Shangri-La
Shangri-La is a sci-fi dystopia with some nice action as a side dish. It tells an ambitious story behind humanity’s last hopes to cling to life after it failed its carbon management thus obliterating human-friendly environment. You are put in the shoes of a young girl, Hojo Kuniko, who appears to be a respected leader-like figure of a terrorist group Metal-Age, which strives to make government put all people, disregarding their political status, into a perfectly human-habitable sky fortress, Atlas (as it appears some poor guys got left out to live on the earth’s surface, where rain is enough to kill you). The plot of the show, though with potential, is badly realized and the cast is quite dull. Shangri-La is not particularly a bad show, but it would be hard to call it particularly good. Watch it if you got time to kill, but don’t expect too much.
Welcome to NHK!
Welcome to NHK! is a magnificent slice of life show depicting the life of hikikomori, Satou Tatsuhiro, and his struggles to overcome this dreaded condition. The quality of psychological insights, pace of plot and an ability to tie all lose ends is certainly something no one could have ever expected from a show coming from GONZO, but, well, miracles happen it seems. Satou’s struggles will give you a lot of insights at many Japanese sociological problems and otaku life, moreover it’s a pretty high level psychology material and first-rate romance show at that. Definitely watch it if at least one of the things I’ve mentioned spurt your interest - Welcome to NHK! is amongst the best anime ever produced.
Elfen Lied
Elfen Lied is a psychological (a bit) violent harem thriller with elves, telepathic powers and protagonist whose behaviour goes against all sense of logic. The mix of all these things, however awkward, ends up as something fun and entertaining if not particularly good or deep. So give this show a shot if it sounds like something you`d like as there is nothing else quite like it.
Ristorante Paradiso
Ristorante Paradiso is a reverse-harem sow spurting a whole lineup of spectacle wearing gentlemen. It is centered on a young girl Nicoletta, who through a series of events ends up working as a chef’s apprentice in restaurant famous for its gentlemen staff. To be frank, the show is boring to death and as long as you are not a spectacle fetish woman in late thirties you might as well forget it exists. The anime is not particularly badly executed, but it’s original concept is as exciting as grandfather’s past stories.
Cromartie High School
Cromartie High School is an episodic comedy show depicting the life of an average guy, Kamiyama Takeshi, after he had accidentally enrolled in a famous delinquent school. Delinquents, however, prove to be the least of his worries as he shortly meets pencil eating weirdos, gorillas, foreigners, robots and aliens attending the school. There is absolutely no plot continuity and the show concentrates on short delinquency inspired gags coming off as a compilation of anecdotes. Ignore this show if you are looking for substance, but give it a chance if your goal is pure laughter.
Kurozuka
Kurozuka is an artsy action show depicting the adventures of immortal amnesiac Kurou who is in search of his lost lover, Kuromitsu. While the show exceeds in animation and offers some well-digested surreality it also has more plot holes than a sieve and characters with less traits than the chair you sit on. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting show in the sense that it tries something new - discards all the substance and concentrates on pure aesthetics, like some sort of Visual Poem or something. I can’t guarantee you’ll like it (it’s more likely you wont actually), but definitely try it out if you want something new.
Sexy Commando Gaiden
Sexy Commando Gaiden is a comedy show which concentrates on insanity humor (you better not watch if you don’t know what it means). It follows an eccentric, or rather, crazy person, Hananakajima Masaru, and his demented adventures in Wakame (seaweed) school. Sexy Commando is a supreme martial art where you have to spectacularly deprive yourself of any dignity you have left to catch your opponent off-guard; and Masaru is very good at it. There is no plot continuity and gags get old after awhile; but it’s worth a watch if you are into Japanese humor or simply want to let some steam off.
Midori Days
Midori no Hibi is a light romance school comedy featuring a ‘girlfriendless’ protagonist who has his right hand turned into… a girl. At first you might be fooled by its “right hand girlfriend” motive, but this show is your run off the mill romantic school comedy with little innovation apart from that hand thing. Nonetheless, while romance itself might be a little bit bland, it’s plenty funny and rarely boring. Give it a chance if you are into the genre… Or forget about it you’re not.
