So I really meant to finish watching that final episode of MS Igloo 2 last Fall… and then I simply forgot. I’ll do my best to get around to it soon, and then I’ll probably prioritize Victory Gundam and From the New World as my next anime to see to conclusion. Sword Art Online will likely be finished later this year, but I’m not in any real rush to start the second story arc. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a decent enough anime, just not one that kept me as deeply invested as some of my other recent viewings.
Speaking of which, 2014 has kicked off to a couple of pleasant surprises with regards to my anime viewing experiences. The first season of the 2012 adaptation of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure was a riot, and easily the most fun I’ve had watching a more pure action anime in quite some time. Meanwhile, on the complete opposite end of the spectrum in terms of its atmosphere, Madoka Magica is proving it can hold its own among other similar series that turned genre standards on their heads (like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Serial Experiments Lain) while also retaining a unique identity. There was hardly anything that I knew about Madoka Magica going into it, and this largely-blind viewing has led my impressions of it to be overwhelmingly positive. Seriously, I’ve cranked through nine episodes in less than three days (normally, I take my time to let an anime sink in, but I can’t seem to put this one down). While I doubt Madoka Magica will end up ranking among my all-time favorite anime series, it is currently poised to rank among my top five anime of 2014.
That said, there’s a whole nine months left in the year, and a lot could change between now and then. Still, it’s nice that I started the year off with two pretty big bangs on the anime front, and the second season of Jojo’s, Stardust Crusaders, looks just as appetizing as the first. I’ll probably also follow up Madoka with the third film, as I’d prefer to watch the sequel/capping-off film while the series is still fresh in my mind. There’s a few other series and films out there that I wouldn’t mind giving a shot – I have yet to view the Steins;Gate movie, and I have not yet popped my copy of Tekkon Kinkreet into my DVD player (despite the fact that it’s been sitting on my shelf for about a year now).
I’d be damned surprised is Unicorn Gundam doesn’t end up as my number one pick for favorite anime of 2014, but it would be interesting to see the typical genres and series that make that list be ousted by some newcomers. It doesn’t hurt to mix things up and keep it fresh once in a while, you know?
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