So not too long after I made a tweet about it, I figured, why the hell not start? At least I got to start somewhere. This is the first in a series of posts so far, despite the end of 2009 already approaching, about the current entries in my top picks for 2009 (winter 2008 anime season till fall 2009 season, the latter of which is still going on). Of course, this list will be limited only to the series I have seen and/or complete. This first post will be about the OP and ED theme songs as well as the singers/bands (who are all grouped together).

One of my favorite ending themes of the summer season so far is Shion Tsuji’s “M/elody” for Tokyo Magnitude 8.0. Note I’m still experimenting a bit, so later posts may not be as comprehensive as this one is. I’ll begin my review with a bit of background, a review of the single, a review of the anime ending sequence, and finally a review of the music video.

In case you have not heard, within a week, the area around Japan has been struck by 3 earthquakes, each stronger than the last (Richter Magnitude 4.0, 6.4, 6.7). I do not recall a situation in recent history that is even close to this regarding quakes. In fact when I first heard about the 4.0 magnitude one I thought it was just another normal quake – Japan, as we all know, is prone to earthquakes being surrounded (and even being on) by multiple tectonic plates. Then the second one hit, and I was thinking, “If a third hits, I am going to get worried.” Well, that just came true.

Image thanks to Incise-soul.

And the summer is already upon us with full force. I have been feeling the raging heat here for weeks already, so much so that my room temperature has gone up abnormally each day, forcing me to turn on my air-conditioner for short stretches to bring it down so I can survive. But in any case, I was never a fan of summer anime much, and this current list of anime series airing is still not enough to make me feel encouraged. Nevertheless, here are mine and three other guest writers’ impressions of the shows we are or are not watching, and unlike my spring anime watchlist, this is a serious post, because I got others’ opinions written in as well.