Let’s get things straight first…this isn’t for you, it’s for me. Yep, that’s right. I need a visual list, a compilation of my thoughts and ideas in a readable format…you just happen to get the privilege of viewing it. Viewing what, exactly? A quick, rough estimate of what I’m potentially looking at blogging in April. Note, I really only plan on doing 3-4 shows, but there will be many more listed here. Obviously, I’ll have to watch each show in order to make a final decision and narrow things down, but for now, here’s the list:

Allison and Lillia

Airs on: April 3rd, 2008
# of Episodes: 26
Blog Probability: 7.5/10

What is it?
Apparently, the anime is a combination of two seperate (but related) light-novels by the author of Kino no Tabi, Shigusawa Keiichi. The first half of the anime is based off the first novel, and tells the story of Allison and Will. In a country split into two factions by war, two young orphans, Allison and Will, begin a journey to find a “treasure” that will end the war. The second half, based on the second novel, jumps ahead about 10 years to the future, after the war has ended and a time of peace is at hand. I’m not sure what the focus of the second half is, but a new character, Trieze, seems to play an important role, as well as the other title character, Lillia.

Why?
Although the series seems to promise little more than your standard adventuring fare, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. From the promo shots that I’ve seen and the vague, still-shot PV floating around the internet, I’m diggin’ the art style. I also like the concept of past/future animes, during which the first half takes place in the character’s younger days, followed by a jump years ahead to how things have played out in the future. They did it with Gurren Lagann and OMG did it work out great. Adventure, nice artwork, and the past/future concept give me enough to hold an interest in this anime’s potential, and hope that it serves up nothing but goodness.

Macross Frontier

Airs on: April 3rd, 2008 (episode 01 already aired a few months ago)
# of Episodes: Unknown
Blog Probability: 8.5/10

What is it?
Macross Frontier (also known as Macross F) is a celebration of 25 years of Macross, and although I’ve never really watched any Macross animes, it is said to be a sequel of the original Macross and Macross 7 series. That’s a lot of Macross in one sentence! This series is no exception to the staple of the series, following the human race as it struggles to survive in space against the threat of the way too overpowered Zentradi aliens. This particular branch of the series focuses on three main characters: Alto Saotome – an entertainment pilot who has always dreamed of flying in his VF-25 fighter, Ranka Lee – a positive minded waitress who gets caught up in the chaos of the war, and Sheryl Nome – an space-age pop singing idol.

Why?
The why for this one is simple. I’ve already watched the first episode and…wow. Seriously, wow. The quality of the animation was absolutely amazing. The music was fantastic, the characters memorable, and the space fights were some of the best I’ve ever seen. While the story may not seem too amazing, the quality of everything I just mentioned MADE the story come across as so much more epic than it would have been otherwise. Episode 01 was incredibly entertaining, and probably met the producer’s goal of getting me hyped up about the series. I’ve been impatiently waiting for the series to continue, and the only way i see this one going downhill is if a) the production value disappears or b) it turns into the typical “mech fight” anime.

Nabari no Ou

Airs on: April 6th, 2008
# of Episodes: Unknown
Blog Probability: 8/10

What is it?
Ninjas! Like every other stereotypical action-anime kid, Rokujou Miharu was a junior high student doing his own thing. But no action-anime character would be complete without hidden super-powers, and in Mihru’s case, it happened to be some all-powerful Nabari weapon known as “Omnipotent”. Miharu becomes caught between two ninja clans who wish to control this power, the Wolf Pack of Iga (trying to bring Miharu back to the town of Iga) and the Banten ninjas (his sensei, English teacher, and classmate – trying to protect him). In order to survive, Miharu must enter the Nabari world and become king.

Why?
Well, I pretty much stated it in the description…ninjas! Ever since Naruto completely crapped out and turned into the new Dragon Ball Z (see: 5minutes of people staring, fight scenes that last for 8+ episodes, random episodes about nothing in particular, and approximately 1,689,421 flashbacks/recaps…oh, and 10 minutes of “AHHHHH!” every episode…can’t forget that!), I’ve been looking for a ninja anime to satisfy my cravings for all things stealth and destruction. A few shows came around like Basilisk, but none of them could hold my interest past 3 episodes (if they got that far)…but for some reason I can’t explain, I get the feeling like Nabari no Ou just might do the trick. Maybe it’s because the concept kinda reminds me of Kyo Kara Maoh!…

Soul Eater

Airs on: April 7th, 2008
# of Episodes: Unknown
Blog Probability: 9/10

What is it?
Soul Eater revolves around three teams, each composed of a human and demon student. Set in a school for shinigami weapon technicians, each team sets out with the goal of transforming the demon student into a “Death Scythe”. A Death Scythe is a powerful weapon designed and intended for use by Shinigami, and in order to create one you need to gather the souls of 99 evil humans and 1 witch. The anime focuses on the team pairing of Maka Alban and Soul Eater.

