So we’re up to ~episode six in most series, which is the halfway point for the Fall season (though not necessarily the halfway point for each show). I figured I’d check in and talk about where I am with each show these days.

• Bamboo Blade: Miya-Miya owns the ass of every female character this season, hands down. Then again, it’s not like she’s up against a lot of competition. Status: Watching regularly.
• Blue Drop: The pacing is sooo slow, it took until episode three or four for anything to actually happen. But the promise of lesbians keeps me going. Status: Watching regularly.
• Clannad: I maintain that this show would be so much better if they would just ditch Nagisa entirely. Beyond that, I’m liking it better than I expected to. I do still wish that anyone looked somewhat close to how old they actually are / sound…but eh. Status: Watching regularly.
• Dragonaut: The Resonance: I can’t explain why I keep watching this show. I’m not really fond of the art style, the plot is pretty mediocre…and yet, I keep watching. I blame the boobies. Status: Watching regularly.
• Genshiken 2: Ogiue’s Sasahara x Madarama FTW. That is all. Status: Watching regularly.
• Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun: GOOO REIKA! GO GO GO! Mayu’s cute, but boring. Status: Watching regularly.
• Jyuushin Enbu: Story-wise it’s gotten better, but the art and animation are still incredibly mediocre compared to FMA, and the characters aren’t as cool either. Status: Watching every so-often.
• Kaiji: I’m interested in seeing where this goes, but running out of space on my anime plate for watching it. Status: Dropped for watching later.
• Kidou Senshi Gundam 00: Major improvements in terms of developing characters, but I think I still like the ending theme better than anything else about the show. Status: Watching regularly.
• KimiKiss: I like this show, and I think it’s because it’s a dating sim but not one that focuses on one guy and a dozen girls, but rather a group of friends (male and female) and their love lives. Status: Watching regularly.
• Kodomo no Jikan: Epic yet uncomfortable win. But I’ve ranted about this show being undervalued as mere pedo fodder enough, so suffice to say Status: Watching regularly.
• Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro: I would totally be watching this show IF ANYONE WOULD FREAKIN’ SUB IT. I’ve actually already seen people cosplay from the manga, and yet no one will sub the anime? Am I missing something? Status: Watching…if it ever comes out.
• Minamike: I like the show a lot, but almost all the comedy comes from either crazy middle sister Kana, or crazy Kana-like characters (Chiaki and Haruka each have a classmate with a similar dynamic). And Kana is never given the opportunity to have any redeeming features. Hmph. Status: Watching regularly.
• Moyashimon: This one’s a little behind, but I like it…though the agriculture 101 bits can be a little dull, the rest of the batshit insane stuff makes up for it. Status: Watching regularly.
• Night Wizard: I’m getting a little tired of Eris being the sweet, cheerful, flock-of-birds attracting Mary Sue, and annoyed at Renji being the show’s whipping boy with, like Minamike’s Kana, no real opportunity to redeem himself. Status: Considering dropping.
• Prism Ark: …One episode was really enough. Status: Dropped.
• Rental Magika: It got so boring in episode three I just couldn’t continue. Status: Dropped.
• Shinrei Kari / Ghost Hound: I still have some issues with the art style, but the pacing has picked itself up nicely and I’m curious to see where it’s going. Status: Watching regularly.
• Shion no Oh: Mmm, delicious trap, must eat. Status: Watching regularly.
• Shugo Chara! Mmm, delicious magical girl, must eat. This is probably one of the more solid shows of the season, IMO, though it’s obvious not for everyone. Status: Watching regularly.
• Suteki Tantei Labyrinth: Looks cute, but pretty dull– I’m more interested in the dolls than in anything to do with the main character. Status: Dropped.

Posted by gia in Commentary, Fall '07 Series • Comments (8)

• Title: Shion no Ou (Shion’s King)
• Studio: Deen
• Genre: Mystery/Tournament

Ratings (out of 5):

• Story: ♥♥♥♥

• Animation: ♥♥½
• Characters: ♥♥♥
• OP/ED Themes: ♥♥♥♥
• Overall: ♥♥♥½ (Shougi is Serious Business.)
  

Thoughts:
When she was a very small child, Shion watched her parents’ murder while she sat at a shougi table. The shock caused her to go mute, although she lives a reasonably contented life with her foster family. She still plays shougi– a Japanese game somewhat similar to chess –and is working her way up the tournament ladder, about to become junior pro level despite her young age.

At the tournament, she meets a competitor, Ayumi Saitou, and a junior pro senpai, Saori Nikaidou, each of whom seem to be hiding some interesting secrets. Shion herself is so very wide-eyed and innocent, and I mean “wide-eyed” literally.

Based on the first ep, the series has two weaknesses. The first is style-wise: while the art style may not be your cup of tea to begin with, I also think it didn’t transfer to anime especially wel, largely in the aforementioned eyes– sometimes they look incredibly over-sized (as in, even more so than is usual for anime).

The second weakness is that it’s hard to make a game like shougi interesting to those who don’t play it, and so far the series offers absolutely no exposition on how the game is played, unlike many other such competition anime and manga (Hikaru no Go, Yakitate!! Japan, etc). As a result, the matches themselves are sort of dull, though we only see one in the first episode. You anticipate who is going to win, but if you don’t know shougi you won’t understand who is winning or why, or why X move is interesting, or anything along those lines.

That said, the murder mystery and the background of the side characters should be interested enough to propel me into episode 2, anyway. But don’t expect much by way of light-hearted comedy; this is absolutely a mystery drama.

Posted by gia in Commentary, Fall '07 Series • Comments (1)