Summer 2011 anime season

[Tek7]

Disclaimer: These recommendations are based only on the first 1-2 episodes of series so far.

Recommendations:

• Usagi Drop
• Hanasaku Iroha (continuing from Spring 2011)
• Natsume Yuujinchou San
• Kamisama no Memo-chou. Fair warning: There's about 5 seconds of blatant fan service near the end of the first episode. Aside from that, the first episode vaguely reminded me of a slightly more down-to-earth Durarara!! (which is most definitely a compliment).
• No. 6
• Tiger & Bunny (continued from Spring 2011)

Avoid:

• Mayo Chiki! Yet another generic ecchi anime with a female character posing as a male character, plus female stereotypes with color-coded hair. There are a thousand anime series like this; I don't see why anyone thought we needed another.
• Manyuu Hiken-chou. This is why Americans think of anime as a dirty word (and mostly animated porn). If you're a true anime fan, just ignore that this series even exists and recommend Usagi Drop to a friend.
• Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi. The oh-so-average male lead (who used to be excellent at martial arts but had to quit because of an injury) magically forgot about his vampire childhood friend who granted him special powers. Nothing in that last sentence sounded remotely original. I think the only trope missing from episode 1 was a girl falling from the sky.

Be forewarned: Mawaru Penguin Drum is from the creative mind that brought the world Sailor Moon and Revolutionary Girl Utena. Proceed at your own risk.

Anything not mentioned above I either I haven't watched yet or regarded as so "meh" that I didn't bother listing it.

EDIT: Okay, I'll admit I thought the first 2 episodes of Nyanpire were kinda cute.

EDIT#2: Shakugan no Shana series 3 in the fall, w00t!

 

[ewoksrule]

Do those links have a way to download/watch them or is there a preferred way to check them out?

 

[Tek7]

Do those links have a way to download/watch them or is there a preferred way to check them out?

Licensed series on Crunchyroll:

• Usagi Drop
• Hanasaku Iroha
• No. 6
• Natsume Yuujinchou

Torrents for unlicensed series:

• Kamisama no Memo-chou

EDIT: Almost forgot: Hanasaku Iroha also has a few fan service scenes in the first few episodes, but fan service is relatively infrequent and the characters are (IMO) very likable.

 

[silverleaf]

my taste in anime is... strange, but usagi, it seems so sad I was putting off watching it till now :L
Really reminds me how bad it is for illegitimate children though... first ep hit me pretty bad.

Especially bad since the grampa was unsaved, and I'm still a little shaky on what happens to the unsaved after death (some say this, some that, depending on who you ask)...
Just can't help but wonder, and sometimes feel bad, during 'religious' anime scenes. Between the 2 poles of fateworsethandeath, eternaldamnation and everyoneissaved, there's also theyjustdissaper... not going to go into that seeing we're probably divided and I'm not prepared to take a stance yet.
Yeah maybe I should try to keep an open mind when watching anime and not worry about such things, but then again maybe it's good that I'm quick to at least meditate on scripture, but seeing this is an anime thread... //getsmyselftogether

Still, I liked Aishiteruze Baby, this seems to be much deeper with a non moe art style, I'm reeled in and can't escape. If this has a sad ending i'm going to be even more depressed than that time I watched elfen lied. Yeah I sometimes get attached to my characters, but this one's beyond that now.

well better stop thinking and enjoy the rest of the ep... see ya!