Summer 2012 Preview

Image from Safebooru
Ah, summer; a time of surf, sun, and getting through the extensive anime backlog that I built up over the last year. I really need to start making a dent in that thing. Anyway, the summer season is notorious for having...lesser quality shows than is usually standard, and coming off of a really great season this lineup has its work cut out for it. Regardless, I found a good number of shows that I'm interested in anyway. What will your watchlist look like this season?

Disclaimer: The following is my personal (and somewhat embellished) opinion based on the information available and is subject to change throughout the upcoming season. None of the opinions expressed are directed at any individual. You are welcome to express your opinion in the comments section, but anything overwhelming negative (name calling, abusive trolling, etc.) will be deleted.

This preview does not include: upcoming movies, OVA's, special episodes, sequels to shows that I have not seen the first season of (when seeing the first season is necessary to understand the plot), "kids" shows that I do not intend to watch, shows where there is little to no information available, re-releases, and shows intended to be shown on mobile platforms in Japan (such as cell phones).

Overall, please respect others' opinions and feel free to share what you're excited about in the comments below!

Kingdom
Genres: Action, Historical, Military, Seinen
Synopsis: In the Warring States Period of ancient China (475-221 BCE), Shin and Hyou are war-orphans in the kingdom of Qin. They dream of one day proving themselves on the battlefield. One day, however, Hyou is taken to the palace by a minister. Winding up on the losing side of a power-struggle, Hyou manages to return to the village, barely alive. Shin then meets a boy who closely resembles Hyou, Ei Sei. For now he is the king of Qin; later he will become the emperor Shi Huangdi.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: Eh... Nothing about this is really standing out to me. I'll pass unless a first impression review changes my mind.


Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse
Genres: Action, Mecha, Sci-Fi, Military
Synopsis: Since 1973, an invasion of aliens known as BETA upon Earth is driving human civilization into nearly collapse. Facing an enormous mass of enemy force, mankind has developed large humanoid arms called as Tactical Surface Fighters and deployed them to its defense lines through out the world. However, all those efforts could slow down defeats but could not stop BETA, and mankind is forced to abandon major area of the Eurasian Continent. For 30 years, mankind is bogged down in an endless war against BETA without any hopes of victory. In 2001, the Imperial Japan faces difficulties in the development of a next-generation main Tactical Surface Fighters (TSF) as it defends the front lines of the Far East. The UN has proposed a joint development program between the Imperial Japan and the United States as a part of its international mutual development project of TSF, the Prominence Project. Yui Takamura, a surface pilot of the Imperial Royal Guards of Japan, is given responsibility for the project and sets off to Alaska. Meanwhile, Yuya Bridges, also a surface pilot of the US Army, was heading to the same destination. Yet they never knew that their encounter would change their destiny drastically. This story with exciting human dramas and robot actions takes place in the development of a new Tactical Surface Fighters, the most important and effective weapons against BETA, at a crisis of human extinction.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: TL;DR, has its roots in ecchi, not interested. (Why is the synopsis so long?!)


Chouyaku Hyakuninisshu: Uta Koi
Genres: Historical, Josei
Synopsis: Uta Koi tells the "super-liberal interpretation" of the Hyakuninisshu anthology compiled during Japan's Heian period of 100 romantic poems from 100 different poets such as The Tale of Genji's Murasaki Shikibu.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: Thanks to Chihayafuru, I really want to see this. Don't care how liberal the interpretation is, bring on the historical romance!


Love, Election, and Chocolate
Genres: Drama, Romance
Synopsis: The story follows the protagonist Yuuki Oojima, who attends Private Takafuji Academy, a large school with over 6,000 students. Yuuki is a member of the food research club, along with seven others, including his childhood friend Chisato Sumiyoshi. The members leisurely spend their time in the club not doing much activities. When the election of the next student council president comes up, the front runner Satsuki Shinonome proposes that clubs that have no merit should be sorted out and abolished. The food research club seeks advice from the current student council president Yakumo Mori, who suggests Yuuki run in the election as an opposing candidate. Yuuki learns about the issues facing the school and decides to run in the election.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: I would write this one off if it weren't for the staff involved. They've done some pretty cool stuff; the director worked on The Big O, the guy in charge of the script was involved with the first Fullmetal Alchemist series, and the animation director was the director for Ah! My Goddess! That's good enough for me to give this a look.


