天下制覇

Junjou Romantica
http://www.suzukisan.info/
Studio: Studio DEEN
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Information Links: ANN Entry 
Premiers April 2nd

Summary: 
Misaki’s college tutoring has ended up with him being romanced by an older guy… and more men keep appearing in his life… until one day he finds a boy’s love book written by one of them with him as the star. His life keeps spiralling out of control from there.

Personal Outlook: 
Yaoi. Hot. I try not to prejudge TOO much, but come on… it’s yaoi. What do you want from me? I bet it’ll be only 30% as manlovetastic as this season of Geass though. What a way to kick off the new season. I think it’s a sign.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Is the scary yaoi gone yet?

Allison and Lillia
http://allison-web.net/
Studio: Madhouse
Genre: Adventure 
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 3rd

Summary: 
In a world where two countries are at war, air forces have just recently begun to be deployed. The show will follow two girls and their adventures therein. Note that the Lilia novels are set 15 years or so after the Allison novels, so there’ll be a timeskip at the halfway point for a new story.

Personal Outlook: 
The novels are written by the same person who wrote Kino’s Travels, so if you were a fan of that series, this one should definitely be worth checking out. Even without that, I could get into a fighter pilot show without the random Gonzoness that pervaded Last Exile. Should be fun. 

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Zoom zoom! Pew pew pew fighter planes!
   

Kure-nai
http://www.samidareso.com/
Studio: Brains Base
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread 
Premiers April 3rd

Summary: 
Shintaro Kurenai is a mediator in personal conflicts… until he’s approached by a rich family and recruited into becoming the bodyguard for their young daughter.

Personal Outlook: 
The background music in the promo video makes me think of Cheers for some reason. I don’t know, it looks alright… I guess. I’m just not entirely certain what it’s trying to be at all.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
I prefer my "Guy plus cute thing" dynamic to involve dragons.

Macross FRONTIER
http://www.macrossf.com/
Studio: Satelight
Genre: Mecha, Action, Drama
Information Links: ANN Entry 
Premiers April 3rd

Summary: 
Pop idols teamed with mecha pilots in the 25th anniversary version of Macross.

Personal Outlook: 
The first episode already aired so you should already have a good idea whether you want to follow it or not. Omni’s got this one wrapped up. No need for me to pretend to be interested in mecha.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Nyan Nyan Nyan Nyan Nihao Nyan…

To Love-Ru
http://www.j-toloveru.com/ 
Studio: Xebec
Genre: Romance, Comedy 
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread 
Premiers April 3rd

Summary: 
Rito Yuuki can’t confess to his dream girl… and then one day, an alien girl appears in his bath and decides that she wants to marry him instead of returning to her home planet and marrying one of her suitors. Unless Rito can protect her from them, the Earth may be destroyed.

Personal Outlook: 
Ha ha ha, see… the title is a pun on "Trouble" as you would try to pronounce it using Japanese characters. To-Rabu-Ru. God… shoot me now. The last Jump romance comedy that I can remember is Ichigo 100%… which I consider an abomination unto man and beast. I see little reason why this will be particularly different. Besides, Thursdays are packed. Go away, crappy Jump show.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
I still say that Jump is the Special Child of the anime world.

xxxHOLiC Kei
http://www.tbs.co.jp/holic/
Studio: Production IG
Genre: Fantasy, Drama 
Information Links: ANN Entry, AnimeSuki Thread  
Premiers April 3rd

Summary: 
The second season of CLAMP’s sister story to Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle. Watanuki’s continuing adventures exploring demons and spirits.

