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krpalmerAs the storage boxes fill up one after another, there are times I do think a bit more about the casual admission "I buy anime faster than I can watch it"; it would seem I have a very adequate bulwark against the potential localized catastrophe of "not being able to buy it the way I do now." The thought has come to me I could address that purchasing habit at least in part by looking back at the shows I saw through official streaming this year and asking myself whether I should buy them when they're released over here. At the same time, where some impose the stern test of what's worth viewing repeatedly, I can just ask myself "could I watch it again?", or indeed sometimes I'll just feel sorry for a series it seems "nobody" else has bought or seems likely to buy. It's also true that in many cases "revisiting" a series, to see if it feels a bit different being watched day by day instead of week by week, ought to be just a matter of going to the back catalogue on Crunchyroll, but there perhaps I do get to thinking how releases on disc do tend to translate and subtitle the lyrics of the opening and closing themes, which of course means a very simple change could have pretty profound effects.
Space Brothers (continued from the year before): The Japanese astronaut corps in a hopeful near future.
This is a series on a subject I take some personal interest in, a series that steps away from at least some of the familiar elements certain people love to criticize anime for "always including," and a series I was surprised to see get licensed over here because of that and its length. I do have the strong feeling I ought to "support" the licensing decision wih the first set about to be released, but I'm also stuck right now waiting for every release from Sentai Filmworks to be "vetted" by other people.
Gundam Build Fighters (continued from the year before): Build models of mecha for fun and glory.
The recent news that Right Stuf would take over distributing the Gundam franchise over here does bring this series being licensed back into the realm of possibility, but I suppose nothing is certain with the way its Japanese production company likes to get involved. I did enjoy it for at last breaking through a lot of the gloom that seems to settle over reactions to recent Gundam series, so I'd be very likely to buy it if I had the chance. Its sequel Gundam Build Fighters Try has at least got my attention too as it continues into the new year, so I'd consider getting it as well.
Kill la Kill (continued from the year before): Crazed clothes-based battles; today high school, tomorrow the world.
This series impressed me enough with its energy and absurd exuberance that I decided I'd be willing to pay the premium I was expecting to be charged, but it turned out that when I had the chance to save a bit of money by not getting the art cards and little folded-up poster and subsidiary soundtrack CDs and making-of DVDs included with the super-deluxe releases I took it. I suppose I'm also paying for being able to get it sooner than any other series airing this year, but because it's being released a bit at a time I'm waiting until I have all of it before even thinking about opening it, which is a bit of a wash. I am wondering about an extra OVA episode animated after the series had concluded, and if the only way to get it will be to buy the final super-deluxe release, which will mean some mismatching.
Golden Time (continued from the year before): The past gets in the way of college romance.
The mood got sort of grim (not to mention repetitive) in the second half of this series, so I'm not that compelled to go back to it.
Ace of the Diamond (continued from the year before): Joining a high school baseball team, and the progress of that team.
This series is still in progress. The usual comment these days is "sports anime doesn't sell"; it's possible that its own particular configuration of character development and interaction isn't one I'm compelled to revisit.
Love, Chunibyo, and Other Delusions: Those who think they've got over their juvenile delusions of grandeur meet those who don't.
As some anime releases over here get more elaborate again, this series is scheduled to get a very fancy deluxe edition. With all of the things promised to go into it at least some of them, such as an artbook, do sound interesting, but as with a still almost overwhelming fraction of what Japanese series do get English subtitles included, I'm still stuck thinking "I liked it, but not that much..." As there's at least the possibility there might be a less expensive "regular" release to follow in this particular case, I might try waiting.
Captain Earth: Elaborately assembled giant robots with young heroes as pilots face some peculiar enemies.
I do sort of feel like I want to go back to this series and see if my impression of a profusion of charactes, factions, and concepts changes at a different viewing pace. At the same time, I'm aware this is the sort of thing that might well just be best revisited streaming again, but perhaps I'm being drawn into making a "sympathy-based purchase."
Glasslip: Hanging out in the summer; some of those hanging out just happen to be psychic.
Dropping a show unfinished does seem an unfortuately clear indication that going back to it won't be much more rewarding.
Argevollen: A mecha prototype gets tossed into the fighting somewhere else.
As with Captain Earth, there were some things about this series reminiscent of different moments to keep me watching all the way through, but it's also the case that I wonder if I "just feel sorry for it."
Sailor Moon Crystal: Reincarnation, both inside and outside the story, points the way to being magical girl superheroines.