Kono Naka ni Hitori, Imouto ga Iru!
Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Harem, Seinen
Synopsis: Abiding by his father's will, Shougo was transferred into an academy where many young girls attend. It appears as though his younger sister (separated from him at birth) also attends this academy, and that she is trying to get closer to him without letting know him who she actually is. Problem is, Shougo seems to be popular with the other girls as well! Can Shougo "properly" reunite with his little sister while making a girlfriend at the same time?!
Thoughts/Will I watch it: Yeeeeeaaaah, there's a strong implication that the girlfriend is going to end up being his sister. Staying far away from this one.


Natsuyuki Rendezvous
Genres: Drama, Romance, Supernatural, Josei
Synopsis: A young man with poor eyesight named Hazuki works part-time in a flower shop and falls hard for the shop-owner Rokka. But what happens when he discovers that residing in her apartment is the spirit of the man she can never forget?
Thoughts/Will I watch it: noitaminA josei series. Hell yes.


Campione!
Genres: Comedy, Magic, Romance, Harem
Synopsis: A harem love comedy plus magic battles. Kusanagi Godo is a 16-year-old high school boy, who once killed the god "Verethragna" and acquired the title of "Campione (god killer)" when he was 15. Erica Brandelli is a 16-year-old Italian girl, who is a "Great Knight" of the magic society "Bronze Black Cross" and had fought together with Godo to defeat Verethragna. Godo doesn't like fighting but his title of "Campione" makes him get involved in battles against other Campiones and uncontrollable gods.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: Sounds like Sekirei-lite. Not my cup of tea. Pass.


Hagure Yuusha no Estetica
Genres: Action, Fantasy
Synopsis: In normal RPGs, a hero defeats the Satan king and the story ends. But what does the hero do after that? Ohtorizawa Akatsuki defeats the Satan king in the fantasy world of Alleyzard and returns to the real world. He is sheltered by the international organization BABEL, which protects and controls people transferred from the outer worlds. BABEL is astonished to know Akatsuki has really defeated Satan and brings Satan's daughter Miu from Alleyzard. In the academy of BABEL, Akatsuki confronts other "returners", who have psychic powers.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: I'd be interested in this premise if it weren't for the fact that it's being made by the same people who make Queen's Blade. That, and the promo art tells me all I need to know. Shame. Pass.


Sword Art Online
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Game, Romance
Synopsis: The only way to escape is to 'clear' the game. Death in game means actual death. The ten thousand who have logged onto the as of yet mysterious game 'Sword Art Online' using their Nerve Gear have been forced into this perilous death game and are trapped inside. Protagonist Kirito, one of the many gamers, has greeted this 'truth'. He plays as a solo player in the giant castle that is the stage for this game, 'Aincrad.'To meet the conditions of clearing the game and leaving this twisted virtual world, he must get through all 100 floors. Will Kirito have what it takes to clear the game, or will he die trying?
Thoughts/Will I watch it: I'm still optimistic about this series even though I still can't bring myself to like the main character from Accel World, which is by the same author. This appears to deal with a lot of the same themes, so maybe the second time around will be a little bit better?


Ebiten: Kouritsu Ebisugawa Koukou Tenmonbu
Genres: School, Shounen
Synopsis: Noya Itsuki just started his school year at the Ebisugawa High School and since he has always had a fascination with space, he decides to join the astronomy club. However, he mistakenly walks into the all girls Otaku Club. He notices that the members are really weird, but Itsuki has yet to realize that he isn’t in the astronomy club. His life is about to get complicated by being surrounded by so many girls.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: DEAR GOD, THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME FACE! Pass, unless my inner ironic hipster takes over.


Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita
Genres: Fantasy, Seinen
Synopsis: It's been several centuries since human beings declined due to the steep drop in birthrates. The most prosperous species on the Earth are "Fairies", 10 cm tall creatures with high intelligence. I became a UN arbitrator between the humans and the fairies and returned to my hometown to help my grandfather. I thought my job would not be a tough one and visited one of the fairies' habitats to say hello to them but...
Thoughts/Will I watch it: I like this premise! I wonder if it'll be world-centered or character-centered... Definitely watching.


La Storia Della Arcana Famiglia
Genres: Romance
Synopsis: Acana Famiglia is a self-appointed organization with mysterious powers that has protected a small Mediterranean island from pirates, foreign countries, and other threats. The only daughter of the family Papa, Felicita, will be married to the next head of the family in two months--and the successor will be decided in a competition that Felicita herself will take part in.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: The premise kind of reminds me of this show but with more mafia. And since the only listed genre is romance, it obvious what this show is going to be about. That's good enough for me.


Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai
Genres: Comedy, Romance
Synopsis: Kaga Ryosuke is an ecchi high school boy. One day, he meets a girl standing alone in the rain. She is Lisarah Restor, an elite Death, who visited the human world in order to find "Singular Man". Ryosuke makes a contract with Lisarah and she sucks energy required for her activity in the human world from Ryosuke. The source of the energy is his ecchi spirit. To recover the sexual desire, Ryosuke has no choice but to help Lisarah's search.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: I'll give this show one thing; stealing the sex drive of the main character is something I haven't heard before. Unfortunately, that's still not enough to make me interested in this show. Pass.


Joshiraku
Genres: Comedy, Slice of Life
Synopsis: A group of girls discusses random things and usually reaches an unusual or humorous conclusion that's far from the initial discussion topic.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: A new incarnation of Azumanga Daioh/Lucky Star? I like those shows, so I'll give this a shot.


Oda Nobuna no Yabou
Genres: Comedy, Historical, Romance
Synopsis: The historical romantic comedy follows 17-year-old high schooler Sagara Yoshiharu who one day time-travels to the Sengoku period, where all the major Samurai lords are cute girls. Yoshiharu meets Oda Nobuna, the girl counterpart of Oda Nobunaga, and begins to serve her as a substitute of Kinoshita Tokichiro, who has been dead in the world.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: Is "Sengoku Era guys as girls" the new "high school girls start a club about nothing"? I feel like we've been getting too many of these lately. Pass.


Tari Tari
Genres: School
Synopsis: The story centers around five Japanese high school students who are too young to be called adults, but who no longer think of themselves as children. Wakana Sakai once took music lessons, but she withdrew from music after losing her mother. Konatsu Miyamoto is a positive-thinking girl who loves singing and spends time after school at the vocal music club. Sawa Okita is a spirited archery club member who dreams of becoming a horse rider. Daichi Tanaka is a chronically late badminton team member who lives with his college student sister. "Wiin" just transfered into Wakana's class after 12 years abroad in Australia. Music brings Wakana, Konatsu, Sawa and the others together into an ensemble during their last summer in high school.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: This comes from the same staff of Hanasaku Iroha, which is why it looks the same! If this ends up having any of the same charm as that show, I'm sure it'll be a hit. Definitely watching.


Binbou Gami ga!
Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Magic, Supernatural
Synopsis: Sakura Ichiko is a 16-year-old girl who leads a charmed life and is blessed with beauty, brains, and health. She has an abundance of "Happiness Energy", which can make people happy, but at the cost of absorbing all the Happiness Energy from her surroundings. She has caused the energy balance of the world to become unbalanced and because of this, she becomes the target of a Poverty God named Momiji. Momiji goal is to remove Ichiko's power of absorbing other people's Happiness Energy and to return all the energy she has taken to its rightful place.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: Sounds like it could be a pretty decent comedy. I'll give it a shot and see if the humor is the kind I like.


Kokoro Connect
Genres: Comedy, Slice of Life
Synopsis: The "love and teen pentagonal comedy" follows the strange phenomena at the Yamahoshi Academy's Culture Club, starting with the five male and female club members switching bodies with each other.
Thought/Will I watch it: I really like the body switching premise, but this translation makes it sound like a first-episode-only thing. ...But let's be honest, I'll be watching it anyway.


Blood Lad
Genres: Comedy, Demons, Vampire, Supernatural, Seinen
Synopsis: Staz is the vampire boss of a section of the demon world, but he has little interest in human blood. He's more infatuated with Japanese culture. When he learns that Yanagi Fuyumi, a Japanese teenage girl, accidentally wanders into the demon city, he jumps to the occasion. However, while Staz deals with an intruder on his turf, the oblivious Fuyumi is killed by a monster and becomes a wandering ghost. The disappointed Staz vows to her that he will find a way to bring Fuyumi back to life.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: I've heard some good stuff about the manga, so I'll be giving this a shot if it gets a legal stream.


Arve Rezzle
Genres: Action, Adventure, Mystery, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Synopsis: In the year 2022, people can upload their minds to cyber space leaving behind soulless bodies. After an accident occurs that causes the system to get overloaded, all of those people become trapped in cyberspace leaving a young man named Remu with no choice but to try to get his sister back.
Thoughts/Will I watch it: Another show that has an interesting premise but I'm not sure about it because of who's making it. The only Zexcs show I like is Umi Monogatari, but that was a Junichi Sato show. I'll wait and see on this one.

Images from MAL, Google, and Safebooru. Series information from MAL and Animucharts.