Summer 2013 Season Preview

I'm cutting down this time. No, really.

Due to the massive workload I'm lagging behind on, this season we're doing things a bit different on LoQ. Ivan (AKA Lord Voldemint), my good friend and lovely capping guy, has kindly agreed to lend a hand on previews this Summer. We'll be alternating series as we work through the list, but fear not, we have ridiculously similar tastes and our MAL compatability is 98.7%, so more often than not we agree on, well, more or less anything anime-related.

This season I'm also planning on lessening my coverage a bit, simply to lessen my workload, so keep in mind that since Shingeki is carrying over (Valvrave is carrying over too, but it's a split cour so that's a story for another day), I'm only looking to fill in some five new spots. Feel free to vote for your most anticipated series on the sideblog, and I might just decide to add it in! As usual, I can always decide to pull something else off the list to blog, so anything not here is up for grabs as well.

Blood Lad 「ブラッドラッド」

Studio: Brains Base

Blogging Status: Tentative

Preview Writer: Kairi

Ah Brains Base. Despite their recent trend for cages and brocages and such, I'm still far less apprehensive about Blood Lad than anything else they've worked on for the past two seasons. Vampires aren't really my thing, but there's something interesting about one who's a Japanophile and companions with a dead girl. It sounds crazy enough to be pretty fun, and just crazy enough that it might just be something more to the studio's sweet spot. If it's anything like Baccano! or Durarara!, I'm more than happy to give it a try.

Brothers Conflict 「ブラザーズ・コンフリクト」

Studio: Brains Base

Blogging Status: Unlikely

Preview Writer: Lord Voldemint

Hinata Ema's father remarries, and all of a sudden she finds herself surrounded by 11 newly made "brothers". Unsurprisingly, while under the same roof, romance begins to develop. Honestly, the premise of this series makes my entire body scream for me to run away; everything points toward it being a rather scary reverse harem show, especially considering the studio's track record for the genre. However, with it being a Brain's Base production, it would be unfair to not give it a try. While it is somewhat likely this series will end up as this season's Amnesia, it could still surprise positively.

Danganronpa Kibou no Gakuen to Zetsubou no Koukousei: the Animation 「ダンガンロンパ 希望の学園と絶望の高校生 THE ANIMATION」

Studio: Lerche

Blogging Status: Tentative

Preview Writer: Kairi

Though I know next to nothing about the game this series is adapted from, I've heard good things about it. It seems something like a crossover between Battle Royale and a school drama, and it's more than a little intriguing because of it. However, this doesn't change the fact that it is a game adaptation, and that it does have some limitations to overcome because of it. Still, I can definitely see this being immensely popular, or at least of some sizeable interest, so I'm not at all adverse to trying it out myself.

Free! 「フリー！」

Studio: Kyoto Animation

Blogging Status: Tentative

Preview Writer: Lord Voldemint

The shitstorm inducer of the season, Free is a series about swimming. It has caused quite the commotion to say the least, and there is no doubt the reactions of those daring enough to give this series a shot will be both interesting and entertaining. Whether or not the actual series will be worth watching is something time will have to tell, however. All we can really say for sure at this point is that as a Kyoto Animation (or a spin-off studio, but it might as well be them) series, it is bound to be visually pretty.

Gatchaman Crowds 「ガッチャマン クラウズ」

Studio: Tatsunoko Productions

Blogging Status: Will Likely Blog

Preview Writer: Kairi

Gatchaman Crowds is definitely one of the highest entries on my list this season, if only because it's being rather elusive with its information. It's meant to be a new entry into the old Gatchaman series, but it's not entirely clear what that entails. However, the writing and directing team are the same as the one for Tsuritama, one of my favorite entries last spring, so I'd be lying if I said I wasn't massively curious and rather excited about the whole thing. It doesn't hurt that it's an action series in a rather laid-back season too.

Gin no Saji 「銀の匙」

Studio: A-1 Pictures

Blogging Status: Tentative

Preview Writer: Lord Voldemint

A manga adaption on a series about a boy who wants to get away from his family and ends up going to school in the country, where he is little more than a fish out of water. Hilarity ensues as he tries to find his place in this agricultural school. This series has no reason to not be awesome since the manga is written by none other than Arakawa Hiromu, the author of Fullmetal Alchemist. With her ability to write both amazing characters and hilarious scenes, even in otherwise serious settings, this comedic slice of life is without a doubt a series to look forward to.

