Anime Yokokuhen 2005: Otanoshimini~!

Hehe. Before I go reviewing every anime I've watched over thelast quarter of the yera, here are some previews to tide you over. I've limited each preview to three sentences to make it short and sweet. Soon, I'll post some more detailed facts. Oh, and for some of the anime presented here, I've only seen a few of each; 1-2 at most - so it's just a preview, not an overall assessment.

Here we go!

• Peacemaker Kurogane - Still fresh from my Samurai anime kick I went into this fictional depiction of the Shinsengumi during the period before the Meiji restoration - and I found it very good. Although it has some superficial similarities to Naruto (young whiny kid seeks recognition in group of people, for a reason) it really is a different kind of series. This is a must watch and comes highly recommended.
• Saikano - Oh dear, where do I start describing this masterpiece... Saikano (short for Saishuu Heiki Kanojo) is a series about a girl who is a cyborg weapon of mass destruction. The action plot, like what would have been done with other anime, is not the main focus of the story, but the love story that exists between our protagonist and her new boyfriend - and it is really affecting. I cannot recommend this series enough; every anime fan needs to see this at least once.
• Witch Hunter Robin - A visually engaging and interesting series, Robin starts well enough with the first few episodes, but changes in tone in the second half, and this is where this Sunrise production shines the most. With interesting characters (and lots of focus on character development) it has held my attention for the entire 26 episode run. Recommended.
• Paranoia Agent - After watching the genius that is Perfect Blue, Satoshi Kon returns with another mindbending anime, this time a series. Intelligently crafted and cryptic to the very end, Paranoia Agent is a must-see. Oh, and that opening theme... disturbing.
• Boogiepop Phantom - I've been wanting to see this for years. Creep to some extent, although I haven't seen enough to form a concrete opinion on it. I'll have to see more if I'm to get a more detailed impression of the series - although I can say now that the opening theme is really cool.
• Genshiken + Kujibiki Unbalance - Immediately reminiscent of other anime works like Otaku no Video, Genshiken is a dissection of the life of Otaku in Japan. With likeable characters and a storyline that doesn't have any we-must-save-the-world tendencies, this anime is a story about real life characters doing real life things. Well, Otaku real life things, anyway. p.s. - the karaoke scene in Kujiun episode 21 must be one of the funniest scenes in an anime, ever.
• Gilgamesh - Post apocalyptic stuff, reminiscent of... well, a lot of post apocalyptic anime. Dark and quite atmopsheric, this one has a lot of promise to it. The character designs take a bit of time to get used to, though.
• Initial D Fourth Stage - I can't believe how much this anime grew on me, since I categorically hated the series only a few years ago. It's fast, stylized, and I like the Eurobeat - you can even use it as aerobics music or something. The Filipino dub is great in it's own way - see my previous posts for details.
• Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid - This anime is basically more of the same FMP fun, although if you're an FMP fan that isn't really a bad thing. It still is quite humorous, but it resembles the first series in tone more than the absolutely funny sequel, Fumoffu. Recommended for mecha fans.
• Naruto - I really like Naruto, despite the fact that the series targets an age group much younger than my own. It's sometimes full of filler episodes and is quite slow (making the series 160+ episodes and counting) but it's got heart in it - and the action is quite good. Despite the pace I found myself watching episodes continuously to watch what would happen - something that hasn't happened in a long time.
  
• Gunslinger Girl -Slow-paced and quite disturbing/creepy, yet this series is quite haunting. The tribulations of young girls being superhuman cyborg assassins isn't new, but this series is heavy on characterization, and shows a human side to these girls, who are, after all, beyond anything else, just girls. I love the opening theme, too.
  
• Noir - This series requires great patience - the good stuff doesn't happen until around episode 8-13. Still, a decent girls with guns anime series that can draw you in once the going gets good. And it does, so don't lose hope if the first few eps turn you off on the series.
  
• GITS SAC 2nd GIG -Excellent continuation of the first Ghost in the Shell TV series, with more action, political intrigue and plots within plots that you can shake a stick at. More of the same, really, but if that means more interesting stories about Section 9, then that's cool with me. Oh, and watch out for a manga reference in the last scene of Episode 26.
  
• Samurai 7 - Very, very good series based on Akira Kurosawa's movie Shinichin no Samurai. Although it presents a futuristic twist on the series, this series fleshes out its characters like Kurosawa's movie did. Recommended.
  
• Azumanga Daioh -A unique series with a unique flavor of Japanese humor. This comedy series is considered by many to be a cult classic; I would tend to agree. No saving the world machinations here either; this is a comedy anime about everyday life, and the surreal stuff that comes with it.

Well, that's about it. Watch for the top ten movies and anime watched during 2005 to pop up sometime before the end of the year. until then, enjoy!