It's that time of the year again: the start of the summer season! Summer isn't as big as spring or fall - there's about two-thirds as many shows premiering compared to this past spring - but there are still several exciting titles to talk about. As usual, I'll watch the first episode of most shows within certain parameters (in other words, not the kiddie shows), and what I list here are the chances of me actually blogging something based on my initial impressions from promotional material. However, even if I list the chances for a show as good or guaranteed, it doesn't necessarily mean I'll stick with it for more than a few episodes.

By no means does this list reflect every single anime series that is going to be aired, though I did try to be as comprehensive as I could. Check out MOON PHASE for an entire listing, syoboi's calendar for specific air-times, and Fansub Wiki's Summer 2008 page for who's tentatively subbing what.

Technical Note: All times are given in a 24-hour, relative-day format where times are extended to show which day they belong to. For instance, Friday morning at 1:30AM would become Thursday at 25:30 to show that the episode aired late Thursday night.

Sekirei http://www.sekirei-tv.com/ Premieres July 2nd, 2008 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Wednesdays at 23:30 Airtime in U.S. (EST, GMT-4): Wednesdays at 10:30 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo, AniDB, syoboi Sekirei is one of the series generating the most pre-season excitement, partially because it comes from a fairly well established manga, and partially because there's been a lot of promotional material for it. The story involves a worthless guy who failed his college entrance exams but one day has a beautiful and buxom girl suddenly fall out of the sky on top of him. The girl chooses him as her master, and they subsequently get involved in a battle royale with other fighters. The manga has a lot of fanservice and nudity to go with all the action, and if the PVs are any indicator, it looks like the anime version will follow suit. I've generally heard pretty good things about this though (I've personally only read a couple of chapters), and it's also being worked on the same Seven Arcs team that did Inukami! and all three Nanoha series, so this might be something that might be worth tuning in for. Odds I'll Blog This: Good

Zero no Tsukaima ~Princesses no Rondo~ http://www.zero-tsukaima.com/ Premieres July 6th, 2008 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Sundays at 24:30 Airtime in U.S. (EST, GMT-4): Sundays at 11:30 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo, AniDB, syoboi If you've been coming to Random Curiosity for a while, Zero no Tsukaima is a series that probably needs no introduction since I've blogged both the first two series. You may also remember that, particularly towards the end, I wasn't too happy with the second series and had questioned whether I would want to watch a third one. Well that time has finally come, and the decision is still up in the air. The third series will feature Louise and Saito going back to Albion to search for the fairy with mysterious powers (aka. Tiffania), and apparently Saito's rune disappears as well. My issue with the series currently is that I know that the anime adaptation has completely ruined any semblance of the novels' overarching story, and while that doesn't necessarily prevent the anime adaptation from being good in its own right, the second series proved to be rather lackluster. Add to that the fact that this is airing on the same day of the week as CODE GEASS, and I'm less inclined to devote the time to blog this. In short, if the second series had been better, I'd mark this as guaranteed, but as it stands, I'm taking a wait-and-see approach with the first few episodes. Odds I'll Blog This: Good

Note: This is a rather long and fairly comprehensive list of the shows coming in July. Much much more after the jump, including the torrent link for promotional material.

April means that another new season is upon us, and like the past fall season, it's chock full of premieres, including some big names like CODE GEASS and Macross. With the exception of a few shows, I was relatively disappointed with the past winter season, so hopefully this one will be better. As usual, I'll watch the first episode of most shows within certain parameters (in other words, not the kiddie shows), and what I list here are the chances of me actually blogging something based on my initial impressions from promotional material. However, even if I list the chances for a show as good or guaranteed, it doesn't necessarily mean I'll stick with it for more than a few episodes.

By no means does this list reflect every single anime series that is going to be aired, though I did try to be as comprehensive as I could. Check out MOON PHASE for an entire listing, syoboi's calendar for specific air-times, and Fansub Wiki's Spring 2008 page for who's tentatively subbing what.

Technical Note: All times are given in a 24-hour, relative-day format where times are extended to show which day they belong to. For instance, Friday morning at 1:30AM would become Thursday at 25:30 to show that the episode aired late Thursday night.

