It’s a good thing every anime series I’m currently watching will be ending this month, because this year’s Spring season is loaded with new shows, many of which are worth a close look. So, what am I looking forward to?

My allergies have turned my brain to mush today (it’s oozing out my nose!), so this will be very “stream of consciousness”. In other words, “poorly written and dull”…

Cream of the Crop

ARIA The Natural - It’s funny how a show so utterly pointless could be so enjoyable. They could produce five seasons of ARIA, and I’d watch to the very end. Hopefully, the animation budget will be a bit larger this time.

School Rumble S2 - For that matter, they could produce five seasons of School Rumble, and I’d watch to the very end. This is one of the best comedy series to come out of Japan in recent years, and one of a few select shows I truly wanted to see a second season of. Definitely excited about this.

Joshikousei GIRL’S HIGH - Let’s see… there’s a high school. And there’s girls. Therefore, there’s high school girls. You do the math.

Nana - I think the success of the live action film is proof the original manga is friendly to adaptation. On the other hand, Madhouse really screwed the pooch with Paradise Kiss (and Beck, for that matter), so I have my concerns. Perhaps they’ll get it right this time.

xxxHOLiC - I caught the movie in a theater (full of fangirls) on opening day this past Summer, and really liked what I saw. Following the Tsubasa debacle, I’m a bit wary of CLAMP adaptations, but with Production IG at the helm and BeeTrain nowhere to be found, I’m pretty optimistic. If the TV series can capture the feel of the movie, xxxHOLiC should be a winner.

Yume Tsukai - This is a case where character designs and artwork capture my curiosity more than premise. More important, however, is the presence of Hisakawa Aya, Kawasumi Ayako, and teh Mamiko. Bring on the seiyuu interview DVD extras!

Ah! My Goddess S2 - I’m still watching the first season as it’s released on DVD, so I’ll actually pass on this initially. I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

Everything Else

Utawarerumono - I have a natural soft spot for Leaf properties, so I plan to at least give this a look.

Love GeCHU - Miracle Seiyuu Hakusho - With a title like that, how could I NOT be interested? On second thought… yeah, it’ll probably be stupid. Still, shows involving seiyuu (Miracle Seiyuu?!) intrigue me for some reason, and the character designs are easy on the eyes, so… keep this a secret, OK?

Kamisama Kazoku - Premise is kind of “blah”, but the artwork looks nice. Could be a nice filler show. Sometimes, those turn out to be surprise favorites.

Ouran High School Host Club - I’m a bit conflicted on this one. It looks like it could be pretty amusing, but I’m getting more of a yaoi vibe than a shoujo vibe. There’s no problem with the former, necessarily, but it’s far from a turn-on. Lots of potential, though, and BONES’ involvement is a major plus.

Strawberry Panic - A dormitory full of lesbians? Um… I would never stoop to watching something so lascivious. Nope. Not gonna happen. What of my reputation?