Butterfly Dreams

Although the Winter (and Summer) anime seasons aren’t anything much compared to the monster Spring and Fall seasons, I’m really disappointed with the 2008 Winter season– thus the current poll to see if it was just me. Of all the new series that started this Winter, I was only interested in watching the first episode of six. And out of those six, I’m only religiously following one with the promise of two others. What I was really looking foward to ended up being a let down, and the one I was skeptical about is my 2008 Winter Season favourite. If anyone has any recommendations apart from the ones I watched, I’d be interested. Hearing people’s opinions might best a mere description of it.

Note: Added impressions on recommended series.

H20 -footprints in the sand- - One of the main reasons I decided to give it a go was because I didn’t have too many series that interested me and thought I’d give it a go despite only vaguely being intrigued. I’m glad I did, because the story is quite interesting. It has that supernatural hint to it that’s really got me hooked. It’s odd, for the whole God/religion thing in the beginning was a slight turn off (and the laughing stock of all bloggers). I’ve only watched one episode as I’m writing this, but the second is currently downloading. Hirose’s blind, but he wasn’t born as such– instead, some mysterious incident is to blame. Spirits are calling him the Promised One, and Hinata’s family knows of him, going to the extent of calling him “-sama”. Hayami’s story behind being severely bullied is also something I want to know.

Rosario + Vampire - This was probably the only series I was really interested in when I read the description pre-season start…and I’ve never gone past the first episode. The story was interesting enough at first, but… I can’t see it going very far, even if it’s only 13 episodes. Tsukane being picked on and Moka constantly having to defend him is something I know will get old, and even me being interested in seeing the time when the school of demons find out he’s a human isn’t enough for me to continue watching it. The numerous panty shots also didn’t help matters, and with the limited time I have due to my co-op term, I wasn’t going to waste the time I have forcing myself to get past it.

Kimi ga Aruji de Shitsuji ga Ore de (They Are My Noble Masters) - I’m not sure what drew me to this series, to be honest. Hoping it’d be a better servant/butler show than Hayate? While I really liked how well Ren and Mihato acted together as siblings, I was left with the feeling that it’ll all get old after a while, much like Hayate did for me. That, and this series reminded me a whole lot more of other series that just Hayate. Ren’s face scars reminded me of Naruto. Although I can’t remember what it was since I watched the first episode a long while ago, something reminded me of BLEACH. It’s like it’s everything rolled up in one. Like Hayate tried to make a joke of everything. Maybe that’s the point. Once again I couldn’t force myself to watch this when I’d rather spend my time watching things that really captivate me.

PERSONA ~trinity soul~ - My 2008 Winter Season favourite. It surprises me, because I wasn’t all that into it when I watched the pre-season trailer. The art really bothered me during the promo, and it bothered me throughout the first episode. However, I value storyline over art, and while I couldn’t grasp the story during the promo due to never playing the game, I was hooked at the end of first episode. I feel like playing the game now, too xD The art soon grew on me, too. Shin’s a freaky hottie >_>; And I have enough rants about each episode, and if anything could get you worked up like that, it’s a plus in my books. Although I’ll be behind starting, I will probably be blogging this series.

Ookami to Koushinryou (Spice and Wolf) - I had forgotten why I was interested in this series, but after hearing Lawrence speak, it immediately came to me– Fukuyama Jun. God, that man can read the entire dictionary and make it sound wonderful… -dreamy sigh- It was kinda weird hearing him voice Lawrence, though, for I can’t see an older man like Lawrence sounding like Lelouch xDD; It was interesting learning Koshimizu Ami voicing Horo, too, and Nazuka Kaori as Chloe. It’s like CODE GEASS seiyuu’s teamed up. That alone is enough to make me continue watching this series past the first episode. It had better be, for the old era setting is a major turn off. Something about the story is hooking me a bit, though, so at least it has more than just seiyuu’s going for it.

Hatenkou Yuugi - Is it just me, or was the first episode incredibly fast-paced? I was interested because Sakurai Takahiro was voicing Alzeido, but it’s not enough for me to want to try out the second episode. First, there was the lame reason Rahzel was kicked out of her home. Second, she befriends Alzeido in seconds. Third, it’s suddenly sprung on us that Alzeido’s parents are dead, without a conversation or flashback to how Rahzel finds out that important piece of information? And I thought Rahzel was alone in this trip around of the world of hers, apart for her blindfolded teddybear. Who is the guy with the butterfly tattoo on his hand and when did they meet? When did the ghost freak out her not-so-lover with the fake bombs that were really fireworks? Before or after the group’s second confrontion? The whole time frame of this episode is screwed up, and I’m in no mood to work it out.

Recommended Series

true tears - The fan favourite this Winter season. I can see why. The art is spectacular, and of amazing quality, and I fell in love with the background music played during the first meeting with Noe. The story has a lot of depth, and is more than just the romantic possibilities with the three main girls in Shin’s life. Noe apparently can’t cry, though I got the impression that Hiromi’s in the same state as well. I really like what Noe brings in terms of the depth in this series (and I only watched one episode xD). The fact that she says Shin can’t fly was something I immediately connected to the fact that his mother wants him to continue his father’s business, and he’s being held down by that. But when it’s shown that he’s trying to go his own way, Noe offhandedly comments later on how he can actually fly, which I liked a lot. And the whole curse hitting her back was a good dose of karma, albeit sad, and that was also good. There’s a good chance I’ll be following this now ^^

Shigofumi - Don’t like the art at all, but the storyline of the dead sending letters is interesting. I really loved Fumika’s line about how the dead speak the truth and the living are full of falso words due to being alive– human nature. ‘Nice boat’ stab wasn’t bad either xDD; Although I’m beginning to think what’s going to happen with Shouta and Ayase, I get the feeling this is a case by case kind of series that evole around Fumika and Kanaka, so Shouta won’t be around. Though that may be obivious since Ayase completely PWNed him, but whatever, I like to be optomistic <__<; I like Shouta’s naivity where his feelings for Ayase are concerned, what can I say. It was said I should give this series until the third episode, so I plan on doing so. It seems like this case is still continued in Episode 2, so I at least want to finish that.

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