Year-End Babble: 2007 Anime Notables

As the end of 2007 nears, I figured it would be fitting to post something to look back on the anime scene and mention a few of the series that I found rather noteworthy to share. I prefer using the term “notables” than “best of” since I don’t think I’ve seen enough anime to actually say which is best.

Please note that this is quite a subjective list as this was solely based on my picks among the series I have seen that aired from January to December of this year that I feel are notable.

* List order is chronological based on the season when it started airing (from Winter 2006/2007 to Fall 2007)

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Lovely Complex ep 24 [FINALE]

Final impression of this series noted in the end. =)

Episode 24: “Together Forever!!” (series finale)

Summary: Picking up from last episode, Otani is kicked out of his house on the night before the exam since his mom, sister and dad have gotten the flu. He called around for a place to stay for the night, but Nakao and Suzuki are both in situations wherein they can’t help him. Otani ends up staying over at Koizumi’s. In turn, he meets Koizumi’s family: Her mom, dad and brother. Hilarity ensues as they ask Otani about his height and if he’s really okay being with someone like Koizumi.

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Lovely Complex ep 23

Episode 23:  “Many Future Paths!! The Circumstances Everyone Bears”

Summary:  Koizumi still can’t believe about the break up. Nobu hits her with a broom and tells her off again for going out with another guy while Otani was working hard on his prep classes. Koizumi starts crying to Nobu asking what she should do. Nobu says she doesn’t care and points out to Koizumi that, “You reap what you sow.” Chiharu tries to comfort Koizumi saying that maybe if she kept apologizing, Otani will forgive her. Koizumi says she didn’t mean to cheat on him but what she did was definitely the wrong thing to do, thinking to herself that there should be a limit to her stupidity.

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Lovely Complex ep 22

Episode 22:  “Otani’s Catastrophic Revelation!!”

Summary:  Koizumi is relating what has happened since last episode. Nobu received her acceptance letter from the university in Hokkaido and has been even more lovey-dovey with Nakao than before. Otani is planning continue his studies onto university and has started attending prep classes, studying seriously for the entrance exams. Koizumi says she doesn’t like studying or taking tests, so she decided not to go to a uni and will try for a technical college instead. As they are walking home, Koizumi then asks Otani if he’s planning to go to the Umibozu concert. Otani says he would unfortunately not be able to go to the concert this time since he needs to study. Koizumi is shocked to hear this. Otani wonders why she’s following him towards his prep class. Koizumi says she isn’t following him, but is going this way too since she’s applying for a part time job at the restaurant opposite his prep school. Otani asks her why she suddenly wanted to work. Koizumi cheerfully tells him that this way, she could at least walk with him halfway home.

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Lovely Complex ep 21

After a 2-week hiatus of this series in Japan, the subbed episode 21 has finally been released! ^_^

Episode 21: “Premonition of Separation?! Risa and Otani’s Different Paths”

Summary:  Nobu is telling off Koizumi for not knowing what Otani’s post-graduation plans are. Koizumi says they don’t talk about stuff like that and they usually talk about Umibozu and his concerts of songs. Nobu says she thought it would be like that but then asks Koizumi if she doesn’t think that her boyfriend’s post-graduation plans are a source of concern when making her own. Koizumi then asks Nobu and Chiharu if they talk about stuff like that with Nakao and Suzuki. Nobu answers that she does and that Nakao is going into the family business running a dessert shop so she’s planning to be a nutritionist to help him out, while Chiharu decided to go to the same university as Suzuki for the time being. This worries Koizumi.

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Lovely Complex ep 20

Episode 20: “Declaration of War! The Dangerous Beauty Who Burns with Jealousy!!”

Summary:  Otani and Koizumi meet up in front of Otani’s house to go to school together. Koizumi greets him in a cutesy manner with a warm ‘good morning’. Otani is taken aback by this and responds by saying it’s gross. Koizumi is annoyed by this and asks, “What do you mean gross? Is that the attitude you should have towards your girlfriend?” Otani responds by asking her if she doesn’t think her attitude is a bit arrogant. Koizumi says she has suffered much up until now and blushingly adds she needs compensation. An annoyed Otani grabs her cheeks and pulls at her face asking “What do you mean ‘compensation’?” Just then Mimi appears and greets Otani with a cutesy ‘good morning’.  Koizumi then remembers that she met Otani’s neighbor, Mimi, previously at the stadium (see episode 19).  Koizumi then loudly remembers Mimi’s name and mistakenly calls her ‘Meimei-chan’. Otani corrects her. Mimi laughs it off telling Otani that his girlfriend is funny. Just then Otani looks at his wristwatch and notices that they’ll be late for school. Koizumi tells him it’s because he took long to get ready. Otani responds it’s because Koizumi was being stupid. They then go off to school together, leaving Mimi behind. After Koizumi waved goodbye to Mimi, Mimi frowns after Koizumi with a challenging stare.

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Lovely Complex ep 19

Episode 19: “Sudden Downturn!! The First Date is the Beginning of Misfortune”

Summary:  Koizumi is getting ready for school and is wearing the rabbit necklace Otani gave her as a birthday present last episode.  She is in an extremely good mood and happy. She arrives at summer school and greets Otani and Nakao who are already there. As Otani is returning the greeting, he notices that she is wearing the necklace and suddenly panics and tells of Koizumi about wearing it. Nobu and Chiharu then arrives and greets them. Nobu notices the necklace and exclaims that it’s cute then asks Koizumi where she got it. Koizumi was about to tell her it’s from Otani when she notices Otani has a scary look in his face that’s seems to be threatening her not to tell she got it from him. She then lamely replies to Nobu that she got it as a gift from God. Confused, all Nobu can say about this was “Huh?”

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Lovely Complex ep 18

Episode 18:  “Best Birthday in History”

Summary:  Koizumi is sleeping in school assembly again. She is dreaming about Otani telling her he’s just no good without her but she is woken up. She notes it is the last summer of her high school life. Since she slept through Otani’s confession last episode, she thinks to herself she still doesn’t know how Otani feels about her but she is going to enjoy her summer vacation anyway. Apparently, she later learns that she would have to stay for summer study session in school. However, she is informed by Nobu that she and Nakao will also be taking summer classes and that Chiharu and Suzuki will take it too as well as Otani.

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