Personal Outlook: 
The first season was… not good. But at this point in the manga, the stories start getting better so I’m hopeful that they won’t muss up the Spider Queen arc at least. I’m pretty sure Omni and Totali will be covering this anyway. Who knows, maybe I’ll post about it for fun. Watanuki’s adventures and eye eating mishaps are always fun.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Now this is a story all about how my life got twist turned upside down…

Amatsuki
http://amatsuki.com/web/index.html
Studio: Studio DEEN
Genre: Adventure
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread 
Premiers April 4th

Summary: 
Rikugou Tokidoki tried out a VR system to visit the Edo period and when he was attacked, he found that he had lost an eye and could no longer leave the simulation… or perhaps it’s reality after all.

Personal Outlook: 
Well, who knows. I could name about twenty other shows with the same general premise. I like fantasy and action though, so *shrug.*

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Rarr rarr, your computer is trying to eat you!

Itazura na Kiss
http://itakiss-anime.jp/
Studio: TMS Entertainment
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Information Links: ANN Entry 
Premiers April 4th

Summary: 
Kotoko and her father are forced to move in with the guy she loves… but he’s already rejected her once. Now’s her chance to convince him otherwise and seduce him for real.

Personal Outlook: 
I have to admit that the production values for this on the website look… uninspired to say the least… and the premise is one seen in a thousand other romance shows. At least in this case, we’re not pretending that the two are half-siblings or something.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Two Wigglers out of four. What?! I don’t need to explain myself to you.

The Tower of Druaga ~The Aegis of URUK~
http://www.druaga-anime.com/
Studio: Gonzo
Genre: Fantasy
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 4th

Summary: 
Whenever the Tower of Uruk reappears, King Gilgamesh sends raiding parties to destroy the monsters. This time, they’re going to try to defeat the head demon, Druaga.

Personal Outlook: 
Gonzo plus a mediocre 80s RPG. DOES THAT SAY WINNING COMBINATION OR WHAT!?

Preseason Swing Rating: 
At least make a hackjob of a decent RPG.

BLASSREITER
http://www.nitroplus.co.jp/pc/lineup/an_01/
Studio: Gonzo
Genre: Science Fiction
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 5th

Summary: 
In the far future, the dead begin to rise. The only ones who can combat them are humans who can somehow temporarily transform themselves into demonic forms, but that ability also makes them feared and hunted by the rest of humanity.

Personal Outlook: 
Ha ha ha ha ha Gonzo… sci fi… nothing about this appeals to me. I’ll give it an episode, but pfft. I don’t expect it to turn out any different from Gonzo’s last 20 action shows.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Sendin’ in the extermination squad now. Get ’em, boys.

Da Capo II Second Season
http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/dc2/
Studio: Feel
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Information Links: ANN Entry
Premiers April 5th

Summary: 
The continuing adventures of Yoshiyuki and his harem from Da Capo II.

Personal Outlook: 
I hated Da Capo, I didn’t watch Da Capo II past episode 2, and I would rather have my pants filled with angry weasels than follow this suggest you turn to Omni and Hinano for this one.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
More Da Capo makes everybody sad.

Kanokon
http://www.kanokon.com/ 
Studio: Xebec
Genre: Romance, Comedy 
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread 
Premiers April 5th

Summary: 
Oyamada Kouta transfers into the big city and meets the prettiest girl in school. She takes an interest in him, but she has a secret… a fox tail.

Personal Outlook: 
What’s up, fanservice barrage? Maybe it won’t be as bad as the promotional material and manga, but… you know… there better be something more to it than endless cleavage and panties.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
All the depth and interest of three clay haniwa.

Mask of the Maid Guy
http://www.maidguy.com/
Studio: Madhouse
Genre: Comedy
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 5th

Summary: 
Naeka has a secret… she’s one of two heirs to a vast fortune. Keeping her safe are two maid bodyguards, one young and beautiful, one a giant burly masked man.

Personal Outlook: 
Hee hee. Men in masks and maid dresses amuse me. I’m predictible like that. Given that I’m almost certain LOVE POWER Totali will be covering Kanokon, Omni will have Da Capo, which leaves the manly maids to me. I think I can handle them.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Manly men are for men in dresses!

