Michael's First Impressions: Fall 2013 (Part 1)

1. Miss Monochrome:  Aside from the irritations that come with a short-time format, the characters are wholly devoid of appeal.  And the story is absurd without the redemption of well-timed comedy or dialogue.  
   
   
   Verdict:  SKIP!

2. Diabolik Lovers:  The absurd plot along with the sadistic treatment of the main character combine for an unenjoyable experience.  And the lead’s mysterious past is nothing more than an irritating cliché.  In short, this show is terrible and offensive.  
   
   
   Verdict:  SKIP!

3. Beyond the Boundary:  KyoAni has done it again with beautiful animation, but it falls short on plot and narrative.  While the entrancing art and the Moe-rific nature of the female lead are pros, the supernatural, fantasy background is uninteresting while the character interactions are bland.  
   
   
   Verdict:  GIVE IT A SHOT, you may like it.

4. Coppelion:  A post-apocalyptic story with an infusion of girl-power.  It’s peppered with bland, meaningless dialogue and accented with a few overdramatized moments intended to elicit an emotional understanding of the harshness of living in this world.  Though, the moments fail to inspire.  The art is subpar.  While the backgrounds are well done, the characters in the foreground, in addition to having a rough-drawn sketch appearance, aren’t integrated into the scene with care.  It has the look of a sloppy copy/paste job.  
   
   
   Verdict:  SKIP!

5. Golden Time:  Generic Rom-Com with a handful of funny moments.  While the budding friendship between the two male leads is entertaining to watch, the possessive, insensitive nature of the female lead is off putting.  The romantic aspect feels unfocused, but that could be a good thing.  This early on, it works in the show’s favor to have unclear aims for the romantic routes.
   
   
   Verdict:  GIVE IT A SHOT, rom-com fans will likely enjoy it.

6. Kill La Kill:  O_O  Whoa!  Balls-to-the-wall pacing and extreme action keep the audience focused and entertained at all times.  The characters have straightforward roles and execute with razor sharp precision.  I’m have the mildest apprehensions that the hard-core action format could grow boring over the course of the 24 episodes, but I will continue watching with gusto until that unlikely event occurs.  A definite candidate for best of the season!  
   
   
   Verdict:  MUST WATCH!