Let's start with what's probably the most interesting and divisive title, Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita (Humanity Has Declined).
Centuries in the future, a lack of resources and declining birth rates have caused the number of humans to dwindle. With mankind near extinction, a race of 10cm tall fairies have become the most prosperous beings on the planet. It's a show that's wrapped in a cute, pastel storybook aesthetic. What's underneath is something completely different, however. There's plenty surrealism, dark humor, and social commentary, all delivered with a refreshing degree of self-awareness. The show's unnamed protagonist, Watashi (lit. "I" or "me") is just like the show itself. She's a smart and capable pink-haired girl, tasked with the job as a UN mediator between humans and fairies. But she's not exactly an angel either. It's from her commentary of the world around her that we get much of the show's dark observational humor. It's certainly not for everyone. The first episode has already premiered and the reaction has been "love it or hate it" (or extremely bewildered and confused).
If I had to describe the next title in one word, it'd be "pleasant." Tari Tari is P. A. Works' latest effort, an original story about five high school students and how music brought them together: Konatsu, an upbeat girl who wants to form a chorus club; Wakana, who stopped taking music lessons after her mother died; Daichi, the sole member of the badminton club; Sawa, an equestrian and member of the archery club; and Ween, who recently transferred after spending 12 years in Austria.
Animation studio P. A. Works (True Tears, Angel Beats!, Hanasaku Iroha) is know for having top-tier background artistry and good production quality. After making the horror series Another two seasons ago, it appears that they've fallen back on something a little more comfortable by bringing together most of the people who've worked on Hanasaku Iroha. Most people pegged Tari Tari as a HanaIro clone, and it's not a stretch to say that P. A. Works is going for the same audience. And while it doesn't reach the same level of energy or artistry as HanaIro, the first episode of Tari Tari had me watching with a small smile on my face the entire time. For me, it's easy on the eyes and nearly as easy on the ears, familiar and relaxing. We've seen this kind of show before, but that doesn't mean this time around won't be worth it, as well. Here's a clip from the end of the show, where the five leads coincidentally all meet each other in town, and Konatsu freaks out.
For those of us who'd rather opt for something sexier, look no further than Dakara Boku wa H ga Dekinai (So, I Can't Play H!, or literally That's Why I Can't Do Dirty Things).
Our main dude, Ryosuke Kaga, is a rather healthy guy, with a rather healthy interest in the sort of things healthy teenage guys are interested in. He meets a girl drenched by the rain on the street and takes her to his place. Then she stabs him. She's actually a shinigami (death god), and to stay in this world, she takes some of his life energy. But instead of dying, Ryosuke wakes up and finds that his "perverted spirit" has been taken away from him, and he can't enjoy certain things anymore. To get it back, he helps the girl on her quest. Action and sexy situations ensue. Not exactly high brow stuff, but it delivers what it promises with decently animated fight scenes and (uncensored!)
This season's noitaminA time slot might not quite reach the same heights as last season's combination of Kids on the Slope and Tsuritama, but it still manages to bring shows a little out of the mainstream into the spotlight. The better of the two shows this season (for me, at least) is Natsuyuki Rendezvous.
Ryuusuke, a shy and gloomy young man, is hopelessly in love with Rokka, a slightly older woman who owns a local flower shop. He comes every day to buy a plant from her, and he eventually gets a part time job at her shop. Weeks go by, and he's invited to help decorate for a farewell party for a fellow part-timer when he meets man who claims to be her husband. Initially heartbroken, Ryuusuke later finds out that he's the only one who can see Atsushi, who is actually the ghost of her dead husband. This setup, while familiar, has the potential to touch upon many aspects of love and loss, especially for a one cour show. Visually, the animation is unremarkable but solid, and both the backgrounds and character designs lean towards a more realistic, mature style. The opening sequence is also very beautiful and sets the tone of the series well.
Continuing shows I definitely recommend are Uchuu Kyoudai (Space Brothers) and Polar Bear Cafe.
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