Summer 2011 Final Thoughts (a.k.a. How the heck did I manage to watch all of these?)

So I’m late crossing the finish line, but at least I finished, right? There were a ton of series to make it through this season, and I wasn’t sure if I’d make it through writing this entry.  But, here we are, and I’m now wading through a rush of newly airing fall anime.

Final thoughts include: Bunny Drop, Tiger & Bunny, NO.6, Sacred Seven, Ikoku Meiro no Croisee, Kamisama no Memochou, Hanasaku Iroha, Natsume Yuujinchou San, Blood-C, Dantalian no Shoka, Ao no Exorcist, Kamisama Dolls, Nekogami Yaoyorozu, Uta no Prince-sama, Baka to Test 2, and Nichijou.  These thoughts are fairly brief, given the large number of anime covered in this season review, and are usually about two paragraphs long.  If I like the show enough, I’ll most likely return to it sometime for a re-watch and write a more detailed review!

Initial Impressions: The IDOLM@STER, Baka to Test 2, Itsuka Tenma, Nekogami Yaoyorozu

The IDOLM@STER: On hold
Though I’ve never played the XBOX360 game, this episode gave me a taste of what it would seemingly be like.  In a unique narrative style, we follow twelve idols-in-training, viewing them through the eyes of the interviewer and his camera.  His questions are not audible to us, but appear as text across the screen–questions to which the girls answer while looking straight at the camera.  I was initially put off by the point of view, but slowly grew to enjoy it; however, with the revelation of the cameraman as the new, incoming producer, I don’t know if the 1st-person view will be used again.  The IDOLM@STER has the feel of a harem, with its colorful assortment of young, female idols and fresh-out-training, male producer.  The only difference in this case is that instead of the girl being chosen as the accompaniment to the male lead, the male must help the female lead find the spotlight.