The Skull Man, episode 2

Set in an alternate history Japan that doesn't seem to be too divergent yet, The Skull Man comes across as Batman from the other side: a reporter returns to his home town on the trail of rumors about a "Skull Man" who attacks people in the night, leaving a trail of bodies behind him. Aside from a brush with the mysterious figure during a brief fight, it has yet to get very supernatural or even feature much of the titular character. Instead we follow the reporter as he tries to track down leads on the vigilante and runs across a variety of people with their own agendas and interest in whatever is going on in the town.

Being a BONES show, it is of course wonderfully animated. The designs feel a bit retro, but work well enough and are really the only thing that really the only thing that seems vaguely "alternate history" so far, inconsequential backstory notwithstanding. So far its been content to build rather slowly, however, and hasn't been particularly flashy.

That relatively reserved pace means that there is little to gauge the show on so far, but it's been pretty solid, again, like most BONES shows. It remains to be seen whether it will ultimately come together better than many of their past works or if it will end up feeling like a bit less than the sum of its parts, full of great characters (often with the supporting cast being far more interesting than the main characters) and bad-ass fight scenes but never really quite gelling for some reason.

For now there is some novelty to be had in having no information about the vigilante and his quest for vengeance, learning everything along with the reporter. The characters have shown glimmers of depth beyond their archetypes as well, and BONES is always good for a ride at least, so I'll give this some time to play out.

based on 2 episodes : ANN : Wikipedia : YouTube

Oh! Edo Rocket, episode 2

There's just a little bit of everything in here. A cast of ridiculously wacky characters sporting designs from a spectrum of completely different anime live in the poor district in Edo, trying to scrape a living with their "frivolous" trades: dancers, doll-makers, entertainers, fireworks makers - they've all had their passion and livelihood either banned outright or heavily discouraged by a controlling state and overzealous magistrates. Into this mix jumps a gorgeous woman (Sora) who also seems to be some kind of supernatural beast. She wants to build fireworks that will fly all the way to the moon.

Oh! Edo Rocket is definitely a frenetic, crack comedy. The jokes come fast and furious, and the show is happy to shift setting, tone, and art style just as quickly. Computers and TVs are pulled out in ancient Japan for dramatic effect whenever it'll help with a punchline. Flashbacks are re-enacted in the present. Whatever it takes.

Oddly enough, though, the most intriguing part of the show are the "pokemon fights" between Sora in her beast form, some other supernatural monster and a collection of armored ninjas every bit as eccentric as the poor entertainers. There's some plot about the other monster killing people and Sora getting blamed for it and the ninjas hunting them down but it's still very vague. The fact that it's interesting, however, and not just an interruption in the constant comedy stream bodes well for it developing into something worthwhile, however.

Recommended for comedy fans and for anyone able to keep up with the pace and style. Those character designs in the screenshots aren't their chibi or SD forms - that's how they look all the time. I'm enjoying it so far. It's another one of those titles I've been meaning to catch up on for the longest time.

based on 2 episodes : ANN : Wikipedia : YouTube

Hatenko Yugi, episode 3

It's not entirely clear what's going on in this show. Rahzel is kicked out of her house with just a blind-folded teddy bear and a command to "see the world." She comes across an oh-so-myseriously-sexy albino-with-issues (and a gun) named Alzeido. They go on random adventures together (inexplicably joined by the playboy Baroqueheat) and learn the value of friendship and true love. Or something. Also, she has vague magic powers that seem to involve shooting generic energy blasts and the playboy can turn his hand into a... sword... thing. And don't worry about keeping any sense of time or space or tension during the fights, 'cause there is none.

It's got all the classic shoujo elements: a cheerful heroine, a silent-but-sexy type, and an overly affectionate hunk. The meandering "plot" and the lack of any distinct setting, per se, makes it difficult to follow - as do the stilted and heavy-handed references to Mysterious Pasts for both the bishis - but the actual dialogue was surprisingly sharp enough for me to give it a little time to develop. Our heroine isn't a swooning ditz, she's a reasonable bad-ass in her own right and her exchanges with both her gigolos are surprisingly entertaining. She's got a sharp tongue and so do they. Perhaps even more importantly, they don't insist on continually denying obvious feelings for each other. While they all certainly enjoy putting on the act that they don't care about each other, they all ultimately admit it and that gives Hatenko Yugi a leg up on my female harem shows.

