Anime of the 112th United States Congress [Winter 2011]

[blkmage]

It's time to have a look at the anime that you all voted for in the election yesterday!

Much like the threads before it, this is a thread I created for the discussion of new anime that will be airing on TV in Japan in the Winter 2011 season. Anime typically gets released and runs for a number of seasons. The year is divided up into four seasons: January to March is winter, April to June is spring, July to September is summer, and October to December is fall. Each season is approximately 13 weeks.

Here, we can talk about what shows look interesting, what we plan to watch, and generally get giddy and excited for things that we've been anticipating for a while. There's a handy chart of all the shows that are coming up, with a short blurb about the premise of the show and what studio will be handling it. As we get closer to the season, more information shows up, like the first airing date.

[SIZE="4"]Haiyoru! Nyaru-ani: Remember My Mr. Lovecraft[/SIZE]
Studio: DLE, Inc.
Director: some guy
Cast: Kitamura Eri, Asumi Kana

Based on a comedy light novel series. It's about Nyarlathotep, the Lovecraftian horror, who happens to be taking the form of a high school girl and saves our bespectacled protagonist who is being chased by aliens or something. DLE is some no-name studio that hasn't really done anything.

[SIZE="4"]Starry☆Sky[/SIZE]
Studio: Studio DEEN (lol)
Director: Takamoto Nobuhiro (Ookamikakushi, Beelzebub)
Cast: Orikasa Fumika, Ono Daisuke, Miyano Mamoru, Nakamura Yuuichi, Fukuyama Jun, Sugita Tomokazu

Based on an otome game. The main character, Tsukiko, is the only girl who goes to a recently turned-co-ed school. There are twelve guys, each of whom are the personification of the twelve constellations of the zodiac. I expect this to be ruined not just by DEEN, but also by the director who was responsible for the awful Ookamikakushi. It does have every male voice actor that fangirls kyaa~ over, though.

[SIZE="4"]Wolverine[/SIZE]
This is the next of MADHOUSE's Marvel adaptations.

[SIZE="4"]Fractale[/SIZE]
Studio: A-1 Pictures, Ordet
Director: Yamamoto Yutaka (Kannagi, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Cast: ???

Fractale is an original anime and is the result of a collaboration between Yamamoto Yutaka, the director of Haruhi and Kannagi, and Hiroki Azuma, noted otaku scholar. It's about a boy who goes on a journey to find a girl who disappeared and there's something going wrong with something called the Fractale System. This is a noitaminA show and believed to be the fourth Anime no Chikara show. It's a collaboration by the okay Studio A-1 and Yamakan's studio, Ordet.

[SIZE="4"]Hourou Musuko[/SIZE]
Studio: AIC
Director: Aoki Ei (Kara no Kyoukai, Ga-Rei: Zero)
Cast: Asami Seto, Kosuke Hatakeya, Toyosaki Aki, Fujiwara Keiji, Mizuki Nana, Horie Yui

Based on the manga by Shimura Takako, Hourou Musuko is a realistic story that involves a serious look at issues dealing with transgenderism and gender identity in the lives of two fifth graders. Surprisingly, it's being animated by AIC and it'll be the second noitaminA show of the season. And while the cast has some big names, the two leads are newbies.

[SIZE="4"]Infinite Stratos[/SIZE]
Studio: 8bit
Director: Yasuhito Kikuchi (Saint Seiya)
Cast: Uchiyama Kouki, Hisaka Youko, Shimoda Asami, Hanazawa Kana, Inoue Marina, Yukana

Based on a light novel series. Japan decided to invent some exoskeleton armour that can only be used by women. One day, a fifteen year old guy is able to use one, so he gets to go to exoskeleton school surrounded by girls. I am sure hijinks ensue. Animated by 8bit, another new studio.

[SIZE="4"]Yumekui Merry[/SIZE]
Studio: J.C. Staff
Director: Yamauchi Shigeyasu (Casshern Sins)
Cast: Okamoto Nobuhiko, Sakura Ayane, Kayano Ai

Based on a manga. Straight from the random anime generator: "Ten years ago Fujiwara noticed he had a power to see multicolored auras surrounding the person's body. Ever since then he's been having a weird dream about a war with cats. Then one day a mysterious girl falls on top of him...". Animated by JC Staff and directed by the guy who directed Casshern Sins.

