So far these are my choices based on 1-2 episodes of the new shows. I believe there are one or two that haven’t started yet like God Eater which has a preview that looks really good. I feel confident in my choices so far and it’s been hard to pick and choose. Studios really are bringing their A game this summer. Looks like I’ll be watching about 80% of them, if not more, depending on which path some take.
My self imposed week off actually came at the same time most of the new shows started so it was perfect timing for me. At the same time I’ll be watching these, I’ll also be watching my continuing shows from last season.
What I’m Definitely Watching
Dragon Ball Super is just obvious. IT’S DRAGON BALL. I’M ALL IN. Definitely feels like a continuation and not the hot mess that GT was. Will probably end up a Broadcast Dub which means we’ll be waiting a month for the dubbed ones to start showing up. It wasn’t on the first list of shows but it will probably get it’s own announcement. I can’t used to watching it subbed at all.
Working!!! is Working. Mindless comedy in a slice of life kind of way. If you like Working/Wagnaria then this continues where they left off. Here’s my review on the first 2 seasons and you will probably want to see them if you haven’t seen the show yet because you will need some background on the characters.
School-Live!/Gakkō Gurashi! Is definitely not what I expected. I expected it to be all moe and no substance but it looks like there may be a bit of something to the show. Nitroplus is behind other moe looking shows that have something to them like Super Sonico. Even though the shows aren’t always the best there is usually something to them that makes them not a complete waste of time. This one, I will be watching to see what happens. I won’t ruin the surprise but watch the whole first episode and then decide for yourself. Kind of has a Higurashi type vibe.
Gangsta. Tell me if you heard this one, a gigolo, a deaf mercenary and a hooker walk into a bar… Gangsta has an odd set of characters. Seems okay but pacing is horribly slow if it’s a short season. You have 2 guys who take jobs from the cops and the mafia, fighting off some pretty bad guys. The show is pretty brutal. I may stop watching and wait for the dubs though, this is in the first Broadcast Dub list. That doesn’t mean I don’t like the show. I do like Gangsta and will watch but if I need cut something, I can wait for the dubs which seems to be a month or so behind the subbed versions.
GATE, liking it so far. It has dragons. Can you ever go wrong with dragons? An army from Japan goes into the gate to fight these creatures that are coming into their world. It’s kind of like World Trigger in some ways.
SHIMONETA: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn’t Exist, the name seemed like it might be funny or interesting or something. It’s about a girl who is leading a double life. In one she’s a model student but in the other she fights against the oppression from the government who is trying to stop all thoughts and acts deemed immoral and new laws that are coming into play which will further outlaw and monitor their thoughts. So far, I think I’ll be watching further to see where it goes. Reminds me of Demolition Man where anything fun is basically outlawed. But holy shit, if they ever dub this one. Just the first episode alone is over the top on the censored words and innuendo.
Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers. I’m in. These adventure type shows will always draw me in as long as they’re decent. So far I like this one and plan to keep watching. An adventurer calling himself the strongest in the world takes interrupts a celebration because he wants to become one of the six flowers (yes that is what they actually called it) and ends up getting thrown in jail. He meets someone there who he doesn’t realize he will be meeting again. Not too long after he’s broken out of jail and sets off on an adventure with the bunny girl he just met. If you met a girl with bunny wars, you know you’re going too.
Ranpo Kidan: Game of Laplace, I’m in. Mystery stuff will usually draw me in anyway. The first episode had me hooked but the second didn’t deliver. I’m still going to watch but I hope they deliver on what the first episode started. A middle school kid is in the middle of a murder investigation and he’s the main suspect so now he has to clear his name. Not a fan of the main character but the rest of the characters are good and the show seems like it may even be a bit gruesome.
Ushio to Tora. Guess I could watch the original from 1982 but have a feeling it’ll be too dry by today’s standards and the dub probably sucks. I’m liking it so far, the dynamic between the two is kind of funny. Watching a teenage boy try to teach a monster that’s been locked away for 500 years, about TV is too funny.
