At this point I'm only following Penguindrum, No.6, Natsume S3, Yuru Yuri and Usagi Drop every week.

I'm about 2-3 weeks behind in Sacred Seven, Dantalian, and Baka Test S2. I'm not sure if I want to catch up with them since they've all become dull and repetitive.

So yeah, I normally do one of these every season but wasn't going to bother because I am a lazy faggot who offers no real insight or critique into the shows, but seeing as /bun/ got wiped I thought I'd ramble a bit for good measure.

Double J - Well as far as 5m flash shows go, this one is pretty fucking decent. Not a whole lot to say about it because of its length, but I laughed a couple of times so that's a plus. And it has the best ED of the season, so I suppose I would recommend it.

Blade - lol

Uta no Faggot - Yeah, no.

Natsume 3 - I am yet to finish the first two series, so this on indefinite hold in the infinite backlog. Looks good from what I've heard from friends though, so maybe I'll push them to the front of the queue.

Yuru Yuri - Well, I was pretty unimpressed by the first episodes, but I kept watching because of cute girls doing cute things each other. And it did get a bit better I guess; the animation is fluid and the art has been solid throughout, but the jokes are about as hit and miss as you'd expect from this sort of show. It ain't great, but it's been interesting enough to keep me watching each week. Not that that's really saying much.

Kamisama Dolls - Welp, this started out pretty dumb but I kept watching (as any self respecting anime fan would) because the loli was cute and made funny faces. That only held my interest for 3 episodes though; everything else about this show is subpar, especially the plot that takes itself way too seriously. Maybe it got better once the story really started moving, but my interest was lost before that could happen. Shitty show.

Morita-san - I didn't think it could suck more than the OVA, but here we are.

Nyanpire - Oh hi GONZO, I thought you left? Did you forget your coat or something?

Usagi Drop - Finally, something good to talk about. I read the manga a few weeks after this was announced and so had some fairly high hopes for it, and this show exceeded the fuck out of them. The pastel art is beautiful and suits the show perfectly (I wish we got to see more of it), as does the soundtrack; everything just works really well. The story has been expertly adapted too, it's hard to believe that this is the director's first TV series he's doing such a great job. And speaking of firsts, Rin's VA is fucking awesome; I was pretty skeptical when I heard they were casting an actual 10yo to voice her, but this girl really is talented. Basically, if you're not watching this already then get on it. In the top 3 for the season.

No.6 - Goddamn man, this is gay as hell. I watched 1 episode then stalled it, then saw the scene where he asks for semen and dropped it. Maybe if I had a vag00.

Idolm@ster - OK, I am a fan of IM@S (or more accurately a fan of the idols IN IM@S) so I might be a little biased, but this show is fucking great. After the other IM@S show that shan't be named I was a little apprehensive going in to the first episode, but luckily my worries were ill-founded; this show's budget could probably cure world hunger, and every yen of it has been made the most of. The art fits the game's style like a glove, and despite a few off-character shots here and there has been spot on, and as for the animation, well goddamn; every so often A-1 decide to turn that shit up to 11 and show everyone why they're so highly regarded. The first episode of this was is my favourite of the season, and although the following two weren't as good, every episode since then has been better than the last. The plot ain't exactly deep, but who cares, it's idols being idols. Like I said, I'm a little biased from the games, but even if you hate IM@S I'd recommend checking out the Smokey Thrill video just to see how nice anime can look. In my top 3 for the season.

Blood-C - Well, I gave this a damn good chance despite knowing it would be shit, but after 4 episodes of constant egregious censoring and non-sensical plot (why the fuck did that guy go missing for 3 days before the train demon summoned him to eat him?) I finally gave up. If it improves and I hear good things then maybe I'll watch the BDs, but censoring like this makes me wonder why they bother airing it in the first place.

Mayo Chiki - One of this season's generic harem/romcom shows, the twist in this one is that the MC is gynophobic and the main girl has to pretend to be a boy. Hilarity ensues as the same shit you've seen happen a million times before happens to a slightly different set of stock characters. It gets bonus points for looking pretty and having cute girls, but in all honesty that's nothing to shout about in this age of computer animation. Generic, predictable, forgettable trash, but that's why we love it, eh?

R-15 - Another of this season's generic harem/romcom series, this one's twist is that everyone goes to a genius school and they are all masters of a certain subject; MC is a master of writing ero novels. Almost as bad with the censoring as Blood-C, so I dropped it after episode 4 and really can't see myself picking it up again unless I run out of generic harem/romcom shows to watch. Meh.

Dantalian no Shoka - One episode was all I watched, and that was enough for me. I never thought you could make fighting a firebreathing dragon boring, but then along came Shoka. From what I hear it stays boring and formulaic for at least a few more episodes, so I doubt I'll be resuming this one. Shoganai.

Ro-Kyu-Bu - Well well well, what do we have here? Lolis play basketball and kind of hang out and do loli things, only they have the most disproportionate heads I've seen in a long time. I guess that's just a byproduct of the terrible art though, because seriously, the art is terrible (They fixed up the ED a bit since the first episode, but there was a scene that has since been dubbed the DERP RUN for very good reason http://bunbunmaru.com/wakaba/photos/src/1310489063.16657394.jpg . I recommend watching it, it's even funnier in motion), as is most of the "animation", "story" and pretty much everything else. Thinly-veiled pedophilia rarely gets this thinly-veiled, so it's a shame that the show has less budget than the Pope's brothel. If you are a lolipedo then you will probably enjoy it like I am, if not then, well: http://bunbunmaru.com/wakaba/photos/src/1314061620.32525470.jpg http://bunbunmaru.com/wakaba/photos/src/1314831266.20612842.gif .

Kamisama no Memochou - HURR, this was just kinda bad. That's about all there is to say about it really, it's a seriously underwhelming experience from episode 1 right up to 5 when I dropped it. The first part of episode 1 reminded me of early Drrr! a little, so I was interested to see how they would deal with the investigation of the murder, but by the second half I had almost stopped caring. The characters just aren't that good save for one or two, and the way they concluded the investigation was just silly. Then when they finished the episode with a trademark 'tsundere gets angry at ecchi protagonist' thing I knew it was going to be 'one of those'. Not bad enough to make me drop it immediately, but 3 episodes later and I was done. Highly, highly mediocre (cute loli though).

Penguindrum - Now this is what I call a show. Every aspect of it oozes style, from the character designs to the atmosphere, everything is just so damn classy; I know everyone knew this was going to be awesome, but it's shows like this that keep my interest in anime alive. The characters are great, with Ringo currently reigning supreme over all; I have a massive hard-on for damaged yanderes, but to see one with actual depth to her character and such a meaningful motivation is unbelievable. It took a few episodes to get going fully, but the plot is as engrossing and clever as any I've seen for a long time, and it's just been getting better and better in recent episodes. I don't know what else to say about this show, you all know how great it is, and if you don't then you better get to know. Top tier anime, and probably number 1 spot for the season. And it's running for 24 episodes! Life is good.

