February Rankings
Sorry (to my non-existant fanbase) for being late on this one! I've been trying my best to keep on top of the new shows, but I have been quite swamped recently. Now, without further ado:
6 - (2) Blade of the Immortal - Considering only one episode of this series has been fansubbed since my last edition of the Rankings, this is probably a completely unfair ruling on this consistently excellent show, but I was never one for impartiality anyway. Not that there was anything terribly wrong with Episode 12 (the dialogue was quite enthralling and emotionally impacting, actually), but it was blatantly clear that the writers were simply using it to set up a (potentially amazing) finale for the series. Can they tie up the loose ends in time, though, I wonder?
5 - (5) Shikabane Hime: Aka - This series never ceases to surprise me with its "watchability factor." Does it have a somewhat cliched shounen plotline? Well, yes (but, to its credit, it plays very strongly to one of the shounen genre's greatest strengths - a focused storyline with high-paced, frenetic battles). Is it, at times, melodramatic and sentimentalized? Again, yes (but the whole series plays upon the idea of being over-the-top). Was the ending blatantly obvious from roughly halfway through the show? Most definitely (but it's at least preferable to slapping on a tacky, out-of-the-blue final twist to throw everyone off guard in an effort to hastily fill in plot wholes). It's a show of yes, but-s.
4 - (N/A) Shikabane Hime: Kuro - The continued adventures of the Kougon cult should, by all accounts, be firmly entrenched in the third spot in these rankings (maybe even the second) if not for one glaring annoyance: the fanservice. Come now, was it really, really necessary? Here you have a nicely developed cast of characters (I even have somewhat high hopes for Kagusa now), and fantastic group of villians with unique personalities and abilities (if there is one thing I love about shounen series, it's the fact that they give the writers the freedom to come up with all of these wacky, outlandish powers and somehow manage to make them work), and an interesting storyline with the potential for some very nice twists and turns along the way, and then they decide to insert some blatant, ridiculous fanservice that completely shatters the mood. And don't even get me started on Fresh...
3 - (on hiatus) Nodame Cantabile: Paris Chapter - So, I finally managed to finish off this series, and I must say that I'm delighted to have done so. The trip to the castle, along with Nodame's first recital, was a fantastic way to cap off this mini-sequel, in my opinion. And Kuroki and Tanya~ Just adorable! Although certainly a large step down from the nearly flawless first season, it still gives me that nice warm, fuzzy feeling when watching it. And they've confirmed a third season! *commence fangirlish squeal*
2 - (4) Jigoku Shoujo Mitsuganae - I must admit that the unique art style and increasingly outlandish cases of this installment of Jigoku Shoujo is really starting to win me over. The recent case of the meddling school representative was irresistably chilling - and a reminder of why I so adore the series in the first place. I'm positively trembling with anticipation.
1 - (1) Michiko to Hatchin - As outstanding as ever. I love how the writers have chosen to alternate the cuter, more warm-hearted Hatchin-centric episodes with the brash, on-edge Michiko-centric ones. And, Episode 16 (Michiko's, well... meeting with Elis) was far and away the most complete and memorable single episode this season. A huge plus for this show is it's multi-faceted cast of characters (both major and minor) and their ever-changing motivations. I was humming that catchy tune for hours after the episode.
Mushishi, ARIA the Natural, and Ghost Hound remain in the ever-growing backlog.
Final Verdicts: Shikabane Hime: Aka - 5 - Not the most polished or profound title out there, but eminently watchable nonetheless. Entertaining at its best and cliche at its worst, Shikabane Hime delivered consistantly solid episodes, building off of a relatively nicely developed cast and premise. Some detracting points include the predictable storyline, the splashes of fanservice (though, in hindsight, nothing compared to what is offered by the sequel), and the tendency to dip a little too much into the angst pool. Hopefully the second season can polish away the rough edges while never losing sight of the show's strengths.
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