It feels like 2011 went by in the blink of an eye, as I haven’t even had a chance to look back on my favorites of the year. Before I do so, let’s first take a look at what’s just around the corner in the new year. Winter is generally not one of the busier seasons, but there are actually 23 offerings in 2012, which is pretty close to the 27 this past fall. Of the new titles, some of them stood out immediately — the sequel to my favorite romance of 2010 Amagami SS, the horror series Another, the sequel to Sousei no Aquarion, the TV version of Black Rock Shooter, the sequel to Bakemonogatari, and the fourth and final season of Zero no Tsukaima — but as is often the case when I put together a season preview, I discovered many are a lot more interesting than they originally appeared. Best of all, there is a wide variety of shows from various different genres, so there’s a good chance there will be something for everyone. Care to find out which ones I’m talking about? Then do read on.

As a quick reminder, each entry is divided into two paragraphs:

The overall impressions at the very end categorize the shows in a way that should help you decide what to watch.

Disclaimer: Regular readers of the site probably already know that my tastes are fairly diverse, but a quick look at MyAnimeList should give everyone else an idea of my seventeen year history of watching anime. With that in mind, please be aware that I’ll often watch mediocre and even controversial series for the sake of variety, or simply so that I can make an informed judgment at the end. However, I would only recommend such shows if you’ve seen something similar, enjoyed it to a certain degree, and know what you’re getting yourself into. I still have my usual genres, so it’s usually not too difficult for me to decide what to watch based on premise, art style, production, and cast (a big one for me) after going through some source and/or promotional material. For the purpose of this preview, I’ll try to identify what appeals to me about each series, in hopes that it will help you determine if it coincides with your own tastes.

By no means does this list reflect every single anime series that is going to be aired, though it’s meant to be as comprehensive as possible. Shows that stray far from the anime norm or are deemed oriented towards younger children are omitted, so check out MOON PHASE for an entire listing, syoboi’s calendar for specific air times, and Fansub Wiki’s page for who’s tentatively subbing what.

Technical Note: The list is ordered by the date and time that the shows premiere. The links in the schedule will take you to a series’ corresponding entry and the “Top” links on the right will bring you back. You can also use the back/forward buttons in your browser to jump between links you’ve clicked. All times are given in a 24-hour, relative-day format where times are extended to show which day they belong to. For instance, Friday morning at 1:30AM would become Thursday at 25:30 to show that the episode aired late Thursday night.

* Jump to OVA/Movies.

Natsume Yuujin-chou Shi | 夏目友人帳 肆 Top

http://www.nasinc.co.jp/jp/natsume-anime/ Animation: Brain’s Base Premiere: January 1, 2012 Genre: Drama, Fantasy Airtime (GMT+9): Mondays at 25:30 Episodes: 13 (?) Station: TV Tokyo (TX) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia Natsume Takashi (Kamiya Hiroshi) and his spirit companion Nyanko-sensei (Inoue Kazuhiko) make a return for a fourth season, only three months after the completion of the third one. In his ongoing effort to return the names written in his grandmother Reiko’s (Kobayashi Sanae) “Book of Friends”, Natsume runs into spirits who share the same loneliness as him and others who are out for vengeance. All the while, he discovers more about himself, spirits, and the human world. The third season placed more emphasis on the present and the Natsume interacting with people more, suggesting that this fourth season will continue moving forward in that direction. I still haven’t got into this series despite my intention to do so when the third season premiered, but it’s one of the rare cases where I don’t have any problems recommending it to those who are looking for a touching story with a supernatural “youkai” twist. From what I have seen, Natsume Yuujin-chou is a more mainstream version of the heavily underappreciated Mokke, which I enjoyed for its heartwarming and sometimes creepy take on a girl who can see spirits and her younger sister who often gets possessed by them. The similarities alone make me want to watch Natsume, but it never hurts when I continue to hear good things about this series from those who are watching. The fact that Brain’s Base is back with a fourth season is a testament to that, so if you’re looking for something different this season, consider catching up with this series. Odds I’ll Watch This: Decent Odds I’ll Blog This: Poor

New Prince of Tennis | 新テニスの王子様 Top

http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/shin-tenipri/ Animation: Production I.G MSC Premiere: January 4, 2012 Genre: Sports Airtime (GMT+9): Wednesday at 25:50 Episodes: 1-cour Station: TV Tokyo (TX) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia Sports anime fan or not, a shounen series that should need no introduction is Konomi Takeshi’s Tennis no Ouji-sama, better known as The Prince of Tennis. The original 42-volume manga was serialized in Weekly Shounen Jump for close to 9 years and was adapted into a 178-episode anime that made its way State-side. The manga’s ongoing sequel began its serialization in 2009, and now with 5 volumes to date, is getting its own adaptation. The story picks up a few months after middle-school tennis prodigy Echizen Ryouma (Minagawa Junko) and his fellow team members from Seishun Academy competed in the nationals. Their sights are now on making the U-17 Junior National Team, where Ryouma and co. are reunited with the other schools’ players at a training camp. Of the 50 young hopefuls, half are sent home after a quick round of matches, but along with Ryouma, they fight their way back into consideration. If Slam Dunk is considered the gold-standard for basketball shounen series, Major for baseball, and Hajime no Ippo for boxing, then Prince of Tennis would be it for tennis. Ryouma, team captain Tezuka Kunimitsu (Okiayu Ryoutarou), vice-captain Oishi Shuuichirou (Kondou Takayuki), and the rest of his teammates take the sport to shounen extremes with their trick shots, which while unrealistic, gives the series its unique spin. In this continuation, they have to contend with some high school players as well — Tokugawa Kazuya (Ono Daisuke), Irie Kanata (Aiba Hiroki), and Oni Juujirou (Endou Daichi). I never got into the manga or anime so I won’t be watching this now, but the bits of the manga that I skimmed did make it seem like something I would’ve enjoyed. Unfortunately, it’s too daunting to catch up, so as with most long-running shounen series, this adaptation is likely geared toward existing fans. Odds I’ll Watch This: Poor Odds I’ll Blog This: Poor

Show New Prince of Tennis Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/New_Prince_of_Tennis_CM.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/New_Prince_of_Tennis_CM.jpg 480 270] Commercial (0:29)

