Article: Autumn 2011 anime preview

Autumn 2011 anime preview - Page 3

Fujilog - Season 2

Low budget anime Fujilog first aired in spring of this year, and it returns for another batch of short, five-minute episodes for the autumn to relate the continuing story of hapless thirty-something NEET Osamu Fujiyama as he goes about his business... or rather, his lack of business, if you prefer.

Should I watch it?  At just five minutes per episode you don't have a lot to lose, but then again if you haven't checked out the first season then this second series probably won't set your pulse racing anyhow.

Guilty Crown

One of the autumn's two series to air on Fuji Television's much-vaunted noitaminA programming block (and indeed a series which will also run through the winter season) is Guilty Crown, an original anime series produced by Production IG.  This science fiction-esque series is set in the year 2029 and sees Japan under the control of an multi-national organisation known as GHQ.  Enter a boy with psychic powers, an underground resistence movement and a bunch of mecha, and you have yourself a series.

Should I watch it?  Its characteristics sound a little well-worn compared to a lot of noitaminA outings (it is supposed to appeal to "non-otaku", after all), but it certainly has some interesting talent behind it between Production IG, the director of Death Note Tetsuro Araki and Ryo from Supercell composing its music, so there's certainly some potential there to provide something suitable enthralling.

Hunter x Hunter

Another characteristic to this autumn anime season is the return of some old classics to Japanese TV screens, and amongst these outings is Hunter x Hunter, the enduringly popular manga series which has been running since 1998 and will now enjoy its second TV anime outing courtesy of Madhouse come October 2nd.  Serving as a grounds-up reboot of the franchise, this 2011-style version of Hunter x Hunter will again chronicle the journey of young Gon Freecss as he sets out to follow in his father's footsteps by becoming a Hunter, capable of tracking down all sorts of hidden treasures and mysterious creatures.

Should I watch it?  New staff and a new voice acting cast might put off the die-hards of the original anime series, but then again perhaps the simple fact that a new Hunter x Hunter anime is being produced at all will assuage those feelings.  Fans of the manga or those hungry for some new shounen fare will surely lap this up though.

Kimi to Boku

J.C. Staff are tasked with handling the anime adaptation of this on-going comedy manga about a group of friends.  Rather than the usual school comedy anime setup of four girls, this series instead revolves around four boys, each with their own unique characteristics as they go about their normal lives.

Should I watch it?  The slice of life comedy genre might have been done to death by now, but rarely with male characters, which could make this a more interesting prospect.  Besides, it was J.C. Staff who brought us Azumanga Daioh and kicked off this whole genre in the anime sphere in the first place...