Sacred Seven - I lasted 2 episodes of this, even knowing it was a campy show that was not to be taken seriously. It looks nice enough I guess, but it felt like I was watching a Saturday morning cartoon for 10 year olds in the bad way. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it, so I've put it in the backlog for a batch. Yeah, not much else to say on this.

Baka Test 2 - Goddamn I do not remember this show being as femdom fujoshi-bait bullshit as this in the first season. Maybe my memory is just a bit hazy, but not hazy enough to forget the jokes that are being repeated ad nauseum in this sequel. I enjoyed the first season to an extent, but this is just plain bad, despite the odd episode that deviates from the endless repetition of 'males plan something, females stop it then punish them' bullshit. Oh well, at least the character designs are nice.

Ikoku Croisee - Now this is a nice show. Simple in its premise and even simpler in its execution, it's a really relaxing 25m each week to see that loli do loli stuff while them wacky French act all French and shit. My friend insists that there's a heavy pedo undertone to the whole show, what with an old man taking a young girl away from her home country to work in psuedo-slavery to his grandson, but I can't say I see it; this show's too sweet to have anything like that hanging over it. Comes recommended.

Itsuka Tenma - Ohoho, now we're talking. It's not often you get to see an anime truly void of any redeeming features whatsoever. Absolutely everything about this show is so fucking abysmal that I have no idea why they even bother making it. The characters have zero depth to them, their designs look like they were stolen from a bootleg 'how to draw anime' book and they completely lack any kind of personality. The plot makes absolutely no fucking sense whatsoever, it comes off like something a little kid wrote for a school project when he was 9 or something; shit jumps around for no reason, day and night seem to have no meaning as time changes at random intervals, characters are introduced then written out of scenes seemingly at random; I cannot convey in words just how fucking terrible this clusterfuck of events really is. The last show I saw that was this bad was actually last season, when Hidan no Aria replaced my previous bottom spot from several years ago. I didn't think that something would take its place the very next season, but there you go. The main difference though is that Aria was so bad it made you want to punch your screen in how stupid it was, where Itsuten is so bad it makes you laugh horribly that such a show can even exist. One of the worst shows made in the last 20 years.

Nekogami Yaoyoruzu - I watched this for 3 episode before it hit me how crappy it was. It wasn't funny, it wasn't interesting, the art looked horrible, but it had a hueg list of voice talent involved so I gave it a chance. Then came the episode where they collect sakura petals or something and I realised that the 5m 'touching, coming together with heatfelt feelings' scene wasn't being ironic at all. That was when I realised that it sucked. So yeah, this sucks.

Manyuu Tits - lol

Nuraihyon no w/e - lol

Twin Angel - I hated the OVA for this, and as it turns out I hated this series as well. It's parodying things that were parodied about 10 years ago, and it brings nothing new to the table. It's a show made about 15 years too late, and it has no amazing art or animation to act as a draw either. Fuck I'm tired.

Yuri Yuri is the best thing this season.

Was I the only one kind of disappointed by ep 10 of Ikoku Meiro? After the previous two episodes, this one just reeked of COPOUT FILLER to me, though the Claude trying to make an individual image for himself element was nice. The sequence with Yune trying to get back to the shop after seeing Claude off was a bit frustrating and really, really felt like they were just trying to cram in some content to meet time requirements, really disjointed and erratic. The scenes inside weren't too much better, also, why are the slide projections new to Alice, isn't she supposed to be disgustingly rich and up to date on stuff like this? I admit, I went into the episode foolishly expecting a continuation from where episode 9 left off, so I guess I'm just a bit irritated due to expecting something I didn't ultimately receive.

That said, I adore the series so far, and I guess this is just leading to a second season, which is more than fine with me. I like the characters a lot, and I think the overall aesthetic is gorgeous. Also, I can't get the opening melody out of my head. Not the OP, the little segment before that with the French voice over. The same melody that plays when the next episode is being mentioned.

I haven't watched much else this season, just some of im@s and the first episode of Mayo Chiki. I got through episode 4 of im@s, but didn't feel particularly compelled to continue thereafter. I don't know, maybe I have a lot to learn about what's really GOOD in life.

>>36613

Watching Baka to Test 2, Mawaru Penguindrum, Sacred Seven, Dantalian, and Usagi Drop (plus Kaiji, Nichijou, and Hanasaku Iroha continuing from last season). Picking up fewer shows than usual was a good call because I'm enjoying everything I'm watching quite a bit.

Watching: Ro-kyu-bu, Yuruyuri, Penguindrum, Bakatest, Usagi Drop.

Dropped: Kamisama no memochou, kamisama dolls, Dantalian no Shoka, Kuro Usagi, Idolmaster.

>>>36591
Good work, Review-kun, though I heavily disagree with your Dantalian opinion.

>the scene where he asks for semen
Uh, it was his female Childhood friend asking for it. No homo-lust involved here.

Watching Ro-kyu-bu, Yuru Yuri, IM@S, and the second half of Nichijou

>>36591>>36592
Nice reviews, made me smile many times. Your standards seem pretty high though, but that's ok I guess.

Idolm@ster, Yuru yuri and Kaiji 2.
One of these things is not like the others.

>>36591
>I am a lazy faggot who offers no real insight or critique into the shows

Are you me, or am I you?

>Double J has the best ED of the season

Doesn't it, DOESN'T IT? I fucking love it. Get the full version if you haven't already, it kicks all sorts of ass.


Double J - I know fuck all about flash animation, and I never bothered with Cromartie, either, so I really only picked this up for shits & giggles. Quite enjoyable for something so short, I like the character art in particular. Toothpick-san especially.
OWARANAI OWARANAI ZENZENZENZEN OWARANAI is also awesome, as previously stated.

Idolmastah - I had very little experience with Idolmaster in general prior to watching it, I only picked it up to see what all the fuss was about. It's..alright, I guess. Doesn't really do anything for me, but it isn't terrible, either. Some of the characters aren't bad, so I'll keep watching for them.
One thing I would like to know, though, is WHY OH WHY ON GOD'S NOT SO GREEN EARTH DID THEY CUT AZUSA'S HAIR?!
THAT WAS A FUCKING TRAVESTY, JESUS CHRIST. SERIOUSLY, WHAT THE SHIT?
Also, Yayoi is a filthy peasant.