Tantei Opera Milky Holmes 2nd Act | 探偵オペラ ミルキィホームズ 第2幕 Top

http://milky-holmes.com/ Animation: J.C. Staff Premiere: January 5, 2012 Genre: Fantasy, Magical Girl Airtime (GMT+9): Thursdays at 23:00 Episodes: 12 Station: Tokyo MX (MX) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia Fifteen months later, Bushiroad’s cute female detective trading card game is getting an anime sequel. The story follows the “Milky Holmes” quartet — Sheryl (Mimori Suzuko), Nero (Tokui Sora), Elly (Sasaki Mikoi), and Cordelia (Kitta Izumi) — in the age of great detectives, where they use special abilities granted to them by their “Toys” to try and capture members of the “Phantom Empire” who use their own Toys to commit crimes. In their ongoing pursuit of their leader Arsene (Akesaka Satomi), they’re joined by their rivals from the Yokohama Police Anti-Phantom Thief Team “Genius 4” — Kokoro (Nanjou Yoshino), Tsugiko (Sawashiro Miyuki), Hirano (Shintani Ryouko), and Saku (Tamura Yukari) — but still unaware that the Phantom Empire is undercover at Holmes Detective Academy and monitoring them closely. Well color me surprised to see a sequel to this magical girl anime, which is more focused on the lighthearted side of things than actual detective work. I wasn’t sure what to make of the first season, other than the fact that the promo material made it seem like a much more legitimate series than I thought. Back then, the story revolved primarily around the loss of Milky Holmes’ Toys and their struggle to reclaim their powers. From what I’ve seen, there’s varying opinions about the show, but most people seem to agree that it’s a fun series to watch if you don’t come in expecting too much. The only real complaint I’ve seen is the removal of the male protagonist from the PlayStation Portable game, Kobayashi Opera, and with him a certain degree of seriousness to the plot. On the production side of things, J.C. Staff is back with the same key staff members, so if you like what you saw in season one, then you can probably expect more from season two. Odds I’ll Watch This: Poor Odds I’ll Blog This: Poor

Recorder to Randoseru | リコーダーとランドセル Top

http://www.takeshobo.co.jp/sp/tv_rikoran/ Animation: Seven Premiere: January 5, 2012 Genre: Comedy Airtime (GMT+9): Thursdays at 25:00 Episodes: Station: TV Saitama (TVS) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia Seven, the relatively unknown studio that brought us Morita-san wa Mukuchi, is back with another four-cell gag manga adaptation — this time involving a bizarre setup with 11-year-old Miyagawa Atsushi (Okiayu Ryoutarou) and his 17-year-old sister Atsumi (Kugimiya Rie), two siblings who don’t look anything like their age. In Recorder & Randoseru, Atsushi is 180cm tall and looks like an adult, whereas Atsumi is 137cm and looks like a child. This leads to the obvious misunderstandings of their ages and who’s the older sibling, which is played up in a comedic light since their maturity is reflective of their ages and not their appearance. Atsumi is the responsible older sister and takes care of her “little” brother. I’ll be quick to admit that the only reason why I’m even considering checking out such a ludicrous setup is because “Rikoran” doesn’t shy away from the fact that it’s a gag manga. The producers went all out with the mismatched ages and appearances of the Miyagawa siblings, casting Ryoutarou and Rie in the lead roles. I already get the feeling that Ryoutarou’s going to use one of his deeper voices and Rie one of her loli ones just to add to the absurdity. I can’t speak for the source material itself since I haven’t come across it, so I’ll be checking out at least the first episode to see if the humor strikes a chord with me. It’s worth noting that Atsumi’s classmate Sayo is played by Hirano Aya, who hasn’t been in many roles after a rather unfortunate falling-out with her rabid fans. Odds I’ll Watch This: Decent Odds I’ll Blog This: Decent

Show Recorder to Randoseru Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Recorder_to_Randoseru_PV.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Recorder_to_Randoseru_PV.jpg 480 270] Commercial (1:00)

Kill Me Baby | キルミーベイベー Top

http://killmebaby.tv/ Animation: J.C. Staff Premiere: January 5, 2012 Genre: Comedy Airtime (GMT+9): Thursdays at 25:25 Episodes: Station: TBS Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia J.C. Staff is taking on four projects this season, the second of which is an adaptation of a four-cell manga that follows your typical schoolgirl, Oribe Yasuna (Akasaki Chinatsu), and her not-so-typical professional assassin friend, Sonya (Tamura Mutsumi). Sonya’s natural assassin instincts make it hard for her to fit in — and for good reason, as Yasuna often ends up the receiving end of them with her outgoing personality. They’re soon joined by the extremely laid-back Goshiki Agiri (Takabe Ai), a modern day ninja who’s a member of Sonya’s organization, turning this everyday school manga into a silly slapstick affair. Helming this production is director Yamakawa Yoshiki and screenwriter Kunisawa Mariko, who worked together previously on another J.C. Staff adaptation, Hatsukoi Limited. I’m already labeling this series as having the most obnoxious opening theme of the season, which has a music video featuring Chinatsu and Mutsumi to add to the ear-bleeding effect too. While the ending theme is a lot better, the promo videos with the OP really put me off on a series that I actually had a better impression of after skimming a bit of the manga. From what I read, the humor was pretty hit and miss, but as with most slapstick gags, I did get some amusement out of it. Now with these PVs, I kind of dread making the plunge, especially when the only notable seiyuu, Kugimiya Rie, is playing a “discarded character” that never makes a formal appearance in the manga. The nameless character is a running gag herself and is slated to make an appearance in the anime. Still, that’s not something I would bank on to drastically change my impression of this show, so I may not even check out the first episode. Odds I’ll Watch This: Poor Odds I’ll Blog This: Poor

Show Kill Me Baby Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Kill_Me_Baby_PV0.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Kill_Me_Baby_PV0.jpg 355 200] Promotional Video #0: OP Theme (1:28) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Kill_Me_Baby_PV1.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Kill_Me_Baby_PV1.jpg 355 200] Promotional Video #1 (0:57) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Kill_Me_Baby_PV2.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Kill_Me_Baby_PV2.jpg 355 200] Promotional Video #2: ED Theme (1:29) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Kill_Me_Baby_CM.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Kill_Me_Baby_CM.jpg 355 200] Commercial (0:29) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Kill_Me_Baby_PV3.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Kill_Me_Baby_PV3.jpg 355 200] “Kill Me Baby” PV by Akasaki Chinatsu & Tamura Mutsumi (2:29)

