Welcome to my first impressions. I won't include sequels or things I'm not interested in.
God Eater:
Narratively, I expected little from this, being a video game adaptation, and it delivered in that regard. However, I also expected it to deliver on the directorial front and be backed up with solid animation and an interesting art style. In that regard, it delivered even more. The colours and gradients are appropriately futuristic while also seeming suitably dark and brooding. The smooth, unique camera angles and measured utilisation of panning and "camera" movements also help to create a sense of individuality for this series. On the negative side, there are a few hiccups in the animation, and the show-don't-tell philosophy was taken a little too far in this episode. Additionally, how will anything be resolved in just 13 episodes? Only time will tell, but for now, this series, with its star-studded voice acting cast and high-quality presentation, has my attention.
Rokka no Yuusha:
The Saturday morning Disney cartoon of the season. Rokka no Yuusha brings the spirit of adventure to life in a bright and vibrant fantasy world. The charismatic Adlet is engaging, both in mannerisms and particularly in combat, but the Princess's more naïve and inexperienced personality shows more signs of development. The other 4 haven't been shown yet, though I fear that, as a 12 episode series, they may not all see much development or even screen time. On the technical side, the animation for the characters isn't very original, but the aforementioned colour palette makes it easy to tell our lead characters apart from commoners and reflects characteristics quite well. The CGI used for the monsters, while not quite as clear as those in God Eater, is serviceable, though sadly doesn't blend into the background very effectively. However, with a promisingly fast-paced start and a strong lead, Rokka no Yuusha is my current favourite.
Ushio to Tora:
Ushio to Tora is a new MAPPA anime that combines the charm and design of the old manga series with the fluidity and detail of modern high quality animation. Tora is undoubtedly the star of the show, with his funny lack of common sense and grumbly voice making him the kind of character who will probably sell a ton of merchandise. Ushio isn't bad either, but doesn't quite carry the same appeal as Tora. At the moment, it seems that the story will be episodic, but as the manga is longer than both Rurouni Kenshin and Fullmetal Alchemist, this series may continue for quite a while if it finds success. So far, the pacing is well done, with a standard monster-of-the-week style format playing out while Ushio embraces the secrets of the staff. The CGI used for some of the monsters does clash with the backgrounds and other characters, but otherwise this series is a very well-produced shounen that will likely entertain me for many weekends to come.
Gangsta:
Of everything to have aired this season, this is certainly the one about which I have the most to say. Having read the manga, I presumed that I knew what this anime would be like, but this adaptation, though maintaining the aesthetics and plot points of its source material, exudes a rather different feeling.
In the manga, while Alex is "working", a full back shot is shown of her and the man with whom she is... working. Though this established her role and status, in the anime things play out quite differently. The audience are positioned with her, leaving us feelings as frustrating and uncomfortable as her, while also seeing the gleaming desperation in her eyes and realising that she would rather be anywhere else, but isn't able to be. Not only does this establish her character very effectively, but makes the emotional moment at the end of episode 1 more impactful. On top of that, Nicolas's deafness isn't made fun of or belittled, but instead is treated like a minor obstacle which he has long since overcome. This delicacy shown when dealing with the disposition of these two characters is very intriguing, as it would have been very easy for this series to have belittled them in a mean-spirited way, just turning them into "The Prostitute" or "The Deaf Guy". On a more personal level, knowing many people with disabilities, this series would be dropped immediately in disgust if the writers did choose to take this route, and Gangsta is all the better for not taking it.
On the negative side, there wasn't really much in the way of excitement. Worick, Nicolas and Alex are well-established, but there isn't much in the way of actual energising battles, with the only confrontation resembling more of a one-sided beat-down than anything else. Though taking a minimalistic approach to action has worked well with others series, in this case I think utilising a character who can flip cars would probably be a good idea if you want to engage you audience. The music was also rather unfitting in the emotional climax, though on the whole the score, with a fine opening and ending, makes for an aurally pleasing experience in spite of such hiccups. Visually, this does slightly resemble Manglobe's other series called "Ergo Proxy" with its washed-out palette, which is essentially the complete opposite of Rokka no Yuusha, but the quality is a little hit-and-miss.
Those are my opinions on God Eater, Rokka no Yuusha, Ushio to Tora and Gangsta. I will try to keep up with these in the future.
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