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The Winter 2014 Anime Preview Guide


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MaxSouth



Joined: 11 Oct 2008
Posts: 1363
PostPosted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 7:26 am Reply with quote
I could not find any anime from this new season where all of reviewers would agree to give at least 4 (of 5) rating. Does this mean that there is nothing that is really exciting universally?

I like excellent, literature-grade writing of Monogatari, Nekomonogatari, Bakemonogatari series.

I also like pieces of art like Flower of Evil.

Apparently, there is nothing of this level in this season, right?


Also, I also like simpler shonen anime with cool fights like like One Piece, Toriko, Magi, Naruto, Hunter X Hunter, (Hitman Reborn among those from past) and wackier things like Kill la Kill, (Soul Eator among those from the past).

I could not grasp yet whether this season has any big solid shonen productions either. Is there?
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Alan45
Village Elder



Joined: 25 Aug 2010
Posts: 9812
Location: Virginia
PostPosted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 9:18 am Reply with quote
The Preview guide and subsequent reviews are very good at giving an impression of what a show is about and how well it is done. However, at some point you have to start watching a few shows yourself and decide on your own if you like or dislike the shows. Even the worst season has a few gems.
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18138
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 11:34 am Reply with quote
MaxSouth wrote:
I could not find any anime from this new season where all of reviewers would agree to give at least 4 (of 5) rating. Does this mean that there is nothing that is really exciting universally?

Actually, what you're describing here is a very rare occurrence. Flowers of Evil, for all its critical lauding, wasn't 4+ rated across the board. Neither was Attack on Titan. (One person gave it a 2!) Nor were a lot of other big shows that have come up during our time doing the Preview Guides year-round. In fact, the only episode that I can think of that was rated at the level by everyone (with 3+ previews being registered) was the first for Eden of the East, which I believe is our highest-rated or second-highest-rated first episode in the history of the Preview Guide in terms of average score.

Ah, I take it back: Silver Spoon 2 this season is 4 or better on the three reviews it gets. But that is a sequel season, which is only reviewed by those who have seen the first season completely, so that has to be taken with a grain of salt.

I will agree, though, that there does not seem to be a consensus "great" series this season. Space Dandy certainly doesn't seem to be it based on comments I have been hearing about it (and my personal opinion ), and nothing else this season was universally praised.

Quote:
I like excellent, literature-grade writing of Monogatari, Nekomonogatari, Bakemonogatari series.

Verbose? Yes. Literature-grade? That's a stretch.

Quote:
I could not grasp yet whether this season has any big solid shonen productions either. Is there?

While there isn't anything exactly like that, Nobunagun has potential in that realm. Its battle scene in the front half of the second episode certainly had some shonenesque overtones in addition to being one hell of a kick-butt display.

Anyway, I haven't gotten all of the way through the second eps yet, but Nobunagun and World Conquest look like definite keepers so far and Engaged to the Unidentified is proving to be surprisingly likable for its set-up. The verdict is still out on three or four others, including Recently, My Sister is Unusual, which I am tempted to keep watching just to see how much of a perverse train wreck it can become. Few series are more mean-spirited towards their female leads than what that one is, and we're only two episodes in.
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MaxSouth



Joined: 11 Oct 2008
Posts: 1363
PostPosted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 4:02 pm Reply with quote
Alan45: My problem is that, unlike previous seasons, we do not have any titles with all marks higher than 3 (average). I honestly can not see how to find "gems" among this.

Besides, regional copyright limitations do not allow me to see first episodes of those shows, so I had to ask.


EDIT: Theron, as always, helps out; thanks.

Of course, Monogotari series do have literature-level writing, which is wordy, indeed. There is no way to seriously argue against that; notice, however, that I did not write that this level is necessarily outstanding or anything, because such claim would be hard to argue. (Compare it, for example, to Hunter X Hunter, which is incredibly wordy, but no one ever called those text literature; it is basic language which has no other purpose than just provide intricate explanations of what is happening.)

I skipped Silver Spoon 2 because it is second season, not new anime. I marked this anime series as "Want to see".

It is hard to remember ratings for concrete shows from preview guides from previous seasons, but usually grades on some of anime made me interested enough to give it a try. Not this time, though; polarizing 2-5 ratings or average 3 ratings did not inspire me.

This is actually first time in six years when I had to ask such question; thanks for help.


Last edited by MaxSouth on Mon Jan 20, 2014 3:18 am; edited 2 times in total
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Alan45
Village Elder



Joined: 25 Aug 2010
Posts: 9812
Location: Virginia
PostPosted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 5:28 pm Reply with quote
@MaxSouth
You can obviously watch the shows at some point or the evaluations would not be an issue (and you wouldn't be an anime fan).

The Preview Guide is obviously intended for those who can watch the shows as they come out. If you have to wait much longer you should be concerned with the half season reviews which provide a more balanced look at the shows. If you have to wait until they come out on disk then wait for the reviews of those.