Absolutely Lovely Children
http://www.z-child.com/
Studio: Synergy SP
Genre: Fantasy, Action 
Information Links: ANN Entry
Premiers April 6th

Summary: 
Kouichi Minamoto is part of BABEL and in charge of babysitting and training three ten year old girls with immense psychic powers into a military special ops unit.

Personal Outlook: 
So… basically Japan’s take on the Power Puff girls. Again. Well, it looks a bit better than the Power Puff girls so I’m not going to dismiss it out of hand, but at the same time, those are some short girls for what are supposed to be ten year olds. This has the potential to go really creepy really fast.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Aren’t ‘special’ children supposed to end up in helmets and on the short bus?

Code GEASS R2
http://www.geass.jp/
Studio: Sunrise 
Genre: Mecha, Nonsense 
Information Links: ANN Entry 
Premiers April 6th

Summary: 
The continuing adventures of ‘super genius’ Lelouche to win his third victory of the entire series. If only a cat doesn’t show up to thwart him.

Personal Outlook: 
As you might guess, I have a low opinion of GEASS… and that’s being generous. Omni will be covering it anyway.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
The only Zero I support is a valkyrie.

The King of Nabari
http://www.nabari.tv/
Studio: JCStaff
Genre: Action, Fantasy
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread 
Premiers April 6th

Summary: 
Rokujou Miharu holds an immense power within him and a ninja clan is determined to reclaim it. Protecting him are his teacher and classmates, but Miharu must face his destiny to truly be free.

Personal Outlook: 
What really amuses me about this JCStaff action show is that it has the now usual VA pair of Kugimiya Rie (Shana/Louise) and Satoshi Hino (Yuji/Saito), only Rie is voicing a guy and Hino is one of his ninja bodyguards. This has all sorts of unintentionally hilarious potential. It’s JCStaff, it’s ninjas, it’s action. I am so in. It is being directed by one of Gonzo’s old directors though… but hopefully that won’t affect it too much. The trailer seemed decent enough at any rate, especially for JCStaff. I’ll never understand why they hate putting out promotional material before things start airing. *shrug*

Preseason Swing Rating: 
I’m a ninja! Nin nin!

Neo Angelique Abyss
http://www.gamecity.ne.jp/neoangelique/
Studio: Yumeta
Genre: Romance
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread 
Premiers April 6th

Summary: 
Another series based on the Angelique games. Magical girls, romance, girlish bonding etc.

Personal Outlook: 
I don’t know anything about the Angelique series really aside from that it’s based on a low series of dating games for girls. The fact that I don’t know anything about it and it’s had multiple shows means that it’s not particularly noteworthy and that I will probably remain ignorant of it.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
I’m sorry, your man-princess is in another man-castle.
 

Monochrome Factor
http://www.monochro.tv/
Studio: ACGT
Genre: Action Fantasy
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 7th

Summary: 
Akira Nikaido has a normal life… until the shadow world gets thrown out of alignment and he has to join the fight to restore the balance between the two worlds.

Personal Outlook: 
Another of the "generic premise, we’ll see how it pans out." I feel bad saying that, but, I mean… come on… shadow world vs light? Could it be more formulaic?

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Brought to you by Nintendo. Dividing the world into light and dark since 1992.
   

Soul Eater
http://www.souleater.tv/
Studio: Bones
Genre: Action, Fantasy 
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread 
Premiers April 7th

Summary: 
The death gods are competing to make the ultimate weapon, a Death Scythe… but to do so, they need to collect the souls of evil men… and at least one witch.

Personal Outlook: 
Well, Bones does make pretty decent action shows. This one is in it for the long haul (full year series), so it may progress a little slowly, but we’ll see if they fall on the awesome action side of the fence, or the irritating and excessive Jump exposition side. This one is also going to be a bit weird because it has two airings; one at prime time, and then another a few days later with added content later at night. I’m sure those of you following fansubs won’t even see the former, but it might be weird if you like to keep up to date within a day or two of shows airing.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Four angry reapers. Just because.