I only watched four episodes of this series before leaving it behind me, but did think at the time I was at least more interested in seeing the original anime. Unfortunately, I then cancelled my orders of that original anime when its impending release turned into a wearily familiar sort of scandal. Now, I suppose I'm wondering that if the release of this series turns out differently in the reports of other people (and has all of the footage I've heard is being reanimated from the original broadcasts), the chances of my buying it may be greater than zero.
Aldnoah Zero: Ready-made Martians invade the Earth; fortunately, we have an opaque yet observant high school student to counterattack.
It wasn't long at all before I'd decided I wasn't compelled on a level sufficient to pay the premium I was expecting to be charged. Even had the disc release been less expensive (and less interesting and much more likely to go wrong in some fashion, I'm sure some would hasten to point out), though, I'm not quite certain I'd buy it then; my usual impulse to think that "mecha series don't get a fair break these days" seems much less acute in this case. The way things left off at least have me curious as to how they'll pick up again in the new year, but from there I fear I'm not expecting an awful lot.
Akame ga Kill: Rebels with superpowered fantasy weapons face the equally equipped state's guardians; there are few certainties.
Part of this show depended on surprise, so it might not seem to be an obvious candidate for watching more than once, but I managed to look at it from an absurd perspective, so I'm at least contemplating buying it. At the same time, the criticism of others about it having its own conclusion instead of a "read the manga" non-conclusion does make me wonder how much "sympathy" is going to be involved in the end...
Knights of Sidonia: Humanity's last starship fights for survival, which just happens to be all computer-animated.
This show did interest me enough to contemplate buying it even already owning the manga it was based on, but as it's a "Netflix exclusive," I'm wondering if that chance will arise. At the same time, I do wonder how a release on disc might turn out.
Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun: The travails of an unlikely manga artist and the tribulations of those around him.
I liked this show to begin with, but had the uncomfortable feeling my enthusiasm was sliding a bit from the way I understood others to be by its end. That's not to say I've decided not to try and experience it again, but a potential purchase seems to hinge more on "trying to fill out an order made up of more compelling titles."
Parasyte ~the Maxim~: Mysterious creatures menace someone with an unusual connection to them.
This series has been appealing to me so far, but so far as I know it hasn't been licensed yet. That there hasn't been an announcement yet seems to concern people these days.
Shirobako: The animated making of an anime series.
So far, this series has been turning out well. With a bit of luck or a bit of consistency, it'll be one high on my list of considerations.
Although not as many as some people manage to watch streaming (although it does seem that when you get to watching a great number of series streaming, it gets easier to import untranslated Japanese releases you might not actually understand just to "reward and support the accomplishment"), I did wind up watching what seems a pretty fair number of shows that way. At the same time, I'm aware I haven't exactly been very "reasonable" yet about what I might buy to watch again.
Space Brothers (continued from the year before): The Japanese astronaut corps in a hopeful near future.
This is a series on a subject I take some personal interest in, a series that steps away from at least some of the familiar elements certain people love to criticize anime for "always including," and a series I was surprised to see get licensed over here because of that and its length. I do have the strong feeling I ought to "support" the licensing decision wih the first set about to be released, but I'm also stuck right now waiting for every release from Sentai Filmworks to be "vetted" by other people.
Gundam Build Fighters (continued from the year before): Build models of mecha for fun and glory.
The recent news that Right Stuf would take over distributing the Gundam franchise over here does bring this series being licensed back into the realm of possibility, but I suppose nothing is certain with the way its Japanese production company likes to get involved. I did enjoy it for at last breaking through a lot of the gloom that seems to settle over reactions to recent Gundam series, so I'd be very likely to buy it if I had the chance. Its sequel Gundam Build Fighters Try has at least got my attention too as it continues into the new year, so I'd consider getting it as well.
Kill la Kill (continued from the year before): Crazed clothes-based battles; today high school, tomorrow the world.
This series impressed me enough with its energy and absurd exuberance that I decided I'd be willing to pay the premium I was expecting to be charged, but it turned out that when I had the chance to save a bit of money by not getting the art cards and little folded-up poster and subsidiary soundtrack CDs and making-of DVDs included with the super-deluxe releases I took it. I suppose I'm also paying for being able to get it sooner than any other series airing this year, but because it's being released a bit at a time I'm waiting until I have all of it before even thinking about opening it, which is a bit of a wash. I am wondering about an extra OVA episode animated after the series had concluded, and if the only way to get it will be to buy the final super-deluxe release, which will mean some mismatching.
Golden Time (continued from the year before): The past gets in the way of college romance.