Show Amagami SS+ plus Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_PV2.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_PV2.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video #2 (0:58) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_PV1.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_PV1.jpg 355 200] Promotional Video #1 (2:17) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_CM.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_CM.jpg 355 200] Commercial (0:29) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_Character_PV1.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_Character_PV1.jpg 355 200] Character PV #1: Ayatsuji Tsukasa (1:32) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_Character_PV2.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_Character_PV2.jpg 355 200] Character PV #2: Sakurai Rihoko (1:41) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_Character_PV3.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_Character_PV3.jpg 355 200] Character PV #3: Nanasaki Ai (1:37) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_Character_PV4.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_Character_PV4.jpg 355 200] Character PV #4: Tanamachi Kaoru (1:40) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_Character_PV5.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_Character_PV5.jpg 355 200] Character PV #5: Nakata Sae (1:40) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_Character_PV6.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Amagami_SS_plus_Character_PV6.jpg 355 200] Character PV #6: Morishima Haruka (1:35)

High School DxD | ハイスクールD×D Top

http://www.haremking.tv/ Animation: TNK Premiere: January 6, 2012 Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance Airtime (GMT+9): Fridays at 11:00 Episodes: 12 Station: AT-X Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia A light novel series that doesn’t shy away from its “ero-comedy” genre in its premise and official anime website URL is High School DxD. It’s a fantasy story starring second-year high school student Hyoudou Issei (Kaji Yuuki), who’s known for his pervertedness and aspirations to build a personal harem at Kuou Academy. He manages to get a girlfriend, only to wind up getting murdered by her on their first date. However, he wakes up in bed next to the school idol, Rias Gremory (Hikasa Youko), who explains to him that she’s actually a demon and has resurrected him as her demon servant — a relationship that he’s not the least bit opposed to. Issei joins her Occult Research Club where he’s introduced to more demons at his school — Himejima Akeno (Itou Shizuka), Toujou Koneko (Taketatsu Ayana), and Kiba Yuuto (Nojima Kenji) — and soon learns that he’s caught up in a struggle between demons and fallen angels. The fan-service clearly takes precedence in a series like this, but there’s actually a lot more plot than your typical harem series. Despite Issei’s objectionable priorities, he possesses a latent power — the Crimson Dragon Emperor’s Gauntlet — hence why he was killed. Rias notices this and decides to resurrect him in the battle against fallen angels. Where things go from there I’m not sure, but the demon/harem premise did remind me of another light novel adaptation, Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou. I’m admittedly intrigued by the prospect of seeing something similar, even though it’s far from anything I would recommend to most viewers. My only concern is that High School DxD may suffer from the same problem of trying to cram too much material into every episode and turning out incredibly sloppy. Screenwriter Yoshioka Takao who worked on Daimaou is doing the composition here, so it’s actually a well-warranted concern. Hopefully he doesn’t repeat the same mistake, as I like what I see from the promo videos and the cast. Odds I’ll Watch This: Good Odds I’ll Blog This: Good

Show High School DxD Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/High_School_DxD_PV2.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/High_School_DxD_PV2.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video #2 (2:10) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/High_School_DxD_PV3.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/High_School_DxD_PV3.jpg 355 200] PV #3: Occult Research Club: Intro Ver. (2:56) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/High_School_DxD_PV4.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/High_School_DxD_PV4.jpg 355 200] PV #4: Occult Research Club: Onee-sama Ver. (2:57) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/High_School_DxD_PV1.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/High_School_DxD_PV1.jpg 355 200] Promotional Video #1: Anime Announcement (1:44) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/High_School_DxD_CM.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/High_School_DxD_CM.jpg 355 200] Commercial (0:15)

Senki Zesshou Symphogear | 戦姫絶唱シンフォギア Top

http://www.symphogear.com/ Animation: Encourage Films Premiere: January 6, 2012 Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy Airtime (GMT+9): Fridays at 23:00 Episodes: 13 Station: Tokyo MX (MX) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia Composer Agematsu Noriyasu of Elements Garden — the sound production group that wrote many songs for anime, games, and Mizuki Nana’s hit singles — has teamed up with game designer Kaneko Akifumi to create an original series where music is the main focus. The end result is a sci-fi fantasy series set in the not-so-distant future, where mankind’s been at the mercy of a threat called “Noise”, which decomposes a victim into carbon upon contact. The United Nations has acknowledged the threat, but there are no known countermeasures. Unbeknownst to the world, the Kazanari Organization in Japan has developed a “Symphogear System” that’s proven to be effective. However, its existence is top secret because of the post-WWII Japan-US Security Treaty. Also a secret is how chart-topping vocal unit “Zwei Wing”, Kazanari Tsubasa (Mizuki Nana) and Amou Kanade (Takayama Minami), are the ones using it. They end up meeting two new students at Lydian Music Academy, Tachibana Hibiki (Yuuki Aoi) and Kohinata Miku (Iguchi Yuka), and inadvertently get them involved in the fight against Noise. An original series centered around music with Mizuki Nana in the lead role? I’ll definitely be checking it out, especially since the sci-fi genre pretty much ensures it won’t be another WHITE ALBUM. Encourage Films is a relatively new studio that hasn’t worked on many productions, so I would imagine that they’re going to make the most of this opportunity. I really like what I see from the promo material, plus the fact that this is an original series, but I’m unfortunately at a loss on what to make of it. The producers have been purposely vague about what the “Noise” even is and how the “Symphogear System” counteracts it. In all likelihood, it’ll be a battle of sound waves with Zwei Wing singing, but they are wearing battle outfits and carrying weapons, so there’s obviously more to it than that. Whatever the case, I’m more than willing to dive head first into this title when it’s only 13 episodes long. * Note: The show’s title is often misread as “Senhime” when it’s actually “Senki”. Odds I’ll Watch This: Guaranteed Odds I’ll Blog This: Good

Show Senki Zesshou Symphogear Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Senki_Zesshou_Symphogear_PV.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Senki_Zesshou_Symphogear_PV.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video (2:10)

