The Ubiquitous What Are You Watching Thread?

The only thing I know about Simoun is that all the characters are born female and then when they reach a certain age they have to decide wheter or not they want to continue be female or be male.
Kinda anime version of Left Hand of Darkness then I might have gotten that wrong. 

Any way Almael,you might be happy to know that I started on Black Lagoonfinally. 
Now how the hell does Revy manage to shoot her guns like that while flipping in the air like that?
Though the coolest scene was when Balailaka orders the informer shot while she's on the phone with Dutch and she calmly puts one figure in a ear so that the noise doesn't disturb her concentration!

I don't think so. It's more like The Gall Force series.

I thin said it already, but the nuns and the maids rule.
And yeah, Balalaika has a crimson style.

Re-started watching what I have of El-Hazard:The Alternative World yesterday.I need to relax more and not be so hyper-analytical when I watch.
Anyway another great Inoue Kikou character in Rune. 

Megane-hen(Glasses)/ Kyoukai no Kanata = Beyond the Boundary
A fitting english title. The "new" japanese title is after the OP, obviously.

Anyway, it's about a girl with a bloody sword glasses. Her name is Mirai Kuriyama.
She's inherited the blood of the most powerful, yet feared and despised clan. For that reason and her past trauma, she dislikes it.
Ikaishi: Spirit world warrior is the word; it's more like spirit hunter but that's a western term.
But as the last of her clan she's by herself and has to get by somehow which comes down to her inherited "business".
Despite being a born warrior she's somewhat clumsy and her phobia gets in her way.
One day she meets our main character, a half-ling of a youmu. Youmu being the same as youma, imho, just cuter sounding.
His power is being immortal, so she starts using him everyday as practice since "He's nothing to lose" in her opinion.
In order to get away from the painful experiences, this and that, and other embarrasments, he decides to help her out.
There are various forces and factions behind the scene that gets in their way. And so begins our heroine's fragile relationship.

The characters aren't new or that interesting by themselves. Although, the often ying & yang like nature of the characters are quite interesting.
You probably have encountered them already in some other anime, though.
So I would say it's the atmosphere and relationships that makes it more interesting. Aside from that it seems a bit literary.
Our main character is a literary club member, hence, the story telling shows that a bit ...as well as his ... liking to girls with glasses.
Although the show isn't one of those fanservicing type it does provide some rather entertaining bits.
And yeah, the actions are worth watching and rather well made.

After watching episode 2 of Black Lagoon I had to check on the seiyuus who played Revy and Balailaka.So our beloved MR is Revy and Balailaka
was in another life Mana on Silent Mobius. 
Kinda weird that having Toyoguchi Megumi playing someone like Revy after being familiar with her as Rara Mitsuki/Ms. Rah!

And I am now on the final lap of both Escaflowne and Tenchi Universe.
For Escfaflowne I only have 5 weeks left and Tenchi Universe 6 plus
the Tenchi Forever movie.

Ok...so am I crazy or does Tenchi make for a cute chick? 
Yeah watched episode 21 of Universe yesterday.I was thinking that Tenchi was going to blow everything once he stepped through the scanner and it read his DNA.
Then again it figured it would be Mihoshi who'd be the one that mess things up!Though gotta admit that Kiyone was cast perfectly has the tour guide. 

Maoyuu Maou Yuusha
Finally finished it up. As I said before it's different from the usual. It's more educational than expected but imho perhaps too much for kids. Not everything detail is explained, though. It's basically deals with political/governmental strategy and economics with an added anime fantasy story driving it. The show explains the introduction of "inventions" and techniques that create civilizations from roman era to about 15th century (for season 1). I guess season 2 will cover up to 18th century.
War strategy & tactics seems mostly asian except Alexander's bridge building invasion. It's all simplified and not complete, though. Well, world history isn't quite complete yet so it's not the show's fault. Otherwise the show isn't that interesting.
That's why I haven't watched it so regularly and fast.

Real Humans
It's a 10 episode swedish show about robots that became conscious. Well, they are more like androids but the media worked hard to get rid of the distinction for the layman. Anyway, it's about human-to-robot and robot-to-robot relationships and troubles, with some further reaching plots. If you have watched all the cyberpunk animes there's probably nothing new to see, though. It also feels a bit slow paced. Still, not bad for a rather low budget show.

Re-watched ep.13 of Ikki-tousen raw on Monday and then yesterday
saw ep.9 of Rozen Maiden:Traumend,so looks like Sousieski is the first
to bite the dust. 

