Tegami Bachi and other fall series

I'm actually keeping up with some series. Scratch some. A LOT OF SERIES. This isn't going to last at all. XD; I tried watching some series from summer and spring, but they haven't kept my interest. There's something about following series as they come out that makes them more appealing.

Tegami Bachi 1-3

I'm enjoying this one so far. Don't like the 3D monsters too much, but I like the main two (three?) characters and the atmosphere and the fact that this is a series about postmen. I was surprised by who the main character turned out to be though.

( more on Tegami Bachi )

Kampfer 1

Boy transforms into a girl and is forced to participate in Kampfer fights, which is limited to girls. This would be interesting if he kept changing back and forth between a guy and a girl, but it looks like he's going to be stuck in girl form for the rest of the series. This is turning out to be like all the other boy turned into girl or dressed as a girl series where the boy just looks and acts entirely like a girl. Really, what's the point.

Kobato 1-3

Very peaceful anime so far about Kobato's trials in healing people's hearts and collecting candy in her jar from that. She has a mean stuffed dog called Ioryogi, who provides much of the comedy. Kiyokazu, the guy on the right, works at a kindergarten and has been mean to Kobato so far. I like the cute designs from this CLAMP series.

( more on Kobato )

( Miracle Train 2-3 )

( Inuyasha Kanketsu hen 2-3 )

( Kimi ni Todoke 2-3 )

( Nyankoi! 2-3 )

Aoi Bungaku 1

This series is disturbing. Very dark. I think 6 (or was it four?) Japanese novels are going to be animated for this 12 episode series, so that's...2-3 episodes per story, I suppose. The character designs for this first one, Ningen Shikkaku, was done by Obata Takeshi. I'm looking forward to seeing Konomi Takeshi and Kubo Tite's designs for the other stories. The only novel I've read is Natsume Souseki's Kokoro. I'll be looking forward to that one.

Fairy Tail 1-2

I started reading the manga for this after Fanime when one of the people I hung out with dressed up as Gray. The manga hasn't interested me all that much yet. The start of Akaboshi Ibun Suikoden reminds me a lot of Fairy Tail, which is another series I couldn't get into. I think it has something to do with how Lucy joins an already established organization with so many characters. Hm, I guess the same thing could be said of D.Gray-man...

( more on Fairy Tail )

Oh man, out of all these, I'm probably only dropping Kampfer. Still planning on checking out other series too, though I'm not sure what else there is now. XDD

Charming Junkie and other gender bender series

Kampfer got me thinking of gender bender series I actually enjoy. I'm a huge fan of shoujo gender bender series because I just adore when characters keep secrets or have a secret identity. This secret identity thing extends to non crossdressing situations too, such as Lelouch as Zero and Kaitou as Kaitou Kid and all that. My biggest complaint for most shoujo gender bender series is that the secret generally comes out too quickly, though for manga, it makes sense that the secret is out quickly when you're trying to grab everyone's attention with the first few chapters. If it's not a secret identity thing, I generally...don't like the series even if it's gender bender unless it has something to do with power relationships. Most gender bender I enjoy seem to be manga only instead of anime. Which is sad, because I really want a gender bender series animated so I can hear a seiyuu attempt voices as both a guy and a girl.


(I can't find the corresponding scanlation of this panel, so this will have to do...basically says the school council president = the female idol)
A lot of mangaka seem to like combining crossdressing with the idol world. I'm guilty of doing that too (I've been writing an AU fic with such a situation). I was ecstatic when I came upon Charming Junkie where the idol Umi is crossdressing. He looks hot as a guy and cute as a girl. I like his character design. The series is reasonably long and manages to flesh out the characters more by the end of the series. Naka, the main female protagonist, has a scary face like Sawako. It's interesting seeing her overcome that. Naka and Umi are very adorable together. People who liked Never Give Up will most likely enjoy this one, since Umi ends up wanting to crossdress in order to protect his job with Naka.

( gender bender in showbiz )

( gender bender with guys dressing up as girls )

( gender bender with girls dressing up as guys )

( gender bender with mistaken gender )

( other gender bender, such as transformations, reincarnation, body-swapping, etc )

( gender bender but not the focus )