Confession of an anime blogger time: I’ve never actually finished a Clamp anime show before. I hear their name mentioned frequently but so far, I’ve never come across a show that interests me enough that I watch more than a couple episodes. And the trend might have continued if this had been a stronger season with enough good shows and if I hadn’t read the excitement that some other bloggers had over this series and if the show wasn’t being done by Madhouse.

But all the stars aligned and I found myself watching Kobato. (And for the record I’m not using the official Japanese title because I refuse to add the nonsensical period at the end – it just doesn’t work with English grammar.)

Rating: episode 1 – 10/12 A
Rating: episode 2 – 10.5/12 Strong A
Rating: episode 3 – 9/12 A-
Anticipation Level: 2.5/5 – Average

Kobato is your typical genki (energetic and a bit klutz) girl who has come to Earth on a mission – to help people by healing their hearts. If she can help enough people then she can have a wish granted (what this wish is, we don’t know yet). To help her not get in trouble – because she needs it – she has a talking stuffed animal with the personality of a drill Sargent.

A very shoujo sounding show and that will scare many off but I found a lot to like about it even though I’m not much of a shoujo fan. The two big draws are Kobato herself and the polish that Madhouse has applied to the show.

In regards to Kobato, we can start by saying that the character type that Kobato falls into makes her a very sympathetic main character. One would have to be a very cold-hearted person not to start feeling the urge to cheer Kobato on as she tries her best to accomplish whatever task is presented to her and this desire is only strengthened from the fact that Kobato is a good person. Added to the mix is how the klutzy, not-familiar-with-Earth nature of Kobato injects the show with a good dose of comedy of a similar vein to I Love Lucy and that’s reinforced and expanded upon by her relationship with the talking stuffed animal. Nor should it be forgotten that Kobato is the master of outrageous expressions, which is always good for a laugh or three.

To help Kobato reach it’s full potential as a show, Madhouse needed to do a good job in adapting and so far they’ve really done so. This season has been full of mediocre and tepid animation which makes the high quality animation of Kobato all the more apparent to viewers. Animation alone is never enough to carry a show but it definitely helps. Less apparent but probably more important is how well Madhouse has been pacing the show and using the available time – the show flows naturally and the viewer is never left feeling that a joke has been stretched too long or too short or that it’s jerking haphazardly between the funny parts and the sad parts. Also helping with the enjoyment of the show has been the excellent voice work done by the various voice actors.

At this point the only thing that can sink this show (as I see it) is if they let the episode count on this one get really high and start meandering through filler material and letting the show become unfocused. I don’t think that will be case since I read that it’s going to run for 24 episodes, maybe not enough to finish the story but long enough to satisfy.

As opposed to Natsu no Arashi Season 2, the fan response to this one is large enough that I don’t think too many people will miss this enjoyable show but if for some reason you’ve passed Kobato over – I recommend giving it a try, you might just like it a lot.

But I still think my peeps are better

Posted in anime, first impressions

Brits vs. Black Knights. Oh, and I love this drawing style.

So I’m slow. In catching up with the more popular (not necessarily better) anime series, that is. I know. Which is why, being a slacker with no grasp of time management, I have managed to marathon the first season in, oh, three days at most? And I started on R2 today, and I’m at around episode 18. I tell you, my EYAs are shot to hell. But firstly, my homework. As for my foot drill test, I’m leaving it to luck and my ability. (On second thoughts, this applies to most of everything I do.)

But that’s besides the point. Dear Lulu has given me so much entertainment these past few days.

I love the linework. Hm, someone told me this was the way to go for more pageviews

Now I’m not one who particularly likes watching ‘politics’-based shows, or those involving devious strategists and whatnot– Gundam 00 kind of started to bore me after episode 3, while I probably just jumped on the bandwagon for Death Note but either way got bored when LADIES– but seeing as to how I’ve taken quite nicely to Code Geass despite the ridiculous voice of Fukuyama Jun as Lulu (ugh, I especially hate his Zero voice just like I hate Christian Bale’s voice when he does Batman), as well as the fact that I loved Ender’s Game a few years back, I might just consider trying them out again once I’ve got free time. IF I don’t get distracted too easily again, that would mean the December holidays, but this year my lack of time management is entirely off the charts, so I wouldn’t count on that.

