...what are you watching...

Sword Art Online 1! another RPG-oriented anime

+ Ok production
- Nothing new

Quick impression~ Introverted boy starts playing a new RPG along with thousands of others. The game master soon tells the players that the only way to log off of the game is to beat the 100 levels. Blah, blah. I have no idea why this is one of the most anticipated new shows based on episode 1 alone.

Hunter x Hunter 2012 38! Thought it was amusing that the initial physical impression of Gon's dad is different from what he looks like when he is actually in the manga. Gon and Killua head to York Shin in search for the Greed Island game.

GTO 2012 1! jdrama. I don't remember any specific details from the original jdrama, but as far as jdramas go, this one was ok. Outside of the actor playing Onizuka, the cast was full of familiar faces (Yamamoto Yusuke is in everything nowadays, and the girl who was Haruhi in Ouran is a bad girl in this). Episode 1 was about a young boy who was being bullied by a group of girls. Onizuka was a gardener at the school before being recruited by the school to teach. The sledgehammer to the wall scene was the only familiar part of the episode that I could remember from the anime or original drama.

Big 9-10! Yoon-jae's mother reveals Yoon-jae and Kyung-joon's connection. More filler with the side characters...they really are not as funny as they try to be. Da-ran is slowly falling for Kyung-joon. It's a good thing he's ages about 2 years in 10 episodes. Wasn't he in the same grade as Ma-ri or Da-ran's brother? Very sleepy episodes. I may wait until the show ends before marathoning the rest.

Big 7-8! Skippable episodes...zzz... Kyung-joon and Ma-ri's past is revealed...zzz. Thank goodness for the tiny bit of excitement at the end of episode 8.

Sakamichi no Apollon 12! the end. Almost a love story between a priest and doctor with very odd Sound of Music vibes. This was a sweet friendship story which ended in a separation and warm reunion. I think it was pretty faithful to the manga though squeezing 9 volumes into 12 episodes did leave a few scenes on the cutting room floor. Yoko Kanno's music was fun to listen to as usual. ~8/10 rating~ I did expect more jazz bgm, but did like what was included. The late 1960's feel to the anime was unique and well-presented. (Reminds me to write a blurb on From Up on Poppy Hill...coincidentally, also set in the 60's)


Tsuritama 12! the end. With its lessons in fishing and aliens and duck worship, this was the most original anime this season. Haru, Yuki, Natsuki and Akira are able to catch Haru's co-alien. All is well. ~7/10 rating~Though ridiculously happy and colorful, the absurdity got tedious at times.

Big 5-6! These episodes spend plenty of time on parental misunderstanding and meddling. Plus, the evil third wheel woman...ugh, kdramas; the side characters hardly ever vary from the norm.The 1-year time jump was a decent way to get the 18 year old to a mature 19 (who isn't wearing weird teen shirts and pants anymore). It would be nice if the teen body woke up, but I suppose there are still many episodes left. Ma-ri the stalker continues to be a nice twist. Unbelievable that a house that expensive doesn't have a security system and has cheap glass doors.

Big 3-4! Aw, the cute romanance factor increased in these episodes. Ma-Ri (played by Suzy) comes in as Gyung-joon's stalker from LA. Her bossy character is fun. And the flashback with Yoon-jae has me hoping that the teacher doesn't end up with the student. I keep noticing the characters' phones which must be some new LG phone model. They look a little large when the actresses hold them up to their ear. In these episodes, Da-ran finds out the Yoon-jae has a key to his coworker's place.

Kimi to Boku S2 12! is about Kaname's crush on the older girl next door.

Jormungand 11! Valmet goes off on her own, Jonah follows, and then assassins target Koko's group. The series succeeds when it focuses on the crazy people and their guns. When the dialogue leans towards the serious and business, the show is incredibly boring. This final arc has promise, but I don't think I'll be sticking around for season 2.

Zetman 12! Jin turns into the red Zetman, Kouga goes a little crazy, and Jin's girlfriend turns into the sand monster. zzz...

Sakamichi no Apollon 11! an accident and Sentaro leaves. Ritsuko singing 'My Favorite Things' was sweet. The rooftop scene was so sweet. Everything was sweet. Lovely episode. *weep, weep*

Tsuritama 11! I enjoy the duck driving the boat. Yuki fails at fishing.

Big 1-2! kdrama. Thankfully, this isn't outright based on the US movie since the boy is 16 here (almost legal), and it's a body swap, not abnormal growth. A young woman, Da-ran, is delivering a bridal bouquet when she falls down a flight of stairs. A doctor almost catches her, but doesn't, and ends up treating her. Somehow his guilt leads them to being engaged. The woman becomes a substitute teacher and while riding the bus one day meets a troublesome transfer student. The doctor seems to be avoiding her while the student seems to have taken a liking to her. The doctor, Yoon-jae, and student, Kyung-joon, become involved in a car accident. Kyung-joon wakes up in the morgue in Yoon-jae's body. Looks like Kyung-joon is still unconscious. The only drama I've seen Gong-Yoo in was Coffee Prince. This looks to be a cute role for him...plus, he has smokin' abs from the whole army experience. Japan should consider mandatory army for their boys for that reason alone; male Japanese actors are way too scrawny. Anyway, while I don't really relish the thought of the student eventually ending up with the teacher when the body-swap thing gets resolved, this had a few great funny scenes and again, ab-fanservice. And while most of the character set-up is typical kdrama, Da-ran does find out that her fiance's body had her student inside in the first episode.

Other body swap kdramas in recent memory: Secret Garden and Who Are You.