Summer has been a surprisingly packed season for me. The return of noitaminA has been nice, but there just seem to be a good amount of perfectly watchable shows starting up. I haven't run an analysis or anything, but there seem to be more original works than usual, which suits me just fine. I’m not completely opposed to adaptations, but when an adaptation serves as an advertisement for an on-going series, it’s hard not to feel like I’m wasting my time watching it instead of checking out the original work. Madhouse seem to be resistant to this, as I’ve seen many good adaptations from them through the years, but I’m starting to digress.
Gatchaman Crowds has been the standout show so far. The phrase "quirky cast" comes to mind, and Hajime's pragmatic optimism gives her a real sense of maturity to complement her childlike attitude. I really have to admire how she loves stuff that brings people together, but doesn't rely on technology. The message here is pretty blunt, but it's still a good message to have. On top of that, the art direction and music are superb, and the references to the original Gatchaman are nice. I do wonder why this series wasn't just made as something entirely new, but maybe more of a link will be revealed in time.
Symphogear is fun, but hasn’t yet shown that spark that made the original so great, even if it is more polished. I’m hoping it will improve, as I adored the first series, but ultimately I fear that it’ll just be an unnecessary sequel. It seems to be getting better as of episode 5.
Free! is entertaining, but the girl in the club really makes it. The whole show exudes this weird level of self-awareness that just makes it fun to watch.
Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou isn’t amazing. It feels very bland and by the numbers, even if the art is interesting and the animation is nice.
Fantasista Doll irritates me. It’s clearly trading off that nostalgia for kid’s shows that something like Nanoha used successfully, but hasn’t yet proved why it needed to be an adult show. I honestly think it would have been better as an actual kid’s show. As it is, there are too many characters and not enough outfit changes. They made a big deal out of having all these alternate costumes and trap cards, and they’re barely seeing use. The characters aren’t getting a lot of dialogue or development, and the main character’s background as an Ace Card Battler seems to be completely irrelevant when she barely does anything. I really want to like this show, since it had so much potential as something fun, but it’s just terrible so far.
Uchouten Kazoku is pretty good. It has an interesting world, it has a colourful style, and it has nice characterisation. I look forward to each episode, and if it weren't for Gatchaman this would probably be my pick of the season.
C3-bu isn’t particularly standout. It’s nice, and episode 4 showed some real potential, but I don’t think it’ll actually go anywhere. I like that they've managed to find a sensible level of fanservice as well. Too many shows go to one extreme or the other when it comes to boobies.
Silver Spoon gets props for being fairly educational, but it consistently amazes me that the main character gets surprised by things like “Chicken eggs come from chicken butts.” Still, I have to admire a show
Love Lab and Servant x Service fall into the category of gentle comedy shows. They’re both perfectly watchable, although neither one is going to be something I think much about after they finish.
Servant x Service is particularly dear to me as a show about actual working adults, and not high-schoolers. It came as no surprise when it was pointed out that not only is it the same studio, but also the same original author as Working!
Love lab is the funnier show, and the main character is wonderfully Cool and Spicy. As long as they stick to jokes rather than the serious moments, I have nothing to complain about.
Genshiken and Monogatari continue as usual, although I do wish the original voice cast had come back for Genshiken.
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