Contrast. Phew, the legs are mostly hidden. But the shoulders…

I don’t happen to nitpick the plot that often since I’m not very sharp. But as for the art, you wouldn’t even call it nitpicking.. I mean CLAMP does a great job for the manga versions (except for their inability to draw anything but anorexic bishies – just look at the legs and arms), but as for the anime art, though the animation’s fluid, and mecha scenes still manage to keep my interest, characters look okay after a while since animation’s fairly consistent, I can’t say I love it. From the front, most of the faces drawn are fine (albeit always too angular), but the side profiles are the worst sometimes. Really, just look at it. Specifically the Angry/Emo/Angsty Lulu ones. The Fingers are quite horrid too.

Lulu angsts.. a lot. But 'nuff said, take a look at the fingers…

Another thing is that I can’t help but start to laugh whenever Zero does one of his speeches. It is almost never complete without exaggerated hand-movements. That voice also contributes to the reason that I am so amused by it, I believe.

Summarised thoughts on characters so far:- Kallen is rather too tsundere for me, lol. But she sure kicks ass. A real pity she’s reduced to a mere woman (=fanservice) in R2, sigh. And despite C.C.’s outright advertisement for Pizza Hut (They even rendered that crazy Cheese Fondue or whatever it’s called pizza), I rather liked her (moreso before her memory loss in R2, but anyway). As for Lulu, he’s fine without the maniacal laughter that simply must be there at least once every 5 episodes. Granted, he’s quite the genius (at least in his little 2D fictional world), and a better strategist than I will ever be, but he’s quite the siscon… Furthermore, he liked Shirley, that good-for-nothing bimbo.

If Lulu wants an org– I mean, harem, this is it. Daw, isn't he loved.

That said, Rollo is still a bastard for killing her since she didn’t mean any harm to him nor to Lulu (I’ll take her word for it), and being jealous just because of his pathetic buracon. In fact his presence is quite uncalled for. Except for the oh-so-amusing Lulu x Rollo scenes and fanart. Quite disturbing how that even forms a whole fanbase (KL-chan included), but I’m not too surprised now since G00 has spawned such a fandom just based on the fujoshis (sirane included) already. Suzaku is another Syaoran clone, I believe? Suzaku is.. another very contradictory human. Euphie was a manifestation of Lulu’s secret desire for a yandere in the series. No, really. a tragedy. Nina is indeed a lesbian retard, her face when Euphemia died was like the Higurashi girls gone crazy, only a thousand times more unpleasant on the eyes. I see it has spawned several ’shopped versions of other characters on danbooru. Lloyd (especially his voice) is gay. Oh and Sayoko is the greatest ninja ever, while Li Xingke is worshippable prodigy. Too bad he is a lolicon and will die for such a sin.

Main characters for R2.. Pretty decent fanart, I might say.

…That’s all for now, not much to say about the music (bgm is mostly orchestrated :3 and ops/eds are ookay..) or plot (I told you, I’m not sharp enough). Have I told you that I love to ramble? That’s really all I am bothered to do nowadays it seems. :C It’s a bad habit but I don’t think it’s going to change anytime soon. But I shall relieve you of any further pain from reading my horrible ramblings by ending soon D:

Random note, I’ve applied for JLPT Level 3 even though I’d aspired to try for Level 2 this year. :\ It’s quite irritating how Level 3 seems too easy while Level 2 seems too hard. Sigh. Speaking of languages, though, Italian is such a pretty language. A pity learning languages requires commitment/passion and time.

I realise I’ve been neglecting Tetsuwan Birdy: DECODE. ‘Tis sad.

This is Lulu. (Is -ko even needed?) CAN YOU UNSEE IT? CAN YOU?!

P.S. Geass, or rather geis, or geasa -plural- which I assume the word is based on, is pronounced gesh. Sounds horrible, don’t you think? Which is why, I suppose, they decided to coin their own word. Or maybe they just thought it would sound cool to use some rare word.

P.P.S. More picspam below:

A special request made by megane-fetishists

Lulu, pimping out. Britannia, Dark Knights, bring it on – Pizza Hut will conquer all

Note the two (ridiculous) characters in the air. That said, I love the design of this costume.

Cheese-kun is Japan's Pizza Hut mascot

Someone told me to leave this for last

/randomise/ In conclusion, Code Geass is a really popular franchise now… It’s not bad, actually, quite action-packed most of the time, and deserves that popularity, but I think they could have toned down the fanservice. Especially the BL subtext. (Is it really even subtext anymore?!) Also, Fan-pandering and picspam is probably good for pageviews.

If you would excuse me, I have a foot drill test tomorrow. Dammit.