The Return: Spring 2006 Wrap-up & Summer 2006 Preview

I'm back! Moving went pretty well, although I'm still without TV and a phone line. I've missed a few weeks of blogging Ouran and xxxHOLiC, but I will get to them sometime soon. For today, it's my Spring favorites, and info on what shows I'm following this season.

Spring 2006 - Best of Anime

Best New Anime: Ouran High School Host Club
Best Female Character: Haruhi Fujioka
Best Male Character: Tamaki Suoh
Best OP: Ouran High School Host Club
Best ED: The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi
Biggest Surprise: Ouran High School Host Club
Biggest Disappointment: .hack//roots


Ouran FTW

Ouran is the big winner this season. I hadn't even heard of the series before the blogs started recommending it, but it now one of my favorite anime. If it hadn't been for the sheer awesomeness of that other Haruhi show's ED, Ouran would have had a clean sweep.

A lot of the shows I'd been looking forward to turned out to be real disappointments. The only series of my original "must watch" list that remains is xxxHOLiC, and even it didn't fully live up to my expectations. (I decided to wait on the second season of Tsubasa because I didn't finish the first one before it was licensed.) I'm thankful for unexpected gems like Ouran and Good Witch of the West.

Summer 2006 - Shows I Plan to Watch

I might try out some other series, but these are the main ones I'm interested in.

PowerPuff Girls Z - I enjoyed the original series, and I'm a sucker for magical girls.
Mamotte! Lollipop - It looks cute, so I want to try it.
Bokura ga Ita - Shoujo romance, directed by the guy who did the Fruits Basket and Kodocha anime.
Angelique - Based on a dating sim for girls? Definite guilty pleasure material.