[SIZE="4"]Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season[/SIZE]
Studio: Production I.G.
Director: probably Kaburaki Hiro (Kimi ni Todoke)
Cast: Noto Mamiko, Namikawa Daisuke, Nakamura Yuuichi, Sawashiro Miyuki, Sanpei Yuko

Based on a shoujo manga, this is the second season of the best show of the Fall 2009 season. Go watch it.

[SIZE="4"]GOSICK[/SIZE]
Studio: BONES
Director: Nanba Hitoshi (HEROMAN)
Cast: ???

Based on a light novel series, GOSICK is what happens when you go from English to Katakana to Romanji. It's set in the 1920s and is about a Japanese boy in a small European country and a girl who spends her time reading in the library and goes around solving mysteries. Animated by BONES.

[SIZE="4"]Beelzebub[/SIZE]
Studio: Studio Pierrot
Director: Takamoto Nobuhiro (Ookamikakushi, Starry☆Sky)
Cast: Konishi Katsuyuki, Sawashiro Miyuki, Toyosaki Aki, Itou Shizuka, Seki Tomokazu

Based on the manga running in Shounen Jump. A high school punk is forced to take care of a baby who happens to be the son of the demon king. You might have noticed that the director is working on something else for this season already. I don't know what that means. Features Sawashiro Miyuki as a baby.

[SIZE="4"]Mitsudomoe 2nd Season[/SIZE]
I guess if you liked Mitsudomoe, you get to watch it some more.

[SIZE="4"]Kore wa Zombie desu ka?[/SIZE]
Studio: Studio DEEN (lol)
Director: Kanesaki Takaomi (nothing of note)
Cast: Nomizu Iori, Majima Junji, Kanemoto Hisako, Hikasa Youko

A guy gets killed and is resurrected as a zombie. Because this is anime, he gets resurrected into a world full of girls with special powers. LOL Studio DEEN.

[SIZE="4"]Dragon Crisis[/SIZE]
Studio: Studio DEEN (this is getting tiring)
Director: Tachibana Hideki (H2O ~Footprints in the Sand~)
Cast: Shimono Hiro, Kugimiya Rie, Horie Yui, Yukana

A guy is dragged by his cousin to save a girl from people trying to kidnap her. Obviously, she turns out to be a dragon and won't stop following the guy. Produced by Studio DEEN and directed by the guy responsible for the absolutely atrocious H2O.

[SIZE="4"]Rio - Rainbow Gate[/SIZE]
Studio: XEBEC
Director: Kato Takao (Rockman.EXE, To Love-ru, Zoids)
Cast: Marina Inoue, Ohara Sayaka, Hikasa Youko

Based on a pachinko game, animated by Xebec, why would you watch this?

[SIZE="4"]Oniichan no Koto nanka Zenzen Suki Janain Dakara ne!![/SIZE]
Studio: ZEXCS
Director: Motonaga Keitaro (Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka, Getbackers, Katanagatari, School Days)
Cast: Kitamura Eri, Toyonaga Toshiyuki, Inoue Marina, Ohara Sayaka, Shiraishi Ryoko

"Koichi Kusano's story of "slightly dangerous" relationship between brother & sister." A rough translation of the title is as follows: "'cuz i don't like you like that at all, onii-chan!" My face: （　´_ゝ`）

[SIZE="4"]Cardfight!! Vanguard[/SIZE]
It's based on a card game involving people involved with Yu-Gi-Oh.

[SIZE="4"]USAGIGOYA[/SIZE]
It's one of those weird looking shows for kids.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Fractile and GOSICK look great, and, call me crazy, but Infinite Stratos might (?) have potential...maybe. I suppose that, if nothing else, one can watch it b/c it'll be interesting to see how 8-Bit fares.

[MasterDias]

A1 Pictures has been pretty good with their original productions, so I'm looking forward to Fractale.

I read and liked the first GOSICK novel that Tokyopop released, so that's another one that I'm definitely interested in. It has really intriguing setting, being a mystery/gothic horror series set in a fictional European country not too long after World War 1.

Those are probably the main two I'm looking forward to. Infinite Stratos is apparently by a good chunk of the Macross Frontier team, so I'll probably give it a spin based on that alone. 8-bit consists mostly of ex-Satelight staff I think.