Mayo Chiki - Only picked this up for the reverse-trap, if memory serves, and 8 episodes in, I'm not sure why I'm still watching it. It's fairly generic apart from the reverse-trap, there's a tsundere with twintails, standard ecchi with accompanying 'comic' violence, a beach episode, some pointless drama, and an episode wherein someone manages to catch a cold after being out of the bath for a few minutes, then apparently nearly dies, judging by the way those involved carry on about it.
For christ sake Japan, cut that shit out, it's fucking retarded.
On the flip side. it does look nice.

Morita-san - A slightly different take on cute girls doing cute things, which I quite enjoy. Morita's interactions with others are amusing, and she has delicious eyes. Kind of a shame some of the material is just repeating the OVA, but oh well.

Ro-kyu-bu - Wasn't expecting much going into this, haven't read it's source material and I'm not into basketball. Has some nice action shots, like Tomoka feinting past other players, and Hina's Oh~ is incredibly fucking adorable. Subaru is your standard idiot male MC, though he does make a nice pair with Tomoka, who kinda strikes me as one of those characters who's too good for the show she's in.
Not bad on the whole, has it's moments, but it isn't anything special, either.
The OP & ED also aren't half-bad.

Usagi Drop - Nice little show, this. Haven't read the manga, but it sounded interesting from the chart's description, so I picked it up. Now that I think about it, I can't really put my finger on why I like it so much, so I'll just say it's really good, and probably one of the better shows I've seen in recent times.

YURI YURARARARA YURU YURI YURI YURARARARA YURU YURI - Hot damn, it's TOSHINOU KYOUKO time, motherfuckers! This is some hardcore gangster shit right here. As soon as the OP starts off with whoever's shoe that is bouncing up and down in time with the phat bass, you just know shit is about to get seriously serious for serious.
Kyouko is awesome, Yui is also awesome, in a boring kind of way, Akari refers to herself in the third person & has detachable hair-bun bazookas, while Chinatsu, who said something in the first episode about wanting to be elegant, kind & proper like her older sister, is turning out to be a right little bitch. Funny how that works.
Lesbians? Check.
Stupidity & silliness all round? Check.
Kickass OP? Shit yeah.
The Motherfucking Himawari? You bet your ass.
I love this goddamn show.
If you haven't seen it yet, get it, or get fucked.

Got the first episode of Blood-C sitting here, which I still haven't watched. Seeing as most people think it sucks, I might not bother.

Still watching Nichijou, which I rather enjoy. It'll be a shame to see it end.

Watched Carnival Phantasm recently, wasn't bad, I guess. Not as good as I hoped it'd be, but I think the OP (which is almost better than the show itself) combined with my inner TYPE-MOON fanboi sort of gave me unrealistic expectations. Still, can't go wrong with more Akiha & Hisui.
Illya's rapping at the end of episode 3 was a highlight, as was Roastbeef's comment at the end of episode 4 about the people watching having no friends, which I thought was pretty spot on. Was too bad Sion did nothing more than talk about her calculations everytime she appeared, that got old really quickly. I did like that half-turn & finger-click thing the Back Alley Alliance did, even found myself doing it a few times, which makes me a huge faggot, I know.

>>36660
Where can I grab a full Double-J ED in decent quality? I can only find a low quality version.

>>36591
Nice.
Rare to see someone with similar taste.
I was literally blown away by the latest Penguindrum episode. Some of you might have hated the Ringo eps but just keep watching.
Croisee seems to have been deteriorating after having such a good start.
Yuru Yuri is the only other show that I am actively following.
Also it is a good thing they are ending Usagi Drop just before the timeskip.
And for all the homos out there you can continue watching Natsume for the homolust.

>>36665

I have no idea what your version of decent quality is, but this one:
http://www.mediafire.com/?45uwso16bqdz11w
is in 320kbps mp3.
If you want it in FLAC or whatever, you'll have to find it yourself. The band's name is Momoiro Clover Z, if you didn't already know, and the album the song comes from is called Battle & Romance.

>>36673
It's better than this: http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm14968193

>>36660
>Yayoi is a filthy peasant
We don't take kindly to that kinda talk round these parts.

>>36670
Fuck your shit. Natsume is the most manly show of the past 2 years. (I think 2 years)

Yuru Yuri is definitely my favorite show this season.

All this Yuru Yuri praise!

I too want to add my input: It's the best thing this season.

>>36691
>>36689

I've been somewhat busy, so I couldn't watch as many anime from this and last season.

I'm currently watching iM@S and Mayo Chiki weekly, and watching Yuru Yuri and Mawaru Penguindrum whenever I have the time. Other series that I'd definitely like to finish Usagi Drop and Ikoku no Meiro Croisee.

Speaking of Yuru Yuri, why did we have to have 15 minutes of horribly implemented drama?
Why is Japan incapable of having a silly comedy/SoL show without some ridiculously shoehorned angst at the end of the series? It just felt so out of place that it's permanently lowered my opinion of the show.

And where the fuck is Yuripedo Horie? She's half the reason I'm still watching this show.

>>36695
You just described how I felt about k-on.

Hopefully I'll have forgotten enough of this to enjoy the VN once it's translated.

>>36700
you read the VN for the atmosphere and the delicious artwork.

>>36702
But huke can't draw for shit.

>>36702
Not him, but I also love the VN's art.

>>36704
Even I like the artwork (from what I've seen) and I couldn't stand the anime.

I've been watching this at my leisure. The last frame of the sixth episode stood out to me.

By now, I guess I can admit I'm in love with BakaTest's art direction, or whatever the fuck that's responsible for making the show so damn pretty is called. Ef (at least the first season, never watched the second one for whatever reason) was a visual orgasm for me, but this show feels even better than that.
And then we get to those EDs. Damn, Silver Link, I love you guys so much.

>>36592
>Nuraihyon no w/e - lol
I find it disappointing no one is actually watching this. I know most people didn't watch the first season, but this season is amazing.

>>36756
I did actually watch the first season, mostly because of Yuki-onna - but... I don't know. dem EDs aside, I didn't enjoy the show much, so I didn't even consider picking S2 up.

>>36756
I enjoy it, but I worry that it's descending into annoying power level territory with the whole "fear" thing.

She was the hero the world deserved. ;_;

And speaking of ;_;, it's over. Hopefully, we'll get a S2 somewhere in the future.

>>36755
Given how shitty half the season has been so far, the series is starting to feel like great characters (plus pink haired girl) stuck in a shitty series.

How the plot thickens. This one actually inspired me to keep watching, and to prioritize it more. I also really like the art style, especially the designs of Yuri and the one with the gun (dat voice). They look so refreshingly retro.

Miki's episode was pretty boring. Confirmed her 'character' to be just another whiny 15yo brat.
Goddamn it, stop going on and on about fucking RK.