Kanokon http://www.kanokon.com/ Premieres April 5th, 2008 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Saturdays at 10:30 Airtime in U.S. (EST, GMT-4): Fridays at 21:30 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo, AniDB, syoboi One of the two series this spring season featuring fox girls, Kanokon is about a weak-looking boy who transfers into a city high school from the countryside and, on his first day, he's approached by a beautiful, big-breasted girl who's fallen in love with him and is actually a fox demon. I put emphasis on big-breasted because every single description of her I've read includes some variation of that, and I think it should give you a good idea of what this series is really about. If you're still unsure, just check out what the artwork on the official website changes into if you wait long enough, or see these magazine scans. The rest of the cast is made up of various other types of youkai, including a female wolf one who also falls in love with the main character. I don't really have high hopes for this show because I see it as simply an outlet for fanservice, but there are enough big name voice actors working on this series (including Noto Mamiko and one of my favorites, Kawasumi Ayako) that I may have to watch the first episode. Odds I'll Blog This: Decent

Kyouran Kazoku Nikki http://www.kyouran.jp/ Premieres April 12th, 2008 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Saturdays at 25:00 Airtime in U.S. (EST, GMT-4): Saturdays at 12:00 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo, AniDB, syoboi If there's one really wacky series this season, this could be it. In Kyouran Kazoku Nikki, an incarnation of destruction was defeated by humanity, but it had left a curse before dying: its child would awaken in 1000 years and destroy the world. Approximately 1000 years later, mankind is able to use DNA testing to figure out a group of people who could be that child, but they still can't pinpoint exactly who. What they decide to do is to put all these people together in one family with the hope that the person who is the real child would develop love for their family and would no longer want to destroy the world. The wacky part comes in when you consider some of the characters in this family: a cat-eared loli (who's the mother figure no less), a lion, a biological weapon, and a jellyfish. That's got dysfunctional written all over it, so I think this has the potential to be hilarious. Odds I'll Blog This: Good

Note: This is a rather long and fairly comprehensive list of the shows coming in April. Much much more after the jump, including the torrent link for promotional material.

Another year has come and gone, which means that it's time for a new season to begin! Unlike Fall, which had a ton of shows, this upcoming Winter season is relatively light on new titles, though hopefully not on quality titles. As usual, I'll watch the first episode of most shows within certain parameters (in other words, not the kiddie shows), and what I list here are the chances of me actually blogging something based on my initial impressions from promotional material. However, even if I list the chances for a show as good or guaranteed, it doesn't necessarily mean I'll stick with it for more than a few episodes.

By no means does this list reflect every single anime series that is going to be aired, though I did try to be as comprehensive as I could. Check out MOON PHASE for an entire listing, syoboi's calendar for specific air-times, and Fansub Wiki's Winter 2008 page for who's tentatively subbing what.

Technical Note: All times are given in a 24-hour, relative-day format where times are extended to show which day they belong to. For instance, Friday morning at 1:30AM would become Thursday at 25:30 to show that the episode aired late Thursday night.

GUNSLINGER GIRL -IL TEATRINO- http://www.gunslingergirl.com/ Premieres January 7th, 2008 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Mondays at 27:00 Airtime in U.S. (EST, GMT-5): Mondays at 13:00 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo, AniDB, syoboi And speaking of which, after a four year period, Gunslinger Girl is getting another anime series too. For those who might not be familiar with it, Gunslinger Girl is about a group of cybernetically enhanced girl assassins who work for an Italian counter-terrorism agency. Now, it's easy to dismiss this as another girls-with-guns show, however there are actually a lot of interesting themes explored here, including brainwashing and the relationships between assassins and their handlers - it can be a pretty dark series at times. In any case, the first anime more or less covered the first two volumes of the manga, and the sequel looks to pick up right where that left off. It should be noted though, that pretty much the entire cast and crew have been changed (Artland will be animating it instead of Madhouse), so the sequel will likely have a different feel to it. Odds I'll Blog This: Good