You might have noticed that the director is working on something else for this season already. I don't know what that means.

Yeah. He's doing two different shows for two different studios in the same season. That seems sort of unusual. And he doesn't seem to be particularly great or well-known or anything.

[Atria35]

Fractile
Houro Musuko
KnT 2nd Season
Beelzebub (I like the manga! It's about a really bad-behind guy that ends up taking care of and raising the devil's kid because the baby happens to take a liking to him. Hijinks ensue.)
GoSick

are all gonna be on my to-watch list. It looks like we have one or two possible winners on it! I think I'm really interested in seeing how they wrap up KnT, since the first season was rather open-ended.

[blkmage]

Yeah. He's doing two different shows for two different studios in the same season. That seems sort of unusual. And he doesn't seem to be particularly great or well-known or anything.

The crazy thing is that he's working on two shows that are completely different. Beelzebub is a Jump manga and Starry Sky is based on a dating sim for girls. It's absolutely baffling. And Ookamikakushi was so bad.

I'm looking forward to GOSICK too, but man, that name. Basically, it goes something like this:

Gothic => ゴシック => Goshikku => GOSICK

Kimi ni Todoke is still being serialized, so I wouldn't expect any closure from the second season.

[goldenspines]

Starry Sky looks Ouran-ish and thus might be a "for fun" anime to watch. I worry that it's made by studio DEEN though and based on a dating sim. :< I still might give it a first episode watch though.

Fractale doesn't seem to look like much yet, though the premise interests me a bit.

I was going to ignore Yumekui Merry until I saw it had the same director as Casshern Sins. So sure, I'll check it out.

I still need to see the first season of Kimi ni Todoke.

GOSICK I will check out because it's made by BONES and because it has sweet setting and character design. The name still confuses/worries me even after you explained it, Blkmage. XD;

Simply because of the name, I will be at least watching for the trailer of Kore wa Zombie desu ka?. Sorry, but the promo pic of the girl with a chainsaw is just too interesting. XD; I don't expect too much from DEEN though. XD;


Is studio DEEN bored or something? They seem to be making a lot of stuff this time around.

[Falx]

Meh, if the story isn't complicated they seem to do alright. But with the sheer amount of stuff they're doing I expect QUALITY city.

[MightiMidget]

Gosick, Fractale, the Bleach movie. Nothing else looks worth the time to me...but I'll reserve judgments until the reviews surface.

[CrystalChalice]

I'm definitely watching Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season, but I might pick up GOSICK since its summary sounds interesting.

[blkmage]

Yeah, because it's an original anime, the hype-train for Fractale is primarily being fueled by the notability of the staff, namely Yamakan and Azuma's involvement.

[Falx]

Will definitely check it out, Soro no Woto was badly underrated.

[Midori]

Probably what interests me most out of these is Fractale, the Lovecraft one, GOSICK, and possibly Yumekui Merry for the dream aspect. Might check out the Zombie one just for kicks.

Will definitely check it out, Soro no Woto was badly underrated.

Can't say that enough.

[Davidizer13]

Rio - Rainbow Gate
Based on a pachinko game

Ladies and gentlemen, we have found the bottom of the barrel.

[blkmage]

Well, actually, Umi Monogatari has Rio beat by a year and a half. Also, I don't think anyone actually watched it. Will this show be the one to make pachinko the next hot adaptation well? It is a mystery.

[Atria35]

Ladies and gentlemen, we have found the bottom of the barrel.

I would put my vote on the Cupie Doll anime that aired a few seasons ago. Even a pachinko game seems better than that!

[Fish and Chips]

[SIZE="4"]Fractale[/SIZE]
Studio: A-1 Pictures, Ordet
Director: Yamamoto Yutaka (Kannagi, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Cast: ???

Fractale is an original anime and is the result of a collaboration between Yamamoto Yutaka, the director of Haruhi and Kannagi, and Hiroki Azuma, noted otaku scholar. It's about a boy who goes on a journey to find a girl who disappeared and there's something going wrong with something called the Fractale System. This is a noitaminA show and believed to be the fourth Anime no Chikara show. It's a collaboration by the okay Studio A-1 and Yamakan's studio, Ordet.

I could've sworn there was a Manga for this. Read it a couple weeks back, albeit only one chapter. Could it be simultaneous publication?