Area no Kishi | エリアの騎士 Top

http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/knight/ Animation: Shin-Ei Animation Premiere: January 7, 2012 Genre: Drama, Sports Airtime (GMT+9): Saturdays at 06:00 Episodes: Station: TV Asahi (EX) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia The popular dramatic soccer manga that’s sold over 5.5 million copies is finally getting adapted into an anime. “The Knight in the Area” has 27 volumes released to date and depicts a riveting story about Aizawa Kakeru (Sanpei Yuuko), his talented older brother Suguru (Fukuyama Jun), and his childhood friend Mishima Nana (Itou Shizuka). Their story starts in middle school, where Kakeru loses confidence as a striker and resigns to being the team manager and secretly practicing at night. However, his brother Suguru — captain of the team and a gifted midfielder on Japan’s U-15 team — believes Kakeru has untapped potential and dreams of sending him the last pass for a game-winning goal on the World Cup stage. Their fates forever change when they get caught up in a car accident. Show Spoiler ▼ Kakeru gets his heart punctured and Suguru is left brain dead with little time to live. To save Kakeru, their parents agree to transplant Suguru’s heart — his “last pass” to his brother. Not wanting to waste his brother’s sacrifice, Kakeru decides to inherit Suguru’s dream and aim for the world stage. The above happens relatively early in the manga and serves as the story’s foundation for high school and beyond, but I decided to make the details an optional read for those who want to be surprised. What I will say is that it single-handedly ignited my interest — and likely for all its fans — so I’m already anticipating this to be the most drama-filled offering of the season. I’m not the least bit opposed to sports anime anymore, especially not soccer ones since I absolutely loved GIANT KILLING. Shin-Ei Animation isn’t a studio we see a lot of from, but they’ve been around for a long time and produced the extremely popular kid series, Doraemon and Crayon Shin-chan. Regardless, the source material will likely speak for itself in this adaptation, as Kakeru continues to grow as a soccer player with the support of Nana, who’s a talented soccer herself with the nickname “Little Witch”. I wouldn’t consider Area no Kishi a sleeper because it’s practically guaranteed to be good, so don’t miss out and take notice now if you haven’t already. Odds I’ll Watch This: Guaranteed Odds I’ll Blog This: Good

Show Area no Kishi Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Area_no_Kishi_CM.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Area_no_Kishi_CM.jpg 480 270] Commercial (0:14)

Zero no Tsukaima F | ゼロの使い魔F Top

http://www.zero-tsukaima.com/ Animation: J.C. Staff Premiere: January 7, 2012 Genre: Fantasy Airtime (GMT+9): Saturdays at 08:30 Episodes: 12 Station: AT-X Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia The adaptation of Yamaguchi Noboru’s fantasy-comedy series is back for a fourth and final season that’s intended to coincide with the conclusion of the light novel. Louise de La Valliere (Kugimiya Rie), a long-time banner girl at Random Curiosity and one of the few mages who can cast Void Magic, along with her Japanese boy “familiar” Hiragi Saito (Hino Satoshi), wielder of the legendary Gandalfr ability that allows him to masterfully use any weapon, continue to defend their nation of Tristain against the invading Albion, which has been overtaken by a rebel group known as Reconquista. In the third season, Princesses no Rondo, things left off with the duo rescuing their friend Tabitha (Inokuchi Yuka) from her power-hungry uncle Joseph (Kosugi Jurota), the king of Gallia, and the mysterious beauty that accompanies him, Sheffield (Katsuki Masako). Queen Henrietta (Kawasumi Ayako) now asks Louise and half-elf Tifania (Noto Mamiko) to head to Romalia to serve as priestesses for the third-year anniversary of the Pope’s inauguration, unaware that a new evil is brooding there. While the Zero no Tsukaima adaptations have turned away some novel readers for focusing more on the frivolous aspects, my unfamiliarity with the source material proved to be a blessing in disguise as I didn’t have any major qualms with the first three seasons. In fact, I really like how the story picked up in the third season, both for Saito x Louise and the overarching plot. For those who did have qualms, it may comfort you to know that Yamaguchi is actually serving as the screenwriter for this final season, which more or less guarantees that the story’s going to end the way he intended it to. The original season’s Iwasaki Yoshiaki will be back in the director seat too. For me, the main reason for watching is to get some closure on the adaptations that have spanned six years now, much like another another Satoshi x Rie series ending this winter. Odds I’ll Watch This: Guaranteed Odds I’ll Blog This: Good

Show Zero no Tsukaima F Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Zero_no_Tsukaima_F_PV.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Zero_no_Tsukaima_F_PV.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video (1:40) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Zero_no_Tsukaima_Series_PV.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Zero_no_Tsukaima_Series_PV.jpg 480 270] Series Promotional Video (3:26) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Zero_no_Tsukaima_F_CM.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Zero_no_Tsukaima_F_CM.jpg 355 200] Commercial (0:32) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Zero_no_Tsukaima_F_CM_BD_DVD.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Zero_no_Tsukaima_F_CM_BD_DVD.jpg 355 200] BD/DVD Commercial (0:15)

Show Nisemonogatari Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Nisemonogatari_PV2.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Nisemonogatari_PV2.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video #2: (1:58) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Nisemonogatari_PV3.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Nisemonogatari_PV3.jpg 355 200] Promotional Video #3: (1:00) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Nisemonogatari_PV1.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Nisemonogatari_PV1.jpg 355 200] Promotional Video #1: Bakemonogatari -> Katanagatari -> Kizumonogatari -> Nisemonogatari (1:21) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Nisemonogatari_CM.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Nisemonogatari_CM.jpg 355 200] Commercial (0:15) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Nisemonogatari_CM_ClariS.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Nisemonogatari_CM_ClariS.jpg 355 200] Commercial: ClariS x ryo (supercell) (0:14)