The mood got sort of grim (not to mention repetitive) in the second half of this series, so I'm not that compelled to go back to it.
Ace of the Diamond (continued from the year before): Joining a high school baseball team, and the progress of that team.
This series is still in progress. The usual comment these days is "sports anime doesn't sell"; it's possible that its own particular configuration of character development and interaction isn't one I'm compelled to revisit.
Love, Chunibyo, and Other Delusions: Those who think they've got over their juvenile delusions of grandeur meet those who don't.
As some anime releases over here get more elaborate again, this series is scheduled to get a very fancy deluxe edition. With all of the things promised to go into it at least some of them, such as an artbook, do sound interesting, but as with a still almost overwhelming fraction of what Japanese series do get English subtitles included, I'm still stuck thinking "I liked it, but not that much..." As there's at least the possibility there might be a less expensive "regular" release to follow in this particular case, I might try waiting.
Captain Earth: Elaborately assembled giant robots with young heroes as pilots face some peculiar enemies.
I do sort of feel like I want to go back to this series and see if my impression of a profusion of charactes, factions, and concepts changes at a different viewing pace. At the same time, I'm aware this is the sort of thing that might well just be best revisited streaming again, but perhaps I'm being drawn into making a "sympathy-based purchase."
Glasslip: Hanging out in the summer; some of those hanging out just happen to be psychic.
Dropping a show unfinished does seem an unfortuately clear indication that going back to it won't be much more rewarding.
Argevollen: A mecha prototype gets tossed into the fighting somewhere else.
As with Captain Earth, there were some things about this series reminiscent of different moments to keep me watching all the way through, but it's also the case that I wonder if I "just feel sorry for it."
Sailor Moon Crystal: Reincarnation, both inside and outside the story, points the way to being magical girl superheroines.
I only watched four episodes of this series before leaving it behind me, but did think at the time I was at least more interested in seeing the original anime. Unfortunately, I then cancelled my orders of that original anime when its impending release turned into a wearily familiar sort of scandal. Now, I suppose I'm wondering that if the release of this series turns out differently in the reports of other people (and has all of the footage I've heard is being reanimated from the original broadcasts), the chances of my buying it may be greater than zero.
Aldnoah Zero: Ready-made Martians invade the Earth; fortunately, we have an opaque yet observant high school student to counterattack.
It wasn't long at all before I'd decided I wasn't compelled on a level sufficient to pay the premium I was expecting to be charged. Even had the disc release been less expensive (and less interesting and much more likely to go wrong in some fashion, I'm sure some would hasten to point out), though, I'm not quite certain I'd buy it then; my usual impulse to think that "mecha series don't get a fair break these days" seems much less acute in this case. The way things left off at least have me curious as to how they'll pick up again in the new year, but from there I fear I'm not expecting an awful lot.
Akame ga Kill: Rebels with superpowered fantasy weapons face the equally equipped state's guardians; there are few certainties.
Part of this show depended on surprise, so it might not seem to be an obvious candidate for watching more than once, but I managed to look at it from an absurd perspective, so I'm at least contemplating buying it. At the same time, the criticism of others about it having its own conclusion instead of a "read the manga" non-conclusion does make me wonder how much "sympathy" is going to be involved in the end...
Knights of Sidonia: Humanity's last starship fights for survival, which just happens to be all computer-animated.
This show did interest me enough to contemplate buying it even already owning the manga it was based on, but as it's a "Netflix exclusive," I'm wondering if that chance will arise. At the same time, I do wonder how a release on disc might turn out.
Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun: The travails of an unlikely manga artist and the tribulations of those around him.
I liked this show to begin with, but had the uncomfortable feeling my enthusiasm was sliding a bit from the way I understood others to be by its end. That's not to say I've decided not to try and experience it again, but a potential purchase seems to hinge more on "trying to fill out an order made up of more compelling titles."
Parasyte ~the Maxim~: Mysterious creatures menace someone with an unusual connection to them.
This series has been appealing to me so far, but so far as I know it hasn't been licensed yet. That there hasn't been an announcement yet seems to concern people these days.
Shirobako: The animated making of an anime series.
So far, this series has been turning out well. With a bit of luck or a bit of consistency, it'll be one high on my list of considerations.
Although not as many as some people manage to watch streaming (although it does seem that when you get to watching a great number of series streaming, it gets easier to import untranslated Japanese releases you might not actually understand just to "reward and support the accomplishment"), I did wind up watching what seems a pretty fair number of shows that way. At the same time, I'm aware I haven't exactly been very "reasonable" yet about what I might buy to watch again.