[SIZE="4"]Hourou Musuko[/SIZE]
Studio: AIC
Director: Aoki Ei (Kara no Kyoukai, Ga-Rei: Zero)
Cast: Asami Seto, Kosuke Hatakeya, Toyosaki Aki, Fujiwara Keiji, Mizuki Nana, Horie Yui

Based on the manga by Shimura Takako, Hourou Musuko is a realistic story that involves a serious look at issues dealing with transgenderism and gender identity in the lives of two fifth graders. Surprisingly, it's being animated by AIC and it'll be the second noitaminA show of the season. And while the cast has some big names, the two leads are newbies.

I might watch this, actually, if only because it's taking a subject Japan usually milks without thinking and actually looks into it.

[SIZE="4"]GOSICK[/SIZE]
Studio: BONES
Director: Nanba Hitoshi (HEROMAN)
Cast: ???

Based on a light novel series, GOSICK is what happens when you go from English to Katakana to Romanji. It's set in the 1920s and is about a Japanese boy in a small European country and a girl who spends her time reading in the library and goes around solving mysteries. Animated by BONES.

Might be cool.

[SIZE="4"]Rio - Rainbow Gate[/SIZE]
Studio: XEBEC
Director: Kato Takao (Rockman.EXE, To Love-ru, Zoids)
Cast: Marina Inoue, Ohara Sayaka, Hikasa Youko

Based on a pachinko game, animated by Xebec, why would you watch this?

Based on a pachinko game

We are never getting Kaiji season two are we.

[MasterDias]

I could've sworn there was a Manga for this. Read it a couple weeks back, albeit only one chapter. Could it be simultaneous publication?

Yeah, a manga serialization just started in Gangan Online. I don't believe simultaneous publication is necessarily that uncommon actually. If I remember right, Sora no Woto did this as well.

[MightiMidget]

[SIZE="4"]Starry☆][/SIZE]
Studio: Studio DEEN (lol)
Director: Takamoto Nobuhiro (Ookamikakushi, Beelzebub)
Cast: [B]Orikasa Fumika, Ono Daisuke, Miyano Mamoru, Nakamura Yuuichi, Fukuyama Jun, Sugita Tomokazu

Based on an otome game. The main character, Tsukiko, is the only girl who goes to a recently turned-co-ed school. There are twelve guys, each of whom are the personification of the twelve constellations of the zodiac. I expect this to be ruined not just by DEEN, but also by the director who was responsible for the awful Ookamikakushi. It does have every male voice actor that fangirls kyaa~ over, though.

[SIZE="4"]Rio - Rainbow Gate[/SIZE]
Studio: XEBEC
Director: Kato Takao (Rockman.EXE, To Love-ru, Zoids)
Cast: Marina Inoue, Ohara Sayaka, Hikasa Youko

Based on a pachinko game, animated by Xebec, why would you watch this?

*hangs head in ignorant shame* What do "otome" and "pachinko" mean?

[Midori]

*hangs head in ignorant shame* What do "otome" and "pachinko" mean?

An Otome Game (from what I gather from the context) is a dating sim that's intended for women instead of men, or something like that. The word otome by itself means maiden.

Pachinko is a gambling machine (like slots only more sophisticated) where a lot of small balls fall down through a forest of pegs and end up in various spots where you gain more or lose some. You're allowed to turn in the balls for prizes when you're done. Officially you're not allowed to get money for them but there's always a guy nearby the pachinko parlor who'll buy them for cash.

Thus concludes this message from your local weeamod.

[MasterDias]

*hangs head in ignorant shame* What do "otome" and "pachinko" mean?

Otome games are visual novels/dating sims/etc. targeted at women. They feature "reverse harem" setups, or in other words, one girl surrounded by a bunch of guys.

Pachinko is this. Basically, cross pinball and gambling.

[Falx]

An Otome Game (from what I gather from the context) is a dating sim that's intended for women instead of men, or something like that. The word otome by itself means maiden.

Pachinko is a gambling machine (like slots only more sophisticated) where a lot of small balls fall down through a forest of pegs and end up in various spots where you gain more or lose some. You're allowed to turn in the balls for prizes when you're done. Officially you're not allowed to get money for them but there's always a guy nearby the pachinko parlor who'll buy them for cash.

Thus concludes this message from your local weeamod.

