- ANN’s Bunny Drop review.
The image of December that has been bred into our very flesh and bones by the efforts of every possible peer one could possibly be pressured by is a highly dubious one. Whether you are the smart boy or girl your parents have been trying to mould you into or the brain-dead, Santa-hat-wearing consumer marketers have been trying to make you be, you have to and you will look forward to the final month of the year as its absolute pinnacle.
In reality, when December days don’t give you any valid reasons to stay away from school, they tend to be the worst days of the year. Horrible weather, sadistic teachers trying to squeeze the last out of you before Christmas break and all kinds of stress with causes ranging from buying presents to making sure your cards are sent on time.
A phenomenon that is both a December staple and an excellent example of its ambiguity are end-of-year lists. They deliver both a fun opportunity to bring back fond memories of some of the year’s highlights, but on the other hand, they are extremely tedious to make and most of all, if they are not made in some special way, they are, frankly, often quite boring.
Though I did think that I would not be worthy of calling myself a blogger -which I still do, despite my low productivity- if I did not at least write something that could pass for one of these end-of-year lists. When the Anibloggers Community Anime Awards were announced, I, in great Aquagaze fashion, was one of the first to join. Of course, in great Aquagaze fashion, I am also one of the last to actually put out his blog. I hope it was worth the wait. It probably is not.
Well, summer is finally over. It was an overall great summer season, with some dissappointing shows, but some shows I’ll never forget as well. Let’s take a look at my final impressions for the shows I watched.
Rating system:
- For eternity: An absolute classic everyone should watch. These are the shows we’ll still be talking about in ten years. Ex.: Neon Genesis Evangelion, The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya, Puella Magi Madoka Magica
- For history: Great shows with minor flaws that anyone could enjoy. Ex.: Ouran High School Host Club, Lucky Star, Eden Of The East
- For fun: Enjoyable shows that serve as great appetizers or shows with noticeable flaws that are still more than worth your time. Ex. Sounds Of The Sky/So-Ra-No-Wo-To, Working!!
- For fans: Shows that can be enjoyed by fans of the genre, but might seem dull or uninteresting to non-fans. Ex. Fairy Tail, A-Channel
- For the trash bin: Heavily flawed shows that no one should bother with.
Well, that was needlessly complicated? Shall we?
Ikoku Meiro no Croiseé
Final impressions: An adorable slice of 19th century life which lives and breathes joie de vivre and has an actual plot for a change. The interesting contracts between Japanese and Western culture are constantly played out, as well as the more than decent characterization to the delightful backdrop of the Parisian landscape.
The good:
The bad:
Rating: For fun
Bunny Drop
Final Impressions: A show that is absolutely perfect at being what it is: a mature slice-of-life wonder about the joys of parenting. Characters are beautifully portraited, relationships are realistic and Rin is absolutely adorable. It’s better than Croisée, but less ‘finished’.
The good:
The bad:
Rating: For history
Steins;Gate
Final Impressions: An hilariously over-the-top adventure turns into a tense, tightly constructed thriller near the halfway point. Both parts are equally engrossing and together make of the most immersive stories in years, with laughs and tears, and one of the greatest anime protagonists of all time.
The good:
The bad:
Final rating: For history
Yuru Yuri
Final Impressions: Yes, it’s cute girls doing cute things. But it’s all too aware of that and in that knowledge, Yuru Yuri manages to dish out some of the best jokes of the year. Oh yeah, and there is yuri too, but for the love of Akarin, don’t expect too much on that front.
The good:
The bad:
Final rating: For fans, even though I’d love to give it a ‘for fun’ as well.
(Will be updated with Hanasaku Iroha when the finale has aired. And Nichijou, if I ever finish it.)
So, I tried to draw Rin from Bunny Drop. I like the result, but she doesn’t really look six, so let’s say it’s 12-year-old Rin. Yeah. That works.