Senjou no Valkyria/Valkyria Chronicles 3 (do not mistake it with Valkyrie Profile)
Geez, shipping took nearly three weeks.
This time it's about the misfit turned deserter squadron 422. Due to their background history they have broken away from the military to protect the people on their own. Hence, they are hunted by all sides.
The events take place in the second war at the beginning of the original Valkyria Chronicles. So they happen to rescue our original novice Squadron 7. A special Darcsen unit is also introduced. Darcsen are the hated minorities in this world.
"Dark-" The term is often used in anime/mangas for dark haired people accused of evil.
Too bad it's only two episodes long. Imho the setup it's probably more interesting than the original. Valkyria Chronicles was made after the game of the same name. Likewise with this one. (Btw. I used one picture from the manga to create one of my seikai-character fanfiction found in this forum...4 years ago) The game was one of the best RPG in "recent" years. The anime was shorten but still quite good.

Saw Tenchi Universe episode 23 yesterday and so now down to the final arch.
Also I have only one episode left of Rozen Maiden:Traumend after this week and then on to Overture,after which Bubblegum Crisis.Other anime I am finishing up:
Adventures of the Mini-Goddess after which MahoRomantic,El Hazard:The Alternative World after
which Geneshaft and Escaflowne after which Giant Robo. 
When I am done with Tenchi I am going to watch FLCL.

Rozen Maiden:Traumend ep.11 yesterday night.Pretty tense.Poor Kanaria had a chance to escape but
valiantly decided to stay and fight.Afterwards I had a dream that Shinku was on Adam-12 and
Dragnet.When Malloy and Friday asked her what she was doing she said she was looking for
Detective Kunkun! 
And let's not get into the one I had of Mihoshi on Gilligan's Island....Oy Vey! 

After looking at more Murder Princess footage I do remember the manga version of it, but only the beginning part where the lead characters change places. It appears to have been quite some time ago, though, as I can't find it listed in my backup listing up to 2008.

Galilei Donna
It seems to be on air already. It's been a while since I saw fish ship designs. Actually, nothing since the (my favorites) 80's classics.
It's another alternative world story where Galilei had become an iconic legend who changed the world etc. The story centers around his grand-grand-grand...-daughter and some secret inventions of his lineage. It looks like a cuty-girl anime so I'm doubtful about it's scifi value.

Finished the main part of El Hazard:The Alternative World yesterday and so next week is the extra
episode which is the obligatory hot springs one. 

Wednesday saw Adventures of the Mini-Goddess episodes 45 'The Miso Jar' and 46 'The Deluxe Game of Life'.Belldandy in her schoolgirl get up and glasses in the latter reminded me of Naru from
Love Hina.(The glasses did the trick) 
The funniest part though was poor Gan-chan winding up with Marlier as his wife!

btw:I wonder how many people remember the Game of Life.

Saw episode 24 'No Need For Ryoko' Tenchi Universe yesterday night.Such sad ending..poor
Ryoohki! 

And now done with Rozen Maiden:Traumend and on to the two episodes of the Overture OVA.

I've really enjoyed this anime a lot and give it a hearty A+. 

My favorite part was at the end when they showed Kanaria coming back through the mirror much to the delight of Micchan who was shown earlier looking at a picture of Kanaria and Hinaichigo she had
shot when the Dolls were all at her apartment.
But the part where Suigintou reappears before Megu on her usual perch on the hospital window was even better since it shows how much the two of them have grown together.

And speaking of which when Jun picks up Shinku and carries her on his hand just shows how far their own relationship has come since he refused to utterly do so in episode 1 of the first season.It's also interesting to note that they see the others sitting down to watch Detective Kun Kun
as they exit the Rose Garden.

Saddest part though was seeing Suiseiseki watching Nori comb the hair of the lifeless Hinaichigo while her equally lifeless twin sister Souseiseki is sitted beside them.That was melancholic watching
Suiseiseki's wistful face.

I also thought Suigintou's death seemingly protecting Shinku from Barasuishou's crystal attack was
a great moment as it showed they seem to have restored their friendship at last.

Maybe I will take a look at Rozen Maiden, after all.


Requiem for the Phantom
as the title says it's the dedicated, written-out/what if, detailed version of the original "Phantom the Animation"/"Phantom of Inferno". As I have seen the original I wasn't eager to watch it nor watch it as fast as possible. It actually took me about two years to finish.

It's about a boy who runs into an assassination and gets "recruited" into becoming one himself.

Well, the new 26 episodes is story/plot wise the same as the 3 episode original.
There's only a minor difference in the end, which is slightly a happy ending. And by that I mean for a moment. The original ended as it should have been, while the new ending if final.

Imho the original had a better and more impressive heroine. The new heroine isn't much and more flat (chested). The other gals are more for the eyes, though.