Unfortunately, that's not really enough to overcome the show's central flaws. The hunks (and even Rahzel herself) are set up with intensely dramatic, mysterious and tragic backstories and we know this because we are told so. Flat out. Repeatedly. Usually by Rahzel herself. The accompanying heavy-handed metaphors drag whatever episodic plot they're foisted upon, giving everything a childish feeling at odds with the often dark and brutal subject matter. The undeniable gravitas is just shoved down the viewer's throat. It's possible it might have worked with some kind of central plot to hang on to, but instead it all collapses under its own meandering weight.

It's a shame, as I wouldn't have minded seeing more of Rahzel bickering with her man-whores. Fans of shoujo with a high tolerance for "Isn't that tragic?" who are looking for something a little different will probably find something to enjoy here, but everyone else can probably give it a pass. It could develop into something good, but with the level of storytelling presented thus far, it'll likely come at a high price.

based on 3 episodes : ANN : Wikipedia : YouTube

Mnemosyne, episode 2

Well, we got an explanation, but I'm not sure I want it anymore. Apparently our buxom, bad-ass, hard-drinking (and in this episode, a raging lesbian) heroine Rin is immortal because her body absorbed a "time spore." Her loli partner is also immortal, by the way. But only women become immortal - when men absorb a time spore, they turn into superhuman beasts driven only by their base instincts. And they're called "angels." Female immortals have an uncontrollable sexual attraction to these angels, only to be "embraced" and then eaten alive by them.

Astounding. I have to admit I'm a little impressed. It takes a lot of creativity and chutzpah (mainly the chutzpah) to take that many ridiculous cliches and throw them out there with a straight face. There also some plot about a girl's brother turning into an angel and some assassin who demands to be paid in rare stamps, as well as some more indulgence in pain porn, but the exposition is the real point of this episode.

I'm half-tempted to continue with the show just to see how ridiculous it can get (and because it is gorgeously animated), but episode 2 managed to remove just about everything of interest from the show and replace it with cartoonish lesbianism and a monster that would have been embarrassed to be in Devil Man. It's basically hentai without the sex. What's the point in that? Not recommended unless that's what you want.

based on 2 episodes : ANN : Wikipedia : YouTube

Spice and Wolf, episode 9

They've managed to escape one city and are on their way through the wilderness again. Bumping into a shy little girl who claims to be able to control dogs/wolves, they hire her as a guide and have an uneventful trip through some infamous woods. Pretty much all the "action" of the episode is found in Horo's reaction to the shepherd girl and her relentlessly teasing Lawrence about it. Clearly something is being set up for yet another conflict with the church, likely revolving around the aforementioned shy shepherd.

My friends seem to have pretty much given up with the show at this point (or with episode 10 - which I'm somewhat dreading), having gotten fed up with the somewhat rough, unfocused nature of the show. Despite being surprisingly subtle for an anime and gifted with a unique premise, it never really seems to quite gel and reach the next level. It has it's fair share of tense moments, but has a habit of getting side-tracked with brief economic lessons or getting stuck in a comfortable rut.

That might be my biggest gripe with the show. The broad plot is a classic fantasy cycle of being chased by powerful bad guys and being forced to flee into the wilderness, but in the details that doesn't seem to quite carry through. After a narrow escape from the Church in the last arc, Horo and Lawrence are back up into a sturdy cart and trading, business as usual. They don't seem any more paranoid about being discovered again, nor is there a greater sense of urgency about reaching Horo's northern homelands. The characters have potential for incredible depth and emotional power, but if they (and the show itself) remain static, they will never realize it.

Either way, right now I'm still enjoying the show, though I have a suspicion that it'll end up as good, but disappointing as opposed to grrrreat!

based on 9 episodes : ANN : Wikipedia : YouTube