Some Quick First Impressions: Cheburashka Arere, Darker than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini and Sasameki Koto
Cheburashka Arere
Short Synopsis: Our lead character is a monkey that starts living with a crocodile.
Hmm, the kiddie-shows this season are surprisingly good. I wouldn’t exactly recommend Chebrashka to any adult, but for once we have a series that tries to be different from all the other kiddie shows out there. It’s actually a bit nostalgic, as it seems similar to the kiddie shows that I watched when I was only five years old (most notably, Barbapapa). One thing that especially strikes me is how good the animation is. The character-designs are simple, but they move really fluidly with hardly any corners cut. Interesting.
OP: Just a title screen, but original music.
ED: Very obnixious to anyone older than five.
Potential: 20%
Darker than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini
Short Synopsis: Our lead character stopped getting haircuts.
It was quite a surprise to see that this first episode focused on mostly completely new characters, but yeah: this was the best first episode of the new season. It’s got the intriguing setting of the Book of Bantorra with a solid and intelligent execution that can’t be matched by any other series this season. The characters are well written, the attention to detail to the origami was a very nice touch, and the battles still rely much more on wits and intelligence than raw power. This episode really showed that Bones didn’t make a sequel just to milk out this franchise, but they’re really intending to give it some more depth. It’s a shame that there are only going to be 12 episode, but on the other hand that’s going to make this series short and sweet. 2009 really looks like it’s going to be Bones’ best year ever.
ED: Solid albeit uninteresting ballad with a slide-show of random landscapes.
Potential: 90%
Sasameki Koto
Short Synopsis: Our lead character is a lesbian.
Sasameki Koto: a tad shallow, but definitely charming. This episode was one of the most emotional first episodes of the new season for me, because it was the best at combining subtlety and straight to-the-point drama. The soundtrack fits this romance series very well, and the atmosphere was pretty nice for this story. But yeah, that shallowness is going to become a problem for this series in the future. The dialogue felt not really very inspired, and the characters were a little too quick to cry. Nevertheless, after Aoi Hana with its mountains of subtlety, it might be worth watching a more direct lesbian series.
OP: A nice and calm song, although definitely not the best of its kind.
ED: A bit too annoying and poppy song.
Potential: 50%
“But yeah, that shallowness is going to become a problem for this series in the future.”
It won’t be that shallow later. And (if creators won’t overdramatize things) there will be nice bit of comedy. I really like Sasameki Koto and Aoi Hana, and it’s a pity they came out next to each other. Comparison seems inevitable, while they are both good it their own way.
Comment by Nomus — October 8, 2009 @ 10:48
Once again, i can´t belive your tastes. This was 50% more boring than Aoi Hana … wich was sedative at the very least.
Comment by Aldonaris — October 8, 2009 @ 15:08
Aldonaris: I can agree with you that Sasameki Koto’s first episode was 50% more boring than Aoi Hana, but on the other hand I really liked that series. It wasn’t perhaps the most exciting series, but I loved the believable and subtle romance in it.
Comment by psgels — October 8, 2009 @ 16:09
This season sucks so hard… what’s up with all the lesbian and moe shows? Is this some kind of trend, or have I just been avoiding staring directly into that horrible burning sun for all this time?
Comment by aegd — October 8, 2009 @ 22:41
aegd: well, in a way it was to be expected. The shows that are currently airing have all been planned and executed during the financial crisis. Since moe sells, it’s simply their way of living through a period in which sales are going to drop.
But yeah, it remains cheap. This season SO needs more series that try to take risks.
Comment by psgels — October 8, 2009 @ 22:54
Aegd: I agree with your annoyance of the moe shows, but this is pretty much the only yuri around. Another point: though most yuri shows are guilty of throwing out fanservice, I really don’t think you can say that about this show or Aoi Hana.
And I definitely think (or hope) that this will turn out to be a good series. I love how this series actually involves males and questions homosexuality to a certain extent (like Aoi Hana). The two main girls are a bit typical and undeveloped at the moment, but I think that’ll change in the future.
Comment by hellomoto — October 9, 2009 @ 3:34
“Our lead character stopped getting haircuts.”
lol,these short sinopsis keep on getting funnier!
How was the new girl character? When people first saw pics of he they were scared that DtB would go moe too
Comment by totoum — October 9, 2009 @ 11:00
Well, it’s not like the first season didn’t have moe with Yin and that strange pink-haired detective. The girl is fine, she’s well written and not stereotypically moe. This episode got some nice drama and tension out of her, so it shouldn’t be that big of a problem.
Comment by psgels — October 9, 2009 @ 11:12
not bad bones, Darker than Black 2 look interesting. bones look like the best Producers this year, the other contender is Manglobe, if The Sacred Blacksmith turn into something
Comment by reverse — October 9, 2009 @ 17:00
When you think about it its depresing the show which when its first part aired wasn’t even bloged here now is well on its way to outclass the rest of the season , and its not like it goten better……..