Also 99.99% of them are owned by Yakuza.

[MightiMidget]

Ah!! Thank you ever so much for defining! =)

[blkmage]

[color="Lime"][SIZE="4"] Puella Magi Madoka ★ Magica[/SIZE][/color]
Studio: SHAFT
Director: Shinbo Akiyuki (Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Bakemonogatari, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha)
Cast: Aoi Yuuki

Akiyuki Shinbo of SHAFT fame is leading his merry crew of weird staff to create Shinbo's first original anime project since SoulTaker. Madoka Magica is going to be a magical girl show and already sports an incredibly impressive staff lineup. We've got script and scenario by Urobuchi Gen (Fate/Zero and various Nitro+ visual novels), character design by Ume Aoki (Hidamari Sketch), character design adaptation by Takahiro Kishida (Baccano!, Durarara!!, Serial Experiements Lain), and music scored by Kajiura Yuki (Kara no Kyoukai, .hack//SIGN, My-HiME). Every week until January, during the Togainu no Chi broadcast, a CM will run with more information about the show. I am looking forward to this show so much.

[Atria35]

[B] Puella Magi Madoka ★]

I'm up for it. I haven't liked many of SHAFT's shows, but I'm always willing to give them a shot!

[Tamachan319]

[SIZE="4"]Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season[/SIZE]
Studio: Production I.G.
Director: probably Kaburaki Hiro (Kimi ni Todoke)
Cast: Noto Mamiko, Namikawa Daisuke, Nakamura Yuuichi, Sawashiro Miyuki, Sanpei Yuko

Based on a shoujo manga, this is the second season of the best show of the Fall 2009 season. Go watch it.

.

I will go watch it. I love Kimi ni Todoke. It's so sweet and innocent. I add my recommendation to blkmage's.

[Sheol777]

Once again blkmage, thanks for this. I look forward to every one of these.

Wow, I am finally looking forward to a new anime season:

Haiyoru! Nyaru-ani: Remember My Mr. Lovecraft - I know I will hate it, but I will have to watch the first episode. Because....ya know.....Lovecraft

Wolverine - Want to check this out too, if it is anywhere near as bland as Iron Man....

Beelzebub - Yeah, maybe

Supernatural - Never watched the show, BUT DID YOU SEE THAT TRAILER!?

The Masque of the Black Death - looks Beserk-ish....maybe?

...and the top 2 MUST SEES:

Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail - so far this series is too talkie...more with the bang, bang please

[SIZE="4"]MAZINKAISER[/SIZE] - WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

[blkmage]

So I've heard that the GOSICK cast isn't being revealed until like a week before airing. Oh well.

In other news, the weekly Madoka Magica CM that inexplicably has an episode of Togainu no Chi attached to it revealed that Saitou Chiwa will be playing Akemi Homura. If Madoka sounded a bit like Nanoha, then Homura sounds a lot like Fate, which pleases me greatly.

[blkmage]

Oh man, this trailer. This trailer.

Let's see. The art and animation is gorgeous. It looks like the Honey and Clover team's watercolour style, but more vivid and it really stands out more. I really didn't expect anyone but those guys to be able to do it, much less AIC. I like the music. The voices are really good too. I'm definitely way more excited for this show.

[goldenspines]

Oh man, this trailer. This trailer.

Let's see. The art and animation is gorgeous. It looks like the Honey and Clover team's watercolour style, but more vivid and it really stands out more. I really didn't expect anyone but those guys to be able to do it, much less AIC. I like the music. The voices are really good too. I'm definitely way more excited for this show.

The music and art/animation in this trailer makes me very happy. I think I will add Hourou Musuko to my list of series to check out. :3

[blkmage]

Every week makes me more and more excited for Madoka Magica. This week's reveal? A magical girl with a rifle, voiced by Mizuhashi Kaori (Miyako from Hidamari Sketch, Yuuno from Nanoha, Akane from KimiNozo):



For comparison, here are the other characters that have been revealed already.

Here is the titular Madoka, looking very Yuno-like, voiced by Aoi Yuuki (Murasaki from Kure-nai, Noel from So Ra No Wo To, Yutori-chan):



And here is who is probably my favourite character already, Homura, voiced by Saitou Chiwa (Aika from ARIA, Hitagi from Bakemonogatari, Subaru from Nanoha StrikerS):