The Anime Watchlist - July 2010

Finished Series / Watched Movies
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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Better than the original, though the climax is so much better in the original than this version. When this series was in the early 30s for episodes, I wrote that there seemed to be too many subplots and wandering groups ("Inuyasha Syndrome") forming; it fixed itself as the series moved on, but it somewhat fell flat right at the end, when the pace needed to be shifted between different kinds of climaxes, and then somewhat just jammed together into the final sequence.

Last three episodes were amazing, though.


New Series
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Hey, look, first season since Sora no Woto that I'm picking up newly-made shows, and the first since Bakemonogatari that I'm doing more than one.

Highschool of the Dead
Ok, if you haven't watched any of this yet, it's essentially a fanservice show. However, it proves that almost any series is made infinitely better just by throwing in "during a zombie apocalypse" to the synopsis. But, no matter how much the fanservice is glaring -- and it's surprising just how glaring it is -- the OP/ED alone makes up for it. The rest is just entertainment gravy.

Occult Academy
Now, I was the antithesis of sold on this series after the first episode, but sooo many people are telling me how good this series should be that I can't help but to keep rolling with it for a while.

I also intend on picking up either Mitsodomoe or Ookami and the Seven Companions from this season; I'm too epic-ed out from HOTD to start either at the moment.


Actively Watching
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None.


Passively Watching
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Bakemonogatari, Shakugan no Shana S
Both of these fall under the "there hasn't been anything new for a while" banner, though technically I think both are actually complete through their OVA/internet releases. Haven't gotten around to checking that out...

Naruto: Shippuuden
Yeah, I'm about 80 episodes behind at this point; I should really look at marathoning this thing sometime, as I haven't heard anything bad about the direction the series is moving.

Bleach
Here's my problem: I finished the filler arc, and am still reading the manga as it's being released. The series got back to the story, and it just seems a little boring in comparison to where the manga has already reached. So, I'm a little slow here.

To Aru Kagaku no Railgun
I'm actually stalled right after the first arc here; I've pretty much just randomly been watching one or two episodes of this at a time; not much to say about it, though I want to get to the end, as there's supposedly a season 2 greenlit.


Dropped
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Nada.


Looking forward to...
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Umineko Chiru still. I'm hearing rumblings that the fall lineup is supposed to be relatively insane for releases, though I'll wait and see on that. There's also a couple series that I'm thinking of plowing through, because I keep hearing the second season is among the best in anime, but you need to get through a dull first season first...