I would still fuck the everloving shit out of her, though. pic related

>>36802
Whatever you say secondary.

>>36802

>>36811
You'd close the door in his face and call the cops because such a thing would just be creepy?

Well, it's more or less over now. Maybe an after-party episode next week? Over all, I felt like this season was way more drug out than the last one. An entire season for just 2 gambles? That woman in the "Proverbs of Kaiji" section also creeps me out every time. She's far too feminine to be representing the series.

The thing that bothered me most about season 2 though was why does Hyoudou suddenly hate Kaiji so much? At the end of the last season he was all "nice try punk. You may be absolute trash, but you've got some guts and intuition, which I respect. You're still no match for me, but maybe someday you'll amount to something." It left the impression that he would like to have Kaiji as an underling, if Kaiji would only let go of his silly morals. Then in S2, Hyoudou just has some weird obsessive hate for Kaiji. I don't get it.

I still enjoyed watching the show though. Nothing like watching my manly moeblob suffer constant abuse. I love the whole "You don't win at gambling by being lucky; you win by cheating" theme too.

>>36816
on his eyes Kaiji is garbage and garbage is never supposed to win. last season he lost and that's why he was so happy, this season he wins so he is pissed that his whole motto in life of the winner wins the loser losses is being challenged.

Im@s 9 was good fun. I'm starting to like the twins more, but it's still nowhere near as good as the last episode. Looking forward to Hibiki's and Takane's. They're just darling.

I thought there were only 13 episodes in Im@s, but I checked and there's actually 25! I was worried Takane wouldn't get her own episode for a second.

But shit, both Penguindrum and Im@s runs for two seasons... I'm being spoiled here.

I'm not being spoiled by BakaTest though. I'm a couple of episodes behind and not so sure if I want to catch up. The guy-quartet and art-direction are basically the only things I like about the show. Everything else is pretty bland.

>>36802
Whiny or not, at least she's a pretty realistic depiction of a 15 year old girl. I think she's cute.

>>36827
>at least she's a pretty realistic depiction of a 15 year old girl. I think she's cute.
>realistic depiction
Out of curiousity, when was the last time you've been in contact with an actual 15 year old girl?

>>36828
This morning, she's my sister.
Oh fine, maybe Miki is more otaku fantasy than realistic depiction.

I can't say Dantalian no Shoka is good enough to recommend, but I started to enjoy it after a few episodes. Dalian grew on me, and now I find her "yes" gimmick cute; and backgrounds usually look nice. Also, the OP song is by far one of the most beautiful I've heard since Elfen Lied's Lilium.

It's a shame the show sticks to episodic filler, although the plus side is that I can watch an episode whenever I feel like it and not miss anything. Wondering if some kind of plot will be rushed in at the end.

Also, maybe it's just me, but because I started watching it shortly after reading Demonbane, I can't help but draw parallels: the mysterious, tsundere girl (Dalian is like a hybrid of Al Azif and Hadou Ruri); old magical tomes and grimoires; the main character gaining special powers by forming some contract with the mysterious girl; etc. No giant robots or anything, of course.

Anyway, watched up to episode 10 now, and just wanted to say that it isn't all that bad (episode three was terrible though), although of course it has to be considered a disappointment from GAINAX. Much more enjoyable so far than Mayo Chiki! and Hanasaku Iroha, at least.

>>36891
If something is meant to be episodic in the first place it isn't "filler."

I enjoy Dantalian but it would be difficult to pinpoint exactly why. Maybe the style and atmosphere, and the last few stories have been interesting. I don't think it's disappointing but maybe that's because I don't excessively suck Gainax's cock like everyone else in the anime community.

>>36893
>I don't excessively suck Gainax's cock like everyone else in the anime community.
Wouldn't people who excessively suck Gainax's cock be more likely to tolerate it because it's Gainax?

Personally, I could barely finish the first episode, found it painfully boring. And Dalian keeps reminding me of Haruhi for some reason, that's never a good thing.

>>36891
>It's a shame the show sticks to episodic filler

Just because it's episodic doesn't mean it's filler. The character interactions and atmosphere are the best parts, after all.

That said, I find it hard to believe that the overarching plot won't degenerate into some sort of powerlevels bullshit that ends with all of the libraries intact with no real resolution to the story.

>>36891
>Anyway, watched up to episode 10 now, and just wanted to say that it isn't all that bad (episode three was terrible though), although of course it has to be considered a disappointment from GAINAX.
Probably because it's not really Gainax, uh.

>>36896
Is anything going to be 'really Gainax' any more?
They lost their three most important people.

>>36898
The rumours turned out to be not entirely true, Yoshinari for one is still working with them. That said, Dantalian is one of the least Gainax-esque productions they've done because their core staff is doing other shit this season (mainly IM@S and Penguindrum.)

>>36898

Had you forgotten him?

>>36914
Anno doesn't count because he left anime altogether long ago and now that he has returned he's virtually a Gainax member again (even if Khara is sort of a studio of its own and he fights more often than not with their old teammates).

I'm not sure my body can sustain watching this. It might be too much, or I'm just tired now. It's still one of the best shows of this year, without doubt.

Man, dat Idolm@ster.
I can't believe they manage to make such a fun, light-hearted show, and still have so much character building and drama in it. Also, dat Takane!

When is the episode with the big non-stop performance scene? Looking forward to it.

After putting it off for some time I finally managed to marathon the last five or so episodes of Bakatest 2. I guess it's... It was alright. The last half of the season wasn't bad, and props to Silver Link for trying to flesh out the characters as well. In the end I guess I was disappointed Yoshii didn't hook up with Minami, but then again, I'd been really surprised if they actually did.

