So I’m a little late with this but it just wouldn’t be a complete month if I wasn’t late to the end of it. Due to a number of unexpected scheduling issues throughout the month of April I didn’t get to view nearly as many of the spring premieres as I wanted to. There were some series that I was able to view up to three episodes and some I was only able to view one, I’ve noted how many of each series I watched to give you an idea of how informed my opinion is. So without further ado… Spring Mop Up 09 starts after the cut.

Charady no Joke na Mainichi
Episodes Watched: 1

In a Nutshell: A digitally created character tells a joke from around the world and then bounces around for 90 seconds.

Verdict: I watched one episode of this and decided that I didn’t need to watch anymore. The concept for this one really struck me as interesting at first; a daily joke from around the world. Seemed like a fairly simple concept but then I watched the first joke. There was absolutely no fluidity to the joke they were telling, it felt stilted and just not funny. The banter between the characters wasn’t any better making this one an easy one to forget about.

Mainichi Kaasan
Episodes Watched: 1

In A Nutshell: The daily life of a mom of two with a husband and mother to boot.

Verdict: For a slice of life comedy, it is amazing how slowly this series plays out. The first episode felt like it took forever to finish. That being said, this isn’t a bad series and it has a lot of its own charm. The artwork is incredibly crude but being that this series is based on a daily newspaper comic, losing the artists personal style would have been tragic. What’s nice about it though is that it doesn’t feel overproduced, it’s just simple drawings. Very simple jokes, performances that sounds natural and not acted. Those with children are going to get the biggest kick out of this series.

Asura Cryin‘
Episodes Watched: 3

In A Nutshell: Paranormal fan service dressed up as an action series.

Verdict: You have to give them credit; they really tried with this series. They really tried to present a series that carried a strong enough story to pull the audience in by the end of the third episode. Admittedly they do a pretty decent job with it. The characters were put into a very serious situation right away and have been giving a strong bonding event which gets the audience involved early. I really tried to get into the characters here but I just didn’t connect with them as much as I would have liked. They’re fun and Tamao has some clever dialogue at times but there’s just not enough to make it anything that stands out from the rest.

Pandora Hearts
Episodes Watched: 3

In A Nutshell: Alice in Wonderland meets anime only not so much.

Verdict: A series that landed very regrettably in my biggest disappointment column. This was another series that I really wanted to like right away but there were just too many obstacles. How a series that looked so amazing in its trailers could have this many questionable scenes really caught me off guard. The characters didn’t help much and by the time I got to close of episode three I was done. This series uses such interesting ideas and concepts as bait for the audience but they completely forget to use a hook. With the close of the first story arc I really didn’t feel any sort of hook to make me want to see more. I may watch a bit further just to make sure but I’m pretty sure my instincts are going to be proven right.

K-ON
Episodes Watched: 4

In A Nutshell: Moe’, lots of it. Do you really care about the rest that much? Didn’t think so.

Verdict: I knew before the season began that this series was going to be a hit. Kyoto Animation has proven once again that they can do no wrong when they attempt a moe series. Fans have embraced this series with open arms and I admit to being one of them. The only thing that this series has done wrong so far is Yui; she’s a moron. I mean, she’s plain brain dead. Occasionally ditzy is cute, Yui is annoying. Someone make her stop talking. Other than that, K-ON has gathered a very likeable cast of characters and given them a clear path to have cute adventures that fans will eat up faithfully.

Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~
Episodes Watched: 3

In A Nutshell: Amnesiac and teen girl are mafia assassins and kill people in various cool ways.

Verdict: When Funimation started streaming this series a few weeks after its premiere it confirmed my suspicion that this series was going to carry some strong buzz. Bee Train does well with another action mystery series for fans to unravel. They’ve built a nice little collection for themselves in this category but this one just didn’t carry the same initial excitement that their previous series carried for me. Still really worth checking out if you haven’t already.

Valkryia Chronicles
Episodes Watched: 3

In A Nutshell: Girl meets guy while their village gets attacked by enemy army, naturally enlistment and playful flirting follows.

Verdict: This ranks high on the list of this season’s biggest disappointments. While the artwork certainly had its charm, the characters were beyond irritating. It was like a period version of Saved by the Bell Goes to War. Alicia comes across as the most oblivious teen in history as she continues to face the violence in her village with a smile and occasionally baking joke, all while fighting off imperial soldiers. I really wanted to like this one but this was a series that I couldn’t wait to finish my obligation to watch.

