Otaku Trauma: January Anime Premieres

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Welcome to the inaugural post for “Otaku Trauma”!*  My name’s Lexie, and I’ve been addicted to anime and manga for over a decade (longer if you count the anime I watched as a kid when I had no idea it was anime).

Since this is our first time, let’s start with something easy, okay?  The Upcoming Animes in Japan starting January!

These are the shows I’ll be giving a try.  No guarantees that I’ll continue with them, however.  Also just because I’m interested doesn’t mean a subtitling group will be, so if you can’t find a sub-team, learn Japanese (or learn not to care about the actual plot, like me).

Kimi ni Todoke season 2
January 4, 2011
Shoujo, Romance, School
I have an irrational love for this anime and manga series.  Its about Sawako, a painfully shy and apologetic high schooler who because of her looks has had trouble making friends.  Her affection and crush on Kazahaya–a classmate–however, spurs her to try and become a stronger individual.  This is a warm-hearted, feel good shoujo.  This is also one of the most popular series on either side of the Pacific.  The anime is very faithful to the manga (almost to an annoying degree), which is a decidedly refreshing thing.

Freezing
January 8, 2011
Scifi, Futuristic, Shounen
Every few anime seasons, I pick up an anime (sometimes two) that is so completely not what I watch that it can be disconcerting.  Say Hello to this season’s pick.  Based on a comic (that I haven’t read), it features fighting aliens and trauma from the past that makes the lead girl special.  I won’t lie, depending on how much of a fan service this series turns out to be, I may drop it quick.

Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?
January 10, 2011
Fantasy, Magic,  Action
Won’t lie:  the whole reason I want to watch this is because of the word ‘Zombie” in the title.  Ayumu is killed by a serial killer, brought back by a necromancer, and then forced to help fight against the “anti-manhou” forces…. Yeah, no, I don’t understand what any of that means, either; I just want to see the zombies.

Level E
January 10, 2011
Comedy, Scifi, Shounen
While on the surface this seems against my type, it’s based on a manga by Yoshihiro Togashi (AKA, the mind behind Yu Yu Hakusho), and so that means auto-watch.  Yukitaka just wanted to start high school and be a good baseball player…too bad he’s stuck with an alien Prince who’s brilliant, but despicable as a roommate!  I don’t expect much from this, just a good time.

Fractale
January 13, 2011
Scifi, Mystery, Romance
Despite the pretty designs, this show is all about the world collapsing in the future.  One day, after meeting a girl, Clain’s life is never the same!  Yep, that’s the basis right there; the world ending part comes into play because the World is being run by “Fractales” which are beginning to fail.  Oops…

.hack//Quantum Part 1
January 28, 2011
Game, Mystery
The dot hack franchise is probably one of those series I know I should stop watching, but I can’t help but be drawn in every single time.  Three new characters, sporting awfully similar (but rather tricked out) character templates make a mistake and get trapped in a dungeon.  Mysterious cat character watches.  Yep, sounds like a dot hack anime (or game or manga or light novel) to me!

My coverage of said shows will be as frequent as I can get my hands on the subbed releases.  Additionally, at some point during this month a special “pilot episode” for Mirai Nikki (AKA, Future Diary, here in America) is due to be released.  Mirai Nikki is another obsession of mine, so you’ll likely find me covering that, as well.

Domestic Anime Releases of Interest
1/4/11: Tsubasa, RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE: OVAs Collection (DVD and Blu-Ray)
1/11/11: Black Butler (Kuroshitsuji): Season 1 Collection, Part 1
1/25/11: Durarara!!, Part 1
1/25/11: Gantz: Complete Collection

And if you have a Twilight lover in your midst, and don’t mind torturing yourself, Vampire Knight: Complete Collection also comes out (1/25/11). Just be certain of your sanity before you allow yourself to be drawn into its web of angst.

Domestic Manga Releases of Interest
1/4/11: Book Girl and the Famished Spirit by Mizuki Nomura
1/11/11: Trinity Blood: Reborn on Mars Volume 4 by Yoshida Sunao
1/18/11: Fullmetal Alchemist volume 24 by Hiromu Arakawa
1/25/11: Black Butler volume 4 by Yana Toboso
1/25/11: High School of the Dead volume 1 by Daisuke Sato and Shouji Sato

(*) Otaku in Japanese is not a great classification.  It means “obsessed” and “socially disabled.”  In the West the word has become a good thing or bad thing–depending on which side of fandom you fall on.  Considering I am obsessed and very socially awkward, I’m not complaining too loudly.