The unraveling of Chrome Shelled Regios – Nina’s arc

Posted on June 29, 2009 by Stripey

I’m not going to make any excuses for Chrome Shelled Regios. The concluding eps made a mess of what could have been ZEXCS comeback series. Do note that I still regard the series very highly mainly because it achieved astoundingly (in the first 20 eps), the 4Cs upon which I grade anime on – Consistent characters, coherent plot, compelling pace and the congruence of the first 3 elements.

The first 20 eps were very well knitted indeed. The character development was deeply rooted in the main story arc which in turn drew strength from the intriguing premise. All 3 key facets of the tale were developed steadily and symbiotically. Throw in ZEXCS’s Midas touch on crafting endearing characters, it should have been a winner. But this tight integrated storytelling was also the instrument that engineered the unraveling of the plot, specifically with Nina’s path which also concluded the show.

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Posted in Chrome Shelled Regios | 3 Comments

Should I give Zero no Tsukaima 3 a chance?

Posted on June 19, 2009 by Stripey

While engaged in the manly task of laundry, I chanced upon ep 5 of ZnT3 on the local channel – my 2nd time catching the only episode I’m seen of ZnT3. While there was the usual uninspiring harem hijinks, I was mildly surprised at the sweet moments shared by Saito and Louise at the haunted dolls mansion (Of course I also relished the earlier scenes of Tabita but that’s another tale.) and saw a spark of the magic that was Season 1 which set me wondering

Should I give ZnT 3 a chance?


I’m not sure how most view the ZnT franchise but it was akin to Mahoromatic or Da Capo IF for this tanuki – Absolutely LOVED part 1 but am been going through psycho-somatic treatment to forget part 2. ZnT for me is all about Louise and Saito. The wars, parallel worlds and even, yes EVEN the fantabulous haremettes are present to contribute to their love story. Season 1 was focused and managed to weave this main thrust into every ep in the midst of delivering a coherent story, dispensing good harem fun and dishing out endearing characters. I love Season 1 because it was a simple but well-told love story with loving-crafted bishoujos.

Season 2 inherited very little of its predecessor. Uninspiring harem situations, emphasis on side characters the viewers did not care for and most devastating of all, the shabby treatment of the key Saito/Louise relationship dealt a deathblow to my 2D ranking of ZnT. Many would point out that the final 2 eps were actually passable. But this also tells us that the production team was capable of quality which they did not apply to most of the season.

Coming back to Season 3. I have avoided the 3rd season because I know a bad season would leave such a bitter taste that I’d never be able to wash it out with the esteemed Season 1. But I’ve been heartened by what I saw this evening. Should I give ZnT3 a chance? Does the Saito-Louise relationship go anywhere this season? Would I think less of any of the characters if I pursued S3? (I loved Siesta a great deal less after Season 2 since she resorted to dishonourable means to win Saito.) Or would I burn my Louise figures after that?

Would appreciate if those who have seen all 3 seasons shed some light without divulging too much.

Posted in Zero no Tsukaima | 14 Comments

Kannagi OVA – Strangely unsatisfying

Posted on June 16, 2009 by Stripey

Actually after a short reflection, it isn’t so strange that I didn’t enjoy the Kannagi OVA as much as hoped. The OVA suffered from the same issues as the TV series – too much immiscible fat. Note that I enjoyed the ‘fatty’ bits of Kannagi. Those fun eps were entertaining, even titillating. But with a sudden change in tone as the series rushed towards a hurried end, one can’t help but wonder if the storytelling could have been better managed. Looking back, there were at least 2 ‘fatty’ episodes that did nothing to contribute to the overarching story or character development. Sure, I laughed and for many, that should be enough. However, my love for Kannagi’s cast compels me to set a higher standard for the series.

The OVA adds to that fat content, only I didn’t get as much laughs. Little was added to the overarching plot. There was minimal character development. Neither was there deepened character love (ok maybe Zange but then even her presence is just awesome). For some reasons, Da Capo and SHUFFLE comes to mind when I think of well-integrated storytelling. Both series may be deceiving in that they seem to have a lot of pointless episodes, featuring bishoujos, fanservice or just random silliness. But take it from one who has seen Da Capo countless times and SHUFFLE numerous times that, upon closer inspection, both series compositions are exceptionally coherent and focused. Woven into seemingly mindless harem hijinks are intentional plot or character developments. Such thrusts are what is missing generally from Kannagi.

That said, I would look forward to a season 2 for Kannagi very much. There is much to unveil in terms of plot and a lot of ground to cover for character liaisons. I just hope we’d get marbled beef instead of lard from a 2nd season.

Posted in Kannagi | 6 Comments

Hatsukoi Limited – Wished every episode was like ep 9

Posted on June 8, 2009 by Stripey

Hatsukoi Limited has so far been an uneven series for me mainly due to 2 factors – Shallow basis of attraction and unworthy crushes. In the realm of 2D, the most common limiter on bishoujo charm is the male recipient of their affections. Bad taste in men/boys go a looong way in quelling the brilliance that a bishoujo is fully capable of. Hatsukoi Limited is a classic example of this limiter.

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Posted in Hatsukoi Limited | 17 Comments

“Daddy daddy, why you like bishoujos ah?”

Posted on June 3, 2009 by Stripey

My wife caught me drowning my pool of drool, having passed out from Saki-nee loveliness while watching Hatsukoi Limited last week. After a brief resuscitation (via a mildly discomforting but highly effective technique involving durians), I was tsked-tsked about my guilty pleasure of appreciating adolescent female forms in seifuku. Not that she was a stranger to my 2D preferences but this suddenly seemed a relevant topic since we’ve been on the subject of children quite a bit lately.

“Do you think our teenage daughter would find it weird her dad likes bishoujos? Maybe she wouldn’t dare to invite her friends over?”

Not if I bring her up like Konata (Lucky Star), I thought. Of course the problem is imaginary at the moment and will not happen for another ten odd years even if we’re blessed with a daughter tomorrow. Plus, there is a insurmountable gap between 2D and 3D that it would be unlikely for me to place my daughter’s classmates in the same class as 2D bishoujos. However, this does highlight an issue that has been nagging at me for quite a while –

Will one ever get too old for 2D bishoujos?

While I don’t do face-rubs on MEGAMI magazine covers, I do occasionally go into Chizu-mode (see her reaction on gourmet food in Mahoromatic) over 2D related merchandise. And trust me, at my age, it ain’t cool to be seen hyperventilating over a moelicious illustration even if it’s divine Tinkle artwork. Wait, do an age bracket exist where bishoujo fanboying is deemed cool?

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Posted in Random Rants | 22 Comments