Ookami to Koushinryou http://www.spicy-wolf.com/ Premieres January 8th, 2008 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Tuesdays at 25:30 Airtime in U.S. (EST, GMT-5): Tuesdays at 11:30 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo, AniDB, syoboi First things first, I can't help but be amused whenever I look at the URL of the official website. The series' Japanese name translates to "Wolf and Spices," but seeing spicy wolf just makes me laugh. Anyway, the show is about a traveling merchant who one day finds a wolf harvest goddess stowing away in his wagon. The two start traveling together, and she ends up helping him with his work. I haven't read the light novels (here's a review of someone who has), but supposedly they focus a lot on Middle Ages economics and trade, which sounds unique, however I don't know how interesting that'll turn out to be. The biggest draw to this show for me is actually the combination of Fukuyama Jun (Lelouch) and Koshimizu Ami (Kallen) voicing the two main characters. Plus, aside from Sisters of Wellber Zwei, Ookami to Koshinryou is the only other show airing on Tuesdays this upcoming season, so there's a pretty good chance I'll watch it. Oh, and ROCKY CHACK is performing the ED, and since I haven't heard them since ZEGAPAIN, I'll be looking forward to that too. Odds I'll Blog This: Guaranteed

Note: This is a rather long and fairly comprehensive list of the shows coming in January. Much much more after the jump, including the torrent link for promotional material.

With October finally here, the new fall season is set to begin with a lot of promising shows including a new Gundam and a new Da Capo. As usual, I'll watch the first episode of most shows within certain parameters (in other words, not the kiddie shows), and what I list here are the chances of me actually blogging something based on my initial impressions from promotional material. However, even if I list the chances for a show as good or guaranteed, it doesn't necessarily mean I'll stick with it for more than a few episodes.

By no means does this list reflect every single anime series that is going to be aired, though I did try to be as comprehensive as I could. Check out MOON PHASE for an entire listing, syoboi's calendar for specific air-times, and AndrewLB's Fall 2007 Wiki for who's tentatively subbing what.

Technical Note: All times are given in a 24-hour, relative-day format where times are extended to show which day they belong to. For instance, Friday morning at 1:30AM would become Thursday at 25:30 to show that the episode aired late Thursday night.

Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kun http://pc.webnt.jp/ninomiya/ Premieres October 3rd, 2007 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Thursdays at 27:13 Airtime in U.S. (EDT, GMT-4): Thursdays at 14:13 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo, syoboi The title character here finds himself - thanks to his own sister - living with a pair of siblings who are incubus and succubus, and it turns out that the succubus is afraid of men, so the main character has been chosen to help her get over it. But that's not all! The rich and popular student council president is also his live-in maid. The whole succubus aspect sounds like it could have potential, but having not read the light novel that this is based on, I can't vouch for how good the story is since at first glance it sounds rather haremish. Note: This is premiering on a Wednesday, but normal weekly first airings are on Thursdays on a different channel. Odds I'll Blog This: Decent

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 http://www.gundam00.net/ Premieres October 6th, 2007 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Saturdays at 9:30 Airtime in U.S. (EDT, GMT-4): Saturdays at 20:30 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo, syoboi The newest title in the Gundam franchise is about a group that wants to stop war on Earth, and they have (in a bit of an ironic twist) the power of four Gundams piloted by Gundam Meisters. It feels like it's been way too long since I've watched a Gundam series, and since this isn't taking place in the Cosmic Era, there's no reason for me not to be excited about it. The promos have thus far shown lots of action, and I look forward to seeing how popular director Mizushima Seiji influences the show. It should be also noted that although this series totals a year's worth of episodes, half of it is going to be shown in the next two seasons, and the other half will be reserved for a later date. Popular speculation right now is that CODE GEASS will replace Gundam 00 in the spring of 2008 before Gundam 00 comes back in the fall. Odds I'll Blog This: Guaranteed

Note: This is a rather long and fairly comprehensive list of the shows coming in October. Much much more after the jump, including the torrent link for promotional material.