Special A
http://special-a.jp/
Studio: AIC/Gonzo
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 7th

Summary: 
Hikari is determined to beat Kei, sports, grades… anything. Unfortunately, she’s also too dense to realize that Kei is in love with her.

Personal Outlook: 
I’ve heard a lot of good things about the manga actually, starting with Hinano’s writeup, so hopefully this will at least be able to triumph over the fact that Gonzo’s involved. Maybe they’re just doing the inking and aren’t being let anywhere near the writing. I could get behind that. There better not be one damn CG stairway though. I’m sure Hinano will have this one well in line as well.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Isn’t this spring? Where are all the other romance series?
    

Vampire Knight  
http://www.vampire-knight.jp/
Studio: Studio DEEN
Genre: Action
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 7th

Summary: 
Yuki was attacked by one vampire and then rescued by another. Ten years later, she leads a group of them at her school… but the nature of a vampire is hard to change.

Personal Outlook: 
Another pretty generic premise. It kind of makes me think of the girlish version of Hellsing with Integra as the main hero. Horie Yui’s got the heroine, so I’m sure I’ll hang around for at least a few episodes unless the first one is truly godawful. If they make her as much of a badass as they did Byakko in Labyrinth, I’m perfectly fine with that.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
I bet Shiki could take on the entire cast without breaking a sweat.

Wagaya no Oinara-sama
http://www.mediaworks.co.jp/contents/oinarisama/index.php
Studio: ZEXCS
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 7th

Summary: 
A fox demon served as a guardian for hundreds of years until it was sealed up because of its harmful pranks. Eventually, it was unsealed and became the guardian of a new family, but it’s forgotten which gender it was and is now fiercely loyal to its new master.

Personal Outlook: 
The promo actually made this one look kind of decent… kind of like a more magical Ranma 1/2, complete with that kind of uncomfortable sexual dimorphism that Japan seems to love. Well, if you added some slapstick and nonsensical Chinese, then it’d be pretty close to Ranma. Still… it’ll probably be a fight between this, Special A, and Vampire Knight for me on Mondays.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Stop making bisexual shemales, Japan!

Himitsu ~Top Secret~ The Revelation
http://www.ntv.co.jp/secret/
Studio: Madhouse
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Information Links: ANN Entry 
Premiers April 8th

Summary: 
In the future, science has developed to the point where the last five years of a person’s memories are downloadable, even after death. Of course… criminals and police has evolved as well.

Personal Outlook: 
I swear this was an episode of Star Trek. I’m not a big fan of overly serious shows anyway, so don’t hold your breath.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Is this is really the future, why are people driving Volvos?

Real Drive
http://www.ntv.co.jp/RD/
Studio: Production IG
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 8th

Summary: 
In the distant future, people began to explore their psyches on a network that connected them all at the fundamental level of their mind. However, there are incidents and aberrations between reality and the electronic world. Masamichi Haru is a cybernetic diver that investigates them.

Personal Outlook: 
Silly Production IG. Stop trying to recapture Ghost in the Shell without actually just making more Ghost in the Shell.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
See, they’re not tachikomas. They’re orange. Totally different.

Crystal Blaze (Glass Maiden)
http://anime.biglobe.ne.jp/crystal-blaze/
Studio: Action, Thriller
Genre: Mystery
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 9th

Summary: 
In the run down city of Lags Town, Shu runs a detective agency with three assistants. One day, a woman without memory walks into his office that forces him to confront his own past as well as an incident that will rock the entire city.

Personal Outlook: 
Oh good. Amnesia. I love amnesia. Like a love a swift kick to the head. It might be better than it sounds. On the other hand, the fact that the detective agency is staffed by Shu and what appears to be a bunch of nubile high school girls doesn’t engender hope. Also, "Lags Town" makes me laugh. I blame Lags Town when I lose online games, personally.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
What’s with this season and cop stories?
             