Mouretsu Pirates | モーレツ宇宙海賊 Top

http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/mo-retsu/ Animation: Satelight Premiere: January 7, 2012 Genre: Space Opera Airtime (GMT+9): Saturdays at 24:30 Episodes: 26 Station: TV Kanagawa (tvk) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia When it comes to anime in space, Satelight is usually the studio to deliver. This time, they’re adapting Sasamoto Yuuichi’s light novel, Miniskirt Uchuu Kaizoku, under the title “Bodacious Space Pirates”. The setting is a distant galaxy called “Umi no Akeboshi”, where high school student Katou Marika (Komatsu Mikako) — a member of the space yacht club and a part-timer at a cafe — is suddenly approached by two crew members from the space pirate ship, Bentenmaru. She learns that the father she thought was dead had only passed away recently, and that he was the captain of their ship. In accordance to a galactic decree, only direct descendants can inherit captaincy of a spaceship, so they ask Marika to become their new captain in order to continue their activities as space pirates. Thus begins Marika’s adventures as the captain of a band of space pirates. Space operas aren’t as common in recent years as I would like, so this series caught my attention right away with its galactic premise alone. The last one I watched was TYTANIA back in 2008. While Mouretsu is a very different series, it still features a large cast of characters in typical space opera-fashion, which co-stars Hanazawa Kana as the mysterious transfer student Kurihara Chiaki. There is a plethora of notable seiyuu too, such as Omigawa Chiaki, Tomatsu Haruka, Kanemoto Hisako, Itou Shizuka, and Horie Yui. In addition to the cast, I find myself taking interest in Satelight’s adaptations more and more lately, and this one in particular reminds me of their work in KIDDY GiRL-AND. That wasn’t a great series but still enjoyable in its own way, so I’m curious to see where their new 26-episode series is headed. With light novels, it’s generally hard to tell. Odds I’ll Watch This: Guaranteed Odds I’ll Blog This: Good

Show Mouretsu Pirates Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Mouretsu_Pirates_PV1.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Mouretsu_Pirates_PV1.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video #1 (2:14) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Mouretsu_Pirates_PV2.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Mouretsu_Pirates_PV2.jpg 355 200] Promotional Video #2 (1:30) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Mouretsu_Pirates_CM.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Mouretsu_Pirates_CM.jpg 355 200] Commercial (0:15)

BRAVE10 Top

http://www.brave10.com/ Animation: Studio Sakimakura Premiere: January 7, 2012 Genre: Action, Fantasy, History Airtime (GMT+9): Saturdays at 26:00 Episodes: 12 Station: Tokyo MX (MX) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia Another Sengoku-based anime is headed our way, but this one features “flash ninja action” with a highly-skilled masterless Iga ninja named Kirigakura Saizou (Ono Daisuke) in the lead role. He winds up saving an Izumo shrine maiden, Isanami (Satou Rina), from Tokugawa Ieyasu’s men after they burned her shrine to the ground, and reluctantly accompanies her to the province of Shinshuu to seek aid from one of the few lords who still oppose Tokugawa, Sanada Yukimura (Morikawa Toshiyuki). After noticing Isanami possesses a hidden power that Ieyasu was likely after, Yukimura decides to take both her and Saizou in. His true goal is to gather ten of the most powerful warriors, the Sanada Brave Ten, and turn the tides of the war. At his side already are a handful of such warriors, including a rival ninja from the Koga clan, Sarutobi Sasuke (Kakihara Tetsuya), Yukimura’s loyal page, Unno Rokurou (Kamiya Hiroshi), and Saizou’s busty childhood friend, Anastasia (Asakawa Yuu), who will attempt to rewrite history. Mangaka Shimotsuki Kairi is no stranger to the Sengoku period, as her previous works include the over-the-top action-filled Sengoku Basara Ranse Ranbu. Prior to that, she worked on various BL-related titles, which probably explains the bishounen character designs. The series is portrayed with Tokugawa Ieyasu as the main antagonist, so other famous names such as Date Masamune (Koyasu Takehito) and Hattori Hanzou (Sakurai Takahiro) make appearances as well. Judging from the manga, there’s a good blend of lighthearted and serious moments, and the action itself is reminiscent of Basara due to all the characters’ unique abilities. I was originally indifferent about watching this despite my interest in the Sengoku period, but that’s changed after reading a bit of the manga and seeing the promo material. We we see a lot from TMS Entertainment’s Studio Sakimakura subdivision either, so this could very well be the sleeper of the season. Odds I’ll Watch This: Good Odds I’ll Blog This: Good

Show BRAVE10 Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/BRAVE10_PV2.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/BRAVE10_PV2.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video #2 (1:34) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/BRAVE10_PV1.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/BRAVE10_PV1.jpg 355 200] Promotional Video #1 (0:52)

Rinne no Lagrange | 輪廻のラグランジェ Top

http://lag-rin.com/ Animation: XEBEC Premiere: January 8, 2012 Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy Airtime (GMT+9): Sundays at 22:00 Episodes: 12 (season 2 in summer) Station: Tokyo MX (MX) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia I don’t know what it is with car manufacturers and anime, but Nissan seems to be taking a page out of Subaru’s book by designing the mechs for Production I.G’s new original series that their subsidiary XEBEC will be animating. Set in the ocean-side city of Kamogawa, the story follows Kyouno Madoka (Ishihara Kaori), a cheerful and energetic girl who’s the sole member of Kamojo High’s “Jersey Club”. She tries to help anyone in need, but gets an unusual request from a mysterious girl named Lan (Seto Asami), who asks her to pilot a “Vox” robot and defend the world against alien invaders. While confused at first, Madoka decides to help because she wants to protect the beaches of Kamogawa, and she’s soon joined by Muginami (Kayano Ai), an alien girl who has infiltrated Earth for a different reason. Lan enlists both their help because she’s been dispatched to Earth on a mission, but was afraid of battling herself. As the three of them fight together, they discover why the enemy’s targeting their Voxes and what the “Rinne” is. When mechs are involved, you can be sure that I’ll be interested. Madoka, Lan, and Muginami each pilot their own transformable Vox — Aura, Lympha, and Ignis — which have wind, water, and fire affinities respectively. What really sold me on the show was the comedic portrayal of the characters in the promo videos though. The high school aspect should be fairly prevalent, as Lan and Muginami end up joining Madoka’s Jersey Club. The only real cause for concern is how Production I.G doesn’t exactly have the best track record with original series lately (e.g. BLOOD-C, Guilty Crown), but I’m somewhat optimistic because screenwriter Suga Shoutarou’s worked on episodes of Darker than BLACK, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Ghost in the Shell: SAC. The series is also slated for 24 episodes with a three-month break in between, suggesting that the producers want to get the “Lagrange Project” done right. Odds I’ll Watch This: Guaranteed Odds I’ll Blog This: Good

