I don't really feel like this show is going to end up being much more than a poor man's Madoka, but I guess that's fine considering nobody was expecting much from this to begin with.
I actually think the combination of Satou and Okada is better than the combination of Shinbou and Urobuchi for this kind of story. The former are better at handling characters and pulling as much out of them as possible. The latter are better at high concept stuff.
That being said, they've still got some potential pitfalls to avoid on the way.
Nyangoro, where do you go to watch Selector Infected WIXOSS? I've been waiting for that one to air, since seeing the trailer. So, if you could direct me to the right place, it'd be very much appreciated. C:
Funimation simulcasts the series every Thursday. If you want to DL the episode:
Download Selector Infected WIXOSS Episode 1 – Anime Take
If you want to stream it:
Watch Selector Infected WIXOSS Episode 1 Online English Subbed
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(I may have had a little to drink as I tried to stomach some of these premiers, so... just a thing to keep in mind.)
Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo Returns: I can't really call this a Detective Conan knock-off. After all, this series came out first. Even so, this premiere screams of the same general formula. There's a plot that drags our quirky sleuthing savant to Hong Kong. His token love interest accidentally gets kidnapped, and now he has to find her while trying to solve a murder that occurred right before his eyes at the end of the episode. It's a Sherlockian style of mystery series in a country dominated by one of the most well-known Sherlockian-esque series. Unfortunately, if that weren't enough, this episode spends so much time on buildup that we don't even get an example of our protagonists abilities beyond a math problem he solved off-camera. I'll probably watch the second episode just to give this series a chance to complete a case; but if you're already watching Conan, then I don't see what this can offer you. And if you aren't, then I really don't see what this can offer you.
Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei: I think... this is the concentrated form of every modern anime trend. You've got vaguely defined yet remarkably overexplained science-magic (which is basically just their "powers" anyway). A high school setting in which to include various high school tropes alongside said science-magic. Endless exposition dialog (and just general exposition). Plenty of archetypal girls to want MC's dick (though they do a better job masking it in this episode than most, I'll give it that). An incest subplot, a pretty heavy one too. A badass, Garry Stu MC who's put in a situation to make him seem not all that, but then immediately shown that he is. It wasn't all bad though. There was one good action scene. Sure, everything else was bad, but it had that action scene. And sometimes it doesn't look like eye cancer. Most of the time it does, but not always.
Kamigami no Asobi: Here's the reverse harem of the season. To its credit, it's much less rapey than Diabolik Lovers. You've got the blank canvas that is the female lead as she stumbles upon a vague fantasy realm thanks to a glowing sword. There, she meets various gods (who are all, wait for it, handsome as diddly), before finally standing before Zeus. Apparently, in order to reestablish the bond between gods and humans, the gods need to learn how to love humans again. That's where she comes in. So she needs to be loved by a bunch of tall effeminate men who run the gambit of otome game personalities. Oh, and every time a new one is revealed, flowers blossom behind their portrait. It's hilarious. Also it's a waste of time unless you just want to aimlessly stare at hot guys.
Captain Earth: The biggest sin of this premiere is that not a lot really happened. Or put another way, its execution missed the mark. When it wasn't tossing its audience into a command center replete with techno jargon that means nothing to them, it spent its time on a flashback of the main character when he met two mysterious people. The problem is that those scenes were rushed and awkward. He just meets a random boy, and he's instantly willing to play a game with his father's present as a price? Why? And the girl barely got one scene the whole episode. I have no idea who any of these people are. Hell, I barely know who the main character is. We see a little of his current self, but it jumps straight to his backstory. We don't get to see him react to anything until the end. Even then, just barely. On top of that, I have no sense of the world that this takes place in. In the end, this episode spent so much time rushing through backstory that we don't get anything else that's important. I kinda dig the bulky robot design though. Even if it does look a little too much like Heroman crossed with Gundam.
Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii: This debut didn't really do anything wrong, per se. It just didn't do anything well enough. You start with a spunky girl who, honestly, could've been a lot worse. She's the fourth princess of some small kingdom, and she was married off to the Sun King in order to save their nation. Before she meets him, however, she sneaks into the city to get a feel for the people there. Hijinks ensue, and then she goes off to meet her groom, who turns out to be a snooty little brat. Here's the thing, I didn't hate the episode. It had personality, which is a lot more than I can say for some of the shows I watched today. I just don't know if the end result is anything more than average. The girl has a gimmick where she can command the weather, but I don't know how long that can remain interesting. Its production is meager, but serviceable, so I can't hate on it too much there either. I can't recommend it now, but I might watch a little more to see where it goes from here.
