As usual this is a follow up of my previous summer line-up first impressions. While anime series premiering in summer aren’t exactly the strongest for the previous years that gone by, this year’s line-up seem to be going beyond everyone’s expectations. Sure, there are many loli-centered series this time, but nothing beats the moeness of Usagi Drop and Ikoku Meiro no Croisee. It’s impossible for me to blog every series I’m watching, so you can visit my Tumblr micro-blog for more updates. I make more updates there than here. As I continue to blog Ao no Exorcist (anime) and No. 6 here, all other series listed in my first impressions will be posted on the other side.
From today I proclaim myself as the queen of penguins and use them to take over the world of the living!
Mawaru Penguin Drum
Bizzare, quirky and colorful. These are the three words that can describe the first episode of Mawaru Penguin Drum as a whole. My face went into ‘WTF-mode’ for the entirety of the last five minutes and knowing that the director behind Utena is in charge again, creepy moments and incest abound. Yeah, so the penguins may be cute now, but I hope that they don’t turn out like that certain white creature from Madoka. Otherwise, there is no more hope for truly cute animals like the penguins. Two criticisms at this point: 1. The crowd scenes needs some time to get used to (always feel like going to the bathroom whenever it pops up). 2. You don’t hear kids talking about deep stuff such as the universe and life and death everyday. Fortunately this doesn’t comes up again in future episodes.
About the apple shown in the OP sequence and the kids talking about Campanella…Night on the Milky Way Train reference?
So the government now uses cute little penguins to spy on people? Cool.
Both creepy and random at the same time. Rin’s all alone with a bunch of her older brothers (and nephew).
Usagi Drop
In contrast with the partially hammy-ness of Mawaru Penguin Drum and the full-on hammy-ness of Uta no Prince-sama, Usagi Drop goes for the quiet and realistic drama, as thirty year old Daikichi become Rin’s guardian, who is actually the illegitimate daughter of Daikichi’s grandfather. Out of all the shows, this was the hardest to sit through (no thanks to RL interruptions that appeared every 5 minutes). It was pitiful to see Rin all alone throughout the funeral, with the exception of Daikichi and Reima, no other adult wants to talk to her. Artwork reminds me of Hourou Musuko in the early scenes when Daikichi goes through his daily life until his grandfather’s funeral. On another note, Rin’s so cute~
Nothing beats sending off a parent to the afterlife to make you cry.
More like from another planet, you mean?
Uta no Prince-sama: Maji Love 1000%
Bishies, reverse harem, superstars: we got them all here in the prestigious and glamorous Saotome Academy freshman Haruka Nanani is attending. A staple for reverse harems, our heroine must find someone to love but it’s not as easy as it seems. Departing the solemn, realistic drama seen in Usagi Drop, Uta no Prince-sama opts for the hammy acting instead. Unfortunately, Uta no Prince-sama can be disappointing to some after watching the first minutes of the episode with all the bishies soundly almost exactly like each other (like singing in unison, no back-up parts, all singing the same notes). Not remembering the names of the bishies does not help despite looking different from each other. It was hard not to laugh in the middle of the episode (see the principal’s flashy get-up to know what I mean) and it’s official that any sort of realism is thrown out of the window. Will be watching the next two episodes to see how this goes.
The poster boy of a TRAP for 2011.
Well, that’s all for the first impressions. Will be posting Episode 13 review of Ao no Exorcist soon. For now, my stomach’s eager for food…
10 Comments
ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD!
Do all the female characters in Maji have weird eyes like that? Kinda scary.
PenguinDrum has been my favorite so far though, quirky anime at its best!
No, only the main lead. Bet my two cents that she’s from another planet/universe. Doesn’t behave like an Earthling one bit.
I agree with you on Penguin Drum. Definitely my favourite show this season.
What the hell is wrong with her eyes? She gives me the creeps. The bishies are not really bishie and watching more than a minute of this girl is going to give me nightmares so I’m passing this.
Usagi-Drop was good but I felt it a little too streched out and slow. At least they started in order, unlike Hourou Musuko who was a mess for one who hadn’t read the manga.
Penguin Drum was weird. The first part was a sappy shoujo but the second part was what the fuck I’m watching? I’m watching this for the rainbows, penguins and that crazy girl.
I feel like you’ve totally missed the point with the deep philosophical rant of the little boy in Mawaru. This is Ikuhara we’re talking about, with whom nothing is meant to be taken literally or at face value. That is not a literal grade school boy passing the home narrating an intense existential spiel; he is a walking Thespian device commenting on the progression of the story, this show’s version of the Greek chorus. Consider them akin to the shadow girls from Utena; they weren’t literal characters standing in front of a light source acting out wonky scenes and offering thematic commentary, they were a theatrical shorthand for offering insight into the philosophical inner workings of the mythology of the show. You can’t complain that little boys don’t talk about “deep stuff such as the universe and life and death” as much as you can say that school girls don’t stand in front of bright things to talk about things going on with Utena that they really shouldn’t know about.
Oh, I see. Never watched Utena prior to watching Penguin Drum. Hope to get the DVD set one day, but for now I’m occupied with RL activities these days.
I LOL-ed so hard when I saw those 2 stills from Maji. Would it be another it’s so bad it’s good series?
but for all I know, I won’t be watching that
Penguins! Really loving this anime so far, mostly the random factor and the animation really have impressed me to continue wanting more.
Usagi drop also another great animated series, took me a while to get used to but turned out to be very nice. So touching! The whole blue flower thing D’awwww so many tears <3
Penguin penguin penguin! This season is all about penguins!
the characters are so cute. and so is the story. I’m looking forward for more post here..thank you.
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[...] 2011 Summer Line Up First Impressions: Mawaru Penguin Drum, Usagi … Yeah, so the penguins may be cute now, but I hope that they don't turn out like that certain white creature from Madoka. Otherwise, there is no more hope for truly cute animals like the penguins Two criticisms at this [...]
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