So I've found enough time between projects and finals to hit the 3-episode barrier/r on most of the stuff I ended up watching this season. Some thoughts I've wanted to jot down. Also it'll be fun to look back from Summer season and say HAHA LOOK HOW WRONG I WAS THAT TURNED OUT SHIT/GREAT/DEAD. Anyway:
Best OP
Shingeki no Kyojin:
Grew on me like a motherfucker, also rivals Guile's theme in going-withness, if the YouTube clips springing up are anything to go by. Energy and some nice fills, good keeping with the series' eventual tone I think.
Honourable Mention
Yuyushiki:
Moe moe moe watchin' hearts Bakyun~. Really only crops up here because of Minami Tsuda's singing, but I do love her voice so.
Best ED
Aku no Hana
Despite the rest of the show being quite a mess, this is unsettling and dischordy enough to almost make up for it. If the rest of the show was in keeping it would be fantastic, but alas.
Honourable Mention
Shingeki no Kyojin:
Partly because of the animation, but I have a thing for hueg powerballad style songs with female vocals so perhaps it's just me.
Red Data Girl:
My goodness Masumi Itou knows how to caress my ears. Voice of an angel fo' sho'.
Most Pretty
Suisei No Gargantia:
Riding in mostly on BG art and small details, but it's my prettiest nonetheless. The smoke and storm, the rusty ships, the subtle character touches, everything is full of "oohs". I like it.
Honourable Mention
Shingeki No Kyojin:
Great standout styling and some disturbing Titans, but as it's pretty, not a general art award, it's pipped. I do really like the look of this though.
Most Hype
Shingeki No Kyojin:
I really, really want to dig into the meat of the story. I've been seeing the world in passing for the last 3 months or so, so the worldbuilding, while not exactly lost on me, is a little more than a refresher rather than interesting. Get going, time.
Honourable Mention
Suisei No Gargantia:
Sort of similar in that I want to see where the story goes and if it lives up to my expectations. With Urobuchi involved I'm expecting it to take a strange turn or two and end up somewhere interesting, but it hasn't shown many signs of that yet. Then again, I wasn't expecting Charlotte either so who knows.
Kakumeiki Valvrave:
A strange one. After 01, yes, I wanted to see where it went very much. After 02, it kind of went backwards and retracted all the challenges to the various cliches it turned around. It was kind of disappointing to be honest, but I'll let it simmer for a bit before slamming it for trying to tell a story.
Best CG
Kakumeiki Valvrave:
Gargantia isn't really CG-focused thus far, and Majestic Prince was going to take this for it's neat transformo-sniper and the armor-up exosuits, but the hardlight usage and camerawork of Valvrave just pips it. Could go either direction to be honest.
Honourable Mention
Majestic Prince:
As stated above, transformo-mechs and exosuits are neat as hell, but it's a little lightshowy. I have a huge thing for intricate mechanical objects so this could really win if there's more of it.
Best Mechas
Majestic Prince:
Neat designs, cool mechanical movements and even the Wulgaru are interesting to look at. If only the camerawork let us see them in action a little more instead of flying everywhere, but eh, they've got another 20-odd episodes to do that.
Honourable Mention
Kakumeiki Valvrave:
I mean yeah, Valvrave looks neat as shit and all but it doesn't really sell me the sizzle. I do like the swept-back wings and eyethings though.
Most Solid
Shingeki No Kyojin:
It feels like it's an absolutely rock-solid adaptation thus far, good music and voicing, nice pacing and some great animation during the fall scenes. Hopefully it can keep the quality up for the long haul, but I have confidence that I.G. can do it.
Honourable Mention
Hataraku Maou-sama!:
Say what you like, it feels like it's going to get in, tell it's story in a coherent way and get out. If that doesn't qualify for solidity I don't know what does.
Sleeper Hit
Hataraku Maou-sama!
Oh man, the devil works in WcDonalds, how average is this going to-HOLY SHIT EXPLOSIONS OH GOD WHY CAN'T I STOP LAUGHING WHY IS CHI SO ADORABLE OH GOD IT'S HER OH GOD SHE'S CUTE AS FUCK AHAHAHAHA- Safe to say I'm enjoying it far more than I expected to. Totally okay with that.
Honourable Mention
Yuyushiki:
Only honorable cause I expected to enjoy it from the get-go, but not nearly as much as I do. If I were to use the tried and tested method of describing it in terms of similar things, it's like a perfect medium between YRYR, Hidamari and K-On. Love it.