Here are the animes I have watched in recent weeks and my thoughts on them.
Infinite Stratos - Short description - What if Gundam Wing and Tenchi Muyo has a love child?
Long description - Infinite Stratos (IS) is the name given to a type of mecha that for some reason only girls can use. That is until Ichika Orimura comes along. He gets lost on his way to his school entrance exam and walks into the IS Academy room. Out of curiosity he touches the IS machine that is there and low and behold it activates for him. Being the only male in the world to ever be able to operate an IS makes him an instant celebrity and he gets forcefully enrolled in the IS Academy which was previously an all girls school. Hilarity ensues.
As the story progresses, Ichika starts collecting a harem. Starting with his childhood friends that happen to go to the academy then moving on the others. A subtle bit of amusement in that as he adds to his harem the end credits changes to add the new girls run behind him. And as one girl gets closer to him in the story, their position in the chain of girls following him in the credits also changes. All the while, our protagonist is oblivious to the affections of the girls around him until the end of the series.
The mecha themselves are not full body Gundam-esqe suits. They are more like exoskeletons that leave part of the body exposed. but protected by energy shields. So you can see everyone's faces when they are in the IS. The IS suits are not used for war. Since the IS is the most advanced tech in the world and all countries now have them, they are use in tournaments mostly.
There is plenty of fan service but no full blown nudity.
I'll give it 3 out of 5 because while I was entertained there was really nothing new to be seen here.
Ga Rei Zero - Short description - Violent Ghostbusters. Starts at the finish.
Long description - The premise is basically the journey of two young girls who are starting in the family business of Japanese Ghost Busting. Unlike other Ghost shows, these ghosts can kill you. But the story really involves hows these two characters grow and the events that lead up to...the first episode.
So, I don't know if I can give a good review without spoiling the first episode. So just skip this if you don't want any spoilers. The show has perhaps the most unique way to start a series ever. I've seen nothing like it. You get introduced in the first episode the Section 4 team which deals with supernatural threats. Each character gets an intro and a brief backstory. You get a feel for who the main protagonists are and what the show is about. And then everyone dies. Everyone. All the characters who you thought the show was about die by the end of the first episode leaving you going "WTF just happened?!" The 2nd episode introduces who the killer is and it ends with her getting ready to kill her former friend. The rest of the show is about the events leading up to then and then the climax that follows.
There's lots of fan service. Lots. Including the obligatory naked bath seen. The violence is bloody. Not quite Elfen Lied bloody but in the same vein.
I really enjoyed this show. It ends up kinda sad as you feel really bad for the 2 main girls and how the story ends for them.
My only complaint is that there are some story elements that remain unexplained so you are lost as to how or why certain things happened. Or it could just be lost in translation. 4 out of 5.
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