Show Rinne no Lagrange Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Rinne_no_Lagrange_PV2.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Rinne_no_Lagrange_PV2.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video #2 (1:40) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Rinne_no_Lagrange_PV1.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Rinne_no_Lagrange_PV1.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video #1 (1:33) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Nakajima_Megumi_TRY_UNITE_PV_Short_Ver.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Nakajima_Megumi_TRY_UNITE_PV_Short_Ver.jpg 480 270] “TRY UNITE!” by Nakajima Megumi (OP Theme PV Short Ver.) (1:26)

Aquarion EVOL | アクエリオンEVOL Top

http://aqevol.com/ Animation: Satelight x 8-Bit Premiere: January 8, 2012 Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy Airtime (GMT+9): Sundays at 25:35 Episodes: Station: TV Tokyo (TX) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia Seven years later, Kawamori Shouji, creator of several Macross series and Escaflowne, is back with Satelight to produce a sequel to his other notable work, Sousei no Aquarion. It’s a homage to super robot shows that features orgasmic-like “gattai” combinations, and depicts mankind’s struggle against “Shadow Angels” who want to harvest their life forces. The story is firmly rooted to the Shadow Angel Apollonius, who fell in love with a human warrior named Celiane and helped mankind fight for its freedom with a robot known as Aquarion. In the original series, an organization called DEAVA excavates three “Vector” fighter planes that comprise Aquarion and finds people with special powers known as “Elements” to pilot them against the return of the angels. Now, 12,000 years later, “Abductors” from another dimension are threatening mankind again, and the Neo DEAVA Academy — a school where male/female student “unions” are prohibited — enlists Amata (Kaji Yuuki), Mikono (Kayano Ai), and Zessica (Hanazawa Kana) to pilot “Aquaria” against the new threat. The legend of Aquarion is reborn, as everyone is believed to be reincarnations of Apolonius, Celiane, and the other humans/angels from the original war. It may surprise readers to learn that a mecha fan such as myself hasn’t watched the original Aquarion, but that’s only because it aired during my anime “dark years”. I still haven’t gotten around to it (too busy blogging), but I’m planning to watch the condensed OVA version first in preparation for EVOL. It’s not essential to do so though, so I’m pretty set on watching one of Kawamori Shouji’s original works either way. We have quite a cast, with Yuuki, Ai, Kana in the lead roles supported by lots of big-name seiyuu, plus Macross legend Kanno Youko composing the music and Okada Mari writing the story. We also have AKINO with bless4 back to perform the new opening theme, which is crucial in my mind because Sousei no Aquarion’s theme song is very popular in the anime sphere and has been performed at many concerts. Should be good. Odds I’ll Watch This: Guaranteed Odds I’ll Blog This: Good

Show Aquarion EVOL Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Aquarion_EVOL_PV2.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Aquarion_EVOL_PV2.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video #2 (1:53) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Aquarion_EVOL_PV1_Sousei_Ver.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Aquarion_EVOL_PV1_Sousei_Ver.jpg 355 200] Promotional Video #1: Sousei Ver. (1:09) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Aquarion_EVOL_CM.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Aquarion_EVOL_CM.jpg 355 200] Commercial (0:17) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Aquarion_EVOL_Real_Deai_Game_CM.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Aquarion_EVOL_Real_Deai_Game_CM.jpg 355 200] Real Deai Game Commercial (0217)

Ano Natsu de Matteru | あの夏で待ってる Top

http://www.ichika-ichika.com/ Animation: J.C. Staff Premiere: January 9, 2012 Genre: Comedy, Romance Airtime (GMT+9): Mondays at 25:30 Episodes: 12 Station: TV Aichi (TVA) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia Onegai Teacher/Twins screenwriter Kuroda Yousuke and producer Ogura Mitsutoshi have conjured up a new adolescent romantic comedy — one that they decided from the very beginning would have characters designed by Uon Taraku as its foundation. Their goal is to create a series that encapsulates the very essence of the genre, so that older fans will get a real sense of nostalgia from watching it. They’ve brought Anohana director Nagai Tatsuyuki on board to realize their vision, which is set in a small town in Nagano prefecture with very scenic and peaceful summers. A teenage boy named Kirishima Kaito (Shimazaki Nobunaga) is stirred by his desire to do something in his small town and discusses with his friends about making a movie. Shortly after, a “special” girl with glasses named Takatsuki Ichika (Tomatsu Haruka) moves to his town, marking the start of an eventful summer. Among Kaito’s friends — Tanigawa Kanna (Ishihara Kaori), Ishigaki Tetsurou (Ogihara Hideki), Kitahara Mio (Asumi Kana), Yamano Remon (Tamura Yukari), and the unusual animal Rinon (Hidaka Rina) — the twin-tails Remon has been identified as another main heroine. What interests me the most though is how there’s already a sense of nostalgia with both Kuroda and Uon working together again. It’s been nearly eight years since they worked on the two Onegai series — romantic comedies that I have fond memories of — so I’m looking forward to the prospect of seeing a throwback to those days. I’m not sure where things are headed, but I’m usually willing to find out with these unassuming premises. I’ve Sound is composing the music, and while their vocalists KOTOKO and Kawada Mami aren’t performing the OP/ED themes like in Onegai, the former did write the lyrics for the OP. The ED will be performed by former supercell vocalist Yanagi Nagi. Odds I’ll Watch This: Guaranteed Odds I’ll Blog This: Good

Show Ano Natsu de Matteru Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Ano_Natsu_de_Matteru_PV.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Ano_Natsu_de_Matteru_PV.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video (1:24) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Ano_Natsu_de_Matteru_CM.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Ano_Natsu_de_Matteru_CM.jpg 355 200] Commercial (0:15)

