I haven’t done an anime video review or article in a while. It’s sheer craziness with the amount of new stuff to watch this anime season!
In the meantime, Heisei Democracy has been reviewing (1)(2) the latest anime series that have been released this season. Below is a very brief run-down of some of the ‘must watch’ titles according to HD.
Suzumiya Haruhi No Yuu-Utsu
A far from ordinary school story starts here! Based on the short novel by Tanigawa Nagaru, eight-time winner of the Sneaker Award, Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuu-utsu will be made into an anime series.
The story is about one Haruhi Suzumiya, who upon enrollment at school announced, “I have no interest in ordinary humans. If there are any aliens, beings from the future, or super-humans, come see me. That is all!”
Naturally, any normal person would think “What the…?”, but Haruhi is dead serious. Things get crazy when everyone realizes just how serious she is about it all. A delightfully strange, yet marvelously interesting story! The series will begin broadcasting in the beginning of April. (synopsis from Akadot)
Black Lagoon
Okajima Rokuro visits Southeast Asia on business, carrying a disc with top secret information. When he is kidnapped by pirates, he expects the company he works for to secure his release. The company does send mercenaries… But not to rescue him. They’re there to kill him to keep the information Rokuro carries a secret. With no where to turn, Rokuro gives up his former life and makes up his mind to join the same pirates who had kidnapped him: the crew of the Black Lagoon!
Nana
Two girls, both named Nana, meet by chance on a Tokyo-bound train. Despite having drastically different personalities, they befriend each other. Nana explores their lives, loves and tribulations in this new shoujo style series.
Yumetsukai
From ANN: An ordinary, quiet town is shaken by a series of bizarre happenings brought about by the darkness in human hearts. There are no solutions in the real world: Only “Dream Messengers” can find the answers.
Dream messengers connect the fabulous with the real and control the power of dreams. Their leader, Toko Mishima, works with 8 other messengers using the powers given by an old spell and a toy made by Toko’s father.
Ray: The Animation (official site)
From Manga-Sketchbook: Ray grew up on a farm, one that breeds and raises people as living, breathing organ donors.
As a donor herself, Ray had her eyes taken away from her, but was given the gift of sight by a stranger. Ray’s new sight, however, was far from ordinary. She was given x-ray vision.
We meet Ray ten years later, now off the farm, working as a nurse and an underground medical doctor performing procedures for profit. A chance encounter with an old friend triggers Ray’s memories of her difficult childhood, which inspires her to try to find the donor farm on which she was raised.
Utawarerumono (official site)
Set in a fantasy realm where humans have animal-like physical characteristics, the Utawarerumono TV series is adapted from an adult computer game. The story follows Eruru, a cat-like girl who comes across a mysterious, and injured, masked man suffering from amensia. She renders him aid but little does she know that this chance meeting will change the world around her.
Air Gear (official site)
Radical improvements in technology for in-line skates has resulted in highly powered motorized models called ‘Air Treks’. Around these advanced skates, the sub-culture of the Stormrider has formed, much to the ire of the local governments.
Air Gear follows the story of Ikki, a brash 13-year old living whose care was entrusted to the four daughters of the Noyamano family. Ikki gets inadvertently pulled into the world of the Stormriders when he’s beaten up by the Skull Saders gang. Ikki then sets out to master the Air Trek and make an indelible mark for himself in the world of the Stormriders.
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