So like. A week or two ago I watched the first few episodes of No. 6 thinking it was going to be yet another crappy excuse for slashy boys, because sometimes those are fun, right. But then it was like. WHAT. DID I JUST WATCH. THIS IS ACTUALLY LIKE. GOOD?!! Also: EVEN GAYER THAN ADVERTISED, HOLY CRAP.

No. 6 is a futuristic dystopian sci-fi (with serious BL aspirations) crossed with an episode of Fringe (also with serious BL aspirations), running in the famous noitaminA time slot. Also, why aren't you watching it right now. Seriously, what is wrong with you.

Premise: When Nezumi (Rat) and Shion are both 12, Shion loses his chance at the high life by helping Nezumi, who'd escaped from a correctional facility, evade capture. In return, when Shion later gets into seriously deep shit, Nezumi shows up to save him. (He knows Shion's in trouble on account of his ARMY OF ROBOTIC RATS THAT SPY ON THE CITY FOR HIM.) Oh yeah, and there are also creepy parasite wasps that hatch in your body and cause you to age and die in a matter of minutes as they burrow out of your neck. Idek.

Here's the opening, which is awesome.

This is Nezumi.



He's a rather violent chap who's in a CONSTANT HAM-OFF with the ENTIRE UNIVERSE (which, as moonsheen pointed out, he wins by virtue of having his VERY OWN ARMY OF ACTUAL ROBOTIC RAT SPIES), and waves his arms around so exuberantly and grandly it's a miracle he doesn't put someone's eye out. He's also a Shakespearean actor and literature nerd. I feel this explains so much about his personality.

( Mildly spoilery evidence )


This is Shion.



He's a sweet kid. He's the naive and sheltered genius type. If you can ignore the fact that he reacts COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATELY AND FEARLESSLY to life-threatening situations, you might be tempted to think him the only sane character in this show. MISTAAAAAKE.



(There are no sane characters in this show.)

So anyway, last night I watched ep5 of this show, and I legit cannot interpret this narrative as anything other than a romance anymore. I mean.

( They are... dancing... together. At the end of the world. IS THIS THE REAL LIFE. )

This show. THIS SHOW.

Other things I am watching so far this season:

Dantalian no Shoka - This pretty much has no plot to speak of so far, but it's so atmospheric and the music is so pretty that it doesn't need one. I mean, I kind of don't know why they bothered with a plot at all - just random scenes of Dalian being cute and Hugh being charming and the occasional book-monster running around with pretty backgrounds and lovely music would have been fine. It sort of lulls me into this mellow, blissed out state. I get drowsy watching it not because it's boring, but because it's so soothing.

(...I suppose I should note here, lest you get the wrong idea from all my talk about it being soothing, that this is a horror/mystery show with some fairly gruesome scenes? Idek okay.)

Oh! And ep 4 had Dalian being a BL fangirl. Also ship wars. And another BL fangirl going all Misery on some poor author's ass. And Dalian deciding to write fix-it fic when her precious gay pairing had a cop-out straight ending. BL FANGIRLS. ENGAGING IN SHIP WARS SINCE THE 1930S.

Mawaru Pengindrum: Continues to be bizarre and entertaining and incredibly stylish, although I want more Himari! Ringo is interesting and all, but...


Aaaand I just discovered that Natsume Yuujinchou S3 has already started broadcasting! Somehow I missed that. Just watched the first 2 eps, and it continues to be the cute, whimsical and languid show the first 2 seasons were.

Along with No. 6, that makes FOUR ANIME SERIES worth watching this season?! UNPOSSIBLE. Oh, anime, how I've missed you. ;_____________;


Shows that I have watched which I don't really recommend:

Blood C: This is the latest installment in the Blood franchise (Blood the Last Vampire, Blood +, etc.) I've watched 4 episodes of this so far and it continues to be dead boring, and yet somehow I just keep watching more? Idk. The one good thing I can say for it thus far is that it has some really awesome and creative monster designs.


Mayo Chiki!: I only watched 5 minutes of this. Seriously, anime industry, you are pissing me the fuck off. You give me one of my greatest kinks - A LADY BUTLER, FOR GOD'S SAKE - and make her the heroine of a show, and you make the show a piece of disgusting moe crap. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU.