Since this site is also in conjunction with Japanator I figure I can post this. In starting I'm not sure how the Japanese system of commercials work, but its always been curious to me how they have some commercials that are full promos while others can take up about 10 seconds of advertising time. Maybe its due to the overwhelming price of primetime airtime or just a studio budget on ads but 10 seconds was always weird. Some of the anime I've seen utilizes the short promo time effectively while others seem to have an issue with it. Now that thats over with here is some previews of Winter 08 anime.

Long Promos:

Daughters of Mnemosyne

Summary: Grainy
I can hardly make out a storyline but based on the trailer this is an erotic thriller that takes focus on the lives of a few women. Saying that, the amount of ecchiness and violence is a bit overpowering in places where some sort of story could be fleshed out. Also, that electric guitar playing in the background fails to help Mnemosyne's case. This trailers only main draw is that the animation seems fairly solid especially in action sequences. The animation and the dark ecchi undertones could make this a solid watch but for those of us who just are not waiting for the next boob to appear on screen this could be a pass unless the anime does have a killer story to back up the T and A.


H2O ~Footprints in the Sand~

Summary:English Voiceover Guy Appears!
I apologize, but when that voiceover came on I just about laughed my ass off. Now that that has been said lets talk about the trailer. The character models themselves look to be underwhelming but this is made up by the apparent fluidness of the animation. Storywise everything seems to be darker and therefore more interesting than what the bright, sunlit beach makes it out to be as Harumi Sakura's character (the dark blue haired girl) just seems out of place with all the ecchi fun that seems to be shooting around everywhere. This looks like it could be the surprise hit of the season if some of the bigger titles fall through.


Rosario + Vampire

Summary: Poor
I have to say that 3d animation in a 2d anime must be used appropriately otherwise it looks horrible. I know that it saves animators and studios time and money but poorly done 3d models like this trailer's classroom looks awful when put together with a 2d anything. That being said the main characters voice seems a bit off and the secondary characters of the witch, super vampire and the succubus (yes I've read some of the manga so I know some of the story) are much better looking characters than the pink haired Moka-san. Which ultimately leads me to believe that this anime will not live up to the expectations of the people who are watching it. Check out the second trailer as well which drops the 3d but still fails to maintain my expectations. Wow, thats 3 ecchi anime reviewed in a row, lets see what's next.


True Tears

Summary: Good
It's always been a bit weird how anime created from a dating-sim game can have a more in depth story than manga or novel translations. I'm not saying that this anime could indeed be a magical story that captures anime minds across the world, but coming from the Rosario trailer to this is somewhat rejuvenating. Lord only knows what in the world the fascination with that tree is, but the characters look like they all truly belong together as a cast and the soothing background music is really relaxing. Its just refreshing that a trailer like this that does indeed have ecchi moments, like the half naked girl behind the striped blanket, but it seems to push away from them for a more involved character showcase. Also check out the Japanese-only trailer 2 if you want. It has many of the same scenes as this one so no need to review it but its got a couple new scenes for those interested.


Ayakashi

Summary: Neon Colors Everywhere
First thing I'll note is that you can see in the trailer where the discrepancies in animation are. The scenes in darkness have better models and better animation than the sceenes in light and it shows. The reason this is a big deal is because this genre of action anime has been plagued with mediocre stories and on again off again animation. With my dissappointment in Kiba I'm always hesitant when these anime come out. From what I can guess the characters in this anime all have gaurdian spirits that protect them and are used to fight with other people. The overtones seem to be pretty dark and that might be what they are trying to push but with sloppy inconsistent animation and uninteresting characters (20 bucks says the snake looking guy is evil) this is a big pass for me.


Persona -Trinity Soul-

Summary: For Persona 3 fans only
Now I have yet to an might not play Persona 3. So how does this trailer connect to me? It just doesn't. No real push with the characters or an explanation of what they are doing. The only thing I can actually say I know for sure about this is that it takes place 10 years after Persona 3, something criminal is going on and that persona's come out of a person's body. This is not the type of trailer I would expect from an anime that is based on a game that is immensely popular for its story. This trailer is bland and fairly unappealing to anybody outside of those who know what is going on and even then I might go so far as to say its pretty unappealing. Check out the Second Trailer for more of the same if it interests you.

Short Promos:

They Are My Noble Masters

Summary: meh...
The hard thing about these short clips is that virtually no story can be presented. So instead we get treated to 12 different second long clips of 10 different characters. The music is the same derivitive anime song that we've heard a million times but the character models look great. If there was more focus on movement I could talk about the animation quality but since its virtually non-existant we get what we've got. A decent trailer that has pretty characters.


Shigofumi

Summary: I ain't 'fraid of no ghosts!
In my observations as an outsider to Japanese culture, with the issue of overpopulation and a rapidly aging culture we seem to see lots of shows focused on death and the afterlife. This is another. I for one am not a big fan of these character models as they seem to be a bit lifeless on screen but that could be for a reason. The animation itself is presented very well and the music fits perfectly with the voice actor. This trailer is great for the audience its trying to reach: the niche crowds. This is not and never will be a mainstream anime and so there is just enough to get someone to talk about wanting to see this while only a select few go ahead and tune in. Check out the second trailer and see how much a change in music changes the overall perception recieved.


Wolf and Spice

Summary: Naked Wolf Girls
This is the season for ecchi. With so many people looking for warmth they need something to get the blood flowing. Thus we welcome a trailer that contains a naked girl for at least half of the trailer. The character model for the girl looks great naked but honestly after she threw some clothes on I was done. The male lead looks like a poor man's Ginko and this withdrew from what I would be expecting for this anime sad to say.


Yatterman

Summary: Decent
When I think of anime I honestly think of these types of shows. Laughably fun shows with over the top characters and some busty evil lady that laughs "Ho Ho Ho" in every episode. This trailer is for the remake of Yatterman from the 70s and it looks like a fun but ultimately disappointing show. Great for one episode and then you're done. Check out Trailer 2 for more bright colors and wackiness.


Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

Summary: Yes Please!!!
Okay this is the preview for the second season of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei also known as Goodbye Mr. Despair. The music is ultimately the only thing to get from this as it lacks all of the main characters and uses the school nurse as filler. Its quirky enough for a few stray new viewers to want to see what the show is about, but it ultimately is just telling the fans to expect more of Zetsubou Sensei. Check out more random Japanese with Trailer 2. This trailer will be ultimately pointless to non-japanese speaking people (like myself) but I just posted it because I can't wait for the next season.