Tayutama – Kiss on my Deity -
Episodes Watched: 3

In A Nutshell: Supernatural genius teenager accidently marries the fox girl incarnation of his local deity.

Verdict: I went into Tayutama expecting fluff and found myself pleasantly surprised instead. Presenting a cute story that moves in early unexpected directions, Tayutama lures fans in with the fan service but keeps them in with fun characters. The character designs have issues that are better not explained (how does Ameri not manage to kill people with her ponytails?), Mashiro remains cute and easy for fans to get behind. I’m still convinced that there’s another side to this series though and eventually it will degenerate into fluff. Though anyone who gets into this series may find it fun waiting for that to happen.

Natsu no Arashi
Episodes Watched: 1

In A Nutshell: Man has flashbacks (apparently he likes to remember things with terrible animation) to the summer when he was thirteen and he hung out with a friend with supernatural powers.

Verdict: Only going by the first episode, it’s hard to know what to make of this series. I will give the first episode credit everywhere that it is due. The way that they justify just terrible animation is brilliant; the man is flashing back to the eighties so they’re using animation that looks like it’s from the eighties. Very clever. Also deserving of credit is the very complicated story that they attempted to tell right off the bat in the first episode. Unfortunately they just don’t do that good of a job with the story; the pay off at the end is nowhere near worth the journey it takes to get there. If you’re looking for a slightly more intelligent slice of life comedy this is going to call out to you.

Guin Saga
Episodes Watched: 1

In A Nutshell: Twin heirs to a kingdom escape their home being raided and find protection from a mysterious stranger wearing a leopard mask and little else.

Verdict: This is a very pretty series to look at. Watching the first episode, fans will lose count of all the absolutely beautiful backgrounds and sequences that assault the eyes of everyone who watches. A visual treat if absolutely nothing else. Moving past that however, I found myself having a lot of trouble getting into the story because of the characters. Honestly, if every member of that royal family is that useless (i.e. parents die, brother vows revenge then dies moments later, male twin is a prat that his sister has to protect) it’s no wonder that the kingdom fell. This has the makings of a good series but it’s not going to be for everyone.

Tears to Tiara
Episodes Watched: 3

In A Nutshell: A faithful adaptation of the eroge except for all of the really fun bits removed.

Verdict: If you enjoyed the game than this series is going to be right up your alley. If you’ve never even heard of the game and are just looking for a fun fantasy series, this could be right up your alley as well. It’s not a great fantasy series but there will certainly be enough unique twists thrown in to keep fans interested. If there’s one thing that Tears to Tiara really needs to be praised for though it’s how the characters have all kept their original unique charms. Morgan is a great addition to the series because she’s hilarious comic relief and that is captured fabulously in the first episode she’s introduced in.

07-Ghost
Episodes Watched: 3

In A Nutshell: Bishies: Vulnerable bishies, bishies in military uniforms, bishies in cosplay, bishies getting close to each other, etc, etc, etc

Verdict: Despite the overwhelming amount of bishieness just oozing out of every single pore 07-Ghost has, it has managed to set up an incredibly interesting story. While their system of magic is one of the most laughable I’ve seen in awhile (seriously, your energy becomes words around your hand?), it’s also revealed some interesting twists. The sisters of mercy give some relief in the form of additional comedy which doesn’t hurt as well. Another series worth keeping an eye on if you’re not already. 

Ristorante Paradiso
Episodes Watched: 1

In A Nutshell: Girl moves to Rome, develops fetish for older men.

Verdict: I kept hearing whispers about this series when it first premiered. But a series aimed at girls who like older men? Are there really enough of them out there to justify aiming a series at them? Apparently there is! These guys are smooth too, if you’re a woman who wants to listen to a man be all super smooth and gentlemanly for twenty minutes or so this is your series.

Eden of the East
Episodes Watched: 3

In A Nutshell: Japanese girl meets naked Japanese boy in Washington DC and decides to help him find his memory and clothes.

Verdict: Absolutely yes. Production IG put together an absolutely amazing series and the production values show. The animation is crisp and looks great, American characters were voiced by English actors who spoke natural English, the story is incredibly engaging and the characters feel real and likeable. Within a year or two, I predict that quite a few people will be talking about this series and it’s subsequent movie this summer.