We're now just two weeks away from the new season, so it's time for another preview! This summer is filled with plenty of new adaptations along with several sequels including fan favorites Zero no Tsukaima and Higurashi. In fact, I think the only new show this season that is not based on a manga, game, novel, or previous anime is CODE-E. Anyway, before we get started, a few notes. As usual, I'll watch the first episode of most shows within certain parameters (in other words, not the kiddie shows), and what I list here are the chances of me actually blogging something based on my initial impressions from promotional material. However, even if I list the chances for a show as good or guaranteed, it doesn't necessarily mean I'll stick with it for more than a few episodes.

By no means does this list reflect all of the anime that are going to be aired, though I did try to be as comprehensive as I could. Check out MOON PHASE for an entire listing, syoboi's calendar for specific air-times, and AndrewLB's Summer 2007 Wiki for who's tentatively subbing what.

Technical Note: All times are given in a 24-hour, relative-day format where times are extended to show which day they belong to. For instance, Friday morning at 1:30AM would become Thursday at 25:30 to show that the episode aired late Thursday night.

Moetan http://www.ink-chan.com/ Premieres July 8th, 2007 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Sundays at 25:30 Airtime in U.S. (EDT, GMT-4): Sundays at 12:30 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo, syoboi Moetan was originally an English language study aid aimed at teaching otaku by using game and animated related phrases. It included gems like "When I fell in love with the her, I thought that the girl was my stepsister. I bet if I had known she was my real sister, I would not have fallen in love with her." and "My friend found the picture I was hiding, so I tricked him by saying I have a sister that is a primary school student" and "All guys who like small breasts have large ones themselves." Of course, there's no guarantee that phrases like those are going to make it into the anime, but I think this show has the potential to be hilarious in so many different ways if executed correctly. Popular voice actress Tamura Yukari will be taking the lead role, and I've heard her English isn't that bad, so I'm quite excited to see this. Odds I'll Blog This: Guaranteed

Baccano! http://www.baccano.jp/ Premieres July 26th, 2007 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Thursdays at 24:30 Airtime in U.S. (EDT, GMT-4): Thursdays at 11:30 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo, syoboi Baccano! is a show that intrigues me quite a bit because it has such a wide and diverse cast of characters. Although the back-story involves a group of alchemists who received a liquor of immortality from a demon in the 1700s, the main story takes place in America in the 1930s during Prohibition and involves those alchemists along with mobsters, thieves, terrorists, delinquents, murderers, and even a ghost. Having such a large cast probably wouldn't work so well for a short series, but if this manages to be longer than 13 episodes, I think it could be a lot of fun. The trailer certainly had plenty of energy and music, and interestingly enough, several of the key staff positions (director, character designer, series planner, sound director, and music composer) all worked together in the past on Koi Kaze. In any case, I'm looking forward to this quite a bit. Odds I'll Blog This: Good

Note: This is a rather long and fairly comprehensive list of the shows coming in July. Much much more after the jump, including the torrent link for promotional material.

Spring season is just around the corner, and there are a lot of new shows starting up. Before we get started, a few notes. As usual, I'll watch the first episode of most shows within certain parameters (in other words, not the kiddie shows), and what I list here are the chances of me actually blogging something based on my initial impression from promotional material. However, even if I list the chances for a show as good or guaranteed, that doesn't necessarily mean I'll stick with it for more than a few episodes. As it stands, Tuesdays and Sundays have a ton of promising shows, but I have to ultimately make a decision on what to and not to follow. By no means does this list reflect all of the anime that are going to be aired, though I did try to be as comprehensive as I could. Check out MOON PHASE for an entire listing, syoboi's calendar for specific air-times, and AndrewLB's Spring 2007 Wiki for who's tentatively subbing what.
Technical Note: All times are given in a 24-hour, relative-day format where times are extended to show which day they belong to. For instance, Friday morning at 1:30AM would become Thursday at 25:30 to show that the episode aired late Thursday night.

