manga, I can say that it will certainly be enough to influence the anime to a substantial degree. I’m not sure too sure about the other aspects of the anime, like the story or the characters, but it looks like Hanayamata is one of the more noteworthy anime this season, based on this interesting combination of yosakoi dance and fairy tales.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Himegoto

Opinion: Although comedy is my favorite genre of anime, I’m a little skeptical of Himegoto. After reading a few chapters of the manga, I came away largely unimpressed with the humor and jokes. It’s not that it’s bad but just stuff I’ve seen before. Most comedies that are centered on otokonoko/traps/crossdressing characters have very similar jokes and, after watching/reading a number of comedies with traps, I found all the jokes in Himegoto to be similar to the ones I’ve heard/seen before. Still, the anime possesses a number of qualities that make it worth watching this season. Each episode is 5 minutes long, so the episodes will feature cute scenes, quick jokes and won’t drag on too long to the point where it becomes redundant or boring. The characters are wacky and ridiculous, with Hime being the tsukkomi (straight man) for most jokes, and together, they had great chemistry, especially when the 4 other traps (as you can probably guess, most of the jokes are related to crossdressing) started appearing. The anime will be ecchi (all otokonoko comedies are ecchi), as you can tell from the pantyshots in the PV, but that has never stopped me from picking up an anime before, even if it’s a guy wearing the panties. Himegoto might not be the funniest anime of the season and it’s likely to be far from the best, but it should provide cute scenes and genuine laughs at the very least. And that alone is reason enough for me to pick this anime up.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Majimoji Rurumo

Opinion: Like Himegoto above, Majimoji Rurumo appears to be another comedy anime with some ecchi elements. However, unlike Himegoto, Majimoji Rurumo appears to have a real story and one that might turn out to be heavy. Still, the anime looks to be a fun comedy with a magical witch as the heroine and a pervert male as the lead. It might not be the most original anime out there and I’m not expecting much more than shallow character develop and a thin story, but the anime should provide some good laughs and high entertainment value for what it appears to be. The art and animation appear to be quite pleasant, and the character design is normal except for the witch’s giant hat which is pretty awesome. I’m mainly curious about how the characters and the story will develop but what will dictate whether I watch this anime is how good the comedy is and whether I am enjoying this anime or not. It’s kinda sad to think that the characters and story are secondary to those elements but that’s how I feel about Majimoji Rurumo right now.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Rail Wars!

Opinion: Rail Wars! is a rather silly concept for an anime. The series is set in an alternate world where the only difference is Japan didn’t nationalize its rail system. That’s the only difference. And as trivial as that sounds, it leads to the created of different rail lines having security forces that protect their trains from various threats. Yeah, that’s what Rail Wars is. And as senseless as the anime seems, it sounds like it might be pretty fun. If the anime doesn’t take itself serious and the show is outrageous, then it might be pretty fun. It around sounds like the characters are slightly eccentric, so that bodes well for the hilarity and amusement. If the anime decided to be serious, then that poses the threat that it might get boring quickly, unless there are a lot of action sequences on the trains. The art and animation from the PV are pretty standard, so nothing wrong there besides being rather commonplace. So for now, it’ll get a few episodes.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?

Opinion: Shin Oonuma (ef: a tale of memories, Tasogare Otome x Amnesia, Watamote) is my favorite director, and I’m willing to give every anime he’s on a chance. It doesn’t mean that I’ll watch everything he produces, but I’ve always admired his vision for projects and how he is able to take ordinary or mediocre material and turn them into remarkable and distinguished anime. His utilization of cinematography, lighting and color bring the visuals of his shows to life and he’s able to improve upon the storytelling of the original material to have a significant impact on the anime, such as the first episode of Tasogare Otome x Amnesia or several episodes of Watamote. However, Rokujouma no Shiryakusha!? doesn’t seem all that special from the PV alone – in fact, it looks rather pedestrian at this point. But still, I’m confident that Shin Oonuma will leave his mark on this anime, making it another visual delight. The story and characters don’t seem too special at this point either. In fact, it seems like a Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin clone depicting the life of a normal high school boy in a small apartment with a ghost girl, though this one seems to be centered on his hijinks with these girls in this apartment than anything else. It looks to be another run-of-the-mill romantic comedy anime, but I’m interested to see what Shin Oonuma will do this time. And if the anime turns out to be pretty plain or average, I won’t mind dropping this like I did with his last anime, Nourin.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Tokyo ESP

Opinion: The information I’ve seen on Tokyo ESP doesn’t provide much detail, especially with the promotional videos being short and the synopsis being rather vague. And it would help if I didn’t keep typing out “ESPN” instead of ESP. But still, what little material I’ve been able to find on this anime has me intrigued enough where I think I’ll likely end up keeping the anime this season. The sci-fi setting, with a focus on distinctive superhuman powers, is a style I’m usually fond of, and special physic powers always comes with fighting or action or something along those lines, so those bode well for me. The anime appears to be pretty serious and realistic, at least from the synopsis, the PV and the character designs, so that might be a positive or a negative depending on the stories, the characters and how everything fits together. It might take an episode or two to get me into this story, and if I do, then I’ll be interested to see how Tokyo ESPN performs this season. If, after a few episodes, I don’t feel it, then I don’t think I’ll hesitate in dropping Tokyo ESP.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Ao Haru Ride

