Summer 2012 Picks and Prediction

Libraries oppose any type of censorship.

Each season I pick a few titles as being worth keeping an eye on, and predict one title that will rule over all. Unfortunately this season I just don’t see that one show that stands out above the rest, and it isn’t because everything is so utterly amazing that I can’t quite choose. This time I will break from my established convention and discuss three almost Predictions (Picks), and three almost Picks (Encouragement Prize).

For those looking for comprehensive previews, here are some links to good ones:

• Star Crossed Anime Blog – short analyses of each title, running from bad to better in terms of how much potential Psgels sees in them.
• Metanorn – previews of every title with perspectives from multiple members of the team.
• Avvesione’s Anime Blog – another individual perspective.

On to the shows…

Spring 2012 Picks and Predictions

Drum roll, please.

It is my custom to look ahead to the upcoming season, pick out a few interesting shows and predict one that will be really great. As usual, I warn you that this is not a comprehensive preview of the season. Most of those haven’t come out yet, but I have run across two:

• Star Crossed Anime Blog – this is a comprehensive and methodical assessment of the upcoming season.
• The Cart Driver – this is a highly subjective and very opinionated assessment of the upcoming season.

Between the two of these you can get a good sense of what anime has in store for us in the coming months. If you want to skip straight to the good stuff, read on!

Winter 2012 Picks and Predictions

Marika Kato of Mouretsu Space Pirates.

In all honesty, the up-coming Winter 2012 season hasn’t grabbed my attention. Typically by now I would be looking forward to some show, and this post would be about those few shows that really caught my eye. I usually link to other bloggers who do a fine job of providing the comprehensive picture. You can check out the following guides that will provide synopses and possibly trailers for just about every new show of the season:

• Hanners provides his usual round-up with succinct comments on each new series.
• Psgels organizes the shows by his own subjective “potential” rating, and points out the positives and the negatives.
• Sapphire Pyro has a less comprehensive view, but she reads a lot of manga, so her opinions on a show’s potential are quite useful.
• Caraniel takes the comprehensive route, but doesn’t mince words when sharing her point of view.

There are probably a lot of other worthy season previews that have already come out, or will shortly. Sadly, regardless of which one I read, I can’t shake the feeling that this season doesn’t have an awesome show that I am ready to commit to on the spot. Nevertheless I present three shows after the jump that just might be worth watching.