My Fickle, Little Monster

Ah, high school–that time of turbulent emotions, assignment deadlines, and lots and lots of free time.  In a way, I was once a lot like Mizutani Shizuku, the protagonist for Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun.  I cared mostly for grades and my student resume. I had my eyes set on the future, and I wanted my student life to appear full and inviting to college recruiters.  Unlike Shizuku, I had my fair share of crushes through my four years of high school; I was just too awkward to pursue anyone, many of whom I had known since kindergarten.  Past perceptions had me pegged as some kind of man-hater, that little girl who liked to kick boys in the shins.  Although my former dislike was a far cry from Shizuku’s indifference, we still shared a growing desire to connect with others.  And while she certainly comes a good distance in forming friendships and acknowledging her attractions to Haru, thirteen episodes and the multitude of see-sawing emotions made any sort of closure impossible.

Fall 2012 Set Meal

Now a full month into the fall season, I’ve finally settled on which shows I’ll be watching from week to week.  I actually would like to include a few more, but my busy schedule means that some of them will have to be reserved for a slower time of year.  For now, I’ve got nine new series to add to my watch list, and boy is there a lot of fluff and romance in the air!