Opinion: Whereas I am fond of shoujo romantic comedies, I usually despise shoujo romances. And though Ao Haru Ride carries the label ‘comedy’, the PV doesn’t seem to show the anime in a humorous tone. Instead, the anime seems pretty somber and heavy with a strict emphasis on the romance and Futuba reevaluating her life. This isn’t the style I’m looking for this season, but the anime does feature quality production values and the story does have the potential to be interesting and meaningful. I’m willing to give the anime an episode, but I don’t think it’ll be one that I’ll keep this season.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Barakamon

Opinion: Unlike the comedies listed above, the humor in Barakamon turns me off of the anime. The PV features a few jokes but the gag is always the same. The only punchline this anime seems to have is to have the main character, Handa, have some grandiose overreaction of some trivial aspect of his new rural lifestyle or something related to the unusual characters that now live beside him. I don’t mind humor like that in gag anime when the reaction is sometimes warranted, but the jokes are a kid playing hide-and-go-seek, a squirrel jumping on him and some pots on the ground. Yeah, no, zealous overreactions as a form of humor or stupid or simple things is a negative for me… and using it as the only form of humor is a deal-breaker. Hopefully, I am wrong about this anime using this as its only punchline and that the anime features some legitimate humor. Otherwise, it’s getting dropped without a second thought.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Sabagebu!

Opinion: Unfortunately for Sabagebu!, I’ve already watched Stella Jogakuin Koutou-ka C3-bu which is another anime that focused on an all-girl survival game club. However, this could also be a positive for Sabagebu! as C3-bu was one of my favorite anime of 2013 and that I wouldn’t mind seeing something similar to it, though with a slightly wackier setting. Still, I don’t see how I can watch this anime without thinking about and comparing it to C3-bu considering how similar the two shows are. Hopefully Sabagebu! will quickly develop its own distinctive elements and differ enough in style to distinguish the two from each other. If Sabagebu! can do that, then I might end up keeping it if it turns out to be fun and entertaining. If not, then I don’t know if Sabagebu! will ever emerge from C3-bu’s shadow. And if that happens, I don’t have enough confidence in Sabagebu! to be nearly as decent as C3-bu, especially with how well Yura’s character was handled and how she influenced the characters around her and dictated the story. An episode or two of Sabagebu! should be enough to decide whether it’s enough different from C3-bu or not, which in turn, will probably be how I decide if I’ll watch this or not.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance

Opinion: Blade Dance can be summarized as an ecchi harem romantic comedy where some ordinary, perverted highschool boy becomes the first ever dude to have super magic spirit powers and transfers to a fantasy, all-girls school. Yeah… it… it doesn’t sound good at all. Ecchi harem romantic comedies are typically pretty cheap when it comes to production quality and have lackluster, one-dimensional characters (and that dimension is usually boobs) and pretty awful stories… that is, if they even have a story. The main reason they exist is for entertainment purposes, and I never find these shows amusing in any way, especially since it is all misunderstandings, sexually suggestive situations and the girls hitting the guy so hard they fly across the universe, especially for making a flat chest joke or seeing the girl naked. I’m praying that Blade Dance isn’t one of those anime and that it will have some value to it, but I really doubt it at this point. I’ll give it an episode to see if there’s anything sensible in this anime but I’m probably going to drop it right after, if I can make it through the first episode.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Shirogane no Ishi Argevollen

Opinion: Argevollen might end up being a decent anime but, right now, it seems to be stiff. It’s just very rigid, structured and this ultimately makes it boring. Sure, it’s a military anime where the two sides are fighting a war with giant mecha, but there doesn’t seem to be any personality or emotion to it. It’s just kinda there and these soldiers are doing what they’re doing. Without the slightest hint of comedy or any other entertaining elements (like super giant robots flying through the sky firing laser cannons), the anime seems rather hard, realisitic and pragmatic… which might make it good but it might make it long and tedious, too. The art and animation seem to be slightly subpar for an average anime but the 3D models for the mecha look great, though we only have a few battle clips to judge. I think the anime should be given an episode to see if it’s boring or not but I fear that Argevollen’s weakness is that it will be too strict, too stiff and tiresome before too long.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Tokyo Ghoul

Opinion: Tokyo Ghoul has an impressive PV, an intense display full of enthusiasm, fighting and horror elements. The production values for this anime are high, meaning we should expect more of this beautiful art work throughout. The reason why this anime is placed so low on this list is that I often don’t find myself too happy with horror or gory anime. That doesn’t mean I won’t give it a chance but the horror elements in an anime need to be perfect for me to really enjoy it. It seems like Tokyo Ghoul has some of those elements, though I’ll need to watch an episode or two to see if it’s a series I’m willing to keep. If not, and the horror elements turn me off, then it won’t feel like a loss for me.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

The first two sections reveal the lists of anime that I am planning on watching before the season starts. Now, all that remains are the anime that I have already decided against. The reason why these anime are slotted here is because they either appear to already be flawed, boring, or simply outside my demographic. While these anime may in fact be watchable to some, they do not appear that way for me. I doubt I’ll watch any more than the PV linked in their sections. However, there’s always a chance for me to pick one or two up every season, so not all hope is lost for these shows. However, for most of them, there’s already zero chance I’ll even think about them after writing my opinions for each.

Bakumatsu Rock

Opinion: I’ve never been a fan of male music anime and don’t plan on becoming one now. Placing it in the Sengoku era certainly doesn’t help either.