Summertime Caption.
Summer approaches. While most folks are gearing up for adventures in the great outdoors we here at Moe Monster are battening down the hatches, blackening our windows and cranking up the air conditioning. The only thing left to do is find something to watch on the Summer 2011 anime schedule. Read on as we prematurely judge shows that aren’t even airing yet.
7.1 – Final Update
It appears the Int’l Nico Nico site will be streaming some anime this summer, including Blood-C and Dantalian. You may want to bookmark this page here for further details.
The news updates shown here mainly came from Anime News Network and Crunchy Roll’s news page, both excellent sources for anything related to anime. I was going to list Crunchy Roll’s Summer 2011 lineup, but it doesn’t exist yet. Funny considering how shows start pretty much today.
We’ll be reviewing many of those new shows, at least giving our first impressions, as they come out. With some luck the Summer season will offer a nice variety of jolly goodness and anime happiness! Thanks guys!
6.29
New Natsume’s Book of Friends (airing July 4th) promo found here.
All six television spots of the anime Mawaru Penguindrum upload here.
6.28
New Idolm@ster and Blood-C commercials posted.
6.27
Itsuka Tenma no Kuro-Usagi promotional video re-uploaded here with strange English narration.
New Morita-san wa Mukuchi 30 second pv on Nico nico.
6.25
New Idolm@ster promo video posted here. Looks like they’re selling something, lol.
6.17
Boobs and blades promotional video of Manyu Hiken-cho released here.
6.16
Much less confusing Kamisama Dolls promo video posted here.
6.15
Sexy R-15 trailer finally released.
Dantalian trailer also finally released.
6.13
Really awful Blade trailer streaming here.
6.11
Kami-sama no Memo-cho Official site re-launch and trailer found here.
6.10
Usagi Drop promotional trailer released. (Link below replaced with subbed version on 6.20)
6.8
Dantalian Official site launches.
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| ANN | Official Site | Trailer |
ThatOtherGuy: Having watched 2 completely different trailers for this I have no idea what to expect. The first trailer looked like an old-school blood and gore mystery/action affair and the 2nd looked like A Certain Magical Index meets Working!! At least there are giant robots. There are giant robots, right? Right?!
KidKonseptual: I love the first 15 seconds of the [girl's side] preview. There’s another, darker trailer found here. The art direction looks like something from 10 years ago, which I like. Has the potential to be dark, funny, & endearing. For me, maybe the most worthwhile show to check out.
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| ANN | Official Site | Trailer |
KidKonseptual: I have just returned from the future to tell myself that this is my favorite show of the Summer 2011 season. It looks like a gothic Gosick. Other than my future self, I don’t have much to go on. We’ll add a trailer when one gets posted somewhere. Regardless, I’m watching this bad boy.
ThatOtherGuy: Not being a great one for the pseudo-latin/semi-victorian/gothic punk stuff I’m not hopeful here. It generally seems like this sort of show uses nonsensical jargon and half-assed borrowed mythology to cover up its mediocre plot and hollow cliches. How’s that for a premature impression? Boo ya! Seriously though this could be good if it doesn’t do that stuff I said.
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| ANN | Offical Site | Trailer |
ThatOtherGuy: On the one hand it’s like “ugh, more cross dressing and butler/maid/servant moe crap?”. On the other hand it’s like “well, those character designs do look kind of sexy”. Will it insult my top brain more than it entices my bottom brain? Probably not. I have no shame.
KidKonseptual: Premise sounded fairly ok at first, but after looking for images for the graphics on this page, I’m not quite sure this will have enough substance. After the current (Spring) season having a lot less plot driven series, I need some drama, mystery and suspense. Unfortunately I’ll probably pass this up and maybe marathon it at a later date.
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| ANN | Official Site | Trailer |
KidKonseptual: The absolute best idea I’ve ever heard in my entire life ever. That being said, I doubt it will be very good. I’m not even sure if it’s a full length series or what. The trailer looks like something I made years ago while learning Flash, and will hopefully not be the actual animation. Nyanpire–best name ever.
ThatOtherGuy:
Hopes it will be: Sgt. Frog + Ika Musume
It Will Probably Be: Hamtaro + My Little Pony
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| ANN | Official Site | Trailer |
ThatOtherGuy: Before I saw the above image my biggest concern was if Usagi Drop would be able to balance sweetness and drama without crossing over into soap opera melodramatics. Now I’m worried about this show getting the Pedobear Seal of Approval. Meh, who am I kidding? I’d watch anyway.
KidKonseptual: Apparently a popular series in Japan, the imagery and grown up plot reminds me a bit of Nodame Cantabile, one of my favorite series in the universe. I’m just hoping its josei quality is not too girly. You know what I mean.
Some other shows we’ll be taking a gander at. |
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Blood-C |
Morita-san wa Mukuchi |
No.6 |
R-15 |
| ANN Official Site Trailer |
ANN Official Site Trailer |
ANN Official Site Trailer |
ANN Official Site Trailer |
Final Thoughts:
Kidkonseptual: Looking at the list and being the drama whore I am, Usagi Drop actually may deliver the most for me. I have no expectations for Blood-C and No.6. As a fan of the previous Blood properties, I owe the show at least a watch. Overall the season looks pretty rich in diversity, but the Spring season seemed that way at first also.
I’ll be watching Hana-saku Iroha of course as I’m pretty much married to Ohana at this point. Creepy I know. Another show not yet shown is The Last Exile spin-off/alternate story. I enjoyed the first series, but don’t necessarily have fond memories of it. Hard to explain, but I might try watching that. Also hard to explain is my fascination for the first 15 seconds of the Kamisama Dolls[Girls side] trailer, which I’ve looped and can apparently watch for hours with increasing merriment. Summer anime, lol.
That said, I do see potential for unexpected gems (Usagi Drop, R-15) and spectacular disappointments (Nyanpire, Kami-sama Dolls). All signs point to an average season but like the buttons of my jeans after an entire giga pudding, my mind will be open.
Kamisama no Memo-cho looks so much like Gosick, but I’m not sure I care. Gotta’ give that a look.
no love for Natsume Yuujinchou San?
Hm, I don’t think KidKonseptual or I have seen the first 2 seasons of that. There’s a lot on the plate for now but if the buzz about it is good I might play catch up between the summer/fall schedule.