Darker than BLACK -Kuro no Keiyakusha- http://www.d-black.net/ Premieres April 5th, 2007 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Thursdays at 25:25 Airtime in U.S. (EDT, GMT-4): Thursdays at 12:25 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo Darker Than BLACK is the show that will be replacing CODE GEASS in the Thursday late-night timeslot. It is being produced by BONES and shares much of the same production team that worked on Wolf's Rain. Oh yea, and did I mention that Yoko Kanno will be composing the music, the opening song will be performed by abingdon boys school, and the ending will be by Rie fu? The story here revolves around a guy with special powers who works as a Contractor and is supported by an emotionless girl and the Hell's Gate that appears in Tokyo. They've released a ton of promotional material on the official website, and it all made me quite excited about this show. Odds I'll Blog This: Guaranteed

Lucky Star http://www.lucky-ch.com/ Premieres April 8th, 2007 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Sundays at 24:00 Airtime in U.S. (EDT, GMT-4): Sundays at 11:00 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo Lucky Star is a 24-episode Kyoto Animation work for spring and summer seasons to be directed by Suzumiya Haruhi director Yamamoto Hiroshi. It's based on a humorous 4-koma, but I would assume that the episodes will have a story of some sort, much like Azumanga Daioh. Lucky Star centers around an athletic but lazy girl named Konata who loves anime and games - she'll be voiced by Hirano Aya. If we want to draw some more Suzumiya Haruhi parallels, I find it ironic - perhaps intentional on KyoAni's part - that Chihara Minori is voicing the quiet girl who doesn't show emotions. In any case, I'm looking forward to a great comedy series by Kyoto Animation since I have a lot of confidence that they'll do an amazing job with whatever they animate. Odds I'll Blog This: Guaranteed

Note: This is a rather long and fairly comprehensive list of the shows coming in April. Much much more after the jump, including the torrent link for promotional material.

Though there may not be much going on this and next week as we celebrate the new year, things will get busy again once the Winter 2007 season kicks off. Before we get started on all the upcoming shows, a few notes. I am once again not specifically saying what I am and am not going to watch. As usual, I'll watch the first episode of almost every show within certain parameters (in other words, probably not the kiddie shows like Pokémon or Pretty Cure). What I will say is what the odds are of me blogging a show. However, even if chances are good that I'll blog the first episode of a series, that doesn't mean I'll stick with it for more than that. Certain days of the week - Thursdays and Saturdays - have always had too many interesting shows, and I have to ultimately make a decision on what to follow and what not to. Because I have so many shows that are continuing from the fall, there can only be so many new series that I can afford the time to pick up. By no means does this list reflect all of the anime that are going to be aired, though I did try to be as comprehensive as I could. Check out MOON PHASE for an entire listing, syoboi's calendar for specific air-times, and AndrewLB's Winter 2006/2007 Wiki for who's tentatively subbing what.

Kyoushirou to Towa no Sora http://www.kyoshiro-sora.net/ Premieres January 5th, 2007 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Fridays at 13:30 Airtime in U.S. (EST, GMT-5): Thursdays at 23:30 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo You may remember me talking about it earlier this month and the Kannazuki no Miko connections that it has. That alone is enough to get me to watch it, but Megami magazine spreads like this or this don't hurt either. The story is about a girl named Shiratori Ku who has a dream about a prince and then actually meets that prince in real life. Somewhere along the line they'll likely work in plenty of fanservice/semi-yuri and mecha action. I'm honestly trying to keep my expectations low so that I don't disappoint myself in case this doesn't live up to KnM's legacy. It's just a shame that KOTOKO isn't doing the OP or ED, which are apparently being handled by CooRie and Ceui, respectively. Odds I'll Blog This: Guaranteed

Venus Versus Virus http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/vvv/ Premieres January 11th, 2007 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Thursdays at 25:55 Airtime in U.S. (EST, GMT-5): Thursdays at 11:55 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo This show is about two girls who fight demons called Viruses. The girl with the eyepatch Lucia runs an antique shop called Venus Vanguard, hence the show is named Venus Versus Virus. The commercial for it - the one from the end of Rozen Maiden Overture - shows some pretty good looking animation courtesy of Studio Hibari, and it gave me Karin and Black Cat vibes for whatever reason. For what it's worth though, VVV has some of the same staff as Tsuyokiss - director Kimura Shinichiro, character designer Agata Yoshimi, and Yamada Yasutomo in charge of series composition. Under different circumstances (ie. Thursdays without CODE GEASS, Kanon, and potentially Nodame Cantabile), this would get pretty high odds at getting blogged, but since this is airing on Thursdays, I can only say it's got a decent chance. Odds I'll Blog This: Decent

Note: This is a rather long and fairly comprehensive list of the shows coming in January and February. Much much more after the jump.