Overlord. Duh it’s named Overlord. Another fantasy/MMO type show but kind of in reverse since he’s stuck in the game as the overlord. The name got my attention, the show drew me in. The game he was playing was shutting down and on the last day when he goes to log out, he’s stuck and has to start life as an overlord. It’s named Overlord, I’m watching it for that, especially since I use that name.
Monster Girls/Monster Musume (or however the hell it’s spelled, didn’t check). Wow did that start off ecchi from the first minute. Harem, ecchi type show but with a different twist. There are monsters trying to live an ordinary life and (I forgot his name since they kept calling him Darling) is stuck with a lamia who fell in love with him but interspecies relationships are forbidden. Moving forward he’s supposed to meet other monster girls so his life is going to get a lot more hectic. One thing that makes it different from the usual harem/ecchi show is undertones of prejudice towards the monsters. Most don’t deal with a serious topic like prejudice, so I’m looking forward to see what they do with it.
Chaos Dragon, I’m in. Chaos Dragon is one of the fantasy adventure shows and it had dragons. Looks kind of brutal, kind of really brutal. One thing that sucks is you know who’s going to die or may have their life on the line because a roster type thing like the end of Danganronpa. There’s a character that is even more unlikable than the bad guys in the show. The Red Dragon. He’s a real bastard but unfortunately he’s on the side of good. I love the fantasy type shows so I’m in, way in.
God Eater prologue and preview look good, another fantasy, end of the world type of thing. Waiting on first episode but I have a feeling I’ll be watching this one. [Update] God Eater showed up. Not sure I like the heavy cel shaded CGI style but I like these type of shows too so I’m checking it out.
Will continue watching
To LOVE Ru Darkness 2. I actually haven’t seen the others but I imagine without light bars this show would leave you saying daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn. Looking at the opening sequence, this clueless ass kid has a harem that freakin big? Holy hell. For those who don’t know, it’s another ecchi show. Dude has like the ultimate harem, usually in shows it’s like 3-4 girls and he has like 10. But it really is a slice of life show with more panties showing than your usual school show. (Before I finished putting this post together I started watching the previous series and you can find my reviews for To Love Ru and Motto to LOVE Ru. Won’t do To LOVE Ru until this 2nd half is finished.)
Prison School is another ecchi show but not in the way you’re thinking. This one is more crude in some ways. 5 guys are let into an all girls school but they’re treated like scum. And they embark on what normal high school kids would do, which gets them in serious trouble. You have probably only seen the pics of the warden looking woman with the huge breasts well, she’s not a warden and she is just plain evil but she’s not the baddest bitch on the block either. I’m half and half on this one, the first episode had good and bad. This show was in the first Broadcast Dub announcement so I may stop watching until the dubs and start over if the show keeps me interested.
Aoharu x Kikanjuu (Aoharu x Machinegun). Not…sure… Though it’s easier to take a girl mistaken for a guy than the guy mistaken for a girl and wears dresses and all that blah blah. A girl, who looks like a boy, is trying to pay off a debt for a friend by being part of a gun club. Not like hunting guns, more like paintball without the paint. I may watch it to the end but it’s not a show that’s making me say “I have to see the next episode”.
Classroom Crisis seems okay. It’s about a class of top students who make spaceship parts and whatever else. They being downsized by a cocky bastard who answers to an even cockier bastard who happens to be his older brother. Looks like it’s their quest to save their class.
Charlotte looks okay too. There’s a boy who can take over people’s bodies within a certain distance but it leaves his body limp during that time. There are others with different powers and they try to get him to be part of their group. There’s more but I don’t want to kill the perceived plot.
Oku-sama ga Seito Kaichou! (My Wife Is the Student Council President!). Holy mother of ecchiness. Everything was normal until like the last minute of the first episode. It’s only 10 minute episodes so I’ll probably watch just to say I watched. Not a bad show but not going to have much substance due to lack of time.
