Favorite Spring Anime 2008

There’s a lot of new anime that came out this spring (in Japan) and here are the ones I’ll be continuing to watch:

Itazura na Kiss – This is a fairly old manga (ran 1991-1998) but was just recently adapted into anime this month. It’s actually really successful in Japan but due to the mangaka’s unexpected death (I think she fell and banged her head onto a table while she was moving house – I know, really sad), the manga was left unfinished at volume 23. Anyway, this anime caught my attention because the artwork is reminiscent of old school manga (Hana Yori Dango, Ranma, Visions of Escaflowne, Orange Road, Marmalade Boy, Kodomo no Omocha) style so although the drawings seem a bit old (and not really my taste), it’s pretty nostalgic. Plus, it’s really hilarious. Plot-wise, it’s a typical shoujo classic where girl loves boy, boy isn’t interested, but boy begins to show some interest and warms up to the girl although they’re constantly fighting. And of course, their personalities are total opposites; the boy is a genius and cold, while the girl is dumb and loud. Now due to an earthquake, the girl’s house collapsed. Coincidentally, the girl’s dad and the boy’s dad are old pals so they moved into the boy’s house for the time being while the house is being rebuilt. And the drama begins. It actually starts out in their last year of high school but will move on to their college years. So in a way, I kind of like it that they’re moving away from the typical high school setting. Anyway, this anime is a good laugh so do check it out.

Kurenai – High school student by day, “Dispute Mediator” by night, this anime is about the adventures of 16-year-old Shinkurou Kurenai, who was assigned to protect and be the bodyguard of 7-year-old Kuhouin Murasaki, who comes from a very rich, very powerful, and very influential family. Since a baby, she has lived in the Inner Sanctuary of the family's mansion her whole life. On behalf of her mother’s dying wish, Benika kidnaps the girl and puts her in the care of Shinkurou so that she can see the outside world. Of all the anime that started this season, this probably has one of the best animations of all. The colors are very vibrant that it looks almost 3D (well at least to me). The character movements also seem very realistic, especially how Kuhouin moves around (putting on clothes, facial expression, eating). She’s incredibly adorable despite how she can be selfish and snobbish at times. The voice acting is also really great, especially Kuhouin’s seiyuu. She’s always asking curious questions like a kid but talks like a formal old woman due to her upbringing (for example, she refers to other girls as “that woman” in a very condescending tone). It’s also pretty interesting watching the both of them grow as we learn about their pasts and especially Shinkurou’s Houzuki martial arts ability. Moreover, I just like anime about poor people trying to survive in this chaotic and mysterious world and this anime does a pretty good job at showing how Shinkurou tries to make ends meet with such limited money. I also really like the opening and ending sequences, great music and colorful animation. I’m trying to find Kurenai wallpapers but I keep getting hits of Kurenai, the ninja from Naruto instead.

Macross Frontier – Just like its other Macross franchise, Frontier’s got impressive mecha and memorable music. My favorite is still Macross 7 because nothing beats Nekki Basara and his Firebomber band. Also, I’m not really particular on the animation’s drawings, especially Ranka’s weird green hair-do. Still, the music lends a grateful hand to the franchise’s immense success and any true Macross fan will surely not miss this as it is produced by Yoko Kanno (famous for her music in Cowboy Bebop). Though the ships and mecha look really good, its 3D feel and appearances are a weird combination against the background’s flatness. In general, the characters don’t really appeal to me, nor does the plot, but I’m just watching it because it’s part of the Macross world and for the music.

Other new anime that I watched were Nabari no Ou, Soul Eater and Amatsuki but they didn’t impress me that much. There are still a few others that I still want to watch including Tower of Druaga, xxxHolic 2, and Lelouch 2 but I still haven’t found time to dl them yet.