Kaiba
http://www.wowow.co.jp/anime/kaiba/
Studio: Madhouse
Genre: Science Fiction, Romance
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 10th

Summary: 
In the distant future, memory is now stored in computers and upon ‘death,’ the memories are transferred into a new body. A boy wakes up one day with no memories at all except a pendant of a girl. He’s soon attacked and forced to seek out himself and the mysterious girl.

Personal Outlook: 
Oh hey, more amnesia. I hate amnesia. Maybe they’ll do something interesting with it though. It’s certainly got a nice unique visual style going. I’ve learned to not expect deep thoughts out of anime though, and I doubt this’ll be an exception.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
If you listen to Boston’s Long Time backwards while watching this show, you can see infinity.

Library War
http://www.toshokan-sensou.com/
Studio: Production IG
Genre: Action, Drama
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 10th

Summary: 
In the future, information of all types has become one of the most valuable commodities in the world. Because of this, people try to control it in all its forms. To combat those who would use it wrongfully or restrict it, a special force is formed to protect the ‘libraries’ of the world.

Personal Outlook: 
So… like… combat squad RoD without the paper magic? I’m not sure I can get behind people being all serious about defending libraries. They’re freakin’ libraries for crying out loud. I honestly can’t really glean enough from the website to have a particularly strong opinion one way or the next.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Ha ha ha ha… don’t you know that knowledge is power, dear Valkyrie?

Golgo 13
http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/golgo/
Studio: The Answer Studio
Genre: Action, Drama
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 11th

Summary: 
Duke Togo is a secret agent dedicated to bringing the enemy to justice and willing to use whatever means possible in order to accomplish his mission. His code name: Golgo 13.

Personal Outlook: 
Golgo 13’s a manly man and all, but I’m more of a Lupin fan personally. Depends on which way they take this. Lots of boom would be fun… lots of gritty men smoking cigarettes and talking about how badass they are… less so. We’ll see what kind of budget this one has.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
45% of my Golgo 13 knowledge comes from the NES anyway.

Chico, Heiress of the Phantom Thief (The Girl of Twenty Faces)
http://www.chico-tv.com/
Studio: Bones, Telecom
Genre: Mystery
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 12th

Summary: 
After being saved as a child, Chico has become the successor to the infamous thief, the Man of Twenty Faces. The title has now passed on to her and she must fulfill her new role.

Personal Outlook: 
Of the crop of the mystery shows, this one looks the best. Bones is involved too, so it’ll probably be at least pretty decently animated. Otherwise, *shrug* There are a lot of ways they can go with it and it’s one of those things that I want to see in action first.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Master Hand gives Girl-Lupin a thumbs up.

Diary of a Crazy Family (Kyouran Kazoku Nikki)
http://www.kyouran.jp/
Studio: Nomad
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 12th

Summary: 
A thousand years ago, an alien tried to destroy the world. Before it was killed, it swore that its descendants would finish the job 1,000 years later. Those 1,000 years are up and suspected descendants of the monster have been brought together… but they’re not quite as monstrous as you’d think.

Personal Outlook: 
This show sounds weird. Really weird. Really really weird. I do like magical girl spoofs (see: Dokuro, Komugi, Punie, etc) so it should be fun. Although… I think that girl in the cat ears is supposedly 20. I’m not sure how that works out.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
Noooooo… Drink! Noooooo…. Drink!

Penguin Girl ♥ Heart
http://pen-musu.jp/
Studio: ???
Genre: Comedy
Information Links: ANN Entry, Animesuki Thread
Premiers April 19th

Summary: 
The life and times of a rich 14 year old otaku girl with large breasts. THRILLING.

Personal Outlook: 
Talk about a redundant title. Yet another fanservicey affair for the season. Spring seems fraught with them.

Preseason Swing Rating: 
A more fanservicey and trashier Lucky Star? I’ll let the dogs have it.