Regardless, you have to make your own decisions. If you only watch shows that are highly rated by everyone you are going to have a very limited selection. You will also miss out on some very entertaining or charming shows. Your call.
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Ignatz





PostPosted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:13 am Reply with quote
MaxSouth, I would like to remind you that you have over 500 anime in your "Want to see" list. I guess it's a good time for you to work on that list. Very Happy
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phia_one



Joined: 15 Jan 2012
Posts: 1654
Location: Pennsylvania
PostPosted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:46 pm Reply with quote
All right so here's where I am regarding this season:

Will Continue
-Noragami-My favorite of the season
-Nobunagun-Really enjoying this more than I thought
-Hamatora-Looks like it could go somewhere interesting

Dropped
-Nobunaga the Fool-I couldn't make it passed the first episode
-The Pilot's Love Song-The romance bits are just so awful that I can't fully enjoy the show
-Tonari no Seki-kun-IMO, I feel like the gags drag on a little too long. That, and the girl's commentary is rather annoying

I'm still not sure whether or not I want to try Wizard Barristers.
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Nranin



Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 1
Location: UK
PostPosted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:40 am Reply with quote
Really not liking the layout/organisation of the anime in the preview guide, makes it really hard to quickly browse past and pick out from the thumbnails and genre, a good anime to watch.
Not only did it take until the end of winter for you to post it but I am really disappointed, I couldn't find another way to way to post this where it might be seen.
I am also using alternative websites now sadly to browse the latest anime that might interest me.
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getchman
Space Cowboy



Joined: 07 Apr 2012
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Location: Bedford, NH
PostPosted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:51 am Reply with quote
the preview guide has been up since the 1st week of January
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MaxSouth



Joined: 11 Oct 2008
Posts: 1363
PostPosted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 4:51 pm Reply with quote
Theron: Attack on Titan was easy choice: I knew that I will watch it in split second just from the first art that was released -- because of visuals and concept. (Of course, the storytelling turned out to have sad examples of lazy writing, but the anime is totally worth watching anyway.) This season, there were no such instant grabs.

Ignatz: you are right, but I like contemporary anime, too.
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MaxSouth



Joined: 11 Oct 2008
Posts: 1363
PostPosted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 2:16 pm Reply with quote
The summary on "Wizard Barristers"; the first episode:

1) concept of police being ever stupid and always blaming good magicians -- obviously an attempt by authors to create drama -- is lame;
2) there is some chance that this show will quickly turn to "case of the week" principle, which is, intellect-wise, very cheap;
3) low frame rate animation, though good still background, and not bad action sequences (though 3D looks too much like 3D, which is not good);
4) characters are drawn with profiles that not all will like; they also have droopy eyes that are set too far apart -- with that even personages that are supposed to be "smart" look like they are clueless empty-heads;
5) weak, cheap music, if any;
6) one of characters is permanent smoker, which is very annoying.

Verdict: I would prefer not to continue to watch this anime. (Side note: I am surprised that Carl went with such high rating as four of five on this.)


Last edited by MaxSouth on Sun Jan 26, 2014 3:17 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Nayu



Joined: 23 Dec 2010
Posts: 676
PostPosted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 2:30 pm Reply with quote
MaxSouth wrote:
.

Verdict:)


Objection: Maxsouth assumes facts not in evidence.

Verdict is overruled.
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MaxSouth



Joined: 11 Oct 2008
Posts: 1363
PostPosted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 3:16 pm Reply with quote
Which facts? This show has slightly better than mediocre rating from both reviewers and public due to the reasons I listed, and due to more I did not list.
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MaxSouth



Joined: 11 Oct 2008
Posts: 1363
PostPosted: Mon Jan 27, 2014 10:18 am Reply with quote
Nisekoi: standard stupid romance about clueless amnesic boyfriend around harem of girls -- cliché all around; not going to continue. Again surprised that Carl gave it a four of five; he gave lesser marks to anime with some actual imagination in them.

D-Frag!: did not work for me as comedy; otherwise it is beaten to death slice of life about clubs activity. But I totally see that it could be worth watching for those who enjoy the jokes.

Buddy Complex: bland character design with oversized iris, typical stupidity of lazy writing for the genre (like evil guy not being able to self-detonate immediately just so main hero could escape to the future, thus make the story going). But I have with withhold final judgement on whether to watch the anime until second episode. This genre can only be tolerated with character relations are interesting. Carl gave it four of five -- again higher than others, again being too kind.

Nobunagun: I liked green-to-brown colour gamma, but gun craze transformations are tired subject. And, more importantly, I hate the series where some evil things come out of the blue, because it is, again, example of lazy writing that tends go to "monster of the week" formula. Finally, nothing promised that there will be anything intricate about this project in the way fights go or otherwise. But I still will have to see second episode to understand if there going to be something interesting. Just lots of stupid explosions, one-strike fights and gun transformations do not work for me.


Last edited by MaxSouth on Mon Jan 27, 2014 12:09 pm; edited 4 times in total
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Rederoin



Joined: 29 May 2013
Posts: 1427
Location: Europa
PostPosted: Mon Jan 27, 2014 10:51 am Reply with quote
MaxSouth wrote:
I could not find any anime from this new season where all of reviewers would agree to give at least 4 (of 5) rating. Does this mean that there is nothing that is really exciting universally?


Why does that matter? Its not like its need to be well-liked by everybody to be good.
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