Essential Shonen Sports Manga

So it’s no secret I love sports mangas and animes, but the problem I face along with many others is actually finding one that I enjoy.  This is the case since there are as many sports manga’s out there as actual athletes but even some of the best sports mangas are still not very well known outside of Japan.  So here is just a list of sports manga and anime which are considered to be amongst the best (some through my opinion maybe).  This article contains only shonen series but I may follow up with one about seinen series.

Brave10 – 3 (I Wanted to Do Dirty Things To Saizo)

You sometimes just have to love Brave10 for being a straight up battle anime with a lot of comedy, well an abundance of comedy for at least this episode.  Unfortunately as far as story progression goes, this episode was a complete flop but there were some interesting aspects since character development is still in its early stages at this point in the anime.

Brave10 – 2 (Something to Fight For)

Honestly, just by watching this episode one can sometimes forget that this isn’t meant to be a shonen battle anime. This might have been an attempt to draw in a wider demograpic, so in a way one can’t be too sure about whether this anime should be classed as seinen or shonen.

Winter Preview 1st Episode Reviews and Anime Pickup(s)

So with all of the first episodes of the winter season already out, it’s time to just sum up all of the series and separate the good from the bad, the winners from the losers, the… well you get the idea.  Unfortunately, due to lack of writers available (there only being 2 of us and Sintaku is actually quite busy lately, so really it’s just me) even if the anime is good, it may not be reviewed! So let’s start sorting the Winter 2012 anime’s into winners and losers (no sequels to be reviewed!)

The Winners

1. Brave10 – Love it, going to watch it, going to review it. (Weekly Review)

2. Area no Kishi – I can just see it getting more interesting, plus an up-to-date sports anime is really what I was looking forward to watching and reviewing. (Weekly Review)

3. New Prince of Tennis – Just fun to watch, though I don’t see myself reviewing this series. (No Review)

4. Mouretsu Pirates – I am a sucker for a space story plus the first episode was fun to watch, BUT I can’t say I’m sold yet. (Possible Review) Weekly Review; Just because the pace is a nice change from all of the other anime’s I’m currently watching but Episode 3 and 4 will be reviewed together

5. Another – Great series, especially since it’s a horror story. (No Review – not enough energy)

The Losers (No Review)

1. High School DxD – I watched the first episode in order to not be unfair on a new series but ended up wasting 20 minutes of my life.  My hunch was right.

2. Kill Me Baby – It just wasn’t funny…. at all!

3. Recorder to Randoseru – I didn’t realize it was only 3 minutes long, which completely set the tone of this anime being a boring comedy.

4. Poyopoyo Kansatsu Nikki – Another anime around 3 minutes long which failed to be funny or a good slice of life piece.

The Average

1. Papa no Iukoto wo Kikinasai! – Nice idea for a story, but I just couldn’t laugh or get into it. (No Review)

2. Rinne no Lagrange – Too much hype around it, just don’t get why! Seems like another average mecha anime to me, but since there is so much confidence behind it – second season due to come out this summer, I’m giving it one more episode.  (Possible Review)

3. Daily Lives of High School Boys – Granted, it was funny but not exceptionally so. (No Review)

The Potential Dark Horse 

1. Senhime Zesshou Symphogear – FML this one is frustrating, but it shows promise so I’m giving it the seal of approval for the next 1 or 2 episodes. (Possible Review) Weekly Review; Since I got myself sucked into the story (just a little bit)

2. Inu x Boku SS – I might have got my hopes up, but I need to watch the second episode which will hopefully bring more to the table (Possible Review)

 

Currently it’s a battle between: Mouretsu Pirates, Senhime Zesshou Symphoger, Inu x Boku SS, and Rinne no Lagrange. Based on the first episodes, I favour the first over the last two, but that can change by the end of the next episodes. There is a possibility of me reviewing more than just one of these series since Black Rock Shooter isn’t out until February but that all depends whether the series lend themselves to easy reviewing i.e. me enjoying them enough.

UPDATE: I chose to stick with Mouretsu Pirates and SZS.  Unfortunately I still haven’t gotten round to watching Rinne no Lagrange but I couldn’t get that much into Inu x Boku SS but who knows things might change.

Brave10 – 1

I think I found my new favourite show of the season! Granted it’s not one where you can expect a story with plot twists, interesting developments or anything else you look for in an anime that makes it extremely unique, this one is just a straight up action plot.  Because it’s just a typical (well bloodier than what I usually watch) battle animation, I can definitely appreciate it but more than that I get the feeling this series is just going to be the most fun to watch.