Actually I Am looks like it’ll be okay. Obviously some romance will be going on but not sure what else. Didn’t do any research on it and not planning to, just going to watch.
Sky Wizard’s Academy. Fantasy type also. Not sure on this one yet. Looks like a guy who is an outcast becomes the teacher for a bunch of misfit wizard girls. This was in Funimation’s first summer Broadcast Dub announcement so I may stop watching until the dubs start, not sure. Or watch then start over.
Gatchaman Crowds Insight. Had to go watch the first series… eh. This may go under proceed with caution. Had to go watch the original series so I had a feeling for the show.
Robot Girls Z Plus, this one already started, kind of creeped into the schedule. They have outfits that look like Transor Z/Mazinger for those who remember the show. They even use the Mazinger name in the show. It’s a goofy show that looks like it’s from the 80s actually. It’s 6 monthly shorts running about 8 minutes or so. Assuming it’s supposed to be listed as ecchi…tentacles…
Snow White with Red Hair feels like a Yona of the Dawn type show and the similarities are more than the red hair. Has the greenlight for a 2nd cour so it’ll be like 24 episodes. Jury is still out….
Castletown Dandelion is supposed to be an action, comedy thing but it’s light on action so far. A family of royalty trying to live normal lives…but they have superpowers. Not sure…..
Bikini Warriors. Kind of obvious what this is though it’s another MMO type show. The first episode is 4 minutes so it may be one of those short shows. So obviously there will be ecchi moments though people say the manga is borderline hentai, might just be people who don’t like ecchi though. I doubt the show will be anything hentai like since hentai shows are like porn here in the US, you don’t find it on regular TV. If it’s 4 minutes then I can watch and see what it’s like.
Aquarion Logos. MECHA! Never watched the first 2 series/movies whatever so may go back and watch, first episode looked interesting enough. Though for some reason I get that “this could end up bad or ordinary” feeling from this one. (Note that the first episode is 50 minutes because it’s episode 0 from Aquarion Evol and then the first episode of Aquarion Logos together). Unfortunately for this show, I saw the 2nd episode…I don’t know anymore. May watch a few and see but that feeling I had may come to be true, about the show being bad or ordinary.
Seiyu’s Life looks like it’ll be the cutesy show about first time voice actresses. Has it’s funny moments since it’s supposed to be a comedy. But eh…. might be one of those watch a few and decide or bypass it and then come back later. Though I will say it’s more laid back than Shirobako seemed to be. Shirobako, I literally end up falling asleep watching, this show I didn’t.
Not watching
Junjou Romantica 3 is a yaoi show. If you want the scoop on that one, you’ll have to watch it yourself. I’m 100% passing on this one. First one of the season I didn’t even try…Like some people don’t do ecchi, I don’t do yaoi.
Himouto! Umaruchan is the second one I won’t be watching. The cover art turned me off at first because it looked like a pre school kid drew it but the show actually is more than that. That picture is from a “transformation” for lack of a better word. It’s about a girl who goes to school and is an A student but comes home to he a himouto. The home parts are the parts that turned me away and that’s most of the show. That first episode was just not good. Maybe it’ll get better but I’ll wait until later before I even attempt the 2nd episode.
Ninja Slayer reminds me of Robot Chicken, it’s a flash animation show. Don’t think I’ll be watching unless I have time. It’s one of those short shows, like 10 minutes or something like that. It is from Trigger and they usually make good stuff like Kill la Kill but this is just not doing it for me.
Non Non Biyori just doesn’t interest me. The title of the first episode is “I Became a First Grader”. It’s a show about girls living in a rural area where no one locks doors and all that. Probably all moe’d up. I believe this is a sequel but just doesn’t interest me in any way unless someone can make a compelling argument as to why I should try it.
2 comments