I've been playing around with my own concept for Bakatest S3 though, I mean how do you make it good?
Okay, so, the gang has graduated from high school and are now in college. This throws out the whole "summoned being" part of the series, which I always felt was pulling it down unnecessarily. Yoshii and Yuuji go to the same uni, it's an average one. Shouko and Himeji have enrolled at Toudai, while Hideyoshi and Hideyoshi's sister go to the same prestigious, all girl's university. Minami has reluctantly returned to Germany and is continuing her studies there, and Muttsuriini is working as a freelance photographer. They've been drifting apart somewhat, but life is alright, good even.
Then one day, suddenly, Himeji collapses in the middle of a lecture. She reveals to the rest of her worrying friends, who've been reunited through this terrible incident, that she has a rare, inherited disease. It's incurable through modern medicine. Everyone is mourning until Himeji's great grandfather arrives at the scene. He tells them of his youth, when he travelled through Europe with some friends and received a mysterious medicine from an equally mysterious old man. The medicine supposedly killed all the disease in his body, since he's been as healthy as a horse from that day on.
The gang decide to take a sabbatical and travel on InterRail through Europe to search for this wonderful cure. Himeji's great gramps tells them that he met the old man in Prussia, during the monarchy (the guy is old,) so they decide to start searching in Germany. This effectively removes Himeji from the plot, which is good, because she's stupid and a really annoying character, and she's stupid and dumb.
In Germany they meet up with Minami, who decides to help them on their quest, she speaks German fluently after all. (Cue hilariously bad German.) From here on out it's all slice-of-life with comedy and comradery. Every two episodes takes place in a new European country where they meet an old friend/enemy, a new friend, a red herring and a new lead towards the mystical medicine. The show will be 13 episodes long, so it'll be enough time to visit six countries. I'm thinking:
(OF = Old friend, NF = New friend, RH = Red herring.)
- 1/2, Germany (OF = Minami, NF = Strict Nazi-bitch tsundere, RH = Sacred sauerkraut.)
- 3/4, England/Scotland (OF = Lesbian girl, NF = Kilt-wearing trap, RH = Terry O'Roon's Magical bagpipe)
- 5/6, Norway/Sweden (OF = Green-haired girl, NF = Cold-impervious manly bro, RH = Legendary get-well-surströmming.)
- 7/8, Russia (OF = That guy from B-class who was forced to cross-dress, NF = Commie loli, RH = Saint Anastasia's healing vodka.)
- 9/10, Italy (OF = That gay guy, NF = Awesome chef-dude, RH = Rejuvenating farfalle)
- 11/12/13, France (OF = The Eversummer duo, NF = French guy infatuated with Yoshii, RH = Spring water from Rennes-le-Château.)
After some incredible events and adventures, the gang finally has what they'll think will cure Himeji. Spring water from Rennes-le-Château. Alas, tragedy strikes, as Yoshii drops the bottle on the ground, making it break! When they arrive at the hospital, everyone is surprised when they meet both their old and new friends they met through their travels. A doctor tells that they should hurry to Himeji's room, as she's is very weak and probably only has a couple of hours left. Yoshii holds a manly, heart-warming speech, where he tells everyone that if they really love Himeji, they should laugh and smile around her during her last hours, instead of being sad and sullen. Everybody enters her room, initially they're laughing and joking around, but tears eventually starts flowing. Miraculously, colour seems to be returning to Himeji's face! Her breathing becomes stronger and more regular, and her heart starts beating faster! It seems that the medicine was with them all along, it was a potent combination of friendship and love! Himeji completely recovers, and they all promise to be together more from now on. Their new European friends must go home, but everyone promises to write to each other as much as they can. An incredibly cheesy and happy ending ensues.

>>37038

Sure, but why does the French guy have to be gay? ;_;

>>37035
I sincerely hope that this is an extreme case of sarcasm.

>>37024
It's great, but I still don't know what the FUCK is going on.

>>37047
He's not homosexual, he's Yoshiisexual.

>>37093

Isn't everyone?

>>37079

I'm sorry, I should have worded myself much better.

I like how the show is light-hearted, but when the characters aren't just doing cute things, but are actually dealing with sometimes realistic, sometimes unrealistic, issues, it doesn't fall apart, lose its tone or lean to one extreme. The characters actually worry about things, and from what I've seen in im@s threads on other boards, the girls seem to have quite some baggage. I just think it's nice that they incorporate that so well. That's just my opinion, anyway.

>>37114
Im@s is about cute girls doing cute things. Sure, maybe it doesn't have K-on levels of it, but it's still the same sub-genre.
And sorry, but if you need to be informed about the girls' emotional baggage through threads, the directors aren't incorporating it well, at all.
Don't get me wrong, Im@s isn't bad. In fact, it's one of my favourites this season, but that's mostly due to sakuga up the ass, the music and, well, I really like watching cute girls doing cute things. Nevertheless, saying that the show has a lot of character building and drama is almost borderline trolling.

>>37114
How to write an iDOLM@STER episode, in five easy steps:

1) Create some sort of drama, girls messing up dance routine, P-san losing focus, girls being unprepared, etc Insert any cliche here
2)Doshiyou! Make sure you cover every girls saying this line.
3)Ganbarimasu! Again make sure that every girl says this on screen.
4)Make sure the girls ganbaru circle jerk lasts a good 7 minutes. This Circle jerk will last either until a character comes in with good news that the conflict from step 1 has resolved itself, or their collective ganbarus magically resolve the situation. (Writers prerogative.)
5)Make sure all the girls are seen laughing and smiling together.

>>37125
I find the im@s anime to be pretty crappy. I don't know if that's just because I play the games though, and get upset that the anime isn't very true to the source material.

I sure enjoy my weekly SAKUGAM@STER dose. Very few people can do stuff like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrCN6QzHntA

>>37161
That scene managed to be amazing, even though it had that incredibly annoying cheering.

>>37134
Really? I don't play the games, but from what I've seen the personalities are pretty alike. I want to play the games but I just have a PC. Am I fucked?

>>37118
>Im@s is about cute girls doing cute things
>sub-genre

9/10

>>37175
The personalities are somewhat off. For example Miki in the anime looks more like she is based off im@s 1 Miki, when in im@s 2 she is a bit more mature. Chihaya is also way more gloomy in the anime than she is in im@s.

Not to mention the fact that this new producer is producing all of the girls at once is a bit ridiculous. The game is about him producing a group of 3 new idols and even though he is new and inexperienced, managing to work through the hardships and over come the rival teams (Ritsuko's team and then Jupiter's) With the ending being a very heartwarming farewell as everyone cries and etc. Amongst other things.

As for playing the games... you only have a PC? No PS3? No PSP? Idolm@ster 1 is on the PSP so you could always pirate it, or try to emulate it (though from what I understand PSP emulation is shitty currently) Iodlm@ster 2 you will need either a PS3 or a Japanese Xbox 360.

>>37175
What are you trying to imply? Are you saying Im@s is not about cute girls doing cute things?
Or are you mad because I'm saying cute girls doing cute things is a sub-genre? It pretty much is these days.

>>37177
Thanks. Yeah I kind of noticed that the game wasn't about taking care of all of them at once. In that case, you as a producer don't have as much contact with "rival" idols as in the anime, right?

Also I heard there's an English translation of Perfect Sun, and there are some other PSP VNs I want to read so I think I'll be getting a PSP soon.

>>37185
No, I was joking because it reminded me of "MOE GENRE DECONSTRUCTION".

But in that case the genre is called "Slice of life", but a SoL may not always be about girls doing cute things, like Genshiken, NHK ni Youkoso, Zetsubou Sensei, etc...

