PinkuBentoBox

Looks like it’s time I wrote another update. I was considering putting this off until tomorrow but I think if I don’t do it now then I’ll probably never get around to it, and that would not be a good thing.

First up, Tsubasa. Now, I gushed about this series in the previous update already, so I won’t do so again. I’ve finished it, and was pretty impressed overall. I went into the series expecting crap, and was instead given a treat. I suppose I should have anticipated it, since it *is* a CLAMP series, but I was under the extremely strong impression that they’ve produced primarily crap since they finished Cardcaptor Sakura. Speaking of Sakura, I want to gush again over Yui Makino. I am predicting great things from her, and want to hear here in more anime. Also if she could sing more often too then that would be great.

Also watched the Tsubasa movie. The animation is superb, which is to be expected from a high-profile theatrical spinoff of a high-profile, high-budget TV series. However, it is also very short. Disappointingly so. While it was the first Tsubasa installment since episode 1 of the series to feature Tomoyo, it’s not really long enough to do much with her. The plot is a bit weak and skips around a bit. Overall it just doesn’t feel like a movie. It feels like a really well-animated special, a TV episode that was slightly too long for TV. Though if they’d done this as filler in the series it would have been at least two eps. Anyway, worth a go if you liked the series, I wouldn’t bother otherwise. Personally I’m now greatly anticipating the second season of Tsubasa which starts in April.

Watched the first ep of Ergo Proxy. I waited for the HD release, and I’m glad I did so. The series looks interesting, but so far isn’t anything to write home about plot-wise. That said, the animation is very good and when coupled with HD it is absolutely fantastic. If your computer is fast enough and you can get hold of the HD release, I really, really recommend you do so. I’ll be giving this the three-episode test. While I did enjoy Cowboy Bebop, I thought it was severely overexposed and overrated, with only a few good episodes. Champloo is the same, but less interesting. Not that great a track record for me as far as Manglobe’s stuff goes.

This week’s Fate is interesting, though very dialogue heavy, making the raw harder to watch for me. Eclipse are slower than normal getting it out, too :(. Ilya is incredibly cute and cuddly and when she does the cute pout I just want to hug her. Except some small part of me suspects that she’s putting on a show for Shiro or something. Anyway, Shiro doesn’t seem to be a lolicon like Shiki is which is probably a good thing.

Mai-Otome 22 was great. Finally the plot is moving again - I was really getting worried about it because they’re running out of time to pull a conclusion together. It was great to see Midori kicking ass properly this time, especially when she bumped off a side character that I really, really hated. And using gakutenou to skewer said character was awesome - she should have used it like that in HiME. Miyu is also extremely cool, even more so than she was in HiME. I think it’s the kickass clothes she stole from the set of Van Hellsing. Finally, I was really hacked off with them for putting that Mai shot in the 22 preview and then not having her in the episode beyond a shot at the end. Stop being such fucking cockteases. I’m also worried about the way that next ep looks like another mucking-around episode. Keep the plot in high gear guys, or we’ll have another dodgy rush-job ending.

Went to watch Eureka 7 31 and realised I also needed to see 30. Watched both. Eureka 7 is a brilliant series, really. I look forward to every episode a lot, and when they come out they’re very enjoyable. I just wish Nanashi were a bit faster. I also watched a few eps of Mushishi, now up to ep 9. I’m taking this slow as it’s a slower-paced, relaxing and very stimulating series which you just don’t get as much nowdays. I hope to spread the enjoyment out more by watching it only periodically, and so far this is working.

Also caught up to the current High-Quality releases of Black Cat (ep 18). I’m really liking it, I must say. Usually I do nothing but pour scorn on Gonzo. We all know the Gonzo clause - somehow they create stuff that’s pretty much always crap, but they make shitloads of money off it anyway. Black Cat is an interesting exception. It’s pretty much stock shounen action, so it’s not that incredible, but it’s highly enjoyable aside from Creed being a creepy, irritating fuck. I’m mainly watching for Eve, who is extremely huggable. I like huggable. Black Cat’s overall quality is interesting, because it would appear almost like Gonzo’s increasing in quality. They also did Basilisk in the same year, and that was great too. The frequency which they hit the nail on the head or thereabouts seems to be increasing, and that’s a good thing.