Spring 2015 Overview

Here we are again. It seemed like a slightly more “meh” season this time around, but of course that could be due to myself choosing shows poorly. After all, I never got to Seraph of the End or Is it Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon, two of the most popular shows of the cour. But let's focus on what I did watch for now, shall we?

Sailor Moon Crystal

Though I've heard rumors of a second season coming soon, I won't be watching. Sure, this might mark the beginning of the part I haven't seen, the past year tells me it would be dull as dirt if adapted by this team. Just not worth it.

Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works

Already posted my thoughts in a previous post; I won't waste your time taking another dump on this series here. Suffice it to say I don't blame anyone for liking this, but it sure wasn't my cup of tea.

Assassination Classroom

Another strong season, this one dealing more in arcs than stand-alone episodes. They did a good job introducing higher stakes for this half, and the characters were just as easy to root for. It also ended at a very good point, leaving me satisfied but thirsty for more. I'd call this one of the few really popular things that more or less deserves its popularity.

High School DxD Born

A lot like the previous season a few years back, this one ended a bit weakly, but the majority was very strong. This may be a fanservice series first and foremost, but the character drama does mostly hold up. It's like being reunited with old friends every time this show gets another season, friends who happen to be naked most of the time. Not a bad deal.

Triage X

I did a brief write-up on this a month or so ago, and at the end of its run I'd have to classify this as dumb fun. Like, really dumb, but not surreptitiously pervy like Highschool of the Dead. Give it a shot if you're looking for a quick dose of fanservice, although it looks like next season's lineup will have us all covered in that respect.

The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan

I'm a little surprised how many times this show changed form, in retrospect. It started off as an interesting twist on its parent franchise, then devolved into a pale imitator of said parent, then took a hard right turn I wasn't expecting a little too late in its run. I can't really recommend this one because it has such long stretches of mind-numbing mediocrity, but it's not like there's nothing interesting here. Just not enough to save the franchise.

The Heroic Legend of Arslan

In this show's defense, it does a better job at character building than the OVAs from the 90s. Better, it seems to have been planned out so that it'll actually tell us the whole story rather than run out of money. However, I can't help but be irritated every time a lame joke is pushed (So and so is a bad painter! So and so can't get a girl!), then punctuated with sweat drops, or sparkles, or funny faces. The original carried itself with such dignity that this show just feels incredibly cheap in comparison, a feeling not helped by the necessary yet painful reliance on CG. An epic like this shouldn't ever feel cheap. Even scarier, I've heard that a new adaptation of Legend of the Galactic Heroes may be in the works; so help me if it suffers the same treatment.

Blood Blockade Battlefront

Possibly the most outright fun of anything this season, and also the most visually creative. Pretty much every episode was great in some way, whether it chose to tackle action, drama, or just plain comedy. I do wish we got to know the characters better; by and large, it isn't explained why most of them do what they do, how they got their powers, or any other backstory elements. I admit it's not strictly necessary for this show, but a few flashback episodes would do wonders towards giving the team depth. Otherwise, I'm hard-put to think of any complaints.

Ninja Slayer

This was . . . different from what I expected. I get now that we're supposed to watch it as a comedy, and it certainly does have its funny moments, as well as its badass ones. But truth be told, I think Inferno Cop from a few years back was more consistently funny. I'm enjoying myself, though; there's not much else out there that's this damn weird.

Knights of Sidonia: The Ninth Planet Crusade

I did a write-up praising the first season a while back, and while this one was good, it didn't quite reach the same heights. I'd compare it to Nisemonogatari; probably a good show on the second watch that's great with subtle character building, but a little infuriating upon first watch thanks to its sluggish pace. There were just too many tranquil episodes when we should have been on the edge of our seat, left breathless as the last of humanity is pursued by a relentless enemy. Still, when the show chose to get good, it got really good, and I hope people are interested enough in the series that we'll be seeing more.

Plastic Memories

The opening episode, the closing episode, and maybe one or two in the middle proved that this could be a great show. The rest of the show proved that it just didn't care enough to attempt any sort of greatness. The two main characters, despite facing a compelling dilemma, constantly reverts to the same dumbass hijinks we see in subpar romantic comedies. Worse, they can't seem to do anything without the input of their nosy, annoying, stereotypical coworkers. It wouldn't take much to make this show a lot better, but there you have it.

Ore Monogatari!

This show is exactly as sweetly insubstantial as the many pastries it includes. There's truthfully quite little in the way of conflict, but you still get surprisingly invested in its main characters. They're just so adorable, which isn't something I normally look for in my anime, but I found myself rooting for them every time an easily-resolved conflict popped up. Glad this'll be going on for a little longer.

Hibike! Euphonium

Watched this because I was a huge band geek for most of my life, and this does capture the general feeling of being in a high school band. The needlessly dramatic portion of petty infighting, at least. I was really wishing for more of a “hell yeah, band is awesome!” mindset, and couldn't really connect with the characters at all. Not that I'm opposed to drama, but I'm just so done with the petty rivalries and crushes that this latest take on high school is all about. Too bad.

Ghost in the Shell Arise: Alternative Architecture

I'm a little ashamed that I enjoyed neither this show nor Fate, since both were clearly ambitious, and yet Ghost in the Shell has failed to wow me for a while now. Something about how the extremely dense plot is always explained by talking heads, or maybe how the Major is a little too perfect a character just hasn't sat well with me. I give this new show credit on a couple fronts, however. First, although I view it as a largely unnecessary entry, there's very little dead weight here; the series doesn't overstay its welcome. Second, it's visually very nice to look at, the Major's constantly angry facial design notwithstanding. Worth a watch if you haven't gotten your Ghost in the Shell fix yet, otherwise it's not exactly essential viewing.

And that's all! If you think I missed something important, let me know!