Another Top

http://www.another-anime.jp/ Animation: P.A. Works Premiere: January 9, 2012 Genre: Horror, Thriller Airtime (GMT+9): Mondays at 25:35 Episodes: 12 Station: Kita Nihon Broadcasting (KNB) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia Ayatsuji Yukito, husband of Ghost Hunt and Shiki author Ono Fuyumi, is getting his own horror/mystery novel adapted — both as an anime and a live-action movie. His tale is set in spring of 1998, when Sakakibara Kouichi (Abe Atsushi) moves to his late mother’s hometown and transfers to Yomiyama North Middle School. He joins class 3-3 and is reunited with Misaki Mei (Takamori Natsumi), a girl with an eyepatch whom he ran into at the local hospital, but gets an ominous feeling from the rest of the class as if it were harboring a secret. His classmates, Kazami (Ichiki Mitsuhiro), Yukari (Nonaka Ai), Teshigawara (Maeno Tomoaki), and Izumi (Yonezawa Madoka), are quick to ask him if he believes in the supernatural; however, when Kouichi learns of an urban legend from Mei about how a smart, athletic, and well-liked student named “Misaki” in class 3-3 suddenly died 26 years ago and everyone pretended that she was still alive, he’s met with unsettling reactions when he brings it up. Questions about Mei are met the same way and he’s told to stop hanging out with someone who doesn’t exist. Before long, one of Kouichi’s classmates dies at school and Mei warns him that “it’s” started. As the only horror show this season, Another easily stands out from the rest. It deserves to as well, as the early parts of the manga I read already gave me some nice creepy vibes. The immediate impression I got is that Mei is the Misaki that died 26 years ago and that everyone in the school is hiding an unspeakable truth, similar to the feeling in Ookami Kakushi. It was pretty hard to stop reading once that suspicion sunk in, so I can already see this adaptation turning out to be a good psychological thriller. The only thing I would question is the decision to have Suzumiya Haruhi/Shakugan no Shana character designer Itou Noizi design the ones here. The manga illustrated by Kiyohara Hiro has more mature-looking character designs which added to the creepiness — particularly the dolls — so I would’ve preferred that style instead. That’s not saying P.A. Works can’t make do just as well with these “cuter” ones, considering Higurashi had no problems. Odds I’ll Watch This: Guaranteed Odds I’ll Blog This: Good

Show Another Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Another_PV2.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Another_PV2.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video #2 (3:13) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Another_PV1.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Another_PV1.jpg 355 200] Promotional Video #1 (1:59) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Another_CM.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Another_CM.jpg 355 200] Commercial (0:16)

Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou | 男子高校生の日常 Top

http://www.danshinichijyo.net/ Animation: Sunrise Premiere: January 9, 2012 Genre: Comedy, Slice-of-Life Airtime (GMT+9): Mondays at 26:00 Episodes: 12 (?) Station: TV Tokyo (TX) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia In a somewhat uncharacteristic move, Sunrise is collaborating with publisher Square Enix to adapt a high school gag comedy. No mechs, no intergalactic wars — just the “Daily Lives of High School Boys.” Unlike Kimi to Boku, a cleaner slice-of-life series with an all-male cast, this series showcases the more degenerative side of teenage boys. It stars a trio of idiots from the all-boys school Sanada North — Tadakuni (Irino Miyu), Hidenori (Sugita Tomokazu), and Yoshitake (Suzumura Kenichi) — who don’t hesitate to actualize their inner stupidity when it comes to girls, RPG scenarios, or even trying on female underwear. Others get caught up in their idiotic hijinks, such as Tadakuni’s younger sister (Takagaki Ayahi), a literature girl from a neighboring all-girls school (Hikasa Youko), and the student council president from another school (Yuuki Aoi). A lot of humor results from the fact that the guys have a rational thought process, but still allow themselves to get caught up in the flow of things. More often than not, it’s almost as if they’re trolling one another, leading to a lot of deadpan moments. The anime shows promise judging from the pre-airing mini episodes, which is likely attributed to director Takamatsu Shinji, whose previous comedic works include Gintama and School Rumble. I was a bit put off by the character designs at first, but the material is too damn funny for me to even care. It never hurts when you have Sugita Tomokazu among the cast, one of the funniest seiyuu both in his roles and in person. Hidenori’s inner monologues are reminiscent of Kyon in Suzumiya Haruhi too (see pre-airing ep1 below). The recently married Suzumura Kenichi can be a riot as well, so it’s funny to see Yoshitake and Hidenori gang up on Tadakuni. Sunrise and comedy. Who would’ve thunk it? Odds I’ll Watch This: Guaranteed Odds I’ll Blog This: Good

Show Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_CM.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_CM.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video (0:21) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_01.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_01.jpg 355 200] Pre-Airing ep 01: High School Boys & Literature Girl (6:46) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_02.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_02.jpg 355 200] Pre-Airing ep 02: High School Boys & Skirts (5:04) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_03.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_03.jpg 355 200] Pre-Airing ep 03: High School Boys & After School (5:15) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_04.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_04.jpg 355 200] Pre-Airing ep 04: High School Boys & Morning of Departure (5:00) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_05.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_05.jpg 355 200] Pre-Airing ep 05: High School Boys & Convex Mirror Girl (3:55) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_06.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_06.jpg 355 200] Pre-Airing ep 06: High School Boys & Power of Friendship (4:01) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_07.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_07.jpg 355 200] Pre-Airing ep 07: High School Boys & Radio DJ (4:56) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_08.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Danshi_Koukousei_no_Nichijou_08.jpg 355 200] Pre-Airing ep 08: High School Boys & Commuter Train (5:39)

