Oldtaku: Anime for Grownups

The Spring 2008 season is upon us. It’s slightly better so far than last season, though for some reason the perviness has really been ratcheted up. Now I don’t mind pervy, but I do mind it when it’s an excuse for stupid. Kanokon and To Love-Ru are prime examples of this. On the other hand, Masked Maid Guy (Kamen no Maid Guy) is pervy but at least it’s amusing when Kogarashi (the Maid Guy) is in the scene.

Best of the Season:

• Kaiba (retro scifi romance – absolutely not for children)
• Kure-nai (modern adventure, dialogue and situation heavy)

Worth a Look:

• Allison and Lillia (pulp adventure, from the Kino no Tabi author)
• Daughter of Twenty Faces (Lupin-style adventure)
• Macross Frontier (if you like Macross, this isn’t bad)
• Soul Eater (Bleach Lite, but the animation is gorgeous)
• Toshokan Sensou (Library War) (The execution so far is excellent, reminding me a lot of Planetes, but the premise is so ridiculous it may be insurmountable).

Special Circumstances:

• Chi’s Sweet Home (super cute, for the lolcat people)
• Kamen no Maid Guy (so dumb it’s funny, but only when he’s in the scene)
• The Tower of Druaga (watch the first ep, which is total RPG spoof, but only the first ep)
• Zenryoku Usagi (after two eps, this cute little series about construction worker rabbits has some appeal, though little depth)

Could be Worse:

• Crystal Blaze (totally generic modern scifi adventure)
• Nabari no Ou (modern day bishounen high school ninjas)
• Special A (Karekano meets Ouran Host Club. Not quite as good as either, but not bad)
• Vampire Knight (horribly cliche setup, but not badly executed)
• Wagaya no Oinari-sama (not a bad setup, but keeps veering toward domestic sitcom)

Pass:

• Bus Gamer (did you actually like Get Backers? This is for you. Yaoibait adventure).
• Da Capo II S2 (totally generic romance)
• Himitsu: The Revelation (technogibberish for dumb adults)
• Kanokon (the perviest and most forumlaic thing I’ve seen in years)
• Kyou Kara Maou! S3 (nothing should go for 3 seasons, especially something this cliche)
• Kyouran Kazoku Nikki (completely soulless catgirl domestic comedy for kids)
• Monochrome Factor (utterly formulaic yaoibait)
• Naisho no Tsubomi (this is not badly done, but it’s a sex ed infodrama for 11 year old girls)
• Neo Angelique ~ Abyss~ (I can’t even remember what this was about)
• Penguin Musume (even dumber Lucky Star with boobs)
• Penguin no Mondai (you’re far too old for this)
• Real Drive – Sennou Chosashitsu (pandering technogibberish)
• To Love-RU (modern Urusei Yatsura, with more perv)
• Zettai Karen Children (bad setup, juvenile, pedobait)