10 March 2013: Big non-finish, here we come
It's clenched buttocks all the way down.
I have no idea how Vividred Operation will wrap itself up in its remaining three or four episodes. Seeing as how it's still introducing and developing the relationships among the characters, it will either feel really rushed or we'll be blessed with a second cour of clenching butts in tiny short shorts. It's possible my expectations are a little too high for this show, now that I think about it. Either way, this is still far and away the best show of the season, even if Princess Kraehe never performs any ballet.
Onward to victory, Ai-chan.
Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru is on a collision course with a non-ending ending. As of episode 10, it is still introducing new characters (technically not new new ones, but still new ones for all intents and purposes). The non-ending ending is assured due to the anime's roots in the still-ongoing light novel. At least I was wrong about Ai. After re-watching episode nine, I'm going to go ahead and say that Ai is a sweet girl. She's Cocoa Puffs, but she's still a sweet girl.
"They teamed me with Takane and then I fell into despair."
I'm glad Puchimas runs fives times each week, because its short length would keep it from being anything more than a forgettable diversion otherwise. It's still a simple gag comedy, but some of the character interactions are good when they aren't hammering away at the franchise's most basic stereotypes. My favorite moment thus far is the bit in episode 39 where Hibiki sighs repeatedly out of exasperation with Takane's antics. As a fellow member of Project Fairy, Hibiki has probably suffered through more than her share of Takane's loony behavior. This is probably also the reason Miki spends most of her time comatose.
Nekki Basara, eat your heart out.
Now that I think of it, of the shows I'm still watching, only AKB0048 is likely to have a real conclusion at the end of this season. I do care a bit more about what happens to these characters now than I did during the first cour, but probably only because all of them are so into it. I'm still not fully on board with all this CENTER NOVA jazz, but the high-level energy in this season's episodes is infectious, so it's easy to be enthusiastic about the show even if it doesn't necessarily make a whole lot of sense. It's still fun to watch.