Papa no Iu Koto wo Kikinasai! | パパのいうことを聞きなさい！ Top

http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/papakiki/ Animation: feel. Premiere: January 10, 2012 Genre: Comedy, Romance Airtime (GMT+9): Tuesdays at 25:30 Episodes: 26 (possibly aired as 13 eps) Station: Tokyo MX (MX) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia Studio feel, known for risqué works such as kiss x sis and Yosuga no Sora, is adapting a romantic comedy by the same author of Mayoi Neko Overrun that’s a little rambunctious but with good family intentions. One day, university freshman Segawa Yuuta (Hatano Wataru) receives terrible news about his older sister and her husband going missing on their air flight. Their three daughters, 14-year-old Takanashi Sora (Uesaka Sumire), 10-year-old Miu (Kitamura Eri), and 3-year-old Hina (Igarashi Hiromi) — all from different mothers from previous marriages — are about to be divided up as a result, so Yuuta offers to take custody of them all. The three girls are actually quite fond of their young uncle, so they quickly accept despite their other relatives’ objections, thus beginning their lives with Yuuta in his tiny six-tatami apartment. Yuuta’s pretty diligent about taking care of them, since his older sister raised him alone after their parents passed away, but runs into a lot of “interesting scenarios” since he isn’t very good with girls. Naturally, there’s some “accidental” fan-service involved when it’s three girls and a guy in a small room, but what really surprised me in the manga is the family part of the premise since Yuuta has to make a lot of sacrifices to take care of Sora, Miu, and Hina. I also like how the story is depicted from an older university perspective, as the support cast consists of Yuuta’s friends from his “Street Observation Club” — Nimura Kouichi (Ono Daisuke), Oda Raika (Horie Yui), and Sako Shuntarou (Majima Junji). I was originally planning to just ignore this series, but the manga proved to be a surprisingly heartfelt at times, distinguishing it from other romantic comedies. Sora is a bit of a tsundere and likes Yuuta a lot more than she cares to admit, Miu is a little devilish and flaunts her looks, and Hina is a ridiculously well-behaved 3-year-old. Sounds unassuming enough, but I went from not watching to definitely watching after skimming the manga. Odds I’ll Watch This: Guaranteed Odds I’ll Blog This: Good

Show Papa no Iu Koto wo Kikinasai Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Papa_no_Iu_Koto_wo_Kikinasai_CM.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Papa_no_Iu_Koto_wo_Kikinasai_CM.jpg 480 270] Commercial (0:30) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Papa_no_Iu_Koto_wo_Kikinasai_CM_Sora.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Papa_no_Iu_Koto_wo_Kikinasai_CM_Sora.jpg 355 200] Sora Character Song CM: “Sora-iro” (0:15) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Papa_no_Iu_Koto_wo_Kikinasai_CM_Miu.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Papa_no_Iu_Koto_wo_Kikinasai_CM_Miu.jpg 355 200] Miu Character Song CM: “Brilliant Days” (0:15) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Papa_no_Iu_Koto_wo_Kikinasai_CM_Hina.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Papa_no_Iu_Koto_wo_Kikinasai_CM_Hina.jpg 355 200] Hina Character Song CM: “Shararararunra” (0:15)

Thermae Romae | テルマエ・ロマエ Top

http://thermae-anime.jp/ Animation: DLE Premiere: January 12, 2012 Genre: Comedy Airtime (GMT+9): Thursdays at 24:45 Episodes: 3 Station: Fuji TV (CX) Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia A short three-episode Flash-based adaptation of Yamazaki Mari’s comedic manga, which is about a Roman architect named Lucius who finds himself in 20th century Japan after getting sucked away at a thermae (public bath). It will be airing in the noitaminA time slot for three weeks before Black Rock Shooter takes over. * Included for completion’s sake. Odds I’ll Watch This: Poor Odds I’ll Blog This: Poor

Show Thermae Romae Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Thermae_Romae_PV.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Thermae_Romae_PV.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video (0:15)

Inu x Boku SS | 妖狐×僕SS Top

http://www.inuboku.tv/ Animation: david production Premiere: January 12, 2012 Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance Airtime (GMT+9): Thursdays at 26:00 Episodes: Station: MBS Information Links: AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia David Production is adapting a romantic comedy with a bit of a demon twist this season, centering around Shirakiin Ririchiyo (Hidaka Rina), a girl from a wealthy family who wants to distance herself from her family name and make an identity for herself. She has a knack for acting needlessly haughty to others and regretting it later, so her parents only allow her to move into a high-class mansion, “Maison de Ayakashi”, that assigns a personal Secret Service agent to each tenant. There, she meets the highly insistent and very emotional Miketsukami Soushi (Nakamura Yuuichi), who pledges his loyalty to her and begs her to let him protect her, even if it’s as her dog. Apparently Ririchiyo saved him once in the past, and now he feels forever indebted to her. Thus begins their days at Ayakashi with the other tenants and their SS, who like Ririchiyo and Soushi, are actually all half-blooded descendents of demons. The true purpose of the mansion’s world-class security is to protect them from full-blooded demons who want to see them dead. In a lot of ways, Ririchiyo reminds me of Alice in Kamimemo, especially her interactions with the other tenants, Sorinozuka Renshou (Hosoya Yoshimasa), Shoukiin Kagerou (Sugita Tomokazu), Watanuki Banri (Eguchi Takuya), and their respective SS, Yukinokouji Nobara (Hikasa Youko), Roromiya Karuta (Hanazawa Kana), Natsume Zange (Miyano Mamoru). All the characters have very unique personalities and are quite a handful, particularly Shoukiin who’s a sadistic pervert and Ririchiyo’s fiancé. The similarities end there though, as each of the tenants can transform into their demon forms, which don’t necessarily resemble anything human. How that affects the story later on I don’t know, as the early parts of the manga mainly focused on the romantic comedy aspect. “Inuboku” is categorized as such after all, so it’s possible the anime will focus on just that. With David Production behind the animation, I plan to check at least a few episodes out. Odds I’ll Watch This: Decent Odds I’ll Blog This: Decent

Show Inu x Boku SS Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Inu_x_Boku_SS_CM1.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Inu_x_Boku_SS_CM1.jpg 480 270] Commercial #1 (0:30) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Inu_x_Boku_SS_CM2_15s.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Inu_x_Boku_SS_CM2_15s.jpg 355 200] Commercial #2: 15sec ver. (0:15) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Inu_x_Boku_SS_CM2_30s.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Inu_x_Boku_SS_CM2_30s.jpg 355 200] Commercial #2: 30sec ver. (0:30) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Inu_x_Boku_SS_CM3.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Inu_x_Boku_SS_CM3.jpg 480 270] Commercial #3 (0:30)

Show Black Rock Shooter Promotional Videos ▼ [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Black_Rock_Shooter_PV2.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Black_Rock_Shooter_PV2.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video #2 (1:58) [flv:Winter%202012%20Preview/Black_Rock_Shooter_PV1.mp4 Winter%202012%20Preview/Black_Rock_Shooter_PV1.jpg 480 270] Promotional Video #1 (1:14)