Why?
All the artwork for this anime makes me think of Bleach+Kingdom Hearts+Funk. That’s all that needs to be said. However…I will add that I like the concept of collecting the souls of evil humans and (good/evil?) witches in order to create a weapon to be used by Death Gods. What happens to the one transformed? Do you get to see the Death Gods use them afterwards? Is the witch good or evil? So many questions and the show hasn’t even started airing yet. Shinigami, witches, weapons, action, KH art style = goodness in my book…we’ll just have to wait and see.

Kamen no Maid Guy

Airs on: April 10th, 2008
# of Episodes: Unknown
Blog Probability: 6.5/10

What is it?
The story of Kamen no Maid guy revolves around Fujiwara Naeka, a “typical” high school student who just so happens to be one of two remaining inheritors of a tycoon’s massive fortune. The heirs are allowed to take possesion of the fortune when they turn 18, which for Naeka, is only half a year away. Naeka and her brother Kousuke are assigned two guardians to protect them – Fubuki, a beautiful maid, and Kogarashi, a large man/maid in a mask. Fubuki and Kogarashi attempt to keep both Naeka and Kousuke safe from those who would plot their demise in an attempt to steal their fortune.

Why?
I don’t know…? At first, I just kind of scoffed at this anime. Maids, a guy in a mask who’s a maid, and a storyline that (no offense) doesn’t seem very deep don’t usually equal “win” in my book. But something odd happened…I was digging around on YouTube and I found a promo video for this anime. The quality of the animation seemed to be pretty good, much better than I expected. And that got me thinking, “what would ’cause this show to get such a good production budget?”. I’ve been thinking and thinking until suddenly, an odd curiosity about this show has gripped me and refused to let me go.

Library War

Airs on: April ??, 2008
# of Episodes: 12
Blog Probability: 7.5/10

What is it?
In the year 2019, a new government agency has been created to control a violent explosion of information and misinformation that has become a threat to society. Years later, this agency now has it’s own agenda: attempting to create a politically correct society by suppressing the human rights of free speech and writing and censoring anything it finds undesirable. Standing against the agency and it’s suppression is The Library and it’s armed agents known as “the book soldiers”.

Why?
The art/premise of this anime reminds me of two other animes that have aired in the past: Fullmetal Alchemist and Pumpkin Scissors. On the one hand, FMA was absolutely amazing…on the other hand Pumpkin Scissors got really dull, really fast. Based solely on that, this anime could go either way, but toss in books+guns and it starts to lean more towards “hey, this could be good”. At only 12 episodes, I doubt it’s potential for greatness, but here’s hoping that it’s worth the ride.

Wagaya no Oinari-sama

Airs on: April ??, 2008
# of Episodes: Unknown
Blog Probability: 8.5/10

What is it?
The details on this one are kinda hazy at the moment, but here’s what I have so far: The Mitsuji family had a guardian fox deity who had served them for hundreds of years. As time passed, the deity became mischievous, pulling all sorts of pranks until the Mitsuji family decided to seal it up. A crisis arose later on and the Mitsuji released the deity for help, after which the deity left and became the guardian of the Takamichi family. The anime tells the story of how the deity, which takes on a fox-like form, protects the Takamichi family.

Why?
This anime actually has a trailer that I’ve viewed a couple of times already. I was a bit skeptical at first due to the fact that since Spice and Wolf came out there are suddenly fox-deity animes springing up everywhere. After watching the trailer, looking further into the art and storyline, it’s seems like this anime will actually hold it’s own ground rather than cash in on a cheap gimmick. With action, comedy, and perhaps even a bit of romance, the series (even with it’s currently vague storyline) continues to grow on me every time I find out more about it. Perhaps I’m just hoping for Spice and Wolf with more romance, more comedy, and less trade these coins here/sell wheat for this much economical banter.

Nijuu Menzou Musume (Chiko, Heiress of the Phantom Thief)

Airs on: April ??, 2008
# of Episodes: 22
Blog Probability: 6/10

What is it?
I know almost nothing about this anime, only that it’s about a phantom thief, the PV is odd and vague as hell, and everyone describes this anime by talking about how the author of the light novels it’s based on has a name that parodies Edgar Allen Poe’s. WTF. Oh, and it’s a mystery anime.

Why?
Well, phantom thieves seem pretty cool. Also, I tend to miss just about every mystery anime that comes out, and while I’m no mystery buff, I’d like to be able to catch one. At the moment, I think it’s just wanting to know what else this anime is even about that has me wating to blog/watch it. It all hinges on episode 01…

Special A

Airs on: April ??, 2008
# of Episodes: 24
Blog Probability: 8/10

What is it?
Ever since being bested by her friend/rival Kei Takishima in a wrestling match when they were young, Hikari Hanazono has been in constant competition for the #1 spot in everything against him. Now they both attend Hakusenkan, a school for the prestigious elite, where they hold the top two spots in the school, with Kei securely in first place. Hikari views Kei as her rival and is determined to one day surpass him. Kei, on the other hand is in love with Hikari, who is too dense to notice.