The Fall 2006 Season is just around the corner, so it's time for a preview of what's coming. But before we get started, a few notes. I am once again not specifically saying what I am and am not going to watch. As usual, I'll watch the first episode of almost every show within certain parameters (in other words, probably not the kiddie shows like Pokémon or Rockman). What I will do here is say what the odds of me blogging the show are. However, even if chances are good that I'll blog the first episode of a series, that doesn't mean I'll stick with it for more than that. Certain days of the week - Thursdays and Saturdays - have always had too many interesting shows, and I have to ultimately make a decision on what to follow and what not to. This season isn't quite as bad as the previous Spring one, but it's close. By no means does this list reflect all of the anime that are going to be aired, though I did try to be as comprehensive as I could. Check out MOON PHASE for an entire listing, syoboi's calendar for specific air-times, and AndrewLB's Fall 2006 Wiki for who's tentatively subbing what.

Lovedol ~Lovely Idol~ http://www.avexmovie.jp/lineup/lovedol/ Premieres October 2nd, 2006 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Mondays at 25:30 Airtime in U.S. (EST, GMT-5): Mondays at 11:30 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo This season's Navel-related show, with original character designs by Nishimata Aoi of SHUFFLE! fame. It sounds like this might be another Lemon Angel Project girls-becoming-idols type show, but there's some major voice talent signed on for this: Nakahara Mai (she's in everything), Chihara Minori (Yuki from Suzumiya Haruhi), Nogawa Sakura (Nemu from DC), and Gotou Yuuko (Mikuru, Kaede, Nanami…). I think that alone makes this a must-see. Odds I'll Blog This: Guaranteed

Sumomomo Momomo http://www.tv-sumomo.com/ Premieres October 5th, 2006 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Thursdays at 26:40 Airtime in U.S. (EST, GMT-5): Thursdays at 12:40 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo If I had to describe the manga this show is based on quickly, I'd call it a martial arts series crossed with a good deal of lolicon. For examples, I point you to Exhibit A and Exhibit B (probably NSFW). Basically, the story involves a guy who is the heir to a fighting style, but has no interest in it, and a very strong loli girl who wants to have his children. Hilarity ensues. I've been looking forward to this series ever since my friend introduced me to the manga. It also helps that Hirano Aya is in this too. Odds I'll Blog This: Good

Note: This is a rather long and fairly comphrehensive list of all the shows coming in October. Much much more after the jump. Updated 9/22/2006: Bakumatsu YouTube video link fixed; Added Super Robot Wars OG Divine Wars, History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi, and Soukou no Strain entries.

Next week marks the start of the Summer 2006 season, so it's time for another preview. What the last couple of seasons have taught me is that I'll watch the first episode of almost every show within certain parameters (in other words, not the kiddie shows). So instead of specifically saying what I'm going to watch and not going to watch, I'm going to outline my initial thoughts here most of the shows based on preliminary information and trailers. In addition, I'm adding a line about the chances of me blogging the first episode with at least screencaps and some impressions, if not a summary. Keep in mind this list does not quite include everything, and in particular does not have the two WOWOW series Taiyou no Mokushiroku (which appears to be a short) and Kemono Zume (which isn't starting until August and doesn't have much information to go on right now). Finally, even if chances are good that I'll blog the first episode of a series, that doesn't mean I'll stick with it for more than an episode. Certain days of the week - Thursdays and Saturdays - have always had too many interesting shows, and I have to ultimately make a decision on what to follow and what not to. This season fortunately doesn't have the insane number of new shows that Spring did, but we'll see how it turns out. Note: All times are given in a 24-hour, relative-day format where times are extended to show which day they belong to. For instance, Friday morning at 1:30AM would become Thurday at 25:30 to show that the episode aired late Thursday night. By no means is this list complete, these are just the series I watch/am planning to watch. Check out MOON PHASE for an entire listing, syoboi's calendar for specific air-times, and AndrewLB’s Summer 2006 Wiki for who’s tentatively subbing what.