>>37177
To the writers' defence, I don't think they could've solved the whole production thing without adding a bunch of new producers; and I don't know how the fans would react to that, I mean, they already threw a giant hissy fit when Jupiter was introduced.

>>37197
There are so many shows with cute girls doing cute things these days that they warrant their own sub-genre, in my opinion anyway. CGDCT is a little bit long though.

>>37197
NHK is not slice-of-life. It's black comedy/drama.

>>37198
They could've simply shown the producer producing the 3 most popular girls, with other girls making small appearances. For example in the games, the producer interracts with Ritsuko's group of Iori and Co from time to time even though he is not producing them and they are rivals.

And if the season proved popular they could then release a second one involving 3 other girls.

>>37201
That's not how business works. Rather than going for quality (three girls per season), you go for what will appeal to the largest amount of people (include all of the girls in that single season) without planning ahead for the future. If it gets really popular you can add a second season with whatever content you like later (it'll be popular enough so people will buy it regardless of content), but most likely you'll just milk the franchise as much as possible in one season and then move on the next product to milk.

There's a reason why adaptations of stories with slow starts (such as Umineko) rape the entire slow build-up to immediately deliver what will attract people's attention. They don't care about quality if it gets in the way of getting people interested.

>>37203
Quality can sell better though when done right. See any of the best selling BD series as an example.

>>37203
I don't think you want to use Umineko as an example of saying "fuck everything, let's make this sell" because a) it wasn't that at all, just people being incompetent b) it didn't quite sell, you know.

But well, basically everything in your post is bullshit so I shouldn't nitpick.

>>37208
Fuck yeah, Precure! Now THAT'S something I would like to see the sales numbers on!

>>37209
Not many since PreCure is toy driven, but the HeartCatch movie for one sold a lot.

I watched all of Ro-Kyu-Bu last night, and I have to say, it was one of the best anime I've seen in a long time. Not only was it great for a lolicon such as myself, but the show was just hilarious.

Eagerly awaiting the game.

>>37216
So people like this really do exist, uh.

>>37235

lolicons? Yeah, we exist

>>37235
What are you trying to say? Even if you don't like the fan-service (I for one don't particularly) the show itself was still hilarious.

>>37241
Even if you're not a lolicon show really wasn't that funny. Lots of really generic scenes that make you cringe.

>>37262
What are you even TALKING about? The show was gut bursting hilarious, comedy genius. Did you even watch it? For real? Cringing, why because you are anti-loli or something? Grow up, buddy.

>>37263
Have you ever considered the possibility that you just have no taste?

Please refrain from feeding the troll. Thank you.

>>37264
Oh yes. I have no taste. That's why it is a popular light novel series, loved by many. Loved so much it got an anime adaptation and a VN, in a blink of an eye.

>>37265
Because I am discussing my objective view of a show from the summer season (which this thread is about is it not?) I am a troll. So sorry for trying to have discussion on this board, with a post rate of 5 posts per day. Please forgive me.

The only hilarious thing in RKB is the terrible animation, to be honest. I suppose it fits in with the bad desings and generally cheapness of the production.

>>37273
The entire show was hilarious, animation included. Don't be such a hipster.

>>37266
Please take it easy. You are not the troll, but the feeder. I mean, just look at it.

>Even if you're not a lolicon show really wasn't that funny. Lots of really generic scenes that make you cringe.

>Have you ever considered the possibility that you just have no taste?

>The only hilarious thing in RKB is the terrible animation, to be honest. I suppose it fits in with the bad desings and generally cheapness of the production.

The pattern is pretty much this:
Troll: Your show sucks. It is generic/unfunny/other extremely generic remark without actually pointing out what's wrong with it or giving any arguments for the statement.
You: That is simply not true! Your generic statement is wrong because <insert arguments>
Troll: Your show sucks. Everybody thinks it's terrible.
You: What are you talking about, it has lots of fans! Plenty of people <insert arguments>

The troll aggravates you so much that you even take offense at a remark not to feed the troll. Seriously, take it easy, trolls only continue posting if you get angry at them. I don't mind your posts, but it bores me to see the same generic comments by the other guy over and over again.

Now back to actual discussion. Why is Ro-Kyu-Bu funnier than other comedy anime, and why should I watch it (not really a fanservice kind of guy)?

>>37282
I don't know how to explain why something is funny, I just really liked it. I like the style of humour I guess. It's not short build ups to some punch line, like so many other 'comedy' shows, it isn't hit and (mostly) miss like Nichijou, it was just funny for me all the way through. Just the absurdity I guess. I liked the protag, I liked the unexpectedness of some lines, I like the small things (like how he will constantly put his hands on the girl's shoulders and stuff non-chalantly) and I guess watching it on nicovideo made it all the funnier. But, I mean, if you don't like loli, and if you didn't find it funny then there isn't much reason to watch.

>>37291
>no DFC
>the entire cast has bigger tits than 1/5 of my foot

Nope, back to waiting for Milky Holmes S2.

>>37292
>bigger tits than 1/5 of my foot
This method of breast measurement confuses and intrigues me.

>>37292

Why do we use the metric system when we have this slice of genius?

We should measure breasts in angles.
DFC is 180°~170°.

>>37328
>170°
Too old.

>>37328
I don't understand.
How could you get 180? I tried to visualize this, but failed.

>>37354
The angle formed by the plane of the front of the chest and a line going from the lowest rib to the nipple.

>>37357
Then again, 0 would be more fitting than 180

I've been a little behind on Idolm@ster, but I just watched episode 14, and it was fun, if only for the monkeys and the fruity (huhuhu) costumes. The sax solo at the end of the ED was nice, as well.

So good.

>>37418

You are correct. It really is.

Oh [gg], you so crazy.
It was nice to have a funny episode that didn't make me want to slit something.

I love iM@S.

>>37134

I felt as if I'm not enjoying IM@S as much as I could for the reason that I haven't actully played the games.

>>37671

You aren't missing much. The main gameplay is like playing guitar hero, but with an xbox controller's A-B-X-Y buttons, only not as smooth and the game is really stiff in how much you can be off for the button presses. The mini games aren't too bad, but very, very, very unforgiving if you are trying to get perfects for the idol's stat upgrades.

Also, the hai fuwa fuwa stuff gets really old, really fast. It's almost better to start off on the normal or hard and fail until you get the hang of the gameplay just to avoid the easy modo sounds.

Then again, I have terrible hand-eye coordination reflexes so take that as you will. The VN-stuff with the timed choices are pretty cool, but the amount of effort required to retrace your steps if you fuck up to where you need to start over from scratch or if you want to meet the strict requirements to get the date for the idol means you'll want the walkthrough nearby at all times.

