Winter 2015 Season Wrap

Winter is over and spring is officially here! At least, that’s the case in the Northwest–sorry if you’ve still got snow 😉 I am shocked at the number of shows that finished up this season, both one and two cours. My anime list was temporarily tiny before I started picking up new anime at the start of this month.

I apologize for the delay in this post; Sakura-con always seems to fall smack on the weekend between shows ending and beginning. iDOLM@S also hung around a week later than everything else and I wanted to include it in the season wrap. The 22 shows I finished up (and in the order discussed) are:

• Bonjour Koiaji Patisserie
• Akatsuki no Yona
• Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso
• Dog Days”
• Koufuku Grafitti
• Death Parade
• Log Horizon 2nd Season
• Daiya no Ace
• Shirobako
• Yowamushi Pedal: Grande Road
• Rolling☆Girls
• Tokyo Ghoul √A
• Sanzoku no Musume Ronya
• Aldnoah.Zero 2nd Season
• Kamisama Hajimemashita◎
• Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu
• Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu LOVE!
• Yoru no Yatterman
• Durarara!! x 2 Shou
• The iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls
• Garo: Honoo no Kokuin
• Absolute Duo
• Junketsu no Maria

Winter 2015 Set Menu

We’re about three weeks into the 2015 winter season, and I’m still undecided on quite a few shows. I thought I wouldn’t be adding in too many this time around since the line-up didn’t impress me at a glance, but I’ve got a surprising amount clinging on to my continuations from the fall. I’ve broken my shows into three categories: watching, undecided, and ongoing. Fuller thoughts on new shows are given first, with quick summaries of my feelings on the shows still airing from previous seasons following at the end. Let me know what you think is missing from my list (any why) and I’ll give it a try!

On the 4th Day of Anime — A Flame-haired Dragon of Legends Old

I am a sucker for high fantasy stories that include journeys, a gathering of group members, and strong female characters. Some shows that immediately spring to mind include Juuni Kokuki, Saiunkoku Monogatari, and to a lesser extent, Fushigi Yuugi. The last two are considered reverse harems, though the latter is more so than the former. Similarly to Saiunkoku, Akatsuki no Yona has overtones of otome romance though largely avoids it in preference of a more competent female lead and a greater purpose. Princess Yona may be royalty, but her mental maturity is stunted by her sheltered upbringing and quick trust for those around her. When disaster strikes and she sets forth into the world in pursuit of a legend, we see her grow both psychically and psychologically at a rapid rate. In ignorance, she fulfills the whispering of reborn heroes from the nation’s birth. Hers is a terrifying, yet thrilling, destiny that I must witness.