	FLAG http://www.flag20xx.net/ Premieres June 16th, 2006 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Every Other Friday at 12:00 Airtime in U.S. (EDT, GMT-4): Every Other Thursday at 23:00 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo A camerawoman follows around a mobile suit group in a not-so-far future setting with global strife. This is a mecha series, but it has a little similarity to current geopolitical situation. I'm not a big fan of the character designs, though the premise and the fact that this is a mecha series has me interested at least a little. Technically the first episode of this show has already aired, and the second episode is due in a few days, but it's on Bandai Channel, which is a premium service. Odds I'll Blog This: Decent
	Night Head Genesis http://www.nighthead-genesis.jp/ Premieres June 17th, 2006; Regular Airing Starts July 29th, 2006 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Saturdays at 24:00 Airtime in U.S. (EDT, GMT-4): Saturdays at 11:00 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo Two brothers with psychic powers on the run. I watched the trailer on the main site, and it looked rather horror supernatural. Personally though, I doubt this is my type of series. Odds I'll Blog This: Poor
	Honey and Clover II http://www.hachikuro.net/ Premieres June 29th, 2006 Airtime in Japan (JST, GMT+9): Thursdays at 24:45 Airtime in U.S. (EDT, GMT-4): Thursdays at 11:45 Information Links: ANN Encyclopedia, AnimeNfo The series that needs no introduction, this is the continuation of the highly popular series from last year, meaning the return of Morita, Takemoto, Hagu-chan, and all the others. This time around, the series will only be 13 episodes. I'm most looking forward to a lot of good music by Suga Shikao and Spitz. What's more, this season will feature background music by the popular acoustic guitar duo DEPAPEPE, which makes me doubly excited. Odds I'll Blog This: Guaranteed

Show	Airtime in Japan (GMT +9)	Airtime in US (EST, GMT -5)	Info Link	Premiere Date
Nerima Daikon Brothers	Monday, 25:30	Monday, 11:30	Link	January 9th
Magikano	Tuesday, 25:30	Tuesday, 11:30	Link	January 1st
Kashimashi	Wednesday, 25:30	Wednesday, 11:30	Link	January 11th
Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru...	Thursday, 24:30	Thursday, 10:30	Link	January 12th
Shinigami no Ballad	Thursday, 24:30	Thursday, 10:30	Link	March 2nd
REC	Thursday, 25:55	Thursday, 11:55	Link	February 2nd
Fate/stay night	Friday, 25:30	Friday, 11:30	Link	January 6th
LEMON ANGEL PROJECT	Friday, 25:30	Friday, 11:30	Link	January 6th
Kage Kara Mamoru!	Saturday, 26:50	Saturday, 12:50	Link	January 7th

Note: All times are given in a 24 hour format, using what I call relative day time where times are extended to show which day they belong to. For instance, Friday morning at 1:30AM would become Thursday at 25:30 to show that the episode aired late Thursday night. By no means is this list complete, these are just the series I'm planning to watch. Check out MOON PHASE for an entire listing and AndrewLB's Winter 2006 Wiki for who's tentatively subbing what. A brief run-down on my choice of shows:

Nerima Daikon Brothers - The director is Watanabe Shinichi (aka. Nabeshin). For that reason alone, this should be pretty interesting.

Magikano - This series sounds like magical girl/harem-romance fluff, but I'm willing to give it an episode to see how it is. It's airing on Tuesdays though, so if it doesn't impress, I probably won't stick with it.

Kashimashi - Boy gets hit on the head by a UFO, turns into a girl, and shoujo-ai ensues. This is probably the series I'm looking the most forward to this next season after having read some of the manga.

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