as per the title, redux

How does the latter half of the season’s new shows stack up in my arbitrary and highly prejudiced opinion? Read on. [Part I]

The Good

Full Metal Panic!: The Second Raid – This one is a no-brainer. If Kyoto Animation keeps up the ridiculously high quality of the first episode through the rest of the series this has the potential to be a landmark piece of animation; if not, Chidori will save the day regardless. I’m putting a lot of faith in this show with nary a glimpse of the actual plot so here’s hoping it doesn’t make a fool out of me down the road, but with the track record of Fumoffu I think I’m in good hands.

Petopeto-san – From the stills I was worried that Petopeto wouldn’t convey the warm feel of YUG’s art in animated form, but those fears were groundless – this is an incredibly cute show with perhaps the best OP/ED combo of the season. I’ll keep watching as long as none of the main characters start to piss me off, an outcome which at this point seems very unlikely.

The Bad

Shuffle – The OP is pretty awesome, but not enough to save a harem show with no other fate than devolution into hideous drama.

Ichigo Mashimaro – As I’ve said before, the Barasui designs are kick-ass and well executed here. The Barasui story is intact as well, and I just can’t keep my mind locked on twenty-two minutes of plotless cuteness at a stretch – Mamiko may save the show next episode, but I’m not holding out hopes.

Suzuka – I haven’t watched this, but it looks boring enough from the screenshots to be arbitrarily tossed into the bad camp.

The Ugly

HDTV cannot save you, dear Yurie ;__;

The Final Analysis

Best of Season:

Still in Purgatory:

Clamped in the Maw of Satan:

Disagree? Sound off here.