IMHO Rozen Maiden is definitely worth the watch.Good mix of drama and humor.
Wednesday I ended what I have of Adventures of the Mini-Goddess and yesterday what I have of
El Hazard:The Alternative World.Next week on to Mahoromantic Season 2 and Geneshaft or what I have of them.Saturday I end Escaflowne and so on to Giant Robo again.

Finished Escaflowne on Saturday.Wow...what a shocker of a surprise to find out in the end who
Allen's long lost sister was.Next week I re-start Giant Robo finally. 
Also one more episode of Tenchi Universe left and then the Tenchi Forever movie and I will be done
with Tenchi for this time around.

Escaflown has a bunch of "shockers" (hidden)...just like Magic Knight Rayearth.

Sora no Woto
I finally got my hands on it. It's been years, but I couldn't schedule it earlier.
As it turns out the BD version differs from the TV version I saw. So far it's only the audio track, perhabs not important but it's quite a difference imho.
It's upsetting nonetheless.
The show has great music compositions (and art). That's one of its selling point imho but there are parts where the BD has boring BGMs compared to the more "exiting" TV version.
I haven't seen the rest but I hope there are no more differences.

Btw. last time I checked my classic stuff I noted some parts of Sakura Wars OVA2 got cut from the american version. And it wasn't some censorship like drinking sake either. I guess it was a timely reason eg extended american credits...


Unbreakable machine doll
In an alternative world of early 20th century magic machina (automatons) have become the epitome of technology and the pride, and secrets of countries.
The story follows a boy named Raishin and his doll Yaya who just entered a school in the British Empire.
Raishin is the sole surviver of his clan. Yaya was made by japan's greatest puppeteer master who picked Raishin up.
He's here for revenge and to spy for the military.

Aside from the usual magic pupile story there's also a minor detective part. So far it follows the manga, but I don't remember Yaya's master taking part that much, though. Well, I have stopped reading it for years and haven't read the manga beyond this point, though.

Log Horizon
The new show jumping on the Online-games bangwagon.
The latest game update transfers 30k japanese gamers to the game world.
The story follows a veteran mage (from the first day). He's kind of a genius.
It's all about discovering the new world, dealing with typical MMORG community troubles, and pseudo-gamer tricks. It's so-so.

At does correct some Sword Online errors like phoning someone without having ever met that person. The (hidden) tricks are rather un-realistic because 1. they break the game balance 2. hidden moves are a no-go as visual fanciness is a selling point of games 3. super character classes (assassin has absolute sneak/stealth+kill power) break the game balance

Got my notice from Rightstuf that it'll be awhile still before I get Cutie Honey what with the backlog
of pre-orders.I figured as much so wasn't too surprised when the notice came in today.

And I started on Rozen Maiden:Overture OVA yesterday.Only two episodes so just one more week and I will be done with Rozen Maiden for this time around.Really interesting as it has a lot of background on Saigunto.

re-started watching Geneshaft vol.2 yesterday.ah!the good ol' days of Anime Unleashed! 

Yeah, if you haven't watched classics for a while and go back you get hit by the difference.

Sekai de Ichiban Tsuyoku Naritai!
It's about idols turned wrestlers...it's seems purely fan-service. I don't see there being a worthwhile story.

Sora no Woto
Finished checking the BDs. So far the most difference is in the first episode. The rest seems to be the same. I skimmed parts so there might be some minor differences, although, doubtful. And no it's not uncensored whether nude of deaths.

Re-started Giant Robo on Saturday.Long time and if it hadn't been for my stupidity I'd've done with
watching my fansub of it but..."Stupid does as Stupid is." 
Overall though worth the wait to get back to.

Saturday finished Tenchi Universe and now only Tenchi Forever left to watch and then my Tenchi viewing for this time around is done.

Friday finally Roberta is introduced on Black Lagoon.I don't know about the English dub but in the
original Japanese she comes across as very polite,quite and demure.And yet again BL seems to
have female characters that simply dominate the scenes they're in:Revy,Balailaka,Eda and now
Roberta.

Forget the english dub...she's no better than Revy only more reserved perhaps.
But compared to second maid she sure is the head maid.
It's just a difference in language. Imho indo-european languages are cold & unfriendly while asian ones are more emotional & sublime depending on use. In a way it's like comparing gentlemen speech to normal. And likewise gentlemen speech can spit while making it sound nice. But then that's what makes catfights interesting.
Ahem, BL is just starting and there are more "interesting" gals coming. I finished it long before AN closed but the impressions are still there. From here on it gets more cruel, though.

Outbreak Company
I thought the title was interesting and the description was similar to Gate, but it seems to be just another moe & otaku show.
It's about an otaku who gets hired by the government to educate a fairy world about the japanese culture, hence, help to create trade...