Abarenbou Kishi!! Matsutarou: This is what I imagine a show produced in the 70s would be if it were in native 720p. In other words, nothing is different other than the fact that it's in 720p. The animation isn't the only thing about this show that's uncomfortably retro. Everything is that way. From the outdated narrative to the woefully unbelievable lead, this is case and point that this type of storytelling just doesn't cut it anymore. I like to watch old series out of respect for their influence and to see what the shows back then were like, but the fact that they've aged is painfully obvious. This show started out aged. It's lost in the land of anime that time forgot. I can't even recommend this to people who really like retro-type series. If you really want to see an old sports series that badly, just watch Ace wo Nerae! again.
Haikyuu!!: Well, this is definitely my replacement for Kuroko no Basuke. This show has the energy, passion, and wild sports animation to leave a strong impression on its audience. It's not an unfamiliar story. A guy falls in love with a sport, but he's not exactly the right build for it. However, he overcomes with perseverance and a single skill that helps him stand above the rest. In other words, its the same setup as so many others. Its gimmick comes from his rival, who he met and lost to in his first and only tournament in middle school. Turns out, both of them decided to attend a formerly prestigious volleyball high school. So now they have to work together as teammates. While I don't think its setup is as strong as Kuroko no Basuke, it still passes. And more importantly, its the execution that matters in a sports series. If there's one thing this episode got right, it was the execution.
Baby Steps: I can already tell that this show's pacing is going to be unbearable. MC didn't play a single game of tennis the entire episode, with the exception of the teaser at the very beginning. I applaud the series for taking it slow, but it makes it hard to get a solid read on the series. But you know, it really wasn't that bad. The lead character is a studying maniac, but they pull it off. His obsession with data actually works and makes him an interesting protagonist for a sports series. The show's designs feel old-school, but the where it really shines is in the tennis animation. It's going for a realistic look, and damn does it succeed. I'd already heard that Baby Steps is the type of sports series that takes a deep look at the sport its about, and you can tell that instantly from this episode. It exudes a certain realism that you can't get from the crazier sports series out there. It won't be as immediately satisfying as something like Haikyuu!!, but I think it'll be a good show for the long haul.
Gokukoku no Brynhildr: Must every single premise shoehorn in potential harem bait? I mean, my god. Whatever. This show is about a guy who accidentally got his friend killed when he was a child (I mean, it's not really his fault, but he blames himself for it). Thus, he dedicated his studies to astronomy in search of aliens, because his friend both believed in and claimed to have seen aliens. In high school, a girl who looks exactly like his childhood friend comes into his life. She's some sort of genetically modified/cyborg/thing/I don't really know, and she has the ability to predict deaths and is also super powerful. Using that power, she saves two people. And that's where the episode ends. It's just hard for me to give a damn about what's going on. The harem-filled opening sequence didn't help, but on top of that, nothing that happened in this episode is enough to make it stand out by itself. This girl shows up and she has super powers. She looks like his friend, but she's not, so who really cares? It's been years since she died, so what's the relevance now? I'm sure these are things answered later on, but the first episode almost goes out of its way to make it seem like they don't matter. If you make it look like it doesn't matter, then how am I supposed to care long enough for you to prove to me that it does?
Isshuukan Friends: Here was probably my favorite premiere of the day. The basic premise is a 50 First Dates story (or ef: A Tale of Memories, if you want an anime example). A girl with chronic amnesia forgets (almost) everything after a week. This serves as a problem for the male lead, who kind of has the hots for her. That premise alone isn't what makes the show work though. That idea has been done plenty of times. It's in the details that this episode stands out. First, I really like the characters. Compared to a lot of anime, their delivery is mellow, which is quite the refreshing change of pace. Better still, their interactions are believable, giving good insight into their personalities. I found myself liking the male lead's friend a lot, who carries himself like he doesn't really care about anything; but when his friend needs help, he's always willing to lend an ear. The other thing that makes it work is that the series is only partly about romance. The story is setup that this guy makes friends with her again and again, week after week. What this means is that you can explore different aspects of friendship that you wouldn't be able to if this was strictly a 50 First Dates narrative. Also, the anime's beautiful. Both the character designs and scenery is like a cross between Usagi Drop and Hourou Musuko. Even the opening and ending themes match that description. It's really easy on the eyes, fits the tone, and is just all around pleasant. Definitely liked this premiere.