>>37674
I assume you aren't talking about imas 2 which is what the anime is supposed to be an adaptation of. Because imas 2 is very easy and I have never not gotten perfect in training and almost always ace every audition, whilst with imas 1 it was a lot easier to only get normal or good on training.

I'm really liking the new gameplay mechanics they put in though. You know, like taking pictures after you get them to pose.

Being a PC-only owner is suffering.

>>37667
Great episode.

This was a nice episode. Chihaya is very cute. Here's hoping the next one will be happy-happy!

I want Kanba to squeeze me.

Who's still following Penguindrum?
The newest episode was really good, but I get the feeling that I should know even more than I can figure out on my own. I guess the next three episodes better have a lot of answers. If not, I'll be more than a little irked.

>>38056
The first episodes are full of really important stuff you most likely won't get unless you rewatch them, that might be what you feel you're missing. I got a friend to start watching the show when 16 aired and going through the show again helped me a lot. I have to say almost everything has been directly addressed -even if in a subtle way sometimes- so it's not like they're asspulling anything. Hell, the fact that a lot stuff has been called by the fans means that, as confusing as the show might be, it makes sense. I don't know how it'll end, but I have faith in Ikuhara.

You could also check the translator's blog, he loves the show and posts some really interesting stuff about every episode http://8thsinfansubs.wordpress.com/

>>38058

Believe me, I've read that. I don't think I've read his observations for the earlier eps, though, but 14 and onwards I read when sick, and it was like medicine. Reading his blog makes me want to understand the show better, but I must admit that I'm a little confused sometimes.

I didn't even consider Sanetoshi being a big player until I read that blog

>>38058
Oh, that's pretty helpful. I caught the references to the Sarin attack, Urashima Taro and a couple of others, but fully understanding the show like that blogger would probably require multiple viewings and careful study.
I'm not even up to date, I don't know why. Penguindrum's the best thing I've seen in over a year.

>>38056
I'm planning on a rewatch once the series ends. Loving every episode with all its twists and revelations. Definitely my favourite show since Tatami Galaxy last year.

>>38083

I wholeheartedly agree with you, but there's been a lot of great stuff other than these.
You should buy the Tatami Galaxy DVD to support it once it releases the 26th. I already have it pre-ordered.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005GUSJ8Y/ref=s9_simh_gw_p74_d1_g74_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=02R3YZ91QE7Q1A9RME7T&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294

>>38075
Lots of Japanese people got really mad over the Sarin attacks, now that you mention it. You know how victims act whenever terrorism is mentioned. It supposedly hurt the shows sales, but it's still doing rather well so who cares. I'm fairly sure Ikuhara gets off on making people angry.

>>38087
I can't bring myself to buy DVDs, otherwise I'd have gotten that. I loved Tatami Galaxy as well so I'm pretty sad they didn't bring over the BDs.

>>38090

Didn't people love Utena, though? Figure they would keep at this.

>>38090
Well, the Sarin gas attack happened a relatively long time ago, and the Japanese are not nearly as butthurt about it as the Americans are about 9/11. I guess it could have something to do with the fact that the whole Aum-cult was 100% Japanese, but it's probably mostly a culture thing. Drawing a parallel between the Sarin attack and the recent Utøya incident in Norway is feasible.
Besides, Ikuhara has handled everything in a very tasteful way, so I doubt anyone other than direct victims would be angered. That's my opinion at least.

>>38091
It's not like Utena didn't have its moments that pissed off fans, like when Utena slept with a guy.

>>38106
The interviews in the Penguindrum BDs also explain how Ikuhara pissed off most of the staff plenty of times. I'm fairly sure he doesn't give a crap about what everyone else thinks.

God dammit, iM@S anime is fast approaching its end.

>>38182
That shit is finally ending? Thank god.

>>38184
What, did the show's existence hurt you or something?

>>38188

Maybe his mother was murdered by someone whistling Change. I can think of no other reason to hate it, other than being a terrible human being.

I watched THE iDOLM@STER and when I woke up the next morning I had leprosy.

>>38192
but the incubation period for leprosy is at least a few weeks!

>>38189
>I can think of no other reason to hate it, other than being a terrible human being.
You're forgetting the fact that the show is just plain bad.

>>38200
Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

IIIIIIKUUUUUUHAAAARRAAAAAA!
I cannot see how Penguindrum can possibly have a satisfying conclusion. Everything points towards some bittersweet or rubbish ending, and I am scared sleepless of being disappointed after following this for half a year. Christmas might not be such a festive time, after all, with this and Im@s ending.

>>38225
And how would the ending being bittersweet make the show any worse/less satisfying?

>>38230

I'm a walking vagina, only not as tough. I want all the characters to be happy ;_;

>>38203
Imas. So good.

I wasn't broken by the newest Penguindrum episode, who would have thought. It was actually pretty darned excellent, and I can't wait for Christmas Eve and the finale. So many goosebump moments in this episode, but one stood out in particular (pic related).

Idolm@ster 24 was also pretty good. I have been championing the show as not only good fun with cute girls and good music, but also as a show with good drama. This proved me right, even if I think everyone should have run out to find Haruka together. I hope there's going to be an UNinterrupted song and dance scene (here's looking at you, 自分RESTART), and that the ending will be ドキドキ and キラキラ. It will be really weird to finish both these wonderful shows on the same day, and Christmas Eve, nonetheless.

>>38354
That makes the two of us. I love both shows, and although I have not watched the latest episodes yet, I've loved everything up to now.

We should set up IRC and do synchronized viewing for all of the finales this season.

>>38355

Or something other than IRC. I just have no idea how to use it. Is there some online thing that's easy to use? We'll have to do it with subs, as my Japanese is too terrible to even follow Idolm@ster.

>>38368
oh I see. Well, I'm not sure what else we could use... IRC isn't really difficult to use though. I all you'd have to do is install a client like xchat-wdk and join a server and then the channel.

I've got so many thoughts about the last episode of Penguindrum, it's going to take rewatching the entire show to organize them. Suffice to say, it was by far the best thing to air this year, possibly best thing in several years. The finale was just as good as the pilot, which is to say nearly flawless.

>>38370
I almost forgot, the best part is everything you needed to know was explained in the very first episode!
Kid A: Therefore, the apple is the universe itself. The universe in the palm of your hand, the thing that connects this world to the other world.

Kid B: The other world?

Kid A: The world that Kanpaneru and the other passengers are heading.

Kid B: So how is that related to the apple?

Kid A: It means that the apple is also a reward to those who choose death out of love.

Kid B: But it’s all over if you die.

Kid A: It’s not all over. On the contrary, it is the beginning of everything – that’s what Kenji is saying.

Kid B: I don’t understand at all.

