Summer 2007 Anime Series: Moe
Have you notice the enormous number of moe anime that have been popping up lately? From figurines and doujinshi to cosplay, it is hard to avoid the moe culture as an anime fan. What is moe anyway? According to wikipedia, moe is a japanese slang referring to a fetish or love for anime/manga characters. In my opinion, the popular portrayal of an otaku is as a moe fan, such as that in Genshiken.
The moe industry have a persistently large market. It has pushed for more and more productions of anime and manga with moe themes, such as maid, harem and loli. Mahoromatic, Ai Yori Aoshi, Sister Princess, Hanaukyo Maids, He's My Master are to name a few. Even the female population get a bite of heaven too. Kyou Kara Maou, Ouran High School Host Club, Yamato Nadeshiko Shichihenge, Loveless are a few titles of moe manga and anime in my collection. I am even following a manga called "Shounen Harem". I love bishounen! I do place quality first in choosing what series to follow, and the beauty of a mangaka character designs and drawings weigh heavily.
Well, to celebrate the growing our moe spirit, I am presenting an overview of moe moe Summer 2007 anime. There is little chance that I will watch any of them, but I thought that somebody out there will appreciate it.
07.02.07: Nanatsuiro Drops
Website: http://www.nanatsuiro.com/
Trailer
Nanatsuiro Drops is a typical Sailor Moon or Peach Girl type of moe. A regular high school boy drinks a magical potion which made him turns into a stuffed sheep toy at sun down. In order to return back to normal, he has to collect Drops of Stars which can only be done by a girl who owns a special wand. The girl turns out to be his classmate. To make more things complicated, she cannot find out that he's the stuffed sheep or he'll be a toy permanently.
07.03.07: Doujin Work
Website: http://www.doujin.tv/
Trailer
This anime is about a girl's discovery and journey in becoming a successful doujinshi writer. Doujinshi is a big part of the moe lifestyle, so I will not be surprise if many can relate; though not as much as Genshiken. The main character is a cute girl, so this is definitely a loli moe.
07.03.07: Kenko Zenrakei Suieibu Umisho
Website: http://umisho.com/
Trailer
High school girls in uniform swimming suits. I think that description will interest plenty of moe fan. If I mention that the top swimmer in the swimming club is girl who likes to swim naked, would you be interested?
07.05.07: Sky Girls
Website: http://www.konami.jp/visual/skygirls/
Trailer
Sky Girls return in TV series form after its OVA which was released in August 2006. After a devastating lost of young men in Earth's war against the alien force named Worms, a mecha unit called Sonic Driver stood up to counter. The mecha is operated by three young girls in skimpy battle suits with cat tails. Yep, it's neko loli.
07.06.07: Potemayo
Website: http://www.potemayo.com/
Trailer
I have an old internet friend whom I know since my early college days. Like me, he is a big fan of anime. One day I noticed that he is also a fan of cute things; since he kept on mentioning about plushies (chibi version dolls; chibi = mini). And then I realized that he is not the only guy who like chibi things. After finishing this entry I am going to bring Potemayo, which have two chibi characters into his attention.
07.08.06: Moe-tan
Website: http://www.ink-chan.com/
Book CM
Trailer
If you are looking for the pure moe flagship, then Moe-tan is it. Originally Moe-tan is an English language book aimed to Otakus. Nao-kun needs help in studying english and a mysterious magical girl in a swimming suit, whom actually his transformed neighbor, comes to his rescue. The book contains lesson which refers to many aspects of an otaku lifestyle, most importantly anime and mangas. These are the following examples which Wikipedia mentions:
Compose: "The characters should be composed of childhood friends, girls with glasses, robotic maids and sisters."
Scare: "The angel who lives on his house scared him because she beat him to death without notice." (Referring to Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan)
Bet: "When I fell in love with the her, I thought that the girl was my stepsister. I bet if I had known she was my real sister, I would not have fallen in love with her."
CD, PSP and online version and merchandises of Moe-tan followed the success of the book. And now, an anime series will save even more otakus who needs to learn english.
Back For the Second Season:
07.05.07: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai
Website: http://www.oyashirosama.com/web/kai/index.htm
Trailer
This is the sequel to Higurashi no Nako Koro ni. The anime originates from a soft mystery PC game that revolves around a boy and his female childhood friends who live in a village clouded with bloody mysteries. I watched a couple of episode of the first season, but I quickly lost interest. Nevertheless, I categorize this as a dark harem with all kinds of moe: loli, twincest, etc.
08.11.07 Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan 
Website: http://www.bin-kan.com/
First Season Opening
Sakura Kusakabe will endure more of Dokuro-chan's brutal beatings for another season. In the future Sakura Kusakabe will invent mortality and at the same time cause women top stop growing at the age of 12. God who didn't see it coming sent the spiked club swinging angel from the future to stop Sakura from causing the "Phedophile World." Instead of killing him, Dokuro-chan decided to steer him away by giving him constant distraction. Alas, Dokuro-chan is so impulsive, she kept on killing Sakura and reviving him with angelic magic. This is another loli anime with lots of fan service.
article by
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