Comment by tea — October 9, 2009 @ 17:23
tea: granted though, the first season of Darker than Black aired in my favourite season ever. It was simply overshadowed back then. This season is indeed below average, so it stands out much more.
Comment by psgels — October 9, 2009 @ 18:06
As i just said Railgun is teh answer!!1 Aka let’s enjoy our animes and don’t ask too much in a crisis time ;)
Comment by Solaris — October 9, 2009 @ 18:13
I hope this season of DtB will have only one good long arc of 12 episodes; I really disliked some arcs of the first season D:
Comment by Andrea — October 9, 2009 @ 21:57
Been looking forwards to more DTB :)
Comment by Lightning — October 9, 2009 @ 22:54
Sasameki Koto looks promising. It’s different from Aoi Hana, but then people are also different, and it’s nice to see how more direct people might live their own sentimental stories.
Comment by AlexS — October 10, 2009 @ 0:19
DtB2 only going to be 12 episodes? Very sad. =/
At least there’s already an epic fight scene in the first episode.
Comment by Reltair — October 10, 2009 @ 6:10
Cheburashka Arere = I think that monkey was called “Drutten” in Sweden when I was growing up in the 80-ties. XD He had his own little candy box or something. I loved it. *random
Comment by Gottis — October 10, 2009 @ 12:34
Cheburashka Arere- a memory from my childhood. It’s so damn nostalgic. I remember watching it Russian language on TV and later on in my native language.
DO FUCKING WANT. I hope someone will sub this.
Comment by Aoi — October 10, 2009 @ 12:56
I forgot to add the original version of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVEZZWLLxao
@Gottis, in Lithuanian language Gena=crocodile and Cheburashka = KÅ«lverstukas (translation: the one doing the somersaults)
It’s on the same level as Russian cartoons “Ð�у Погоди!”, “Vini Pux” and others.
Comment by Aoi — October 10, 2009 @ 13:44
Wow, I definitely have to watch Cheburashka. I grew up on this cartoon (well, the whole Soviet block did). And the design looks exactly like in the old cartoon, even though it’s not made of plasticine anymore.
Comment by Grhasha — October 10, 2009 @ 13:48
@Grhasha
Hear, hear!
Comment by darkerthanblackswordsman — October 10, 2009 @ 14:06
Woah, Cheburashka. when I was younger my mum would make me watch one of the shows on tape. Indeed it is a Russian creation, and very cute one too. I always thought of chebu being a bear but anyways…lol
Comment by pf — October 10, 2009 @ 15:10
OH YEH OH YEH! bYAAAAAATCHES! DTB2 :D
I’ve been waiting for this series since forever. Now my life is complete. I can die a happy person T__T
Comment by Jesus — October 10, 2009 @ 15:59
Ah, warm, fuzzy nostalgia
Comment by Kessler — October 10, 2009 @ 16:19
Oh my… People, what’s good about Cheburashka? I’m Russian and I never understood that. It’s just… stupid. It is childish in worst possible way - “it” thinks children are idiots, who can comprehend only primitive things. The only reason why Cheburashka is so popular in Japan is because of his mascotish look. And, to be mascot, as to be moe, it doesn’t require brain to be involved.
P.S. No plasticine was ever involved either. They used dolls.
Comment by Nomus — October 10, 2009 @ 16:45
The only reason darker than black is looking so good is because so far most of the autumn anime look like cookie cutter garbage. Bones has a tendency to not do so good with plot outlines with their original animes, they tend to skip all over the map. The first season of darker than black was basically a quick rush in the end to tie some semblance of story together. Bones basically went we got nothing really substantial here, so what the heck lets kill off a lot of characters and make some b/s up in the end.
Comment by Ali — October 11, 2009 @ 5:34
Chebrashka isn’t really a monkey, it is an animal that can’t be named, just Chebrashka.
Comment by windy — October 11, 2009 @ 11:22
Btw, it’s not Chebrashka, it’s ChebUrashka in Japanese and Russian both (ЧебУрашка).
Comment by Nomus — October 11, 2009 @ 11:56
Darker than Black 2…
He killed her off? He killed *Spoiler* off?!!?!
Oh damn it!!! She’s one of my most favourite Contractor too!!!!! >_
Comment by Jabba — October 11, 2009 @ 12:57
I was expecting more screen time for April and then she was just gone like wtf. I thought her and BK201 were in good terms?
Comment by AKI — October 11, 2009 @ 13:58
Nomus, I know it’s Cheburashka, I just made an error while copying the name. By the way, I think it’s really cute and don’t understand why you qualify this show of “stupid”, childish alright , but stupid…? Then , yeah, most of the childish shows are stupid.
Comment by windy — October 11, 2009 @ 19:25
Windy, about Chebrashka, it wasn’t directed to you only. I just saw some people on the net, who think that U there is due to Japanese pronunciation. No, I don’t think most of the childish shows are stupid. In my 20’s I still like some of them. But Cheburashka goes too much for cuteness and too less for scene. Of course it’s my humble opinion.
Comment by Nomus — October 13, 2009 @ 11:08