Kid A: This is all about love. Why can’t you understand?

>>38370
>it was by far the best thing to air this year, possibly best thing in several years.
Mmm I would disagree. I felt it was pretty boring. Much better shows this year.

>>38376
Alright. Examples?

Well, if anyone wants to join, I think I'm gonna view the final episode of iM@S in 4 hours or so, so 01:00 UTC (24th), 20:00 EST (23rd), etc

The IRC channel is #/bun/-sync and the server is irc.rizon.net. I'm just gonna idle there for the next hours.
If IRC confuses you, just type that one line at a time...

/server irc.rizon.net
/nick [i]nicknamehere[/i]
/join #/bun/-sync


I'll probably be alone, considering that the episode aired a full day ago, w

I'd say Mawaru Penguindrum was above average and give it a solid 7/10. I felt some of the concepts at the beginning of the series dawdled around for too long, as if the show had no direction and symbolism was being thrown around just for the sake of seeing what would stick. As much as I love Ringo as a character, I felt she overstayed her welcome and overshadowed nearly everyone at the start.

The second half of the series was much improved, with a more concentrated focus as to where the story should head. While the motivations of certain characters are still unknown, whether that being intentional or an oversight is up for debate, the ending was appropriate for the show and brought the entire story full circle with many of the concepts and symbolism introduced throughout the series.

Penguindrum was an interesting ride, to say the least, but I believe it could have been a greater series if it had cut down some of its fat and spent more time focused on what it wanted to achieve. That's just my 2 cents.

>>38377
Ro-Kyu-Bu, Bakatest, Kore ha Zombie, Ben-to, Ika Musume, and Working'!!. Probably more as well, just having a hard time remembering all I watched that aired this year.

Damn, the finales of Penguindrum and iM@S were great.

I really would love to see season 2 of iM@S: Penguindrum was great as well, but the ending was conclusive. I honestly don't care if the anime had very little substance story-wise, but I had a blast cheering for my favourite idols and watching them animated in such spectacular way.

as I had anticipated, it was pretty much just me in the IRC channel, w
<Whiterock> Penguins in 3 mins
<Whiterock> starting
* z411 has quit (Ping timeout: 240 seconds)
<Whiterock> >you gotta be shitting me
<Whiterock> fucking gg
* ddrddr is now known as Ellenpage
<Whiterock> that seems painful
<Whiterock> >unmei no kajitsu
<Whiterock> that song
<Whiterock> olawd
<Whiterock> wow .-.

<Whiterock> iM@S started
* z411 (~denpa@Rizon-3FCF1D2E.baf.movistar.cl) has joined #/bun/-sync
<Whiterock> oh nice, Producer's back
<Whiterock> >are you ready? I'm lady
<Whiterock> oh yes
<Whiterock> glorious animation
<z411> all the budget
<Whiterock> yeahhh
* z411 has quit (Quit: leaving)
<Whiterock> that new office
<Whiterock> Kuroi has his way again... lol

>>38382
Oh, you just have no taste. Alright then, carry on

>>38384
Don't be such a troll.

>>38387
>Ro-Kyu-Bu
I can't claim to be an expert on this show because I dropped it so quickly. Talking to others who have finished it however, it is only worthwhile for the hilariously bad production values or if you are a dirty pedo scum.
>Bakatest
Once again, no humor to speak of. Unless you like seeing a guy get beat up for 20 minutes for "being a pervert". The director trying very hard to be Shinbo and failing also doesn't help.
>Kore ha Zombie
There was so much wrong with this show I don't even want to remember it all in fear of making myself angry.
>Ben-to
I never bothered watching, but if it is amazingly good, nobody is talking about it for whatever reason. And just reading the premise, I can tell that isn't the case.
>Ika Musume
>Working!!
The first seasons of these two shows were excellent, which makes the sequels all the more disappointing.

The only shows you might have been able to make a case for would be Usagi Drop, Natsume, or maybe S;G. Fuck, I don't know why I bothered typing all this up since I'm probably being trolled anyway.

>>38388
You are the troll.
And don't make a post as though you are going to actually provide proper criticisms of the show, but then go on and say nothing relevant.

In either case, the original post says:
>Suffice to say, it was by far the best thing to air this year, possibly best thing in several years.

(I'm going to assume this is you, sorry if it isn't) Why do you post like that? Are you trying to troll? You should be saying that it's your favourite show this year and possibly your favourite in the past several years. Don't go and blurt out your opinion as though it's fact. Just because you like a show doesn't mean squat. It's your opinion. There are people that like it, and don't like it. I, personally, didn't like the show. But I won't say it's bad, as I know there are people out there that like that kind of stuff.

So anyway, what I'm trying to say, is post more like an adult. Not like some kid who frequents /a/ or something.

Penguindrum is probably my favorite anime of the year but I've really enjoyed many other shows as well including some of the ones listed by >>38382. It was actually a pretty good year for anime now that I think about it.

>>38381
I actually agreed with your points a few weeks ago, but after re-watching the series in anticipation for the finale, I've since changed my mind. The whole progression of the show in a fairy tale like sense puts the weird pacing into perspective imo. And far from "overstaying her welcome", there are only 4 really important characters in the show and Ringo is one of them. Understanding her, and her interactions with the Takakuras is pretty important to understanding the message of the show.

As for the point on symbolism, I am not going defend it and say "Well that's just how Ikuhara is". However I really don't think it was all that overblown. People can read into the show as much as they want and probably find evidence of anything. But with the exception of a few episodes, the presentation was very straightforward, and the symbolism wasn't terribly important, at least not until the end.

Anyway, I haven't slept for quite a while now and I'm just rambling, so if any of this sounds off to you please forgive (｀・ω・´)

>>38389
Because autism.

So, I finally finished Pingdrum. I think it's my favourite show that's aired since Tatami Galaxy. As some have pointed out, the symbolism got a little overwhelming at times, but it's all good. I enjoy tearing up shows and poke about the inside. And it's more fun to find too much than nothing at all. Other than that the 90's throwback style was pretty cool, it had excellent scene composition and art and also something close to flawless foreshadowing.

Im@s was alright I guess. A little disappointed the last episode was just a giant sakuga-splurge. But kudos for well-executed drama in a slice-of-life. In retrospective, I wish the series had been darker. Oh well.

I wanted more symbolism in Penguindrum. Something like Utena.

Bet I am gonna get flamed for it but I wasn't impressed with penguindrum. I actually love the first part of it when we were slowly given their tiny backstory bits by bits with flashback. Especiallynthe episode about sergeant frog.
The second part, not so much. Too magical for my taste. Symbolism for the sake of symbolism when he should have just kept it simple.
It was still a solid 6/10 though.