Why?
This anime gives off so many Ouran, The Wallflower, Lovely Complex, Bokura ga Ita vibes that it’s enough to make me go insane wanting to watch it. Like just about every anime on this list so far, I’m diggin’ the art style from what I’ve seen. Ever since Ouran showed me that school animes could actually be decent, since Boukra ga Ita threw great romance in my face, and The Wallflower proved that comedy+romance = greatness, I’ve been waiting for an anime that combined the three. I’ve got a feeling that this could be it.

Itazura na Kiss

Airs on: April ??, 2008
# of Episodes: Unknown
Blog Probability: 8.5/10

What is it?
It all started when Aihara Kotoko saw Irie Naoki on their first day of high school. Since then, Kotoko has always been in love with him and finally, during their 3rd year, she decides to confess to him. However, there is a large gap between the two of them. Naoki is one of the elite “A-Class” at the school, the guys who always get good grades, are handsome, and good at sports. Kotoko however is, to put it as politely as possible, part of the “F-Class”, and not all that bright. After hearing her confession, Naoki immediately rejects Kotoko. As fate would have it however, an earthquake causes Kotoko’s house to collapse and she and her father go to stay at the house of one of her dad’s childhood friends. It turns out that her dad’s friend is none other than Naoki’s father!

Why?
The story of this anime practically oozes goodness. I honestly don’t know where to begin. I’m a sucker for stupid comedy/drama/romance stories, and watching them usually provides me with enough irritation and frustration to make it through the day without being too happy. I think for me, one of the biggest draws about this anime is that it’s supposed to take place over ten years…ten years! That’s tons of story and character development, not to mention that since it starts in high-school, we’ll get to see the characters as adults, something rare in romance animes these days. On the downside, this is the only anime who’s art style I’m not quite sure about.

Real Drive

Airs on: April ??, 2008
# of Episodes: Unknown
Blog Probability: 5/10

What is it?
The year is 2061, humanity has created a nework where people can connect on the level of consciousness. Due to the obvious danger that could arise in such a system, measures have been taken to establish a set of restrictions to create a safe environment for it’s use. However, more and more people are discovering ways to get past these measures, and anomalies are happening within the system. Masamichi Haru is a “cyber diver” who investigates incidents that lie between reality and the network, known as “The Metal”. The anime focuses on Haru and his investigations.

Why?
In all honesty, the only things making me give this anime a chance are the fact that it’s based on an interesting concept, and the piece of artwork you see above. If the art is as visual captivating as the picture above, and the idea is done right, this could turn out to be a fantastic anime. However, the production company and the directors behind Real Drive have a terrible track record with me. Ghost in the Shell, Ghost Hound, FLCL…I enjoyed none of those highly acclaimed animes, of which Production I.G. is responsible. Given the track record of the directors and Production I.G., I’m not really expecting much…but who knows, maybe they get it right for once?

The Tower of Druaga: the Aegis of Uruk

Airs on: April ??, 2008
# of Episodes: Unknown
Blog Probability: 9/10

What is it?
In the country of Uruk, there is a tower known as the Tower of Druaga, occupied by demons, and host to a legendary treasure called the Blue Crystal Rod. Every few years there is a “Summer of Anu”, when the sky god Anu’s divine protection suppresses the power of the demons in the tower. For their own purposes, several travelers and citizens of Uruk have decided that this summer will be the one in which they destroy the demon lord Druaga once and for all. As groups of adventurers gather in Meskia, a town built around the base of the tower, one can only wonder what dangers and discoveries await them as they venture into Druaga’s lair…

Why?
OMG! A fantasy adventure anime! I’m a bit unsure about the anime’s background (it’s based off of an old game), and having a legendary treasure named something as lame as the “Blue Crystal Rod” is kinda of disappointing. In spite of those things…a fantasy adventure! Think Fullmetal Alchemist, Scrapped Princess, Utewarerumono, Kyo kara Maoh!…OMG! Lol…I know, I’m waaay too hyped up about this. But hey, this genre is by far my biggest weakness when it comes to anime, and all I can think is “please, please, please don’t let me down!”. Oh, did I mention that the soundtrack is being done by the guy who did the soundtrack for Final Fantasy Tactics!? As if the fantasy wasn’t enough to pull me in, now the music is being done by one of my absolute favorite composers. Pwn.

END LIST

Wow, after HOURS of work, this list is finally done. I listed 12 of the animes that I thought had the most potential, and I’m only planning on doing 3-4 (now that I think of it, it’s probably gonna have to be 4). That means only a third of what is listed above will survive on a regular basis here at ANIMEOTO. Heaven help me if one of the other 23+ animes coming out this spring pull a surprise attack on me. In spite of all that, isn’t it great to have such an amazing season of anime coming up? I’ve felt like the past couple of seasons have only offered 1-2 really good shows…this overwhelming number of series that I’m interested in is totally refreshing, if a bit daunting. Here’s to Spring 2008!

Most of the information in my summaries is formed from my own thoughts after reading information on CrunchyRoll.com, Face of Fact?’s spring preview, and info from the Anime News Network. Be sure to head on over to each of them and thank them for their hard work.