Kami Nomi zo Shiru Sekai: Megami-hen 「神のみぞ知るセカイ 女神篇」

Studio: Manglobe

Blogging Status: Definitely Blogging

Preview Writer: Kairi

Yes, I love TWGOK. Perhaps that sounds a bit out of character, considering how often I have a lukewarm attitude toward harems of all kinds, but as I've mentioned before, I don't hate the genre. Still, Kaminomi is one of the rare instances when I can say I love a series under that category, though for good reason. Keima's not your average harem lead; he's not stupid, or ordinary, or otherwise uninteresting. He's not the nicest guy on the block, but he takes his job very seriously, even if that job is "capturing" girls. Wrap that up with some satire and comedy, and you have yourself a great little series to sit back and enjoy yourself with.

Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi 「神さまのいない日曜日」

Studio: Madhouse Studios

Blogging Status: Tentative

Preview Writer: Kairi

Here's a series that sounds absolutely insane. A world where no one can die or reproduce? A little gravekeeper girl? A boy who might be her father and who then proceeds to murder everyone in the gravedigger's village? If it weren't for the fact that last season's bizarre premise in Dansai delivered my favorite series of the season, I'd be rather wary of Kaminai. As it is, I'm rather curious to see how this will work out; fantastical premises tend to sit a lot better with me than realistic ones anyway.

Makai Ouji: Devils and Realist 「魔界王子 devils and realist」

Studio: Studio Pierrot

Blogging Status: Tentative

Preview Writer: Lord Voldemint

This is yet another manga adaption, though one with gothic artwork and settings similar to what one would find in series such as Pandora Hearts or Kuroshitsuji. A noble gone broke, young William accidentally stumbles on a world of demons and hell, where he finds he has to choose the next successor to Lucifer's throne. This has the potential to be an atmospheric anime, though it could also turn out to be a Bishounen demon fest. I have not read the manga myself, nor heard anything from anybody who has, so I really do not know what to expect from this.

Rozen Maiden II 「ローゼンメイデン」

Studio: Studio Deen

Blogging Status: Tentative

Preview Writer: Kairi

Normally I don't place continuing series that I'm unfamiliar with on my list, but Rozen Maiden is an exception. Part of that has to do with the fact that the series is a reboot rather than a sequel, but part of it is also plain curiosity. I've heard about this franchise before, but never had the time to look into it; however, the level of enthusiasm for this reboot has piqued my interest, so I'm not disinclined to try it out.

Servant x Service 「サーバント×サービス」

Studio: A-1 Pictures

Blogging Status: Will Likely Blog

Preview Writer: Lord Voldemint

Here we have yet another comedic slice of life, though this one takes place in a welfare and health office. Given what little we know, this series has potential. Not only is the setting fairly unconventional, but the manga on which it is based is apparently a seinen, which should mean the series will have a certain maturity to it to go along with the comedy. Such a bipolarity of seriousness and fun tends to be hard for most shows to pull off, but if this series can make it work we should be in for a real treat.

Uchouten Kazoku 「有頂天家族」

Studio: P.A. Works

Blogging Status: Tentative

Preview Writer: Lord Voldemint

There is no doubt this series is going to be insane in one way or the other, being a series about raccoon dogs, humans and tengu demons, but sanity is not always a good thing. If it lives up to its potential, this series should be both quirky and amusing, perhaps even meaningful. Apparently the original creator of the series has a knack for surrealism as well, and the gorgeous visuals from the P.A. Works package can't hurt, so regardless of what happens I believe it is safe to assume that this will be a strange but potentially interesting journey.

Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui! 「私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!」

Studio: Silver Link

Blogging Status: Unlikely

Preview Writer: Kairi

Following the everyday life of an otaku misfit who never realized she was a loner, It's Not My Fault I'm Not Popular! is probably the series I'm least interested in on this list. I've read a bit of the manga and wasn't particularly impressed, but the fact remains that it is a popular series and that I haven't read enough of it to have a sound judgement on its quality. Perhaps the anime will work better for me, but I won't know until I try.